-
"Oh my god! What a cute girl you have, miss!"
"My my, your daughter is adorable! How about a wedding arrangement? I have a son, you know~"
"What's her name?"
Lia smiled with motherly pride. "Her name is Astrid! Isn't she just the sweetest?"
"She sure is! So elegant—she must get it from her mother."
Lia chuckled warmly, soaking in the compliments, while beside her stood the so-called "sweet girl"—Astrid.
Veins throbbed on Astrid's forehead as he smiled stiffly, the edges of his mouth twitching like a man about to break.
'This... this is hell. Literal hell. Someone kill me now. Why did she go through with this!?'
---
Two Hours Earlier
"Oh hell no! There's no way I'm wearing that!" Astrid protested, holding up a long, lacy white gown as though it were made of poison.
"But it's one of your sister's old dresses~ And it would look so cute on you," Lia sang mischievously.
"B-but Mom!"
"No buts! Put it on—now," she commanded, physically shoving him toward the changing room.
Astrid sighed in defeat. 'Why am I always the one getting humiliated in this house…?'
---
Back in the present, Astrid sulked in silence as the two of them strolled through the massive mall. They had barely started shopping for new clothes, yet already he'd accumulated enough trauma to last a lifetime.
He scanned the area, eyes sharp like a hunted deer. Escape. He needed an escape.
His eyes locked onto a beacon of hope—the restroom sign.
"Hey, Mom," he asked sweetly, "can I go use the toilet real quick?"
Lia narrowed her eyes in suspicion.
"Promise I'll be fast!" he added, his face a picture of innocence.
"Fine. But don't wander off, alright?"
With a thumbs up, he bolted—more like sprinted—toward the men's room. Some passersby blinked, confused. "Why is that little girl running into the boys' bathroom?"
Astrid ignored them.
As soon as he got inside, he kicked open a stall and relieved himself with a tired sigh. "Ugh... using the bathroom in this ridiculous outfit is a nightmare."
He zipped up and turned to leave—only to freeze.
Standing there, not three feet from him, was a boy about his age with golden hair, golden eyes, and a black-and-gold noble's suit. He was staring straight at Astrid.
"AAAH—Creeper!" Astrid jumped back, nearly tripping over his own dress.
The boy didn't flinch. He simply gave a refined bow and flashed a dazzling smile.
"A lady such as yourself shouldn't be using such... unladylike words."
Astrid blinked.
'The hell is this? Why does he sound like a romance anime protagonist?'
He scanned the guy quickly. Blond hair. Fancy outfit. Confident aura. Then it hit him.
'Wait... isn't this Leo? The MC's number one rival? The side character that made the fanbase go feral?'
Leo raised a hand gallantly. "My name is Leo. And you are...?"
"That's none of your business!" Astrid huffed and shoved past him, storming out of the restroom.
---
Astrid rushed floor to floor, trying to find Lia in the endless maze of shops. The mall had over twenty floors—each larger than a football field—and he was only on floor five.
Worst. Day. Ever.
And as if the universe hated him, guess who kept popping up on every floor?
Leo.
"My lady, please wait!" he called, chasing after Astrid with sparkles practically coming out of his eyes. "From the moment I saw you, I knew you were the one!"
'What the actual fuck!? Why is he everywhere!? Doesn't he have parents or something?'
"Stop running! I just want to talk! I love you!"
"HELL NO! I don't swing that way!" Astrid snapped, dodging behind a display of mannequins. He peeked around it, only to see Leo standing dramatically under a glowing shop sign like a second-rate shoujo love interest.
Astrid pleaded with the nearby adults for help, but they all smiled and muttered, "Aw, kids these days. Playing tag, huh?"
'They think this is a game!? This is STALKING!'
Just when Astrid thought things couldn't possibly get worse—
BOOOOM!
The floor shook violently as a massive explosion tore through the elevator shaft and staircase, blowing out the walls and sending flames roaring into the air. A shockwave rippled across the floor, shattering glass, toppling shelves, and hurling terrified shoppers to the ground.
Screams echoed through the floor as chaos swallowed the mall.
A second explosion ripped through the stairwell, this time followed by showers of glass raining from the ceiling. Smoke poured into the room, mixing with the stench of fire and panic. Shoppers scattered like ants, trampling over bags, clothing, and each other.
Astrid coughed violently, covering his mouth with the sleeve of the ridiculous white dress.
'Oh god, I knew it. I jinxed it. Why do I always open my mouth!?'
From the smoke, figures emerged—figures in dark crimson robes, their hoods low over their brows. They weren't hiding their faces. In fact, it was like they wanted to be seen. Their eyes burned with fanaticism, their mouths curled in malicious grins.
One of them raised his hand, and a surge of fiery red aether spun around his fingers.
"All of you! Down on your knees! Move and die!"
The aether flared and a bolt of raw energy surged across the hall, exploding into a wall and throwing chunks of marble across the floor. People screamed louder.
Astrid ducked behind an overturned bench, heart racing.
'These guys aren't random bandits... they're organized.'
He peeked out. One of the robed men was scanning the floor like a hawk. Another pointed his staff and lifted an entire kiosk into the air, before slamming it down with a crash that silenced anyone still standing.
Leo appeared beside him, pale, breathing heavily.
"A-Astrid!" he whispered. "I found you!"
Astrid turned to him. "You found me? Why are you still here!?"
Leo looked embarrassed. "I couldn't leave without making sure you were okay—"
"—You've got a death wish, that's what you've got!" Astrid snapped, dragging him back down as a red beam passed over their heads.
"Shit! Things never go my way goddamn It!"
******