"Why are you guys chuckling?" Jessica turned to her parents and suspiciously asked. "Do you guys know something that I don't?"

"Haha! The usually stoic Alexander would probably give a rare laugh if he heard your theories, Jessica." John laughed as he returned to his seat and watched the news broadcast.

"Knowing the truth, he probably would be as indifferent and mysteriously charming as ever." Jane said in a jokingly charmed way. "You know, Jessica. If I was bold enough, that secretly rich man would be your dad and not this sorry excuse watching TV."

"Oh, honey!" John grabbed his chest and jokingly acted. "That hurt."

"Oh, darling! I didn't mean to." Jane closed in on her husband and gave their daughter unnecessary PbsPDA (private but somewhat public display of affection).

Jessica just rolled her eyes at the two. She reined her curiosity and wanted to inform her co-workers about their schedule since the animation software was fixed up.

A mysterious man's mystery is not a priority compared to her secrets.

-------

Alexander had no idea about the Barry's weird opinions of him and just drove off to reach his shop.

After parking, a stylized CREED was plastered on a building that should be about the size of a standard standalone Starbucks building.

Inside wasn't a coffee shop though but an assortment of different stuff.

Alexander could probably describe his store as a Blockbuster assortment with minimal movies on its shelves but had random stuff that he could sell.

"Store sweet store." Alexander muttered to the lonely shop after unlocking it and flipping the closed sign to show open.

Right by the door was his trusty counter where he usually lounges. It follows a comic book store design with the desk as a display case showing different esoteric toys while the back shelf had a display of the best among his assortment of stuff to sell.

Books, comic books, games, movies, albums, old school cameras, weird figurines, some musical instruments, and some computer hardware.

They were all displayed on shelves systematically arranged to fill the spacious store and numerosity and strangeness of design could make it on par with Olivander's or any shop on Diagon Alley.

He had a strange collection of stuff to sell which relieved his neighbor stores that were mostly on gardening equipments and tools, flowers, tiny pets, and printing.

These business people would be threatened if his assortment store would sell an assortment of what they are selling. Super commercial companies had already done enough, so a local neighbor playing those tricks would be a life-and-death enemy.

Their alley of stores was a considerable go-to for an area in San Fernando Valley. The quaintness was enough for the stores to have loyal customers who find going to supermarkets and all that to be a drag.

Alexander's store was always the odd one among the bunch as he mostly sells things that could be scoured through the internet via Amazon and all that.

Granted that even the neighbor shops had Internet competitors as well but they mostly branched their way into it with their own websites, courtesy of Wix perhaps.

His neighbor owners and occasional visitors notice CREED's lack of one and it made it more odder among the bunch.

In a way, this reminded them of the weird shops during their earlier years. It was strangely soothing to think that a shop like that could still exist in the 2020s.

Even the owner of the shop was a hermit filled with mysterious rumors. Instead of an old magic man, he turns out to be a middle-aged man with wizardry on computers and technology.

Alexander didn't think much about what they thought but was somewhat pleased to know that he seemed like the new century's vintage and antiquities shop owner.

In the highly digital and Internetworked society, what he sold seemed like antiques of the past with vintage-like purposes.

Maybe deep down, he wanted to be the 2020s man that sold the Gremlins.

------

Along with his store's convoluted but strangely organized shelves, there was a second floor that could overlook the store's complexity.

This was where Alexander headed as he flopped his flash drive among an organized pile of drives, floppy disks, and delicate CDs.

Ever since his time on the computer, he has collected all the abnormal codings that he came across. At least it was better than those collecting the severed fingers of their dead victims.

Aside from the collection table, the second floor was home to his computer equipment that are customized with the best specs that his connections and money can offer.

As a software engineer and programming enthusiast, having such stuff was the basic necessity.

This floor also happens to hold a bed and basic human necessities to be considered as a home.

It had to be said that directly beneath the elevated floor was a mini-kitchen and bathroom.

The place has enormous property tax to keep, so it was stupid to not make use of it to its best capabilities.

Aside from the Creed residences he takes care of, the CREED was probably the most economical and uneconomical among the bunch.

It was like a second home which he mostly stays in due to its convenience in clerk work, programming hobby, managerial work, store owner pride, and a special hand-me-down from his deceased grandfather.

-------

Just as Alexander was about to lay in bed to rest his back, the store door opened and the storefront of a home finally had a person other than him.

CREED has been open for 20 years now and while the pandemic has been ranging for the last few years, the incoming entrant should be among the handful that entered the store in the year 2022.

"Hello to you Mr. Creed!" A hearty and deep voice sounded and the chubby body in a tuxedo suit from where the voice came from was glaringly conspicuous from the second floor.

Alexander could only sigh at the fact that the rare visitor turned out to be one of the pesky ones that he wants nothing to do with. Unfortunately, he can't just ignore the fat guy. "Hello to you as well, Mr. Hackman. Like I told you before, I am not selling CREED. Why don't you try either of my neighbor's, Little Pets or Scented Flowers instead?"

"There's no way of changing your mind is there?" Chubby Hackman could only grumble at this man's stubbornness. He had tried his best means but the calm man condescendingly looking at him from the second floor was too systematic and tough to crack. "My dream of a highly commercial district is kaput with your high-headedness."

Alexander could only curve his lips in triumph.