Shopping Date

Friday, August 19th

Do you know the saying, "Things couldn't get much worse?"

"Shit, there's a lot of people here!"

But the universe just loves proving you wrong, does it not?

"May I ask why we're here again?" I asked the fired-up Serena, yawning and rubbing my eyes.

I looked at the sky that was dark as the night, and in front of me was an enormous mall engraved with light, and outside were bustling customers left and right to the front and back–surrounding us.

"It's a shopping date!" She said happily. "Oh, and rest assured! Get anything you like and what you need for school! This is my gift for you, Serenity!" Serena squealed in excitement, but instead of being happy, I was irritated.

"So, you woke me up at three in the morning just for this," I said, crossing my arms.

"You know what they say: the earlier, the better!"

"Won't it get worse in the end?" I murmured to myself, taking my phone out.

It's a shame that it's only 7:15 a.m.

I rubbed my eyes, recalling what happened this morning. It was just the usual. I was sleeping well until a certain presence shook my body lightly.

"Serenity. Serenity dear, wake up, wake up."

I turned to look at her, with squinted eyes. "Ser…ena…? What time is it?"

I took my phone beside me, checking the time.

"It's three o'clock in the morning," Serena chirped.

Sure enough, she was right, and I instantly dropped my phone, injuring her big toe. She winced at the sudden pain, and before I could apologize, I glared at her.

"Three? In the morning? Are you insane?"

"N-Not really. I'm always up at this time."

"An early bird, great. Just what I need. Good night." I immediately turned my back away from her.

Serena once again shook my body lightly. "Come on. If we go early, I'll buy whatever you want."

"No."

"Oh, please! Not even a matcha green tea latte?"

"Denied."

"Please!!! I'll also get you–"

At this rate, she's going to bribe me with food. I thought to myself. As if I could let that happen.

Yeah, right.

I embarrassed myself the moment my stomach growled at her response. And because of that, I ended up agreeing to go with her, and since then, the two of us have been standing out in the parking lot from four to five in the morning.

But little did we know, lots of people gathered in front of the mall that Serena wanted to go to.

These heels are annoying. I thought, sighing at the tan sandal-like heels.

"If it's too overcrowded, can't we come back here another time?" I asked, looking at Serena, still fired up.

"No way hozay!" she said. "The pricing is right, and I cannot afford to lose it this time!"

She looks determined.

"What are you buying exactly?"

"It's. A. Se. Cret. Dar. Ling~" she tilted her head and winked at me, putting her pointer finger on her lips.

"That's not reassuring." I purposely tugged down my tuck-in white shirt and dusted away my flowy striped short pants to pass time. While doing that, I noticed two people approaching the doors.

"Staff members!" Serena exclaimed. "Gah, it's about time that they opened the damn doors!" She then held my hand tightly to hers. "Hold on tight cause we're going on a fight! To the mall, we go!"

"I regret dressing up with you."

The moment the staff members opened the doors, customers–including myself and Serena, broke inside the mall and scattered like mice desperate to find food.

It took us four hours to recover and get out of that hellish mall as we settled the shopping bags at the back of her car.

It's already 11 in the morning. I thought to myself, checking on my phone. I'll make sure to take a nap after all of this.

"Y-You don't need to glare at me like that, Serenity," Serena chuckled nervously.

"I wasn't glaring at you."

After we finished, Serena then insisted that we should walk around the Main Street of White Clover together before she could take me back to the dorm. As much as I wanted to object, I said yes because I barely knew the area.

While she talked, I looked around and listened--though I felt whatever she was saying to me stay in my ear and go out the other.

"--And that concludes the tour!" Serena said. "Is there anything else that you want to know? I'm more than happy to take you out again if you like. Ah, of course, it's okay if you don't want to."

While stumbling on her words, shyly smiling, some kind of nostalgia flowed within me, letting my heart twinge a little.

"...You really shouldn't spoil me," I frowned, ignoring the twinge. "Aren't you annoyed that I'm a burden to you?"

Serena looked at me confused. "My dear, you're never a burden. What made you think that?"

I look down, not responding to her question.

An awkward silence fell between us as we continued to walk side by side without saying a word. Eventually, I noticed Serena stopped walking, and at the same time, I turned around.

"I want you to have this." Serena took out a small purple box with a pink ribbon out of her purse, giving it to me.

Curious, I opened it, and my eyes widened, revealing the gift to be a yellow full-moon pendant.

"Believe it or not, I wanted to give it to you on your 18th birthday. I know it's very late, and it may not be the fanciest as any other jewelry in the world; however, I felt this pendant matches you. You remind me of the moon--calm, beautiful, and elegant, Serenity."

"The moon," I murmured and held the box close against my chest.

In the past, Hanako bought me a moon pendant similar to what Serena has gotten me. However, up until now, I couldn't find it anywhere. Not even in my room back at my other home.

I looked at the pendant and back at Serena as our eyes meet.

