AN: I LIVE AGAIN! I have no excuses, guys, and I'm sorry about that. I've been out for most of my summer, catching up and hanging out and just doing stuff that I never get to do. I've been super busy but I finally buckled down and wrote something so I'm proud of myself for that.

Also, BIG NEWS! As you all know, I am addicted to tumblr and the lovely inmyspinnychair was kind enough to link the HK fandom to the Bleack Wikipedia page. And we're confirmed two things: 1) Karin is the younger twin (I've written her this way because someone was kind enough to point this out to me early when I joined the fandom) and 2) the idea for episode 132 (Hitsugaya, Karin and Soccer Ball) was actually from a draft note written by Kubo. Which means my OTP is NOT completely crack and instead it was animated and, omg, I am so mad at Kubo for coming up with the idea but not putting it into the manga. Like, why would you do that to me? TT^TT

So yes, I have been in a very good mood these last 2 weeks. Good enough to get over my writer's block long enough to get this out so enjoy~

Thank you's for the last chapter:

nureen: It was a heavy chapter! I'm going back to my happy-go-lucky style here. Nothing too romantic but it's so nice to write their friendship and them being cute together. I hope you like it and thanks for waiting~

Guest: I'm glad you liked the last chapter! :D

Warnings: My prompts this time were class trip, beach theme and homemade lunch. All there but in tiny amounts. :) I'm backtracking a year or so, so Kichida isn't in the story yet. Not that many of you care because most of you hate him. Good. But he's still fun to write and I stand by my OC. LOL

Cliché Eight: School Trip (Titania of Fairy Tail, Jenn55, The Musings of a Muse, Samsox)

Just whose idea was it to go to the beach? He needed to have a few words with him.

I hate the heat. Why else would an ice dragon pick me as its wielder? Toushirou grumbled from beneath the shade of an oversized umbrella.

The trip to Okinawa was in full-swing the second the plane landed on the little island. Tomorrow there would be walking tours and sightseeing. That meant today was one of the few breaks the high schoolers got. While some had gone off in groups to shop and take pictures, the majority had headed straight for the beach.

That afternoon was free time before they had to head back and make dinner. The students would have to split jobs and he'd be supervising them so the least he could do was make sure no one drowned in the mean time. He wasn't exactly thrilled about it though.

He was unwittingly led onto the surf after a group of girls surrounded him and pestered him with questions that he'd opted out of answering. It was sweltering and they wanted to know what his ideal girl was like? Right now anyone with an ice-cold beverage and a fan would easily meet his requirements.

"You look like death is slowly crawling into your body." The voice hovered over him but he was too tired to open his eyes and glare properly.

"A little late for that since I'm already in it. Nor do I share things well."

Karin let out gratifying laugh. "Oh good. So you're not so hot that you've left this world without saying a goodbye."

"Do you have business with me, Kurosaki, or are you trying to make my headache worse?"

"If you'd look at me you'd see why I'm here, you crappy teacher."

Against his will, Toushirou cracked an eye open to squint up at the black-haired girl. His eyes went straight to the iced tea in her hand, as he sat up using more strength than he was willing to admit. At least he had enough sense to scoot over and make room for her on his towel.

"How're you wearing that? It's ridiculously hot out," Hitsugaya eyed the zippered vest as he took a sip of his drink. For some reason it'd never occurred to him that Karin would wear a swimsuit. Not that he cared to see her in one but it was odd to think she could own one. The tomboy he'd known preferred boys' swim trunks and a shirt, but perhaps her size wasn't the only think that'd changed the last few years.

"Some of us aren't made of snow and melt into the sand," she shrugged. Choosing to ignore his glower, Karin put down the bento he hadn't noticed. Decorated in pink blossoms against a red background, he was surprised by the unfamiliar fashion.

"What happened to your blue one? No offense but that one isn't your usual style."

She tried not to pink. "Yuzu was so busy this morning making sure everything was packed that she didn't have time to make enough snacks. So I made my own." She shrugged for good measure. "Didn't even notice what I used until I was already on the bus."

"You can cook?" He nearly choked on his tongue.

"Hey, just because I don't do it that often doesn't mean I can't do it at all." Curling her legs to her chest, Karin sent him a superior smirk. "Try some. I'm sure you'll need all the help you can get to stay alive in this heat."

Hitsugaya wanted to deny it but the scorching waves were burning up his sweat glands. A breeze was blowing and the water helped keep the land cool but it wasn't enough. He took the set of chopsticks as Karin settled in and reclined on her hands. He pretended not to see her watching him out of the corner of her eyes, fingers flexed in the cotton beneath them.

He bit into a bit of meat and chewed. Slowly.

"Well?" she inquired. Antsy, she leaned forward on her knees to gauge his reaction.

He continued to chew thoughtfully.

"Toushirou!"

"That's Hitsugaya-sensei to you, Kurosaki," he corrected after he swallowed. His half-lidded gaze was the same but somehow immensely more annoying to her.

"Oh, so that's what you wanna comment on? Great," she complained, throwing her hands up before tossing him a sideways glare.

Instead of a response, Toushirou grabbed a bite of rice and went right back to eating.

Karin wasn't sure what she was expecting. She stood up with a shake of her head and roughly brushed the sand from her calves. "I'm going swimming. Do me a favor and try not to lose my box. I'll get it from you later."

"Hey, wait, isn't this your lunch?" Hitsugaya watched her stop in her tracks. With her back turned and hair tied high, it hit hard just how much Karin had grown up.

It was an uncomfortable realization.

