Ichigo's POV

After mom and I went grocery shopping we went home, I helped my mom with the bags and went upstairs to the bathroom to take a shower and changed my clothes. When I was done changing I went downstairs and started helping my mom cook, an hour later we were done doing dinner and so we started making a strawberry cake and while we waited for the cake to bake the front door opened and someone shouted "MOM I'M HOME!" it was Natsume.

"Ichigo, while I distract Natsume you go hide in my and your father's bedroom until I come up or give you some kind of signal okay? Now go!" mom said whispering fast. Mom started going to the living room to distract Natsume by having small talks and blocking her view and turning her around, I hurriedly but quietly started walking up the stairs and went to my parent's room.

Third Person POV

While Ichigo was hiding, Kyouko was having a small talk with her younger daughter "Mom something smells really good" Natsume said smelling a sweet delicious scent coming from the kitchen "Oops, I almost forgot" Kyouko stood up from the couch where they were sitting and headed towards the kitchen, Natsume was curious and followed her mother "The cake seems to be done so all that is left is to decorate it, would you like to help me Natsume?" Kyouko asked putting an apron on "Sure, but why did you make so much food? Don't tell me it's your and dad's anniversary! Because dad surely forgot and-"

"No, it's not our anniversary and your dad would never forget our anniversary...right?" "Ehh, never mind, so then why did you prepare so much food?" Natsume asked while she cut some fresh fruit and Kyouko did the icing. "Well, I felt like today was special and I wanted to make a delicious dinner for my family that's all" "Thanks mom, but I wish sis would be here with us, even though she would just be breaking things with her clumsiness, but it's been so long since we've seen her" Natsume said no longer slicing the fruits, and just stared at the fruit with a sad expression.

"Natsume-" "Honey! I'm home!" Kyouko started but was cut off by Shigeru who came home from work. "Dear, we're almost done with dinner, so come wash your hands and put the plates on the table! Natsume, since we're almost done decorating, you too go wash your hands and put some cups and utensils on the table." "Hai!" Natsume said and they placed the cups, plates, and utensils on the table and were now sitting and talking about their day, waiting patiently for the food.

Kyouko started placing the food and cake on the table and placed another plate, cup, and utensils on the table, Natsume and Shigeru were confused, "Are we having a guest?" they asked, Kyouko just smiled sweetly and said loudly "You can come down now!" Natsume and Shigeru looked at each other, turned to look at Kyouko, and back to looking at each other and shrugged.

Ichigo was carefully walking down the stairs, the more she got down the stairs the more she was happy, anxious, and sad. When Ichigo entered the dining room Ichigo looked at Natsume and at her dad who were shocked, and with crying eyes and a smile she said "I'm home!"

Ichigo's POV

"I'm home!" I said my vision blurry and with a smile. "I-ICHIGO~!" Natsume yelled running towards me and hugging me tight "I missed you so much" she said a bit low but loud enough for my dad to hear "We all did" my dad said giving me a hug "When did you get here?" he asked "Today, mom picked me up off from the station" "Are you on vacations?" "No, um, something happened but can I tell you guys after dinner? I'm starving" I said with a small nervous laugh "That's right! Come on sit sit, you can tell us after dinner" Dad said leading me to a chair, I sat down and dad went back to his seat, still standing he raised his beer and said smiling "Right now let's celebrate you coming home!"

After dinner, we all went to the living room and ate the cake and talked about what has been going on after I left for St. Marie. Natsume has had many piano competitions in which she was first or second, and she met a new kid in her piano class who is better than her and because of how good he is Natsume went through a phase where she contemplated quitting piano but remembered the day when she called and I told her about the sweet princes and how great they were in comparison to me, but that wouldn't stop me from doing what I love to do, and because of that talk she decided to also continue doing what she loves.

Mom has been interviewing piano teachers since the piano classes have been growing in numbers of students who are interested in playing piano and with a lot of competitions going on they need to hire new instructors. Dad has also been working hard, he has been successful in selling his paintings, and now he also gives classes of art in colleges and has good pay.

"So, what about you Ichigo? What have you been up to? How long are your vacations?" Dad asked, I was nervous to tell him that I had left St. Marie when in the beginning I did a tantrum so I could attend but I had to so he could understand why I did it and that I would continue learning in another school.

