Wave to the Sky (Omegaverse)

Chapter 40

Alon's PoV

"I think this will look good on you," Caelus said, handing me a black shirt. I examined it; it was a bit large for my frame, with white bands from the collar to the sleeves. There were two shiny silver wing-shaped sequin patches on the front, definitely attention-grabbing.

"Do I really have to wear that?" I asked him.

"Why? Is there anything wrong with it?" he replied.

"Isn't it a bit too flashy?" I pointed at the sequins.

He paused for a moment. "I don't think so. I say you wear that," he insisted, then went back to browsing the pants in the store, consulting the salesperson. I resigned myself to waiting for them to make a decision.

"Loony, try this," Caelus returned with a pair of pants in his hands, handing them to me and motioning toward the fitting room. It seemed my opinion didn't matter much. I sighed and headed to the fitting room.

Once inside, I stared at the clothes he wanted me to try. This was definitely not my style. I checked the price tag and my eyes widened. One hundred dollars for a shirt?! I really didn't want to wear it, but it seemed I didn't have much of a choice. I changed into the outfit and looked at myself in the mirror. It was flashy, even the white pants were attention-grabbing. The whole ensemble looked great, but I wasn't sure if it suited me.

I stepped out of the fitting room, revealing myself to the salesperson and Caelus. They both looked at me with approval.

"Perfect," Caelus muttered to the salesperson. "We'll take them."

"Sure, Sir," the salesperson replied, turning to me. "Does everything fit well?"

"Uh, yeah," I replied, feeling uncomfortable. "Can I change now?"

"Yes, sir," he responded. "I'll get you a new pair of everything." I nodded and retreated to the fitting room. It was such a relief to change back into my usual clothes. When I emerged, Caelus was already carrying paper bags from the store.

"Let's go," he called. "We still have a lot to do."

"Like what?" I asked.

"You'll find out when we get there," he said mysteriously. I followed silently, feeling uneasy about the expensive-looking shops around us. The brands were all unfamiliar and hard to pronounce. It was dawning on me just how different Caelus's world was from mine.

"Is everything okay?" Caelus asked, noticing the silence between us. I glanced around and then at him.

"I, uh," I began, stumbling over my words. "I just feel a bit uncomfortable here," I admitted.

His expression twitched, as if my discomfort was unexpected. "Don't worry. It's all on me," he assured me.

"But, Caelus, I appreciate your generosity," I said, sighing. "But I don't see the point in buying myself things."

"Do I have to spell it out for you again?" he asked. "I don't mind the money. We're friends, right?"

"Friendship is supposed to be a give and take," I argued. "You've been giving me so much, treating me at fancy restaurants, but I feel like I haven't given you enough in return."

He fell silent for a moment, and I avoided his gaze, feeling the awkwardness creeping in. I just wanted to leave and go home.

"Such nonsense," Caelus finally said. "You're already paying me back with your company. You make me feel less lonely, and you ought to know that. I'm happy with you by my side. If you really want to pay me back, just let me do what I want to do and be honest with me all the time."