Joe breathed long, rhythmically, trying to make himself strong. He knew that this moment would come. He saw it in dozens of films, games, soap operas, and any other medium capable of telling love stories. In fact, this is inevitable in any relationship, and he has been secretly worried about it for some time. There was a part of his heart that had hoped that, as his girlfriend, she would ignore people's expectations and avoid the incident altogether. However, there seem to be some cosmic constants that even a third type of cosmic entity cannot escape. And, having been tied to her, the man had no choice but to be dragged into it.

In other words, it's time for Joe to accompany Maggie to buy clothes.

"Do I really need to be here?" He pleaded.

"Yes," she said firmly.

"But instead of going to a physical store, we could have stayed at home, tried something out in virtual reality, and ordered it online!"

"I thought about it. However, V-Life does not simulate the molecular structure of an object. Therefore, I don't think it's suitable for this task. ”

"Is it really that important to count atoms?" Joe shouted.

"I refuse to buy clothes that I won't wear, and I don't wear clothes that I feel uncomfortable with, because that requires a satisfactory molecular structure."

The man sighed and shouted a few more times, but Maggie was right as usual. Virtual reality tends to present idealized versions of goods and products. It's a common marketing tactic designed to lure people into buying something that's clearly not as good as advertised. This is especially true when it comes to food and clothing. It is prudent and responsible to give these things a try before buying them. However, what bothers Joe the most is that Maggie really doesn't need to go through such trouble.

"If you're tired of it, can't you use space magic to turn your clothes into something else?"

She's done it before. Several times, in fact. That's how she got the fitted strapless skirt with a knee-high slit at the waist. By the way, she is simply too beautiful to wear. In Joe's modest opinion, the outfit suited her so well that the mere suggestion that she wear something else felt almost criminal, even bordering on profanity. Admittedly, she looked quite ...... in his pajamas a few days ago But so far, the black skirt is much better.

"Do you believe that molecular transmutation is a simple feat?" The girl asked calmly.

"Uh...... Maybe? When you say that, it doesn't sound easy, but you don't seem to struggle with it. ”

"That's just my 'poker face,' Joe," she used the right quotes this time. "I may not be able to tell from the look on my face how hard I'm trying, but I can assure you that it's been a lot of work. As it turned out, my current job was more draining than expected, so I had to save as much energy as possible. ”

"Oh. I, uh, got it. ”

Joe didn't think about such an obvious thing and felt like a ham sandwich. Wait, no, it's not obvious at all. How did he know that Maggie was buying clothes because she wanted to feel less tired? Oh well. Here's another quirk to add to the list. At least, he feels better about the outing now because he knows it has a practical meaning. This, now that he remembered, in a way, it was rather sad to have only one piece of clothing.

"Still, I'm not sure why I'm going along." His voice was more questioning than complaining. "I hope you didn't expect me to pick out clothes for you. I suck at fashion. ”

He is the kind of person who wears the same old clothes all year round just because they are comfortable to wear, even if the clothes are worn out.

"Still, your opinion is important to me." Maggie smiled softly. "The clothes I buy must be to your liking as well as my own."

Joe "inspired" the little girl's current outfit. She didn't think much of it at first, but as she settled into her human container, she began to like it very much. It looks really good as she grows up, and she's very eager to see other lovely designs. Creativity and imagination are what humans are good at, and they pour a lot of creativity and imagination into their art. That's why Maggie loves their work so much, and she believes that the medium of fashion won't be any different. She also realizes that her aesthetic is very skewed compared to the average person, so Joe is there to make sure she doesn't buy what others think is weird or crazy.

"And...... I want to spend some time together like this. ”

The slightest flush appeared on her cheeks, a sight that made Joe's chest ache so badly that he thought he had had a heart attack. Any complaints he may have had were drowned out in an avalanche of vague feelings. He followed Maggie down the bustling street to the nearest shopping mall, which was located on the 101st to 105th floors of a skyscraper not far from their home. It contains hundreds of commercial establishments that sell a wide variety of goods and services, including furniture, tour packages, jewelry, electronics, home appliances, and custom-made water bottles. Clothing stores have taken a prominent place, and they are probably the most common type of store, covering a wide variety of styles and price ranges.

