Ichigo pulled out his phone."I should let the others know the location."
He dialed Ryo.
Before he could speak, a homeless man shuffled toward them."Do you have any change, sir?"
Ichigo glanced sideways."Hey, Suzu, do you have any change?"
Suzu didn't even slow down."I don't. Let's just go."
"Tch…" Ichigo clicked his tongue, dug into his pocket, and pulled out a few coins. He handed them over."Here you go."
The man's face lit up."Thank you,." said Ichigo
"You're welcome." the homeless guy said to Ichigo
Ichigo hung up the call and started walking with Suzu toward the karaoke bar.
"I've sent the location. They'll be here in about twenty minutes," he said casually.
"Alright," Suzu replied.
Then Ichigo suddenly stopped.
"Wait a minute. Come back with me for a second."
Suzu sighed but followed him back to the homeless man.
Ichigo crossed his arms."Hey. Weren't you supposed to say thank you to me?"
The man blinked."Oh—uh—thank you, sir."
Ichigo nodded, satisfied."You're welcome."
Ichigo returned to Suzu with proud face
"what am i to do with you? said suzu with exhausted expression.
"Hey now, dont be like that, i just came to get back my thanks" said Ichigo
"Sighs We have some time before they come, what should we do?" Suzu asked while looking at the Bar.
"well....usually when arrive first in such occasions i just start drinking first but i guess you should be professional when it comes of office parties."
"uh no i was thinking the same but we should wait i guess" Suzu said with smile and waving her hand in dismiss
"wanna smoke?" Suzu asked Ichigo offering her box
"No..Its not safe for health" Ichigo said with a plain and stiff face
"As if Alcohol is not you idiot" Suzu said with anger in her voice
"lets try teasing her a little Um fine i would smoke if its the one you are smoking" Ichigo said with a slight grin on his face to tease her thinking she would lose her cool
"sure, Here you go" Suzu took a last puff and offered it to Ichigo. "As if i dont know what this bastard was planning, lets see what does mr.rookie do now." Suzu thoght to herself.
"Thank..You" Ichigo accepted the cigarate with no hesitation. "Aghh What do i do. i said it but i am too damn embarassed I have never even held hands with any girl in my entire liffe.....except Yui.. Ahhh what should i do."
"w-what..t-this guy.. is he seriouse..n-no please dont..i dont know how would it smell. " Suzu and Ichigo both stayed nonchalant while screaming inside, Ichigo slowly lifted it to his mouth..then suddenly a hand dropped on Ichigo's shooulder "aghh fuck..." the cigarate in Ichigo's hand fell on ground.
"what are you doing idiot lets goin the bar" Said Ryo while other team memberss behind him
ichigo and suzu's gaze followed the cigarate. "uh it fell. i suppose cant use it now i guess ha ha" said ichigo with a embarassing smile
"y-yeah.. shounldnt use the fallen one ha ha" Both suzu and ichigo just laughed to themselves
"what are you doing lets go in the bar" said yamada
"y-yeah lets go" suzu started walked in with others
Ichigo dropped his both hands on ryo's shoulder "i so thank full to you today ryo. i wont curse you fo the rest of the day as a thanks" said ichigo with a fake tear
"what are you thankful for and what kind of messed up repayment is that. just give me the money instead" Rto scolded Ichhigo
"Tch.. i take it back you fucker" Ichigo said with a disgusted face
"what was tha.." Ichigo dragged him to the bar
"Sighs. We have some time before they come. What should we do?" Suzu asked, glancing at the bar.
"Well... usually, when I arrive first at occasions like this, I just start drinking. But I guess we should be professional when it comes to office parties."
"Uh, no, I was thinking the same thing, but we should wait, I guess," Suzu said with a smile, waving her hand dismissively.
"Wanna smoke?" Suzu asked, offering her box to Ichigo.
"No... it's not safe for your health," Ichigo replied with a plain, stiff expression.
"As if alcohol isn't, you idiot," Suzu snapped, anger flashing in her voice.
"Let's try teasing her a little." Ichigo thought, then grinned slightly. "Um, fine. I'll smoke if it's the one you're smoking."
"Sure, here you go." Suzu took one last puff and handed it to him. "As if I don't know what this bastard is planning. Let's see what Mr. Rookie does now," she thought to herself.
"Th-thank... you." Ichigo accepted the cigarette without hesitation. "Agh, what do I do? I said it, but I'm too damn embarrassed. I've never even held hands with a girl in my entire life... except Yui. Ahhh, what should I do?"
"W-what... this guy... is he serious? N-no, please don't... I don't know how it would smell."
Suzu and Ichigo both stayed nonchalant on the outside while screaming inside. Ichigo slowly lifted the cigarette to his mouth—then suddenly, a hand dropped onto his shoulder.
"Agh, fuck..." The cigarette fell from Ichigo's hand to the ground.
"What are you doing, idiot? Let's go in the bar," Ryo said, with the other team members behind him.
Ichigo and Suzu's gazes followed the cigarette. "Uh, it fell. I suppose we can't use it now, I guess. Ha ha," Ichigo said with an embarrassed smile.
