"I'm a virgin."

This statement may appear simple, but it holds significant societal expectations and pressures, especially for men. Studies show that many men feel embarrassed or ashamed about being a virgin, particularly as they near their 30s. This social stigma often causes them to hide their status, worried about being judged or mocked by others, therefore, when Dull decides to reveal this information.

'Even though I'm not embarrassed, at least I didn't lie.'

Desi is surprised by Dull's relaxed confession and pauses for a moment to think about it. After a bit, he replies, recognizing the social pressures that often come with sharing something like this.

"Well, it's true that it can be embarrassing for men at this age, but you don't seem embarrassed at all."

"Oh my, how embarrassing."

Dull's reaction, a mock gasp of "Oh my, how embarrassing," is delivered with a flat tone that suggests he is not genuinely distressed by the revelation.

Desi might have believed him because he looked genuinely shocked, if not for his flat tone.

"Seriously, man?"

"I'm just good at hiding it."

Dull replies with a casual shrug, his demeanor relaxed and unfazed. This response elicits a hearty laugh from their boss, who finds amusement in the exchange.

Desi let out a sigh, his voice tinged with envy as he spoke.

"You have a really nice face. You must have had many admirers."

"I've never been in a relationship."

"What!? With your looks and body, why aren't you using that to your advantage...?"

Dull raised an eyebrow.

"Are you saying you watch me change?"

"T, that's not it—okay, maybe I did... but I'm just appreciating, okay!?"

The boss laughed loudly, enjoying Desi's frustrated reaction.

"Just accept that answer, silly Desi. You won't be able to beat him."

"Ugh, okay."

They can't force Dull to talk because if he doesn't want to, he simply won't. If Dull feels annoyed or pressured, he has a way of expressing it through a glare that can silence even the most persistent of questioners. Recognizing this, Desi decides to let the topic rest and encourages Dull to shift the focus back to him, inviting him to ask his question.

"I'm really, extremely bored right now."

Even though what Dull said wasn't anything remarkable or frightening, the way Desi and the boss's hair stood up after hearing it made them uneasy.

"So, what's fun to do?"

Dull spoke softly, almost like a whisper, but not quite. The cheerful mood vanished instantly as if it had never existed just moments before.

The two humans exchanged confused looks, unsure of how to respond. Dull has shown this strange personality before, but they still haven't figured out how to handle it well.

"V, video games are fun!"

"Are they?"

Dull questioned if games that don't involve him being there are actually enjoyable.

The boss shook her head, disagreeing with Desi's suggestion.

"That's all he does in his free time, so he wouldn't know anything else. But I think there are many fun activities in the city."

"Like what?"

"Do you prefer extreme activities or more relaxed ones?"

Since extreme activities likely involve sports or rides, he opted for the relaxed options.

"For leisure activities, you could try art, gardening, visiting museums, cooking, or reading. There are places in the city where you can do these things."

Gardening?

He has two gardens filled with medicinal herbs, rare plants, flowers, and even some poisonous ones that he grows at home. He enjoys this hobby but has no interest in growing ordinary plants that serve no purpose.

How can he be sure that all the plants are useless? Dull made it a priority to research the plants, trees, and flowers of this world because he loves discovering new and rare things that could lead to something innovative. Unfortunately, he found that none of them were valuable enough to warrant his attention.

Cooking?

He once attempted to cook a meal in his apartment and helped Ames with baking whenever he arrived too early or whenever there were few customers. However, he realized that he didn't enjoy these activities. For him, food is visually appealing, but he lacks the desire to eat it, so cooking doesn't excite him.

'I guess I could try arts and reading books.'

He does some sketching but has never painted, so this is a good opportunity.

Before he goes home tomorrow morning, he'll make sure to buy some art supplies and books at the mall. There's a big mall 30km away to the south from the cafe and it opens the exact time Dull is out of work.

"That's good, for now. Thanks."

The two let out a sigh which they didn't know they were holding as the game continued, peacefully this time. The questions and answers are mostly normal now such as their hometowns.

The two sighed in relief, unaware they were holding their breath.

"Could you possibly model for me? What do you think?"

