DRESS

Ken answered the phone, his voice calm. "Yeah, I remember. Why did you call me?"

The girl on the other side hesitated for a moment before speaking lightly, her tone a mix of nervousness and friendliness. "I already tried calling you a few times, but you didn't pick up. Today, I have a holiday, so I thought we could go shopping. You know... to buy a new headset. Since it broke because of me, I feel responsible. I also washed your coat, and I wanted to return it to you. That's why I called. Do you have some free time? Can you come?"

Ken remained silent for a few seconds before responding. "Today's a holiday for me too... but I'm not sure if I can go out."

She quickly interjected, her voice sounding eager but careful. "If it's a holiday for you too and you're not busy, we can go out, right? I was thinking 3:30 would be a good time. It works for me. What about you?"

Ken glanced at his phone, checking the time. It was 11:47. He sighed lightly and asked, "Only to buy the headphones, right?"

"Yes," she replied quickly. "Only for the headphones. After that, you can head back home. I'll give you your coat, too. Just a quick trip, that's all."

Ken paused briefly before nodding to himself. "Alright. 3:30, then."

After ending the call, she sat on the edge of her bed, holding the phone tightly in her hand. She stared at the screen, her mind racing. "Did I say something wrong? Was my voice too nervous? What if he thinks I'm being too forward?" She sighed, brushing her hair behind her ear as her cheeks warmed. "What if... he doesn't come?" she muttered to herself, her voice soft and uncertain.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a playful voice from the doorway. "So, you're finally going out with a boy, huh?"

Startled, she looked up and saw her father standing at the door, leaning casually against the frame with a teasing grin. She quickly stood up, clutching the phone in her hands.

"Dad!" she exclaimed, her voice flustered. "Don't always say things like that. He's not my boyfriend!"

Her father raised an eyebrow, stepping into the room. "Oh? So it's a he, not a she. Interesting. So, who is he?"

She shifted her weight awkwardly, avoiding his gaze. "He's... He's just my friend," she mumbled, her voice trailing off.

Her father folded his arms, tilting his head. "A friend, huh? When did you meet him? Is he from your class?"

She hesitated, then looked at her father with a more serious expression. "He's... the person who saved me yesterday."

Her father's playful grin softened as his tone grew gentler. "Saved you? Yesterday?"

"Yeah," she said quietly, nodding. "He helped me when... when things got dangerous."

For a moment, her father's teasing demeanor disappeared, replaced by concern. He studied her face as she glanced down, her expression growing somber.

"It sounds like something serious happened," her father said, his voice calm but laced with concern.

She nodded again, her voice soft. "We already talked about it".

"I did," her father replied gently. "I think it's the perfect time to explain everything . Your mom is downstairs doing her own work. It's just the two of us here."

She looked at him and gave a small nod. "Yeah, Dad," she said softly. She took a deep breath, her expression steadying. "I'll explain everything now."

[After she explained everything to her father]

Her father listened intently, his brows furrowing as he tried to process the details. She sat there quietly, her hands on her lap, her face calm but visibly troubled.

"So," her father began slowly, "in that place, when those two tried to kidnap you, he showed up to help you. Then they beat him unconscious, and suddenly, at the end... something—you don't know what—but something with... evilish red eyes killed everyone terribly. Right?"

She nodded faintly.

Her father sighed deeply. "This whole thing... It's so mysterious."

"But—" he started, but she quickly interrupted.

"Are you going to inform the Magic Sorceress?" she asked, her voice laced with worry.

He shook his head firmly. "No, I won't inform them. They wouldn't believe us anyway. And even if they did, it wouldn't be good—for us or that boy. If something else happens in the city, the Sorceress could target us. It's not worth the risk."

He leaned back, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "This world we live in… there's so much we still don't know about magic. Even with the powers we have, there are mysteries far beyond our understanding. Maybe the government is hiding something. Maybe it's a secret experiment, or something even stranger. We don't know. But whatever it is..."

He looked at her seriously. "From now on, before it gets dark, come home. No more being out late. Do you understand?"

She nodded. "Okay, Dad. I'll do that."

Her father relaxed a little, a soft smile forming on his face. "Good. Now, what about this outing today? Don't you need some money? Just ask me, and I'll give you whatever you need."

She looked up at him sharply, her cheeks turning red. "Dad! I'm not going on a date!" she exclaimed, raising her voice slightly in protest.

At that moment, her mother's voice cut through the air. "Date? With whom?"

Both of them turned to see her mother standing at the door, hands on her hips, her expression curious but stern.

Her father froze, a guilty smile creeping onto his face. "Oh, uh... it's nothing! I was just kidding with our daughter, that's all," he said, waving his hands dismissively.

Her mother raised an eyebrow, her gaze unwavering. "Kidding? Or are you starting this nonsense again?"

Her father, visibly nervous now, stammered. "No, no! I'm not starting anything! I swear!"

His daughter couldn't help but stifle a giggle as her father glanced back and forth between his wife and her, trying to find a way out of the situation.

"Good," her mother said, her tone sharp but playful. She turned to her daughter. "And you—don't let your father fill your head with silly ideas, okay?"

"Okay, Mom," she replied, smiling faintly.

As her mother walked away, her father leaned closer to her, lowering his voice. "You see? That's why you never joke about dates in this house."

She rolled her eyes but couldn't help smiling. "Maybe you should take your own advice, Dad."

Her father chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah... maybe you're right."