Chapter 140

A few days later, Ichigo decided to finally check out the infamous Unagiya Shop, the place people in Karakura whispered about when they needed “odd jobs” done. The kind of place where you could hire someone to fix a leaky pipe… or track down your cheating boyfriend… depending on who answered the phone.

He dressed casually — plain black T-shirt, faded jeans, sneakers — hands in his pockets as he walked down the street. The air was warm, with a lazy breeze that barely ruffled his hair.

‘I should probably get a license now that I think about it,’ he mused, smirking to himself. ‘That way I can drift in Tokyo and tick it off the list.’

The past few days had been… painfully uneventful. Rukia had left, dumping the responsibility of looking after Nel on him before vanishing back to Soul Society. Not that it was much of a burden anymore — now that she’d regained her memories, Nel wasn’t the hyper, clingy child version of herself.

When he left the house earlier, she was curled up in his room, quietly flipping through a thick book, her legs swinging off the edge of his bed. No chaos. No yelling. No hollow-related trouble. Just… peaceful.

Ichigo hadn’t made any moves on her — not yet. It wasn’t that he didn’t think about it, but he wanted to be sure. Really sure she liked him first, rather than rushing in because of some impulsive thought.

As his mind wandered, another thought hit him — or more accurately, three names hit him.

Ikkaku. Isane. Nanao.

And suddenly, he frowned.

‘Why the hell did I say I’d bang all the girls?’ he thought, rubbing his temples. ‘I’m not even keeping count. Ugh… whatever. I’ll just do it in a side story or something.’

He shook his head, realizing he was already turning onto the narrow street where Ikumi’s shop was supposed to be. The building stood out — a slightly run-down, two-story corner property with bold red lettering across the front: “UNAGIYA SHOP – WE DO ANYTHING”.

A sign with a smiling cartoon eel gave the whole thing a weirdly cheerful vibe, but the dusty windows and stacked cardboard boxes outside made it look like half the jobs here weren’t exactly “by the book.”

Ichigo smirked.

“Yep… this is the place.”

Climbing the narrow flight of stairs, Ichigo reached the landing and rapped his knuckles against the door. He didn’t have to wait long — it swung open almost instantly.

Standing there was a tall woman dressed in a form-fitting black outfit, gloves and boots to match, looking like she’d just stepped off the set of a “sexy cat burglar” movie. A bright, confident smile lit up her face.

“A customer! Come on in!” she greeted warmly, her voice full of energy as she waved him inside without hesitation.

Ichigo smirked to himself and stepped in, the faint scent of coffee and fresh paper filling the small office. A desk sat in the middle of the room, scattered with invoices and an old rotary phone. A worn couch sat off to the side. The whole place had that organized chaos vibe.

He slid into a chair, leaning back casually as she sat across from him.

“Well, what can I do for you today?” she asked, crossing one leg over the other, eyes scanning him curiously.

‘Alright… time to use my Charm 100,’ Ichigo thought, lips twitching in a half-grin.

“Oh, so you’re the person in charge?” he said smoothly, tilting his head. “Aren’t you a bit too young for that?”

Ikumi blinked before her cheeks flushed slightly. She touched her face, swaying side to side like she was trying to hide a shy smile.

“Me? Too young? You flatter me,” she said, clearly enjoying the compliment.

“No, seriously,” Ichigo continued with an easy smile. “I honestly thought I was walking in to meet some Onee-chan type. But actually… I came here looking for a job.”

Her eyes lit up instantly. “Well, you’re hired! Such a kind young man — I like your energy already.” She stood up, brushing her hair back confidently. “Name’s Ikumi Unagiya. And you?”

“Ichigo Kurosaki,” he replied, smirking just enough to look self-assured without trying too hard.

“Nice name,” she said with a nod. “Alright, here’s how it works — I do odd jobs of all kinds. As long as someone pays, I’ll get it done. Since you’re new, I’ll show you the ropes before I let you work solo.”

She reached over to the desk, grabbed a set of keys, and twirled them around her finger before tossing them into her palm.

“Come on. Let’s get to work.”

Ichigo stood, slipping his hands into his pockets with a small grin. “Lead the way, boss.”


They left the office and headed down the stairs, the sound of Ikumi’s heels clicking against the steps as they stepped out into the sunlight. Her car — a small, well-worn sedan plastered with Unagiya Shop stickers — waited at the curb.

They got in, and soon they were cruising through Karakura’s streets toward the first job site.

When they arrived, Ichigo saw… a storm drain.

Standing nearby was a man in an expensive, pressed suit, looking mildly annoyed.

“I dropped my car keys down there,” he explained quickly. “And I can’t really bend down to get them… I’m wearing this suit, and I’ve got a job interview in twenty minutes.”

Ikumi flashed her professional smile. “No problem, sir. Please wait inside, and we’ll retrieve your keys.”

The man nodded and headed into the nearby café.

“Alright,” Ikumi turned to Ichigo. “Your first job isn’t exactly rocket science. Just reach in, grab the keys, and you’re done. Easy, right?”

Ichigo leaned against the hood of the car, smirking. “I don’t know. I’m more of a visual learner.”

Her eyebrow twitched. “Oh, for crying out loud…”

Without another word, Ikumi crouched down beside the drain and bent forward, reaching her arm in.

Ichigo didn’t even pretend to look away — his smirk widened.
‘Man, she’s hot.’

A few seconds later, she pulled out the keys triumphantly, standing back up and brushing off her hands. “There. Easy.”

She called the man over, handing him the keys. He gave her a polite bow and paid her on the spot before hurrying off.

“See? Simple,” Ikumi said, clearly proud.

“Yeah. Very simple,” Ichigo replied casually. “So… any other jobs?”

“Of course.” She jingled the car keys. “Let’s go.”


---

The next site was an older apartment building, where a woman stood below a second-floor window, anxiously looking up at a cat perched on the sill.

“My baby won’t come down!” she explained, wringing her hands.

Ikumi folded her arms. “I think I should handle this one too, Ichigo. You still lack—”

“Nah,” he cut in, already walking toward the wall. “I’ve got this.”

Before she could protest, he grabbed onto the railing and scaled the building in seconds, as if it were nothing. He reached the sill, scooped the cat up by the scruff, and hopped back down with ease.

The owner gasped in relief, taking the cat and hugging it. “Thank you so much!” she said, then — to Ikumi’s surprise — leaned up and planted a quick kiss on Ichigo’s cheek.

She handed him the payment along with a little extra. “A bonus for the handsome hero.” She winked before walking away.

Ichigo watched her go, grinning. “Wow… I think I’m going to enjoy this job.”

Ikumi stood there for a second, staring at him. Now that she was really looking… she noticed the sharp jawline, the confident posture, the way his smirk seemed to fit his face perfectly. He didn’t just look good — he looked like someone women would fight over.

‘If I start giving him the jobs with female clients… we’ll be rich.’

Her lips curled into a sly smile. “Well… that’s one of the benefits. Let’s head back to the office and discuss the rest.”

She turned toward the car, Ichigo following with a light smirk — neither of them realizing they’d just set the stage for a very… interesting working relationship.


' Well I know, but I know she doesn't ' Ichigo thought breaking the fourth wall.

TO BE CONTINUED