Tokyo's snowy season was brief, like an appointment. Half a month had passed since the last heavy snowfall, and the snow between the streets and buildings had already melted away by half.
Inside the goods store, Hoshida No sat on a wooden chair behind the checkout counter, his left elbow propped on the counter as he idly fiddled with a lighter.
The store owner had left early that morning to take care of something, leaving Hoshida No alone in the shop. Less than ten people had come and gone all morning, and even Hoshida No was starting to feel bored.
"Ding-dong, welcome!" The store's automated greeting rang out, breaking the silence.
Hoshida No set down the lighter and stood up. It was store policy—they were supposed to make customers feel welcome.
A girl with soft, glossy pink hair and a light-colored knit sweater paired with a plaid skirt slowly walked in.
Her gaze was quickly drawn to an actor's signature hair clip on the shelf. She stopped in her tracks, her fingertips hovering in midair but never quite reaching for it, uncertainty and longing hidden in her eyes.
Hoshida No took in her expression and added casually, "This actor's hair clip is selling really well. These are the last four. If you want one, you'd better act fast."
His voice seemed to startle her.
She looked up and only then noticed Hoshida No standing behind the checkout counter. His sharp, refined features stood out against his pale skin, his jawline as sculpted as if carved by hand. An aloof yet clean aura surrounded him.
She'd heard her classmates talk about the handsome shop assistant here. Seeing him in person, she couldn't help but think, He really does live up to the rumors.
Her fingertips curled slightly. She looked back at the hair clip on the shelf and cautiously raised a hand to point at it, her voice hesitant and timid. "Um... could you lower the price on this hair clip?"
Hoshida No rested his fingertips on the edge of the counter and glanced calmly at the limited-edition hair clip. He shook his head slightly and replied in an even tone, "It's a limited edition, and the actor's endorsement makes it even more popular. It's priced at 28,000 yen. I can't lower the price right now."
"Sorry to bother you." When she heard that the price was firm, the light in her eyes dimmed instantly. Her fingers unconsciously tugged at the hem of her clothes.
She didn't look at the hair clip again. With her head lowered, she hurried toward the door and quickly left the store.
Her pink hair swayed gently with her steps, her back conveying both disappointment and embarrassment.
Hoshida No watched her leave until she disappeared from sight. He had a feeling she would come back.
On an afternoon when the snow still hadn't fully melted, the shop's curtain was gently lifted, and a pink-haired figure hesitantly stepped inside. It was the girl who had left in disappointment before.
Three days had passed since her last visit. She clutched the hem of her clothes and quickly scanned the shelves. When she spotted the actor's hair clip lying by itself, the only one left, a glint of urgency flashed in her eyes.
A customer was talking with Hoshida No at the checkout counter. He leaned to listen, his fingertips resting carelessly on the counter.
Seeing this, the girl quietly breathed a sigh of relief, though her heartbeat grew even more frantic and her palms dampened with sweat.
Using the shelves as cover, she edged toward her target one step at a time. Her eyes stayed fixed on the hair clip as she repeatedly glanced in Hoshida No's direction.
Just as Hoshida No turned to retrieve an item from the shelf, the girl suddenly reached out. Her fingertips touched the hair clip's cold metal edge, and almost instinctively, she grabbed it and swiftly slipped it into her pocket.
The hair clip pressed against her palm through her pocket. She didn't dare hold it for even a second before lowering her head and shuffling toward the door in a panic, eager to escape the place that had made it hard to breathe.
But she didn't notice the tall figure already blocking the shop entrance.
In her panic, the girl ran straight into him, staggering and nearly falling to the floor.
Hoshida No reacted quickly, reaching out to catch her by the wrist. The warmth of his palm came through her knit sleeve, his grip leaving no room for argument.
The girl's heart skipped a beat. Her cheeks flushed bright red, her gaze fixed on the floor as her fingers unconsciously tightened around the hair clip in her pocket.
Its cold metal edge dug painfully into her palm, but she didn't dare loosen her grip.
She bowed her head even lower, her long pink hair falling over her shoulders and hiding most of her face. Even her breathing grew quick and shallow, and she didn't dare meet Hoshida No's eyes.
The moment the girl lifted the shop curtain and stepped inside, Hoshida No's gaze had already swept across the shelves and landed precisely on the pale pink figure.
He still remembered her timidly asking about the price last time. Now, seeing her flustered expression and evasive gaze as she edged toward the shelf where the hair clip sat, he quietly kept an eye on her.
When he saw her seize the last hair clip and slip it into her pocket while he was turned away retrieving an item, Hoshida No's eyes remained calm. He simply circled around to the entrance without a sound, cutting off the girl's escape.
The collision happened without warning. As he caught the girl by the wrist, his fingers clearly felt the hard object pressing against her pocket. His voice remained calm and even. "Miss, aren't you going to pay for what's in your pocket?"
The girl froze. Hoshida No's calm words had struck home, and her eyes instantly grew red-rimmed.
She instinctively shrank back and pressed her other hand hard against her pocket, her knuckles turning white with the force. Her voice was barely audible and trembled with tears. "I... I didn't mean to..."
Tears welled in her eyes, but she held them back. Her pink hair fell along her face, hiding her reddened eyes.
The hair clip in her pocket felt like a branding iron, making her panic. The helplessness she'd felt when she heard the price of 28,000 yen last time and the image of her younger sister eagerly waiting for a birthday present surged through her mind. Her throat tightened, and she couldn't get a full sentence out.
Hoshida No looked at her tense shoulders and released her wrist. His tone remained even, but his voice was a little less distant. "Let's talk. Why did you steal the hair clip? This won't solve anything."
His gaze passed over her reddened eyes. He asked nothing more, simply waiting for her to answer. The air in the store seemed to freeze, with only her hurried breathing breaking the silence.
The girl froze. She looked up at him, then quickly lowered her head again, tiny glimmers of tears clinging to her eyelashes.
Seeing her hesitation, Hoshida No softened his tone. "If you're willing to tell me the story behind this, I'll buy the hair clip and give it to you."
His voice was calm and even, yet carried an undeniable sincerity. "Don't feel like you owe me anything. I'm just bored and want to hear a story."
The air in the store seemed to loosen a little. Outside, the last of the snow continued to melt.
Sunlight streamed through the glass window and cast dappled shadows across the floor, making the girl's flushed cheeks all the clearer.