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The atmosphere was bright and comfortable as if to brag about its “high-end” products– and by high-end, Levi means expensive. This store has more potential than the other mindless shops in the mall; he'd give it that, at least. Mai had wandered in here, poking at the jewelry and socks. If Mai had taught him anything it was that, no, people did not like getting socks (and books) for Christmas, so his confusion increased when he saw her pluck a pair from the rack.
That confusion stirred his feelings of stupidity, which Mai had managed to banish from him when starting this trip. While he was no longer guilty about not having any idea what his classmates would want, that guilt now chewed on him for something else: a lack of understanding in social situations.
It wasn't his fault. A lack of any relationships with adults in his childhood beat down his empathy. Adding that to his ability to detach randomly, and probably some undiagnosed mental illness, drained it entirely. The couple of years he spent with his classmates– and friends– slowly defrosted him. He had more of a sense of empathy, but Levi wasn't sure it was enough. He wasn't sure if it would ever be enough.
Mai turns, her smile pulling him from his thoughts like a magnet. He hesitantly smiles back. "Min is an obvious one to shop for,” the redhead explains. “Non-fiction, coffee, socks, soft blankets for cozy reading. I'm going to throw in some fairy lights this year. We can choose everything and give it to her together. What do you think?”
“I think I know what I'm going to give her,” Levi thought back to something they'd seen earlier, matching a conversation he had with Min months ago. It was something she had said she needed. That was better than getting something someone wanted, surely.
Absently, Levi drifted over to a necklace rack. He scanned the options, eyes catching on a low-hanging gold chain. A 3D dog hung from the ring on the bottom. Gold wires formed a terrier with black rhinestones for eyes. He checked to make sure Mai wasn't watching before pulling it from the rack.