Heading to the garage, about ten different cars were parked. Most were either black or gray. Although she knew less about cars, they seemed very expensive. Among the blinding collection, Orion took out the key, and a jet-black car suddenly had its lights turned on.
"Let's go" Pulling the door for the driver seat. Behind him, she slipped into the backseat. Orion gave a glance and turned on the engine.
Unlike other times, there was no chauffeur. But rather than being surprised, she quietly dreaded for her safety, but the view of the city center caught soon took her attention. The place was unlike her little town. The buildings were towering and tall. The streets were neat, and plenty of cars drove alongside them. Even the lanes were bigger than all the streets in her town combined.
After about thirty minutes, they arrived at the shopping hub's city center. Arriving at the "Lotus Mall," they parked the car and headed upstairs to the ground floor. The trending music from the famous group Mauve was being played.
Plenty of food stalls were placed around the open walking area, and the peppery and spicy scent of food was in the air. Couples, families, and little children were all walking to and fro.
At the front door, a big, life-size Santa greeted them. Taken aback, her eyes widened, but she shook hands with him and gave a bright smile. Orion, walking right beside him, led her inside, where a big ice ring was in the middle of the mall. Above was a meter-long chandelier with dim golden light.
"Wow." Helle gasped. The children and even the adults were skating elegantly on the ice. Some even danced to the music, while others skated at a very fast pace.
"Want to try it out?" Orion asked while putting on a mask.
"Eh? No, thank you. I don't want to break a bone," she said, looking away and heading to the decorations shop. Despite hiding his face, Orion's tall figure and handsome attire, plus the aura, attracted the eyes of passersby.
"You won't. It's pretty easy." She could feel his smirk underneath those words!!
"More like you like seeing me miserable," she murmured under her breath and entered the shop. Right away, the crisp texture of burning cinnamon entered their nostrils, and a group of staff wearing red Christmas hats greeted them.
Helle straight headed to the stacks of winter decorations that had been freshly kept. Christmas trees, boxes of candles, many little shiny balls, stars, and even a little train to go around about the tree. Miniature Santa Claus, big socks, and many more.
She checked each of the decorations one by one to make sure she didn't overconsume. After all, she wasn't the one paying. Right?
"You didn't like these?" Orion had his head lowered and almost pressed his cheeks with Helle.
"Eh?" She slightly turned to the side, only to realize that Orion was far too close than she'd have expected. Unconsciously, her feet took two back steps. "Well, not really." Her cheeks were dusty pink.
"I think this is good. It'd look good at the door," he picked up a sock in a bright red. A golden, thick thread tied across it.
"Well, then Let's take that. We should get some trees and also, maybe some reindeer. How about, um... these?" She pointed her finger to the LED lights with little gifts, stars, and snowflakes. The lights had red, green, and golden lights. Embarrassed by her actions, she bought more items than she'd wanted to.
"Sure," he shrugged, and like a little kid, she immediately got a hold of them. The trolley was covered with decorations, and at the checkout time, Orion simply gave his card for the payment. The staff packed the decor in three huge bags.
"Thank you." Helle grabbed a bag, and Orion carried the rest. It was too heavy for two people.
"Do you need some help?" concerningly she asked.
"Not really," he denied, although his hands had started to get slippery.
"Uh, I'll shop less next time. It's just... I got carried away."
"No need to be sad." Orion had a faint smirk "I'm more than capable of buying ten times of these things."
"Eh?" She didn't mean about buying, though.
"Who do you think owns this mall?"
"Wha-... you?" She whispered slowly, and Orion nodded.
It was like discovering a secret! Yet it was also a reminder of the gap between them. The man she was about to engage with was a prominent figure. But for the time, he felt near and almost the same as her.
~
They shopped around more stores and bought a little bit of everything. At one of the clothing stores, a dress caught Helle's eye, so she went to change into it while Orion stayed out.
"Brother?" Leah, who was with Gramps Arthur at the mall shopping for some gifts, was astounded to find her 'Always busy brother' at a woman's clothing store. He was too easy to recognize even under that mask.
"Uh? Oh, Leah and Gramps. Hello," Orion greeted. He was seated on the leather couch, and a few big bags were around him.
"Orio, How're you, my dear grandson?" Arthur right away sat beside him and wrapped his arms around Orion's shoulders.
"I'm well." It was a short answer and not even a smile.
"Don't you have work today, brother? You don't even see the sun because of how much you work." Leah spared no time to tease her brother.
"I'm taking a break today." He rolled his eyes at Leah's remarks but made no effort to return comments. Suddenly the trial room's door opened, and Helle walked out while wearing thick leggings, an elegant black poncho that had little slits to show her hands and knee-high boots.
"How does it?" Helle was as radiant as a dandelion while approaching them, and just like a bee drawn to a flower, Orion too had a softened expression.
"It's good," he approved.
'Tch, such a gold digger,' Leah claimed while hysterically glaring at the couple. There had been many women who had approached him, and to all, he had been abashed, so why? He was supposed to only fancy Selah!
"I'll go and try a few more."
While Helle returned to the trial room, Arthur remarked, "She's opening up to you."
"We are soon to be married after all." It was a sharp response. Arthur simply gave a kind-hearted smile. "Indeed," he responded.
"Isn't Sister Selah much better than Brother Orion? I mean, she's so mature. She wouldn't get all giddy just because you accompanied her to buy clothes. She lacks what it takes to be a Lennox," Leah shrugged.
"Leah, dear, just because you've seen her juvenile side doesn't mean she lacks the power to stand her ground. Jud-"
"But it does show how lax she is. She clearly lacks what it takes, Grandpa." Leah raised her volume. With a shrill tone and flared eyes. She stood up from her seat and marched towards the trial room.
"Leah. It would be better if you sat down," Orion warned but in a heedless manner. His litter sister had always been a composed woman who knew what she had to do after all. Or so they thought.
Turning a blind ear to the warning, she walked inside the trial room.
"Who's there?" Helle was quick to zip up her skirt, and just then, Leah came to her view.
"Excuse me, but could yo-"
"Chaa!" Leah slapped Helle on her cheeks.