"Xenon~ you don't have school today, right? Let's go on a date!" I chirped, already halfway into his personal space.
"I say we shouldn't be going to crowded places," he replied flatly, eyes glued anywhere but me.
"People still go outside?" I blinked.
It genuinely surprised me. Even with the world supposedly ending soon, people were still living like normal—working, shopping, going out. I wondered if there were riots somewhere, houses on fire, people screaming in the streets.…Then again, I hadn't watched TV in forever and stopped paying for mobile data, so maybe the apocalypse memo just hadn't reached me yet.
Anyway, it seemed people like me—wandering around with a to-do list that included kill my ex—were a rare breed.
"There are lots of people at the local mall," Xenon said. "At least from what I heard."
"The hell is that, a zombie flick?" I snorted.
He sighed. A long, tired sigh. The kind that screamed why did I let this woman into my life.
After five minutes of me pestering him like an excited ghost, he finally gave in.
"…Fine. But don't complain."
"I never complain," I said immediately.
He stared at me.
"...I complain creatively," I corrected.
He regretted everything instantly.
Even though it was his day off, he still wore his usual outfit—a hoodie and jeans. Simple, practical, very Xenon. Meanwhile, I was in a dress. Obviously. If we were going to face the end of the world, I was at least going to do it looking cute.
Perfect.
We absolutely looked like we were going on a date.
"If you meet someone you know," he said while grabbing his keys, "please don't say anything weird."
"What counts as weird?" I asked innocently.
"Anything you'd normally say."
"…That's discrimination."
He shoved a cap onto my head, pulled a face mask over my mouth, and added sunglasses for good measure.
He ignored me and shoved a cap onto my head, tugged a face mask over my mouth, then added sunglasses like he was assembling a disguise kit.
I stared at my reflection in the window."I look like a celebrity trying very hard not to be recognized," I said. "Or a criminal who just robbed a convenience store."
"Good. Stay low‑profile."
"Wow," I said solemnly. "Is this how you treat all your dates? Immediate witness protection?"
"This is not a date."
"Then why am I dressed cuter than you?"
"…You chose that."
He put on a mask himself, looking even more suspicious than usual.
Outside, the air felt different—too quiet. Not dead, but muted, like the world had turned its volume knob down out of courtesy. Traffic was thin, footsteps spaced out. Most people wore masks, their eyes avoiding each other like eye contact itself might trigger the apocalypse early.
I squinted around. "Huh. It's weirdly… normal."
The mall he brought me to was massive—more like an apartment complex than a mall.
"Cool! They've got everything here!" I exclaimed, immediately running ahead.
"You're not a kid anymore—don't get overexcited!" Xenon rushed after me and grabbed my hands, clearly afraid I'd get lost.
I pouted. "Why do you always act like you're older than me?"
"And why are you acting like a kid?" he shot back.
Rude.
But he didn't let go of my hand.
We checked the information board: movie theater, arcade, supermarket, bookstore, clothing shops—everything.
And just like he said, it was crowded. Families, couples, groups of friends. Everyone masked up, everyone moving forward like tomorrow wasn't an unknown question mark.
Right when I felt like I might disappear into the crowd, Xenon tugged me closer.
"Anything catch your eye?" he asked, quietly.
"Not really. Since we're on a date, I'm fine with whatever you want."
"I don't have any plans."
"Then arcade!" I said, eyes sparkling.
…Closed.
I stared at the darkened doors of the arcade, blinking. "You're kidding me, right? The one place I actually wanted to go…"
Xenon just crossed his arms, expression unreadable. "It's closed. Nothing I can do about it."
I huffed dramatically, spinning around. "Of course! Of course it is! Of course the universe hates me today!"
He muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like You're insane, and I couldn't help but grin.
I tried the movie theater next. Closed. Bookstore? Also closed. The clothing stores were open, but I wasn't in the mood for clothes—I already looked perfect, obviously.
I sank down on a bench, dramatically throwing my arms in the air. "So… what kind of mall does have anything fun anymore?!"
Xenon sighed and sat beside me, careful to keep a little distance. "Most people are just… shopping. Or leaving."
"Well, that's boring," I said. "I need fun! I need excitement! I need—" I waved my hands wildly, "—arcade sounds, flashing lights, tickets flying everywhere!"
