Magic Store 18



The Convenience Store Worker's Consultation (2)



Even if you ask me what love is, I have nothing to say.

The main reason is that the writer of this novel, the damned bastard, skipped over the description of my face in his story.

As a result, my face has been randomly customized, and I have been given an appearance that makes it impossible for me to ever know love.

There was also the issue of willpower.

My will to love has been tossed and trampled, and by now it has been worn down to something close to nothing.

Because of this, I no longer even think much when I'm called a loser for being single even at my age.

Back in the day, questions related to my relationship status made me want to smash things.

Hence, on this topic, there is no credibility in my words.

Who would listen to someone who learned about love from Wikipedia saying, "What is love?"

They would just dismiss me, saying "Oh, he's talking like a loser because he is one."

I explained this point, but the succubus just smiled wryly and responded, "I'm single too, you know."

Wanting to hear some kind of response, I opened my mouth, not really knowing what I would say. If it sounded like nonsense, she could just filter it out.

"But.. I know what kind of love should not be done."

"What kind?"

The two that immediately come to mind are: love where you can only watch from a distance - "Hey, is it wrong for me to like you?", and love where you forcibly impose yourself on someone.

In the former case, it may be good at first to just watch.

But the problem is when that love that was good to just watch becomes a love that you can only watch.

Then you'll regret never having said a word, become obsessed with whether they would accept you even now, and become jaded.

It becomes a genre of regret, obsession, and despair.

It's a self-inflicted injury.

No one knows when the wounds will heal.

As for the latter case, well... you can't even call that love.

Even if you tell them over and over, "You may love me, but I don't love you," they won't listen.

It's just a blade forged under the guise of love.

It's a love that is like plastic, inorganic, that doesn't easily rot away, and whose wounds are rather difficult to heal.

Both are one-sided love.

The only difference is who gets hurt.

But the one thing to be learned from these two types of love is that love necessarily requires mutual interaction.

The one giving love must convey that love, and the one receiving it must accept that love for it to be fulfilled.

"It does sound like common sense..."

I muttered this uncertainly, but the succubus remained reverently still, seeming to truly be listening to my words.

Scratching my head, I continued.

"After all, love is not something visible."

"That's right."

"Just hoarding it in your heart and inflating it will only make it burst eventually, and knocking on a closed heart won't make it open. You must speak up to get any kind of result. It seems your dilemma is similar."

"Huh, me too?"

"You've never told anyone you love them, have you?"

This succubus says she doesn't know what love is, so she can't love, but the order is wrong.

Since she has never experienced love, she can't know what love is.

Like me.

"Of course, saying 'I love you' is terribly burdensome. It's not an easy thing to say. I do think that you don't necessarily have to love, but..."

"Why do you feel that way, Sir?"

"People say dating is good, but for me, just lying at home is enough to make me happy."

I've heard stories from people around me.

They say that just walking down the cherry blossom path in Yeouido with their girlfriend is so joyful.

But for me, just lazily browsing my smartphone at home is already the most enjoyable thing.

Turning on my smartphone is enough for it to become my friend, whereas dating requires going through such a complex process to get to the point of walking down the cherry blossom path in Yeouido.

For someone like me who likes simple things, love is not a necessity but an option.

However...

"But for you, customer, love is not an option, but a necessity, isn't it?"

"Yes..."

"Then you should try to express it. Grab hold of the person you like and say something like 'You're my ideal type, could I get your number?'"

"Well, I did try to, but... I'm scared..."

"Scared?"

The succubus muttered this, her head bowed low, her voice clearly lacking confidence.

"What if I end up falling in love, but then later on... it's not what I hoped for?"

That could happen.

But I can say this with certainty:

"Then you can just stop."

"Huh?"

"If it's meant to be painful, is that really love?"

I don't think it's that complicated.

Love is like a rose.

The petals may look beautiful from afar, but inevitably you'll get pricked by the thorns if you try to touch them.

If the value is worth the droplets of blood on your fingertips, then you keep going.

If not, you can and should stop.

"I don't think love is a great emotion that's worth enduring the pain of being with a person you do not match with. True love shouldn’t change, right?"

"Ah... I suppose so."

"But love changes moment to moment depending on the situation, doesn't it?"

"Is that so?"

"The people around me are like that. At first it was good when they met, but if there was even a small difference in their views, they'd go 'Huh?' and wonder about it. That's fine once or twice, but if the differences keep coming up, they just get tired of each other. It's hard. And then they grow apart."

