"Do you want to visit another bazaar?"
Íris sighed before even answering.
"Not again, Noah. I can't take any more bazaar trips with you."
"But we always find stylish stuff for cheap," he said, already smiling.
"Stylish if your grandma is the target audience."
She paused, glanced around, then shrugged.
"But fine… I've got nothing better to do today."
Íris sounded unmotivated. Visiting yet another bazaar was far from her ideal plan, but she didn't have the energy to suggest anything else.
Noah, on the other hand, looked genuinely happy.
He got ready to leave, slipping on his shoes with a small magical impulse — something simple, almost automatic — and suddenly he was way too excited.
"My God… this is divine. How did I even find this?"
"I am exhausted," Íris complained.
They had been walking and digging through stalls for almost three hours, and Noah still hadn't bought a single thing.
"I want street food," she said, crossing her arms. "And you're paying. I always follow you when you go on these treasure hunts."
"We literally just left your house and you're already hungry?"
Íris stopped walking instantly and shot him a deadly look. She was done.
That's when Noah froze.
He stared at a piece of clothing like a dog hypnotized by a rotating rotisserie chicken.
"I don't have a single cent…" he said, almost crying. "But I need this outfit. I really do."
"What do you mean you don't have money?" Íris snapped. "You invited me out with no money?!"
"Yes… I only had enough for the bus there and back," he answered quickly. "But it's getting late anyway, so we can head back."
"You absolute idiot!" Íris yelled. "You drag me around for three hours and you don't even have money?!"
She lunged at him.
Noah ran through the bazaar laughing, while Íris chased him, threatening gratuitous violence.
In the end, they caught a bus and ended up at Íris's place. They lived just a block apart, but Noah always somehow ended up staying over.
On the way, an elderly woman passed by them, smiled, and commented:
"What a lovely couple you are."
Íris opened her mouth to correct her, but Noah just smiled politely and thanked her. They kept walking without saying anything.
"You're already back? Come in, let's eat," Íris's mother said as soon as she opened the door.
The three of them sat at the table, and during dinner her mother asked casually:
"So, what did you do today?"
"We visited another bazaar," Íris replied, clearly annoyed. "And the worst part is Noah only had money for the bus."
"In my defense," Noah raised a hand, "I'm a poor soul who just wanted to leave the house."
"You poor, broke bastard," Íris shot back without thinking.
"Íris," her mother warned, trying not to laugh. "Eat properly."
The argument went on for a few more minutes until things finally calmed down. Later, far too late to pretend he wasn't exhausted, Noah said goodbye and went home.
Neither of them could explain why that bazaar kept coming back to his mind.