Chapter 3

Aidon had spent the night at an inn, his mind a tangled mess of thoughts, no amount of rest easing the restless energy thrumming within him. The soft bed beneath him had done little to calm the storm inside, the weight of the day before pressing on his chest like a silent, unrelenting force. The faint glow of dawn crept through the window, painting the room in soft, golden hues, but it only made his thoughts more vivid. He couldn't stop thinking about her—her smile, eyes, and how seemed to draw him in without effort. What was it about her that had taken root in his mind?

As the first rays of sunlight began to spill across the world, he found he could notay. His feet, seemingly with a mind of their own, carried him once aga the small shop he had visited the day before. When he arrived, the door was still locked, and the usual feeling of discomfort at his actions gnawed at him. He had no real reason to be here, no justification for lingering outside a place he had no business with. The self-awareness of how strange it must look—standing there, waiting for a stranger's shop to open—brought a flush of heat to his cheeks, though the cold morning air did little to soothe it.

Instead of lingering too close to the door, he paced a few steps farther to the fountain, trying to act casual, as though he wasn't waiting for her. From here, he could still see the shop, the promise of her presence just beyond the threshold of that door. He stared at it, at the way the early morning light bathed the little building in soft shadows and warm hues, and frustration bubbled up inside him. What am I even doing here? What was it about her that had him standing in the same spot again, his feet planted as if drawn by some invisible pull? He had no good reason to be waiting outside her shop, no reason to keep thinking about her. His thoughts should have been on other matters, on the many things he had left unfinished, the plans that were far more important than this inexplicable obsession with a stranger.

But there he was, staring at the door like it held the answers to every question he couldn't seem to answer for himself. His mind felt cluttered and restless. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to all of this, something beyond what he could comprehend. And yet, no matter how hard he tried to rationalize it, his heart beat a little faster whenever he thought about seeing her again. Why? He shook his head, hoping the motion would clear his thoughts, but it only made them swirl faster, more chaotic.

His frustration deepened, and with it, the feeling of helplessness that clung to him. There were far more important things in his life—plans, goals, tasks to accomplish—but standing here, waiting for her, felt like the only thing he could do.

His thoughts spun, racing, until the soft jingle of a bell broke through his internal chaos. He turned sharply, eyes locking on the shop as the sound of footsteps reached his ears. His heart gave a sudden, erratic beat. She was inside.

Aidon didn't waste another second. He stood up quickly and made his way into the shop, pushing the door open with more urgency than he'd intended. Inside, he saw her—the woman who had unknowingly captured his attention. She was hanging her bag and donning an apron, her movements fluid, and graceful, like she had stepped out of a dream. The sight of her made his chest tighten, but his mind snapped back to the present, urging him to take action.

He moved quietly, trying not to make his presence known too suddenly. Finding a spot just far enough behind a shelf, he positioned himself in such a way that he could see her without drawing attention to himself. It wasn't enough to hide completely, but it was just enough to remain unnoticed—an observer, blending into the background. He wasn't sure why, but he felt compelled to watch her, to stay out of sight.

As she moved about the shop, humming a soft melody, a sense of peace filled the room. The music—a simple, unassuming tune—was captivating. It was almost magical, and he found himself unable to tear his eyes away. He felt a flutter in his chest, his thoughts scattered again as her melody danced through the air, a quiet spell wrapping around him.

But soon, a wave of self-consciousness washed over him. What am I doing? He shifted uncomfortably. He didn't want to just stand there, lurking in the shadows. If he wanted to make a real connection, he needed to act. The thought of doing something to help her crossed his mind, and for reasons he couldn't fully explain, he wanted to give her something—anything—to make up for the strange way he had been behaving.

An idea suddenly struck Aidon with startling clarity. What if I buy a lot of goods? The thought flitted across his mind, and though it seemed simple, there was a certain impulsiveness to it that caught his attention. It wasn't a grand gesture, and certainly not a grand plan, but it was something—something he could do. He didn't know why he felt the need to make up for his earlier awkwardness, but the urge to do something, anything to make things right, gnawed at him.

