Uncertainty May Cause Nervousness

The shoe shop was exactly what one would expect from a place that sold nothing but shoes - and, for some reason, backpacks.

Shoeboxes everywhere.

Displays lined with near-identical designs, each accompanied by little placards boasting the statistics of a “high-performance” shoe that was, in practice, indistinguishable from the “casual” one two rows down.

With Quinn on his back, Jarel moved carefully through the aisles, making sure her legs stayed tucked in so she didn’t knock anything over. What she really needed first was socks, but apparently he was the only one who’d thought of that. He supposed the bandages would suffice for now.

Sayang and Jinxia had vanished shortly after they entered the store.

He wasn’t sure if that was reassuring or concerning.

What mattered was Quinn picking something.

Which she was notoriously bad at.

Her eyes darted frantically from display to display, uncertainty written all over her face.

“See anything you like?” he asked.

She shook her head - then remembered he couldn’t see that.

“I don’t know.”

He smiled faintly.

“Why’s that?”

“There’s so many options. And they’re all different…”

He chuckled.

“It’s not that big of a deal. Just pick what you like the look of. You can try them on.”

There was genuine surprise in her voice.

“You can try them on?”

“Of course. Just tell me which ones and I’ll help you.”

He felt her shift slightly as she considered.

“Okay. Can I try the black ones?”

Most of the shoes were black.

“You’re going to need to be more specific.”

“Uhm… walk backwards.”

He turned and began slowly retracing his steps.

One of her arms suddenly shot out, pointing.

“Those ones!”

They were probably the most unremarkable pair in the entire shop.

Perfectly ordinary.

He nodded anyway.

“Alright. I’m going to put you down.”

She allowed it, and he lowered her carefully onto a bench running through the center of the aisle. Her ears stood tall as he found the right size - measured earlier by a friendly, slightly confused clerk - and opened the box.

He peeled back the tissue paper.

She looked at the shoes as if he’d just revealed treasure.

“What do I do?”

“I’ll show you.”

He removed the paper stuffing and guided her through sliding her foot in, letting her do most of it so he wouldn’t aggravate the blisters. Laces were another ordeal entirely. He demonstrated slowly, step by step, pausing each time so she could copy him.

Eventually - after several attempts and one near-knot catastrophe - both shoes were on.

She stared down at them, tail swishing happily.

“Now what?”

“You stand up.”

He offered his hand.

She took it.

She wobbled at first, unfamiliar with the altered weight and feel beneath her feet, but quickly adjusted. One step. Then another.

Her eyes lit up.

“It’s comfortable!”

He laughed.

“Better than bare feet, right?”

She considered.

“Outside, maybe. But I don’t want to wear them inside. The carpet feels nice.”

“Fair enough.”

She paced a few more experimental steps before sitting again.

“But it doesn’t stop my feet from hurting.”

He grinned.

“I can carry you until they heal.”

She beamed immediately.

“Okay!”

He smiled back at the ease of her acceptance.

“So, are you happy with those?”

She nodded firmly.

“Very.”

“Then let’s get them and find Aunty Sayang and Jinxia.”

“Okay!”

They found the pair in a pharmaceutical store, standing in front of a wall of beauty products.

A heated debate was in progress.

Sayang turned first, as if she’d sensed them approaching - her nephew piggybacking her would-be niece-in-law.

“Oh! You did it! Very good.” She clapped her hands once. “Alright then, we’re done here. On to the next test.”

Jinxia raised both hands.

“No thanks.”

All three of them looked at her.

“What was that, dearest?” Sayang asked.

Jinxia shook her head.

“I don’t want to do any more tests. I forfeit.”

Sayang frowned slightly.

“And when did you decide that?”

Jinxia sighed.

“When you told me I’d do well to stop overusing eyeliner.”

“But that-”

Jinxia held up a hand.

“I know Quanlin well enough. She’s won.”

The words settled heavily in the air.

Then something else followed.

An aura.

Silent. Pressing. Dangerous.

Jinxia didn’t move, but the atmosphere around her shifted - sharpened. Quinn, immune as ever, remained unaffected. Jarel and Sayang, however, felt the edge of it.

“But,” Jinxia continued coolly, “I’ll still get that cookie recipe. I just need to find a different man.”

Quinn’s teeth clenched.

“That’s-”

She stopped.

Thought.

The oppressive aura faded as the humans recovered from the brief magical pressure. Quinn adjusted her grip on Jarel’s shoulders, then spoke evenly.

“Okay. Good luck.”

Jinxia stared at her.

Blink.

“What? You don’t care?”

Quinn shook her head. Then she leaned forward, pressing her cheek beside Jarel’s and resting her chin on the arm wrapped around his shoulder.

“I’m happy.”

Jarel’s heart rate skyrocketed.

He stayed silent.

Sayang pressed a hand to her own cheek.

“Oh, dearie… you’re blushing.”

“N-no, I’m not,” Quinn stammered immediately. “I’m just hot.”

Sayang laughed softly and turned back to Jinxia.

“Well then. If that’s your decision, dearest, the tests are over.” She paused, then added pointedly, “For you.”

Her finger shifted toward Jarel and Quinn.

“But I still expect to see more romance out of you two. Or no recipe.”

They stiffened in perfect synchrony and nodded.

Sayang grinned.

“Good. Let’s continue. I want to see more.”

Jarel briefly wondered if the old woman was simply romance-starved and living vicariously through them. He decided not to examine that thought too closely. If public affection was the price of admission, he would gladly pay it.

Quinn, meanwhile, was very nervous.

What did “more romance” look like?

She didn’t know.

But surely she could observe it. This was a mall - there had to be examples.

So as the four of them exited the pharmacy, she scanned.

It didn’t take long.

Jarel was mid-sentence, chatting lightly with Sayang, when he felt it-

Soft.

Warm.

A quick press of lips against his cheek.

Gone just as fast.

His thoughts snapped in half. Words died mid-breath.

Sayang covered her mouth, giggling.

“Oh dear… look at you. Turned into a statue from one little kiss.”

He barely heard her.

His mind was scrambling, desperately trying to preserve the sensation - filing it away somewhere permanent before it faded.

Quinn’s face was burning red.

Sayang giggled again.

“So cute. Well then… let’s keep going.”

Jarel followed, though walking suddenly required conscious effort.

A kiss on the cheek.

He hadn’t expected that.

And as the warmth lingered on his skin, he realized something dangerous:

There was almost nothing he wouldn’t do to feel that again.

He could not have placed his hopes in anything better.