✷ Part One / Chapter One
Yurina prided herself on being a good daughter. Therefore, she had to hold up her end of the bargain with her parents about how she'd utilize her time over summer vacation.
That meant she spent her afternoons working with her father in their families jewelry store. Their product ranges from silver, gold, engravings, wedding rings, bands and Japanese-related handmade jewelry.
Kenji Sasaki manned this store while his wife handled the one in the town square. The quiet, reserved man sat behind his desk in his office and looked at his daughter slouched in her chair. It was his fault for Yurina's lack of work ethic, he knew it was. She'd always be daddy's little girl but it was time for her to grow up.
"Hanii," the older man began. "You work from 11 to closing. I'll allow you two hour breaks during rush hour because we already have enough staff. If you are late by any circumstance, immediate grounding. No buts. No ifs. No complaints. Ponyat'"
"Yes otōsan. I hear you loud and clear. Can I go on my break now?" Her dad gave her a stern look. "Only joking, jeez. Pull the stick out of your butt please."
After selling a two hundred dollar necklace to her first client, Yurina figured working for her father wouldn't be so bad. Yes, he's a bit of a buzzkill and spineless for allowing her mother to throw her in conversion therapy— Scratch that, yes he's a fucking narrow-minded coward. Nonetheless, making some money and saving so she could flee the emptiness of Hawkins kept the saleswoman in her alive.
A handsome man walked up to her counter, admiring different silver bands and bracelets. She let him explore for a while before she walked up to him with her giddy smile up to par. "Is there anything you're looking for specifically?"
The man grinned, crystals white teeth rowed perfectly together. She swore they twinkled when he smiled. "Looking for the perfect birthday present, any recommendations?"
"Birthday present. Well I think a bracelet is a perfect gift, nothing too big or too small and a piece of luxury they'll wear forever." Yurina expressed pridefully. "Well, of course, that's my two cents..."
"Mitchell."
She smiled. "Nice to meet you, Mitchell. I'm Yurina. Is your partner more inclined to wear gold, silver, hand made bracelets?"
"Well, he's a mixture of everything. A cultured one, you might say." He stopped when he'd noticed Yurina looking at him. Her eyes wide open and mouth slightly agape. He hadn't noticed what he'd said until he'd seen the reaction on her face. "I-I can take my business else where. Thanks for the help anyways, Yurina."
"No!" She spoke a bit too loud. Which stopped Mitchell right in his tracks and turned to look back at her. "No, please don't go. I didn't mean it in a bad way. I just never see any one of us around here often. I only know one other person, and I met them in conversion therapy."
"Oh, I'm sorry. That must've been awful." He empathized, approaching the counter once again with more certainty and ease.
Yurina shrugged, frankly the memories of conversion therapy had blurred. She could hardly remember what day to day life behind those baby blue and pink walls were like. "It was just a lot of bible reading to be completely honest. Hardly effective. So, should I show you my top three favorites for your boyfriend?"