Without thinking further, he walked toward the shelves. His eyes scanned the displays, every item seeming to shimmer and beckon. He reached for the first thing he saw: a stack of golden apples, their bright, lustrous skins catching the light in a way that made them seem almost magical. Perfect, he thought, adding them to his pile. Then his fingers brushed against a series of enchanted books—each one more magnificent than the last. These weren't just ordinary books; they were imbued with power, radiating an aura of strength to whatever it was applied to. He picked one up, then another, and another, his arms quickly filling with the weight of the magical tomes.

His eyes continued scanning the shelves, his mind spinning with the options. Music discs, he thought next, pulling several of them from a nearby rack. The discs were rare, and highly coveted by players and collectors alike. One by one, he added them to his growing stack, his inventory growing more and more full with each passing moment. He chose the best ones, the most expensive, his hand hovering over them as if guided by something deeper than mere impulse.

By the time he was finished, his inventory was practically overflowing with goods, and the sheer amount was enough to fill several crates.

Aidon paused for a moment, gazing at the items in his arms. It wasn't just about the goods themselves—it was about what they represented. With each item, he could feel himself trying to make up for something, trying to balance the oddness of his actions with something that might be of real value to her. Maybe, just maybe, this would help her in ways that words or awkward gestures couldn't. A good payday for her, he thought, a fleeting but comforting thought.

But even as he made his way to the counter, he felt an unease simmering beneath the surface. This wasn't normal for him. He wasn't usually someone to act so impulsively. Yet, there he was, holding an entire collection of precious goods that a normal person could barely afford, all for a woman who didn't even know him. He couldn't explain it, but the thought of doing something, anything, to make things right was overpowering. So, he took a deep breath, focused on the growing pile, and moved forward, trying not to think too much about the why of it all.

As he walked to the checkout counter, he took a deep breath, his nerves tight but his resolve firm. This wasn't about him—it was about doing something that might make her day a little brighter. He placed all of the items on the counter, hoping his actions would speak louder than the awkwardness he felt.

She looked up from the counter and met his gaze, and for a brief moment, their eyes locked. Aidon's heart skipped a beat. There was something in the way she looked at him—something that made his chest tighten, and his ears flush a deep red. He could feel the weight of her gaze, and it was like a spark had been ignited inside him. His breath caught, and before he could think, he quickly turned his gaze away, his heart pounding in his ears, feeling heat creep up his neck and face.

"Hello again," she greeted him with a smile that made his heart flutter. Her voice was warm and welcoming, and there was something about it that made him feel both seen and at ease.

As she spoke, Aidon's gaze inadvertently drifted to the apron she wore, the fabric a soft shade of blue with a neat white trim. And there, pinned to the side, was a small name tag. It read Aria. The letters seemed to glow faintly in the light, as though they were meant just for him to notice, a little confirmation that this woman, this beautiful stranger, had a name he could now hold onto.

He mumbled a greeting in return, his voice barely a whisper as the words felt stuck in his throat. His mind raced, overwhelmed by how out of place he felt at this moment. He wasn't prepared for how his emotions had come rushing in, for how alive everything seemed when she was near. He hadn't expected to feel this way, so drawn to someone so suddenly, so unexplainably.

As Aria rang up the items, her eyes widened in surprise at the sheer amount Aidon had chosen. She glanced up at him, disbelief written all over her face. "That's a lot of things. Your total comes to about 120 diamonds," she said softly, clearly taken aback by the quantity and price.

Aidon frowned to himself, his brow furrowing slightly. The total was far cheaper than he had expected, and a strange feeling settled in his chest. For a moment, he thought about how this was all happening so easily, how something as simple as a purchase could leave him with a feeling of satisfaction. But then, his mind wandered back to the thought of her—how she had made him feel, how much her smile had impacted him in ways he couldn't explain. It didn't seem enough, the price, was not for what he wanted to express.

A small, impulsive surge of pride sparked within him. If this was the only way he could show his appreciation, then so be it. Without giving it another thought, he nodded to himself and, without hesitation, placed 250 diamonds on the counter. The weight of the diamonds in his hand felt more symbolic than practical, an offering of sorts—something that might begin to convey even a fraction of what he couldn't quite put into words.

Her eyes flickered down to the diamonds on the counter, then back up to his face, her expression filled with a mixture of surprise and confusion. She hesitated, as though weighing the offer, but Aidon simply stood there, his heart beating a little faster, as though the gesture would mean more to him than it would to her.

"You don't have to pay that much," she finally said, her voice soft, almost reluctant. "It's not necessary."

