~•~

As Emelia and I move along, I held her hand tightly as I watch the place buzz around. There are families shopping, couples walking, kids pointing at something... but most of all, there is a mini bus-like car with open windows that hosts elderly people, and a driver in blue and gold uniform in front. There's also another smaller version but this time it has kids in it and few other adults following the mini bus. In the distance, I could see a group of kindergarten kids with three female adults guiding them, all wearing a white hat and a uniform, with two obviously dressed security guards following the group from behind.

There are also 'sweeper bots' running around, but instead of white color like what I saw from the streets earlier, this one is themed blue and gold. Not surprising, it's the signature of the mall after all. There are also tiny cameras flying above us, acting like a drone, except without rotors and no sound. All in all, it was a bustling place added by a lively music playing on the background.

It's simply amazing...

"Elias, where do you want to go first?" As Emilia asked, my first instinct is to go to a clothing store. Emilia was puzzled, "Do you want to buy Arcene a dress for a gift?"

Feeling a little embarrassed, I avoided her eyes, "I thought girls likes clothes and such..."

"She does like dresses and gowns but, Arcene does not lack any of those. If we gift her something like that, it won't show our sincerity. Don't you think so, Elias?"

I nodded, "Mom is right."

"Then, let's look around first, shall we?"

We passed by many stores, not really going inside to check, but instead it's more like a window shopping. Aside from the chatters of the crowd and the background songs, it was mostly a quite stroll. There was nothing really special, that's what I thought, until Emelia spotted a clothing store for men. It has a brand name called *'Luxité'*, and suddenly Emilia perked up, her face visibly brightened. 

"Elias, let's go over there for a moment."

I wanted to ask why would we go there when our objective was to search for a female related gift, not men's, but seeing her excited, I decided to just follow along quietly.

"In a hurry to prepare for Arcene's party, I've forgotten to arrange you an attire. Since we're already here, let's look for your suit." As Emilia said that, a gentleman in formal attire greeted us inside.

"Good afternoon, Ma'am! Welcome to Luxité, how may I assist you?"

"I'm here to look for my son's new suit. Can you show me your best ones?"

"Certainly, Ma'am! Please wait for a moment..."

I don't know how it happened, but everything suddenly went into a blur. All I remembered is that one moment I was placed to sit down, and then next I'm trying all the clothes the employee suggested to Emilia. First there was a black suit, then a formal red, dark grey, navy blue, dark brown...

"Oh, you look really cute... So adorable!" Both my mom and the employee sighed, they're eyes glinting as I walk out of the fitting room.

Emilia approaches me and held my cheeks, smoothing my brows as I gave her a sour face. "Don't look like I've forced you to swim in a mud, honey. You absolutely look so loveable!"

Above the round bench laid a handful of formal attires that they have picked up for me, each of them I've already tried. After petting my dark hair, Emilia stood in front without a word, seriously gazing over the clothes. She was quiet for full few minutes, and as the male employee watches by, he suddenly looks concerned, so he took a step closer and offered.

"If I may, Ma'am," he started, "you've arrived at the perfect timing! For this whole week, we're having a special promotion in celebration for the store's opening monthsary! These clothes are made in good quality, and with that I can offer you a discount if you buy at least two. These ones are up for the offer!" The employee grabs two of the suits and shows us with a bright smile.

Caught off guard, both me and Emilia stared, the room suddenly turned quiet. It was easy to guess that this employee must have thought my mom can't afford to buy any, as she looks so troubled, so he took this initiative to offer. Well, I can't blame him, not all people knows who's who after all.

"Oh no, that's not it," instead of being offended, Emilia smiles softly, "thank you for the offer though, I appreciate it. Are you new here?"

"Oh," the employee nods, "yes, I just started a week and..."

From the other side of the store is a door that suddenly opens, cutting off the employee. A person appeared from it, he was dressed in a colorful suit while wearing a shade. He was such an eye-catcher that all of us turned to look at him.

Spotting Emilia, the man took off his shades and smiles broadly, "Mrs. Hughes! It's nice to see you here!"

"Mr. Adams! I didn't knew you were here, your arrival is just perfect."

The man named Mr. Adams was faster than light on grasping Emilia's hand and shaking it with both of his, "I told you not to shy away from calling me a Miss! But that's okay, you're my beloved customer. I should be thanking you for gracing us your presence in my humble shop!"

Then Mr. Adams turns to the employee with a sharp look and ordered, "What are you standing there for? Go find Mrs. Hughes a seat!"

Although caught dumbfounded, after seeing the sharp glare the employee was quick to run and do the errand. Mr. Adams then turns back to Emilia, "Mrs. Hughes, apologies for my employee's crude behavior. I hope you won't take it to heart?"

