Felt like writing a kleinphy chapter lol

Also i have no idea how 'lush' works, so im just gonna treat it like a 'Bath & Body works' lol (also 'Lush" is going to be in the mall)

Very ooc connor murphy (probably)

Jared just got on his 20-minute lunch break for Lush and was now heading towards the food court. Once he got there, he sat down and pulled out his phone to text Evan. (who has been sitting at home because of his broken arm.)

12:41 pm

Jared <3: hey ev.

Jared <3: just got on my lunch break lol

12:41 pm

Evan <3: Hi jared! ^^

Evan <3: Ok, so you know how the two strings mean we both have another soulmate, and how that soulmate is the same for both of us?

12:42 pm

Jared <3: yee

12:42 pm

Evan <3: Well I was thinking that maybe we could brainstorm ideas on who we think the other soulmate is...

Evan <3: Unless you don't want to, which is fine.

12:43 pm

Jared <3: ooooo that sounds like fun.

Jared <3: lets do it >:3

12:43 pm

Evan <3: :D

12:43 pm

Jared <3: so... who did u have in mind?

12:43 pm

Evan <3: I was thinking maybe Zoe Murphy, idk she's nice and kinda cute.

12:44 pm

Jared <3: ev....im gay, remember?

12:44 pm

Evan <3: spruce.

12:45 pm

Jared <3: lol

Jared <3: plus, aren't zoe and alana beck soulmates??

12:45 pm

Evan <3: Wait what??

12:46 pm

Jared <3: idk, i talk to alana sometimes, and i feel like shes crushing on zoe

Jared <3: idk for sure tho

12:46 pm

Evan <3: :0

Evan <3: How cool! If they are soulmates then I'm happy for them.

12:47 pm

Jared <3: yea lol

Jared <3: so we know its not zoe murphy

Jared <3: what about connor murphy?

12:48 pm

Evan <3: Hmmm, Maybe...Seems kind of unlikely though.

Evan <3: I mean, our soulmate is probably someone we've never met before

12:48

Jared <3: yea, ur probs right hhhhhh

Jared continued to text Evan for the rest of his lunch break, mainly just stories about customers at Lush. Until Jared's lunch break came to an end and he had to get back to work.

12:58 pm

Jared <3: frick, gtg, my shifts about to start

Jared <3: ill talk to you once i get off

12:58 pm

Evan <3: Okie! Love you <3

12:58 pm

Jared <3: love you too <3

Jared pocketed his phone and walked back to Lush. Barely getting there on time. Once he got there he made sure all the soaps were in the right place before waiting behind the counter for people to walk in.

In between scanning items and putting money into the cash register, Jared was watching the door so he always knew when someone new entered the store. He had looked up at the door just in time to see someone strangely familiar walk in.

Jared almost didn't recognize him. With his hair tied back in a messy bun instead of it usually just hanging down. The black hoodie tied around his waist revealing a grey collar shirt. When usually the hoodie covers everything. But seeing that face, there was no doubt as to who it was.

Connor Murphy. What Connor was doing at Lush, Jared had no clue. Still, Connor was here, which made him a customer, which made Jared obligated to help him. Jared finished checking out the person he was working with before turning to his coworker,

"Hey Aub, take care of these people for me will ya? I'm gonna help some customers out in the store"

"What, why?" Aub turned to look at the people in the store, saw Connor and turned back to Jared, "ahh I see. I got you bestie"

"Thanks, aub." And with that Jared walked into the store, quickly texting Evan.

1:16 pm

Jared <3: ur never gonna guess who just walked into lush

1:16pm

Evan <3: who?!? 0-0

1:16 pm

Jared <3: connor murphy

Jared <3: ima go flirt with him

1:16 pm

Evan <3: JAREFDFHSADVJLKASDKJASBDKLJB

Jared put away his phone and walked over to Connor. He leant against a nearby wall, looked at the much taller teen. Making Jared feel like a fucking dwarf in comparison.

"Hey," Jared paused, making sure Connor saw him and continued, "Come here often?" Jared winked and he could faintly hear Aub facepalming trying to hold back a laugh behind him. "Hot Topic's over there by the way" he continued, pointing to the direction of Hot Topic.

"Harhar very funny Kleinman. and no, I'm only here to get a gift for my sister."

Jared felt disappointed that his pick-up line failed. It was probaby because he looks like a musty crusty rat- But whatever, he could try again later. Besides, he needed time to think of good ones anyway. He should also actually do his job.

"A gift for you sister huh? Is it her birthday or something?"

Connor sent Jared a glare, clearly not appreciating Jared's attempt at conversation.

"No. She found her soulmate."

"Ahhhh i see. Well what kind of scents does your sister like? If you dont mind me asking."

"I don't fucking know. Do I look like my sister to you?"