Unless they were truly destined soulmates, but I decided to exclude the element of fate.

I also felt like I should start wrapping this up.

"So, just give it a try and you'll at least get some kind of answer. As a young working professional, you're still quite young, umm... how old are you exactly?"

"I'm 24, Sir."

"That's the prime of your life. If you meet someone you like, try talking to them, take it step-by-step. With your looks and qualifications, the other person won't be able to easily reject you... Ouch, my mouth hurts, let me stop talking now."

My mouth really does hurt, so I can't speak anymore.

Looking at the succubus' face afterward, she was also staring intently at me. I quickly added:

"I'm not an expert on counseling, so do not take my rambling rather seriously."

"No, it was very helpful, Sir."

"How so?"

"The part about just having to try it out to know."

She was still staring fixatedly at my face, and the burden of her intoxicated gaze was becoming unbearable.

I glanced away to check the time on my phone.

It was just about the first train's departure time.

I can finally send her home now.

"Customer, it's almost time for the first train."

"Ah, is it already that late?"

"Time to head home. You have to go to work tomorrow."

"Yes, thank you."

She got up, fixing herself, then nodded to me before heading out.

But just before leaving, she asked:

"Can I come again sometime?"

Given that she's already been here twice, why ask that.

I replied tiredly:

"Next time, buy yourself an orange juice. That's what a customer would do."

"Okay, I'll do that."

She smiled wryly and finally left through the door.

___

Right after the succubus left, it was 5 AM.

After that, there were almost no customers until 8:30 AM when the office workers started flooding in.

I wasn't as tired as yesterday, and it seems the counseling session with the succubus was fruitful.

By 9 AM, it was quiet again.

As I sat slumped in my chair, I glanced out the front door a few times.

That little dragon from yesterday said she couldn't come because she had piano lessons.

Other than that, just one minor incident.

A robotic customer arrived at the convenience store on a bicycle, and stopped in front of the utility pole.

He then squatted down and didn't move for a long time, so I discreetly went out to check on him.

When the robotic customer saw me, his face lit up.

“Hello, Sir."

"Hello there."

Looks like he's one of the customers I dealt with yesterday.

Looking at the bicycle, I noticed the chain had fallen off.

I pulled the rear derailleur with my finger, hooked the loose chain back onto the front chainring, and spun the pedal to test it.

It was working fine.

"Sir, you're a genius."

"It's nothing much. Are you off today?"

"Huh?"

"Your day off?"

"Ah, yes."

I remember he mentioned living in a group, so he must be off today since he's the only one here.

The robotic customer nodded a few more times and then left.

I could see the store manager approaching from a distance.

"You're out here? The weather is nice and cool."

"Yes, the breeze is nice."

"But what's that black stuff on your hands?"

"Ah, one of the customers yesterday had their bicycle chain come off, so I helped fix it for a bit."

"Wow, you're quite handy, Chan."

We chatted as we went back inside.

There were no special handover items.

"The cash register is full, manager, as you saw yesterday."

"I'll take care of that."

"Also, remember that succubus customer who was doing overtime on my first day? She came back again."

Initially the manager looked puzzled, but as I continued, her expression grew increasingly concerned.

"I told you to just send her away..."

"She said she didn't have money for a taxi since she missed the last train. It was cold outside, so I couldn't just send her out."

"I was worried you couldn't handle it, but that succubus customer does seem pretty docile."

"Come on, is there really a matter of being able to handle it or not when it comes to serving customers?"

If necessary, I can just call the police.

Since she doesn't seem to have a bad personality, I didn't think much of it, but the manager still seemed worried.

"That's because you don't know the ways of the world, Chan..."

"If that's the reason, is there a chance of problems arising?"

I thought it would be better not to do it if there could be problems.

But hearing this, the manager, who had been deep in thought, shook her head and muttered:

"...Well, in a way, this could also be an experience..."

That was my first-time giving love counselling.

While chatting, 10 o'clock came around, and this time the closing wasn't too difficult.

The manager had already entered the coordinates for the spatial transfer, so I just had to press the button.

After locking the door, closing the blinds, and pressing the button, I looked out at the intersection near my home and said,

"I'm clocking out now, manager."

"Okay. Good work, get some good rest. Tomorrow's going to be tough."

"Tomorrow? Are we expecting a big group of customers or something?"

The manager's answer to this question was quite simple.

"Tomorrow's Friday, you know. You won't even be able to stick around for long because of all the customers."

"...Ah, I see."

Damn, she's right.













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