So...this is the next chapter. If anyone is reading the story so far please be kind enough to review or drop a line just for a bit of feed back I guess so I know whether to actually go on posting chapters! :)
Two:One Vacation Less
His head was turned to the window as though he was watching the bustling street outside the diner. But aviator shades covered his eyes so it was rather impossible to tell. Long tapered fingers raked through his unruly vibrant orange hair, messing them up even more.
"Late night?" the man seated across him asked as their coffee arrived.
"You can say that..." was the hoarse reply as he began to scoop sugar into his steaming cup.
"You finished the entire set for the collection this season?"
"Just the initial theme. I just completed it last night actually..."
"You'll put it up this week then."
"Of course." He stirred the cup, put down the tea spoon to pour some milk. He set down the milk and took off his shades to look at the man before him.
"What's with the pleasant talk, Urahara-san?"
"Still as charming as usual eh, Kurosaki-kun. Well I sure didn't call you up to have a nice chat about your new art work. This is a plain business call...as always." Urahara peered at him from behind wisps of his platinum blond hair, the smile not quite leaving his face.
"Last night we received a nasty slap of reality check when our most influential client at the moment was shot dead in his hotel room full of body guards and our own implant, Kensei-san."
Ichigo's eyes widened, traces of fatigue disappearing as he absorbed the news.
"And Kensei-san has been doing an impeccable job for the last six assassins that came before this one. He didn't even get wind that there would be an attempt on his principal's life."
"He couldn't have. Not if it was a quick and clean hit...a ghost hit." Ichigo said not meeting Urahara's steady gaze, his face clouding over a muscle on his jaw twitching.
If there was ever anyone in the agency who knew what a ghost hit could do to a man of their occupation it would have to be Kurosaki Ichigo. Even a constantly vigilant and seasoned agent wouldn't stand a chance. But as opposed to Kensei's his experience left a deep mark quite literally. Even now his hand unconsciously touched a spot on his chest, a movement which Urahara was quick to notice.
"Indeed it was. One on the head, the other to the heart. The two shots were milliseconds apart."
"That's...impressive." Ichigo said slowly as he watched Urahara take a sip from his cup.
"I thought so too myself." The man replied in firm agreement as he peered at Ichigo from the rim of his cup.
"But what is it that you really want to talk to me about, Urahara-san?"
The man gave him a slow, ominous smile. "Always straight to the point with you eh, Kurosaki-kun! That's one of the things I like about you."
"Are you trying to soften up the initial blow or something? 'Cause I'm a big boy and I think I can handle what you're about to drop on my head."
"Oh no, not at all! It's just that I'm going to have to ask you to come off your sick leave. There's been a pressing request for your services and one can say that the person asking for you is quite...persuasive to a point that I am unable to deny the need of your assistance." Urahara paused to let his words sink in a bit. "This job-that is if you're willing to take it calls for a bit of...discretion on your part especially involving the principal. And I cannot stress that enough..." Urahara returned his even stare with his smile still in place as he took another sip of his coffee.
Ichigo sighed and glared at the man accusingly. He just had to blab just a hint about the particulars of the job and he knew Ichigo wouldn't be able to say no now that he knew.
"Just tell me already so I can go back to actually do some work..." Ichigo half groaned in barely suppressed irritation with a quick glance at his sleek black Swatch.
"One thing though...why was I specifically requested for this anyway? You know I haven't even gotten halfway through my sick leave according to the medical certificate awarded to me by the company's resident doctor." He scowled deeper not quite in the mood to indulge in the man's cryptic preludes.
"And it so happen that it is your own father who ordered your recuperation for at least six months. But you've been restless for the last month. Finishing your initial theme in less than record time and all..." Urahara's voice was slowly turning serious.
There wasn't that many people who could intimidate him but Urahara Kisuke sure is one of them. Especially now that he's turning up his real charms.
"Fine. Since you asked so nicely and all..." Ichigo replied, averting his gaze to his almost empty cup so as not to let on that he was suddenly unnerved by the man's smile.
"Good. I'll leave it to your capable hands then. And I'll pay for coffee so you run along back to your actual work. And I'll...ah, keep you posted."
He nodded once and stood up taking it as a sign that he was dismissed. He picked up his jacket and quickly put it on. He slipped his shades back on and was just about to walk away when Urahara spoke, his voice still serious.
"Take care now..."
Ichigo inclined his head to his direction to mean he heard before walking briskly out of the diner and to the bustling street. He stuffed his hands into his pockets as he walked, mulling things over in his head. The sky was overcast and he almost regretted not bringing his scarf. It was a good thing that the gallery was not so far off.
By the time he got back there were already quite a few people milling about and his friend and partner Hirako Shinji was talking to a young couple as they appraised and considered the work of unknown underground artists. He tried to quietly slip in without being noticed but he knew that Shinji probably saw him the moment he entered the door. He went directly to the back where their offices were situated. He immediately plopped down on the sofa without bothering to close the door.
When Shinji walked in two hours later he was still lying there motionless with his eyes open and an arm over his forehead.
"Trouble, Ichigo?..." Shinji was leaning on his door frame with his arms crossed.
"Just thinking about something..."
"Had any breakfast yet?"
"Ah, now that you mention...no I don't believe I've had...any just yet." still no movement from the couch.
"Coffee?"
"Double shot espresso if you would be so kind, Shinji..." Ichigo blinked twice but still didn't make a move to get up.
"Bagel? Donut? Cheese cake? Brownie? French bread? Burger? What are you in the mood for, eh?..."
"Pizza..."
"You sound like a dying man..." Shinji said with a snicker and started to turn away from him when he suddenly stopped and looked over his shoulder, "You aren't are you?..." now there was a slight tone of concern in his voice.