The boss raised her eyebrow teasingly, but Dull just sighed. This was the fourth time she had asked him to model in just two weeks.

"I'll consider it."

He figured he could spare some time for this, so he didn't completely turn down the boss this time.

The game went on smoothly, with questions and answers mainly about their hometowns, education, and even preferences for women.

An hour after the game, a lot of students started filling the cafe so it became busy again and it lasted till morning because some students decided to spend the rest of their evening in the shop and the boss didn't bother kicking them out and left them be.

When it was already 8 in the morning, Ames and Lacie finally showed up, signaling that it was time to go. He quickly headed to the locker room to change his clothes, making sure to take a little time so it wouldn't look suspicious.

In his first few days at Juls Cafe, Dull usually went home in his work clothes. But since the other employees changed outfits, he decided to do the same to fit in better. He thought it might help him seem more normal to them.

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Even though they sensed something was off about him, they still acted friendly. That's why he was trying hard to blend in because he didn't want them to suspect him any more than they already did.

After a minute, he stepped out of the locker and walked over to say goodbye to the others.

"Good morning, Dull."

Lacie said, and he nodded back.

"Thank you for the new playlist from last night."

Lacie enjoyed sending him playlists every three days because she knew he got bored easily if he listened to the same song for too long. He never asked her to do it, but she was eager to have him as a music buddy, so she kept sending them.

"You're welcome. Did you enjoy it?"

"They're nice."

"I'm happy to hear that."

Lacie laughed softly as Dull noticed their boss and Ames watching them closely. These two had a strange idea that they were flirting and believed it was just a matter of time before they became a couple. However, that won't happen for two reasons. First, Dull isn't interested in Lacie. Second, Lacie has had a crush on Desi for a long time.

Meanwhile, Desi was in the shower, leaving just the four of them at the back of the counter.

"I'm leaving now."

He announced, not waiting for a response as he rushed out through the glass door.

"Wow, he's quick."

"Just let him go."

The boss said, waving her hand as she headed to her office for a short nap, while Ames went to the kitchen and Lacie to the cashier.

But just as he started walking toward the mall—he didn't want to teleport because he wanted to observe for a bit—Desi suddenly called out his name and ran to catch up with him. Dull didn't look back or slow down.

Desi was determined and even walked alongside him.

"Why are you trailing me?"

He asked, glancing sideways at him.

As far as he knows, Desi's place is located between the north and northeast of the city, so he shouldn't be in the south.

"Do you want to play some games? I promise it won't be boring!"

He chirped, his eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.

"You're inviting me, huh? Just admit you want someone to join you."

This reminded him of Lacie when she tried to get him into music, hoping to ignite the same passion in him so they could share her hobby.

Desi scratched his head, a hint of embarrassment creeping onto his cheeks as he realized he had been found out.

"Um, well, there's a new game I want to try, but my computer is too old and doesn't have enough space, so I thought I'd go to a computer café instead..."

"Even though the coffee shop is small, the pay is much better than at your usual café. Why not just buy one?"

Dull had discovered the pay was significantly higher after checking other cafés nearby, which offered only half of what he earned at Juls Café. It was clear the boss was wealthy, likely dipping into her savings to offer extra pay. After some digging—okay, hacking—he found out that she didn't make that money from café sales.

'I was really surprised.'

It's unexpected that someone as business-focused as her has a caring side for her employees, ensuring they have food and money. He didn't expect her as that kind of person.

"I mostly send my salary to my parents because I have two siblings in college, and college is costly, you know? That's why I help with the bills."

Why is he the one paying? Why is he helping? Is it because of love? Desi works hard and lives far from the café, commuting for an hour every day just to send all his money home, leaving almost nothing for himself because he "loves" his family.

Dull didn't understand the logic but nodded anyway. He has no family and can't love anyone, so he wouldn't get it either way.

"I see."

Desi smiled at him, even though he didn't react much, and continued.

"I answered your question, so are you coming with me?"

"Maybe next time. I have somewhere to be."

Please get the hint and leave me alone.

"Where?"

The man still wouldn't back off. Should he just knock him out and leave? But there are cameras, and he knows they're always monitored, so Dull responded calmly.

