Suzu's fingers dug into Akiko's shoulder like iron claws.
"Just show us the damn server room."
"Y-Yes, Sister…!" Akiko squeaked, slipping free with the grace of someone who'd practiced escaping that grip since childhood. "This way, please~"
Ichigo snickered as they walked. "Such heartwarming sisterly love. Some people might accidentally read the room as full-on yuri."
Suzu stopped dead.
The temperature dropped five degrees.
She slowly turned, eyes glowing with the fury of a thousand unpaid bar tabs.
"I've been letting your jokes slide all morning. Next time one forms in that tiny brain of yours, do us both a favor, jump off the floor. That way I don't catch a murder charge."
She glanced at Akiko. "Same goes for you too, idiot."
Ichigo & Akiko perfectly synchronized, pale as paper "Y-Yes, ma'am…"
Thirty seconds later – Server room door
Akiko swiped her card. The heavy door hissed open.
Pitch darkness… plus the unmistakable sound of wet kissing and frantic belt-buckle warfare.
Akiko flicked the lights on with sadistic timing.
Fluorescent hell illuminated a junior dev and an intern frozen mid-makeout, clothes half-off, eyes wide like deer staring down a semi-truck.
"M-Miss Akiko, this is—!" the guy started.
Ichigo instantly looked at the ceiling, hands over his eyes. "Aghh god, this is already 3rd time seeing this in one day."
Akiko's smirked looking at the couple "Oh my, what do we have he...."
"Shut up," Suzu cut her mid sentence stepping forward like a reaper. "You two. GET LOST."
The couple scrambled, tripping over cables and each other, vanishing in a cloud of shame and half-buttoned shirts.
Ichigo collapsed into the nearest rolling chair. "Gosh.. this room filled with passion"
Suzu dropped into the chair across from him, legs crossed. "More like filled with sex."
Ichigo theatrically hid his face behind both hands. "Oh you are so bold its making me blush"
Akiko leaned against a server rack, smirking at Suzu. "She's just jealous that she's got no one to do this sexy stuff with."
Suzu didn't even blink. "No, you are wrong."
Akiko sing-songed, "Yeah I am right~"
Ichigo clapped once, loud. "Ladies, lets just do what we came for here, now shall we?"
Akiko bounced forward. "Right this way,"
Ichigo stood, then paused.
Suzu was still seated, staring at the floor, cheeks suspiciously pink.
"Hey," he said softly. "You flustered seeing that scene?"
She refused to meet his eyes. "Obviously not."
Ichigo smiled, extending a hand. "Yeah, totally not. "
Suzu stared at the offered hand like it was a trap… then grabbed it anyway and let him pull her to her feet. "Do you think i can't get up without your hand."
"Even you can be cute sometimes" he said with a lopsided grin.
Suzu's glared straight through his soul.
"...Or maybe not," Ichigo corrected instantly, finally letting go of her hand and speed-walking after Akiko. "Let's go fix this thing and go for a good sweet lunch."
Suzu trailed half a step behind, muttering just loud enough to be heard.
"…Idiot."
Ichigo glanced back. "Did you say something?"
"Yeah. I said idiot," she answered without missing a beat.
"Isn't this the part where you're supposed to go 'nothing' and look away?"
Suzu rolled her eyes and fell into step beside him.
Akiko led them to the terminal directly linked to the main server rack. Suzu dropped into the rolling chair, snatched the mouse, and was already scrolling through logs before Ichigo even leaned over her shoulder.
"How many bugs do you think are in this mess?" Akiko asked curiously.
"How's he supposed to know just by—"
"Eighteen," Ichigo cut in calmly.
Akiko's jaw dropped. "W-What—how?!"
Suzu clicked her tongue. "Tch. I was hoping you'd be wrong for once." She cracked her knuckles. "This would've taken me all day alone. With you… maybe we finish before midnight."
Akiko took one look at the two of them entering full concentration mode and backed away slowly. "Welp, my job here is done. Bye~"
The door clicked shut behind her.
Ichigo exhaled. "That's a lot of work."
"Looks like it," Suzu said, fingers already flying across the keyboard.
"Let's get this over with."
Six hours later
The final compile finished with a cheerful beep.
Suzu spun the chair to face him, a rare, genuinely proud smile on her face. She smacked his back hard enough to jolt him forward.
"Done. You were a huge help—exceptional, even."
Ichigo grinned, rubbing the spot. "So…don't i deserve an reward?"
Suzu's smile turned mischievous. "Oh, you deserve one. Come here."
He bent down obediently.
She reached up and patted his head like a proud owner.
"Good boy."
"THAT'S NOT A REWARD!" Ichigo straightened up, red-faced. "Treat me to very expensive meal someday instead in a very very expensive restaurant."
Suzu leaned back, smirking. "Yeah… someday."
Ichigo deflated. "Let's just tell Akiko we're done and get out of here."
"Nope," Suzu said, already shutting everything down. "We're ghosting. Last thing I need is her pestering me."
"alright."
They slipped out of Fuji Inc. like criminals fleeing the scene, jumped into Suzu's car, and vanished into traffic.
On the road – evening lights flickering on
"Everyone's probably gone home by now," Suzu said, eyes on the road. "Want me to drop you at your place, you live quite far right?"
"Nah. Miss Reiko got me an apartment near the office. Just take me there."
"if you say so."
She pulled up in front of the company building ten minutes later.
"Sure you don't want door-to-door?"
"I don't mind even if its bed-to-bed, but no thank you for today"
"Jerk." Suzu smirked drove off.
Ichigo spotted Reiko coming out of the convenience store, plastic bags swinging.
"Hey, Ichigo!" She waved brightly. "Over here!"
He walked over and, without asking, he picked a snack from her bag.
"How was your day?"
"Passionate. But the server's fixed. Completely."
Reiko's eyes went wide. "Already?! I expected a preliminary report and a week of follow-ups! You're the best."
"I am not that special" He blushes to himself like a moron.
She handed over a keycard, a physical key, and a small card with the address and passcode written in neat, suspiciously cute handwriting.
"Take this, Enjoy your new home!" she smiled
Something about her smile looked way too pleased with itself, but Ichigo was too exhausted to question it.
He took a taxi, gave the driver the address, and leaned his head against the window.
When the car stopped, he frowned.
"This area… looks really familiar…"
He shrugged, paid, and headed inside. Elevator → 21st floor.
Ding.
Doors slid open.
Suzu—now in an oversized T-shirt and sweatpants—was stepping out of apartment 2805 with a garbage bag in hand.
She turned.
Ichigo turned.
both stopped
Suzu's eyes slowly moved from his face to the keycard in his hand, then to the number on the card.
Right next to hers.
Her expression went from confusion → realization → Shock
"That meddling, perverted, nosebleeding excuse of a CEO, she found you a apartment just next doors to me…!"
Somewhere across the city, Reiko sneezed into her melon soda and giggled.
Ichigo just stood there, staring at the door that was now officially his.
"…Looks like we're neighbors, Miss Suzu"
Suzu's reply was a happy one with a deadly smile.
"well, i have no problem. its in fact a good in a way. now i can dump a lot of work on you here"