Anyway, I made my way to the front desk and clocked in at the desk, jotting down my start time and leaving the end and break sections blank. After completing those two thrilling tasks, I stood by the door like the statue I was for the next five hours. Then it was break time. Finally, I got to sit and chill like a statue instead of just standing like one, and in just a blink of an eye, it was over.
When I went back to finish filling out the break section on the paper, the unthinkable happened—Arthur waved at me. Oh my god, he waved! For real, he actually waved! But, as usual, the excitement felt euphoric as it didn't last too long because I had to return to not-so-soul-crushing work, where the real "fun" awaited.
And so it began. After lunch, I returned to my post and casually observed the usual inflow and outflow of customers. Then I noticed a certain boy; there was something strange about the boy. The boy drew the attention of everyone in the store due to his striking features. black raven hair and purple eyes The boy's hair and eyes were the least jarring thing about him; I could sense that other people were confused as well. Despite his childlike frame, he had an unsettling maturity, as if he didn't quite belong in that small body—like a child who was light-years beyond his years. He wore a hat, had what looked like a rich cigar in his mouth, and swaggered around with a cane as if he owned the place. That uneasy feeling lingered, impossible to shake off, and I couldn't help but wonder if he was truly a child or just pretending to be one.
That's when the boy unexpectedly took an interest in me. He walked right up and said, "Arctha." I hesitated, replying, "Uh, hi?" Things became even stranger when he followed up with, "It's good to see you." Perplexed, I asked, "Do we know each other?" The boy—or man, whatever he was—replied, "Oh yes, we have." I found that odd, since I was sure I'd never seen him in my life. While mentally deciding he was a bit off, I just gave an awkward smile and said, "Oh, okay."
This guy was clearly out of his mind based on what he was saying, and I was already trying to plan my escape. "Ohhh," I said, "I need to use the restroom." His response was strange—he was way too understanding about me leaving to go to the bathroom.
When I finally made it to the restroom, I took my time, of course. It was my little getaway after a long day at work. Sometimes I come here even when I don't need to, but this time it was to escape that weird guy. Just as I was about to head in...
The smell hit me—oh my god, it was awful. The smell clung to the back of my throat, rotten and sour. I was convinced someone had a dead animal in their stomach and was letting it loose in my once peaceful retreat. Now, it was no longer a sanctuary but a place I had to hide out in to avoid that strange guy with raven hair and purple eyes who swore he knew me. Hopefully, he'd be gone by the time I came out.
After enduring the stench for what felt like an eternity, something great finally happened.
When the individual eventually exited the restroom, the noise of the speech diminished, and I felt some much-needed respite. At last, I could begin to enjoy the room for what it was meant to be: my haven. As she relaxed, she pulled out her phone and opened Energram. Still zero followers, and her latest post had no reposts—just one like. Out of curiosity, she checked who liked it. Of course, it was her stepfather. She clicked her tongue in irritation. Now, she didn't even feel like scrolling through her phone anymore. Her peace was ruined, and she was ready to leave the bathroom.
"Arctha!" the boy called out. I was confused—by now, I thought he'd be long gone. What the hell did he want? After all these strange encounters, things were just getting weirder. "Your destiny awaits you. I come from a land beyond this one, a faraway one."
"Oh yes!" She jumped up and down excitedly. "Right, right," she said, nodding her head while signaling the manager over. "I'll be right with you." As soon as the manager arrived, she hurried off. The boy—or man, whatever he was—tried to follow, but the manager blocked his path. "And that's how you deal with crazy customers," she said, clapping her hands together like she had just completed a job well done.
"What is he, in some kind of isekai? This guy is nuts; he needs a shrink." Part of Arctha hoped he wasn't lying. To be honest, her life left a lot to be desired, especially now that it was almost time to go home.
That didn't seem too unusual, given how the man was dressed and acted; it was probably the only thing that made sense in the whole situation. But at the moment, Arctha had more important things to focus on, like getting back to her post by the door while the manager had security escort the strange boy—well, man—out.
After kicking the man, he yelled about some strange world called Wanhaven, but Arctha continued to stare in the opposite direction, ignoring his words. Instead of feeling relief, things only worsened as the man sat outside, fixated on her.
"Is he really going to just sit there?" she thought to herself. "No way he'll wait until I get off work."