"Your employee is new, so it's understandable. You don't have to worry yourself over it."

"You're so kind, Mrs. Hughes! Would you like some drinks? Tea, or water?"

"No, no need. I'm here for a quick shop and I just so happened to spot your brand, so I thought I should take a look around. Also, I'm with my son and I plan to purchase new attire he'd use for a party." After saying so, Emilia looks down to smile at me and pets my hair.

Mr. Adams then finally spotting me, he exclaims, "Oh! Is this your youngest, Mrs. Hughes? He's so cute!"

He quickly squats down to my height and offers a hand to me, "Hi! I'm Jason Adams, and your mommy here is calling me Mr. Adams, but you can always refer to me as Ms. Adams!"

I looked up to Emilia first and when she nods her head at me, I accepted his hand before greeting back, "Hello, my name is Elias Hughes and I'm seven years old. It's nice to meet you, Mr. Adams."

After shaking our hands, Mr. Adams pats my head while chuckling, "Like mother like son, indeed!"

The male employee returns with two chairs. After sitting down, Mr. Adams quickly took two clothes from the round bench that Emilia was mulling over earlier. "Are these the ones you've chosen, Mrs. Hughes?"

"Yes, but I can't decide which ones to pick..."

Mr. Adams claps his hands twice before taking Emelia's into his, "There is nothing to fret about, Mrs. Hughes! These clothes here are just for the general masses, it's not suiting for a reputable son of Hughes! Why don't we choose a style, then I'll personally bring you my own designs and collections tomorrow morning?"

"Since Mr. Adams have offered it first, then I won't decline."

After saying so, Mr. Adams ordered the same employee to fetch a gadget. At first glance it looked like a sturdy gold stick, about 11 cm long. After Mr. Adams taps a button, it suddenly displayed a virtual screen. Mr. Adams happily shows the screen with numerous designs, all of which are for boys my age or higher. 

Both him and my mom were enthusiastic, and both me and the employee quietly watch them joyfully busy themselves with the gadget. Sometimes they were pointing and nodding off to the screen, if not, the gadget would light up first before a holographic outfit emerges, virtually enfolding me with it. 

I tried not to freak out at the sudden action. It didn't hurt, there's no feeling, not even a warmth. It's just like trying out an outfit, but virtual style. 

"Sir--" the employee coughs, "Y-young master, are you alright?" He suddenly crouches down and asked with a low, albeit nervous voice. "You look pale."

I calmed my frightened heart before nodding to him, "it's nothing, thank you for asking."

"Would you like a drink? Water?"

He quickly fetch out a bottle out of nowhere and I politely thanked him, before taking it and quietly sipped.

Finally, after what felt like an ungodly amount of hours passed -- who knows how long -- Emilia announced that it was enough and that we need to go.

Mr. Adams was all smiles and flatter as he lead us the way out of the shop, saying thank you and later he will send a message regarding his visit tomorrow morning. I was more than glad to get as far away from that shop, and as soon as I spotted a toy store, I immediately held Emilia's hand and dragged her inside. Its better to go straight down to business, lest Emilia spots another shop and gets sidetracked again.

As usual, we were met with an enthusiastic employee. The woman happily guided us around, not forgetting to recommend toys to Emilia. "Is this for your son, Ma'am?"

Emilia answers the female employee, "Not quite, we're looking for a little girl's toys."

"Oh, I see! Then let me show you the way, Ma'am!"

Contrary to what I expected, the toy sections were laid-back, or traditional, to be specific. There were teddy bears with other animals, dolls, cooking set toys... It was boring, so to speak. The only ones that caught my attention are the puzzles, specifically a Jigsaw puzzle. Back on Earth, the jigsaw already has a fixed image to solve, but this one can change its image. Each pieces could change from a scenery to a fairy, from fairy to a dragon. The person can freely choose whichever image they wanted to solve. 

Talk about high-tech.

"Mom, Iona and Leona told me earlier that they wanted me to buy the gifts intended for Arcene for them." Since we're already here, I thought I might as well tell Emilia the other agenda I have.

"Oh?" Emilia asks, "You visited them this morning?"

"Yes, and they asked me to look for a sword and a hover...skate. Iona wanted to the sword, while Leona wanted a hoverskate, but I don't know the last one."

"Sword and a hoverskate?" She laughs quietly, "A hoverskate, to put it simply, is a pair of shoes that has a technology to float at around 20 or so centimeters height. I believe the technology is called M.E-Flota."

"Oh... Does it have tires?"

"Tires?" Emilia pinches my cheek as she giggles, "No, of course not. For something so small and simple, hoverskate does not need tires at all."

