Chapter 37 | The Cost of a Charger
"You never told me that, Max."
"You never asked." Max said, giving her a completely unimpressed look.
Sarah opened her mouth, then closed it. That was annoyingly difficult to argue with.
Max picked his screwdriver back up.
"I’ve decided to let your ignorance live in peace. It’s not in my menu, but it’s one of the services I provide."
Sarah laughed. A real laugh this time.
Jason noticed it before he meant to. Her shoulders loosening, her expression opening up, a version of her that looked younger than the composed girl he’d met yesterday.
Okay.
He looked away.
So that’s what we’re doing now.
Jason found himself relaxing into the conversation again. The three of them slipped naturally into an easy rhythm, with Max occasionally throwing in some dry remark and Sarah immediately arguing with him over details that didn’t seem important enough to argue about.
Then the system appeared.
[Eligible Purchase Detected.]
[Target: Sarah Whitmore]
[Purchase Opportunity Available: Complete Charger Set]
Jason stared at the message.
Oh, right. The system.
He’d almost forgotten about it which was saying something, considering the thing had appeared in his life yesterday and immediately promised to turn his financial situation upside down.
Yet standing here, listening to Sarah and Max bicker about phone chargers, the whole billionaire cashback nonsense had somehow slipped to the back of his mind.
Jason looked at Sarah and then at the notification.
Jason frowned slightly. The less simple part was whether he should actually offer.
Was it weird to buy a charger for a girl he’d only met once? Maybe.
Was it gentlemanly? Probably.
Was he only considering it because the system had put a giant flashing sign over the opportunity?
Definitely, the thought never occurred to me prior to the system notice
Jason glanced at Sarah again.
She was still talking to Max, gesturing with her phone as she defended herself against whatever accusation he’d just made.
Well, it’s not like I’m proposing marriage
It was just a charger, people bought things for other people all the time. Friends did it. Family did it.
Sometimes a guy bought something for a girl he was interested in without immediately needing to submit a formal explanation to the government.
And, if he was being honest, he did like her. A little probably. Enough to buy a charger, at least which felt like a reasonable threshold.
Jason cleared his throat.
"Since you’re already here, why don’t you pick out a good charger set?"
Sarah stopped mid-sentence and looked at him and at the same moment, Jason nodded toward the shelves.
"Get one that’s actually going to survive this time."
"That’s a very confident thing to say for someone who isn’t the one buying it."
Sarah gave him a look, but she was already moving toward the shelves and Jason followed behind her.
The chargers were arranged along the wall in neat rows, separated by brand which made it easier for Sarah immediately started looking.
"I want something cute," she said.
Jason glanced at her.
"It’s a charger."
"I know what it is, Jason."
"Just checking."
She ignored him, moving from one section to another. "I don’t want one of those boring black ones. And I don’t want white either. They get dirty too quickly. Something pink would be nice, but not that bright pink. More like soft pink."
Jason nodded thoughtfully.
"That is oddly specific for a charger"
"Of course it’s specific."
Jason stared at her and she stared back. Then she continued searching as though she’d just made the most reasonable statement in the world.
Jason followed along, mostly because he’d already committed himself to this situation and partly because watching Sarah take the decision seriously was strangely entertaining.
It was a device whose primary purpose was to sit quietly against a wall and prevent a phone from dying and yet she was examining them with the concentration of someone choosing a wedding dress.
He wasn’t sure whether that was adorable or deeply concerning. Probably both but he was the one who had a problem because he ironically classified whatever she was doing under the cute section
A few minutes later, Sarah had narrowed the options down to three. She held them up one after another.
"This one is really cute." Then the second. "But this one has a nicer color." Then the third. "This one actually looks like it’ll last."
Jason looked at the three chargers in her hands.
"You are definitely not buying all three."
Sarah immediately frowned. "I know that." The way she said it made it sound like he’d personally offended her.
