The interview

In front of the antique shop with a sign "Destiny and Curses", a bob cut black-haired woman is standing on the door with a briefcase in hand. It's only 3 PM. The woman wears a black jacket and unpatterned blouse. She appears to be hesitating and move back and forth for a minute. Ryuko then finally knocked on the door of the antique shop, but no one answered. She honestly feels that she wants to back out. Just standing in front of it sends her a bad vibe. Although the shop itself looks fancy from outside, Ryuko feels like the place is swarming with danger.

"Is this place cursed?" 

The place was recommended to her by her friend Kaguya since the place is looking for a shop assistant and Ryuko is looking for a part-time job. Kaguya said that it pays a large sum of money, but the owner is very picky, and no one is still getting hired.

"I'll just tell Kaguya it was close."

As Ryuko turn around to walk away, the door opened and a blond-haired woman that looks a foreigner appeared. 

"I'm sorry. I was busy on a phone call. Are you a customer?" the blond-haired woman asked.

"Ah no. I just heard that there's a hiring here and -"

The woman immediately grabbed Ryuko inside the shop. She's wearing an expensive looking blouse and skirt.

"I'm wondering how long the next one will come. I really need an assistant right now."

As she was being dragged, Ryuko notice that the shop looks western in design. But what caught her attention the most is the different items displayed in the shop. There are figurines, jewelries,  statues, different weapons, and armour. Ryuko feels strange upon looking at them. 

The two finally ended at the living room behind the shop. The blond woman asked Ryuko to sit on a sofa while she sits on the other one.

"Uhm. My name is Yamada Ryuko. 19 years old and currently a college student. I'm here to apply as a shop assistant."

Ryuko handed a folder from her briefcase to the blond-haired woman. The woman accepted it and opened the folder. She reads Ryuko's resume for a moment before placing it in the centre table.

"My name is Laura Woodell. The owner of this antique shop. Please just call me Miss Laura. I don't like the honorifics on my name inside my shop."

"Yes, miss Laura."

"Well let's get started Yamada."

Laura claps her hands twice before a man wearing a mask came from another room. The mask has a face like it was from an ancient tribe from the west countries. Ryuko can feel her skin crawling. 

The masked man bows his body so Laura can whisper on him. After receiving the instruction from Laura, he quickly went to the shop.

"That's Marco, he is my personal assistant. He doesn't talk and he is extremely shy. You'll get used to his mask if you get hired here." Laura explained.

"Oh, I don't mind. I know some shy people in school and all of them are not bad people. They have no problem getting into a conversation once I initiated it."

"I'm glad you know how to initiate a conversation. Some of our customers are shy and needs some talk to get comfortable here.

Marco quickly came back with two small figurines in his hands. He placed them both in the centre table and then went back to the room behind them. One figurine looks like a golden dragon Ryuko sees on Chinese restaurant she visits for fried rice. The other one is a creepy looking creature Ryuko doesn't recognize. It was like a chimera. It has a human body with two heads. One snake and the other is a lion. The feet's have hooves, but the hands are scaly like dragons' claws.

"Now Yamada. I want you to answer my question. What is the thing that is bothering your mind lately?" Laura asked.

"Eh? Ehm well. I was thinking I badly need money to support myself right now. My mom said that my father was fired in his job last week, so I need to support my college expenses." Ryuko answered.

Marco came back again with a tray of two cups of tea. He placed one for each of the two women before standing in the corner of the room.

"Well money problem is typical for any college students." Laura smiles.

"Ahaha. I guess that's right. Me and my friends cut off our budget for hanging out ever since we started our college life this year."

Laura then places her hand on the two figurines in front of them and looks at Ryuko.

"Then, my next question is, if I will give you one of these figurines for free, which one will you take? I won't take none of the two as an answer."

 Laura looked at the figurines again. However, this time around, Laura can feel odd feeling from the figurines. The golden dragon feels comfortable to take with her compared to the chimera one, but it feels too comfortable. It's like the figurine is begging her to take it. On the other hand, the chimera feels just okay to her. She doesn't like the design, but she doesn't feel bad about it either.

 "Well. I'll take this one Miss Laura." Ryuko said while pointing at the chimera figurine.

"And your reason is?" Laura asked.

"It feels fine for me to take with me."

Ryuko look at the dragon figurine.

"This one feels weirdly odd to me. It's like I would be controlled by this dragon."

Laura smiles upon hearing her explanations. 

"You pass Yamada. Congratulations for being my shop attendant from today." Laura said while clapping her hands.

Ryuko's eyes widen upon hearing that.

"Eh? That's it?"

"What? You want me to give you written exams and English interview?" Laura grins.

"Ah no. I will happily accept the job miss Laura." Ryuko happily said. 

Laura leans to the sofa and suddenly look seriously at Ryuko. 

"Yamada. You already feel something different in this shop, don't you?"

Ryuko feel the sudden tension in the air. The woman in front of her is now more serious than ever. Ryuko knows she really has to be honest at this moment.

"Yes, Miss Laura. I feel bad vibes in this shop. Most of them are coming in the items being showcase here in the shop. It's like there would be a disaster if I interact with them."

Laura closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. 

"The items in this antique shop are tied to destiny and curses."

"Destiny and curses?"

"That's right. These items bring curses or blessings to some people. The goal of this shop is not only to sell these items but to make sure that the right item will be purchased but the right person."  

Laura then placed her hand to the two figurines in front of them.

"Let's just say I really handed these figurines to you, the chimera will protect you from losing money. Let's just say you choose to make a gamble and you didn't get the jackpot, you will still get back the money you bet on.

"Really?" Ryuko was shocked that there's an item that could make that luck.

"But of course it is better to not abuse it, or you will pay a heavy price."

Ryuko swallowed her saliva upon hearing that. She could only imagine what the chimera will do to her if it punishes her. 

"The dragon on the other hand will give you immense luck on money. You name it. Gambling in stock, applying on a contest, or even getting a job that can give you a high salary. Everything you want to get money will be handed to you."

"But there's a consequences on it?"

"Yeah. You will simply pay with your life span. The more money you get, the more life span it will eat from you. Let's just say it is a life span to money converter."

Ryuko shiver on the thought she will use the dragon figurine.

"However, the intensity of their effect depends on each person."

Laura claps her hand again to call Marco. Marco arrives and picks up the two figurines.

"What do you feel on the figurines now?" Laura asked.

Ryuko stare at the figurines while they are in the hands of Marco. 

"Suddenly, I don't feel anything to them. They are like normal figurines." Ryuko answered.

"That's correct. That's because I want Marco to take the figurines. Not you. The figurines react to whom they will be handed to."

Laura stands up.

"Let's follow Marco."

Ryuko stands up and they went to the showcases with Marco. Marco placed the figurines back to the shelves where there are other figurines. 

"Your job is simple Yamada. You tend the shop until a customer arrives." Laura said while tracing a figurine with her pointing finger. 

"When a customer arrives, simply engage a conversation with them. Your goal is to let whatever staying in their mind for a long-time surface. Are they having trouble with their family? With their job? Or are they having a heart break? Let them open up themselves."

Laura then look at Ryuko seriously.

"Once you have an idea of what is in their mind and they choose something here in this shop, you will decide if you will sell the item to them."

"Decide? I can reject them?" 

"Of course. Just like the test I gave to you, if you have a bad feeling with the item that the customer chooses, you have to decline the sell." 

Suddenly, the door chime rings and door of the shop opens. An old woman with grey haired wearing a big blouse entered. She's carrying a small purse and a cane. 

"Your first customer have arrive." Laura said with a smile.