He just looked at me like I was a confused cat chasing a laser pointer. "Then let's… get something to eat."
I blinked. "What? That's your idea of excitement?"
"Food is always exciting," he said, standing up and offering me his hand. I took it, dramatic as ever, and followed him.
And somehow, as mundane as it felt, walking through the mall with him—dodging masked shoppers, laughing at my own melodrama, holding his hand when he didn't expect it—made the world ending in five days feel a little… less terrifying.
Even if we couldn't play any games, I realized something: I'd rather be stuck in a boring, half-shut mall with Xenon than anywhere else in the world.
We were now standing at a crepe stall. The shop didn't allow dine-in, so we ordered to take home. While we were waiting, Xenon suddenly yanked me along.
"Wait—what are you—" I started, almost spilling my drink.
"Xenon? Is that you?" A girl and boy, probably his age, appeared out of nowhere. They're also wearing masks.
A girl and boy the same age as him approached us. Masked.
"You live alone, right?" the girl chirped. "You said we could hang out at your place. When's a good time?"
Xenon's posture stiffened.
"Uh… sorry," he said. "Can't… right now."
"Eh? Why not?" the girl tilted her head like a confused puppy.
"It just—happened," he said vaguely, grabbing our crepes like a man on a mission. "Sorry, we've gotta go."
Before I could even process this, he started dragging me as I glanced back: the masked duo was staring at us curiously.
"You could have just invited them over," I whispered. "It's already the end of the world anyway!"
I shrugged dramatically. "I wouldn't mind at all—having another girl and boy hang around. You can pair with the girl, and I can pair with the boy—besides, they're both cute, right?" I added with a playful nudge to lighten the mood.
"But I do mind," Xenon said, his voice tight and sharp enough to cut through my cheerfulness.
"Why?" I asked, genuinely confused.
"Because you're staying over. How would I explain that to them?" His face was a storm cloud of irritation.
"Just say I'm your brother's ex-girlfriend," I grinned.
Xenon's mood immediately deflated. He went silent then, without warning, he let go of my hand and walked ahead, leaving me behind.
I stared after him. Something about him leaving like that just didn't sit right. So, without thinking too much, I sprinted after him.
"Hey, wait up!" I called, jogging to catch up.
"I hate people like you, Sera," he muttered without turning around, voice full of annoyance.
Before I could reply, bam! Someone bumped into me. I stumbled, barely catching myself on the curb, but in the chaos, twisted my ankle. Pain shot through my leg, and I felt a sharp sting on my knee and palm where my dress had left me vulnerable.
Groaning, I tried to regain my balance, limping awkwardly as I tried not to fall again. Then, a firm hand appeared in front of me.
I looked up, expecting to see Xenon with that scowl of his, but instead, it was another man. His expression was full of concern, a kind of "I didn't mean to ruin your day" look that somehow made me feel both embarrassed and relieved at the same time.
"I'm sorry about that. Are you okay, Miss?" he asked politely.
I hesitated for a second before taking his hand. "I—I'm fine. Thanks," I said, trying to sound more composed than I felt.
He squinted at my scraped knee and palm. "Looks like you're hurt. Let me go buy—"
I cut him off quickly, waving my hand. "N-No, it's fine! Don't worry. My friend will come back." My voice sounded firmer than my legs felt.
The man looked around, clearly skeptical. "Are you sure?"
I forced a smile, trying to hide my embarrassment and pain. "Yeah, I'm sure. You should go on now."
He nodded reluctantly. "I'm sorry again for bumping into you," he said before walking off, giving me one last concerned glance.
I watched him leave, my heart still beating from the sudden scare. The street felt emptier all of a sudden, and the ache in my ankle made every step sting. I glanced down the road, half expecting Xenon to come rushing back to me.
One minute.
Three minutes.
Possibly five. Or maybe time had stopped out of spite.
I kept my head low, pretending to be deeply fascinated by the ground while my ankle throbbed like it had its own heartbeat.
People kept staring.
Not subtle glances either—full-on Is she okay? Is she dying? Should we call someone? stares. One kid even slowed down like he was about to film me. Rude.
When a pair of shoes stopped in front of me, my heart leapt. I looked up instantly, relief flooding my face.
