Private Finished I Don't Snooze But Still Lose

Mukuchi received the money with a nod, but after a quick count he saw that Briar had added some extra. Mukuchi wasn't sure as to why, if he wanted to tip him or maybe he had counted wrong, but it didn't matter. Mukuchi smiled with his eyes and slid the extra amount back to him, typing with his other hand.
"Thank you for your purchase, I hope you'll enjoy it."
Mukuchi slipped the money into the cash register, marked the dresser off the inventory and listed the amount paid for it. Mukuchi didn't have a digital database of his store, he preferred hand-written records. Mukuchi wasn't bad with technology, but if he had to pick he'd choose analog every time. It made actions feel more...meaningful.

Mukuchi was pleased to hear that Briar would most likely be a recurring customer. That is, if he still remembered Mukuchi after this. A dresser was hardly enough to create an emotional bond meaningful enough to keep Mukuchi in Briar's memory, and the two didn't really know each other too well and probably wouldn't meet in the next few days. Thinking that made Mukuchi feel down.
But before Mukuchi could fall too deep into his melancholy Briar added the part about Mukuchi's blush being cute and he froze like a deer in headlights. It took Mukuchi a few moments to properly process that yes, Briar had just said that to him, and after it registered Briar got his wish. Mukuchi's cheeks turned a darker grey than before and he couldn't resist the urge to cover his face with a hand. Or, well, more like his eyes, since his mask already covered the rest of his face.

Mukuchi really wasn't sure how he was supposed to react to those words. It wasn't like people had never flirted with Mukuchi, but it always came from people Mukuchi didn't really care about. Briar was a nice person, one whose personality Mukuchi had grown to appreciate and admire, and if Mukuchi cared about appearances he would add that the man was also attractive. So, Mukuchi was affected, and he felt flustered and mortified.
Eventually, maybe after 10 seconds of covering his eyes and blushing, Mukuchi picked up his phone and was able to type out something. He typed slower this time, because his fingers were shaking.
"I'm glad that you like my store, for any reason. Come back any time."
Mukuchi was able to hold eye contact with Briar long enough to do one of his subtle eye smiles and then he startled fiddling with his phone. The blush probably wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.
It wasn't a rejection, per se, but Mukuchi wasn't returning the flirting either, he simply wasn't capable of it. Though Mukuchi hoped that his unsaid words of "I hope you'll come back" could be heard from between the lines.

Mukuchi wanted to be happy that Briar planned on stopping by so often, and he was. In fact he was flattered. Briar himself was such a fetching person, personality and also looks wise, and he bothered to flirt with Mukuchi. Mukuchi who usually couldn't make an impression outside wearing a mask and being mute. It was all nice, overwhelming but nice, and also...it saddened Mukuchi. Because flirting wasn't enough to form a deep enough emotional bond, Mukuchi had experience about that, and if Briar didn't come back during the next two days all of this...would vanish to thin air. Because what would it matter if only Mukuchi remembered it? Just like history couldn't be carried just by one individual memories between two people didn't mean anything if they weren't shared by both.
Mukuchi was momentarily so in-thought that he almost missed Briar's question about when the store would be open, and Mukuchi blinked a few times to properly banish the gloomy thought in his head.

"I try to keep the store open from noon to at least 4pm from Monday to Saturday, but sometimes I close it or change the times."
Mukuchi typed, the shaking of his hands was better now that the conversation had more or less moved on and Briar wasn't flirting anymore. He was still charming, and Mukuchi's cheeks felt warm, but he wasn't flirting.
Out of impulse, and perhaps desperation to help this man remember him in the future, Mukuchi typed some more and added
"I could give you my phone number if you wish, so you can inform me when you want to visit."
Mukuchi didn't know where his random spur of bravery had come, but he had just offered someone his number. Had offered Briar his number. And the blush on Mukuchi's face deepened ever so slightly.

The number exchange went smoothly, which was no wonder since phones were what Mukuchi was most adept with among technological appliances. He had owned one ever since a phone with a texting function had been invented. Mukuchi's shoulders shook and some air escaped his nose at Briar's words, and thoughtlessly he started to type "Any kind of text from you will make me happy.". But Mukuchi quickly erased that, it had been embarrassing enough to be flirted with and then ask for Briar's number, but to kind of flirt back? Mukuchi wouldn't be able to recover...
Instead Mukuchi typed
"Don't worry, I don't mind. Perhaps my typing skills will rub off on you."
And while the app repeated those words Briar sent the first text, and made Mukuchi blush once again at the emoji. When was this man going to be satisfied? When he made Mukuchi die from over-flusteration?

The thought "Hopefully within the next two days" resonated in Mukuchi's head, when Briar bid his goodbye. Sure, Mukuchi could just tell Briar about his condition, but...he didn't want Briar to feel obligated to see Mukuchi every two days. Briar was kind and would surely do just that.
"I would like that."
Mukuchi typed as an answer to Briar saying he'd send a picture of the dresser. Mukuchi really did want to see that, wanted to see the dresser being used instead of just sitting in this store, to be looked at but not utilized. Surely the dresser would be happier as well to have whatever its owner wished to store inside it.

Mukuchi walked around the register and joined Briar's side, planning to walk the man to the door.
"Forgive me, but I won't probably be able to help with carrying the dresser. Unfortunately I have been blessed with a weak constitution."
Mukuchi typed, as Briar probably got ready to carry the dresser. Mukuchi could barely lift the chairs on the dining table set on the other side of the store, much less a dresser.