"-sigh- Dad the truth is… THEY'RE NO VACATIONS!" "Ehhh?" "I ACTUALLY...left St. Marie" "EHHHH!?" Dad screamed and was close to passing out "Why Ichigo?" Natsume asked "Well, it was because just like you, there was a new girl and she was put into Group A like me when I transferred there but unlike me, she actually had the skills to be in Group A in the beginning "And you gave up because a new girl was better than you?" "No, that actually motivated me to practice to become better" I said smiling but then frowned "The reason was because of the sweet princes, you see, my friend Vanilla-" "Oh, a foreigner?" My mom asked "Y-yeah, anyways, she discovered that the new girl was spreading rumors about me, and not only that but she was also the one who messed with my baking so I would get lower grades and move down Groups so she could stay with Group A and be the new leader" "That's awful! Your friend was lucky to hear that witch's plan, did you tell the guys?" "Yeah she was, and no, I was about to but those jerks...I swear I will teach them a lesson" I said getting mad "What happened?!" My dad finally asked me now listening with seriousness.

I breathed and started "After Vanilla told me what had happened we decided to meet the guys after school behind the cooking room and tell them about Miura, but before I could make a turn to meet the guys I heard them talking about me and Miura and how she could be a better leader than me for the Grand Prix, and that way win. I was already crying when I confronted and shouted at them, and then I ran to the woods with Vanilla." "Those pieces of trash! They will regret not having you, you'll see!" Natsume said mad "And then? What do you want to do now Ichigo?" mom said rubbing her hand on my back comforting me "Um, well Vanilla had this idea and I agreed to it" "Oh, what idea?" Natsume asked "Since I left St. Marie but I don't want to stop making sweets I've decided to enter another culinary school" "Do you have a particular one in mind?" my dad asked "No, not yet at least" "I understand, Papa will support you in whatever you decide and do." "Thank you dad! Thank you mom, Natsume!" I said hugging them.

After our talk, we went to sleep since it was already late and I had to sleep in Natsume's room, now my room because after I left for St. Marie she moved to my room. When I entered my room I arranged my clothes in the cabinets and changed into my pajamas, Vanilla was already in hers and in the bed laying down. "Your family is really understanding, you're lucky to have a loving and supporting family" she said while I laid down next to her "I know Vanilla, and that includes you too because your also part of my family, and that's why I'm double lucky" I said smiling at her "I-Ichigo! Waaaaahhhh!" "I love you Vanilla" I said holding back tears still having a warm smile "I*hic*love y-you toooo!" Vanilla said crying and hugging me.

-Next Day-

I woke up smelling something delicious that had my tummy rumbling, I rubbed my eyes and looked around the room and turned my head to the side, and watched Vanilla peacefully sleeping "Vanilla, wake up" "Mmm*yawn*Ichigo?" "Yeah, good morning" "Good morning, what time is it" she said rubbing her eyes "It's 7:30 am" I said looking at my phone "W-WHAT! Who are you!? What have you done to Ichigo!?" "That's rude" "I'm sorry Ichigo, it's just that you woke up early without me needing to shake you or scream at you" "I'm surprised too, maybe it's because I missed my home" Vanilla was about to say something until we heard the door slam open "ICHIGO! WAKE UP!" "PUAHH! N-NATSUME! GET OFF! Y-YOU'RE HEAVY!" "No I'm not, you're the one who gained weight, who knows how much you gained while you were in the academy since mom wasn't there to check on you" Natsume said whispering in my ear and before I could get my hands on her she ran out of the room "NATSUME COME BACK HERE!" I yelled while I ran after her.

-1hour later-

I was now alone in the house since mom went to drop off Natsume at school and from there she went to work just like dad went to work too. During breakfast, mom told me if I wanted to go with her but I didn't want to be a bother so I told her that I was fine staying home, she thought about it and she agreed even though she had a face of worry. Maybe she didn't want to leave me behind like she had done since I was little but I didn't mind now. "Ichigo, so what are you going to do all day?" "Mmm, should we make some sweets? That way I practice and you can continue sending cards to the Sweet Spirit Queen" I said pointing at her with an exciting smile "Okay! Let's Go!" And so, Vanilla and I went to the kitchen and started baking.

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((0)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

I'm back after a month! Ughh, this chapter was hard to write just like I'm having trouble getting ideas for the next one, BUT I will update chapter 6 this month.

Hope y'all like this chapter and THANK YOU! for waiting so long! LOVE Y'ALL (づ￣ ³￣)づ