"Hmm, this is indeed a problem."

  I rub my chin as I look in my closet.

  "I forgot to buy Haruhi some clothes. Guess that's today's itinerary."

  It's a fair and peaceful morning today. I'm taking time off from my hits to take care of Haruhi. I've saved quite a lot of money, so I don't need to worry about that. Plus, I have people who also financially support me from the side. I guess you can say I'm set for life even at just 21.

  I leave the bedroom and head to the living room, where Haruhi is watching TV.

  "Haruhi, I'm going out for a bit."

  "Where are you going, Papa?"

  She started calling me that ever since I asked her to call me Kuro. Not sure where she got it, but it definitely stuck with me in just a day.

  "Just gonna buy some clothes for you."

  "Oh, can I come?"

  "I'll ask you to stay here for a bit, Haruhi. Is that okay?"

  "Okayy..."

  She pouts.

  I don't want to risk going out with her. Until I know if she has a target on her back or not, it'd be much safer for her to just stay in the house

  .

  "Just watch TV or play some video games while I'm away, okay?"

  "Okayyy..."

  I smile and leave for the shopping mall.

  She's slowly adjusting and regaining the life in her eyes. A week ago, I found her in the mansion with eyes like a dead fish. I took her home, and that's where we are right now. I'm slowly teaching her stuff she needs to know to keep up with society, but everything else is still a mystery about her. I'm keeping myself from asking her any sensitive stuff that might trigger something else inside her.

  For all I know, she might also be a trained assassin brainwashed into a sweet little kid, and when I mention blood or when she sees blood, she might relapse and kill me. You know, stuff like that. I might be paranoid, but it's much better than treading this without any worry.

  A twenty-minute ride later, I arrive at my destination. An action-packed mall filled with people enjoying their relatively peaceful weekends.

  "Hmm, let's see."

  This mall can be divided into three floors. The first floor is filled with apparel and department stores. Meanwhile, the second floor is a bunch of ragtag stores, from pharmacies to general needs. You name it, they probably have it.

  The third floor, on the other hand, is where the fun starts. At least, where my fun starts. People often think of hitmen as boring and harsh people. Well, I definitely know hitmen who are your typical "I've thrown away my emotion, now I'm a rock"-type of people. But I'm not one of those. I enjoy my entertainment, especially my video games.

  But that's not what I'm here for today. I need to pick up some clothes for Haruhi.

  I walk around the first floor and stumble upon a pretty normal clothing shop. Not too much flair and embroidery in their dresses, it's just simple and plain. Fits Haruhi to a tee.

  I approach one of the clerks.

  "Excuse me, a little bit of assistance, please."

  "Sure, sir. What are you looking for?"

  She smiles warmly.

  "I'm looking for a dress for a nine-year-old."

  "Ohh, is that so? Your daughter?"

  "Yeah."

  "What's her size?"

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  Her size? Crap, I didn't really check. But I guess she's pretty thin for her age.

  "Small."

  "Right over here, please."

  She leads me to the far left side of the store, where a collection of plain but cute dresses is lined up.

  "Can you tell me a little bit more about your daughter?"

  "Well, she's about this tall."

  I level my hand at the same height as my elbow, but a little farther up.

  "Has long, lustrous, black hair."

  I continue as the clerk nods her head, searching for clothes that might fit Haruhi's personality.

  "She's also pretty cute if you ask me. Lovely voice like an angel."

  "Then I guess this will fit her!"

  She pulls a dress from the rack and shows it to me in all of its glory.

  A black dress with a big skull in the middle.

  "Wait, what..?"

  "You know, sir. All daughters are angels in the eyes of their parents."

  The clerk let out a smirk.

  She puts the dress on top of her like she's the one trying it out and continues.

  "We get those customers all the time, sir."

  She closes in on our distance and whispers.

  "And it's getting a little bit tiring."

  She hops back elegantly and starts ranting.

  "You guys and your successful romantic endeavors! Ah, I hope you guys just burn!"

  She twirls and falls to the ground like a ballerina performing on stage.

  "Okay, okay. I get it, miss. But please don't make a scene out of this."

  "I'll make a scene if you don't buy it."

  She winks.