"No you idiot! I'm not dying...I told you I'm thinking." Came the annoyed reply as Ichigo waved a hand as if to dismiss him from his presence.
"Tchk. Your call man...I'll be back in twenty." With that said Shinji casually waved over his shoulder and went away leaving Ichigo alone with his thoughts.
•*•*•
Already well over his third tall cup of coffee in less than three hours, Ichigo had just taken a sip when he suddenly spewed it all out the moment he read the file Urahara just sent to him involving his new assignment and his principal's identity.
Shinji looked up from his paper work duties to raise an eyebrow at his partner who was gaping at the screen of his tablet while coffee residue dripped down his chin steadily.
"Too much sugar or too little cream?..." Shinji asked with a raised eyebrow as he watched Ichigo dial a number on his Blackberry swiftly without even once looking at the screen and pressed the call button with a growl and waited for the call to be picked up which only took about one ring.
"Don't even start with me geta-boshi! You-you-you...!" Ichigo's voice was choked in anger as he spoke, his hand gripped his phone tightly his knuckles were turning white.
Even from where he was seated across the counter Shinji could hear Urahara Kisuke's dark chuckle of amusement at Ichigo's' current speech disability. He shook his head and buried himself into the paper work but kept an ear out for something interesting that might come up in the conversation. Only if Ichigo could regain his ability to speak and form words properly like the civilized man he supposedly is.
"What do you mean I'm 'being irrational and behaving childishly'?" Ichigo screamed at the mouth piece after a few seconds, his anger escalating dangerously.
"Is he fucking serious? Why would he choose-? No scratch that one! Why would he hire anyone to do that?" the anger was suddenly gone only curiosity remained in his last question.
"No shit?" now Ichigo was practically back to his usual normal self. He was actually having one hell of a civilized conversation now. Heck he was even grinning widely. Then he was chuckling.
"I never knew...I didn't think she was the type. You're seriously giving me this headache to handle by myself? Maybe what she needs is an entire ARMY OF FREAKS who would have the INHUMANE ability to do what you want ME to do!" and just like that he was breathing out fire again.
Then he was silent for a while again. At the moment all Shinji could think about was how strange this conversation was becoming the more he listened.
"No I'm not calm...you just assumed I was calm! Now why is that, Urahara-san? He should have just asked for Lisa..." Ichigo was calmer now but was speaking through gritted teeth.
"I did no such thing back then! What are you talking about freakin' geta-boshi? I was not-!That was a long time ago and the answer to that is no. We have never-ever once met. No she would not possibly recognize me..." his voice shrank just a tiny bit as his frown grew deeper and more prominent.
Ichigo sighed dejectedly and massaged the bridge of his nose with a pained expression, "Fine."
"I said I'll do it, you son of a—!" Ichigo broke off in mid-swear and held his Blackberry at arm's length with surprise, his eyes wide and his mouth slightly ajar.
"Did he...he just...did that freak just hang up on ME?" he exclaimed and was about to smash his two and a half month old Blackberry to the nearest wall when Shinji caught his arm just in time to save it.
"Maa, Maa~ Ichigo-kun...be calm now. You wouldn't want Yuzu-chan to get upset when she finds out you wrecked the phone she gave to you as a welcome home gift, now do you?" Shinji muttered as he took the said device from its murderous owner's grip and set it down on the counter a safe distance for now from imminent death.
"So...you going any time soon then?"
"No. I'm staying here..."
"But didn't you just agree to do this assignment just a moment ago with your crazy-ass conversation with the Lord of the Freaks?" Shinji asked whilst scratching his chin thoughtfully.
Ichigo smirked at the reference to his boss, his mood suddenly lifted just a little bit. "Ah, the location is here...in Karakura."
"How convenient..." Shinji replied while his sharp eyes fixed on Ichigo's face and lingered for a while searchingly. No suspicion whatsoever.
"Tell me about it..." Ichigo replied in that careless manner of his that sometimes makes one wonder if he's just being sneaky or just plain dumb. Most of these cases though would result to the latter.
So Shinji decided to use the direct approach and peered at the tablet's screen which resulted to his mouth hanging open in complete shock and rendering him speechless for a good five seconds.
"Ichigo...is that who I think it is?..." Shinji finally managed to get out pointing at the profile picture on the file.
"You know her?..." Ichigo asked incredulously as he quickly turned to face his partner's thunderstruck expression.
"Who wouldn't? Her family is like practically royalty in this town? Eh? Ichigo-kun have you forgotten I also happen to have lived in this town before?..."
"Ah, sorry...forgot..." Ichigo replied scratching the back of his head looking sheepish.
"It's fine, Ichigo-kun...I didn't stay long here though and that was a long time ago..." Shinji continued to stare at the picture as Ichigo cleaned himself up and his surroundings from his little outburst earlier.
"Oh, that's right...you were always busy then, huh. Must be good now that you're semi-retired...or whatever." Ichigo called out from the bathroom.
"Yeah...sure...whatever you say..." Shinji replied tonelessly his gaze still not leaving the screen. Now he was reading her profile information, his eyes darting back and forth quickly as he forced his mind to process them.
One name though caught his eye and they froze as they caught the word printed in red encased in parenthesis beside it.
"Oi, Shinji! What's the matter with you?...why are you spacing out like that?" Ichigo whacked him on the head with the house phone, a vein popping on his forehead.
"I'm ordering dessert. You want anything?..." he went on in a slightly calmer tone as he folded his arms.
"The usual..." he replied simply tearing his gaze from the screen and closing his eyes as he made his way back to the counter to continue his work without glancing up or even meeting Ichigo's eyes as he passed by. He sat down and pretended to look through the papers before him and then an idea hit him. A slow ominous smile started to spread on his thin lips as he glanced up at Ichigo.
Until next time! 3
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