An attendant walked up to Suzu. "Hello, ma'am. Are you looking for clothes? Would you like some help?"
"Oh, sure. I want to see men's casual wear," Suzu said with a smile.
"…We don't judge here. It's fine if you like men's clothing," the attendant replied politely.
"It's not for me!" Suzu yelled. "It's for the guy I'm with—he's in the changing room!"
"S-sorry, ma'am. P-please this way. I'll show you the clothes," the attendant said, visibly sweating.
Just then, Ichigo walked out of the changing room.
"Well? How does it look?" he asked, standing in front of her.
Suzu stared for three full seconds.
"What do you want—truth or lie?" Suzu asked.
"Truth," Ichigo said, confused.
"You look like piece of garbage," she said bluntly.
"This is the one you picked!" he yelled. "How ironic can you be?!"
"Idiot, who told you to wear a T-shirt with formal pants?"
"Hey, isn't that your fault? You only gave me a T-shirt!"
"How is that my fault? These clothes are for you to choose yourself."
"Wha—" Ichigo froze, unable to speak.
"Try these pants on," Suzu said, shoving them into his hands.
"Now aren't I supposed to get what I want?" he yelled.
"Just do what I say, moron."
"You're impossible," he groaned, turning back toward the changing room.
.
Attendant whispering to a coworker ten meters away "…I ship them, they are such a cute couple."
"Yeah i agree, its kinda funny how they interact" the coworker chuckled.
.
Ichigo then came out of changing room wearing the white t-shirt and casual pants Suzu picked up.
Suzu was standing outside the changing room with bunch of clothes she picked up.
He spread his arms slightly. "Better?"
Suzu looked him up and down once, slow and deliberate, then gave a small nod.
"Now you look like a human being who's allowed in public."
"That's the nicest thing you've said to me."
"Hey, give me a pose. I wanna take your picture." she said as she grabbed her phone.
Ichigo blinked. "A-alright…"
He leaned against a pillar, one hand in his pocket, the other pushing his hair back just enough to look effortlessly cool. Click. Suzu nodded in satisfaction and immediately set her phone on a table and started to give him clothes she chose "now try this" she said with a smile,
Half an hour later…
"Try this."
"Okay, now this one."
"This color's better."
"Swap the pants."
"Nah, lose that jacket."
"Wow, that actually looks good."
"Different shirt, same pants."
Ichigo emerged from the changing room for the seventeenth time,
"How much longer do I have to keep doing this?" Ichigo asked, exhausted.
Suzu held up one final outfit—with the sweetest, most terrifying smile.
"Just this last one. Please?"
He knew that smile. That was the "obey me" smile.
He obeyed.
Two minutes later he stepped out, adjusted the collar, and gave a tired spin.
"How's this?"
"Looks nice," she said, genuinely pleased.
Then she immediately grabbed the exact same set in a different color and tossed it on the keep pile.
"But I don't like this one on you." Ichigo said looking himself in the mirror\
"Okay drop it then" Suzu said
Ichigo froze. "I… get to have a choice?"
Suzu rolled her eyes. "Why are you acting like I've been forcing you this whole time, you big baby?"
A vein popped on his forehead. "Y-Yeah… sure…"
He pointed at the massive approved pile. "Pack these. I'll change back into my old clothes and join you in a bit."
Suzu picked up one complete outfit from the top of the stack and thrust it at him.
"No. Wear this one out. We'll pack the formal stuff you came in."
He opened his mouth to protest, saw her face, and closed it again.
"…If you say so."
He disappeared into the changing room one last time.
The attendant arrived to collect the selected clothes, and Suzu followed her to the billing counter.
"Your choices are great, ma'am. I'm sure your partner likes them," the attendant said with a smile.
"Yeah?" Suzu smirked. "I'm pretty confident in my choices. Anyway, what's the total?"
The attendant checked the screen. "¥195,000, ma'am."
Suzu didn't even blink. She pulled a black card from her pocket, tapped it like it was pocket change.
Attendant handed over the bags. "Anything else mam?"
Suzu picked up the bags. "No, just tell that idiot I'm waiting outside," she said before leaving.
"Please come again!" the attendant bowed deeply.
Two minutes later, Ichigo walked up to the empty counter in the new casual fit hands in pockets, looking unfairly good.
He reached for his own card. "How much?"
"No need, sir," the attendant said brightly. "Your wife already paid."
Ichigo choked on air. "M-MY WHAT?! She's not my wife!"
"Oh! I'm so sorry," the attendant panicked. "She paid so casually, I thought… I thought you were married."
"We're not married," he said quickly. "Anyway, where are the bags?"
"She already took them and said she'd be waiting outside."
Ichigo dragged a hand down his face, cheeks slightly burning. "Thanks…"
He shuffled out of the store in defeat.
Behind the counter, the attendant sighed. "I made a mistake… I really thought they were married."
Her coworker smacked her lightly on the back. "Relax. Even I thought they were a couple. And if they're not—"
"—they'll end up as one soon."
"How do you know?"
"I just have a hunch."
Outside the entrance, Suzu leaned against a pillar, cigarette between her fingers, several glossy bags at her feet.
Ichigo shook his head and walked over to her.
Suzu smiled as she looked him over. "You look good. Now we can go eat. It would've been weird if one of us was dressed formal and the other casual while sitting at the same table."
Ichigo sighed. "Yeah, whatever… but why did you pay? I was about to do it," he asked.
"What does it matter?" she replied, taking another drag of her cigarette. "You can pay me back later. It's not like you're going to run away—and you're my neighbor, so it doesn't matter."
"You just wanted to show off your money and make me owe you one, didn't you?" he said.
"Tch." She looked away, clearly annoyed.
"I knew it. No noble intentions at all, you schemer," Ichigo yelled, then sighed. "Anyway… thanks." He smiled.
Suzu's lips curved first, just a tiny twitch at the corner of her mouth, then a soft chuckle slipped out, low and warm.
That was all it took.
Ichigo's own laugh followed half a second later
"You're an idiot," they both said at the same time.
Ichigo slowed his laughter first, wiping his eyes as he caught his breath. "Let's eat somewhere here in the mall."
"No, no—we're not eating here. There's a restaurant I've been wanting to try. It's not too far, just on the other side of our building," she said.
"This area really is a town in itself. I can't believe there's a mall and restaurants so close to where we live," he said.
"Yeah, I know."
"Hey, give me the bags. I'll carry them," he said, holding out his hand.
Suzu paused, then handed over exactly half the stack. "I'll take the rest."
"I can carry all of them, don't worry," he offered.
She shot him a look, the kind that said don't argue with me on this.
"It's not about you carrying everything," she replied calmly. "I don't mind sharing the burden. Take these—and let's go."
"You sound like a wife," he said with a low chuckle.
"Say whatever you want," she replied, turning around as she walked toward the elevator.
She blushed slightly to herself. I sound like a wife… he's just spouting nonsense, she thought, quickly regaining her composure and returning to her usual self.