  "Wha- that's underhanded!"

  I complain.

  "Oh no! This romantically successful person is trying to-"

  "Alright! I'll buy it!"

  I say in exasperation.

  "Thank you for the purchase!"

  After paying for the dress, I leave the shop immediately. What the hell was that woman's problem?

  "Hey, sir!"

  A female clerk from another store calls me.

  "Yeah?"

  "From the looks of that shopping bag, you must be shopping for your daughter!"

  "Uhh, yeah?"

  "Our store has some accessories here that she might like. Would you like to check it out?"

  "Oh, sure!"

  "Thank you!"

  The clerk leads me inside the shop, which is filled with accessories from hair ties, headbands, to cute pens, and all the stationery you need.

  "Do you mind describing your daughter?"

  "Well, she's about this height."

  I leveled my hand at my elbow, but a little farther up.

  "Has long, lustrous, black hair."

  She nods as she switches her attention to hair ties and headbands.

  "And she's pretty cute, too."

  "Well, I just got the right item for you!"

  She pulled out a pair of hair ties with cute little skulls in them.

  "Hey, this gag is getting a little bit old."

  I interject, but she looks at me in horror.

  "Did you just say I'm getting old?"

  Her eyes turn teary, and she starts sobbing. Hey, you know I can see through these crocodile tears, right?

  "You guys and your successful-"

  "Alright, alright, you just want me to buy that, right?!"

  "Thank you for your purchase!"

  She smiles and waves me goodbye.

  I feel robbed. I fell into another trap. What the hell is wrong with this place? Did I stumble upon a tourist trap? But still, I really need to buy something nice for her. What the hell am I doing with these skull-themed sets? Who am I giving this to? A necromancer? A menhera?

  "Hey, sir!"

  Oh god, here comes another one.

  "Yes?"

  I turn around to see another clerk trying to get me to buy something from their shop.

  "It seems that you're shopping for your daughter! Want to check our stuff out?"

  At this point, I'm traumatized by these shops, but might as well.

  "Alright, just don't force me to get something I don't like, okay?"

  I sigh. She tilts her head and shoots me a confused look.

  "Alright..? Anyway, this way for the dresses."

  I enter the shop, which looks entirely different from the last two that I visited. Compared to those, this one seems a lot more modern and professional. Clothes are separately packaged and are presented nicely. Makes me wonder what the heck the ones earlier were.

  "Can you describe your daughter?"

  She asks me.

  My body stiffened, and my hands started sweating. At least my knees aren't weak, and my arms aren't heavy, right, Slim Shady?

  "Is there something bothering you, sir?"

  "O-oh, no. Umm.. Well, she's around this height."

  I level my hand once more around the height of my elbow, but a little farther up.

  "Mhmm."

  She nods her head as she starts searching for dresses.

  "She has long, lustrous, black hair."

  "Alright, and?"

  "Her size is small."

  "Okay..."

  "And she's pretty cute if you ask me."

  "Well, I just got the right one for you!"

  Oh God, please don't be something skull-themed.

  She pulls out a cute yellow dress that has small flower embroideries on it and frills at the end.

  "Oh my god, finally a sane person!"

  I hold the clerk's hand tightly.

  "W-well, what do you think about it?"

  She says, visibly flushed.

  "I like it! I'm buying it! Actually, give me about 5 of those, but in different colors! Thank you!"

  "R-right..."

  She proceeds to gather the items I asked for while I search around the shop for her underwear. This time, I happily pull some cash out of my wallet and rush straight home.

  "Haruhi! Look what I got!"

  I show her the dresses that I bought her.

  "Oooooh, wow! What about those, Papa?"

  She points at a bag I tried to hide.

  "Well, uhh... hey!"

  She rushes to the bag when she notices that I'm hiding it. She opens it quickly, and her eyes widen.

  "See? I don't think you'll like-"

  "WOOOOOOOOOOOOW, how did you know I like these, papa?!"

  She smiles with obvious excitement.

  "How did you know I like skulls, papa?!"

  She grabs the dress and the hair ties and starts jumping around.

  "Tell me, tell me! How???"

  She hugs me tightly.

  ... Apparently, she likes skulls.