The elevator doors slid open with a soft ding.
"What kind of clothes you wanna buy?" Suzu asked, hands in her sweatpants pockets as they walked toward the parking area.
"I do have all the formal wear, Just gonna buy few casual outfits" Ichigo answered, scrolling through his phone.
Suzu glanced over. "Put that thing away. It's not like you're getting a text from an actual woman."
Ding.
His phone vibrated.
Suzu froze mid-step.
Ichigo's grinned
"Women?" She asked
"Woman," he said, holding the screen up like a trophy.
Suzu stared. "Who?"
"Yui."
Her face instantly twisted into annoyed. "Ugh, its just Yui, I don't count this one"
Ichigo deflated, looking down at the floor. "I know, okay?! Stop giving me that look!" he yelled.
Suzu let out a low, amused chuckle. "You're hopeless, idiot."
He sighed dramatically. "Whatever you say."
They reached her matte-black coupe parked under a flickering fluorescent light.
Suzu paused, breathing in the cool night air. "It's so quiet down here… I like such environment."
Ichigo raised an eyebrow. "Unique taste for someone so violent"
She stopped walking.
Slowly turned.
A terrifyingly sweet smile spread across her face.
"What was that? I didn't quite catch it~"
Ichigo's soul left his body. "N-NOTHING, MA'AM!" He looked side ways
"Get in the car," she ordered, sliding into the driver's seat.
He scrambled into the passenger side in hurry.
As soon as he buckled up, the mall's giant neon sign came into view, literally fifty meters away.
Ichigo blinked. "Wait… the mall is right there. Why are we driving?"
Suzu turned the key. The engine growled to life.
"I don't feel like walking." she said bluntly
Ichigo opened his mouth to argue.
Then remembered the smile from thirty seconds ago.
"…Yeah, no problem with me.."
The car rolled forward the grand distance of one parking aisle before Suzu turned of the engine right at the mall entrance.
"Let's go," she said, popping her door.
"Yeah." Ichigo scrambled out after her, stretching his arms.
He glanced around the pristine lot—polished concrete, palm trees in planters, zero other cars in sight. "Didn't know there'd be a full mall out here in the middle of nowhere. Looks brand new… and empty."
Suzu was already walking toward the glass entrance, hands in pockets. "Yeah. This whole neighborhood's new construction. High-end only—bigshots who want to live around 'their own kind.' You might spot actors, CEOs, influencers slumming it in athleisure."
Ichigo caught up, peering at the glowing storefronts through the doors. "Huh. Didn't realize."
She smirked and poked his bicep—hard enough to make him jump. "You sound like such a rookie right now. People who don't reside in this area have to pay twice the amount, so nobody usually comes here."
"Twice? So there won't be much people here."
The automatic doors whooshed open.
Inside: marble floors shining like fresh ice, crystal chandeliers dripping light, luxury brands lining the upper balconies. Escalators hummed softly. Not a soul in sight.
"Woah…" Ichigo's eyes sparkled like a kid in a candy store. "There's literally no one here."
Suzu watched him, a soft smile tugging at her lips. Seeing him this hyped… it's kinda cute.
She started explained. "First-timers need to scan their keycard at registration."
"Oh yeah? Where?"
She pointed ahead. A massive, curved reception counter dominated the center atrium, lit like a sci-fi command center. One bored attendant scrolled her phone.
"There. Let's go."
Ichigo bolted forward like he'd been shot from a cannon. "Lets go Lets go"
Suzu chuckled, walking a bit fast to keep up.
An adult this excited over a mall? Well i can't classify this creature an an adult. Most people play it cool.Does he trust me that much already? That he can just… let loose?
She smiled to herself, a warm flutter in her chest.
Idiot's rubbing off on me.
Both arrived at the counter
"Good evening, ma'am. Good evening, sir. How may I help you?" the attendant greeted them.
"He's Ichinose Ichigo, a new resident. We came to do some shopping and register him," Suzu said, leaning on the counter as she handed over Ichigo's card.
Ichigo suddenly spoke up. "First thing first—you smell like you'd be single. What's your name, my lady?"
Suzu smacked him and yelled, "How the hell can you smell that, you idiot?!"
The attendant blinked at his energy, scanned the card with a beep, and said calmly, "Welcome, Ichinose. You're all set."
"Well, that was fast… super fast, in fact," Ichigo said, taking his card back.
Suzu started walking toward the elevator. Ichigo followed, slipping the card into his pocket.
"Wow, there are so many stores open. I wanna go in all of them," Ichigo said, looking around like a child.
"You really have a childish side," she smiled, pulling his arm and hugging it like a couple. "We have to go to the third floor. You'll find your clothes there."
Ichigo was caught off guard. "What's this? You're getting awfully chummy."
"What? Are you flustered?" she asked, looking up at his face—only to see his disgusted expression.
"Tch… this is worse than rejection, you know. I just wanted to see you fluster and crack while talking," she said, now wearing a disgusted face herself.
"If you're going to play like this, I might as well join the game," he replied.
"Oh? Do you even have the guts to flirt with me?" Suzu smirked.
Ichigo shivered. "G-guess not."
They stepped into the elevator. The view as it ascended was breathtaking, the city stretching below them.
"This looks beautiful, right?" she asked.
"Yeah," he said. "It feels like we own this place."
The lift stopped. They stepped out and began walking.
"There it is," Suzu said. "Let's go."
They stopped in front of the store, clothes neatly displayed behind the glass.
"That's the one," Suzu said, pointing.
Ichigo squinted. "It has all kind of Men's wear, But This place is too quite, it feels a little scary"
"Don't complain already," she said, grabbing his sleeve and dragging him inside. "You need proper clothes if you're living here."
"Yeah i know stop dragging me,."
Both looked around the place. filled with clothes, Casual, Trendy, Formal"
Suzu walked over to the T-shirt section, picked up a white one, and shoved it into his chest. "Try this."
He stared at it. "Wasn't I the one who was supposed to have a choice?"
She smiled. "Obviously."
Ichigo yelled, "Then why are you picking clothes for me?!"
"Well," she said casually, "I'm going to see you around since you're living next door. I don't want some unsettling human being as my neighbor. At least look good when I see you around the building." she said innocently
"Hey that's just rude" she yelled again "what do you mean unsettling"
"Just go and try it on, you moron"
"Alright, just this one" Saying that Ichigo disappeared in changing room.