After a long while, UltSans stood waiting, his patience unchanging.
He didn't mind the wait.
He was just passing time—something he had far too much of.
Then, finally—
The curtain shifted.
Clara stepped out, now holding a shopping bag in one hand.
She didn't look at him.
Her posture was a little tense, her movements carefully controlled.
UltSans tilted his head slightly, his smirk faint, but present.
UltSans:"I'm not someone who knows much about shopping. Anything else you may want?"
Clara hesitated.
Her fingers tightened slightly on the bag.
Clara:"No, this is just enough..."
Her voice was quieter than usual.
UltSans narrowed his eyes slightly—not in suspicion, but in amusement.
He had noticed something.
And he decided, in that moment—
He was going to test her.
He shifted his stance, stuffing his hands into his coat pockets.
Then, his voice dropped just a bit—calm, casual, but holding a knowing edge.
UltSans:"...Mhm..."
Clara didn't react.
Didn't even glance at him.
Which only made him more certain.
He smirked slightly, tilting his head.
UltSans:"I can clearly see it says '34D' on one of the bras."
Clara's entire body stiffened.
UltSans let out a small, mocking hum.
UltSans:"I don't know much about that, so… Maybe it's not good enough for you? Or…"
He paused for effect.
UltSans:"Embarrassed that I know?"
Clara inhaled sharply.
UltSans leaned forward slightly, lowering his tone, his voice laced with pure amusement.
UltSans:"Come on, girl. I think I should at least know. Or better—you should be closer to me, no?"
Clara's grip on the bag tightened.
UltSans' grin widened.
UltSans:"After all, I am the one paying. Even if it's from the money in this briefcase."
Then, he tilted his head slightly.
UltSans:"So…?"
Clara's entire body burned.
Not from embarrassment.
Not from shyness.
From pure, absolute frustration.
For a long moment, she stayed silent.
Then—
She took a slow, deep breath.
And finally, she looked at him.
Her eyes locked onto his.
And UltSans saw something shift.
She was done playing defensive.
Clara stepped closer.
Dangerously close.
Too close.
UltSans barely had time to register the movement before she leaned up, pressing her lips to his ear.
Then—softly, too softly—
Clara:"You wanna know what else I got, Raziel?"
UltSans' smirk faltered.
Just slightly.
Her voice was low, sultry, and far too close.
Clara:"Because I think you're just looking for an excuse to picture me in them."
UltSans didn't move.
Didn't speak.
His mind processed exactly what had just happened.
Then—Clara pulled back, her expression blank, controlled.
Clara:"Careful. You flirt, I flirt back. You push, I push harder."
She turned on her heel, casually adjusting the strap of the bag in her hand.
Clara:"So… still wanna keep playing, sweetheart?"
UltSans stared at her for a second.
Then—
A slow, amused grin spread across his face.
UltSans:"...You just got interesting."
Clara let out a small scoff.
Clara:"You have no idea."
Then, without another word, she walked toward the register to finalize the purchase.
UltSans watched her go, a new kind of amusement flickering behind his eyes.
She wasn't shy.
She wasn't flustered.
No—she was something much better.
She was fun.
A New Thought, A New Chance
UltSans hesitated, his gaze following Clara as she walked away.
For a brief moment, something strange settled in his chest—a thought, a realization.
He exhaled, shaking his head slightly as he muttered to himself.
UltSans:"...I'm not ready, but... after so many centuries..."
His voice was quiet, almost as if he wasn't sure if he should even be saying it out loud.
UltSans:"I never thought I'd meet a girl who could actually catch some closeness with me... Maybe I have better chances in this world than in that hell I was in..."
The words hung in the air for a moment—then he dismissed them.
No need to get caught up in deep thoughts.
With a simple flick of his wrist, red glitching particles flickered around him—
And he was gone.
At the Registers – A Ghost in the System
UltSans reappeared instantly at the store's checkout counters.
He leaned against one of the empty registers, his arms crossed lazily.
A single employee stood behind the counter—clearly bored, half-dazed, barely paying attention.
UltSans tilted his head slightly.
Then—casually—
UltSans:"Sup?"
The employee jumped back so violently that they nearly knocked over the register.
A loud, startled yelp escaped them—somewhere between a scream and a dying breath.
Employee:"WHAT THE—?!?"
UltSans just smirked, lifting a hand in mock apology.
UltSans:"Oops. I guess I'm a ghost, huh? Didn't mean to scare ya..."
He paused.
Then, with a slight grin—
UltSans:"Nah, I totally did."
The employee stared at him, still trying to catch their breath.
Then, with a deep exhale, they rubbed their face.
Employee:"...God, I hate this job."
UltSans chuckled.
UltSans:"That bad, huh?"
The employee gave him a deadpan stare.
Employee:"You ever stand in one place for five hours straight, pretending to smile at people who don't even look at you?"
UltSans thought about it.
Then shrugged.
UltSans:"Can't say I have. But hey, at least you get paid, right?"
The employee let out a hollow laugh.
Employee:"Yeah. Barely."
UltSans tapped his fingers against the counter.
UltSans:"Mhm. Sounds rough. Ever thought about 'accidentally' quitting?"
The employee narrowed their eyes.
Employee:"Are you... encouraging me to get fired?"
UltSans smirked.
UltSans:"Nooo~. I'm just saying... maybe if the register happened to, I dunno, 'accidentally catch fire'—"
The employee's eyes widened.
Employee:"Dude—"
UltSans chuckled, shaking his head.
UltSans:"Kidding. Kidding. Chill."
Before the employee could respond, Clara finally reached the registers, bags in hand.
The moment she saw UltSans already there, she stumbled slightly—
Then hesitated.
He had just been sitting a few seconds ago.
How the hell was he already here?
Still trying to process it, she walked up beside him, her expression unreadable.
UltSans looked up, grinning lazily.
UltSans:"Oh, hey! You finally made it. Thought I lost you for a while."
He stretched slightly.
UltSans:"Took you long enough, huh?"
Clara narrowed her eyes.
Clara:"How did you get here? I didn't see you coming. You were just sitting a few seconds ago."
UltSans shrugged, smirking.
UltSans:"Took a shortcut."
Clara frowned.
UltSans:"And 'a few seconds' felt more like half an hour. I guess time flies when it wants, huh?~"
His voice was teasing, smooth.
Clara exhaled sharply.
Clara:"I'm never getting used to that."
UltSans chuckled, stepping aside so she could set her bags down on the counter.
UltSans:"You will. Eventually."
She rolled her eyes.
But deep down—
She wasn't so sure.