"Thank you for the gift," I said. "But why would you go all the way to get this for me? I have done nothing, but–"

Interrupting me, a man wearing a dull green jacket, brown pants, black shoes, and a beanie bumped into us. The next thing I know is him running so fast, and he didn't bother to utter an apology.

As Serena and I watched him leave, she became furious at the sudden man appearing, and just when she was about to cuss, I noticed something was missing.

"Oh, he didn't take the box but took the pendant with him," I said, looking at the now empty small purple box.

Serena also looked at it and looked back in the direction where the man was running. As if she just realized the situation, something within her sparks.

"OH HELL NO! NOT ON MY WATCH!!!" Serena screamed, fuming in anger.

"I'm surprised though. Wouldn't you take the box that has the item in it?"

"Yeah, you're right! Wait, what?!" Serena was about to agree with me but stopped. "Now's not the time to think like that, Serenity!"

"And where do you think you're going?"

"Going after The Bastard Thief himself, of course!"

"He has a name?"

"I just named him, and Serenity, stay here until I come back! I'll make that man pay!!"

In a flash, Serena ran after the man that she called "The Bastard Thief," but the problem is, she ran in the opposite direction!

I sighed, feeling like I'm stuck in a deja vu as I jogged in the direction where The Bastard Thief was heading. Luckily, I caught up to him, walking.

Since I didn't want to cause a commotion, I simply asked him a genuine question. "Excuse me?"

The Bastard Thief turned around and made direct eye contact with me, but instantly ran away and screamed, "EEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!"

"Sometimes I wished I tackled him instead."

I didn't hesitate to follow after him but little did I know, I realized that the farther we ran, the more people around us.

"Excuse me!! Coming right through!! Pardon me!!" The Bastard Thief said, making his way out and not bumping into anyone.

As for me–

"Oof!"

I accidentally bumped into someone or something, and at the same time, I fell backward, clearly forgetting that I was wearing high heels and broke one of them in the process. Suddenly, I clutched my chest, and my head felt dizzy.

"Are you okay? You don't look well," said the voice–unsure if it was a man or a woman.

Instead of answering their question, I quickly bowed and continued to go after The Bastard Thief. Suddenly, an idea crossed my mind as I took both the heels off, locking my eyes on him.

Immediately, I threw the broken heel, aiming it toward The Bastard Thief; however, it hit someone else.

"OW! HEY!! WHO THREW THAT?!" a man said, enraged.

I quickly blended in within a crowd, avoiding the man. Eventually, I caught up with The Bastard Thief, and only this time we were closer in range--me behind him. I did not hesitate to throw the other heel at the back of his head, knocking him down.

But in return, the heel smacked my forehead, leaving a red mark.

Despite the pain, I ignored it while using this time to my advantage as the Bastard Thief was still kneeling on the ground, holding the back of his head.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot let you have this," I said, taking the pendant beside him.

As I was about to walk away, I felt a hand grabbing my wrist and yanking me to lose my balance. Everything happened in a split second, the moment I felt something cold like metal between my eyes.

It was then I realized it was already too late.

…

…

…

"Are you alright?" said the male voice.

I was expecting pain, but strangely enough, I felt nothing. Whether it was due to shock or not, I didn't realize that I was in someone's arms.

Let alone a man's.

"I'm… fine…" I robotically replied when I looked up at him.

The man had pale skin like a porcelain doll, long raven hair, and glistening red eyes. He even wore an unbuttoned white shirt and black pants and shoes.

I couldn't put it into words, but something about his presence made me feel at ease.

"Hm? Something on my face?" he asked, noticing me staring at him too long. I looked away immediately as he smiled mischievously. "Oh, did I charm you, miss?"

"No."

"Dang, so blunt, aren't ya?"

"Y-You-re–" The Bastard Thief paused and stuttered.

I was about to turn to look at him until--

"Miss, no matter what, don't look at what's in front of you. Just look at me, okay?"

Like magic, my eyes are locked into the stranger when I hear something like metal crushing, and I could feel him tighten his arms around me.

The Bastard Thief shrieked, "C-Curse you! You--"

"Yeah, yeah, I've heard it before." The stranger cut the conversation short and then looked at me. "It's okay now, miss." And just like that, I stopped looking into his eyes and faced what was in front of us.

However, before I could proceed, what happened next was a familiar curly orange-brown hair woman wearing a white shirt with a black overcoat, blue pants, and tan heels karate-kicking The Bastard Thief's face.

Though, I have a feeling that's not all she's doing.

"Take this! And that! Thatthatthatthatthatthatthatthatthatthatthatthatthatthat!! WaaaaaaaaaaTAH!"

If this keeps up, she'll send him flying to the hospital.

Luckily, the police arrived at the scene, separating Serena and The Bastard Thief. The fired-up Serena didn't hesitate to stop, but on the other hand, The Bastard Thief was begging for her mercy.

Let me guess, more work for me, huh?

I watched the two quarrelings when I suddenly felt a peck on my right cheek. Startled, I looked back at the stranger, but he was gone.

Did he just--