Not Like the Soap
Honoka walks in the pharmacy, the automatic doors sliding open to blast her with cold air. She navigates the aisles easily, this is her favorite pharmacy, after all. A boring thing to say, she admits, but there is a degree of warm comfort knowing a place down to its smallest detail. And being a frequent buyer at this establishment for twenty years, it always makes her smile when she's greeted by familiar faces of staff members upon entering.
Her reason for being here this time? She ran out of lotion. A woman still needs to keep her figure even her prime years are waning. There are people she still wants to look good for. Her wife, her child, and the other parents at the PTA association. She will call it a victory if her winning smile can beat the neighbor's homemade bread rolls.
She walks down the aisle, bouncing her gaze down the assortment of brands and sizes. She knows the one she wants. A serviceable brand she has been using since her high school days. Her face glimmered beneath spotlight during her time as a school idol, and it was thanks to this lotion. Honoka giggles to herself. If this was a paid sponsorship, she would be shouting it to the rooftops.
Those times are behind her, but it is always fun to reminisce whenever she could. However little those times can happen.
A pair of girls laugh behind her. She turns around, the two are sharing looks of concern. "What's wrong?" Honoka finds herself asking. One looks up at her. An excitable face, she reminds her of Yukiho.
"Ah, excuse me, miss. Do you know where the bath products are?" The friend at her side slaps her shoulder.
"You idiot, can't you see she's just a customer?" Honoka restrains a laugh at their bickering. It reminds her of a certain somebody who is, to this day, always hounding her for the smallest lapse in responsibility.
"It's okay, I pretty much know all these is to know about this store. From where things are to what they sell." she reassures, putting on her cheeriest smile. She adjusts the glasses on her face. "So ask away!"
Their faces light up. Honoka supposes that the two are too shy to walk up to the employees. She understands, after all she was just like them at her age. In some cases, she is the same exact way now. Doctor appointments can be quite terrifying.
"Ah, do you know if they have this beauty product called, 'Muse?'" Honoka blinks at the high schooler, wracking her memory. With nothing to go off but the name, it proves difficult to try and remember.
"Eh... Like the soap?" The other girl steps forward, shaking her head firmly.
"No, ma'am. Like the idol group. With the odd lettering." Her other friend looks to her, stomping her foot.
"It's not weird, I think it's cute!"
"Doesn't translate well, though." They busy themselves bickering, but eventually they return to the sight in front of her. "Ah! I apologize, did we say something rude?"
"N-No, I'm all right." Honoka says, wiping tears from her eyes, then begins crying again. Staff familiar to her approach the scene, attempting to calm down the thirty-something year old lady.
"Muse," her breath hitches, her glasses fogged with hot breath. She gives a tear-stained smile. "Not like the soap, right?"
They both nod, lights in their eyes. "Yeah!"
"I can tell you all about it!"