Jason raised an eyebrow.
"I’m saying because you’re looking at them like you’re preparing to adopt them."
"I like all three."
Jason glanced at the chargers again. He’d expected her to pick one and move on, but apparently he’d underestimated how difficult it was to separate a woman from an object she’d already decided was cute.
This is why I don’t go shopping unless I know exactly what I’m buying
If he walked into a store for a shirt, he wanted a shirt. Not a philosophical debate about whether the blue shirt was better than the darker blue shirt.
Jason sighed.
"Okay. Let’s ask the professional."
Sarah’s expression brightened.
"Max?"
"Yeah, unless you know another phone repair shop owner hiding behind the shelves."
They carried the three chargers back toward the counter. Max’s eyes went from the items in Sarah’s hands, to Jason, to Sarah again.
"You couldn’t choose one?"
"She couldn’t," Jason said.
"That’s not how I would describe it."
"How would you describe it?"
"I was carefully considering my options."
"She’s been considering them long enough to qualify for a minor in charger studies."
Sarah gave him an unimpressed look. "You’re very helpful."
"I do try."
Max reached for the three chargers and examined each of them without rushing. Turning them over, checking the packaging, reading the specs before finally picking one.
"This. Better build quality. Cable’s reinforced properly, adapter isn’t some cheap imitation. It’ll handle your phone without giving you problems in a few months."
Sarah took it, and Jason watched her expression settle into the specific defeat of someone realizing the boring choice was, annoyingly, the right one.
Jason glanced at the price. "Eighteen?"
Max nodded. Jason reached for his phone.
"Let me handle it. I’ll pay."
"No, wait. I can pay for my own charger."
"I know you can."
"Then let me."
"Sarah. Don’t worry about it, it’s fine."
"You don’t have to buy me things just because we’re friends."
Friends
Not a bad word. Probably the safest one available for whatever this was. Still, hearing it land in her voice pleased him more than it had any business to.
"We’re not having a philosophical discussion about our relationship over a charger."
Sarah blinked. "What?"
Jason heard it a beat too late. "Nothing." He cleared his throat. "I mean...you need it and I’m already here so let me get it."
She hesitated for a moment
"Consider it an investment in not having to hear you complain about your phone dying somewhere." Jason added
"That’s your reason?"
"It’s actually a very good reason."
"It sounds like you’re just trying to insult me. But politely."
"I’m being considerate."
"And you’re doing a terrible job at it."
Sarah looked like she wanted to argue, then sighed. "Fine. But I’m paying you back."
"Sure." He knew she probably would.
Jason pulled up his bank app on his phone. He didn’t need to ask Max for his account details the third time, it should be an important beneficiary at this point.
He typed in the amount he wanted tl transfer $18 before his brain gave him an interesting idea
Wait. What happens if I added in a tip when buying something for Sarah? Would the system also refund that?
This was definitely the perfect moment to test it
Jason changed the amount. $20.00 and clicked on the confirm button
Max’s phone buzzed. He looked down, eyebrows rising. "Twenty?"
Jason smiled innocently. "Tip."
"Again, are you just giving out free money now?"
"Jail me whenever you see me doing that. I’m just appreciating for your good service."
"You bought one charger."
"And got my long gone phone repaired like brand new. That is quality service."
Max stared at him, then shook his head. "You’re developing strange habits."
Jason checked his own phone, already running the numbers before the system even confirmed them.
[Eligible Purchase Confirmed.]
[Target: Sarah Whitmore]
[Eligible Purchase Amount: $18.00]
[Rebate Multiplier: ×1.55]
[Cashback Received: $27.90]
[Current Balance: $510.33]
The eighteen had been counted. The extra two hadn’t.
So the tip doesn’t count. That is useful information
Also slightly annoying apparently even a system built to make him rich had a budget policy.
Fine. I can work with rules as long as I know about them first
Jason slipped his phone away back into his jean pocket