I then remembered about the cars without wheels, and comparing it to a pair of shoes, it seems like it doesn't need those things at all. Feeling a little embarrassed, I tried to change the subject and shifted it to the things around us. Thankfully Emilia just smiles before she quickly gets occupied to the other toys.

"Arcene is still a little 8 year old girl, it's dangerous to gift her a hoverskate and inappropriate to give her a sword toy. Tell your older sisters that mommy already has their gifts for Arcene prepared."

"Ok Mom."

While Emilia was busy looking over the teddy bears and the employee trying to sell her something, I decided to slip away and look around. On slightly far section, just near the jigsaw puzzles area, was two tall shelves full of boxes. A male employee spotted me looking over and immediately smiles.

"Hello, little guy! Would you like to take a look on these music boxes?"

"These are music boxes?"

The employee's smile brightened, "Why of course! But these are your traditional music boxes from back in the day, as it's with a built-in VChip. This helps the box to produce a virtual image! Would you like to see?"

Before I could ask what VChip is, the male employee quickly grabbed a skyblue-colored box, punched a button, and the box begins to light up faintly. A little figure of a superhero I've never seen before emerges from the middle of the box, which is actually a circular black glass. I'm guessing that's where the virtual picture comes from.

Soon after the superhero appeared, a superhero themed music started playing softly. Although the beat is lively and is designed for kids, it was not loud, but it's not something I could leisurely enjoy. I do appreciate the science behind this thing and quite the contrary, I'm more than interested...

"Do you like it, Elias?" Emilia's voice startled me, and she chuckles softly at my wide eyes staring up at her. She whispers an apology before gesturing to the music box, "Well?"

"I think it's good, but..." I hesitated to continue. Compared to childish things in here, only this music box have appealed to my taste. However it's not good enough, this box is quite lacking. Looking up to the rest of the music boxes did not help. At a glance it was easy to deduce that they're all the same with only different color and themes... 

Mediocre at its best.

If I make this as my birthday gift to a little girl -- a girl who's the pearl of a wealthy house and is long distanced related to the current royal family -- this simply means being disrespectful.

The idea is good, the product is not.

"But?" Emilia, seeing me troubled, says, "If you like it, then you like it. You don't have to think too much about it. Is this what you wanted to gift for little Arcene?"

I sneaked a glance at the male employee before answering, "It's not quite enough."

Both of them widen their eyes, and the employee dumbly looks down at the box his holding in silence. Emilia, on the other hand, chuckles softly before she turns to the employee, "I'm sorry, but we won't take this."

He immediately replies in a quick enthusiastic tone, "Oh no, it's alright, Ma'am! To each of their own, as the saying goes."

Seeing that we no longer held interest inside, we swiftly exited the toy shop. I noticed that Emilia wasn't holding any bag aside from her fancy looking one she originally brought along, even though earlier she was looking around so seriously, yet she didn't bought any at all. This just seems like the trip was pointless.

"Have you decided on what to gift Arcene on her birthday?" Emilia asks as we randomly stroll around.

I wanted to say yes, it's a music box, but as I've thought earlier, it's too mediocre. Not fitting to gift to someone of such high status.

"Do you want to gift her a music box, perhaps?" I didn't answer, and Emilia looks down at me before she pets my hair. "If that's what you want, then we'll just order one, alright? Though the quality here is not ideal, but that's not a problem. We can always find someone to make a desirable music box for us, no?"

My troubled thoughts suddenly clears out, "Wait, we can?"

She chuckles, "Silly, of course we can. What do you think of our family, just some cheap, empty vase for decorations?"

"Sorry, Mom, I didn't thought of that."

"That's fine. In the first place, we've only come here to look around, not to shop. Think of it as looking for inspiration, when found, we can just let an expert make it for us exclusively."

"Does that mean I can make suggestions?"

"Of course, you can. I'll make sure that it'll be made by an outstanding expert and you won't be disappointed by the result. After all, the receiver is most worthy of such things. Now, tell mommy, what kind of music box do you want to gift little Arcene?"

Emilia and I found a table nearby, ordered drinks, then I started telling her the ideas I want, added by little things I've seen around. As for the music, I don't know what music taste Arcene Ainsley has, and I'm not knowledgeable of it, so instead I made sure that it shouldn't be anything annoying and childish. A soft piano tune should do, right?

Right after that Emilia and I went back home before sunset. Soon I had dinner with the rest of the family, cleaned up, and went to bed soundly.

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A/U: hoooo! I'm finally done with this one! Sorry for the super late update! Also, I'd like to give a special thanks to my friend, Rory! She's the one who proofread this chap. So if there's any mistake, you blame her!

Just kidding, it's still my fault. Lemme know if there are grammar/spelling error in the comments! Thank you for reading!