“The mall next time, huh?” I recalled my previous suggestion to Hazel. I had scheduled a second date with her, and now, I stood with her regretting my choice of location.

  Apparently hard times fell on Taireah’s inlet mall, the place so sparse, distant echoes deep within the mall could be heard upon entrance. Not many shops stayed open here, multiple shutters blocked off doors to the shops I recalled visiting as a child. The music was quiet too, the speakers didn’t seem to be functioning everywhere.

  My heart sank. I had looked forward to spending time with Hazel, and without research, I brought her to a dying establishment.

  “I’m sorry, Hazel, I- “

  “Hahha! It’s like we have this place all to ourselves!”

  “O-oh, huh? Yeah?” I stumbled over my words.

  Hazel turned to me and smiled. “Where will we go?”

  “Well…is there anywhere you’d like to go first?” I asked in return. I wanted to know what kinds of places she’d like to visit first.

  “How about we look for a bookstore?” Hazel suggested, “You like to read, right?”

  “I do like to read,” I agreed. Of course, I only liked reading Mushoku Tensei, but I decided to keep quiet about that. I enjoyed the play at the theatre, so I wouldn’t have minded reading that as well.

  Using the abandoned kiosk in the middle of the walkway, Hazel and I located a bookstore. Passing by all the darkened shops, we found the bookstore locked up. The sign was taken down, and the shelves were all emptied.

  “Well…I guess it was too much to expect a bookstore to be open in a place like this,” said Hazel.

  “I’m sorry again…” I said, reminded of my lack of research.

  Looking down at my own feet, I scolded myself internally. Before I could do so for longer, though, Hazel placed her hand on my shoulder, pulling my gaze up to her face. She smiled again and looked me in the eye.

  “Your turn,” Hazel said, “Where do you want to go?”

  “My turn…? Uhh…” my mind raced as I tried to think of a place to go, “I’m not too sure…”

  Outside of a bookstore, was there anywhere else I could go for Hazel to have fun? Was she the type to shop for good clothes? Oh! Her clothes! I didn’t even think to ask her about them…but we’re both here in our school uniforms.

  “Well, didn’t you have that one book you liked? What was it…” Hazel suggested.

  “Mushoku Tensei!” I exclaimed. “I’m surprised you remember.”

  “Neuire, that was all you used to talk about any time I tried to talk to you,” Hazel giggled, “How could I not remember?”

  My ears grew hot. Right, of course the only thing I used to talk about with Hazel was Mushoku Tensei. I vaguely remembered trying to convince her to check it out.

  “I think there was a little shop open selling stuff with it here,” Hazel shared, “want to check it out?”

  What! A Mushoku Tensei shop!?

  “Let’s go right now!”

  I hurried with Hazel to the store Hazel mentioned, and to my delight, the lights to the store were still on. A shop dedicated to fandoms of all kinds, and just as Hazel said, I saw some of my favorite characters on the display case in front of the store.

  “Hazel! Look! Let’s go inside!” I exclaimed, “Mwahahaha! I want to buy it all!”

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  “N-Noi, please slow down a little-” Hazel huffed, “don’t dates normally stick together- and you’re gone. Noi wait up-”

  Immediately rushing to the only department that mattered, where I found all the Mushoku Tensei cast members as figurines, I gawked at all the pretty and cute designs. From simple to detailed, in all sorts of cute and funny poses, I admired each of them equally.

  I want to buy them all.

  “Noi…oh, there you are,” Hazel popped in from the corner, “is this all the stuff you’re looking for?”

  “Yes! I want them all,” I declared.

  “Huh? But- aren’t these famously expensive?”

  “They’re- what?”

  I looked at the prices. The cheap bobbles were fifty dollars each. Mid-range figurines were in the hundreds. The most expensive of them were breaking thousands of dollars.

  All the joy that had flooded my chest deflated instantly. No wonder this store was still open, did people actually buy at these prices? Maybe someone out there was crazier than me.

  “Aw…”

  “Pfft, haha,” Hazel laughed, “I-I know you’re kind of disappointed but, Noi, I don’t think I’ve seen you happier than this now?”

