Roman was lounging at home, dying of boredom, when he decided to give Silas a call. He didn't have much of a plan—he just wanted to see what Silas was up to and figure out a way to hang out.
When Silas picked up, he mentioned he was heading over to his shop to sort a few things out.
"I'm coming with you," Roman offered immediately.
Silas didn't object. "Sure, I'll swing by and pick you up."
A short while later, Roman was in the passenger seat.
"Are we spending a lot of time at the shop?" Roman asked. As Silas drove,"It shouldn't take too long, I just need to organize a few items and handle some task at the shop,"Silas said, keeping his eyes on the road.
Roman sat back, thoroughly pleased with himself. A trip to Silas's shop usually meant one of two things: Silas would end up buying him something, or Silas would gift him a little something from the inventory. Either way, Roman considered it a win.
They soon arrived at their destination, parking a short distance from the cluster of storefronts. The two men stepped out into the air and began walking toward the Tailor's shop.
Roman matched Silas's stride, a subtle thrill settling in his chest. He was genuinely glad to be around Silas. Silas was wealthy, mature, influential, and—above all—someone who truly mattered to him. For a split second, Roman felt the instinctual urge to sling an arm over Silas's shoulder, but he caught himself. Silas had never been big on physical contact, and Roman knew better than to push his boundaries.
Instead, he channeled that energy into a confident grin.
"I should definitely get something free today, you know," Roman said offhandedly, as if bestowing a grand privilege upon him. "For being such a loyal regular."
Silas inwardly smiled, glad for Roman's company, even if he saw right through the comment. Roman always expected a free gift or a heavy discount whenever he dropped by. Silas had humored him before, and while it was a little annoying, he didn't mind too much. They were friends, after all.
As they stepped through the glass doors, the shop's bell chimed to signal their arrival.
The boutique was vast and elegantly furnished. Directly in the center, a sleek glass display case showcased fine cufflinks and luxury timepieces. To the right, high-end three-piece suits and winter coats hung in neat rows, where Dustin, one of the shop hand's, was currently inspecting the racks. Over on the left, near the large front window, sat a curated arrangement of dress shirts, trousers, and leather shoes. A mannequin stood nearby, styled in the latest trending men's attire.
Behind the main counter stood Jack, the head sales rep, alongside Jeremy, who immediately straightened up upon recognizing his boss.
Silas headed toward the suit section, where a petite employee named Ben was currently attending to a customer. Meanwhile, Roman drifted over toward the ties and accessories displayed near the window. He was already plotting his way into getting a gift out of Silas.
Silas paused near a garment rack to inspect a tray of cufflinks. Roman browsed, sliding a tie off its display hanger to examine it.
Silas caught the movement out of the corner of his eye. He kept his expression nonchalant, but his guard went up. Roman had a bad habit of taking high-end items he couldn't afford—and while Silas didn't mind being generous, he was running a business. Friendly exceptions had their limits.
"Look, Silas. What do you think about this one?" Roman asked, holding the textured grayish tie up against his collar.
Silas glanced over, knowing that tone all too well. "It's nice. But expensive."
"How expensive could a tie be?" Roman asked, running the fabric through his fingers.
"The retail price on that is one thousand dollars."
Roman froze, staring at the tie in disbelief. Frustration flared in his chest—it was absurdly out of his price range. "Wow. It's not even woven in gold and it costs that much?" he blurted, a bit dramatically.
Silas didn't bite. He simply turned back to inspect the imported cufflinks, thoroughly satisfied with their quality. To Silas, everything here was strictly business; getting this inventory shipped in hadn't been cheap, and he had no intention of taking a loss.
Seeing that the tie was a lost cause, Roman draped it over his arm and wandered off toward the watch showcase.
"Everything from the main shipment has been stored properly, sir," Jeremy informed Silas, stepping up respectfully. "The last set of suits is in the back room."
"Good," Silas nodded. "And the new cufflinks—are those the ones that came in today?"
"Yes, boss. Right over there," Jeremy said, pointing to the central case.
Silas glanced over, confirming they were the exact ones he'd requested. "What else is left on the delivery schedule?"
"Just one tuxedo and the remaining three-piece suits," Jeremy replied, keeping an eye on the floor as Roman carefully approached the glass watch display.
"Alright. Make sure the rest arrives on time," Silas instructed.
"Will do, sir."
Just then, Roman strolled back over to the main counter. Jeremy watched him carefully, and Silas looked up to see what his friend had picked out.
With a hopeful smile, Roman set a blue-gray diver watch in its open velvet box onto the counter—right alongside the one-thousand-dollar tie.