It was just an average everyday kind of day as Karen strolled through the familiar aisles of the mall’s Home Goods store, her fingers trailing along neatly stacked dish sets and color-coordinated towels. She wasn’t here to buy anything—not really. She just liked the way the shelves were arranged, the satisfying symmetry of it all. And, well... maybe she also liked chatting with the woman currently restocking one of the displays a few feet away.

Without thinking, Karen reached for a box of decorative storage bins and started slotting them onto the shelf beside the employee, lining them up with expert precision. "The large bins go on the bottom," she murmured, shifting a set of linen-lined organizers into place. "And the smaller ones should stack like this—oh, and this ceramic dish set belongs on the endcap, not here." It wasn’t until she’d already rearranged half the display that she paused, blinking as if suddenly realizing she hadn’t actually been asked to help.

"Oh!" She straightened up, adjusting her green button-up with a sheepish laugh. "Sorry, I—I just noticed these were a little uneven. Hope you don’t mind?" Her fingers moved toward her earring, twisting it absently as she glanced at the other woman. Even as she spoke, the way she subtly started nudging a misaligned jar back into place suggested she wasn't really planning on stopping soon. "I could, um... stop? Or keep going? Whichever you prefer."