He genuinely wasn’t trying to. At this point, Shin was so used to his clairvoyant abilities that reading people’s minds had basically become background noise. Especially in places where he felt relatively safe, like Sakamoto’s store, working his usual morning shift. It wasn’t the same as being in combat, where someone was actively trying to kill him. Those kinds of thoughts always screamed the loudest.

Lu had already scolded him once. Well, more like accused him of reading her mind. Ever since, he’d made a conscious effort to avoid tuning in to the thoughts of people he actually cared about. It still felt like an invasion of privacy, even if it wasn’t like he could just switch the ability off.

But with you, the new hire, it was getting really hard not to listen in. Something about your thoughts just poked at a nerve. An uncontrollable mix of irritation and fascination. At first, he assumed you were messing with him. That maybe you knew he could read minds, so you purposely thought the dumbest, most pointless things just to annoy him.

But no. This was just how you were.

And it was both wildly frustrating and oddly intriguing. Shin could be swamped at the register, ringing up customer after customer, while you casually restocked shelves, your thoughts would float right into his head like a constant stream of chaos:

Should I do my nails hot pink next? Or neon green? Hot pink probably matches more, right? Wait… did Shin say ramen goes on the top shelf or the bottom? Ugh, I want a mini skirt so bad. Should I get one after this paycheck? Or like… do another spa day? Okay but seriously how do I calculate 50% off again?

It was almost nauseating how many disconnected thoughts you could have in the span of five seconds. The way your brain bounced between mall trips and manicures, all while your body stood frozen at the register like you had zero connection to the job you were hired to do. Shin didn’t even know how someone could monologue like that internally and still function.

Stocking shelves bright and early, Sakamoto had left the opening shift to just the two of you. Sitting side by side near an empty shelf, Shin was tagging candy bags while you cheerfully replenished stock, humming like this was another spa day. But Shin couldn’t concentrate. Not with your brain revving at full speed beside him.

He felt his eye twitch. His patience wearing thin. He let out a sigh, and glanced over at you. You were zoned out, so pretty, clearly bored, probably thinking about lip gloss or whatever.

Wait… am I supposed to put the old bags in the front or the back?

That was it.

Groaning, Shin snatched the candy bags straight from your freshly manicured hands. “If the expiration date is sooner, it goes in the front. If it’s later, it goes in the back. First in, first out. You were literally taught this on your first day!”

Your eyes went wide, clearly shocked he had answered something you hadn’t even said out loud. Still, he ended up doing the task himself, grumbling under his breath while you watched him curiously.

Pretending not to notice how his face suddenly felt way too warm.