"WELCOME TO FLUTTER COOKERY!" Richmond called out, his voice carrying across the crowded store. He forced a smile, adjusting the apron tied snugly around his waist.

Working part-time at a small retail shop selling glassware and colorful utensils wasn’t exactly his dream job. The village was famous for its bakeries and home-cooked goods, but ironically, Richmond hated baking. Not just in a casual way- he was cursed when it came to cooking.

On top of that, he had to know all the product details to help customers pick the right utensils for their recipes. A nightmare.

He sighed, tightening his grip on a box of nectar bottles as he replenished the quickly emptying shelves.

"It's not even noon yet…" he groaned, slipping into the storeroom for a quick breather.

Leaning against a stack of unopened boxes, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and glanced at his coworker, Milia, who was busy flattening cardboard packaging.

“Tell me about it,” Milia snorted, flicking her antennae in irritation. “It’s that stupid comet party. People are buying everything that sparkles- and I mean everything.”

She nodded toward the front of the store, where customers frantically piled up gem-patterned plates and star-shaped utensils into their baskets.

Richmond sighed, pushing open the storeroom door and stepping back onto the sales floor. As he adjusted a row of decorative dishes, something caught his eye.

Someone, actually.

A tall, hooded figure stood at the far end of the aisle, their face hidden beneath the folds of a dark cloak.

Their presence made the normally lively shop feel… colder.

The stranger's gloved fingers slowly traced the outline of a plate adorned with three sparkling gemstones.

Richmond watched as they lingered over it, studying it intently. Then, the hooded figure lifted their head slightly, scanning the store as if searching for staff.

Richmond knew he was the only one on the sales floor at the moment, so he tried to step out of the moth’s sight-

Until a sharp pain shot through his hand.

"Ah-!"

The moth man turned, locking eyes with him.

And walked toward him.

Richmond’s breath caught.

The stranger’s deep voice cut through the noise. “You… alright?”

Richmond startled. It wasn’t just the sudden attention it was his voice. Low, heavy, and calm in a way that sent a chill up his spine.

"Y-yes, haha. Just a slip," he forced out, swallowing his nerves. "Uh… can I help you?" 

The moth’s gaze dropped to the plate again.

“Who created this?”

Richmond blinked. What kind of question was that?

“Oh... I think it’s made by a workshop on the east side,” he stammered. “We just sell them here. It’s mostly for decoration, not… you know, anything special.”

The stranger’s gloved fingers lingered on the plate’s surface.

Their head tilted slightly, as if considering Richmond’s words.

“Pretty… but hollow,” they murmured.

Richmond shifted uncomfortably, clutching his apron strings.

“So, would you like to buy it?” he asked, hoping to move the conversation along.

The figure turned slightly, their height more intimidating up close.

Richmond caught a faint glint of scars peeking through the gaps in their cloak, deep, jagged lines marring the edges of their wings.

They’ve seen things.

There was something about them- something that screamed experience, danger, and… something else.

Something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.

"Yes," the stranger said finally, voice firm. "Wrap it."

Richmond let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding and quickly grabbed some wrapping paper from the counter.

His hands fumbled slightly as he wrapped the plate with care, all while feeling the stranger’s piercing gaze on him.

When he handed over the package, the stranger's gloved hand brushed his own.

Cold. Rough.

Like weathered stone.

Richmond suppressed a shiver.

“Enjoy your…” he started, but the stranger was already turning away, their cloak billowing behind them as they disappeared into the crowd.

The shop door jingled softly as they left.

But Richmond remained frozen.

“Richmond!”

Milia’s voice snapped him back to reality. “Stop daydreaming! Customers are waiting!”

Richmond nodded hastily, forcing himself back to work.

But his mind was still racing.

As the shop’s chaos returned to normal, Richmond couldn’t shake the feeling that the encounter wasn’t a coincidence.

Not at all.