Aware of the security cameras, Dylan strolled down the fantasy aisle with casual ease. Occasionally he flipped through a book to keep up appearances, all while listening to the exchange between the girl and the clerk, careful not to look like someone sticking his nose where it didn't belong.
That might've been an overreaction on his part, but the nerves stirred up by running into Haru left little room for rational thought. He simply acted out of habit: swept up by the anxious tendencies his past self used to have around women, layered with the rigid caution his future self had developed when stalking prey.
"Oh, I see... I totally get it." Haru's voice was sickeningly sweet, as if she actually cared about the employee's well-being.
"Really? Thank you so much! Now, if you'd be so kind as to let go of me, I'd really appreciate it."
"Of course, of course, in just a second. But first… a quick little question."
"Yes? O-okay, whatever you'd like." The clerk tried to sound professional, but the crack in his voice betrayed him.
Through a narrow gap in the shelves, Dylan spotted her gripping the guy's shirt. He wasn't resisting: just standing there, stiff and polite, fully aware that any hint of disrespect could be caught on camera and land him in trouble.
"Are you absolutely sure this volume won't sell out before I come back? You do know how insanely popular this series is, don't you?"
The question came off like innocent small talk, but her actions told a different story.
"W-what? No! It won't happen!" The chubby clerk stammered, struggling to keep his composure. "Miss, as you can see, we don't get that many customers. Even if you don't return until next week, you'll still find it in stock."
"Even if I don't come back until next month? That's when I'll actually have the money to pay you."
He swallowed hard, then forced a smile. "For you, I could set a copy aside."
"Seriously? You'd do that? Even under the all-seeing eye of your stingy boss? Wow, what a wonderful friend you are! Aren't you?"
"..."
From his position, Dylan couldn't see her expression, but he didn't need to. The sudden paleness of the clerk was enough to imagine the mocking grin Haru must have been wearing.
"See? Told you so."
"Damn brat..."
The clerk muttered under his breath, unable to stand it any longer.
Haru, of course, seized the opportunity. "Huh? Did you say something? Sorry, I didn't quite catch that. Maybe say it louder so everyone can hear?"
"..."
Confronted with her words, he shut his mouth, unwilling to dig himself into a deeper hole.
'Should I step in?' Dylan wondered, his gaze fixed on the pale, trembling employee.
For a brief moment, he felt the urge to step in. But then he closed his eyes, rubbed the bridge of his nose, and let out a quiet sigh. With that simple gesture, he snuffed out the small flicker of compassion that had sparked inside him, offering a silent apology to the clerk for not being able to help him.
"Well...? Anyway, don't worry; I'm not trying to get you fired. I'm not that heartless."
"Thank you... Miss Haru."
"Yeah, yeah, you should be grateful for how nice I am to you. Now, how about letting me take this little thing as a token of your appreciation?"
"...As I said before, I can't do that."
"Tch. I knew you'd say that, but I had to try."
'So, she's a delinquent here too, huh?'.
For Dylan it was now clear: Haru's manipulative and arrogant behavior wasn't something that stemmed from a tough past in another world, as some of her followers speculated. No, she had always been like this.
She had been rotten from the start.
"Alright, how can I get the money by next weekend? Should I ask Dad for an advance on my allowance? No way—he's too busy, and the last thing I need is him checking my card transactions. That'd be a disaster."
She murmured while releasing the clerk, then stepped down gracefully from the display case. Arms crossed over her slender chest, she stood still for a few seconds, lost in thought. The man, meanwhile, frowned as he tried to smooth out the wrinkles in his shirt.
"Hmm, that won't work… Hey, you!"
"Huh? Are you leaving, miss? It's getting dark, and someone as beautiful as you really shouldn't be walking around alone at this hour."
"What kind of nonsense is that? Are you trying to jinx me so I'll stop bothering you?"
''So you know you're a bother...''
Dylan felt a strong sense of déjà vu as he heard the exhausted sigh of the worn-out clerk.
"No, dummy. That's not the point. What I wanted to ask was if you'd be interested in buying some of my prized collection."
"Oh? Well… What are we talking about?"
