When Kenzaki sees the Human Village for the first time, he can't help but feel surprised at the livelihood the residents are in as they do their day-to-day life despite the snowfall the day before.
Aside from Reimu still clinging to his chest, the young man felt out of place in a land where its citizens wear kimono-based attire in contrast to his modern-based attire, feeling unreasonably snobbish for a guy that came from what they call 'the Outside World'.
It didn't help that a number of the Human residents take some glances at the young man and the shrine maiden around him with either concern or wariness before resuming their normal duties for the day.
"Hey, Reimu?" the young man asked nervously as he started to notice the villagers' glances towards him with the shrine maiden in tow.
"Yes Kenzaki?" the young woman replied as she turns her head towards him.
"I think that I needed a change of clothing just to not stand out before applying for a job," the Outsider suggested. "And although getting a job seems like a priority right now, I rather improve my chances of getting one without giving a wrong impression. How does that sound?"
"A reasonable idea," the shrine maiden nodded. "Shall I find you a clothing store nearby? I have enough mon to pay for it?"
"Please do that," the young man said agreeingly.
Reimu respond by letting go of his chest but grabs his hand instead, playfully pulling Kenzaki towards a nearby clothing store that she can find.
While Reimu playfully drags Kenzaki towards the clothing store, the young man still can't help but feel like the villagers don't seem to think of him well as an Outsider despite the shrine maiden's interest, yet he can't fault them for being out of place in an ancient Japanese town in a location full of Youkai and other human-like beings, or the history behind the decision to reside in Gensokyo a long time ago.
"Here we are," Reimu chirped, alerting Kenzaki's attention as they reached a modestly built clothing store that has a few open windows with the sign that reads 'Majestic Styles' in, Japanese, or at least what the Outsider can make of it.
Once the shrine maiden lets go of the young man's hand, the young woman heads inside the store, the young man only following her out of a need to get period appropriate attire, and to avoid being hunted down if he tries to escape due to her abilities. Though when they open the doors to head inside the building, a few bells rang to alert the owner of potential customers.
Inside the clothing store, both Reimu and Kenzaki see various kinds of kimonos each with various colors and designs in shelves or put on display; there were a few wooden tables that have geta sandals of various sizes made out of wood; several pairs of hakamas that are either folded into squares or put on display; a couple of shelves that contain tabi socks of varying sizes despite the color being white, black, and blue; a few tables for various sizes of conical hats with each chin strap a different color; a table full of roll-up fundoshis; and a table full of straw-based backpacks with colored straps of various sizes. But all of them have price tags painted with Japanese writing with how much mon to buy for each item around the store.
"Welcome to Majestic Styles," a middle age woman who appeared to be a storekeeper with long black hair loosely tied in a bun and had on a reddish-brown and dark purple kimono greeted at the two customers with gentle brown eyes as she stands behind a nearby counter. "How may I help you today?"
Reimu looked at the older woman standing at the counter. "I wanted a kimono for the Outsider I'm with, please?"
The storekeeper glances at the guy next to the shrine maiden, particularly his choice of attire, her expression remaining benign in spite of all this. "I take you're not from around the Human Village I suppose?"
"Sadly, yes," Kenzaki nodded bitterly. "Apparently I wound up in Gensokyo during a walk in my hometown back in what you call 'the Outside World' during a snowstorm. Not sure how, but I'm stuck here regardless. Anyway, I just needed an outfit just to prevent the villagers from giving me weird looks. Not only that, I may need a hat to cover my head just in case as well."
The older woman chuckled lightly in a motherly tone. "I guess you wanted to blend in with the others I suppose. Though I don't blame you for being out of place in this mysterious land, I should let you buy something to not stand, unless the shrine maiden you're with is willing to pay for the expenses for what you're getting."
"That great, madam," the young man said politely to the owner. "And while Reimu has money to pay for it, I want something that's easier to buy with."
