Mask up.

The memories of our first night together rattled my minds and I could feel the sense of Yumeko trying to lay me down again. "Hey…Ichigo? She called out to me, in a low muttered voice as though she was whispering.

"Yeah". I answered like a sheepish animal being called by its master. "Would you mind…if I take you?

I found myself getting into an SUV as Yumeko proposed that I accompany her to see some one named "Iggy". Wherever he lived it was a bit far off into the city. I had a long road ride, passing the shops and building. It was one of those afternoon, hot and blazing. The welcoming of a good Summerville was on the horizon. I couldn't get my mind off thinking about how sexy Yumeko was a couple minutes earlier.

Her smile, lips and eyes got me shaking. Was she my weakness, perhaps the memory of her first sex with me, was still hunting me. I had my eyes harassing her body in the car as we ride. She was calm, looking out the window with her cold eyes. I wonder who this Iggy was and what his relationship was with Yumeko, was he her friend? He was definitely not human but a ghoul.

I wonder how my parents will be doing without a sight of me home for like a week now. Hope they are alright, perhaps I should drop in and visit them. But when and with her watching me, I can't move a muscle. I caught a glance of Yumeko stare at me, it was as though she could read my thoughts and smirked. I faked a smile as the car kept on pacing down the road.

We eventually pulled over a lawn and I got down with Yumeko. The residents had their eye glued to us, as our entrance felt like that of a big man's son and his date. Yumeko urged the driver, who was a ghoul to stay back while she and I go see this Iggy guy. I followed her blindly, avoiding the gaze of residents of that area.

Yumeko entered an alley way that was covered above by houses and narrow in path. I followed her, looking awkwardly around as I followed her down a few shattered steps. The road was filled with dirt and very narrow but then again, it was an alleyway. We pulled over a dark alley, where two heavy trash can were packed and a few steps forward was a back door to a shop.

I heard her knock, while I looked around the place, filled with rags and stray cats. She knocked again and we heard a couple movements inside. The door had a slide peephole, which was slid open. The sight of a man's eyes looking cold stone at Yumeko, emerged from the hole and after a while it disappeared. We heard the locks rattling open and the door was open.

"Come in, Princess". The man said and stepped inside. Yumeko followed him and I did shortly. "lock the door behind you". The man muttered in a distressed voice and I staggered backward to lock the door.

The room was dark and I couldn't help myself from bumping into things. I heard the man hiss at me but Yumeko had him shut. Inside the little room was another back door to another room. We entered through it, into a low bar set filled with a few ghouls. I entered and got an eyeful of all of them.

"Wait here". Yumeko muttered to me and turned to leave with this guy. I held her back with my hands and pulled her backward. "Am coming too". I muttered in a cold voice and she mewed her lips.

"How so? My dear husband wishes to control me. Go grab a drink, I'll be out before you know it". She assured and turned to leave.

"Who is he? I don't trust him". I snapped and gave the man, who opened the door for us a dirty stare.

"That's good, don't trust a person you just met but if you trust me. Then you will let go of my arm or I will cut yours off". She snapped in a low tone and I immediately hands off, glaring at the man and back at Yumeko. She gave me an assuring smile and wandered off with him, into another room upstairs.

I took a seat at the bar table and kept my composure.

"what can I get you? The bar girl said and I looked up at her.

"Relax…you came with miss. Yumeko, it's on the house". She whispered to me and offered a bright smile.

She was beautiful as ever in her long dark gown and white hand towel around her neck. The bulb bright red light flickered a bit and went back to normal.

"could I have a smoove? I asked and she scoffed out for a laugh.

"No children's gift here. Am guessing this is your first bar drink". She muttered and I nodded.

"How about I make a light grasshopper. It low on alcohol and contains a few strawberry shakes". She offered and I nodded. I watched her turn around and prepare my drinks, while the boys in the bar were staring at me.

The bar girl returned with my drink in a glass and I slurped it down gently. I heard a few snacky voices on something and heard a girl smash a glass bottle.

The spill of liquor against the rug flour and the whimpering of the young child. I looked to see a girl cleaning the fall and tables, next to the men in some form of tattoo and dirt stare. The supposed leader cupped her ass from behind and muttered something naughty to her.

"What you looking at…? Smart guy". He snapped at me and I realized that I was staring. I looked away and back at the bar girl, who was busy on her cellophane.

"Hey…! I'm talking to you kid". He snapped again, pulling himself up and shoving the little girl away.