Money was something that Maggie didn't have a lot of money at the time. She has yet to receive her first paycheck, although she has received a handsome stipend for completing some administrative work on behalf of the Occult Expulsion Agency. She doesn't have enough money to buy high-end brands that are ridiculously expensive, but she has no intention of browsing them. The girl did not like to waste resources, and she refused to shell out hundreds of pounds for a dress simply because it had some famous logo on it. That is, she also does not buy clothes of poor quality or looking ugly, so it is impossible to be in the cheap goods section. Therefore, she aims to be a mid-range institution, offering an acceptable standard and price range of goods, while also boasting a rich variety.

The clothing retailer is called Owe

, Owe

& Owe

。 The store is much more spacious than most, and in dozens of articles online, it's been touted as "the ultimate one-stop shop for discerning British fashionistas." Maggie went through their vast catalog and came to the conclusion that it met her standards perfectly. She has picked out 37 suitable outfits from thousands of outfits. She didn't know why, but the thought of getting Joe's opinion on her choices made her quite excited.

Speaking of which, the man began to feel a little dizzy. The colorful, eye-catching advertisements of the shopping mall have always caught his attention, and his head is always turning. The marketing materials here are much stronger than the sea of slogans and banners that one usually sees on the side of a building. There are interactive holographic displays where he can be called, unreasonably attractive salespeople peddling free samples of a certain product, and mobile vending machines that offer appetizers and snacks. He was almost glad that he had almost no money now, otherwise he might have spent it all.

"Hello, ma'am!" Welcome to Owe

, Owe

& Owe

!”

An energetic, hearty voice pulled Joe out of his overstimulated numbness. Its owner is a lovely young lady wearing a plain white shirt and a red miniskirt with frills. Her name tag reads "Jelly," which may be a pseudonym that reflects her sweet and lively demeanor. She is speaking to Maggie as she has managed to establish that she is the main customer and Joe is the chaperone.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" She offered to provide her services.

"All I have to ask is to use your locker room."

Jerry was momentarily taken aback by the flat, serious tone. Although she was used to dealing with troublesome customers, this was the first time someone had been so cold to her at once. It hurt her feelings a bit, especially since she was a little excited when she was talking to Maggie. After all, it's not every day that a brunette beauty like her walks into such an unpretentious store. Jerry tried not to let her shock and disappointment show, and she embarrassed to lead the customer to the back locker room.

"I'm sorry," Joe said as he walked by. "She's not intentionally rude, she's just not local."

Hearing these words, Jelly seemed to perk up. Maggie does look like a foreigner, so it's completely understandable that her attitude stems from differences in business culture. In fact, the girl is fully aware of the social contract she is expected to abide by when interacting with retail workers. However, she couldn't wait to start trying on clothes and didn't want to waste time on pleasantries. Jo remembered that it might be so, and reprimanded her harshly, repeating his mother's wise saying, "A man is polite." ”

Maggie took this admonition to heart, and was more polite to the other employees they met as she did about anything else she said to the man. They are both attractive men and women dressed similarly to Jelly, although neither of them has a bubbly personality like her. There's one guy who is particularly desperate for him, although that's probably why they put him in the avant-garde clothing section. There are quite a few other customers in the shop, but it's not spacious enough. Much of the store is occupied by a small group of mannequins – some of which are automated – displaying the store's most popular products.

The dressing room at the back is quite sophisticated. They all have traditional curtains that provide privacy for customers when changing clothes, but there's more to it behind the curtains than just a small space with a big mirror and some hangers. Each powder room is equipped with a Ve

do

t

o

™ Product delivery systems. Once the customer has decided what to try on, they just need to enter the corresponding model and the desired size. The machine then quickly renders the article they requested. Similarly, if a customer decides not to buy, it can also collect the item and send it back to the warehouse.