"I guess that doesn't hurt to do that," Knowing the Outsider's respect towards her, the storekeeper glances towards Kenzaki. "Choose whatever outfit suits your taste, and there is a dressing room within the hallway on the opposite side of the bathroom, young sir."
"Will do that, madam," the young man replied.
The next couple of minutes consists of Kenzaki looking for a kimono that can fit his size, without being too costly or having the wrong color, which is similar to tabi socks, an obi, a jacket for said kimono, a few pairs of fundoshi despite them looking ridiculous, and geta sandals.
And while thankful to have a dressing room for him to change clothes to avoid unwanted attention (Reimu especially in mind at times) until the young man can feel satisfied with the outfit he wanted to wear.
The two women waited for a while without saying anything until Kenzaki comes out of the dressing room, showing himself a faded blue kimono with a black obi sash and black hakama, a faded blue hanten covering his kimono, and over his geta sandals are black tabi socks.
In other words, Reimu's modified shrine maiden attire is mostly red and white in contrast to Kenzaki's villager attire being simplistic in design with blue and black on it.
"Opposite yet alike I suppose," the storekeeper replied, complimenting the young man's choice of attire and how the two young adults look different even with period-appropriated clothing. "Though different tastes in color and style, the similarities between the outfits do fit it very well. Is there anything else in mind, sir?"
Kenzaki looks around and goes towards a table full of conical hats until he finds one with a black silk fabric to hold the hat in place before picking up a straw backpack large enough for him to carry easily.
"I think that will be it," the young man replied as he wears the conical hat over his head while carrying the straw backpack. "So how much altogether?"
When the older woman explained how much mon to pay for all the stuff, Reimu quickly opens the bag of coins just enough to pay for Kenzaki's attire, though the shrine maiden needed to refrain from grieving over the coins she had to pay for despite the Outsider's new clothing not standing out.
Once the storekeeper is given enough mon to purchase the young man's outfit, she gives them a respectable nod in return.
"I hope you can adjust to living in Gensokyo," the older woman replied as she pulls her head up. "I know this place can be difficult, if not dangerous in contrast to where you're from, but never lose integrity, even in the face of danger. Will it be hard, yes. Will it be necessary, absolutely. Is there anything else?"
"Oh, and by the way," Kenzaki added. "Are there any jobs that are hiring right now?"
"Of course," the storekeeper nodded as she explains about the possible jobs that are opened around the Human Village to the best of her ability and where they're located. Though it did give the young man enough information to start looking regardless.
"That will be it, madam," the Outsider nodded as he and Reimu head out the door. "Thanks for the info."
"Anytime," the older woman nods back as the customers left the store. "Just try to be safe you two?"
"We will."
As the two young adults leave the store, the store keeper decides to wait for more customers to show up for the rest of the day.
"Well, I'm surprised you managed to choose an outfit like that," Reimu commented as they walk in the road once again after paying the storekeeper with mon that the shrine maiden was carrying. Though despite paying for the outfit for the Outsider, at least the clothing isn't too expensive to buy thankfully.
"But should you let me carry your clothing?" Reimu glances at the young man's Outsider-based attire that's currently inside the straw backpack.
"Sorry, but I should carry it," Kenzaki replied as he carries his straw backpack. "I'm not sure if you can carry it without having my stuff go missing, that's all."
"Okay then," the shrine maiden said as they resume their walk around the Human Village for any available jobs using the information the owner had mentioned.
For a job search around the Human Village that Kenzaki can actually work in pretty much consists of going towards any legit businesses where he can specialize in his skillsets properly while making sure he's earning mon while having proper working conditions.
Though each business he and Reimu visited has its own pros and cons, the goal for the Outsider is to find a job he can put up with the most while getting paid a reasonable amount for his skills without being over exhausted in the process.
