Chapter 38

"Shall we go to the Forbidden Shop?" Yui begged. "Please, please please."

"Forbidden?" asked Arien. "I don't remember anything with that name."

"Look!" Yui pointed to a store on the first floor.

Halle observed. "Oh that one. Why wouldn't she take you?"

"Mom says I'll buy the entire shop, so she won't take me."

"We're not going there."

"Why?" Yui screamed.

Halle hushed her. "Stop shouting. We're outside."

"I want to go there!"

"You know what Yui," said Halle. "Maybe this will be the last time we both will ever go outside."

She stopped shouting. "Why?"

"I don't think your mom will be very happy about this."

There were tears threatening to fall.

Oh my goodness!

"Unless," Arien intervened with a calm voice. "You promise not to buy anything there. Or buy something very small."

"And you promise not to tell mom we went there." added Halle.

Yui nodded with a toothy grin. "I won't! I just want to see what's inside."

"Deal." They both agreed together.

Halle turned to him and smiled then noticed that he was already looking at her and grinning. She looked away avoiding eye contact.

Yui pulled both of them to the shop.

"Whoa!"

Yui let go of both their hands. Halle pulled her back and bent closer to Yui. "You are free to roam inside this shop, but don't run outside."

"'Kay!" Yui went in and started checking out all the toys and figurines.

"Makes sense." Arien stood next to her.

"What?"

He turned to her. "Why your friend wouldn't let her come here. Look at her, she's in heaven."

"Yeah." Halle's eyes fell on a miniature figurine. "This looks pretty." She turned to him. "You want to buy anything here?"

Arien looked around. "Nothing at the moment."

Halle hesitated. "Okay. Let's look around." She clutched that figurine tightly and moved deeper into the store.

The store was dumped with excess products that it looked cramped. No wonder Shizuka didn't allow Yui to go in. It would be difficult to get her out. "How are we going to persuade Yui to leave this store?"

"Huh?" Arien observed a stuffed toy. "Leave it to me, anyway there's still an hour or two before you need to go home right?"

Halle nodded. "What's that you're looking at?"

"Oh this?" Arien turned it over. "It's Eren, it came in one of the movies I watched. So I was looking at it. Didn't know they sold these here."

"Yeah, this place is great."

Arien smiled. But his eyes, she noticed were sad. Was he missing coming out like this with his friends?

"You want to buy something for Aunt?" asked Halle and bit her tongue.

He looked at her confused.

"Your mom." She explained. "Buy a present for her this Christmas?"

Arien turned away. "Probably. But I don't know if she will take it."

Halle smiled at him. "She'll love anything as long as it is from you." She looked away. "Mum's the same way. I just wish she'd be with me forever you know."

Arien stiffened. He put the toy back. "She . . . loved scarves."

Halle looked around the store. "I don't think it's here though."

"No problem," Arien tried for a smile. "She has lots of them anyway." He said quietly.

She looked at him for a moment. "Want to buy anything else then?" she showed him the figurine. "I'm buying this for Pace. I think she'll like it."

"I'll look around and see if I want to buy anything."

"Sure."

He walked away to the other aisle. She looked around for Yui and fortunately she was close by. She continued searching for another present.