Maggie immediately got busy and began trying on the 37 outfits she had selected in advance, as well as another 22 outfits in the store that caught her eye. At first, she wondered why the fitting rooms were all at the back, but then realized that it was a subtle marketing plan to get customers to see the store's products. The girl will not complain, because some clothes are much better to try on in person than in promotional materials. Of course, the opposite was also true, but she decided to try the disappointing ones anyway.

Joe, on the other hand, thinks they both look beautiful. Or rather, Maggie herself was so charming that anything she wore caused an instant sensation in his eyes. Seeing her try on all these different outfits, he once again admired her beautiful looks and stylish figure. The whole process is also surprisingly fast. No matter how carefully she chooses, Maggie only needs a minute to correct her mistakes. The whole ceremony took almost two hours because there were too many costumes. Joe had so much fun that he barely noticed the time fly by until his rumbling stomach told him it was lunchtime.

However, he insisted that "they are all good" and that this does not solve the problem. Maggie couldn't afford all these clothes, and even if she could, she wouldn't go for them. She had to narrow down her choices to a few outfits for Joe to pick from. The girl was very happy to wear any of them, and there was no particular preference other than that. She doesn't have a favorite style or color — at least, not yet — so it's up to her boyfriend to decide what is essentially a sixty-way tie. Easier said than done. As Joe himself demonstrates, he's a piece of garbage when it comes to fashion. He doesn't know what's in vogue right now, and he doesn't know those things. Then he remembered that Maggie didn't buy clothes to impress, but because she didn't have them. Therefore, he reconsidered these options from a more practical point of view and decided that it was better to choose clothing that would suit every situation.

First, he decided to let the girl wear an extra set of everyday clothes. He opted for a creamy strapless shirt and a pair of skinny jeans. It was a beautiful outfit, but it was pale compared to what she usually wore. When it comes to dresses, he feels that the appropriate formal wear is also appropriate. He picked out a short skirt party gown with some modest jewelry inside. The pure black of the dress contrasted beautifully with her pale skin, though he felt it might have been a little too much. There is a lot of cleavage, and the short skirt splits from the middle, exposing the legs above the thighs. It's provocative, to say the least, but in Joe's opinion, it's more tasteful than sensuality.

On the other hand, the next outfit is bordering on indecency. It's not bad, though. Swimsuits are meant to be exposed. Therefore, it is perfectly acceptable for Joe to suggest that Maggie buy a tethered bikini that she has her eye. The girl blushed slightly as she showed off, but agreed wholeheartedly. By the way, Joe felt lucky that he was sitting when he first saw her dressed like that, otherwise things would have gotten a little ...... Embarrassed. For better or worse, he didn't even take into account that he couldn't hide the completely natural reaction in his pants from Maggie's keen gaze. The girl took this sentence as a wordless but sincere compliment, so it was a little embarrassing.

Next, Joe thinks that if the girl decides to do physical exercise, she may need something athletic. In fact, it was almost inevitable, and she tried to experience it. He briefly recalled AJ's tracksuit and immediately decided that it would be a crime to have someone as cute as Maggie wear such modest clothes. So, he suggested that she wear a loose blue tracksuit that shows her belly button, paired with a matching pair of shorts and running shoes. She swayed so much that Joe felt a surge of energy rush over him just looking at her.

Maggie could afford to buy another outfit in her budget, but Joe couldn't think of anything else practical. He suggested that they might as well buy something funny and a little silly, and she agreed. The girl has tried all sorts of quirky outfits that fit her requirements, so there are other options. Among them is a particularly gorgeous dress that a sane woman would never wear in public, except to a cosplay convention. It's a red-and-white superhero outfit that includes a leotard with a star-shaped cleavage window, a pair of knee-high heeled boots, matching gloves, an orange belt, and a barely baring eye patch. Neither Joe nor Maggie are entirely sure what kind of desperately vague figure this is, even though the design is actually screaming "America". Last night, the little girl stumbled upon this extravagant garment while browsing the store's catalog, which simply said "K". A: Original. The mysterious origin of the dress intrigued her, so she was very happy with her purchase. The man's repeated and unconscious "compliments" were just icing on the cake.

