Chapter 1412: Show up tomorrow

In a small, old place like this, a simple cleaning wouldn’t change much. There was just too much to fix, and the first issue was the leak in the ceiling. Wanting to forget about everything that happened today, Teddy tidied up the place, gathering the scattered papers around him.

He had been studying the Prime Group and researching it long before the job ad was posted. He had planned to apply for any position—whatever he could get. But now that he had been hired, he had changed his mind. Or rather, it wasn’t a matter of changing his mind—it was something else entirely.

"This is a lot of paper," he muttered as he tied up a garbage bag. Looking around the cramped space, there wasn’t much more he could do. With that, he grabbed the bag along with his small backpack.

After tossing the garbage into the disposal area, Teddy headed out to start his night. He forced a smile upon seeing the owner of a nearby convenience store.

"Hey, you’re here!" an old man called from the back aisle. "Come on and give me a hand, boy."

"Yes, sir!" Teddy hurried over, helping the old man with a few boxes. Once done, he went into the storage room to put on his uniform.

This was his life.

In the morning, he wore a suit that wasn’t his and impressed hiring managers with his charm and confidence. But at night, he was just a cashier at a small convenience store—one in a part of the city that, ironically, felt worlds away from its wealth and prestige.

As the night deepened, Teddy passed the time by reading a book. This late, customers were rare. If anyone did come in, it was usually nothing noteworthy.

Then the entrance chime rang.

Teddy didn’t look up, keeping his attention on his book. Silence settled over the store until a shadow stretched across the counter.

Raising a brow, Teddy glanced up—only to see a single strip of a Band-Aid on the counter.

"Sir, you can’t buy just one strip of a Band-Aid..." His voice trailed off as he lifted his gaze and met the customer’s eyes.

Yugi Cortez.

Yugi smiled brightly, but Teddy felt his stomach drop.

"Then, I’ll take the whole box," Yugi said, placing a small box on the counter.

Teddy swallowed hard and quickly lowered his head, scanning the barcode before bagging the purchase. "That’ll be two ninety-nine."

Yugi set down the exact amount that Teddy silently took. After placing it in the register, he handed Yugi the bag.

"Thank you, Mr. Arthur," Yugi remarked before turning to leave.

Teddy froze.

When the chime rang again, it snapped him out of his trance. He turned and saw Yugi walking away.

"Sir!" he called out, rushing out from behind the counter. "Sir!"

Yugi, only a few steps from the entrance, stopped and turned. "Huh?" He raised a brow as Teddy approached. "What is it, Mr. Arthur?"

Teddy clasped his hands together, his shoulders slumping. The confident persona he had displayed at his interview, the poise he had worn at Prime Group—gone.

Now, before Yugi, he looked... pathetic.

Teddy met Yugi’s eyes with a mix of desperation and apology. He knew why Yugi was here. There was no way this was a coincidence. Yugi had found out. And he had come to let Teddy know that he knew.

"I..." Teddy cleared his throat, his lips paling. "I’m sorry for deceiving you."

Then he bowed his head. "I wasn’t planning to show up tomorrow, so please... just let this slide. Just this once."

Yugi blinked. Then, tilting his head slightly, he asked, "Why aren’t you showing up tomorrow?"

"Huh?" Teddy slowly raised his head, catching the genuine confusion in Yugi’s expression. But he didn’t buy it. "Because... well, as you can see... I lied on my resume. The references I listed are just fake numbers my friend owned."

Yugi blinked. "What?"

"What?" Teddy blurted out.

For a moment, they stared at each other, both looking equally dumbfounded.

"Sir, didn’t you come here to tell me not to show up tomorrow?" Teddy asked hesitantly. "Because you found out that... I’m a fraud."

"No?" Yugi shook his head. "I know you’re a fraud, but I didn’t come here to tell you not to show up tomorrow. I live here."

"Huh?"

"There." Yugi pointed at an old building nearby. "That’s my place." — his hideout, rather, because he knew there were certain things he had done to warrant an ambush from his mother.

Instead of clarity, Teddy only felt more confused. His eyes darted between Yugi and the building. Of all the things he expected, Yugi living in this same run-down neighborhood was not one of them.

"You probably won’t see me around much," Yugi continued. "I’ve been pulling all-nighters for the contest. But hey, it’s nice to know we’re neighbors! Haha!"

With that, Yugi turned to leave, but after a few steps, he paused. His smile softened slightly.

"Even before an applicant steps foot in Prime Group, we already know who they are," he said, glancing back at Teddy. "By now, I’m sure you understand what kind of place Prime Group is. If you’re scared that Penny will make your life a living hell once she finds out your secret, she already knows."

Yugi smiled. "It’s not a secret if she knows, right?"

"All applicants who made it through the doors were filtered—not by their background, their achievements, or their alma mater. They were chosen because they showed potential."

"Out of hundreds, only four made the cut. I’d say you’re lucky." Yugi tilted his head. "If I were you, I’d take this once-in-a-lifetime chance."

Teddy’s lips parted slightly. He stared at Yugi, almost unable to process what he was hearing.

"Show up tomorrow," Yugi added, glancing at the convenience store. "This isn’t the place a brilliant young man like you belongs. And don’t lower your shoulders like that again. I like the more confident guy I met in the interview."

With that, he turned to leave again—but stopped once more.

"Oh, and those guys who’ve been keeping you from landing a job? They won’t touch you anymore," Yugi smirked. "They wouldn’t dare, they won’t even try. You’ve seen our boss, so they wouldn’t bother her."

Yugi waved a hand. "Good night!"

And this time, he didn’t stop walking.

Teddy, on the other hand, stood there, stunned.

When Yugi’s last words fully registered in his head, his face twisted slightly. His vision blurred as silent tears welled up in his eyes.

"I... got hired..." he whispered, emotions swelling in his chest.

Lowering his head, his mouth stretched into an expression caught between a smile and a sob. "I’m hired... and this time... it’s permanent."