"Y-yeah... shouldn't use the fallen one. Ha ha." Both Suzu and Ichigo laughed awkwardly to themselves.
"What are you doing? Let's go in the bar," Yamada said.
"Y-yeah, let's go." Suzu started walking in with the others.
Ichigo dropped both hands onto Ryo's shoulders. "I'm so thankful to you today, Ryo. I won't curse you for the rest of the day as thanks," he said, faking a tear.
"What are you thankful for? And what kind of messed-up repayment is that? Just give me money instead," Ryo scolded.
"Tch... I take it back, you fucker," Ichigo said with a disgusted face.
"What was tha—"
Ichigo dragged Ryo toward the bar. The place was buzzing with office workers unwinding after a long day—ties loosened, voices rising over the clink of glasses, the air thick with the smell of beer and fried food.
The team pushed through the crowd until a lovely waitress with a warm, professional smile approached Suzu to handle the arrangements. The moment Ichigo spotted her, he panicked and shoved forward like his life depended on being the one to talk first.
"W-wait… side—move aside, you bastards, let me through… uh, hi there! We need a seat for six, please, young lady." Ichigo dashed shoving Ryo and Yamada aside
The waitress smiled politely and let out a soft chuckle. "Of course, sir. This way, please. Table 8. I'll come take your orders as soon as you're all seated."
"Oh, sure… you can join us if yo—"
Yui's fingers clamped onto his ear like a vice, twisting just hard enough to make his eyes water.
"That's enough," she said quietly, her voice sweet as honey but cold as ice. The smile on her face was pure demon—beautiful, terrifying, and promising pain. The entire group froze. Even the nearby tables seemed to hush, as if everyone instinctively knew that one wrong breath could get them all killed.
Suzu, quickly jumped in. "Let's go to table 8, Yui."
Yui nodded without breaking her stare, then switched her grip from Ichigo's ear to his sleeve and dragged him toward the table like a misbehaving puppy. The rest of the team followed in dead silence, stepping carefully around the invisible landmines.
Ichigo rubbed his throbbing ear and shouted at Yui, "Let me flirt you magnet, if i dont get marriedin this life it would be all because of you"
Yui's smile didn't waver. "that way i can keep you by my side."
Ryo leaned over to Yamada as they walked. "Thought be undeserving i pity this human."
Yamada smirked. "Yui would rather die than let Ichigo marry."
They reached table 8 at last. Yui released Ichigo only to point sharply at the chair right beside her.
"Sit."
Ichigo sat. Immediately.
The waitress returned a moment later, completely unaware of the near-homicide she'd almost witnessed. "Ready to order?"
Suzu raised her hand with a grin. "Bring us the strongest stuff you've got."
"Oh, are you going to drink, Suzu?" Miss Ayaka asked, genuine surprise in her voice as she leaned in.
"Yeah," Yamada chimed in, eyebrows raised. "You always skip the drinks at every party or meeting. What's different this time?"
"Is there a problem?" Suzu shot back, her face twisting into an annoyed scowl. "I'm the one paying the bills tonight."
Ichigo, still firmly on Yui's invisible leash (her hand resting lightly but threateningly on his arm), leaned forward across the table toward Suzu, who was sitting right in front of him.
"Hey," he said with a cocky grin, "let's see who can drink more—the team leader or the new rookie."
Suzu's lips curled into a sharp smirk. "Sure, why not? It's been a while since I really drank. But it won't be fun if nothing's on the line."
"That makes sense..." Ichigo tapped his chin, pretending to think. "I'm not coming up with anything fancy to bet. How about we go with the classic? Loser grants one wish to the winner—no questions asked."
"Sure, I'm in." Suzu lifted her chin high, eyes gleaming with confidence. "I should teach this junior of mine a proper lesson."
We ordered food and drinks and waited for them to arrive.Suddenly, Yamada spoke up.
"By the way… Ichigo, why didn't you tell us you got a job at our office? We literally celebrated last night for you getting a job."
"Oh yeah," Ryo added, leaning back. "You never mentioned it was at our workplace."
Ichigo froze.
A second passed.
Then his eyebrow twitched.
"You… bastards," he said slowly.
Ryo and Yamada blinked.
"You DARE ask me that?" Ichigo slammed his hand on the table. "You idiots showed up just to drink and mess around! You didn't even know the party was for my job, and not ONCE did you ask where I got hired!"
Veins popped on Ichigo's forehead.
"You ungrateful, alcohol-loving trash!"
Yamada raised both hands quickly. "W–wait, that's not—"
"DON'T 'WAIT' ME!" Ichigo snapped. "You celebrated MY JOB without knowing a SINGLE DETAIL ABOUT IT!"
Ryo clicked his tongue. "I thought you were giving out a party for your birthday."
"SO YOU BASTARDS DON'T EVEN KNOW MY BIRTHDAY!!!"
The table shook as the argument escalated.
Suzu watched them calmly, while smoking Miss Ayaka sighed deeply.