The shop bell rang, a bright jingle that felt oddly sharp in the heavy air. Kei's hand dropped from Min's cheek in an instant, his expression sliding back into its careful calm.
A man stepped in. He wasn't particularly tall, but his posture carried an ease that drew attention. His clothes were neat, travel-worn but clean, and his smile—too wide, too smooth—seemed to stretch a little longer than it should.
"Good evening," the stranger said, his tone casual. "I hope I'm not too late to browse?"
Kei inclined his head politely. "Of course not. Please, take your time."
Min felt the tension ripple through Kei's words, though no one else would have noticed. He moved to stand a little closer, trying to read the man.
The stranger strolled past the shelves, fingers brushing over items without real interest. His eyes, however, flicked toward Kei more than once.
"This shop is charming," the man remarked lightly. "Quiet… but not empty. You must have quite the steady hand to keep things in order."
Kei's smile didn't waver. "It's simple work."
Something in the way he said it made Min's chest tighten.
The man stopped near the counter at last, picking up a small carved ornament. He rolled it between his fingers, then set it down again. His gaze lingered on Kei, his smile unchanged.
"Do you always manage it alone?"
Min stepped in before Kei could answer. "He doesn't have to. He has us." His voice was firm, though his palms were clammy.
The man's eyes flicked to him, studying him for a beat longer than necessary. Then he chuckled softly, as though amused.
"Good. No one should shoulder everything by themselves." He bowed slightly, his smile never faltering. "Thank you for your time."
And just like that, he left—bell jingling again, shadows spilling in and then closing behind him.
The silence that followed was suffocating. Min turned to Kei immediately. "Who was that?"
Kei's eyes lingered on the door for a long moment before he finally looked away. "No one you need to worry about."
But Min's heart pounded. The way Kei's voice dipped, the way his fingers trembled slightly as he adjusted the ledger—it was a lie.
And Min knew it.
To be continued....