When the morning rush finally subsided and the shop temporarily returned to quiet, Shu, with quick eyes and even quicker hands, manually pressed the "Temporarily Closed" sign light.
Then, the two "Stelles" collapsed into the chairs behind the counter almost simultaneously, letting out a long breath like boneless puppets, their shoulders visibly slumping.
The shop was finally quiet again, with only the looping Homu theme song sounding somewhat abrupt in the empty space.
The shelves were slightly messy from being rummaged through, the counter was piled with scattered contribution point vouchers printed with the Fire Moth logo, and on the floor lay a small Homu keychain, dropped by some unknown customer.
Their bodies were tired.
Their minds were even more tired.
They just lay there, neither saying a word.
This first experience as rookie shopkeepers had been nothing short of chaotic, exhausting not only their meager physical strength but also fraying their already taut nerves to the breaking point.
Every question, every probing inquiry from the customers was like a tiny grain of sand, grinding against their already sensitive and fragile nerves.
Then, unsurprisingly, their nerves had snapped, leaving only a blank void.
Now, the two of them finally had the spare time to "resume the argument"—the previous disagreements, which in reality were just pure trash-talking, without any desire to prove themselves right, only to belittle the other, were due to continue!
However, when Shu turned his head and met [Shu]'s equally vacant gaze, the nitpicking and mockery on the tip of his tongue deflated with a hiss, like Tom the cat when his weak spot is hit.
He silently averted his gaze, trying to prove with his actions that the other was a dirty thing, and he didn't want to sully his eyes.
[Shu] also looked away almost at the same time, as if looking for one more second would drain his precious SAN points.
This was their last bit of stubbornness.
They were regretting it now.
This thought emerged in the minds of both Shus in unison.
Yesterday, during their intense "debate," when they had grudgingly reached a consensus to "open a Homu-themed shop," they had never imagined it would turn out like this.
What were they thinking at the time?
Oh...
Homu is a popular culture symbol~ It has a basic audience~ In theory, it can guarantee a certain amount of customer flow~ so the shop won't be deserted~ which would look too fake~
And what else? Selling film and television discs and merchandise falls into the category of "cultural products," which sounds more "relaxing" than repairs or catering, and also meets the disguise requirement of "rest"...
In short, yesterday, the two of them were like keyboard warriors possessed, their minds as sharp as those of a certain group whose safety can be turned off, praising all sorts of benefits.
And both of them felt that in the current era, after the Great Honkai, where survival was still difficult, not many people would be willing and able to afford such "non-essential" items.
The [Hmoe Random Play] they had imagined was supposed to be a quiet little corner shop with only a few customers, barely breaking even, or maybe even making a small loss.
The other self had clearly made the same judgment, which was why he had finally agreed to this option.
And then reality had pulled out its Seven Wolves cigarette pack and whipped these two inexperienced young men into a spinning top.
What did they mean by "in this world, there is only Homu and Arahato"?
In just one morning, the two of them had come to realize that not only was this shop not "half-dead," but it was showing the terrifying potential of becoming a "smash hit."
Although today's income was still insignificant compared to the cost of the shop, this was just the beginning.
[Hmoe Random Play]... was it going to become the blockbuster shop of the living area?
No, real life shouldn't be like this!
It should be a dog-eat-dog world! It should be that we think we've found a market pain point, enthusiastically open a shop, and then it's a huge flop on opening day, the shop is deserted, and then we're forced to close because we can't afford the high rent...
Real life isn't like this!
How could something like randomly opening a shop and it suddenly becoming a blockbuster happen?!
As expected, this world was just a shoddy operation.
"Sigh..."
A sigh, in almost perfect unison, sounded softly in the quiet shop.
Both of them were stunned for a moment, then turned their faces away again.
But that sense of shared misery and helplessness resonated for a moment in that sigh.
Fatigue washed over them again like a tide, accompanied by a physiological signal that Shu hadn't felt in a long time—hunger.
Along with hunger, a sentence popped into his head.
"Shu! Remember to eat on time! Two bowls every meal!"
He had promised Kiana he would eat two bowls of rice every meal...
But...
Where to eat?
The two "Stelles" looked at each other again. This time, there was no desire to argue in their eyes, only the purest exchange of survival needs.
Fatigue made their brains give up complex calculations and confrontation, returning to the most basic decision-making mode.
The eye contact channel opened silently:
Shu's eyes gestured towards the back door of the shop, which led to their current residence: Go back? Cook ourselves?
[Shu] shook his head slightly, his eyes sweeping over the messy shop and the empty kitchen area: No ingredients, no energy.
Shu's eyes began to drift towards the street of the living area: Restaurants outside?
[Shu]'s eyes flickered over the memory of the surging crowds from the morning: Too many people, might get surrounded again.
Shu pondered for a moment, his gaze downwards, as if he could see through the floor: Then...
[Shu]'s gaze followed downwards in sync, and he nodded slightly: ...The cafeteria.
The main cafeteria of the Fire Moth base, on the fourth underground level.
The supply there was stable, the dishes relatively standardized. Although there were also many people, they were mainly base staff and members on rotation. At this moment, with a large number of personnel transferred away, it was practically empty.
And most importantly—the formulaic cafeteria didn't require them to make any more decisions or interactions. They just needed to queue, get their food, and eat.
After abandoning their deliberate prejudices, the process of reaching a consensus was surprisingly fast, completed almost in the instant their eyes met.
No arguments, no weighing of pros and cons. Fatigue had crushed all disagreements into the most instinctual convergence.
Slowly but in unison, they stood up, straightened the crumpled Homu hoodies on their bodies, carefully hung up the "Temporarily Closed" sign, and locked the shop door.
Then, still maintaining that damn safe distance, one behind the other, like two completely drained NPCs, they walked with unsteady steps towards the elevator leading to the fourth underground level.
The simulated sunlight shone through the dome of the living area, spilling onto the still bustling streets, but it couldn't penetrate the eyes of the two "Stelles," which were filled with fatigue and a faint hint of regret.
Ah...
Screw Homu.