Too Many (End)

10 advanced chapters on my Patreon: Fiction Haven

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Ichigo and the girls got at home a few minutes before six. They had had their fun and their stomach filled, so they only wanted to sleep after cleaning themselves. Ichigo would have also lazed around if he didn't have a date in an hour. Cursing his mouth for his lost spare time, he decided to clean himself a little bit.

Yuzu and Karin were already asleep by the time Ichigo got down after dressing himself. He found them sleeping on Retsu's lap on the couch. Retsu was caressing their heads tenderly, bringing a smile to his face. Zangetsu chuckled and told him that he should marry the woman already, but he wisely ignored it. He didn't want to make Retsu uncomfortable around it.

"Are you going somewhere?" Retsu asked curiously when she noticed him.

"I may have a date," Ichigo answered with a sheepish smile.

Quirking her eyebrow, Retsu replied, "You don't have to go if you don't want to."

"It is not that I don't want to. I just realized that I should watch what I say from now on."

Ichigo was quite unnerved by the unreadable look Retsu shot him but didn't show it. He walked to the couch, bent down, and then caressed the girls' heads from behind Retsu.

"Can you look after the girls for me?"

Quite surprised by Ichigo's proximity, Retsu answered, "I will. Don't worry."

Ichigo absentmindedly rubbed Retsu's head before kissing it. "Thank you."

Leaving a stunned Retsu behind, he got out of the house. He realized what he had done at the same Retsu blushed because of his action. They reacted differently to it, though. Retsu couldn't forget the sensation she had felt when Ichigo kissed her head. On the other hand, Ichigo thought that he needed to apologize to Retsu for startling her.

'Well, I hope she will be as understanding as she always is.'

Shrugging his shoulders, Ichigo called a taxi. As soon as he seated himself, he looked at himself in the taxi's mirror. He wore the same outfit but with an addition of a navy vest that further accentuated his figure. He looked like a host more than he had during the day. Upon arriving at the meeting place, he paid the driver and then got out of the taxi.

The meeting place was one of the most luxurious restaurants in Karakura. He didn't know if Ikumi honored their bet but still entered the restaurant with a confident gait. He would enjoy himself even if Ikumi didn't come. Upon entering, he was immediately greeted by the receptionist.

"Reservation for Kurosaki Ichigo."

"Follow me, sir."

The receptionist took him to the second floor of the restaurant. He thanked her when they got to his table and she left when he was properly seated. Looking around the restaurant, he noted that not many people were in the room. Everyone was talking with each other but no one talked loudly. He liked the restaurant's atmosphere.

Picking up the menu, he scanned through the list of dishes, ignoring the price of each dish. He was rich enough to do that, much to his amusement.

Click-clack.

The sound of stilettos hitting the ground caused him to lower the menu and look ahead. A black-haired woman wearing a fitting, slit black dress was approaching him with a boy no older than ten clad in a suit beside her.

"I thought you wouldn't come," the woman remarked before he could say anything.

"I am glad that I did. I wouldn't want to waste a lady's effort," Ichigo replied with a smile. Before the woman could reply, Ichigo turned to the waiter and said, "One more chair for the child, please."

The woman looked surprised but didn't comment. Ichigo motioned for her to sit down which she complied easily.

"Hold on for a second, boy. You should be strong enough to stand for a minute, right?" Ichigo said with a smirk.

"Of course, I am. I have to drive men like you away from Mom, after all!" the boy exclaimed.

"You should. Ikumi is a beautiful woman, after all."

When the waitress came with a chair for the boy to sit on, Ikumi took a look at Ichigo properly. He checked everything in the Cassanova checklist. He had the looks, the figure, and apparently the wealth. She didn't doubt that he could easily pull any woman whom he wanted. Her logical part was telling her that he might be playing with her.

"Aren't you bothered?" she asked curiously.

"About?" Ichigo quirked an eyebrow.

"Most men shied away when I brought Kaoru to our date."

"Is that how you rejected all of those foolish critters?" Ichigo wondered. "No wonder you didn't look like the date would proceed properly." He chuckled. "Well, feel free not to think of it as a date. Let's consider this an outing with Kaoru here."

Ikumi smirked. She had figured Ichigo out. However he reacted to the development, she was sure that Ichigo didn't want anything to do with her anymore. She still respected him for his gentlemanly way of handling the situation, though.

"Are you not going to ask if I don't have a husband or something?" she quirked an eyebrow.

"Given how protective Kaoru is, he wouldn't have let you go—let alone come with you—if you have a husband, no?" Ichigo replied calmly.

"Well, aren't you Sherlock Holmes?"

"Kurosaki Ichigo at your service, madam." Ichigo bowed sardonically.