Dull needed to go to the mall for art supplies and books.

"Can I join you?"

"No."

"Okay..."

Luckily, Desi didn't bother him anymore and said goodbye.

Once he was free from distractions, Dull entered the mall peacefully.

'It's huge.'

The Grand Traya Mall.

This massive mall spans 10 million square feet, featuring five floors and two underground levels. It includes a movie theater, 1,400 stores, three department stores, countless food and drink options, an aquarium, an Olympic-sized ice rink, a virtual reality park, and an indoor theme park.

The exterior of the mall is both striking and opulent, featuring modern architectural designs that blend glass and steel with lush landscaping. It's clearly designed with luxury in mind.

Constructed just a decade ago, the mall is named after Traya Page, a former supermodel whose husband envisioned a place where she could indulge in shopping without limits.

As soon as he walked in, Dull sensed a familiar presence. He could easily recognize it because of how uniquely he perceives their aura.

'Oh?'

Is the little thief here again? Is he stealing? Despite his annoyance, Dull chose not to look for the thief. Instead, he wanted to test something, so he started walking around the first floor in search of a bookstore and an art supply section.

'If he takes the bait, I'll investigate him.'

Dull knew there might be a chance, even if slight, that he wasn't the only "alien" hiding among humans. He preferred not to get involved with them as long as they left him alone. But if he proves his doubts about the kid, that could change things.

With that in mind, Dull started to pay attention to his surroundings.

'Uh, what's that?'

He quickly noticed something intriguing and decided to take a look. This wouldn't be the last time it happened today.

A simple task that should have taken less than two hours ended up taking much longer because there were just too many fascinating things around! Dull is a curious person, so he couldn't resist exploring everything interesting and new. In the end, he bought most of it! If he hadn't secretly stored everything in his inventory, even two cars wouldn't have been enough to carry all his purchases today.

Right now, Dull was sitting on a bench on the third floor, staring blankly ahead. He realized he had spent at least half of his savings, which made it clear he had messed up. He hadn't even bought any books or art supplies yet, and he was already low on money.

"... ."

"... ... ."

'...I really need to control myself.'

He thought. He had promised himself to save money, or else he might end up stealing, which he definitely didn't want to do. He should have anticipated this, especially since malls are filled with tempting items. He thought he could manage, but look at the outcome!

Dull, determined to stay focused, set up a screen around himself to hide from others. He wanted to check his bank account balance in peace. Without hesitation, he transferred half of his remaining money into a secure account on the AEIM System.

If he doesn't give a genuine and clear reason to withdraw the money, along with over 100,000 words and one witness, the system won't return his funds. This is very effective because the system is intelligent and won't easily be tricked.

While he is at it, he also sent a message to Cache.

"Alright. Let's buy what we came for and leave."

He needed to act quickly before his curiosity distracted him again.

Now aware of his risky spending habits, he successfully picked up the art supplies and five interesting books after reading their descriptions. With everything he needed, he decided it was time to go.

Instead of using his usual teleportation, he chose to walk down the stairs. He avoided the elevator and escalator to slow himself down. He sensed the little thief getting closer.

Rather than heading straight to the nearest exit, Dull walked around the third floor, circling it before taking the stairs down. He repeated this process until he finally reached the ground floor.

'Just as I thought.'

The little thief was tracking him too.

While Dull walked in circles, the little thief followed at a distance, staying on the fourth floor when Dull was on the third. The thief was clearly following him by sensing his presence, not by sight.

Dull realized that the little thief could sensed his unique presence that made him different. However, there were two possible reasons why the boy didn't seem to know that Dull could sense him too. The boy might be unaware and just following out of confusion and curiosity, or he could be intentionally showing Dull that he was trailing him.

'Since it's likely the second option, let's find out what you want.'

With so many people in the mall, Dull decided it was best to step outside to a quieter place. But once he left, the little thief stayed behind, standing by the glass and watching him from inside.

When Dull looked back at the glass, he noticed a strand of blond hair, suggesting the boy was trying to hide but failing with his messy hair.

'Why isn't he coming after me?'