I walked through the bustling streets, the air was filled with the sweet smell of fresh pastries and enticing aromas. The shops were alive with color and life—sweets, clothes, books, you name it. But amidst all the hustle and bustle, I spotted it. My eyes widened, and I couldn't help but shout out, "Yeah! There it is! The Great International Sweet Shop! I'm coming for you!" My voice rang with excitement, like I'd just discovered treasure, and I started running toward it like a kid on Christmas Eve.
As I made my way toward the shop, I noticed the crowd. People were pushing and shoving to get their hands on the finest sweets in the city. It was like a scene straight out of a movie where the protagonist has to fight their way to their goal. But before I could even get my foot in the door, I saw something even more exciting than candy: a pickpocket. A girl, stealthily swiping something from an unsuspecting man, then slipping into the sweet shop with the agility of a ninja. I raised an eyebrow, impressed by her technique.
Not one to let such a moment slip away, I casually sauntered toward the door, looking as distracted as possible, so that the pickpocket would think I was an easy target. And sure enough, like clockwork, she followed me inside. What happened next, however, was unexpected.
Just as I was about to make my move, an old lady appeared in front of me out of nowhere. I froze mid-step, muttering under my breath, "No, please, god, no..." I had just caught a thief in action, and now this grandma was about to complicate everything. The old lady raised a piece of paper in front of me, asking, "Young man, could you tell me where the Black Palace is? I'm looking for it." Her voice was so sweet, but that name—Black Palace—sounded more like the setting for an ancient evil sorcerer's lair than a place anyone would want to visit.
Trying my best to remain polite, I glanced at the paper, shrugged, and said, "Oh, it's just after the seventh shop." She smiled brightly, thanked me, and gave me a parting "God bless you." I returned a simple, "Anytime." But just as I was giving a polite wave, I felt something... strange. Someone was trying to pickpocket me.
I could almost hear her thoughts as she sneaked her hand into my pocket. I swiftly stopped her in her tracks, grabbing her wrist before she could pull anything out. With a smirk, I said, "That pocket's empty." She froze, eyes wide, looking more scared than a cat caught in a dog park.
Feeling a surge of confidence, I added, "Don't think it's impossible." And before she could say anything, I casually mentioned, "I can read your mind." At this point, she was so stunned she couldn't form words properly. But then, in a mix of shock and frustration, she cracked a joke about how I caught her. Classic.
She was wearing brown, full-body ghost-like clothes, and her cape flew off dramatically as she backed away, revealing her yellow hair and eyes that looked like they belonged to a character out of a supernatural detective show. She looked even more freaked out when she saw me remove my hoodie and reveal my full heroic persona. I stared at her and said, "What the hell? You try to rob me, and now you're screaming like a character from a horror movie?" She nodded in panic, and then—bam—she cracked another joke. I didn't even know what was going on at this point.
The surrounding crowd had started murmuring, not about her, but about me. Of course. They all seemed oddly attracted to me, blushing and whispering as though I had just won some popularity contest without even trying. I glanced at the girl, who was still in a state of disbelief, and before I knew it, she fainted.
Naturally, I panicked. Why was this always happening to me? I rushed to her side, lifted her up, and dashed out of the store like some action hero on a mission. It felt weirdly dramatic, especially when I had to question her life status as I ran, "Is she alive?" She woke up just long enough to make eye contact before promptly fainting again. This whole scenario repeated itself twice.
I sighed heavily, like a man burdened with the world's most ridiculous problems, and in the middle of my run, I quickly dialed someone on my phone. "There's a girl here. Analyze and take her with you," I ordered like I was calling in backup for a serious operation.
In the blink of an eye, I was back in the market, cape on, and my life continuing to unfold like a bizarre, action-packed slice-of-life anime. I acted as if nothing had happened, strolled into the sweet shop, and picked up my treats. Life goes on, right? But just as I was about to exit the shop, a gut feeling told me something was wrong. I could sense someone had broken into my house. And I had a feeling I knew exactly who it was.
I rushed home, adrenaline coursing through my veins, only to find the door wide open, unlocked with a key. The curtains on the front window were drawn open, revealing someone inside. I wasn't sure what to expect, but when I walked in, the last thing I expected to see was... my sister.
I stood frozen in the doorway, staring at her in shock. There she was, looking like an angel who had just stepped out of a beachside photoshoot. Her sea-waved light brown hair shimmered in the light, and her brown eyes glistened like she belonged in a magazine. My mouth went dry, and I stammered, "What... What a surprise! Ihana-chan."
She looked at me with a teasing smile, clearly knowing I was about to lose my cool, which I did, obviously. "What are you doing here? You didn't even knock!" I almost said, "Did you break into my house because you missed me that much?" but instead, I just stood there trying to look like I wasn't panicking on the inside.
It was about to be one hell of a reunion.