The Heart System

Chapter 261: Chapter 261

We made our way through the mall’s ground floor, walking past perfume counters, glowing storefronts, and couples strolling arm-in-arm. The air smelled like vanilla, fresh fabric, and pretzels from the snack stand near the escalators.

Tessa walked beside Minne, purposely bumping her hip against her every few steps. Minne tried to keep her composure, but Tessa knew exactly how to break her.

”You look too tense,” Tessa teased, wiggling her fingers menacingly.

”Mhm?” Minne blinked innocently.

Tessa struck immediately—light, quick tickles at Minne’s sides.

Minne squealed, twisting away. ”No—Ms. Tessa—! P-please, stop!” She giggled so hard she almost stumbled.

Kim chuckled behind them. ”Tessa, don’t bully the maid.”

”I’m not bullying her,” Tessa said proudly. ”I’m emotionally preparing her for lingerie shopping.”

Nala shook her head, amused. ”That is not emotional preparation. That is torture.”

I couldn’t help but smile as Minne clung to my sleeve for safety, cheeks flushed, breath shaky from laughter.

Eventually, we reached Nuppia’s storefront—tall glass walls, gold-lined frames, and mannequins wearing clothes that definitely cost more than my first car.

”Alright, girls,” I said, holding the door open. ”Welcome to the land of overpriced cotton.”

Inside, Nuppia was packed. People moved shoulder to shoulder, flipping through racks, holding outfits against mirrors, or rushing toward the fitting rooms. The store smelled like perfume, new fabric, and money.

Jasmine’s eyes widened the second we stepped in.

”Oh my god—” she breathed. ”That’s the dress.”

She pointed across the store at a silver-blue satin piece with a slit down the side and a soft shimmer under the lights.

”I’ve wanted that for weeks,” she said, tugging my sleeve like an excited kid. ”I’m trying it.”

”Go for it,” I said with a nod.

She snatched the dress carefully from the rack and hurried toward the fitting rooms, weaving through people like she’d trained for this moment.

The rest of us stayed near the dressing area, browsing through clothes while waiting for her.

Kim ran her fingers over a rack of sweaters. Nala looked through coats, checking stitching like she was evaluating its manufacturing quality. Minne lingered close to me, still recovering from Tessa’s ”emotional preparation.”

Meanwhile, Tessa disappeared into a section behind us.

She came back with a devilish grin—and her hands full.

The garter belt was delicate, paired with lacy panties featuring ’strategic’ openings. The bra? It looked like it had been designed by someone who despised the idea of modesty. If a woman wore this, every private part would be exposed—and, just imagining it, I couldn’t deny how incredibly hot that sounded.

And, this set was all in Minne’s size.

”I’m buying these for you,” Tessa announced proudly. ”They’ll look perfect on you.”

Kim leaned in. ”Oh, those are hot. Do they have my size?”

Minne stared at the lingerie like it was a weapon. ”They look... obscene...”

Tessa smirked. ”But ’Master’ will love them.”

Minne’s eyes flicked to me, her fingers curling shyly around the fabric. ”D-do you... like these, Master?”

I rested a hand on her head, smiling warmly. ”I love them.”

Her cheeks warmed immediately, and she nodded shyly. ”Um... then I’ll... wear them.”

Before I could tease her, the dressing room curtain slid open.

Jasmine stepped out.

And holy hell.

The dress hugged her waist perfectly, the satin catching the store lights and giving her a soft glow. The slit on the side showed just enough leg to be teasing, and the neckline framed her shoulders beautifully. Her hair, still slightly damp from her earlier shower, fell down in loose waves that made the whole look seem effortless.

Kim’s eyes widened. ”Wow. Jasmine. You look incredible.”

Tessa whistled. ”Okay damn. Buy it. Immediately.”

Minne smiled sweetly. ”You look so pretty...”

Nala nodded. ”It suits you. Very well.”

Jasmine spun once in the mirror, grinning at her reflection. ”Yeah... I’m buying this.”

She disappeared back into the dressing room, practically glowing.

The girls continued browsing, Minne holding her sinful lingerie set like it might bite her, and everything just felt warm and cozy—like a strange little family shopping together.

Nala picked up a crisp white button-up from a rack, held it against herself, then stepped in front of one of the tall mirrors. She lifted her chin a little, adjusting the collar with her fingers, trying to imagine how it’d look with her usual outfits.

Before I could join her side, Kim drifted over, hands in her pockets, studying the reflection like an impatient fashion consultant.

”Hm...” Kim tilted her head, then reached forward and pinched the hem of the shirt between her fingers, pulling it back to mimic a more tailored fit. ”Meeeh. I think a gray one would fit you better.”

”You think so?” Nala asked, still turning slightly left and right.

”Yep. One sec.”

Kim spun around and moved through the racks, fingers brushing over each hanger like she was scanning an inventory list. She plucked a soft gray blouse from the middle of the row, slightly satin, slightly structured, then returned to Nala.

She took the white blouse off Nala’s shoulder and replaced it with the gray one like a stylist dressing a model. Nala held it up, smoothing the fabric with her palm.

Kim tugged the hem again. ”See? This tone brings out your eyes. And it makes your hair look extra warm.”