After the task of helping Maggie choose clothes, Joe is in the mood to go shopping on her own. Since one person broke into his life, he was out and about a lot more, so he decided to buy a new jacket. His old one doesn't suit him anymore, he definitely needs one. The megacity of Dave-156 is located in the equatorial region of the planet, so the climate is stable throughout the year, but the weather still gets cold from time to time. Especially on the lower streets, where the sun does not hopefully arrive. It took him less than three minutes to find and buy a close-fitting brown baggy jacket to him. Maggie thinks her own approach to shopping works, but Joe's approach tells her that she still has a lot to learn.

After they picked, bought, and delivered to their doorstep the same day, the couple silently agreed to extend their temporary appointment by visiting the food court. They had a great time eating traditional fish and chips while discussing the latest soap opera developments, even though Maggie insisted that Joe buy an oversized one. Her plan to make him fat is still underway, but it is progressing slowly. He lives almost entirely on Noot-Goop all his life, which makes his stomach small and his digestive system underdeveloped, which makes it difficult for him to eat a lot. Before he starts gaining weight, his body has to adapt to his new diet, which takes quite some time.

Joe's biggest concern is that he will eventually need to undergo a rigorous workout regime to make sure he's accumulating muscle and not fat. Like other men, he found it very unpleasant to exercise regularly. He will do it anyway then, because he knows that Maggie only wants to be good for him. That thing and the whole thing were more or less his idea. Thankfully, he's now friends with A.J. and Officer Maloney. The two men were in good shape, and he figured they wouldn't mind helping him out when the time came.

Speaking of their psionic roommate, Maggie gave her a particularly troublesome task that day. The girl apparently hid a fist-sized rock with her name written on it somewhere in the local park, and Agent Johnson couldn't return to the apartment until she found it. In addition, she was forbidden to ask for help from her commando teammates and was also forbidden to use any machines or electronic devices to help her in her mission. This included an elevator, which meant she had to go down the stairs and climb more than a hundred flights of stairs. The good thing is that there is no time limit, but if she can't find the rock before dark, she has to go somewhere else to sleep.

Joe didn't know anything about it because AJ was gone when he woke up that morning. If he knew her situation, he would have told Maggie not to push the psionic too hard. Because he is unaware, he can enjoy dates and greasy lunches without reservation. Later, the two of them began to talk about going to a small beach resort not far from Dave-156, where the girl could put her new swimsuit to good use. She hadn't completely submerged herself in the water before, and she was eager to observe some fish and algae in their natural environment, so the idea appealed to her. Seeing her excitement, Joe was convinced once again that he had made the right decision to let her buy that bikini.

However, in retrospect, he also realized that he may have overlooked some aspect of the costume. Something very basic that people rarely think of when picking out clothing. The topic was a bit sensitive and better discussed privately than eating fish and chips in the food court, but Joe decided to bring it up anyway. While the two of them are still near the store, it's best to move it out of the way.

"Hmm...... Maggie? He screamed.

"Yes, Joe? She smiled expectantly.

"Don't get me wrong, but you shouldn't buy some...... You know," he leaned over and whispered, "unspeakable things. ”

"I already think these things are unnecessary," she said bluntly.

"Wait...... To put it this way...... You've always been a commando?"

Maggie tilted her head and made her wink.

"Go out without underwear. Phrase. Informal. Don't wear panties," she said flatly. "That's accurate, yes."

Joe closed his eyes, put his hands together, took a deep breath, and shuffled uncomfortably in his seat.

"Maggie. You need to wear underwear," he said calmly but firmly.

"It doesn't make any sense because I have complete control over my bodily functions."

"It's not about functionality. or fashion. It's basic etiquette, okay? Especially if you're going to be walking around in skirts and dresses. ”

The swirling pit on the girl's iris flashed.

"I understand. Would you like to accompany me to buy underwear?"

"I totally refuse."

If that unruly "compliment" on his jeans was anything to suggest, it was too high a hurdle for Joe at that point in time