SEVEN. first day on the force

✿•˖* ℘

꒱.. Tapping the speaker icon once again, she lays her ear next to it to try and memorize the foreign word once more. Her broken English enters the busy air of Jay's fingers thumping his keyboard. Shinju yelps happily as the app congratulates her once again broken streak.

She squints her eyes over her shoulder at his incessant tapping on his laptop. He has been occupied with the activity ever since Shinju arrived at the spacious house.

Shinju's head fully turns to view the golden blond male as the speed of his fingers against the keyboard increase.

"Jay, what's going on?"

"..."

"Balloons?" She repeats his response tilting her head in confusion before getting up from his comfortable bed to look at the compelling screen.

"Is that Daniel!?" Shinju points excitedly at the live stream hosted by their mutual friend and another she thinks she knows, but the name exists nowhere in her brain.

Jay silently nods answering her question trying not to let his focus escape him from the bouncing distraction.

"Hi, Daniel!" Shinju waves to the screen but soon pouts as her friend doesn't greet her back.

"Why didn't he wave back?"

"..."

"Oh, he can't see me- Hey don't call me an idiot! That's mean!" She huffs marching back to his bed. "Just you wait, I'm gonna learn all the English and cuss you out, you meanie!"

But Jay is too busy to even acknowledge her childishness as a flash of satisfaction beams across his face. He swivels around in his chair in delight, as Shinju suddenly pops up from the bed.

"Oh no, I'm gonna be late!" She gasps dramatically. "Brother said I had a problem with... what's the word he used... uh, punctuality! Yeah, that! I can't be late on my first day!"

"..."

Jay's eyes bounce around the room following her sporadic movements while gathering her things.

"Oh I didn't tell you, Danny got me a job! He said his roommate worked at a convenience store and my brother threatened to cut me off since he found out I might've stolen his credit card. So I begged Danny. I even followed him home to bribe him with candy until I convinced him!" She tells her story proudly and quickly.

"So I start today! Wish me luck!" She waves as she runs out of his room.

"Hi, Joy!" She zooms past the girl slamming the door.

"Wait, I knew I was forgetting something," Shinju timidly speaks as she enters the house before she spots her shoes and snatches them up, "Okay bye Joy!"

ᨳ

Daniel pushes up his spectacles while restoring the empty-spotted shelves. He flips over his cell and checks the time, he is expecting Shinju to show up by now.

It seems like she really wants the job, as she even followed him home. One time she almost saw his other body, which led him to crack.

It's not like Daniel minds working with her.

In fact, he would love the company during the lone nights attending to the cash register.

He just didn't think his boss would agree, but after mentioning it a lot and begging he was on board.

Setting the last bag of chips on the shelf, he hears the door swing open. Rushing to the front to greet the customer, he hears heavy breathing coming from the floor. Squinting down he finds Shinju's chest roughly rising as she meekly waves.

"Shinju are you okay?" Daniel offers his palm to help the exhausted girl up.

She accepts as her legs straighten, but she quickly snatches her hand back.

Daniel steps back anxiously, as the thought of her sweet, but odd personality switching to one fit for a jerk frightens him.

"Um haha, how do you know my name?" She nervously rubs her hands. She knows her brother won't pay the ransom this time.

"Oh- I'm Daniel's friend, his roommate," he scratches the back of his head as he realizes he must have startled her.

"Oh, I thought I was going to get put in a van again!" She laughs loudly as Daniel nervously laughs along with her.

"No- I'm not going to kidnap you, but your work uniform is up in the back you can get dressed in there," he points to the employee-only room.

She claps excitedly as she skips to the back, making sure to shut the dull door. She quickly swaps clothes and walks back in on Daniel breaking down a box.

He must have not heard her footsteps.

Shinju smirks goofily as she rubs her hands before cartoonishly tip-toeing behind Daniel placing her hands on his shoulder and yelling loudly. He screams in her face as he stumbles back, and she shrieks even louder.

"Jeez... you scared me!" Shinju holds her chest.

"But you tried to scare... me?" Daniel points to himself with utter confusion.

"Anyways," she drags the word out before bowing as her colorful hair flows down with her, "Thank you for letting me work here!"

Her thank you isn't Daniel's main focus. His eyes land on the sharp, vertical scar on her scalp, but he snaps out of his daydream.

"Let me show you around, follow me," Daniel gives her a quick rundown on everything there is to do in the convenience store. Half of the time he isn't sure if she is paying attention, but he finally arrives at his earlier task.

"But not to overwhelm you, you could just put this stuff away," Daniel points to the two large boxes full of goods waiting to be shelved.

"Oh you can take your sunglasses off if you want," Daniel lightly suggests.

"...Oh I can't."

"Why not?"

She looks at him before putting her finger above her glossy lips and giving him a playful wink, "It's a secret."

He nods with a quiet oh, before looking back up at her as she begins to make sounds again.

"Oh what do I call you, Danny never gave me any names for you," she purses her lips as she gets comfortable on the floor.

"...My name is Daniel too," he sheepishly answers her question.

Her neck snaps in his direction as her hands fly up to her mouth, "Woah! That's so cool! Wait what nickname do I give you? How do you like... Dan? Or I can just call you Daniel since the other Daniel is Danny?"

"Uh yeah the second one sounds better," he gives her a light smile.

"Well okay Daniel, I'm gonna get started now!" She smiles before placing the cardboard box on her lap.

He shoots her a thumbs-up before letting her get back to her first day.