Ikumi chuckled, causing Ichigo to smirk. Remembering that their table was still empty, Ichigo told them to order what they liked. Ikumi, who sensed Ichigo's sincerity, decided to order something affordable. She didn't want to mooch off of him even though she knew he could afford every pricy food on the menu.

She turned to Kaoru to tell him about it but found Ichigo suggesting he order deserts that she would never buy under any circumstance because of the price. Kaoru excitedly listened to his suggestions, ordering everything that caught his eye.

"You shouldn't do that. He would throw a tantrum to buy those deserts the next time we come here," Ikumi said.

"You are smart enough to not burden Mom, aren't you, Kaoru?" Ichigo turned his eyes to Kaoru who quickly looked up.

"Of course! I am doing this because we are using Uncle Ichigo's money!" Kaoru replied brightly.

"It's Onii-san, Kaoru," Ichigo corrected.

"Ah, right. Sorry, Nii-san!"

Ichigo crossed his arms and smirked. The boy didn't like him, but he didn't hate the boy for it. He knew where the boy came from. He would've also behaved like Kaoru if he had such a gorgeous mother courted by a man. Though, if he truly intended to get into Ikumi's pants, he would do something about Kaoru. He didn't, so he let Kaoru be.

Ikumi blinked her eyes at the bewildering scene in front of him. Kaoru had instinctively sat closer to Ichigo. He had never done that to anyone, let alone the man who had asked her on a date. A solemn look crossed her face as she theorized that Ichigo was trying to win her through her son. Unfortunately for him, it wouldn't work.

When the food came, the three of them talked to each other. Staying true to what he had said earlier, Ichigo let Ikumi and Kaoru converse most of the time. He enjoyed sitting on the sideline, watching their interaction. The way Kaoru talked to Ikumi reminded how he had behaved around Masaki when she was still alive.

'That and the other time.'

His memory of the other universe hit him like a brick. He closed his eyes to force it down. Recalling a good memory from his previous life pained him more than recalling the bad ones. He sighed lightly when he opened his eyes. At this moment, he realized that Ikumi and Kaoru had stopped talking and the former was looking at him with concern.

"Are you okay?" Ikumi asked tenderly.

"Of course. There is no reason not to," Ichigo answered with a smile.

Ikumi shot him a dubious look which he promptly ignored. He was about to push the food on his dish when he felt a handkerchief touching his cheek.

"You are crying," Ikumi said softly.

"My eyes sweat," Ichigo said sagely as Ikumi wiped his tears. "Happens all the time when I recall my mother."

"It's weird to see you act so casually while having such sad eyes."

"It's just a phase."

"Mourning is not wrong. Drowning in mourn is."

"That's what I am trying not to do."

Ikumi seemed to have something to say, but Ichigo waved his hand. He gestured to Kaoru who was looking at them in puzzlement. Ikumi immediately sat back down and kept her handkerchief. Ichigo talked to Kaoru, preventing him from asking what had happened.

When the dinner ended, the trio got out of the restaurant with an amiable atmosphere. Kaoru didn't even mind walking close to Ichigo. Anyone who didn't know them would think they were a married couple. Ikumi was assaulted with conflicting feelings. She couldn't read Ichigo's attention at all but couldn't get him out of her mind. Something about him made her want to take care of him.

'Am I getting wooed just because of his good looks and dependable attitude?'

She honestly knew that anyone would get wooed because of those things but refused to believe that she was no different. She was awakened from her trance when Ichigo called a taxi for them.

"Take care of your mother, Kaoru. You can't falter under the treacherous glare of despicable men, understand?"

"Count on me, Nii-san!"

"Good!"

Ichigo smirked and patted Kaoru's head before telling him to get into the taxi. Ikumi mindlessly entered the taxi. She was surprised when Ichigo closed the door as soon as she sat. As Ichigo backed away, she instinctively reached out to him.

"Are you not coming with us?"

"It's only the first date and you are already inviting me to come over?" Ichigo said with a chuckle. As Ikumi went red, he continued, "I don't want to bother you more than I have. Just call me when you want to hang out again. You have my number, don't you?"

"Ah, yes…"

"Then, be careful."

Ikumi reluctantly let go of Ichigo's arm as he backed away. He went to speak to the driver and handed the driver money which was more than enough to pay for their ride. He said goodbye to them once again and then watched as the taxi left. Standing still after the taxi disappeared from his sight, he sighed tiredly.

"Don't I have to take Yoruichi on a date tomorrow? I have too many dates!"

Again, he swore to watch what he said next time.

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Honorary Mention:

Venerable Immortal Adan Smith

Venerable Immortal Bigbowser

Venerable Immortal Dex

Venerable Immortal Haider Alkefaji

Venerable Immortal B0mbaCl0ckBob

Venerable Immortal Jack Wright

Venerable Immortal SilverWolf

Venerable Immortal Star Dragon Bahamut