A shopping mall towered in the heart of the city... Its massive glass facade reflected the daylight, making the bustle inside palpable even from the outside. People were constantly flowing in and out... the doors opening and closing without rest.
Amidst the crowd stood a lone figure: Paul. He stood right in front of the mall, hands shoved in his pockets... his shoulders slightly slumped... but his gaze was steady. He was waiting for someone. As time passed, the crowd around him shifted, faces coming and going... but the person he was waiting for was still nowhere to be seen.
Paul raised his head slightly. His eyes drifted to the massive entrance of the mall. He watched the people entering and leaving. Then, he thought to himself:
Actually, I wanted to buy the cleats sooner. A hint of dissatisfaction appeared on his face at the thought. His brows furrowed ever so slightly. He turned his head to the left and pursed his lips. He continued grumbling internally:
But because Grace bought too many clothes before, Mom scolded us, and I had to wait for the next allowance. That memory flashed before his eyes. His mother's voice... Grace's indifferent attitude... his own silence... it all came alive in his mind for a brief second.
Paul's shoulders slumped a bit more. He let his body lean forward, as if carrying an invisible burden. The struggles of being a teenager... he thought, letting out a deep sigh.
Just then... a voice came from his right. Familiar.
"I'm surprised you got here before me."
Paul turned his head to the right. His eyes focused on the source of the voice. Violet was there. Her hands were on her hips... she was looking at Paul with a poised stance. Her expression was subtle—neither fully serious nor entirely relaxed.
"I used to be the one waiting for you."
Paul's eyes involuntarily drifted to her clothes. There was no school uniform. Instead, she had a simpler... yet more natural look. Without thinking, Paul spoke:
"You look even prettier without the school clothes."
The sentence hung in the air. Violet's face changed instantly. Her eyes widened. "Huh??"
Paul acted as if nothing had happened. He began walking toward the mall. "Let's go inside the store." His steps were calm. He looked relaxed, as if what he had just said was the most ordinary sentence in the world.
Violet stayed frozen for a few seconds. Then, looking at his back, she spoke: "I can't fathom how you can act so casually after saying something like that..."
As Paul continued walking, he thought: But I'm only speaking my true thoughts.
The two of them entered the mall. The moment they stepped inside, the atmosphere shifted. The coolness of the outside gave way to a warm and bustling environment. The lights were bright. Shops were lined up. Different music drifted from every direction. The crowd of people flowed like a river.
Paul and Violet moved through the crowd. Finally, Paul stopped and raised his hand, pointing to a shop. "I liked this one."
Violet looked on with surprise. "Have you been here before?"
Paul kept walking. "Yes, I came here with Grace."
This answer changed the expression on Violet's face. Her gaze turned slightly dull. "I see." A short answer, but the tone had shifted. Paul noticed this and looked at her, but he couldn't make sense of it. A puzzled expression formed on his face, but he said nothing.
They entered the store together. The interior was organized. The shelves... the lights... everything was eye-catching. But Paul's attention was focused on a single point: the cleats. He walked over to that section without wasting any time. Violet followed behind him.
Paul's eyes were shining. He looked at the cleats on the shelves. The colors... the models... the details... they all caught his attention. "They all look great. Which one should I get? I'm already indecisive."
Violet smiled. "You're just picking out cleats. I'm surprised you're being so serious about it."
Paul turned to her immediately. "We're going to continue shopping after the cleats. If you don't pick quickly, you'll have to deal with the nagging later, just so you know."
Violet looked away. "Oops! I'm about to enter a debate I can't win." But then... something changed. Her eyes returned to the cleats. This time, she looked more carefully. "We have plenty of time. Try on whatever you want."
Paul smiled. "I'm glad to hear that."
Just then... someone approached Paul's left side. A familiar face. A store employee. She spoke with a smile:
"Welcome back. Have you come to buy cleats this time?"
Paul turned his head toward her. "Yes, I'm getting cleats. Is there a brand you recommend?"
Meanwhile, Violet was scanning the woman—silently, carefully.
The employee looked at the cleats. "If you're thinking of something classic, I can recommend the 'Umbro' brand; they are incredibly durable."
Paul thought to himself as he looked at the woman: In my previous life, I never used any cleats other than 'Umbro' anyway. Though that was because they were my sponsor... Then he shifted his gaze to the cleats. But considering my current frail and weak body... He turned his head back to the woman. "Rather than a classic, could you recommend a lightweight cleat for me?"
The woman thought for a brief moment. Then she looked at the shelves, reached out, and took a pair of cleats. She held them out to Paul. "In that case, I definitely recommend 'Puma'."
Paul looked at the cleats. They were blue with black stripes on the back. The 'Puma' logo sat clearly on the front. They glistened slightly under the lights. A smile formed on Paul's face.
"I'll take your recommendation."
He got his size and examined them for a short while. Then he made his decision. After the payment was made... Paul and Violet left the store. But the moment they stepped out... Violet's face changed. She pouted.
"You couldn't take your eyes off the lady."
Paul smiled slightly. "But my eyes were only on the cleats."
Violet remained unresponsive. "Anyway, I'm glad for that much..." Her voice had flattened, but a small flutter was still there inside her.
The rest of the day passed differently for both of them. They wandered between stores, getting lost in the crowd. Sometimes they spoke... sometimes they were silent. But time continued to flow. And this day... was a bit more than just an ordinary shopping day.