It was around 5:30 pm when Rohit decided it was time to get himself an Android phone and a Windows laptop.
For basic hacking and development, the Dell XPS 15 fit the bill perfectly with its powerful GPU and support for a wide range of software and plugins.
For the phone, he settled on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra—both for its top-tier camera and user-friendly interface.
Though online delivery was an option, Rohit didn't want any unnecessary delay. He preferred visiting the store directly.
A quick check on Google Maps showed the latest gadget shop, Alka Mall, was about 12.8 km away.
Closing the app, he turned to his wardrobe. A change of scenery might be good for his mental state after a long, hectic day.
He settled on a light pastel-colored shirt and slim-fit trousers, topped with a black denim jacket. Standing in front of the mirror, he smirked.
"Branded clothes sure do look good, huh," he muttered, noting his lean frame and mentally promising himself, "Once I fix this, maybe I should join a gym—and ask Chanu to guide me." The thought of spending some alone time with Chanu made him chuckle as he left the room.
At the entrance, he ran into Balwinder, who was just finishing his shift.
"Do you want me to accompany you, young master?" Balwinder asked, opening the BMW's door.
"Nah, I'd like to shop alone. I'll take a cab back; you can leave once the car's free," Rohit said casually, slipping past him.
The blue BMW left the porch and soon reached Alka Mall. The entrance featured a gentle fountain, giving a soothing first impression. Inside, the central reception and floor chart helped visitors navigate the mall. Rohit noted that his store was on the third floor and headed for the escalator.
On the way, he saw a few boys filming reels, snatching phones and returning them later to capture reactions.
He chuckled inwardly—young people were amusing, though such pranks would have earned a slap or a complaint if done to him. Still, he realized even though, civic sense was messy here, yet some level of mutual understanding existed.
Suddenly, something heavy fell toward him. Quick to react, Rohit dodged and grabbed a girl by the waist as she slipped on the escalator, balancing her safely against him.
She was about his age, wearing a hoodie and jeans, her pale skin almost glowing under the mall lights. Masked and flustered, she blinked up at him.
She clung to his hand until realizing it had slipped again , at which point he instinctively gripped her hips to steady her.
"Sorry… thank you," she said, her English tinged with a strange foreign accent. She quickly regained her balance, gave a small bow, and disappeared up the escalator into the shadows.
Rohit shook his head with a smirk, mentally noting, "A little ass squeeze as payment for saving… not a bad trade." Brushing off the distraction, he focused on his shopping.
At the store, the sales staff impressed him with their professionalism. The laptop purchase was quick.
Moving to the mobile section, he spotted the same girl again.
She was browsing casually.
He gave her a side glance. She had an incredible body with a nice pair of ass.
It turned out he wasn't the only one admiring her from behind—he noticed other guys staring at her and making dirty murmers.
Chuckling at their shared nonsense, he moved on to the phone he wanted.
The saleswoman greeted him with a smile that seemed unusually enthusiastic.
"Sir, this is the last piece available in our store," she said, blushing slightly. "We won't have any more stock this week."
"Thanks," Rohit replied with a small smile. "Pass it to the counter—I'm in a hurry, sweetheart."
He moved off before she could linger, already anticipating the kind of attention someone rich like him tended to attract.
As he approached the counter, he froze for a moment.
The biller girl was the same nurse he had saved from the doctor's cruel hands.
She was all smiles, greeting customers and collecting bills, her beauty striking, early twenties at most. She looked to be in her early twenties, her slim waist and well-fitted top showing perfect cleavage of milk jugs, briefly caught his attention for a moment.
Quickly realizing he was staring, Rohit pulled out his phone and scrolled casually, pretending to be absorbed in it.
When he finally reached the counter, her eyes widened in surprise.
She lit up. "Sir… is it really you?" she asked, as if she could hardly believe her eyes.
Rohit smiled, a playful glint in his eyes. "Let me guess—we've met somewhere before, and you recognized me… now it's your job to jog my memory?"
She glanced at his iPhone, nodding with certainty. "Isn't that your iPhone X?" It was the same phone that had recorded and exposed the creepy doctor.
Rohit gave a small nod. "Yeah, that's mine."
