Happiness is not out of stock

In the year 2018, as the chill of winter began to creep in, Karma and Zack found themselves standing outside a pet shop, shivering in the cold rain. Amidst the gloomy weather, Karma's gaze fixed upon a rotund ginger cat inside the shop, and her eyes seemed to hold a hidden melancholy.

Zack, ever the caring friend, inquired, "Who is the person you want to see the most right now?"

Karma replied, "No one," but Zack persisted, sensing a deeper sadness within her.

She confessed, "It is a person whom I can only talk to in my heart. It is a person who does not speak to me when I am in a crowd. Whenever I am alone, an echo keeps increasing in my mind and tells me to speak. It's like a trauma that reminds me that I am not allowed to love my life."

Determined to bring some positivity into her life, Zack offered reassuring words, encouraging her to embrace the beauty of the world and its generous people. Karma, however, remained cynical, convinced that the world had lost its genuine warmth.

Despite the emotional distance she maintained, Zack continued to worry about her well-being. Days passed with no response to his messages or calls. He couldn't bear the thought of her suffering alone. Finally, unable to wait any longer, he bought the ginger cat he had seen in the pet shop as a gift for Karma, hoping to make her feel cherished.

Yet, when he visited her, Karma refused to open the door or acknowledge his presence. She left him standing there in the rain, bucket in hand, carrying the cat back home with him. To Zack, who wasn't particularly fond of cats, the creature seemed more annoying than comforting. But he couldn't deny the joy it brought to his younger sister, Rin, who welcomed the cat with open arms.

The next morning, Zack woke early, still determined to reach out to Karma. He placed the cat in a bucket and went to her door with chocolates and a card. The card bore a message encouraging her to find happiness, and Zack was ready to offer his support.

When he arrived at her doorstep, she opened the door unexpectedly. Karma had just returned from visiting her sick grandmother, explaining her absence and dispelling Zack's worries. She was genuinely surprised and elated by the gift of the ginger cat, which she promptly named "Hazel." The cat, it seemed, had already managed to melt her heart.

As she hugged the cat and expressed her gratitude, Zack was overcome with happiness. Her genuine joy and her use of his name warmed his heart. The moment felt like a turning point in their relationship.

Karma suggested they go inside to decide on a name for Hazel. As Zack suggested a list of names, Karma playfully teased him, rejecting the more imaginative suggestions for something simpler and more suitable for a cat. They decided on "Hazel."

With Hazel now adorned with a collar and a bell, the once-annoying creature looked more adorable than monstrous. Zack couldn't help but feel that, just maybe, Karma was starting to see the world and its inhabitants in a different light.