"You know, classics like Ranma ½, Saint Seiya, even Kamisama Kiss. I can bring you any of those—rare editions, too! Took me ages to hunt some of them down."
The clerk seemed to consider it for a second before shaking his head.
"Sorry, miss, but I have to decline. We don't buy second-hand products. It'd hurt our store's reputation."
''Reputation...? What a good joke!'' She scoffed, wearing a sarcastic grin. "You mean the one already ruined thanks to someone?"
"..."
At that, the clerk looked away, visibly uncomfortable with the indirect jab.
''Anyway, so how about ones I haven't even touched since I bought them? Those are practically mint. Though, honestly, I was saving them for resale in the future. Dad won't always be around, so I can't just give them away for peanuts… But what about you?"
"Me?"
"Yeah, wouldn't you like a manga? They might be a bit worn, but I'll sell them way cheaper than what you'd get here. Let's make it a deal—buy one, get one free! Sounds good, right? Right?"
"Hah?! Why the hell would I waste my time reading a damn book? I'm not into that crap."
Haru's eye twitched slightly at that response.
"…I see you're slipping back into bad habits. Maybe I should reconsider not snitching to your boss."
"Sorry."
"Wow. That was the most robotic apology I've ever heard. Tch. Whatever. If manga's not your thing, then I guess a light novel is out too… In that case, what about a video game?"
"Oh? Now that depends. What do you got?"
With an arrogant air, the clerk placed his hands on his hips and straightened up.
"Hmm… Ugh, now I'm the one hesitating? Let's see… Legend of Zelda? No, I haven't played enough of the series yet. Actually, I need to hurry up and finish shopping so I can go home and replay Ocarina of Time. Then a Final Fantasy game...? What am I thinking?! Until the final installment is out, I can't sell any of them! If anything, I need two copies of each—one to play and one as a backup. Maybe… God of War? But if I sell it, I'll need to replace it fast. What if they announce a sequel? I'd want to replay everything from scratch... From scratch? The first one? Mario? But which one...?"
Watching her mumble at almost ridiculous speed, completely absorbed in her spiraling thoughts, Dylan decided it was the perfect moment to act.
He walked up to the counter and grabbed one of the stacked baskets, dropping in four of the nine books he had picked; as for the rest, he left them in place. Once done, he gave the glass counter a light knock with his knuckles, trying to snap the clerk out of whatever distraction he was lost in. The guy had his headphones on and phone in hand, clearly about to start playing a game.
"Huh? Oh! Are you ready to pay, sir?"
"No, not yet. I just wanted to ask something. Where's the video game section? I don't see any signs for it."
"Oh, that… It's over there." The clerk lazily raised a hand, pointing toward the stairs at the back of the store. "Second floor. Feel free to browse. But… is this your first time here, no? Wouldn't you prefer me to guide you? I can help you find what you need."
"Appreciate it, but no thanks. I'll manage. You can keep assisting the young lady."
Waving his hand, Dylan turned down the offer while nodding toward Haru with his chin. He knew perfectly well that the clerk's friendly suggestion was just a desperate attempt to get away from her, but since he needed him to keep her occupied a while longer, there was no way he was granting that wish.
"Alright then. But if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. I'm at your service."
Dylan gave a slight nod and headed for the stairs. As he walked away, Haru's voice continued behind him: an endless stream of murmurs bouncing from one half-formed thought to another. Judging by her tone, she hadn't even noticed him leaving.
"I don't even play it anymore, so it's fine if I swap it out… That version's outdated anyway. So many better games now—better graphics, better gameplay. I don't even know where I left it. Probably under the bed… But now that I think about it, getting that Dragon Quest was a nightmare. I had to beg Daiki for a trade! And lie to Dad on top of that. Daiki totally scammed me. I hate him. But… A keyboard! That's it! I have like a ton stored in my closet. I wouldn't mind getting rid of one..."
'Looks like I don't have to worry about her leaving before I finish shopping,' Dylan figured, watching her sink even deeper into her rambling.
And he wasn't wrong. When he returned half an hour later, he found Haru speaking in Japanese—her native tongue—completely lost in her own world.