ZERO
RUMOR HAS IT that the fifth shop from the entrance in City Square is magical and enchanted.
No one knows why that's the case though. All they know is that as soon as you swing open the door, you get greeted by a wave of excitement, a sense of wonder that gets your feet moving across the tiles of the ground effortlessly, your eyes scrutinizing each and every toy on the shelves as your hands fiddle with them, one after another.
With exhilaration flowing in your veins at a rapid speed, you feel as though you're transported back to the past where you're once again a child. Having the great urge to jump in joy as your eyes sparkle at the sight of the new toys, you'd find yourself running across the shop and reaching for that particular toy that has gotten the most of your attention, hands clasping onto it while you merrily go, "I'm definitely getting this".
Grinning widely as you move to the cashier area with quick, excited steps, you come face-to-face with a guy who greatly reminds you of someone, causing the longing for your childhood to come back.
"Hi," you'd start off and before you know it, the words come rolling out of your tongue. "Are you . . . Santa?"
For the first few seconds, he doesn't reply and you'd guiltily think, what am I even saying? Santa doesn't bloody exist.
The whole idea seems absurd because how on earth can Santa, the guy whom all children would believe in before they start growing up, exists? It's crazy. Even 'crazy' would be a damn understatement.
So you'd start stuttering, mentally thinking of ways for you to apologize appropriately for your weird behavior and before you can actually mutter out a quick 'sorry', you see him smiling. As if that itself isn't already enough, you hear him laughing.
Like Santa Claus.
The both of you simply end up having a staring contest and just when you think it's over and you can finally leave with your selected toy, you hear him speak.
Like who?
Like bloody freaking Santa Claus.
But well, to be specific, he sounds like North from Rise of the Guardians, an animated movie released in 2012.
(Okay, fine, North is actually still Santa).
"That'd be ten bucks, my child," he'd say and with yet another huge smile on his face, he winks. "Remember to be nice and not naughty!"
So maybe that's why the fifth shop from the entrance in City Square is said to be magical and enchanted.
Santa's working in there after all.
• • •
HE HAS ALWAYS felt as though he is Professor Utonium, the father and creator of the Powerpuff Girls. Except 1) he's not a scientist and, 2) he cannot create animated people.
At least that's what he thinks.
Also, here's a warning – he's always underestimating himself.
He finds himself in the workshop at the oddest hour of the day (or night, depending on how you view it), eyes about to close as he scrutinizes the toys on the tables one by one.
As always, the toys are in the best quality, with every single one of them being neatly smoothed (no rough edges at all) and perfectly assembled. There's simply nothing more perfect than the toys in his eyes, despite how they are lacking something important.