He couldn't see how she barely lowered her head or the blush that reached her ears. "Don't worry about it. I made a little too much this morning…" She lifted one shoulder before rushing towards the water.

Picking at his meal, Hitsugaya found his eyes trailing after her. Surrounded by people her own age, he saw how Karin relaxed in a way that was foreign to him. Her face softened and her expressions varied. And people were drawn to that, as boys slowed down to stare and trace the sleek lines of her athletic form. With her vest opened, her flat stomach peeked out along with the gentle curves that'd escaped his attention. He turned away when he noticed he was staring.

"Am I getting sick?" Toushirou asked himself, pressing a hand to his forehead after finishing off his meal. His head was warm but his cheeks were far warmer, and he wondered if maybe he was coming down with something. Lying back down, he decided to drop by the drugstore and pick up some medication just to be safe.

Crap. Where the hell was she?

That's what I get for taking a bathroom break without telling anyone, Karin scolded herself as she glanced around the crowded temple grounds.

The itinerary for the day was mandatory sightseeing. A list of places had been handed out to students and a teacher was designated for each one. With every visit a stamp was required and eventually submitted at the end of the day. But like many of the other students, Karin's friends wanted to get done with their list so they could wander the city. And since most of them were teenage boys picking up girls was their main motivation.

"God, I need better people to hang out with," Karin frowned as she opened up her phone. The blinking light alerted her to the message. She didn't even need to look at it to know what it said and her suspicions were confirmed with a brief glance.

Yo! Kurosaki! Headed off to the next checkpoint. Met some cute girls who were cool enough to show us the way~ Hurry up and catch up, k? See ya!

Damn you, Akira. "Fucking idiots, all of you…"

Putting her phone back in her bag with unnecessary force, Karin trudged towards the entrance. Luckily there were only two more stops after this and then she could head back to the hotel or maybe grab some food. But if she saw her friends before then she was going to seriously kick some ass.

She arrived at the next place—a historically important building she'd been lectured on but couldn't recall—and got her signature from Genma-sensei. The old man was practically sleeping in his seat but she couldn't blame him. She was running about and was still bored.

With no sign of her friends, she sighed as she adjusted her backpack and headed towards the bus stop. It was weird seeing so many tourists this time of the year. Maybe it was because she'd opted out of the school trip last year. That year had been a particularly bad for Hollows. She hadn't felt comfortable leaving Karakura at the time.

Her trail of thought came to halt at the hand on her shoulder. "Excuse me, miss."

"Yes?" She turned back, not particularly friendly. If either boy noticed they acted oblivious.

"Hey there. Are you busy?" the brunet spoke with what might've been a charming smile to someone else. To her it was creepy.

"Yeah, as a matter of fact I am," Karin scowled softly. But neither boy was deterred, advancing on her in what could only be a predatory manner. Her fists inched with their invasiveness.

"Well, what about after? You're one of the high schoolers visiting, right? We can give you a real tour of this place if you want."

"Oh yeah, definitely. Why don't you come hang out with us instead?" The other boy reached for her wrist and her hand drew back instinctively, aimed deftly at his nose. She didn't realize she was probably going to get suspended for this but nuisances had to be dealt with like the pests that they were, quick and with as little force as possible.

The hand that caught hers was strong.

"I think that's enough, Kurosaki. Your point has been made," Toushirou said, lowering her punch with pitiful ease.

So annoying. "They started it. What was I supposed to do?"

"Walk away or call for help, things other girls would do. But I wasn't going to hold my breath for that." Shifting his attention, Hitsugaya regarded the angry men with icy irritation. "I apologize for my student's rudeness but a word of advice for next time, it's not in your best interest to hit on underage girls."

"You should discipline your kids better, old man. They're fucking crazy!" one shouted before they bolted down the sidewalk in uncoordinated stumbles.

"Say that to my face, you jerkwads!" Karin called, taking a step forward as if she was going to go after them. She focused back on Toushirou when his arm shot out, effectively halting her in her tracks.

"Enough, Kurosaki. Don't you have an assignment you should be working on?"

"Well I was before all that crap happened," she tsk-ed at him, crossing her arms defiantly, "but I got separated from my friends so now I'm flying solo. It's not like I planned this."

He rubbed tiredly at his temples. "I should've known you'd manage to get into trouble even in another city."

"Yeah, yeah, it's all my fault. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go fix it and get that last stamp."

Mood even darker, Karin straightened spine before making her way towards the long line of fellow tourists. It was going to be a bit of a wait but it wasn't as if she had anything else to do. Good thing she remembered her headset. As long as she avoided anymore losers she'd get through the day.

But it seemed that Toushirou didn't take her at her word. Instead of leaving he lined up with her, standing just a little too close in this heat. The crowd had everyone feeling just a tad cramped as some huddled under the overhanging while others used umbrellas and hats for shields.

"What're you doing, Toushirou?"

"I'm accompanying you, and don't call me that, Kurosaki. I am still your teacher."

"Like you'll let me forget," Karin rolled her eyes as she took out her cell and earphones. "Well, whatever. Do what you want. Though I think you have other students who're more problematic than me."

"I highly doubt that," he murmured as he guided her into the shade. Even though it was sweltering, Karin knew he wouldn't say a single complaint to her.

She couldn't help but smirk as she pressed play and handed him the other earpiece.

AN: So I'm thinking of putting this fic on hold because it's not really as linear as, say, Go Against the Grain or Unlikely. Those two will be my main focus but I needed to get this updated and out of my system for a while. So I hope you guys read and review and hopefully look forward to the next update (whenever it may be). :D

Thanks for reading, everybody! Until next time~