She was browsing the pet shop, scanning more treats and toys, when the glow of the mall's central screen caught her eye. Sadie suddenly slipped away from Elias grasp and walked toward the glow and Elias ran to catch Sadie. Elias picked up Sadie from the stomach with her hands from vantage on the second floor.
"Sadie! Sadie ! Don't run away like that " Elias exclaimed with stress checking up. Elias eyed at Sadie's eyes and tilted her head back to glance up at the digital board. She saw her boss, Alecia was in category of World's Best Fashion designer 2024 from L's Production made her heart stopped.
She froze still as the timer countdown to announce the winner..
And the background became blacked out as the passers move by as she was gazing at the timer goes by in every second.
3...
Her heartbeat synced with the ticking seconds.
2..
The world faded—just her, the board, and the cold breeze brushing her cheeks.
1..
A breath caught in her throat.
For a beat, there was silence.
Then— A blinding shimmer lit up the board as golden letters danced across the black screen:
"World's Best Fashion Designer 2024 – Alexia Cray,"
the title glowed in crystal-cut font, crowned with the L's Global Design Awards seal but she didn't appeared at award show.
"That's her_"
She smiled, the kind of soft, proud smile that only came from knowing you were part of something great. Even though Alecia had won that title for years now, seeing it again made her colleagues heart flutter while she was only there to watch at workplace for them with no feelings of joy at that time.
—But this time it still felt special watching her name written in stars.
Just as she whispered, "She did it again...", the board shifted once more.
And just as her thoughts sank into that pride—
The screen glitched and shifted. A new campaign bloomed across the screen like an opening curtain, suddenly her brand's new campaign pops up:
"ALEXIA EXCLUSIVE EXPERIENCE– Mystery Drop Incoming."
Elias notices some girls who was there along with her were whispering, eyes wide and sparkling like they'd just glimpsed dreamy.
"Wait !Did she say Alexia mystery box, Sasha?" one of them gasped.
Sasha leaned in with disbelief and a hint of desperation, ignorant eyes . "Wait… you mean Alexia is actually giving something away to celebrate her achievement? Seriously? I don't know… our girl is not like that. She's never done this before."
"Yeah," the first one nodded, barely breathing.
"If it's from her, it's probably legendary. No one even knows what's inside! It's like… a dream."
A third girl , half-hiding behind her friends, muttered under her breath, "Just being near it probably raises your fashion sense."
Elias turned head to other side in amaze hearing their conversation and a pair of onlookers—clearly a couple—joined the growing commotion, unable to keep their curiosity contained.
"Mystery box from Alexia?" the boyfriend repeated.
His girlfriend clutched his arm. "You're kidding—Alecia just announced a mystery box". Girlfriend squint her eyes to read every words on the board.
"- and its for only couple of people. You need, like, luck, status, and a miracle to get one!" She says aloud with dramatic expression of sadness.
"I swear," Sasha of the original girls added dramatically, "they only give those to unicorns and heiresses."
"Or people who save a country or something," the first one quipped with a nervous laugh. "Definitely not us."
Alecia smiled faintly but stayed quiet—until the screen glitched, then flashed.
"SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT — YOU'VE BEEN SELECTED."
The crowds became shocked with annoucement and starts to murmur as they just heard the winner after a couple moment of announcement.
"Who's you?" Girlfriend looked at her boyfriend being startled by sudden message.
Sasha clasped her hands tightly, crossing her fingers as if summoning a miracle.
"Please… please… please—God, let it be my name."
Her whispered plea hung in the air, heavy with hope and fear.
The other girls and Elias went silent, their faces frozen in stunned disbelief.
They watched , eyes wide, as Sasha confidence crumbled into desperate prayer right before them.
Hey! I was just telling our girl isn't like that. As Sasha stated her feeling out hard to make them understand her saying and continues praying.
For a moment, the bustling mall seemed to still—every heart beating for that one name to be called.
Raw photos of the crowd who looked up at the board from beginning from different places began to appear one by one, faces in awe. Elias blinked—and saw herself, mid-smile, right there on the screen along with others at plaza.
Then, "Congratulations to winners" popped up at the screen.
The girls screamed and couples got stunned. Shouts and gasps filled the air whose faces appeared on the screen.
Suddenly, a group of elegant member in sleek black uniform stepped out in the crowd from nowhere.
"Miss ?" One staff member asked, bowing slightly to the girls.
"Congratulations," one said, his voice warm but professional as he handed an elegant invitation.
"You've been selected for the Alexia Exclusive Experience."
Shock flickered across their faces—eyes widening, jaws dropping—before delight took over. Whispers of disbelief turned into excited chatter.
"This can't be real..." Sasha murmured, clutching her invitation like a treasure along with handsome staff hand.
"It is, Sasha'' first one says clutching the card in her chest with shaky hands.
"It's like a dream come true!" another exclaimed, eyes shining with joy.
Meanwhile, others who hadn't been chosen watched with narrowed eyes, a sting of jealousy tightening their expressions.
"How did they get picked?" a woman hissed under her breath.
"I didn't even see the ad," muttered a man, clearly frustrated.
The crowd buzzed with mixed emotions—elation from the lucky few, envy and disbelief from those left out—all under the dazzling glow of the Alexia campaign signs.
Suddenly, Elias felt a light tap on her shoulder and turned, startled. The young man whose face was the kind that lingered in memory—a composition of sharp elegance and quiet danger with medium-length dark hair that covers part of their face, giving off a soft, casual appearance wearing wearing a light-colored white bomber-style jacket over dark pants stood just behind her, calm and slightly bent forward, as if speaking to a friend rather than a stranger.
"Eryx. You! What are you doing here?" Elias's voice broke the quiet, surprised but warm.
Elias suddenly noticed and he slightly grint his teeth as she was more shocked looking him out from top to bottom . And why are you wearing _?
"They picked you too—for the prize," he pointed out suddenly changing her topic, with his voice low and almost shy. A soft smile tugged at his lips as he added, "Honestly... the cat would've picked you first."
Elias face turns red and lost in the world where there is only two of them as if a soft, romantic melody played in the background, dancing around their silent connection.
Suddenly she realizes a sharp truth and his smiles turns to mischievious.
"Huh! Does he ever walked alone without—" and she snapped back to reality flooding her with nervous energy.
"What happened, Elias?" Eryx speaks out twisting into something mischievous, almost knowing.
Her mind raced as realization hit like a thunderbolt.
He's always near someone… at work, in the halls, everywhere she goes. He was always there. Always beside her—at the office, around every corner—never far, silently watching, patiently waiting, quietly feeding on the moment.
Oh! Eryx's voice shifted, playful yet knowing, like he was teasing a secret from her.
"So, you're looking for Alexia?" knowing glint in his eyes sent warning bells through Elias's chest.
He leaned in closer, just enough for Elias to feel the subtle pull of his presence. Too close. Too calm. Too confident.
She flinched back with Sadie on her hand.
And then, suddenly her eyes flicked behind him and widened—and
There she was.
Alexia.
Standing in perfect stillness and posture like a storm paused mid-strike ,conversing with a business person arms crossed and her sharp eyes gets locked up with Elias.