Primordial Heir: Nine Stars

The gallery’s stillness lingered in their minds as they stepped back into the sunlight, but it was quickly replaced by the liveliness of the city. Their next stop loomed ahead like a modern cathedral of commerce—the largest shopping mall in the Angel’s city. Its towering glass exterior caught the light of the sun, shimmering like a crystal palace. Doors slid open as crowds streamed in and out, laughter and chatter spilling into the streets along with the faint melody of background music.

Nero looked up at the building, hands shoved into his pockets. ”So this is the place...”

Khione’s ice-blue eyes shifted toward him, the faintest twitch of her lips betraying her amusement. ”You’ve never been?”

”Not really.” He shrugged, grinning faintly.

”Then today you’ll learn.” Her words carried that usual coolness, but something about the way she said it made it sound almost... warm.

Inside, the mall was vast, floors stretching high above, light pouring in from skylights overhead. Fountains danced in the center, the soft murmur of water mixing with the hum of countless voices. Rows upon rows of stores lined the floors—boutiques, cafés, jewelry shops, bookstores. Nero could feel himself getting a little overwhelmed, but Khione walked with the grace of someone at home in such a place. He followed.

Their first stop was a high-end clothing boutique, its interior lined with mannequins dressed in everything from sleek modern attire to flowing formalwear. Khione wandered in first, her hand brushing over fabrics, her eyes scanning colors with surprising focus.

”You first,” she said, turning toward him.

”You can’t keep dressing like you do, Lux and others must have warned you I’m certain.”

Nero laughed. ”Ouch. That bad, huh?”

She didn’t answer, but the way her eyes narrowed ever so slightly made it clear she wasn’t joking.

Reluctantly, he let her push him toward a rack of shirts. She stood beside him, her slender fingers brushing along the fabrics before picking one—white, simple, with a sharp cut. She held it up against his chest, tilting her head. Her expression was cool, analytical, as though she were examining a blade for flaws.

”This suits you,” she said at last. ”It contrasts your eyes.”

Nero blinked, taken aback by the faint thoughtfulness in her tone. ”You’re putting more effort into this than I expected.”

”Of course.” Her eyes flicked up to meet his, calm yet steady. ”If I’m choosing, it has to be perfect.”

For the next half-hour, she guided him through clothes—light jackets, fitted jeans, even a blazer that made him look far sharper than he’d ever cared to be. Each time, she examined him with the seriousness of someone judging a masterpiece, and though her face remained composed, Nero caught fleeting hints of something softer in her eyes when she nodded in approval.

At one point, Nero spun around in front of a mirror, arms outstretched. ”What do you think? Handsome enough to steal the heart of a certain Ice Queen?”

Khione’s expression didn’t change, but a faint blush touched her ears as she adjusted the collar of the shirt. ”You’re insufferable,” she muttered.

But she didn’t deny it.

Eventually, she allowed him to return the favor. Nero grabbed a few dresses, holding them up to her with a mischievous grin.

”Now it’s your turn.”

Khione hesitated, but when he didn’t relent, she sighed and humored him. He led her to a soft pastel dress first, something far brighter than her usual colors. She tried it on, stepping out of the fitting room with a faint frown, her pale shoulders exposed beneath the straps.

”It doesn’t feel like me,” she said flatly.

”Maybe not,” Nero admitted, studying her thoughtfully. ”But it shows another side of you.”

Her eyes flickered toward the mirror, and for a moment, she looked almost lost. She wasn’t used to seeing herself in such light—fragile, soft, almost girlish. Nero didn’t push. Instead, he helped her find a flowing white dress that echoed her icy elegance, as if it had been crafted for her.

When she stepped out this time, Nero’s breath caught. The dress clung just right, her ponytail swaying as she moved, the fabric trailing like snow with each step. She looked like she belonged in a world of glass and frost.

”Perfect,” he said simply.

Khione didn’t reply, but the faintest flush colored her cheeks as she averted her gaze, pretending to adjust the hem of the dress. For someone who lived behind a wall of ice, this small crack was enough to make Nero smile.

The shopping went on longer than expected. They teased each other, argued lightly over choices, and laughed in fleeting moments. For Nero, it was strange—he never thought he’d enjoy something as ordinary as shopping. For Khione, it was grounding. She had always come here alone, browsing quietly, never sharing the experience with anyone. Having Nero beside her, joking, nudging her, even stubbornly pushing her toward colors she would never have chosen herself—it felt new. Different.

By the time they stepped out of the store, both carried bags in hand, filled with new clothes. The afternoon light spilled through the glass ceiling of the mall, painting everything in golden hues.

As they walked, Khione glanced at him from the corner of her eye, her voice quieter than usual. ”You made today... more enjoyable than I expected.”

Nero raised a brow, smirking. ”That’s your way of saying thank you?”

She didn’t look at him, but her lips curved just slightly, almost imperceptibly. ”Don’t get used to it.”

But in that moment, Nero knew she had meant it.

The sun had already begun its descent when Nero and Khione stepped out of the shopping mall, their bags in hand and their expressions unreadable to others, though inside both carried the subtle warmth of shared moments. The city lights flickered to life, halos of gold and silver reflecting off the polished glass buildings. Nero suggested a detour before dinner, and Khione, ever composed, simply nodded in agreement.

Everything was for their last stop.