Twenty-Four-Hour Supermarket

Over an hour had passed since my resolute decision to crush Len in War Defence. I'd thought that I had the upper hand, given that he was drunk and in the middle of an emotional turmoil. So what if Len was a hardcore gamer back in the day? So what if he was just inches away from securing a pro-gamer contract? There was no way that I could lose to him when I had the mental advantage, right?

Wrong.

Of the fifteen matches we had, I'd won four and lost eleven. Plus, the wins I had only happened because I'd caught him off guard. As the night progressed, Len became soberer, and his fingers regained most of their motor functions. Now, I was on an eight-game losing streak, and evidently, there was no way for me to get another point on the scoreboard.

"You… Didn't you say that you were busy with social activities? How are you still this good at games?"

"It's a first-person shooter; the core mechanics have remained the same ever since its first generation, so it's easy to pick up. Plus, I may or may not have secretly snuck into computer cafes to relieve some stress whenever Sienna and I get into arguments."

"Ahh, so that's why you're still this good."

"Nah, I'm nowhere near my prime. I'm just slightly better than a noob."

"Don't say that. If you're a noob, then what the hell am I?"

"A super noob?"

"..."

I snorted in disgust and ignored the perfect man's snide remark. I lifted up my can of beer, only to find it completely empty. Thinking about it, there were only empty cans surrounding us. I looked towards the bucket of ice that I'd prepared, and sure enough, it was empty.

"We're out of beer," I said exasperatedly.

"Oh no! Not the beer! Damn it, I'd thought that we were going to have a drunken night filled with mistakes and..."

"Shut it!"

I threw the cushion that I was seated on, right on Len's face, shutting his foul mouth up. Really, I wonder how he could say all of those embarrassing things with a straight face.

"Do you still want more? I can drop by the twenty-four-hour supermarket to get a few six-packs."

"Twenty-four-hour… supermarket? They have those?"

I could see the confusion in Len's face as I mentioned the newest attraction in my neighbourhood. Smiling in triumph, I replied: "That's right! They'd just opened two weeks ago! It has everything that one needs! Vegetables, confectionery, food, milk, sushi, beer, household appliances… really anything! Although the butcher and fishmonger won't be open this late, it's truly a heaven for all night owls!"

"Ah, there it is. The shameless plug for your new hometown."

"Haha, I count my blessings." I laughed as I slipped my wallet and phone into my pockets. "Do you want anything? Other than beer, of course."

"A light snack would be nice."

"Any preferences?"

"Nah, surprise me. Show me what's good at this holy supermarket of yours."

Surprise him, huh? It's about ten, so most of the stations selling cooked food would have closed. If I rush, I might be able to get some leftover sushi or some sandwiches.

"I'll be back in fifteen to twenty minutes. Play some online PVP if you're bored."

"Alright~"

Len waved his hand over his head, somewhat seeing me off on my journey. Honestly, he looks more comfortable in my home compared to his own... Ignoring his nonchalant attitude, I got my jacket and exited my bachelor's pad.

The walk to the supermarket only took a few minutes. All I had to do was pass a few roads or take the shortcut through the park. Though nine times out of then, I would take the park route. It was just that much more scenic. Furthermore, after spending hours in an alcohol-filled room, it was nice to get some fresh air.

It didn't take long until the familiar red, white and blue glow of the supermarket logo came to view. I took a basket from the entrance and made a beeline towards the alcohol section, a place that I was all too familiar with. Before, I had to purchase all of my booze from the liquor shop that was easily a fifteen-minute bus ride away.

It was a pain in the ass to get there, and it was an even bigger pain to carry the heavy bottles back. Not to mention, that liquor store closed at ten sharp. Thankfully, unlike that bloody shop, this supermarket was open all night long.

I quickly found the beer that Len was looking forward to and slotted two six-packs into my basket. Wait, should I buy a third one? Len looked rather energetic when I left, and he was going to have another meal… Would twelve cans be enough?

Just as I was about to reach out to take another six-pack, I felt a gaze to my right.

"Ah..."

A soft gasp, one that held some shock and trepidation, entered my ears as I pivoted my neck.

"Ah, you're..."

My neighbour, yes, the very same one that Len was bugging me all night about, stood rooted to the ground as our eyes met. She was no longer wearing her thin cardigan as she swapped it out for a thicker Letterman jacket. The hair that was usually allowed to let loose was now tied up into a ponytail, allowing me to see more of her face.

The girl was visibly anxious. Other than the first time we met eyes, she was unable to match my gaze and constantly looked to the side. Her shoulders scrunched up, and her body was slouched over. It looked like she was one step away from running away.

Seriously… am I that hideous?

No, no, no. I should be the grown-up here. Make small talk, make small talk...

"What a coincidence. Are you here to buy beer too?"

"N-No… I'm here for soju."

I looked to my left, and I saw the shelves upon shelves of imported Korean soju. Ah, I'd remembered that Korean soju was the craze amongst young university students now. I guess that was true.

"Oh, I didn't mean to block you."

"N-No… It's alright."

Moving aside, I gave my neighbour some space. She paused for a moment and looked at me quizzically. It took her a moment before she could take a deep breath and walk by me.

Phew, it looks like she wasn't that intimidated by me yet. I settled down my basket and returned to the beer section. Yet, before I could confirm if I wanted another six-pack, my eyes were naturally drawn to the heaps of instant noodles that the girl had filled her basket with. They were packaged in neat five-packs, and she'd taken five of them.

As someone who hadn't taken a slurp of instant noodles for the past four years, my face cringed hard.

"Wow, are you going to eat that all at the party?"

"H-Huh? Oh, yeah… N-No, I'd thought I would restock since I'm here..."

"Restock? You eat this every day?"

"Y-Yeah..."

Eating instant noodles every day? Urgh, when was the last time I did that? Was it in university? Nah, definitely before that. Still, even a five-year-old could tell that it was an unhealthy diet.

"You should limit your intake. They're high in sodium and calories! Also, they're hard to digest and could give you an upset stomach."

"I-Is that so..."

The girl shook a little, not knowing the right words to say to me. Rather than taking my advice to heart, it seemed that she was more concerned that a strange man was trying to talk to her in the middle of a supermarket.

Ah, that's right. She must be uncomfortable with my face. If I continue to push, it would just make our future interactions more awkward. Okay, time to put on my gentle face!

"Hah… Just take some in moderation, alright?"

"Hic-! I-I will!"

Huh? Did I mess it up? Why is she still so intimidated? I don't remember doing anything wrong to her in the past? … Did I?

"Hey, this might be rather rude for me to ask, but did I do something to you?"

"H-Huh?"

"No, I mean… If I did something bad, I probably did it unconsciously. Still, I should apologise if that's the case."

"H-Hmmm, a-ah! No, it's nothing like that!" The girl frantically waved her hands as she finally got what I was hinting at. Once again, she fidgeted nervously on the spot. "It's just… I'm not very good with strangers, particularly men. So..."

Ah, was it some kind of androphobia? No wonder she cowered every time we'd met. As someone standing at 1.87 metres, my frame was far too intimidating for a little girl like her. Well, at least it wasn't something that I'd done.

Still fidgeting, my neighbour shuffled her shoulders and struggled to find the words to continue the conversation. Yeah… It was getting kind of awkward. Guess it's time for a tactical retreat!

"Haha… Okay, see you around."

I waved to the girl and walked briskly in the other direction. Although I wasn't able to see her face, I was pretty sure that my neighbour had a relieved expression.

I told you, Len… Girls just aren't worth the trouble.