Chapter 181 - Fuck this shit.

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[Adam C. POV.]

The door to Urahara's shop swung open with a little more force than necessary, and I stormed in, tossing my school uniform right at Kisuke's face.

"I'm out," I declared, throwing my hands up. "I'm dropping out."

Urahara, ever unflappable, just adjusted his hat and pulled the uniform from his face, looking at me with amusement. "Adam, you've been at school for two months only. What could've possibly gone wrong?"

I threw him a look that I hoped conveyed the sheer exasperation I felt. "Remember when you said enrolling me in high school would be beneficial for you, in order to keep an eye on Rukia and Ichigo and all? Yeah, well, no amount of covert surveillance is worth sitting through another class. I did my time once, I won't do it again."

I hadn't gone to a school in decades, since my first life, and now I know why.

Urahara chuckled. "I'd think someone from a different world, who has faced otherworldly dangers and who holds such a powerful reiatsu, would be able to handle a little algebra."

I groaned. "Kisuke, it's not just the algebra. It's the entire high school experience. It's the awkward teen angst, the stupid lunchroom politics, the unnecessary drama, the crushes, and yes, the algebra! Fuck algebra in particular."

Urahara looked thoughtful for a moment before breaking out into a broad smile. "Tell you what. How about I tutor you in the evenings? That way, you can bypass the classes and enjoy the moment. Think of it as... 'selective schooling'."

I was getting tired of this charade between us. 

I wanted to go home, I wanted to forget ever being in this place. 

"You know very well what I want, and yet here we are," I hissed at him. "You haven't made any progress in getting me out of this place."

Urahara waved his fan dismissively. "I'm working on your conundrum as fast as I can, unfortunately there are other matters that require my attention, dear Adam."

Just as I opened his mouth to reply, the curtain at the entrance was pushed aside, and in walked Ichigo, Rukia, Orihime, and Chad. All four of them looked slightly puzzled but mostly curious.

"Good evening, everyone!" Urahara chirped, holding out his arm theatrically. "I've invited our fellow classmates here for a study session. You could use some friends, Adam, and what better way to build friendship than the stress of academia?"

Had he predicted this?

I stared at him, then at them. "You've got to be kidding me."

Ichigo looked as surprised as I felt. "Wait, you work here?"

"More like I'm indentured here," I retorted under my breath. "Though it seems Urahara's attempts to ruin—er, enrich—my life know no bounds."

Orihime giggled. "Oh, a study session could be fun! And it's nice to get to know our new classmate."

Chad merely nodded, a tacit agreement that he was here for the ride.

Rukia, however, looked at me with a narrowed gaze, as if piecing together a puzzle. But she remained silent.

Urahara clapped his hands together. "Well then! Shall we get started? I've got some high-level snacks for all of you, and—" He paused, reevaluating the group's collective expression. "—and I've also got some math and science textbooks."

Ignoring everyone's stares, I just shook my head. This was becoming farcical. The universe, it seemed, had decided to make a full-fledged comedy out of my predicament. 

I was done playing these games.

I was done pretending I enjoyed this attempt at normality.

I looked at Kisuke and then at my classmates one last time. Without a word, I turned and walked out of the shop. The cool evening air felt liberating against my skin, and the fading sunlight cast long shadows on the street, as if they too were trying to escape something.

Behind me, I heard Kisuke's voice rising in a half-pleading, half-amused tone, "Adam, you can't be serious! School isn't that bad! Plus, who's going to help me explain complex equations to Ichigo?"

"Shut up!" I growled, the earth beneath my feet cracking, as a wave of energy that spread out and dissipated like ripples on a pond burst out of me. 

My reiatsu had flared up involuntarily, a manifestation of the anger and frustration I was feeling. A tiny part of me regretted the outburst; it was unlike me to let emotions so openly affect my powers.

I stopped and turned around. Even from this distance, I could feel Urahara's gaze on me. It was calculating yet concerned, a look I'd come to recognize but couldn't fully decipher. I didn't like being a pawn in someone else's game, especially when the stakes involved people I'd come to—well, if not care about, at least respect to some degree.

"Our deal," I finally spoke, letting my words carry through the air, augmented by my reiatsu so he could hear them clearly. "Was not about me playing high school. I've told you what I want, Kisuke. Don't forget that."

I didn't wait for his response. With a flicker of my own speed, I vanished from the spot, reappearing on a distant rooftop, where I sat and looked over Karakura Town as it transitioned from day to night. 

As I sat there watching the sun dip below the horizon, I couldn't help but wonder if I would ever truly return. 

"I miss them," I muttered, tears running down my face. "So fucking much…"

A soft whisper of footsteps caught my attention, and my senses immediately picked up the unmistakable reiatsu signature. I didn't need to turn around to know who it was, but I did so anyway.

Yoruichi, in her human form, gracefully landed on the rooftop next to me. She tilted her head slightly, her golden eyes observing me with a mix of concern and curiosity. 

"You're a difficult person to find," she commented, taking a seat beside me.

Well that's a compliment coming from her.

I smirked, my gaze still fixed on the horizon. "I guess."

There was a moment of silence between us as we both appreciated the beauty of the setting sun. It was a tranquil scene, contrasting sharply with the emotional turmoil that was boiling inside me.

She finally spoke, her voice soft but filled with resolve. "You're running away."

I scoffed. "Observant. What gave it away?"

She ignored my sarcasm. "Why? You don't look like an impulsive kid, Ichigo does, not you. What did Kisuke do?"

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. "It's not just Kisuke. It's... everything. I'm trapped in a world that isn't mine, bound by rules that make no sense… I just wanna go home."

Yoruichi studied me for a moment before speaking. "I understand the feeling, but don't let things get to you, this... this is just another challenge. Another puzzle."

I glanced at her. "A puzzle I never asked for."

She smirked, slapping the back of my head. "When do we ever get to choose our battles?"

I couldn't help but chuckle at that. She had a way of simplifying things. "I know Urahara has a plan for me, and that the only reason I'm not home yet is that."

Yoruichi sighed, her gaze momentarily distant as she recalled her own struggles with Kisuke and his scheming. "Kisuke is... complicated. But he's not the enemy, no matter how much it may feel that way. He has his reasons, and while they might not always be in line with ours, they tend to work out."

I looked at her incredulously. "And I'm just supposed to trust that? To wait patiently?"

She chuckled lightly. "No one said you have to be patient. But trust? Yes. Kisuke has a lot on his plate right now. The balance of souls, the threat of the Hollows, the politics of the Soul Society… You're a puzzle piece in a much larger game."

"I don't want to be a game piece," I mumbled, frustration clear in my voice.

Yoruichi placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Neither did I, and neither did Kisuke once upon a time. But here we are. Sometimes the universe throws us into situations we neither want nor understand. But what we do with those situations, that's on us."

I sighed, rubbing my temples. "Why is it taking so long? Why can't he just... send me back?"

Yoruichi hesitated, looking conflicted. "Kisuke is working on a way but sending you back isn't as simple as opening a portal. Not with the threats of this world already being aware of you."

Aizen.

So that was it, as long as Aizen lived, going home wasn't an option.

"I can't keep living like this," I whispered.

Yoruichi tightened her grip on my shoulder. "But don't worry, kid, Kisuke will figure it out. In the meantime, you have us. You're not alone in this. And who knows? You might even come to like it here."

I gave her a half-hearted smile. "I doubt it."

She chuckled. "Never say never. The world has a way of surprising us."

I stared at the horizon, lost in thought. With Yoruichi by my side, the weight on my shoulders felt a little lighter. Maybe, just maybe, I could deal with this a little longer.