It was the next day, and Ethen was about to go to his work, but before that, he went into his sister's room. She was sleeping peacefully.
Then he stood by the door, put on a bright smile on his face, and went to work.
On the way, he greeted some people, and after some walking, he reached the flower shop and went in he saw Iris and greeted her.
"Good morning!"
Iris looked at him for some seconds then placed the tea she was drinking at the table and rubbed her eyes a few times.
"Oh...so you really did come early?"
"Yes you kept nagging me about it so I decided to come early today"
Ethen then went and sat at the counter, bored and watching the front door, waiting for customers to come.
One customer came in, and it was an old man wanting some seed to plant, so Iris just handed him some for free.
She looked at him and asked, "It's boring isn't Well let me tell you something interesting since I already read today's newspapers"
"The population of specials with powers is increasing day by day!"
"There was research conducted, and it said that the less power a special has, the stronger and complex his other skills will be. Imagine a special with only one power, scary, right?"
Ethen then spoke, "I would prefer five over one for versatility"
She looked at him and continued, "The blue-haired thief also got a nickname given to him by the locals The Blue Spectre"
Ethen sighed, "What is it with us that we have to give bad people cool nicknames?"
"That is al-" she stopped before finishing her sentence and came close to him and said, "Don't tell anyone this but word around the streets is that the government called in a world-class detective to find the blue spectre!"
Ethen fliched a little, but she didn't notice and pretended not to care, but deep down his thoughts were a complete mess, a mix of emotions like fear and anxiety was filling his heart.
"That was all also I think flower stock has run out wait I will go get some from the back stay here alright"
"Sure!"
She hurried to get the flowers, and Ethen just sat there with his hand resting on his face. He again looked at the front door while pondering, 'This...is too crazy for my brain to process what she meant by a detective? But it's ok, right? I mean it's a word on the streets, not real news...'
"Uh....Excuse me Mr"
"Huh!?"
He looked at where the voice came from, and it was the same girl from yesterday. She was still looking beautiful as ever. Her voice was soft and melodic. He could just sit there listening to her all day.
"Could you wait for some minutes, please? The flower stock has run out. The boss has gone to get more."
She nodded and sat down at a beach inside the store waiting patiently.
'Boss, I have never asked for anything before, but please come back soon, this is too awkward.'
Then the girl stood up and came back to the counter and asked, "You are a local here right?"
"Uh...yes why?"
"Do you know anything about this so-called blue spectre?"
Ethen looked at her for a while, tilting his head a little, and said, "No, actually, I have never really seen him, only heard about him, but why, you ask?"
"No, it's just when I came here, everyone told me to be careful of him, but..."
"It's ok he usually just goes for expensive stuff like artifacts so if you don't have anything expensive on you should be fine"
"Oh...thank you for the advice. Also, my name is Alice Wisher, and you are? Might as well remember each other's names since I will come here often" she smiled.
Ethen paused for a time and answered, "You can just call me Ethen..."
Then Iris came into the shop, "Sorry if I was late-" she paused mid-sentence again.
She placed the flowers on the counter and began apologizing for making the customer wait.
"Can you please give me a bouquet of roses please?"
"Sure!"
Ethen perpered the bouquet and gave it to her, "That would be-"
"Wait!" Iris spoke, "Since I made you wait take it for free"
The girl hesitated a little, "No no it's ok I didn't wait for too long I just arrived a little while ago"
"Come on take it for free!"
After some convincing the girl took the flowers and left...
Ethen thought to himself, "She always buys roses maybe I should ask her the next time she comes back"
Iris instantly turned around and looked at him with a grin on her face, "So...what did you guys talk about?"
Ethen knew what she was trying to say, "The blue spectre guy"
She looked at him with her grin gone, "Damm you! Brat and here I was getting my hopes up all for nothing!"
She left glaring at him intensely, and then nothing special happened that day, just some customers came and went. At first, he thought it was boring, but talking with customers and Iris turned out to be pretty fun...it was the life he had always yearned for, a peaceful life....
After work, he went home like always. His sister was waiting there for him. They ate dinner together, forgetting what had happened yesterday.
Ethen went upstairs and sat there in his chair, looking outside the window at the moon, and thought to himself, 'I like it like this...when the debt is cleared I would like things to stay like this...'