My Daily Life Was Always the Same
My daily routine had always been the same. I'd wake up early in the morning, whip up a simple meal, head to the grocery store for work, and get started. Before Uncle arrived, I was supposed to stock the empty shelves... but they were already filled. I was supposed to clean up the trash and dust I hadn't noticed... but it was spotless. Even the warehouse, cluttered and messy as always, had been completely tidied up. For a moment, I was at a loss for words.
"...".
Eventually, that led to the inevitable thought that there wasn't a single corner that looked the same. Still, whatever.
"Welcome!"
The cuteness of my childhood might have faded, but I still greeted the customers who came to the grocery store with a hearty hello to start the day.
"Ain, I swear you've grown even taller since last time, kid!"
"Aw, ma'am, you've gotten even more beautiful yourself."
A practiced smile laced with flattery—it flowed naturally now, without a shred of embarrassment.
"Why don't you meet my daughter sometime? I'm her mom, so I'm biased, but she's such a pretty, sweet girl."
"Th-that's... really kind of you to say, but I'm probably not good enough for your daughter, so you should find someone better...".
Those days when they just found me adorable were long gone; now they were pushing me as son-in-law material. I deflected all those invitations with ease while ringing up their groceries.
"Where am I gonna find a kid as sharp and diligent as you, Ain? Come on, just meet my girl once, okay?"
"Ahaha... that'll be 1,080 delaines total, but you're so pretty, I'll knock off 80 delaines on the sly without telling the boss! Thank you!"
To dodge their persistent matchmaking, I'd discount the groceries and see off one customer after another.
The midday rush continued like that. Amid the unchanging daily grind of serving customers and earning coin, even when I was too busy to think straight, my focus would slip just a little, and my gaze would drift to one side.
It was the same routine, the same ordinary life as always, but now there was this subtle sense of something off in between. It nagged at me, stirring a vague unease—what if something happened? So even while plastering on a fake smile for customers, I'd glance that way.
"...Ain."
"...".
And it came from behind the counter where I stood—a soft whisper.
"Ain."
A woman peeking out just her head, wrapped in the robe I'd bought her long ago, staring at me.
"...Need something?"
"No. Ain, fighting."
She watched me work with a blank expression, waving her hand like she was cheering me on.
"...Yeah. Thanks."
"Yeah."
At my thanks, she smiled faintly and peeked out again to watch me. So.
She'd only stayed at the shop for a few days while her powers awakened, under our care. But now...
"Ain."
"...What now."
"Fighting."
...even after all this time, she was still hanging around the store with me.
This was the day after she'd unleashed her gray power. After the uncle and I left her sleeping, having awakened as a witch, we'd discussed what to do with her.
"Ain, you little punk. She seems all better now, but what're we gonna do with her?"
"Hmm... Letting her keep staying at the shop might be a bit much for you, so maybe we should take her back to where she used to live?"
It might sound cold, but back then, that's what I thought was best. I'd called her a good kid first, sure, but honestly, keeping what amounted to a ticking bomb in the corner of the shop couldn't have been comfortable for Uncle either. Better to build her a proper wooden shack and send her back to the alley than live with that suspicion and anxiety.
Uncle looked troubled at my words.
"Hmmm... Yeah, that makes sense, but still, sending a girl like that back to the alley..."
"But keeping her here long-term would bother you too."
Plus, we had no way to handle whatever incidents might crop up if she stayed. Uncle pondered deeply, then nodded and opened the shop door.
"Alright, then let's go check out that alley she came from and decide."
"Oh, you will?"
"Yeah, best to see it for ourselves."
I thought it was a great idea and led Uncle to the alley. But...
Well, what happened after that.
"Y-you... garbage bastard. You were really gonna send her back to this doghouse after treating her like a stray?"
"No, that's not—"
"You heartless scum! If you had any decency, you'd have begged me to let her stay at the shop instead of making her live here!"
"Uncle, listen—"
No matter how I tried to explain, he wouldn't hear it.
"Filthy trash! That girl's staying at the shop from now on, got it?!"
"...".
"What're you standing around for, you worthless little shit? Grab all her precious stuff and let's go, you trashy punk!"
Shit. In the end, I was the one branded the heartless trash punk.
I was so wronged I could die. For real.
Anyway. That's why she was still living in the shop's little back room, peeking out to watch me work.
I'd accidentally become the trash bastard, but we'd gotten permission to let her stay together anyway.
Once she heard she could keep staying, she'd beamed with a bright smile, clearly thrilled. Uncle's stunned face at that moment was still fresh in my mind.
And in those few days, other things had changed too. Like I'd mentioned, the chores I did when I arrived were already finished. She'd wake up early to wait for me, watch what I did intently, and have it all done before I even got there.
In short, my daily life was shifting bit by bit. What had always flowed the same way was changing into something new, flowing in a slightly different direction as if this had been the routine all along.
"Ain."
"...".
A quiet, fragile voice calling only my name.
"Ain."
"...".
Even if I ignored it and kept working, the voice persisted.
"Ain."
"...What."
In the end, I'd answer her pointless calls.
"Thanks."
All she'd say was thanks, or "fighting," or that she was bored.
"For what."
"Everything?"
"...Yeah."
She and I repeated that loop endlessly while at the shop.
Before I knew it, midday had passed, and my day was winding down toward evening. As the sky turned to sunset hues, I quietly stood from the counter to tidy up.
With customers gone and the shop empty, it looked like a warzone after a bombing run. I swept up the scattered food scraps from the floor.
As I did...
"Ain, this."
"Ah, yeah."
I spotted her toddling behind me, robe off now, picking up trash or dust I'd missed and handing it over like she wanted praise.
"Ain."
"Yeah?"
"Thanks?"
"...".
And yeah, she really did want praise.
"...Thanks."
Like a puppy craving its owner's approval, she couldn't wag a tail, but her gray aura rippled in the air like one.
I still had no idea how to process it.
"I helped?"
"You helped."
At that, she grinned brightly and scampered off with a do-do-do to pick up more. Watching her, I thought: She's definitely changed.
Her eyes, the gray swirling around her—everything had transformed. And yet, she hadn't.
Her emotions were clearer now, but ever since that gray surge, they were restrained. No hint of madness; she remained the same blank, kind woman.
So. I'd treat her like before.
After a brief internal debate, that's what I decided.
Finally, cleanup was done. Time to say goodbye.
Goodbye might sound sad, but it was familiar to us.
"Ain."
"Yeah."
We started with the same call-and-response we'd shared for years.
"Tomorrow."
"...".
But inevitably, one word had changed.
"See you tomorrow, Ain."
"...Yeah."
A whole month compressed into a single day.
Even the blank expression she should've worn shifted too.
Her eyes curved softly toward me. Her lips lifted in a gentle smile.
"Bye, Ain."
"...".
I returned her delicate, waving hand.
And I thought, watching her: She's so ordinary.
Smiling amid the sunset scenery—it suited her perfectly.
My choice wasn't wrong.
That's what I thought.