Aiden’s shift had gone well despite his mind racing a million miles an hour. He and Margo had managed to come up with an idea for their project. They felt like a lenticular would be a great idea, one that shifted through the seasons as you walked by it with a character—a student with the university logo on their bag—racing by to showcase the progression of time and celebrate their life at the school. It wouldn’t be an easy or quick project but they at least had a plan. It meant Aiden could do what he did best: design a cool character. 

It would be hard to keep it in his animation style and not lean into his comic style, though. No one could know he made comics. No one. Not even Margo knew that the poster above his desk was his project. It was embarrassing. He simply had everyone believing he was working on an insanely ambitious project for his animation final, and they all believed it. The fact that he’d told Damien so fast still left him confused, but at least it wasn’t someone in his inner circle… yet.

He’d spent the majority of his shift restocking shelves. Mondays weren’t typically busy, so it had been a cleaning day for the most part until Damien came down with a yawn on his pierced lips. The happy-go-lucky newcomer perked up when he saw Aiden by the chip shelf. They talked for a while until the owner of the convenience store came to inquire what was going on.

“This is Damien, he moved in across from me,” Aiden noted as he tidied up the row of potato chips. “I promise I’m staying busy, Mr. K.”

“Ah, the new tenant. My wife mentioned you,” the older man simply known as Mr. K said. He was a kind gentleman. A no-nonsense business owner who was proud of his accomplishments and took care of his own. Every student he’d ever employed still sent Christmas and birthday cards, he was that beloved. He’d owned a chain of these stores but sold most of them after retirement to focus on one location since his son, Colby, was attending the university. He’d bought the apartment complex and refurnished the former shop into his own to help students who needed reasonable accommodations and assisted them with jobs whether at his place or with some of the local businesses. That was how Aiden had found himself where he had.

Mr. K was like a grandfather to him, and that included joking, banter, and whining along with hard life lessons.

Damien introduced himself. “My name is Damien. I’m so thankful for your hospitality.”

“Is the apartment to your liking?” Mr. K asked.

“Yes, it’s perfect.”

Aiden blinked a few times. “He doesn’t have a microwave.”

Damien gasped. “It’s not a big deal.”

“Nonsense, it is a big deal. That means the kid who lived there last stole my microwave!” Mr. K grumbled. “I’ll get you a new one in a few days. I hadn’t even noticed when we were cleaning, the place was pretty much spotless so I was neglectful. I apologize.”

“It’s part of your rental,” Aiden replied as he looked at Damien who seemed uncomfortable. “Since we don’t have a stove or anything, we need some way to cook so they supply us with microwaves.”

“A safe way. I don’t trust any of you hooligans with a stove. This generation, I swear.” The older man sighed. “The store is open twenty-four-seven so feel free to come down and use ours until we get you one. Aiden, we’re getting a shipment tomorrow, do you think you could spare an afternoon?”

“I think so? Let me double check my class schedule when I go upstairs, but I could probably help for a while after lunch. Oh!” Aiden turned to look at Damien. He pointed to him. “Ask him! I’m sure he could use the extra cash and he’s like way buffer than I am.”

Mr. K squinted and looked the newcomer up and down for a second. Damien threw Aiden a worried glance before turning back to the older gentleman.

“Can you lift boxes?” Mr. K asked.

“Yes.” Damien nodded.

“Can you stand for several hours?”

“Y-yes?”

“Can you pretend it never happened if I pay you under the table?”

“Sure?”

“Then you’re hired, be here tomorrow at one. Aiden, make sure you pay your rent on time this month. You’re making all sorts of trouble for Mrs. K and she’s threatened to withhold your next kimchi batch.”

Aiden gasped. “I’ll behave!”

The elderly gentleman laughed and excused himself to go back to his office. Aiden chuckled and looked at Damien. His new neighbor was obviously confused.

“What just happened?” Damien asked.

“I just got you the best deal of your life. You’re about to get a nice paycheck for a few hours of moving boxes and cleaning up the store,” Aiden replied as he squatted to pick up some more chips.

“Why?”

“Because you seem like you could use some extra cash and Mr. K likes to help people who need it. He gets shipments at least once a week so that’s a nice way to ensure you can get groceries until you figure something else out. You can thank me later.”

Damien smiled. His eyes sparkled as he clapped his hands together.

Aiden felt his heart race and turned away, hoping his cheeks didn’t turn too red. He was in so much trouble.

“I’m going to find a snack, when do you get done with your shift?” Damien asked.

“In an hour. Want to… go to the park? After I get done? It’s a nice night out,” Aiden suggested.

“Yeah, I would.”

“Go grab what you want and I’ll ring you up as soon as I finish this row of chips. And get some actual food, like a sandwich or something.”

Damien giggled—he freaking giggled—and nodded with understanding before he wandered off to find something to eat. Aiden watched for a second and couldn’t help but imagine Damien with a tail, happily whipping back and forth as he walked away. He was too Golden Retriever-like for his own good.

Aiden sighed with as much of an exaggerated tone as he could muster just to make himself feel better about crushing so hard before he went back to finishing up his meticulous rows. His new neighbor would be the end of him.