[It's obvious that Matoba pays no mind to service people when he wanders into the 7-11 on his daily routine and blows right past the counter. A man on a mission, he goes directly to the aisle of snack foods, grabbing a basket on the way in.]
[And there it begins. A ritual of loading up on the unhealthiest, most processed snack foods one can get hold of- 3 melonpan, a box of caplico sticks, a wheat bun, a cup of sakuranbo jelly. He pauses to hum and haw in front of a display of packaged cake slices, eventually grabbing a packaged tiramisu, and then passing the refrigerators and freezers, he grabs an ice cream bar. He almost grabs a bottle of peach soda, too, but apparently decides against it.]
[On the way to the check-out aisle, he grabs two ume onigiri. For his mid-afternoon tea.]
[It takes him all the way until he gets to the checkout counter and unceremoniously dumps all of this in front of Kim for him to actually look up and notice the man staring back at him through his dark-rimmed glasses, a silence that lasts three deadening beats before he gives a little 'ah'.]
a1
[And there it begins. A ritual of loading up on the unhealthiest, most processed snack foods one can get hold of- 3 melonpan, a box of caplico sticks, a wheat bun, a cup of sakuranbo jelly. He pauses to hum and haw in front of a display of packaged cake slices, eventually grabbing a packaged tiramisu, and then passing the refrigerators and freezers, he grabs an ice cream bar. He almost grabs a bottle of peach soda, too, but apparently decides against it.]
[On the way to the check-out aisle, he grabs two ume onigiri. For his mid-afternoon tea.]
[It takes him all the way until he gets to the checkout counter and unceremoniously dumps all of this in front of Kim for him to actually look up and notice the man staring back at him through his dark-rimmed glasses, a silence that lasts three deadening beats before he gives a little 'ah'.]
Kim-san. What are you doing behind the counter?