James blearily blinked as he opened his eyes. A cloudy sky greeted him. Dark clouds, the kind one would see right before it would rain. He stared at the clouds blankly, their very sight calming something deep within him in a way he’d never experienced before.

He watched the clouds silently, watched them for what felt both like a minute and an hour, when it started raining. Sparsely, it sprinkled, a few drops touching his face occasionally.

“I like the rain too.” A voice broke him from his reverie, and James turned. Lying next to him was a black haired man. His eyes were light blue, and his skin was pale. It only took a second for James to identify that what he was staring at was his own face.

Well… Wasn’t that unnerving?

“Unnerving, you say?” The doppelganger hummed under his breath. “That’s fair.”

But that was all it was. Unnerving. Not terrifying, not the kind that would make adrenaline rush through his veins like it had when he confronted the killer.

Instantly, the memories rushed back to him.

Right.

He’d been killed. Stabbed to death. Taken out in a way he did not expect.

Dying due to a disease? Sure. Dying due to overwork? Perhaps. Dying due to a truck crashing into him? Hell, he’d even considered that possibility a few times. He’d definitely not considered dying because a killer had hidden in his house and would stab him to death.

But strangely, the recollection did not make him feel anything. Nothing at all.

“I’ve suppressed your emotions somewhat,” his doppelganger admitted. “I had to. You’ve just gone through quite the traumatic experience. However, let me start this conversation with this rather uplifting fact. Your sister is alive.”

James inhaled sharply. S–she is?

“Yes.” The doppelganger nodded. “Your sister is quite the clever person. It seems the killer you encountered was a serial killer. Upon noticing an opportunity and thinking there was no one home except for the mother and her baby, he broke into your house and killed them both.” The doppelganger smiled gently, in a way that did not suit the conversation they were having. “It seems to be a decision he had taken in heat. He did not think things through. Once he was done having his fun with the pair, he decided to rob any valuables that were present. Naturally, this led to him exploring the upper floor.”

It was only then did James’ recognize the emotion present in the doppelganger’s eyes.

Pride.

Respect.

Approval.

Who was it directed towards?

“You came to the house right about that time. Your sister had noticed the screams and sounds coming from the floor below and hid below her bed. Her phone had run out of battery and she’d put it to charge, and she didn’t quite dare make any sounds to grab it. She would not have died even if you hadn’t arrived, most likely. Then again, she might have.” The doppelganger’s smile widened. “But luckily, she did not have to find out, as you came in right at that time. The serial killer hid. And then… you know what happened next.”

It took a few seconds for James to process the entirety of the doppelganger’s words. His sister was alive. That fact was enough to bring a hint of happiness to his heart, even with the emotional suppression the doppelganger had claimed he’d applied. Of course, accompanying it was a tinge of worry. How would she survive without him?

The money he did save up in the case of an emergency would last her a month maximum. Not to mention, she’d have to strain herself if it meant cooking for herself, withdrawing the money, and that was without even considering the trauma and pain she must be feeling since she’d just lost her brother—

“What if she could get her brother back?” the doppelganger asked.

James blinked. It was only now did questions begin to pop up in his mind. How was the doppelganger reading his thoughts? Why was there even a doppelganger of him? Where was he? And why in god’s name was he not dead? Was this heaven? Or hell? Was he being judged for his sins? Was this the place between life and death like in the novels he’d read?

The doppelganger sighed and shook his head. “Patience, my friend, patience. I will answer all of your questions. However, before doing so, you need to come to an agreement with me.” Before James could even ask what the agreement was, however, the doppelganger continued, “If I answer all your questions, you will work with me.”

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“Work… with you?” James mumbled.

The doppelganger nodded, his expression turning serious. “You see, I’m a shop owner.”

That gave James a pause. With the expression the man had taken, James had expected something much more… sinister.

“Never underestimate shops, dear James.” His doppelganger smiled. “They’re perfectly sinister on their own, but my shop is even more sinister since it deals with souls and their energy as its currency.”

James blinked. That…

“Yes.” The doppelganger nodded. “My shop is dark. Undoubtedly dark. It uses peoples’ very souls to strengthen itself. However, it also grants them their wishes. A chance to seek a new path in life. A way to turn things around. And as the shop’s owner, I’m offering you the same, James.”

The doppelganger stood up. James followed him with his head as he covered the dark clouds and the rain that dripped on James’ face occasionally with his face.

