When his turn came to enter the shop, the judgmental gaze of the employees immediately annoyed Dravin.
But he didn't truly care—No, that was a lie he told himself.
Let's just buy their most expensive collection to earn those half-moon smiles.
Dravin quickly selected several shirts, pants, boxers, and accessories, all part of the boutique's new arrival collection.
He spent almost fifty thousand Goldin for three large paper bags of clothes.
It was a fantastic amount for someone of his perceived low class but nothing for the middle class.
If there were an estimated thousand-plus people in this district who needed a demon expelled from their bodies, that alone would bring him around eight million Goldin.
What about those outside their district? Surely there were over a thousand in every other district.
The thought alone made him beam with excitement. Dravin was sure he didn't need to worry about wasting money.
The shop employees bowed, their smiles wide enough to make their eyes "half-moon" as Dravin exited the store.
Now he needed to sort out one more location before returning to the apartment to plan his restaurant menu and SOP.
The fierce afternoon sun began its descent toward the west, mirroring his quickened steps as he moved block after block toward his studio.
Dravin wiped the sweat from his brow when he reached the single-story storefront.
This was his photography studio, where he took family portraits for clients.
The scent of fabric and photo ink filled his nostrils as he swept his gaze across the room.
This was the place he had spent every day since graduating college, earning a living because he had failed to continue his career as a swimmer or a coach aligned with his sports major.
The cold artificial bone embedded in his left shoulder was a silent witness to the misery of locking himself away in this studio.
Dravin sighed. He began packing the tools and equipment into boxes.
He hoped the soul of the original Dravin Austin would find peace, knowing that at least now, he would lead a good life with his body.
The estate agent knocked on the door just as Dravin was separating the boxes he would discard from those he would keep. He turned, and the gray, short-haired grandpa smiled at him.
"I thought you were joking when you called to say you were closing your studio. Why? Is business that bad?"
Dravin simply smiled. "It's time to move on. I'm opening a restaurant now. I'll send you an invitation to the grand opening later." he said proudly.
The grandpa burst into laughter, clearly taking Dravin's ambition as a joke.
Instead, the old man advised Dravin to do yoga before dawn to reduce his stress and stop entertaining strange ideas.
It's too late, grandpa.He should have heard that before jumping off the roof that day.
As Dravin handed the grandpa the studio keys and turned to leave, the older man caught his arm.
"Hey, Dravin. I keep seeing your girlfriend lately, sneaking by, peeking through the window. Are you two fighting? Why wouldn't she know you've been closed for a week?"
Dravin frowned. Girlfriend? His memory dragged him to the moment his ex-girlfriend from this world had abandoned him in a café after dropping a bombshell that pierced the heart.
"We already broke up, Grandpa. Six months ago, actually."
The old man looked confused. "Huh? Really? I thought you were just fighting; her eyes always look so red and swollen."
Dravin simply offered the old man a wry grin. He wasn't particularly interested in that woman anymore, nor was he curious.
He continued to lift a medium-sized box while balancing his three shopping bags.
"Goodbye, Grandpa. Thank you for being kind enough not to kick me out for always being late on rent. I'll be sure to invite you to my restaurant later." Dravin gave a genuine smile.
"Ha ha ha… It's fine. I know how hard it is for a young man to earn a decent meal. Just make sure you always do the right thing, alright? And don't imagine things. Go work for someone else. Starting your own business isn't easy." The grandpa remained stubborn on advising Dravin, clearly not believing he would open a restaurant.
Dravin offered a forced smile and a nod in return for the man's wave, as his hands were full.
He was actually curious what percentage of the Pleasure Index Grandpa Roman held, but he chose not to activate his Hunter Eyes when off-duty.
Rubby had told him it could be toggled on and off for his own sanity. This is why people keep saying ignorance is bliss.
Arriving at his apartment building in the late evening, Dravin paused before entering his unit.
His eyes flickered toward Siena's closed door. The sight of the charred microwave already in the dumpster outside her unit made Dravin smirk.
Hmm… looks like her electrical repairs are done. She must be tired now.Should I ask her to dinner?
Dravin decided to go into his apartment first. He lowered the box onto the kitchen table. He placed the shopping bags on the bed and headed to the bathroom to clean up.
A short time later, Dravin began unpacking the contents of the box he brought from the studio. It held two digital cameras, flash units, and lighting equipment.
He only kept these items because they would be useful for content creation later.
He'd instructed the grandpa to throw away or scrap the rest of the studio gear. Initially, Dravin wanted to pack his old tripods, but then he remembered that ShopaLyfe offered advanced, ergonomic models. He decided to just buy those later.
Dravin went to his kitchen, placed a pot on it, and poured beef rib soup on the pot.
He'd bought the soup earlier from one of the best-selling food stalls near his old studio. Besides wanting to know why the stall was so popular, Dravin was simply too tired and lazy to cook dinner.
While waiting for the rib soup to boil, Dravin sat at the kitchen stool and pulled out a notebook.
He began writing down his restaurant concept and the menu plan, not forgetting to draft a marketing strategy to start promoting the place.
Dravin tapped his pen against the paper like a student hitting a roadblock during a state exam.
Staff… How can I find the right staff? I don't have time for screening, let alone training people. Should I order a robot kitchen assistant from the shop? But I only have enough balance for one. What about a cashier or a manager?
Then, he gasped, as if a light had flipped on in his mind.
Dravin immediately accessed his blueprint and checked the target list.
He then smirked as he read that one of the targets had a background in Business Administration and was currently jobless.
He instantly turned off the boiling soup and left his apartment, heading for his neighbor's door, Siena's.