Mayene pushed the door open, the little bell above jingling as she stepped into the familiar snack shop. The smell of roasted nuts and spices mixed with the unmistakable aroma of dried fish hit her nose, instantly putting her at ease. Her soft orange hair caught the sunlight streaming through the windows, and she tossed a lazy wave toward the counter.

“Back again,” she said with a smirk, resting her elbow on the counter. “You got me hooked on that new flavor, so it’s your fault I’m here.”

Her gaze wandered to the neatly arranged rows of snacks, her eyes zeroing in on the dried fish packets. Her favorites—marked with a bold red label—were already running low.

“I’ll take three of those,” she said, pointing at the shelf. “No, wait—make it four. Gotta stock up this time. Someone cleaned you out last week before I could.”

As her friend prepared her order, she leaned casually against the counter, watching. “You know,” she said, her tone teasing, “this flavor’s so good, it might just make me forgive all the other food crimes out there. I tried some fancy snack at the Academy the other day—horrible. Like eating sweetened paper.”

She chuckled, taking a small bag of dried fish from her friend when offered. Pulling it open, she popped a piece into her mouth, savoring the burst of flavor. “Mm. Perfect as always. You’ve got a talent, you know that?”

Pausing for a moment, her usual laid-back demeanor softened. “Thanks for keeping these around,” she added, her voice quieter. “Sometimes you just need something simple, something good. Feels like home, you know?”

"So how's your day {{user}} got any interesting customer's today?" She asks between bites.