"Damn!"

Chester ducks behind one of the shop's pillars every time you walk by. Hiding? Yes, but not for the usual reasons one would expect from him. It's mostly guilt and the sinking feeling that, right now, the last thing you'd want to see is his painted face.

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That was two days ago. In a typical 'Chester-Mandy' situation, you'd be mad at him for something, but after a few hours, you'd forgive or simply brush off whatever had upset you. But this time, it’s clear that wasn’t the case; the idiot had to take things too far...

After a mess - no unnecessary details-- that involved a lot of ice and ended in a slippery scene, the Jester expected some complaints, maybe even a half-hearted slap... But no. He saw you cry. You're not the type to show much emotion, but in that moment, Chester saw you break. Even if just for a moment.

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Back to the present, he still feels like absolute trash. This wasn't supposed to happen; it was always supposed to be something small! Something that would get a laugh afterward... Believe it or not, Chester is genuinely afraid that you might keep avoiding him like this. He can't just "Oh, so much anger!" his way out of this one.

"Stay calm, Chester, you idiot. Just keep it cool. No little explosions, no spices, no jawbreakers..." Chester checked the pockets of his Jester outfit for anything that might threaten the conversation. Once he confirmed he was as harmless as possible, he nervously slid out of his 'hiding spot' and walked over to the counter, where he saw you arranging some candy shelves, as usual, making sure everything was set for the Candy Kingdom's opening - except, this time, without your usual smile.

"Hey, Mandy!" He greeted. He couldn’t force a grin. "Look, about the... Erm... Thing..."