"I don't want to fight you. Just let her go". I muttered and took a sip of my drink. I heard a scoff from the bar girl as her eyes clashed with mine.

"what did you say? You wanna play smart now huh! He snapped again and I tightened my fist around the glass.

"Shut up". I muttered and he came running at me. Honestly, I was terrified but moved quickly, he was rather slow and I could dodge his attacks and easily sniff him out with a smash of my glass to the head. He was knocked out cold and down on the floor.

I stood in the center of the bar and saw another of his kin, desiring to attack me.

"you bastard! I'll kill you...A shit like you smell rather awful for a ghoul. Are you even one? He snapped and sniffed his nose.

In minutes he pulled his Kagune out from his back and as a Rashumon user, I knew it was going to a heated fight of strength between us. I stepped backward in a bit of fear, calculating my next moves. I kept my composure, when suddenly I spike from underneath spurned out and pierced his skin. He gagged and groaned in pain and I knew whose skill that was.

I looked up to see Yumeko standing from the stairs with another young fellow with glasses. He muttered something to Yumeko and she replied back, then card me upstairs.

"sorry for the glass". I muttered in apology to the bar girl, for breaking the glass on the man's head.

"Nah! No worries…It shouldn't be me you should be apologizing to. It's Iggy". She chuckled and pointed at the man next to Yumeko, up the steps. I glared at him as I made my way up stairs and into one of the rooms with them.

"A one eyed ghoul? That's odd. Nice to meet you, Ichigo". Iggy said sticking a hand to shake. I looked at his hand and back at his face. He wore glasses, cloak jacket of silver and black trouser. He looked dangerous, with his calm mood and razor sharp eyes of brown.

"Nice to meet you too, Mr. Iggy". I accepted his hands and he offered me to seat. Yumeko sat at the far end of what looked like an art display shop. It had a few collections of masks and costumes for kids and adults.

There was a sewing machine and other tailor tool. I searched the shop with my eyes before sitting down. There was even a changing room in the corner, clouded by curtains of different colors and a price list.

"Miss Yumeko has asked me to a make you a ghoul mask for your face. I'd like you to pick what style you like". Iggy said and threw me a huge book that sat on his table.

I glare through it and the thought of Iggy being a tailor for humans, ghouls and a bar owner stroke me. He was living a quiet and simple life, one might not even suspect him as a ghoul.

"A ghoul… mask? I stuttered looking at him, with my eyes begging for an explanation. Yumeko pulled in closer to me and flipping pages of the book in my hands.

"A ghoul mask, signifies many thing but not like it ever matters. It hides your identity to the man hunters and others. With the rise of the man hunters becoming elite and our current mission, it's best we all have one". She paused and pointed at a mask sample in the book.

"How about this one? She asked and I could only scoff. It was a gas mask with a red lining and gore flare tattoos all over it. I simply continued flying through the pages and paused as I found another attractive one. "that one? Iggy scoffed and I looked at him. He was definitely sarcastic but I didn't like it either way. It was a skull head shaped mask, with the full design of death on it. I shooked my head and heard a heavy sigh from Yumeko.

For some reason, the masks sample was not into my liking, it felt like one of those sample for dresses that bored costumers. As I scanned through the pages, I reached a firm conclusion in my head. Why not be more artistic in your design sample, at least if I was going to get a design, it should some thing good. I thought to myself and looked at Iggy.

"Hey…can you do a collab? I asked and he itched his dark thick hair.

"A what? He asked and twitched his brows.

"A collaboration of design, but in this case for a mask". I said and caught a glance of Yumeko staring at me. "I would like to pick a warm color for this design and leave a hole sight for my ghoul eye. If I was going to be a one eyed ghoul then, that's what I'll be". I ended my speech and he smirked, picking the book of my hand.

"You're the first person who have ever asked me for a collaboration of two artistic ghoul mask. So you want to mix, monster and calm together huh? Well then- (pauses, taps his glasses into place against his nose and grins) challenge accepted".

I smiled and had him take my head measurements. After what seemed like ten minutes, we eventually made our way out of there. I caught the eye of the bar girl and waved to her, goodbye. She smiled back as I made for the door with a calm Yumeko. We made it back into the car and rode down to the house.

"Hey…Ichigo". Yumeko muttered as the car wheeled home.

"yeah! I snapped in immediately as though I was waiting for her call. She slowly pushed her face to look at me, with a short but bright smile. She muttered lowly

"I'm really proud of you, husband".