"Hm? Mr. Han, no potions today?"
"No, actually, my boss told me I should take a day off."
Before I knew it, it was morning, and Grandma Guanhuai had already left the house, leaving only her phone and a small note that said to "TAKE THE DAY OFF."
"If your boss said that, then why are you still here?"
"Actually, I've been trying to find someone, and I was wondering if you girls knew them by any chance..."
I looked around. It was still early in the morning, so there weren't too many customers yet.
This was good. I could take my time asking everyone.
It was obvious that I wouldn't take today off. I had already told myself I was going to find her again, so I will.
I'll make the best out of my mistakes.
"Then what do they look like?"
"It's a woman, and she looks about our age, around eighteen? She has brown hair, green eyes, and also works as a waitress-"
"Wait! You're looking for a girl?!"
I cocked my head a little.
"...Um, yes, if you-"
"Is she your girlfriend or something?! Mr. Han, you're not cheating on us, are you?"
My eyebrows furrowed at her words.
"What? What are you talking about? She's someone I owe stuff to, I was just asking if you knew her or not."
All of a sudden, I could feel a lot more eyes on us, as the other customers talking amongst themselves started to turn their attention to me.
"But even then, you're still giving her more attention than us, Mr. Han! Why is she getting this special treatment?"
...What the hell are these guys saying?
"...So do you know her or not?"
"No, but-"
"Okay, then that's all I needed to know."
I swiftly walked over to another group of girls, leaving behind the young lady and her group.
I could hear her huffing and puffing before she walked off. I decided that I didn't need customers who didn't respect my personal life.
"Good morning, girls, I've been wondering if you ladies knew about this waitress-"
"Yeah, we heard everything, so you're looking for another woman, and you have the nerve to ask your customers?"
...Ah, I see...I see how it is.
"...Right. You...are so right! I sincerely apologize. I shouldn't have mixed this in; it's not even that important anyway!"
The ladies' glares turned soft as I smiled at them once again, as I curried myself into their favor, as I've always done.
"Y-you know what, Han, maybe we were over exaggerating...but it doesn't matter, right? Even you said it yourself...she's not that important!"
"Of course! Well, ladies, I think I should go in for a bit, I still seem to feel under the weather...perhaps my boss was right."
"Huh? You're sick?"
"... Unfortunately, I was stuck in the rain last night."
"Ah, in that heavy rain and you still went out?... Then we hope you feel better..."
"Mr. Han, if you're sick, you can have the healing potion I bought from you! I carry it around me everywhere!"
"...I already drank the maximum my body can carry, so I won't be taking it. My...apologies."
"Oh...alright then..."
I smiled brightly and complimented the ladies, happily waving goodbye as they walked away, chattering and squealing at my words.
I then did everything again with the next set of ladies.
And then again.
And again.
Until there was no one left.
Only then did I finally go back inside.
I immediately shut the door, causing the hinges to rattle.
"Hah! How dare they! How fucking dare they!?... Do they think they own me or something?!"
I couldn't help but spew out all my anger at them.
It seemed that I had developed a parasocial relationship with my customers, and not just one customer, but many of them.
I thought about their reaction to my questions again, which were obviously very negative. If I were to keep talking about this, I could risk losing a big chunk of people, which then means less money.
Ugh...what was I expecting anyway? I...I did this to myself, flirting and egging them on to their stupid fantasies.
I used to think that having so many ladies fawning over you was just a far dream, but seeing it firsthand like this...
It's more of a nightmare.
My first plan as to how to find that waitress was gone, and with Grandma Guanhuai not here, I can only wait until she comes back to ask her...I can't believe I forgot to ask her yesterday.
But I can't just sit at home and do nothing. There has to be someone else I know, someone I could ask who's knowledgeable about everyone in the slums...
...Someone who knows a lot of people...wait...
Lin Xinyi!
My first customer! How could I forget?
My face lit up as I realized how much potential this person had.
It was obvious that she had a strong connection with the women in the slums, given that the business only took off after she met them.
She was very likely the first person to spread the word, so she must know something!
I walked over to the dining room table and grabbed Grandma Guanhuai's phone.
To think that Grandma Guanhuai left her phone here...is she that used to leaving her phone with me already? Wasn't she the one who decided I wouldn't work today?
I guess even witches have memory loss issues...hm...I still don't know what that Granny's up to when I'm selling her potions.
But that was a question for another time. Right now, I need to focus on one goal at a time.
I quickly typed in her password and looked over all of her transaction times.
Lin Xinyi and her friends all seemed to buy something at around three to four in the afternoon.
Right now, it's still nine in the morning.
I have a lot of time left.
Hm...instead of wasting time waiting for the girls to arrive, I should ask around the other stores near the restaurant.
And so, that's exactly what I did.
I quickly left the house with my phone and keys.
***
"Good afternoon, ma'am. I was wondering if you knew this waitress who worked in that restaurant across from you. She has brown hair, green eyes, and is around my age."
"Oh, that young lady?"
"So you do know her!"
"...Um, yes, she's been there for some time, I think."
