THE MALL

[Several hours later in the girl's room]

The girl stood in front of her open wardrobe, her arms crossed. She pulled out a pale pink top and held it up to herself in front of the mirror. Tilting her head, she studied her reflection, her lips pursed.

"No, this feels... too simple," she muttered, tossing it onto the bed behind her.

Next, she grabbed a black dress with delicate floral patterns. She held it up and stepped closer to the mirror, turning it side to side. For a moment, she thought it might work, but then she frowned.

"Too much. It's not that kind of meeting," she said softly, almost scolding herself, and placed it back in the wardrobe.She moved quickly now, pulling out a white blouse, then a navy sweater, and finally a pastel yellow cardigan. Each time she examined them in the mirror, a thought crossed her mind—"too formal," "too plain," "not right."Her bed was now covered with an assortment of clothes, but she was no closer to deciding. She glanced at her phone on the desk and hesitated for a moment. Picking it up, she searched for the address she had saved earlier.

"This store... it's nice, but..." she murmured, her finger hovering over the screen. She leaned back slightly, looking at the clothes strewn across her bed, and sighed. "I should look a little better if I'm going there."With renewed determination, she turned back to the wardrobe. Her fingers moved quickly over the hangers until they stopped at a light blue knit top. Pulling it out, she held it up to herself again.

"This one feels... good," she whispered, a small smile forming as she imagined how it would look. She paired it with simple, fitted jeans and placed the outfit carefully on the chair next to her.Next, she moved to her desk, where her hairbrush and accessories were neatly arranged. Sitting down, she ran the brush through her hair slowly, watching her reflection. "Maybe just a little braid?" she wondered aloud, twisting a small section of her hair experimentally.

Satisfied with her hair, she glanced at her earrings. "Something simple," she decided, picking out a pair of silver studs and putting them on. She took one last look in the mirror, smoothing her hair and adjusting her posture.The room felt quiet as she stepped back and admired her chosen outfit. Finally, she picked up her phone again, tapping on the saved address. "This shop looks perfect," she said with confidence, saving it to her notes.

[After preparing herself, she heads downstairs.]

She walked into the living room, where her father was sitting comfortably on the sofa, his fingers tapping away on a controller as he played a video game.his attention flicked to her as she stepped into the room.

"Oh, you're already all dressed up," he said with a teasing smile, pausing the game.

"Yeah, I need to be there by 3:30," she replied, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. Her tone was casual, but there was a faint hint of excitement in her voice.Her father leaned back, tilting his head with a smirk. "So, you're going out with a boy, huh?"Her eyes widened slightly, and she crossed her arms. "Dad, it's not like that. We're just meeting at the shop, that's all!"

He chuckled, clearly enjoying her reaction. "Alright, alright. Anyway, my girl needs some money, right? Go check my desk drawer; there's some cash you can use. Go ahead and take it."She blinked, surprised. "Really? You're giving me money?"

"Of course," he said, grinning. "You're my daughter. Just don't spend it all in one place, okay?"Her face lit

up with happiness as she walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders in a tight hug. "Thank you so much, Dad! I thought I'd have to use my savings... I mean, I was already planning to replace the headphones I broke, and I wasn't sure how to manage everything. You're the best!"

He patted her arm lightly, pretending to act annoyed. "Yeah, yeah. Just enjoy your shopping or whatever this 'not a date' thing is. Don't make me regret it."Laughing, she let go and hurried to the desk drawer, pulling out the money.Just as she stepped out of the room, she saw her mother walking down the hallway toward her. Her mom stopped and looked her over with a smile.

"So, you're all dressed up," her mother said warmly. "Your father already told me everything, so you have my permission. Just be careful, okay?"

"I will, Mom," she said with a nod.

"And don't forget to inform us if it's getting late," her mother added, her tone turning serious. "Call your father if you need someone to pick you up. Don't walk home alone if it's dark."

"I'll let you know, Mom. Don't worry," she assured her, smiling.

Her mom patted her shoulder gently. "Alright, then. Have a good time."

Before leaving, she quickly returned to her father, leaned down, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'm going, Dad. See you later!"

"Alright, go have fun," he said, smirking again as he resumed his game.

She smiled back, gripping the money tightly as she headed out the door.

[After stepping outside, she starts walking while texting on her phone.]

She walked briskly, her phone still in her hands as her fingers tapped away. Her focus was entirely on the screen as she sent off a quick message.

Shared the location. I'll reach in 10 minutes.

While still looking at her phone, a voice suddenly called out, breaking the silence around her.

"Hey."

Her body stiffened, the voice catching her completely off guard. She stopped mid-step, her eyes remaining on the screen as her mind raced.

"Why does it have to happen now?"

[ In Mall ]

The hero arrived at the bustling shopping mall. As he stepped through the entrance, he pulled out his phone to double-check the location she had shared earlier. Confirming the name of the shopping mall matched, he slid the phone back into his pocket and started walking inside.

The place was lively, filled with people shopping, chatting, and moving from one store to another. The sounds of laughter, chatter, and the occasional announcement from the mall's speakers created a vibrant

atmosphere.As the hero walked further, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Pulling it out, he saw an unknown number flashing on the screen. Without hesitation, he answered the call.

"Hello?" he said, holding the phone to his ear.

"Hey! Are you here already? Where are you?" her voice came through the line.

"I'm inside the mall," he replied calmly. "Where are you?"

"Um..." she hesitated for a moment. "I'm near the fountain with the glass wall behind it. I think it's in the center of the mall or something? I'm not really familiar with the layout here."

The hero paused, mentally visualizing her location. "Oh, I know where that is. Stay there; I'll come to you."

"Okay, I'm waiting here," she said and hung up.

After ending the phone call, she stood in the spot she had mentioned, glancing around nervously. Her two friends were already there. Kaito, her energetic male friend, leaned casually against a railing, while Aiko, her cheerful female friend, stood beside him, adjusting the strap of her bag.

Kaito was the first to speak, his tone dripping with disbelief. "I can't believe it. You actually made a friend from outside of the school? And now you're even going out with him without saying a word to us. Don't you think that's a bit... unfair?"

Aiko chimed in, crossing her arms with a playful pout. "Yeah, seriously! You didn't even tell us anything about this. And now you're saying you're here to buy headphones for him because you broke his? That sounds... crazy!"

Kaito chuckled, shaking his head. "Honestly, I just want to meet this guy. How did someone manage to become your friend so easily in just one day? I mean, do you know how long it took me to become friends with you? More than a week! This guy must be super lucky."

Aiko nodded, agreeing with Kaito. "Yeah, me too. I had to work hard to be your friend. I really want to see what's so special about him."

Kaito leaned forward slightly, his curiosity getting the better of him. "So, what's his name? At least tell us that much."

She hesitated for a moment, her eyes shifting nervously. "His name is… uh… Ken."

"Ken, huh?" Kaito repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Well, okay, but where is he? You called him just now, didn't you? Why isn't he here yet?"

Just as Kaito finished speaking, the hero appeared, walking toward them. His voice was calm and steady as he said, "So, you're here. Shall we go?"