Amber stood in front of the magazine shelf, running her fingers along the glossy spines. "Let's see… where is the latest edition…" she muttered under her breath as her hand moved across the row.
Her fingers brushed against a familiar logo. "Yeah, this is—" She pulled the fashion magazine out, but as she slid it through the gap, the space between the shelves opened just enough for her to glimpse two figures on the other side. "Are… is he…?" Amber narrowed her eyes, pressing closer to the shelf. "He really is…!"
Heart skipping a beat, she hurried to the counter, paid for the magazine in a rush, and dashed out of the store, slipping behind a pillar to keep them in sight.
Amber trailed after them at a careful distance, ducking behind people and signs whenever they turned their heads. "He really is K… but who is he with…?" she thought, studying the girl at his side. The girl's face was hidden behind a mask, oversized sunglasses, and a cap pulled low. Everything about her screamed suspicious. But what shocked Amber even more was—
The girl was clinging to K's arm with both hands, pressed right up against him. How…? Knowing K's personality, being this close to him should be impossible for anyone. Just look at her, so lovey-dovey with him… And I can hear them from here. K still looks annoyed, but… in a different way. He isn't shaking her off at all… Amber thought, walking slowly, eyes fixed on them.
"Do you really need to walk like this?" K asked, voice dripping with annoyance.
"Of course!" the girl—Airi—replied cheerfully. "It's rare for us to go shopping together."
"I understand your enthusiasm… but don't you feel awkward walking like this? Look, everyone is staring at us," K grumbled, glancing around.
"Why would I feel awkward?" Airi tilted her head, clinging to him even tighter. "We're siblings. We're supposed to stay close, right? Besides, other people are just witnesses to our beautiful bond."
She shuffled even closer, almost glued to his side.
"But I'm the one feeling awkward… and—" K sighed and gently pushed at her forehead with his hand. "Just give me some personal space."
He shoved her a step away, irritation written all over his face.
"No…! Please don't do that…" Airi protested dramatically, stumbling back toward him and grabbing his arm again. A few people passing by slowed down, openly watching their little scene.
This feels so melodramatic… Amber thought, but her curiosity sparked stronger. She took out her phone and secretly snapped a photo of them. "Maybe I shouldn't go too deep into this…" she murmured, looking at the picture once more.
She turned away, slipping her phone back into her bag, and walked off
"So, where are we going...? And please choose something where we don't draw attention," K asked, his voice laced with concern as he glanced around at the lingering stares from passersby.
"Of course! I created a big, detailed list for today," Airi chirped triumphantly, whipping out a small notebook from her bag. She flipped it open with flourish, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she began reading aloud.
"As I thought, we'll have lunch starting at 2:00 PM, lasting about 30 minutes. We'll order light snacks, which take around 10 minutes to arrive..." She flipped the page smoothly, not missing a beat. "Then we wait another 10 minutes, chatting casually. Once lunch comes, I'll feed you myself... and you'll feed me in return."
"Sorry...? Did I hear that right...?" K stammered, his face flushing as he tried to interject, but Airi barreled on, ignoring him completely.
"After that, we'll walk around for 30 minutes to reach our next destination. There, we'll do some window shopping, try on outfits, sample free food..." Her voice grew even more animated. "Then off to a movie. It will be a romantic sad story, and finally, dinner—where I already made the reservation!"
She snapped the notebook shut with a smug grin, turning to him. "So, little bro, what do you think abou—" Her words trailed off. K was gone. She whipped around, spotting his retreating figure sprinting down the street.
"K?! Hey, stop!" Airi yelped, shoving her notebook back into her bag and bolting after him, her cap nearly flying off in the chase.
K sprinted down the crowded street, weaving through pedestrians, his heart pounding from Airi's overwhelming enthusiasm. "No way am I surviving that stupid too detailed Plan," he muttered under his breath.
But Airi was faster than she looked. Her sneakers pounded the pavement, cap bobbing as she closed the gap with surprising speed. "K! Wait up!" she shouted, lunging forward to grab the back of his jacket just as he rounded a corner.
He stumbled to a halt, turning with a dramatic sigh. "Seriously? Why are you always easily caught me.!"
Airi panted, hands on her knees before straightening up with a pout. "Hey! That's not fair! I was just excited about our day together. Why'd you run off like that?"
K crossed his arms, smirking despite himself. "Excited? That 'plan' of yours was like a military operation for Soldiers. Lunch at exactly 2:00 PM, ten minutes to chat, mutual feeding time? Who plans snack arrival times?"
Airi's pout deepened, her shoulders slumping as K's sarcasm hit home. She fiddled with the edge of her notebook, eyes dropping to the ground. "Fine... maybe it was a bit much. I just wanted today to be perfect, you know? For us."
K paused, his smirk fading at the sight of her dejected expression. The street noise faded into the background as guilt tugged at him—teasing was one thing, but seeing her like this hit differently.
Airi sighed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Okay, little bro. You win. You lead the plan however you want. No schedules, no feeding, just... whatever feels right to you." She offered a small, hopeful smile, handing over the reins.