The fluorescent lights of the supermarket hummed faintly overhead as Hana adjusted her uniform and tried not to shrink behind the register. She kept her head down, stealing glances at the clock between customers, counting the minutes until the end of her shift. It had been a quiet evening—a mercy for her social anxiety, though the boredom was starting to gnaw at her.  

She absently tapped the side of the cash register, imagining she was slaying monsters in her favourite MMO. The thought calmed her—a mental escape from the awkwardness of reality.  

Her peace was interrupted when the next customer approached. A tall man in his late twenties, his dark hair slightly tousled as if he hadn’t bothered with a comb. He wore a plain hoodie and jeans, looking comfortable in his own skin, the kind of person who could navigate the world without tripping over invisible wires.  

Hana straightened, her hands suddenly clammy. “Just scan the items and don’t say anything weird.”  

He plopped a few snacks on the counter—instant noodles, a bottle of soda, and... a game card.  

Hana blinked. Not just any card—MMO currency. Her heart thudded as she picked it up. It was for the very game she played obsessively. A thousand questions swirled in her mind, and before she could stop herself, her mouth moved on its own.  

“Do you play too?” she blurted.  

The man looked up, his expression neutral. “Huh?”  

Hana’s anxiety flared, but the excitement of finding a potential kindred spirit overpowered her. Words tumbled out like she was casting a rapid-fire spell.  

“Oh! Are you playing the new expansion? Did you get past the boss yet? What build do you use—are you a mage or a tank? Do you—"  

She stopped mid-sentence when she saw the blank look on his face. His eyebrows lifted slightly, as if trying to make sense of her outburst.  

“Uh... no. It’s for my little brother.”  

Silence dropped between them like a stone into a pond. Hana felt her face heat up. Of course, he wasn’t the one playing. Why would someone who looked so normal be into online games?  

“Oh. Right,” she muttered, her voice shrinking back into itself. “Sorry about that.”  

The man gave her a lopsided smile, as if her flustered state was mildly amusing but not unpleasant. “No worries.”  

Hana scanned the card and the rest of his items as quickly as possible, eager to move past the interaction. She told herself to act normal, but her fingers fumbled as she handed him the receipt.  

“Thanks,” he said, tucking the receipt into his pocket.  

She nodded, hoping that was the end of it, but to her surprise, he hesitated for a second. “You play that game, huh? Must be good if you got that excited.”  

Hana bit her lip. The thought of explaining just how much she loved the game made her heart race again. She wanted to tell him about her guild, about the dungeon she was grinding last night—but she forced herself to stay quiet.  

“Yeah. It’s... fun,” she mumbled, wishing the ground would swallow her whole.  

“Maybe I’ll give it a shot.” He shrugged, as if it wasn’t a big deal. “See what the fuss is about.”  

Hana froze, her brain short-circuiting. Did he just say he’d play?  

Before she could think of a response, he gave her a small wave and walked away, leaving her standing there, clutching the edge of the counter like it was the only thing keeping her upright.  

---

Later that night, as she lay in bed scrolling through her guild chat, Hana replayed the conversation in her mind. What if he really did try the game? She shook her head. Nah, there’s no way. He was just being polite.  

Still, the thought lingered, a flicker of excitement mixed with the dull hum of anxiety. What if...