Chapter 10: Tennis Shoes

Kazuya would wonder how he had gotten to this point. It was the sort of question he would ask himself each day and each time he'd come up with a different answer. He'd think about his life, but then not really know where to start. He felt old as if he had experienced everything already. Sometimes he'd feel naïve as if he hadn't experienced enough. Perhaps both were true at the same time. He'd done a lot, but nothing at all. What exactly had he accomplished in life? What did he hope to accomplish if anything? He knew once he began thinking along those lines that he could continue in such a way for hours. He'd be lost in his thoughts and miss days of activity—something he was not proud of. There was only so much thinking one could do. At some point, one needed to do, but do what?

There was one thing he could look forward to doing. Another lunch date. At least, that was what he called it secretly. She had offered her place for him to stay, but Kazuya had declined at the time. He hadn't wanted to intrude. Besides, he was sure he didn't know her as well as she thought he did. He feared losing her to such a degree that he refused to do anything that would cause her to run away from him. He still hadn't known enough of himself to trust that he wouldn't do anything damaging in her presence. He knew that she only wanted to help, but the last thing he wanted to do was to have her discover something horrifying about him, something that would change the way she looked at him now. Simply put, he was being cautious, a trait that was purely his own.

He was very punctual when it came to such things as lunch dates and so was Jun. She had the kind of smile that could brighten his day no matter how depressed he had become. That day there was clearly something she was happy about and she wouldn't spill the beans until he ordered something off the menu. It was only to build suspense, Kazuya concluded. Whether he ordered food or not his reaction would have remained the same. She placed on the table a blue cardboard box with a lid. On the lid was a bright orange check mark. Jun was grinning from ear to ear by then.

"What is it?" Kazuya asked.

"A shoe box, silly. Now open it. I bought something for you last night."

Kazuya wondered what would possess the woman to buy him such a thing, but he didn't complain especially if it might make him sound insensitive. Kazuya was certain that Jun wouldn't appreciate that kind of thing. So without another word, he easily lifted the lid and beheld the most beautiful object he had ever set eyes upon. Crisp and shiny with a new shoe smell that sent shivers down his spine. They were so fresh that he was afraid to even touch them. He knew he was staring for far longer than what was natural, but he didn't care, and he couldn't help it.

"You like?" Jun asked with a decidedly smug voice.

"Yes," Kazuya replied simply—it was the only thing he could think to say at this point. He was still mesmerized by the whole thing mostly because it had caught him off-guard.

"I thought you might. You used to have a whole collection of them back at your grandfather's place."

"Is that so?" Kazuya replied finally taking his eyes off the beauty.

"Wow, you weren't lying when you said you don't remember much of the past."

"You thought I was?"

"I don't know. I was just hoping you were exaggerating is all. I have an idea, Kazuya. Why don't we check out a few athletic shoe stores and see how you like it. There may be a job out there for you yet," Jun said with a smile.

Kazuya wasn't sure that he would be willing to work at a shoe store, but Jun had just offered to take him to see more tennis shoes and he found that he could not pass up the opportunity. Jun seemed to be on a roll today and Kazuya didn't want to trip her up. He agreed to her plans more out of convenience than anything else. They took her car and rode off to the nearest Footlocker.

The first thing Kazuya noted upon stepping inside was, of course, the shoes, but there was also someone at the cash register that attempted and failed at catching his attention along with another sales associate that seemed to be working the floor. Kazuya was visibly uninterested in either of them; he was drawn immediately to the shoes that were on the main display—the only thing that wasn't attractive was the ridiculous price tags, but that didn't deter Kazuya. Luckily, the sales associate was helping another couple so Kazuya remained unhindered that is until Jun interrupted.

"See what that guy is doing?" Jun asked grabbing the other's arm and turning him towards the couple being helped. "When someone comes in, you're supposed to help them find what their looking for. Doesn't that sound like something fun?"

"Not really," Kazuya replied who had already grown bored with the scene and had already continued his browsing.

Then Jun slipped in front of him. "But it's perfect. Think about it; if you're responsible for helping other people find shoes, you'd have to be knowledgeable about it in the first place."

"But I'm not knowledgeable."

"Oh really?" Jun said in a tone that suggested that she didn't even begin to believe him. "Says the person who can't keep his eye off the shoe rack. You have to know something."

"I can't believe these prices. It's like you're getting swindled." He had stepped over a little so that he could get a better view.

"Kazuya, are you even listening?"