  “What are you talking about? I just learned that all these precious collectibles are outside my pay range. This has to be my lowest point ever.”

  Hazel calmed down from laughing and softened her face, before saying, “I think you moping like this is a lot better than how I normally see you in class. You look more…okay now. Like you’re okay with being here?”

  …

  Well shoot, it looks like Hazel’s starting to understand and see through me, I thought. Hazel got it right. I did feel okay. I didn’t feel haunted. I didn’t feel hunted. Right now, it was just me and Hazel shopping in an old mall.

  “D-did I say too much?” Hazel asked frantically, “You’re not going to stop the date now, are you…?”

  “Huh? No,” I answered, “I guess I did…cry and run away last time…”

  “Yeah…are you okay now? Is it something you want to talk about?”

  I pondered for a bit, then, “Yeah. I do. But…not here at least.”

  “That’s okay,” Hazel responded, “Do you want to come to my house instead? We can talk alone there.”

  “Y-your house? Is that okay?”

  “Sure! I can also show you my collection,” Hazel reminded, “You wanted to see it, right?”

  “Oh yeah! I’d love to,” I replied, “You can lead the way.”

  The sky took on an orange hue, as Hazel and I walked into her neighborhood. We passed by the rows of houses. Parents were out with their kids, playing in the yards. The wind blew by, sweeping the streets of fallen leaves, and the hair in front of my eyes.

  “We’re here.”

  Hazel stopped me in front of one of a cozy corner of the area. The garden flowers bloomed, despite the Autumn leaves turning the trees around. The grass stayed green here, well tended, as if a little bit of spring was left over.

  At our arrival, a boy playing outside beamed and shouted, “Hazel’s home!” before running inside to share the news with his parents.

  “I-I’m sorry if my brother’s loud,” Hazel apologized.

  I laughed, replying, “It’s okay.”

  Hazel’s family welcomed me in, and avoiding exposing me to her family for too long, she swept me away to her room. Inside sat a desk, a bed, a bookshelf, and a dresser, with a mess of unfolded clothes awaiting folding. Papers were strewn about her desk. And judging by the state of her blankets, she didn’t make her bed in the mornings.

  “I hope you don’t mind the mess…”

  “I don’t think it’s messy,” I responded, “just a little lived in.”

  I knew for certain I’d have to ask of her to “not mind the mess,” if she ever came to my house. Although, Harry did clean up when he started staying with us. Maybe my house would pass for being okay too.

  I made sure to handle it with care. For any book in my possession, I did my best to keep it in peak condition.

  “About earlier time…” Hazel changed the topic. “What was it you didn’t want to say with others around?”

  “…”

  It was a little hard saying anything. The mood was different, my heart didn’t feel prepared. Where do I even start?

  I thought of what to answer. My mom was killed, and I’m hanging out with her killers, trying to get them convicted. Maybe that’s a little too much to share all at once. Who knows what they might do to her, if she started acting scared around them, especially Tesha.

  I tried to think of a different answer. My mom died, but talking with you makes me feel like everything will be okay. But now that’s just being bold. I don’t think I can really say everything will be okay, but I really did feel okay with her, sitting with her, just like this.

  Hazel didn’t force any words out of my mouth. She only looked at me with the same steady concern. Without shifting away or pushing for any answers, she kept still. We both did, as if sitting in still unrippled waters.

  I miss my mom. I miss my life. I want everything to be okay. I want to be with you, right here, sitting with you who is willing to listen to what I have to say.

  “I haven’t felt this good since my mom died,” I finally said, “It’s not okay for me to do that, right? It’s not supposed to happen yet.”

  Tesha and her gang were still out there.

  The still waters rippled. Hazel breached an invisible wall between us and set her hand on mine. Softly. I could swat her hand away at any time. But I stayed still. She froze me, keeping me still as I waited for her words this time.

  “Noi…” she whispered, “Neuire.”

  Her hand wrapped around mine.

  I felt okay.

  Everything was going to be all right.