Yumichika’s POV

 

My senses picked up something and I looked around. “It seems like a Hollow. Should we take care of it?” I asked Ikkaku.

 

The two of us were walking (more like patrolling) around Karakura town. So far, all the Hollows we had encountered were small fries, but their numbers seemed to be increasing.

 

“Nah,” Ikkaku replied. “It’s just another weakling. Let the resident shinigami take care of it or something.”

 

“There’s not much to do here, anyway,” I said. “The report said there’ll be enemies, but there’s none, just Hollows.”

 

“Yeah… but don’t you remember?” Ikkaku looked at me. “Zaraki-taichou is supposed to be here instead of us. Something came up and he couldn’t leave Soul Society. Matsumoto and Abarai are here because of that too. Which means… the enemy must be really strong if the combined power of our taichou and Hitsugaya-taichou could at least stop them from doing any harm to Aimer…”

 

I nodded thoughtfully. “The reason why the Head Captain could only send a small group to the Real World is because of the predicted invasion. Soul Society needs as many captains and lieutenants as possible. And did you hear about that recent invasion?”

 

“Yep.” Ikkaku continued walking with a serious face. “Tetsuya Noah… Aimer’s brother and the second most powerful assassin.” He sighed. “Just what the hell is going on?”

 

I kept quiet. Our footsteps sounded on the concrete road as we walked down a street. “You know… Aimer seems like a good kid.”

 

“… yeah.”

 

 

Aimer’s POV

 

“Ah~” Ichigo sighed happily as he laid down on his bed. “Saturday mornings are for laying around and doing nothing!”

 

“Mmmm…” I nodded as I stuffed a piece of dark chocolate into my mouth while reading a fashion magazine. It had been almost a week since I arrived in Karakura town and I’m starting to relax a bit. I had stopped being so cold towards Ichigo and the shinigami (Rukia, Renji, etc.), but of course, I still hadn’t forget the reason why I’m here.

 

“And what are you doing?” Ichigo asked as he leaned towards me.

 

“Shut up,” I said as I popped a bar of white chocolate into his mouth.

 

Ichigo ate it quickly. “I prefer strawberry though.”

 

“Coz your name means ‘strawberry’?”

 

“Teme…”

 

“By the way, where’s Kon?” I asked, looking around for that Mod Soul.

 

“Dunno. He said he’s running away. But that’s typical of him… he’ll come back sooner or later…”

 

“ONII-CHAN!!!”

 

Both of us jumped. The door opened just as Ichigo shoved me under his bed. I was plunged into darkness and made a ‘T.T’ face. It smells in here…

 

“A-Ah, Yuzu!” I heard Ichigo said. “What’s wrong?”

 

“Onii-chan! It’s an emergency!”

 

“What? What?!”

 

“We ran out of salt and sugar!”

 

.

.

.

 

“Can you go get some from the supermarket nearby?” Yuzu asked sweetly.

 

“Sure…”

 

“Thanks, onii-chan!” I heard footsteps going away and the door closed. I crawled out from under Ichigo’s bed and gasped for fresh air.

 

“You… should clean your room,” I said as I collapsed onto the floor. “It stinks.”

 

Ichigo’s eye twitched. “Anyway, let’s go. We’ve got an errand to do.”

 

 

Ichigo’s POV

 

“We need this… and this.” I grabbed a couple of stuff from the self and dumped them into the basket which Aimer was carrying.

 

“Why do I have to hold this?” Aimer grumbled as she followed me down the aisle to another section of the supermarket.

 

“You’re living and eating at my house FOR FREE. Now, quit complaining.”

 

Aimer sulked a bit and followed me to the vegetable section. “Here, we need…” I muttered to myself as I read the shopping list Yuzu gave me just before we left the house. “… some of this and –” I turned around to look at Aimer – scratch that, she was gone.

 

I screamed mentally as I dropped the stuff I was holding and clutched my head. That little… where did she go?! I quickly walked around the area, searching for any signs of white hair. Then, I spotted her… with…

 

“Ishida?” I asked as I walked towards them. Aimer looked at me with a blank and an innocent ‘I-didn’t-do-anything’ face.

 

“Kurosaki, what a coincidence…” Ishida said as he pushed his glasses up his nose bridge. “And…” He looked at Aimer. “This must be the infamous assassin, Tetsuya Aimer.”

 

“How did you –” I started.

 

“Inoue-san told me everything,” Ishida cut me off. “Don’t worry. I won’t do anything…”

 

“Nobody asked you to,” Aimer muttered.

 

“Shut up,” I asked as I grabbed her arm. “Let’s go. We haven’t finish shopping yet. Ishida, see you around.”

 

Ishida nodded and walked away. Aimer watched him go and scoffed softly. “Quincies… with their Quincy Pride and he was all like –” She crossed her arms and pushed a pair of imaginary glasses up her nose, imitating Ishida.

 

I stifled a laugh. “Come on, don’t be like that. Leave him alone, will you? … and how did you know about Ishida being a Quincy?”

 

Aimer replied haughtily, “I told you: we assassins must learn everything about out targets.”

 

I nodded thoughtfully. “I see – wait wait wait… targets?!”

 

“Shut up. Don’t shout,” Aimer as in monotone as she walked away.

 

 

Aimer’s POV

 

Phew~ That strawberry nearly found out about Ishida Uryuu being one of my targets. It was a mistake for me to mention that. Anyway, Ichigo and I had bought everything on Yuzu’s list and we were on our way home… when the strawberry ran into one of his friends.

 

“Oh, Chad…” Ichigo said. It was a tall, huge and muscular guy with dark skin and dark brown hair. His face was hard-looking and carried no emotions.

 

Is this Yasutora Chad, the human with that special arm ability? I thought as Ichigo and him talked to each other. Wow, he’s bigger than I thought.

 

Chad then looked at me. I looked back at him.

 

.

.

.

 

“Um…” Ichigo said with a sweat-drop. “This is Aimer. Do you know her, Chad?”

 

“Yes,” he replied in a deep voice. “Inoue told me.” Why is that girl telling everyone about me?! Chad looked at me again. We had a small staring match until Ichigo dragged me away.

 

“See you later, Chad!” Ichigo called as I walked on towards his house.

 

 

>>>>>> Time skip

 

 

“Guess you’re really popular now, huh?” Ichigo smirked as he grabbed the magazine out of my hands.

 

I took a manga and read it instead. “And you’re jealous?”

 

“You –”

 

“Onii-chan!”

 

I dove into the closet and slammed it shut before Ichigo could grab me (he was planning to shove me under his bed again T.T). The door opened and I sensed Yuzu walking into the room.

 

“What’s up, Yuzu?”

 

“Nothing~ I just want to ask you what you would like to have for lunch,” came the sweet reply.

 

“Er… let’s see… I’ll have curry.”

 

“Ehhh! It’s the same as every day. Choose another one!”

 

“But I really like your curry.”

 

“Hm… okay. Then, I’ll make a special curry for everyone!”

 

I imagined Ichigo smiling. “Sure, Yuzu.” I heard Yuzu skipping out of the room and the door closing.

 

I let out a deep sigh… and Ichigo opened the closet door. I stared at him for no reason. He stared back at me. An angry vein appeared on my head and I punched Ichigo’s face, which resulted in him falling down with a ‘thud’.

 

“TEME!”

 

 

On the next chapter…

 

“You two okay?” I asked and extended a hand to Karin and Yuzu.

 

…………………………….

 

“WHAT?!” Ichigo practically screamed like a girl. “YOU GUYS INVITED AIMER FOR DINNER?! TOGETHER?!”