Ren and Izzy walked through the bustling mall hand in hand, fingers comfortably intertwined. Bright overhead lights reflected off polished tile floors as they passed shop after shop, colorful window displays glowing with new clothes, gadgets, and posters.
A woman walked by with a young girl in tow. The little girl suddenly pointed straight at Izzy.
"I want my hair just like hers!" she exclaimed.
Ren and Izzy both caught it at the same time. They exchanged a quick, amused look.
"Let’s hit a sneaker store," Ren said, already steering them.
"A sneaker store at Jefius?" Izzy raised an eyebrow, giving him a skeptical side-eye. "What, you want us arrested?"
"Come on." He was already turning toward it, gently tugging her along with a grin. No real choice offered.
They’d come here dozens of times with Bishop, just to stand around and admire shoes none of them could afford.
The moment they stepped inside, heavy bass music thumped through the air, mixed with the strong, clean scent of new rubber and fresh leather. Rows of shoe boxes lined the walls from floor to ceiling, every colorway imaginable displayed under harsh white spotlights that made the sneakers pop.
Izzy glanced at Ren as they walked deeper into the store. She didn’t love this, not now, not with how things had changed between them.
They moved slowly along the display wall. The store assistant, leaning against the counter chatting with his girlfriend, clocked them immediately.
"Kids," he muttered to her, then glanced up at the security cameras.
Izzy ran her fingers lightly along the display, pulled out a box, checked the price tag, and gently slid it back.
"Try them on," Ren said, already reaching for the card in his pocket.
"Ren." She tried to remind him where they stood financially.
『Don’t push it. I get it. I really do. 』
"Z. Just try them on," he insisted softly.
The assistant watched them without moving at first. Ren raised a hand.
The man finally came over, clearly reluctant. This wasn’t the first teenage couple about to waste his time.
"Need something?" No greeting. Neither of them cared.
"She wants to try those." Ren pointed at the white and pink pair.
"Those are five hundred."
Ren didn’t blink. Izzy did, visibly uncomfortable.
"Size?"
"Eight and a half." Ren answered before she could.
The man looked at him, unimpressed.
『You’re really taking this all the way, bro. 』
Izzy sat on the small bench. The assistant handed over the gleaming white and pink shoes. She slipped off her sneakers and pulled the new ones on, laces whispering as she tied them.
"You like them?" Ren asked, watching her.
She stood and looked at herself in the full-length mirror, turning her foot slightly. The shoes looked perfect.
"Yeah," she admitted softly.
"We’ll take them," Ren said.
The assistant’s expression curdled, clearly expecting this to fall apart.
"Card or cash?"
"Card."
"Right." He headed for the counter. Ren followed.
Izzy stayed at the mirror for a moment, then slipped her old sneakers into the empty box.
『Where is he getting this money? This isn’t good. I don’t want him stretching himself like this for me. 』
She watched her reflection, then slid the box into her backpack.
『But I love them. I’ve wanted these forever. 』
Ren came back from the counter. "Let’s go."
They hurried out of the store, hands locked together, laughing as they ran through the bright mall corridors.
The assistant watched them leave, shaking his head. "That kid’s definitely spending Daddy’s card," he told his girlfriend.
"Do you hear the garbage coming out of your mouth? Shut up." She stared through him. "Kids in high school are dropping cash on their girls like it’s nothing, and you! When’s the last time you bought me anything?"
Ren and Izzy walked past the brightly lit game studio, colorful posters glowing under the mall lights, when Izzy suddenly stopped. Tucked between stores was a classic photo booth plastered with shiny Lady Vega stickers.
Izzy turned to him with that unmistakable look in her eyes.
"No," Ren said, already letting her pull him inside with a grin.
They ducked through the curtain, the heavy fabric swinging shut behind them, sealing them in the small, dimly lit space. Ren fed his card into the slot. The screen flickered to life.
Izzy quickly fixed her silver curls in the mirror. "I wasn’t ready for this. Do I look terrible?"
"No, you don’t," Ren said, watching her reflection. "You look way more than terrible."
She laughed as the countdown started flashing on the screen.
Neither of them was ready. The first flash caught Izzy mid-sentence, mouth open, and Ren staring at her instead of the camera.
They checked the preview and burst out laughing.
"Okay. Okay." Izzy straightened up, trying to compose herself, brushing her hair back. "We’re doing this properly now."
"Don’t try too hard," Ren teased, leaning in closer.
Second flash. Still not quite right. Izzy leaned into him playfully and stuck her tongue out. Third flash.
Then she turned, cupped his face gently, and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. The fourth flash caught the moment perfectly, her eyes closed, his surprised but happy expression.
The machine hummed warmly. The photo strip slid slowly out of the slot.
Izzy snatched it before it finished printing, holding the glossy strip up to the thin strip of light leaking through the curtain. Her smile softened as she looked at the images.
"I’m keeping this," she said quietly, almost to herself.
"I printed two strips," Ren replied with a small smile. He was already folding his copy and tucking it carefully into his pocket.
"I genuinely wonder what took us so long," Izzy said as they stepped back out into the bright mall corridors, the noise and lights washing over them again.
Ren didn’t answer.
『I was scared of losing a friend. 』
Her phone rang again. Izzy reached into her pocket and thumbed the volume down without even looking at the screen.
Ren pulled her closer, wrapping his arm around her waist as they walked out of the mall together, the warm afternoon sun greeting them outside.