The Galaxy Convenience Store

"When silver bells ring and moonlight gathers, it is the Black Rose Star's special way of declaring its love."

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"Xue Shi is a shop assistant who gets angry very easily."

That was the first sentence Xu Youchun wrote in her notebook when she first took over the Galaxy Convenience Store.

Xue Shi got angry all the time.

He got angry when Xu Youchun asked his name.

He got angry when Xu Youchun said the teddy bear was important.

He even got angry when Xu Youchun offered to take him home.

"Xue Shi is hiding a secret."

That was the second sentence Xu Youchun wrote in her notebook.

Xu Youchun kept having the same dream.

In it, silver bells rang and a thick mist settled in.

Threads of silver seemed to wind around her through the clear moonlight, drawing her in, until

she met Xue Shi, standing alone on a high platform.

"Xu Youchun."

His voice was slightly hoarse, his gaze dark and unreadable. Xu Youchun's heart seized up, and pain filled her chest.

It seemed Xu Youchun had forgotten something very important.

"Please remember me soon."

The next moment, as their fingertips touched,

she could only helplessly watch Xue Shi vanish beneath the moonlight.

"Does Xue Shi want... to date me?"

That was the third sentence Xu Youchun wrote in her notebook.

His handwriting trembled, as if he were still flustered from when Xue Shi had dragged him into a narrow alley and pinned him against the wall.

"It worked."

Those were the two words on the last page of the notebook,

written in bold, confident strokes, carefree and elegant.

They were written by Xue Shi.

The strong, earnest convenience store owner x the refined, devoted interstellar traveler

Notes:

1) This story is entirely fictional. Please don't nitpick the details.

2) Idea conceived on July 2, 2023; outline completed on September 17, 2023.

Theme: Find yourself