It does help that, aside from the shrine maiden returning to cling onto his chest again despite wearing a kimono with the hanten (much to the young man's chagrin), his new outfit, talent, and maturity made him more likely to peak the store owners' interest despite admitting to be an Outsider without explaining his plans to leave Gensokyo on his own terms if he doesn't find help to get out first.
And while a number of store owners want to hire him immediately, the young man explained that he needed some time to think about it until making his final decisions, which thankfully they accepted without any problems.
After coming out of a store that is hiring right now, Kenzaki and Reimu continue to walk around the Human Village once again in the same position as before.
"Did you make your decision on which business you can apply to?" the shrine maiden asked curiously.
"I'm still thinking about it," the young man answered as he figures out which business he can apply to, weighing in the right skillsets while having a reasonable number of hours and pay that he can earn.
"I could figure it out for you," the young woman offered while hugging her lithe body even further than usual.
"I rather can do it on my own, Reimu," Kenzaki replied. "I don't want to end up getting a job I don't like."
"Alright," the shrine maiden pouted reluctantly.
With that out of the way. The Outsider gives himself sometime to figure out what business he can work in properly and without bringing too much drama into the mix; he had enough problems being stuck in Gensokyo and Reimu possibly hiding secrets from him as it is, so having to deal with business problems is not an option for him to handle.
And while he can easily choose any particular business to work in, the young man noted that each business has its pros and cons, which means finding out what business has the most reasonable amount of benefits to tolerate for the time being when an idea came to his head.
"I know what business I can work in," Kenzaki said once he made a decision after some time to himself.
"You do?" Reimu looked at her companion underneath the conical hat.
"Of course," the young man nodded. "I might decide to work at the warehouse called 'Timber Designs' that we already went into; I have enough skills with woodworking to help out with the various tasks they can give me, plus it can allow me to use the resources to help the shrine out if it ever breaks down and needed to be repaired. And while the payrate is slightly in the middle unlike the other businesses, I won't mind the compromise if it meant having benefits."
"Are you sure about it?" the shrine maiden glances at the Outsider with concern. "You could get hurt if you're not careful."
"I know that I can and may get hurt in the process, but I have to deal with things like that back in the Outside world regardless," Kenzaki said in acknowledgement, already aware of what he may actually face once he starts working. "But I had to learn proper safety lessons to reduce the chances of getting injured when working on wood, and had to take lessons on first aid before handling these kinds of tasks I'm given."
"Not only that," placing a gentle bare hand on the young woman's head before lightly rubbing her hair. "I wanted to earn enough money also just to repay you for letting me stay in the Hakurei shrine for the time being, Reimu. Yeah, putting up with your antics is one thing I have to deal with, but you are willing to help me out whenever possible, so I want to earn mon as a way of thanking you for your help, that's all."
The response made the young woman squee in happiness before tackling the young man into the snow before saying lots of compliments without a care in the world to begin with, even as people walking pass by start to notice all the commotion with mixed reactions.
"Uh, Reimu?" Kenzaki noticed the crowd wondering what's going on without blushing in embarrassment and being landed on the straw backpack. "Can you let go of me please? People are starting to notice."
This alerted the shrine maiden to get back on her feet before helping the young man as well, though they quickly apologize for their behavior towards the observing (and wondering) crowd of people.
After a quick explanation, the rest of the villagers thankfully resume their normal routine, though the way the Hakurei shrine maiden acted just now was pretty unexpected.
Noticing that things had gotten back to being typical for now in a bizarre land, Kenzaki looks at Reimu in the face. "Try to refrain from doing that in public, please?"
"Will do that," Reimu rubs her fingers together awkwardly while blushing from what she had just did. "Though it may be easier said than done."
"Okay then," the young man said while checking to see if anything is damaged other than blending with the crowd of villagers. "Before we can go to Timber Designs, I think I need to put my Outsider attire back at the Hakurei shrine. Does that seem okay to you?"
"Of course," and Reimu clings to his chest again, as typical.