Their Parallel Universe ✓

Chapter 12

Flour. Gelatin powder. Cocoa powder. Sugar. They're all in the basket.

Vanilla extract. Yogurt. Oil. He has enough of them at home.

Baking powder. Baking soda. Uncertain what the difference is, he picks both of them.

What else does he need? He looks down at the piece of paper he's holding with a gloved hand to check the list.

Eggs? He'll just buy them later from the old lady who sells fresh farm eggs near his place. It's too risky to buy them here and bring them home on his motorbike.

Eujae turns his wrist to check the time on his watch. It's only 6:08 p.m. He has plenty of time to prepare everything. He glances at the list again before folding the paper and shoving it in the back pocket of his jeans.

He needs chocolate chips but he has yet to see one in this section. Wandering through the aisle, he carefully searches each supermarket shelf for a certain item. He's reached the last rack in the baking supplies section but there are no chocolate chips in sight.

They must have put it in the wrong section. Eujae turns to the corner, exiting the baking aisle, and saunters to the row labeled 'Candies and Chocolates.' He finds what he is looking for on the very first shelf.

"Hey, aren't you cute? Are you a college student?"

His attention drifts in the direction of the flirtatious voice, brows knitting at the scene happening before his eyes. A few feet away from him, Eujae witnesses a woman groping a taller man's arm with her slender fingers. He can't see what the woman looks like so he can't estimate her age. However, Eujae assumes that she is a corporate employee if the dress is anything to go by.

Shifting his gaze to the man, he notes that he can't see his face either since he is looking at the items on the shelf in front of him as if he doesn't notice the woman trying to hit on him.

Despite not seeing his face, Eujae immediately recognizes who the guy is. His expression turns to surprise. He can only see the side profile but he is all too familiar with that hair that looks black at first glance. Under the light, the dark blue shade is apparent.

Apollo?

Right on cue, Poll turns to the woman who's clinging to him and gives Eujae a good view of his face.

"Uhm... I'm sorry but I have to go somewhere. Can you please let me go?" Poll tells the woman, smiling awkwardly. Both his expression and tone are dead giveaways of his discomfort.

His shopping duty forgotten, Eujae remains unmoving as his awareness is solely fixed on what is coming about near him. He can't decide if it is a good idea to intervene in the situation. Poll's uneasiness is very clear to him but Eujae is not sure if the guy wants some help to get out of this predicament. It seems that he can take care of it just fine and it is not like he is a damsel-in-distress who has to be saved. Besides, even if he does need help, Eujae is pretty sure he's the last person whom Poll would want it from.

Despite having those thoughts, Eujae chooses to stay and see how the situation would develop. He tells himself it is only out of curiosity. It has nothing to do with him being concerned about Poll. He's not even that worried to start with.

"Aw, c'mon. Are you shy? Why are you acting like I am gonna eat you? Don't be so awkward. I was just really delighted when I saw you earlier because you're adorable. Think of it like I'm an older sister doting on her younger brother."

Eujae purses his lips, displeased with what he heard. The woman is spouting rubbish. No sane sister would treat their siblings like that and make them utterly uncomfortable. It looks so wrong no matter how one views it.