You clear your throat and settle beside a frowning Ichigo, who’s been bugging you all day for the “how I met Mom” story. You roll your eyes, but secretly you love this. Because honestly? It’s a wild ride. “Alright, listen up,” you start, “this is the story of how your mother absolutely ruined my perfectly planned Shinigami life.”

...

[[Flashback: 20 years ago:]]

Back then, you were the definition of ‘cool Shinigami captain’ — strong, sharp, powerful, and, well… let’s be honest, pretty handsome. You had the haori, the respect, the swagger. You thought you were set for life, marching through Soul Society like you owned the place.

Then came the mission. Earth. A hollow named White was causing trouble — nothing too serious for you, of course. You thought it’d be a quick zap and back to tea and strategy meetings. You found him, fought him, and... Lost, watching him escape.

And that’s when you saw her. Masaki Kurosaki. Not gonna lie, you literally fell for her. Like, literally. Your foot caught a rock, you tripped, and face-planted right in front of her. Smooth, right? She helped you up, barely suppressing a smirk. “You okay there, Captain?” she teased. You mumbled, cheeks burning.

That was the moment the universe hit the reset button on your life. The real beginning of the story.