Small Date With Leora, Meeting Alice Again

They roamed the area, and stopped at a small shop tucked between a mana lamp vendor and a used-gear reseller.

The sign read "Thread & Fur".

Inside, warm yellow light fell on shelves stacked with plush toys, hand-woven cushions, and trinkets that hummed gently when touched.

Leora walked ahead.

Isaac followed, still unsure what Emily would like.

He paused near the back wall.

His eyes landed on a large teddy bear sitting upright in a wooden crate.

Its fur was a soft, golden-white, with a chubby belly and stubby limbs.

A green ribbon was tied neatly under its neck. The bear's round eyes had a slight droop, and its face was frozen in a grumpy frown.

Leora stepped beside him.

"That one."

"This one?"

She nodded.

"It looks just like you when someone wakes you up early."

"I don't look like that."