"Do you know where she could have gone? Or where she lives?"
"Ah, I'm not sure about that..."
"Well, just her name is enough!"
".....Um, about that, the truth is, I wasn't that close to her. You know how businesses are. I didn't have much of a reason to talk to her, but she seemed like a nice young lady."
This was the third person I'd asked who didn't know anything about her.
"...Why? Why don't you know anything about her? How long has that store been up for? Do you even know the answer to such a simple question like that?"
"Young boy, you're blocking up the line, and I told you, I don't know anything about that lady."
"But how? How is that possible? Her store is right across from yours, and you're telling me you don't even know her first name?"
"Hey! You, in the back, get this boy out of here, he's trying to start a fight!"
"Wait, I'm not trying to start a, no, stop it! Let go of me-"
And just like that, I was kicked out of a store for the third time today.
I don't understand...why can't I find any information about this girl?
Did these people really just not talk to her because they wouldn't gain anything out of it?
They all said the same thing.
They didn't know her well, and that she'd come in every once in a while and talk to them, but they never knew anything personal about her.
It was scary.
The way that none of them knew her.
The way that she was just forgotten.
The fact that no one even cared to check up on this young girl.
By the time I had checked up on every store on the block, it was almost three.
I had gained no new information, and as I went further down the block, I got even fewer hints, to the point where some people didn't even know she existed.
...It's three already, I need to get back before Xinyi arrives.
Walking over back to Grandma Guanhuai's house, there was a crowd of people, and right in the front of the line was Lin Xinyi and all her friends.
"Where's Han?"
"I heard he might be sick today, I'm not sure though..."
"He probably took a break or something!"
"Wait, there he is! He's right there!"
It's perfect that they're right in the front...I'll just have to tough it out here.
"Good afternoon, ladies~ I just went for an afternoon walk, being stuck in the house all the time felt a bit too stuffy."
"Kyahhh! Mr. Han, are you really sick?!"
"It's...uh, just a small cold, that's all, really."
I carefully walked over to Xinyi's group.
"Ladies, I'm afraid that because of my cold, I may get you sick too if we stick too close, so I'll be taking a break."
"Aww, we hope you get better..."
...Do you really though?
After seeing those customers this morning, I had started to wonder where their hearts stood.
"Goodbye, everyone, I'll see you shortly...but there is one thing my boss told me to check. My boss told me to check out the transactions of Lin Xinyi. It seems that the money didn't go through properly, so we'll have to double-check."
Xinyi's eyes widened a little.
"Eh? I thought it had gone through! I mean, that's what it looked like on my side..."
"It's just a double check, don't stress it, just hand me your phone real quick."
"Hm, alright..."
I pretended to carefully look through her transactions until all the other ladies were gone, seemingly realizing that I wasn't going to coddle them today.
"...Um, Han...are you done looking through my phone yet? You've been staring for like...forever..."
"Huh, oh, yeah, everything looks fine, my boss must have read something wrong or something."
"Oh, that's good, I guess."
"Xinyi...I know you're a very sociable person with the girls here...and I'm asking you this, because...because I have no one else to rely on with this problem."
Her face flushed, all the way from the tip of her ears to her neck.
"I-if it's to help you, of course I would do anything!"
"Yeah, Han, Xinyi, and we will help!"
I knew exactly what to say. Something soft and charming.
"Well, if you say so...truthfully, I've been trying to look for my cousin through my Aunt's wishes, and the only thing I know about this cousin is that she has brown hair and green eyes, is about the same age as us, and works at that meat skewer restaurant, but checking it yesterday...I had realized that the place had closed down..."
I need to make sure they don't see the waitress and me in any romantic way.
"It was my Aunt's dying wish to see her again...her daughter who had run away...but...but because of her dementia, she couldn't remember her name..."
I let my voice crack, and I slowly looked back up from the pavement, forcing tears to swell up.
"So...if any of you ladies..."
"Yes! Of course I can help! I'll try my best!"
"...Really?"
"Of course, Han, she's your cousin! And your Aunt needs to see her again! Let me think..."
She paused for a moment before her eyes lit up, but then they darkened a bit.
"What's wrong?"
"Oh, um...well, I think we've eaten there before, and I feel like who you're describing sounds familiar, but...I actually don't know much about her...at all."
"Well, anything would do. Even her name."
"Um, her name might have been…guy, do you remember her name? I think we've went there to eat once."
"…Sorry, Xinyi, I don't think I remember."
"Yeah…we've been to a lot of different restaurants, and I can't remember all of them…"
"…Sorry Han, I don't think that girl even goes to our school. I'd definitely know her if she did…maybe you should ask the people around the restaurant?"
"….No worries…you ladies can go now. It wasn't that big of a deal anyways."
"…If you say so…"
The girls silently stared at me before all leaving.
The road was now empty and quiet.
She doesn't go to school.
Although no one knew this girl, their lack of information was actually, in fact, information.
I wasn't going to lose hope.
I'll make sure to repay her.
I know I will.
And I've already made up the plan to do it.