"Yeah, of course. Like I said, I don't know much about shoes. I don't exactly wear sneakers on a daily basis and most people do—those are the kind of people I'd probably be helping."

Jun sighed exasperatedly, "You know, it doesn't really matter. I'm sure they'd teach you how to do it."

There was one magnificent lime green and deep purple shoe that Kazuya couldn't help but pick up so that he could get a closer look. He began to study it so intently that Jun feared that she had completely lost his attention.

"What exactly would I be doing again?" Kazuya asked as he placed said shoe back in its place. His eyes were already scanning the next line of shoes situated vertically to each other.

"Weren't you listening? Helping people find shoes."

"But I don't get it—why can't people find their own shoes. Here they are right in front of you. I bet if you give someone enough time they could pick one themselves without any assistance. I mean, it's their money anyway."

"You can't think like that. The purpose of a sales associate is to get someone to make a purchase as soon as possible."

"Really? That sounds a bit pushy. How can you decide on something like that so quickly?" He found another shoe that caught his fancy and began to study it in the same way.

"Well," Jun said stepping in front of him again, "We can't all be fanatics. To some people, a shoe is a shoe—they just need something to put on their feet."

"Also, the prices. That could certainly narrow someone's choices. But it seems to me, the purpose of a sales associate is to rob someone the opportunity to observe everything before making the final decision." He was still observing the same shoe.

"You always have to look at everything negatively."

"It's my job."

"Think of it. You'd be surrounded by things that you love."

"I'd be totally and utterly distracted."

"Well then, I have the perfect solution. You could come in early before everyone else and then you could have your fill of doing whatever it is you do with shoes, that way when the customers do come in you can have your full attentions on them."

Kazuya finally set the shoe he was studying back on the stand behind Jun's head. "Are you intentionally standing in my way?" Kazuya asked when he noticed her position.

"Yes. Hey—

Jun found herself lifted up a few inches from the floor and placed down completely out of his way beside him as if she was made of cardboard instead of flesh and bone.

"Just think—I would have missed this completely." There was a shoe on a lower level that had caught his attention and he squatted down to get a better look at it.

"Kazuya," Jun said sharply.

"Yes, I heard you."

"Well, what do you think? I mean, you'd have to wake up earlier—

"Jun," Kazuya began slowly, "It's not something one can turn on and off." He was gazing quite intently at the red and black shoe in his hands now. "I'm not so good with people to begin with and I'd only be half paying attention to them, I know that. This store could have the same selections for months and it wouldn't grow old. I'd come in and do the same thing every time. By the way, this shoe would really go with your outfit today."

"Huh? Let me see."

"Hn," Kazuya said as he handed it over to her.

It didn't take long for her to agree wholeheartedly. "Oh, Kazuya, they're perfect," Jun said as she gushed over it. "I didn't even notice it. But the price…"

"See what I mean?"

"I could buy the month's groceries with that amount."

"You could fill up your gas tank four times over."

"Wait a minute. You've just proved my point."

"What point?" Kazuya asked a little confused.

"You'd be the perfect sales associate."

"Not this again."

"I mean it, Kazuya. Just a few moments ago, that's what you'd be doing. It wasn't so hard, was it?"

"But I know you. It's different. I just don't think it would be a good idea." Kazuya stood up then only to turn to a saddened Jun.

"So there's no chance?"

"Aw, come on, Jun, don't look at me like that. It's not the end of the world." But her expression did not change. "Alright."

"What was that? I couldn't hear you," Jun said with the beginning of a smile.

"I said: alright. I'll try it, but only for a little while."

"You will!" Jun shouted gleefully—she could hardly contain herself. In fact, she hadn't expected Kazuya to agree at all, but it looked like her patience was paying off.

She wrapped her arms around him in an excited manner. Kazuya was a little startled by her reaction. He hadn't known that it meant so much to her in the first place. Needless to say, they were garnering a lot of attention. So much so that that a sales associate approached them perhaps trying to get rid of them.

"Do you have jobs available here?" Jun asked the man who approached them.

"Actually, we do. We get a little shorthanded during the spring and fall when students have to go back to school. What kind of position were you interested in?"

"Sales associate," Jun said automatically.

Kazuya couldn't help but wonder what he had gotten himself into.

/

AN: What? Kazuya working somewhere besides the Mishima Zaibatsu? What is the world coming to? That's right, I decided to lighten things up for a little while. Perhaps Kazuya can finally find some sense of normalcy, settle down with Jun and live happily ever after. No more Devil. No more tournaments. No more family feud. Stay tuned.