“If you become the shop’s new salesman, its new successor. It shall give you the chance to visit your sister. It shall give you immortality. It shall give you whatever you want, as long as you work for it. As long as you work diligently, James, you shall gain everything.”

Saying so, the doppelganger offered his hand. The intent was clear. Grab his hand, and James had basically agreed to his clone’s offer.

“What’s the catch?” James asked after he let the doppelganger’s words simmer in his mind for a few seconds.

“If you ever decide to fully quit the shop and then die,” the doppelganger paused, “you will be condemned to the deepest, darkest pits of hell by the soul administrators for associating with the shop.”

James bit his lip. That sounded rather terrifying. But… a chance to meet his sister again, help her again, see her smile again…

He grabbed onto the man’s hand.

The man grinned victoriously as he pulled James up, helping him stand, his appearance morphing. Now he had blue hair, green eyes, and pale skin.

“My name is Archaniel, James,” the man said. “Welcome to the Shop.”

A table appeared right next to them. A very plain table, its only distinguishing feature being its light green color, matching Archaniel’s eyes. A chair popped up on either side of the table. One for Archaniel, one for James himself. True to that fact, one was blue and the other black.

Like it was natural, Archaniel sat on the blue chair, and James sat in the black one. Two cups of hot cocoa appeared on the table. Archaniel grabbed onto the one on his side with a natural grace to his actions before sipping at it. Seeing that James had not done the same, he gestured to his cup with his free hand.

James grabbed onto the cup of cocoa gently, almost cautiously, and found that it was not hot. Instead, it was rather cold. He took a small sip, finding that it was just the right amount of sweet. He loved it at the very first sip.

“Now that you’ve become my junior, I’ll help you get the whole thing started,” Archaniel began brightly, excitement practically oozing out of his face. “Unlike my mentor, the old stingy bastard, I’ll help and guide you properly.”

Archaniel took a large sip from his cup before continuing, “First thing’s first, since your goal is to reunite with your sister as soon as possible, let’s target worlds with a timescale much faster than the Earth’s. That way, you can gather enough energy to meet your sister before too much time has passed back on your home planet.”

He giggled and leaned towards James almost conspiratorially. “I’ll also give you a tour of the shop. You’ll love it! And I’ll help you pick out your first planet. Then, I’ll begin my vacation!”

Before James could even get a single word in, Archaniel slapped his forehead, like he’d made some mistake. “Of course, I’ve got to answer your earlier questions, don’t I? Alright, let me deal with them in order,” he paused for a few seconds and continued, “I can read your thoughts because you’re in the shop, and I’m the absolute authority here. I assumed a doppelganger version of you because… I felt it’d be more calming? You’re in the shop’s moldable zone! You are technically dead, and no, this isn’t either heaven nor hell, nor any place in between. Any more questions?”

James took a sip of the cocoa absentmindedly as he shook his head. He couldn’t think of any more questions to ask, no.

“Aha, I also forgot to tell you!” Archaniel giggled once more. “If you want, I can take my vacation on Earth! Maybe help your sister a bit until you can take her into your wing once more! Earth doesn’t seem all that shabby of a place, after all.”

James blinked, “You’d… You’d do that for me?” He felt flattered. There was no reason for this man, whoever he was, to do all this for him. It was clear as day that Archaniel was going above and beyond.

“Of course.” Archaniel nodded solemnly. “I have sufficient soul energy saved up to use it on your behalf right now. It’d cover all my expenses on Earth and the energy it’d take to travel there, and I expect you to repay it eventually. But don’t worry, it won’t be a major amount. You can probably repay it in minutes once the shop really gets going.”

James nodded. If it meant his sister would be taken care of, a loan was nothing. He’d probably have cried and hugged Archaniel for even offering to do so if not for the emotional suppression.

“I only have a single request,” Archaniel interjected solemnly.

James was broken out of his reverie as he asked, “A request? May I know what it is?”

“Call me senior,” Archaniel replied, still just as solemn.

“S–senior? Why?”

“Just do it!”

“Alright. Senior, please, help me? Please, help my sister on my behalf, senior.”

Archaniel grinned, seemingly immensely satisfied. “You do not know how many days I’ve been waiting to be called a senior. Finally, finally, I’m a senior too, just like that stingy old bastard!”

James was mildly confused, but… It was fine as long as Archaniel was satisfied, no?