She wanted to say more, but couldn't. How could she casually explain that she had been on the verge of being assaulted, only to be saved by a kind-hearted stranger who had demanded nothing in return? With people around, all she could manage was a simple expression of gratitude—but he seemed to have moved on. Her face fell slightly.
Rohit chuckled softly. "It's okay, I recognize you. I just wanted to avoid that topic."
Her eyes widened as realization dawned—this guy was genuinely thoughtful. Her face brightened, and she looked at him with a soft, almost puppy-like expression. Rohit caught it, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"Hey, sweetheart," he added quickly, noticing the impatient customers behind him, "if you don't mind, could you prioritize the billing? Others are starting to get a bit restless."
"Oh, of course, sir. My apologies, and thank you for being kind, as always," she said, her tone carrying a faint warmth.
She asked for the item number, and Rohit gave it: 23. Surprisingly, it wasn't there. After checking again, no tag matched the number among the gadgets ready for billing.
"I'll check with the manager and see what happened," she said politely. After some discussion with the staff, it became clear the system had packed the product without properly tagging it.
She promised to reserve it for him if he returned later.
Rohit thanked her casually and decided to browse for another possible item, assuming it had been moved due to stock management.
As he explored the store, a commotion erupted near the counter. The masked girl from earlier was there, and the biller girl was arguing with a male staff member.
Rohit sensed something was off. The masked girl looked unsettled, and he decided to step closer to see what was happening.
"You're supposed to do your job, not argue with customers over their purchases!" the young sales boy shouted, his face flushed with anger. He looked to be in his early twenties, and the way he spoke suggested he wanted to end the situation at any cost.
The biller girl stood her ground. "And you're not supposed to steal tags that are reserved for someone else," she countered firmly.
The masked girl tried to calm things down. "Please… don't fight. I won't buy it—it's okay," she said, her English hesitant but sincere.
The boy's temper flared further. "No! Why back off? I said I'll handle this!" he barked, then struck the biller girl across the face. "Bitch, how dare you call me a thief!"
A murmur rose from the crowd.
People stepped back in shock, some muttering curses as they left.
"Damn psycho… let's get back," one bystander muttered as they retreated.
The boy raised his fist to strike again, but Rohit intervened just in time, landing a precise headbutt. "Didn't your mother teach you how to behave with women?"
The boy staggered backward, dazed from the headbutt, and blood began trickling from his nose.
He clutched his face, momentarily stunned, while the crowd gasped, taking a step back.
The commotion drew even more attention, and whispers ran through the onlookers—some shocked, others impressed by Rohit's quick action.
The manager soon arrived and grabbed Rohit's hand. "Hey! Who the hell are you to lay hands on my staff?"
Security quickly arrived and tried to restrain both of them.
Rohit replied calmly, "The same staff member who dared to hit a woman in front of everyone."
The manager looked puzzled, glancing at the crowd. Subtle nods from onlookers and the sight of the sobbing biller girl made him realize the truth. He motioned for the security guards to release Rohit and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, sir. He's from my village… I didn't expect this to happen."
The enraged boy, who had expected the manager to back him, shouted, "Uncle! You're taking their side! That girl called me a thief first and insulted me!"
The manager's patience snapped. Slapping his forehead, he barked, "You stupid fuck! It's my mistake to trust your mother's word!" He turned to the security. "Tie him up, lock him in the storeroom, and I'll call the police myself!"
By this time, everyone present was recording the scene on their phones. The boy struggled but was quickly subdued by the guards.
Sweating profusely, the manager turned to Rohit. "I apologize on behalf of my young staff. I hope you won't judge us badly because of that lunatic."
Rohit glanced at the biller girl and said, pointing at her, "Sure, I don't mind… as long as you give her a raise."
The biller girl broke into laugh, covering her face in a blush. The manager nodded. "Sure, sir, sure." He finally seemed a little relieved.
A few staff members even clapped quietly, congratulating the girl.
The manager patted Rohit on the shoulder and returned to his duties. Business resumed, and the counter was soon empty, the biller girl putting items back into the cart as the supposed buyers had left.
Rohit called out, "Wait a minute," just as she was about to place the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra into the cart.
He turned to the masked girl. "Are you sure you don't want this? Because I might just take a chance."
The masked girl nodded—and this time, she lifted her mask.
Rohit froze. "Damn… you're that South Korean girl… Seo-Yeon."