"Xeno—"
I froze.
It wasn't Xenon.
It was the man from earlier. The one I had very politely dismissed like a wounded stray cat.
"Thank goodness you're still here," he said, slightly out of breath, like he'd jogged back in fear I might evaporate.
I blinked. Once. Twice. "…Why did you come back?"
He lifted a small plastic bag like it was a heroic offering. Inside were band-aids, alcohol, and cotton swabs.
"I couldn't bear to see you injured," he said earnestly. "So I bought these. Let's go sit on the bench."
For a brief, traitorous second, I almost cried again. Kind strangers were dangerous like that.
He held out his hand. I hesitated, then started to reach for it—
Only for someone else to grab my hand first. Familiar and annoyingly warm.
"Sera! Where did you go?" Xenon said, panic and irritation tangling together in his voice. "I thought you were following me?"
That was it. The dam broke.
Tears burst out of my eyes like they'd been waiting backstage for their cue.
"You're so rude!" I sobbed, voice cracking in the most undignified way possible. "You were the one who left me, and now you're angry at me again!"
Heads turned. Somewhere in the crowd, someone definitely whispered drama.
"I'm not angry at you," Xenon said quickly, clearly unprepared for this emotional ambush.
"Liar!" I cried, yanking my hand slightly. "If you don't want me to come back, then just say it! Don't abandon me in public like some forgotten side quest!"
The man beside us awkwardly cleared his throat, still holding the bag of medical supplies like he'd accidentally walked into a live soap opera.
He gestured between us, clearly unsure whose side to stand on. "Ah—uh—you must be the person she was talking about," he said carefully. "I accidentally bumped into her earlier. She scraped her knee and hand. I was about to help her clean the wounds when you came."
"I'll clean her wounds myself," Xenon said flatly. Then he turned to me and reached for my hand. "Let's go."
I swatted his hand away. "I can handle myself," I said, chin raised, dignity barely hanging on by a thread.
I took exactly one step.
My ankle screamed.
My balance gave up.
Gravity enthusiastically accepted me.
I tilted sideways—straight toward the man—when suddenly I was yanked back, arms wrapping around me before I could faceplant for the third time today.
Xenon caught me.
I took one step and nearly fell.
Again.
He looked down at me, eyes narrowing. "Did you also sprain your ankle?"
"No!" I snapped immediately, because lying felt more dignified than admitting defeat. "Let me go! It's obvious you don't want me near you anyway, so I'll gladly step away!"
To prove my point, I shoved him and started walking again.
One step.
Half a step.
Fall.
Xenon caught me again.
This time, before I could even inhale to protest, he bent down and scooped me up like I weighed nothing. Bridal carry. Public setting. Maximum humiliation.
"Put me down!" I hissed, flailing weakly like an angry cat that had lost the will to scratch.
"One more word," Xenon said calmly, leaning closer and glaring at me, "and I'll throw you at the train tracks."
I froze.
I had no choice but to stay quiet, cheeks burning as he carried me away, muttering under his breath, "…Stupid, clumsy, annoying, why are you like this…"
And somehow, despite everything, I couldn't help feeling… kind of warm.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~
Back home, the house was quiet except for the faint hum of the air conditioner. Xenon knelt on the floor, carefully cleaning my scraped knee and palm, the antiseptic smell making me wince slightly. When he moved to my ankle, his fingers pressed gently as he massaged it, careful not to hurt me further.
I cleared my throat. "Hey, Xenon."
"..."
"Xenon," I tried again, louder this time.
"..."
Apparently, silence was his answer of choice. Fine, I thought, escalating tactics. I poked his cheek.
"What?" he said, finally looking at me, eyebrow raised like I had personally offended him.
"Sorry for my outburst earlier," I said quickly, words tumbling out. "It's just… I got scared and froze in the middle of the road. I got scared because I was alone again in that sea of people. And I'm really—"
A piece of crepe suddenly smashed into my mouth.
"You're too noisy," Xenon muttered, expression perfectly neutral as if it were completely normal to silence someone with dessert.
I chewed, blinking through the initial surprise. Then, somehow, I couldn't help it—I smiled.
He had returned for me. He'd carried me, protected me, and yes, even silenced me with crepe.
I took another bite. And another.