”Yeah,” Nala said with a satisfied nod. ”I think you’re right. This one looks better.”

”I know, right?” Kim grinned. ”Gray is your shirt color. Or blouse. Whatever.”

Jasmine stepped out from the fitting room at the perfect moment, hair bouncing a little as she tightened her ponytail. ”I’m done. Let’s keep going.”

”I’ll buy this,” Nala said, turning toward Jasmine, lifting the blouse. ”What do you think?”

Jasmine leaned in, inspecting it like she was checking fabric quality with laser precision. ”Mm... Good with your black pencil skirt, yes. But it won’t go with those dark brown pants you wear sometimes.”

”Oh, I have a cream blouse for the brown pants,” Nala waved off. ”This one would just be for the skirt-and-heels days.”

”Then yeah,” Jasmine nodded. ”Go for it.”

They moved deeper into the store, weaving through crowds, heat from all the bodies mixing with blasting air freshener. The coat section was a little quieter, and Jasmine immediately perked up.

”Ooh, coats,” she muttered, already grabbing three from the rack.

She held them against herself one by one.

”This one?” she asked.

”No,” Tessa and Kim said at the same exact time.

She huffed, grabbed another one. ”This one?”

”Maybe,” Nala said.

Kim shook her head. ”Too stiff.”

”Try it on,” Minne suggested softly.

Jasmine shrugged and threw it on, spinning toward the mirror. It hugged her shoulders nicely but made her look slightly older.

”Hm... I don’t know,” she said.

”Hey,” I said. ”If you like both, just take both.”

Jasmine froze. Then a slow smile spread across her face.

”Oh. Yeah. I can do that now.” She puffed her chest dramatically. ”Financial freedom. Yay.”

Everyone chuckled. Even Minne giggled behind her hand.

Kim drifted toward a long rack filled with winter jackets and pulled out a long beige one with a thick collar. ”Tessa. This is so you.”

Tessa took it, rubbing the sleeve between her fingers. ”Mm... nah. Texture’s weird. Feels like plastic pretending to be fabric.”

Kim tossed it back onto the rack. ”Fine. Picky.”

”I’m not picky,” Tessa argued. ”I just want something with a hoodie. A big one. Like criminal-on-the-run vibes.”

”This?” Jasmine asked, appearing from behind her with a dark forest-green hoodie-coat hybrid, the hood oversized and soft.

Tessa’s eyes lit up. ”Gimme.”

She slipped into it, pulling the hood over her head dramatically before turning to the mirror. The coat hugged her waist but still looked comfortable—kind of badass, honestly.

”How’s it look, maid?” Tessa asked, hands in her pockets.

”P-perfect, Ms. Tessa,” Minne said, smiling shyly as she hugged the lingerie bag she was carrying.

”Perfect indeed,” Jasmine said. ”Very you.”

Kim nodded. ”Yeah, that’s the one.”

”I’ll buy it then,” Tessa said proudly, pulling the hood back and flicking imaginary dust off her shoulder.

I guided them out of the coat section and toward the shoe stores lining the next corridor. The floor tiles changed from creamy marble to that rubber-textured flooring every shoe shop uses. Bright lights, mirror walls, the faint smell of leather and disinfectant.

”Alright,” I said, clapping my hands once. ”Boots for Minne. Yours are old, look at them.”

Minne froze halfway into the store, like a small animal crossing a highway. She looked around at all the shelves stacked with boots—ankle boots, knee-high boots, combat boots, suede, leather, glossy, matte.

”M-Master...” she whispered, clutching her coat like she needed armor. ”These look... expensive.”

Tessa threw her arm over Minne’s shoulders and dragged her a few steps inside. ”Everything looks expensive when you look at it too long. Don’t overthink it. We’re upgrading you today.”

Jasmine grabbed a chunky black combat boot from a shelf. ”This looks cute. And durable. Good for winter.”

Kim grabbed a brown suede one. ”This one feels more her style. Soft. Warm. Also... girl-next-door energy.”

Nala picked a sleek black ankle boot with a tiny gold buckle. ”This one is elegant. She could wear it with dresses.”

Minne stared at all three pairs like they were mythical relics. Then she found the price tags.

Her soul left her body.

She took a physical step back. ”No, Master. Absolutely not. This is like... like two months of groceries.”

I stepped beside her, lightly touching her back. ”Minne.”

She looked up at me with wide, panicked eyes.

”Don’t worry,” I said softly. ”You’re with us. Pick the one you like. Not the price.”

”But—”

”No buts,” I said. ”You deserve something nice. I’m paying.”

She swallowed, nodding slowly, still shy, still overwhelmed.

A worker approached at that moment, a tall woman with perfect hair, a corporate smile, and an apron with the store’s logo. ”Hi there. Need help finding a size?”

”Yes!” Jasmine said instantly, pointing at Minne like she was presenting a contestant on a game show. ”She needs boots. Cute ones.”

”I—Ms. Jasmine—” Minne covered her face.

The worker chuckled politely. ”Alright. What size are we looking for?”

Minne murmured her size, and he nodded. ”I’ll get these three in that size.”

Man, she was just the cutest.