Aidon glanced around, unable to find any tip jar, unsure of what to say. He didn't want to seem rude, so he simply said, "Just take it." His voice was more insistent than he meant for it to be, and he could feel his cheeks redden under her gaze.

But she shook her head, pushing the diamonds back toward him again. "It's too much. You don't have to…"

Aidon felt frustration building. What was the problem? Wasn't it just a generous tip? He started to turn away, but the sight of her sparkling eyes—eyes that seemed to hold so much gratitude and confusion—stopped him.

Aidon frowned a bit. He didn't know what else to say. "Well, if you don't want it, then you can just give it away or something," he said, his tone suddenly colder than he meant. He turned to leave quickly, hoping she wouldn't say anything else.

Her eyes widened in disbelief, but there was no mistaking the deep emotion in them. She looked at him as though he had done something impossible, something kind that she hadn't expected. His ears burned as he quickly turned away, making his way toward the door.

But before he could leave, she stepped forward, a sudden urgency in her steps. "Wait!" she called out to him, her voice soft but firm.

Aidon stopped in his tracks, unsure of how to respond. He turned slightly, trying to mask his flustered state. She approached him, her expression sincere. "Thank you," she said softly, bowing her head.

He could feel his chest tighten. He wasn't sure how to respond. It was just a tip, wasn't it? But there was something in the way she said it that made him feel both humbled and a little overwhelmed. "It's nothing," he muttered, but his voice felt hollow against the weight of the moment.

And then, she looked up at him again, and for the briefest moment, Aidon caught a flicker of something in her eyes—a glimmer of tears that made his heart ache. He fumbled in his pocket for a handkerchief, his movements uncoordinated as he pulled it out and handed it to her. "Here," he said quietly.

Aria accepted it with a soft smile, dabbing at her eyes. "I… I don't know how to thank you," she whispered. "I'm just so grateful."

Aidon felt his chest tighten further, the sight of her vulnerability tugging at him in ways he couldn't understand. "You don't need to thank me," he said softly, the words barely escaping his lips.

She smiled, though her eyes were still wet with unshed tears. "I don't know how to repay you… for all of this."

Aidon hesitated, but then, an impulse took over. He reached into his pouch and pulled out a bundle of more diamonds, handing them to her with a quiet, almost apologetic look. "Just… please don't throw them away. I hope they help."

Aria blinked in surprise, her hands trembling slightly as she accepted the gift. "But… you've already given so much…"

Aidon nodded, his voice tight, his words coming out almost strained. "Just keep it. I hope it helps."

He turned to leave, but before he could take a step, he felt a gentle pull at his arm. His breath caught in his throat as Aria's fingers brushed against his skin, the soft touch sending an unexpected wave of warmth rushing through him. It felt as though the world paused for a heartbeat, her touch lingering in the air between them. He turned slightly, and the sudden physical contact sent a rush of heat to his face, his heart pounding in his chest. His mind spun, trying to process what had just happened, but all he could focus on was the softness of her hand and the way her warm hand ghosted over his skin. A blush crept up his neck, and he struggled to steady his breathing, unable to hide the way his pulse quickened at the simple contact.

Aria froze for a moment, realizing what she had done—touching him so suddenly. Her cheeks flushed, a soft pink tint rising across her face as she quickly pulled her hand back, eyes darting away. "Sorry," she mumbled, embarrassed by the accidental intimacy,

She looked at him, her eyes soft but slightly confused. "I... I didn't get your name," she said, her voice quiet but sincere. She paused, then added with a small smile, "I'm Aria."

Aidon hesitated for a second, caught off guard by her words. "Aidon," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

She repeated it softly, almost to herself. "Aidon…" Hearing his name on her lips made his ears flush even deeper, and he quickly looked away, flustered. He mumbled, "I'll see you again later."

Without waiting for a response, he turned and rushed out of the store, his steps quick and unsteady. His mind was racing, his emotions a chaotic whirlwind that he couldn't quite make sense of.

As he walked further away, he tried to clear his thoughts, but they kept circling back to her. Why did his heart race when he thought about her eyes? Why was everything about that moment replaying in his mind?

He needed space. To breathe. To think.

But more than anything, he needed to figure out why his heart wouldn't stop racing every time her voice echoed in his mind, saying his name.