"No, you look hotter than your sister." Jared winked.

"Yea. I know." Connor winked back. (he also blushed ever so slightly at the comment, but he didn't want to think about that right now)

Jared laughed, "Seriously though, what does your sister like?"

"I think she's in Jazz band?"

"Hmmm Jazz band...yea, I dont know any scents that have to do with jazz band....Are there any flowers she likes?"

"Well, i dont know for sure, but she gets *insert flower name here* for her room sometimes"

"okok, " Jared walked over to the other side of the store, grabbed a bar of soap, and walked back over to Connor. "Here you go, this should be good." He gave Connor the bar.

"Wow. thanks Kleinman."

"No Problem, it's what I'm here for." Jared smiled, "also, you said your sister found her soulmate, do you know who it is?" he asked, hoping his suspicions about Zoe and Alana were correct.

"Yea i do. But I'm not gonna tell you."

"Bruh." Jared frowned in defeat, "speaking of soulmates, have you met yours yet?"

"No. I did date this one guy though."

"Oh?"

"His name was Miguel," Connor smiled slightly thinking about the memory, "we dated for a bit, but then he had to move out of town. We havent talked since..."

"Damn rip"

"Yea..." Connor said, appreciating the honesty in Jareds voice, "but it's fine, i mean I knew we weren't soulmates."

"How'd you know that?"

"I, its complicated" he said, thinking about how he had two stupid red soulmate strings, and how Miguel, only had one like a normal person. "What about you?"

"Huh?" Jared said, totally not thinking about Connor's hair.

Connor groaned, "Your soulmate? Have you met them yet?" there was a slight edge to his voice.

"Right,, my soulmate..." Jared cleared his throat, "well uh, yes, and no."

"??"

"It's complicated"

Connor nodded, "Understandable."

"Well, I should probably ring that soap up for you."

"Right."

The two of them walked to the counter at the back of the store. Jared walked behind the counter and Connor handed him the soap. He scanned the bar of soap.

"That'll be $6.95"

Connor paid for the bar of soap. Jared put the soap into a bag and gave it to Connor."

"When does your shift end?"

"In about an hour, why?"

"I'm gonna go to Barnes & Noble to get some manga for my sister. I was wondering if you wanted to come with."

"Oh, well sure...why though?"

"You strike me as a person who has good taste in manga."

"Thanks, and ill go if you're patient enough to wait an hour."

"Alright. Also, i should mention that my sisters soulmate is a girl, so I wanna get some lesbian manga to piss off my fucking homophobic parents."

Jared couldnt help but smile, for one, he's now 99% sure he's right about Zoe and Alana are soulmates. He could always be wrong th- He also knows some pretty great yuri mangas.

"Nice, well, see you then i guess."

"Yea, see you then." With that Connor walked out of the store.

Jared smiled as Connor walked out of the store. He hadnt been to Barnes & Noble in a while so this should be fun.

"Looks like somebody's got a date fufu" He heard Aub say from the left.

"What? No! Besides I already have a boyfriend Aub, you know this."

"Well yea, but you both have two red strings, which leads to another soulmate, so in the end you're gonna be in a polyamorous relationship right?" Aub said while scanning the items of her current customer.

"Yea..."

"So why should you be worried about 'cheating' on your boyfriend, who is one of your soulmates? Besides, you were flirting with Connor earlier."

"Shit, you're right..."

"Ha, yea i know. Plus, you think Connor's hot right? That's why you went to flirt with him in the first place."

"Well, yea..."

"So think of that trip to Barnes & Noble as a date!"

"I cant do that! Connor didn't invite me on a date, he invited me to Barnes & Noble to help him get some Yuri manga for his sister. pLus- i wouldnt want to go on a date with someone else without talking to Ev about it."

"Fair point. Ok dont think of it as a date, but I still think you should keep Connor in mind as a potential partner."

"Ok, i can do that lol"

"Oh and if you see the newest 'My next life as a villainess' book, which is volume 7, make sure to get it for me! And before you ask, "why", Let me remind you I handled all of the customers checking out while you were out there flirting with Connor so..." Aub proceeded to smirk.

"Yea sure, I'll do that Aub" Jared said, laughing slightly before turning to the customers in line."

Honestly, Aub was a pretty great friend. Sure she could be annoying at times, with changing obsessions each week, along with humming random songs during work. But she was always fun to talk with, and helped boring shifts be well, less boring. Plus she was what got Jared into reading manga. So now he could help Connor get wlw manga for his sister.

Jared smiled again, looking forward to going to Barnes & Noble with Connor. Simply excited to hang out with Connor.

Notes: so yeah, I was originally gonna include Jared and Connor going to Barnes & Noble in this chapter, but I decided against cause it was getting way to long. So Jared and Connor will be going to Barnes & Noble in the next chapter.

word count: 1,710