The Art of Loving You

Brush (Ash)

Later in the evening, I parked my bicycle by the bicycle lot and safely dismounted myself with my leather bag strapped across my chest. The Downtown Shopping Mall is one of the biggest in the area and I know if I want to complete Gray's list of groceries, this would be the right place.

I pulled out the list and strolled towards the supermarket. Armed with a basket on hand, I headed towards the ramen section.

"Nongshim... nongshim... nongshimmy..." I mumbled to myself as I scanned my eyes along the rows of shelves until my eyes caught the red and black packaging. I bent down to grab a few packets and threw them into the basket. I was hesitating between getting the cheese ramen when I heard someone talking loudly on the phone down the aisle.

"No, no, no. I already said no. You know how mad he will be if he finds out he's featured in the news." I turned my head towards the noise and catches my eyes on a girl with slightly wavy black hair, and funky sunglasses perched on her nose bridge. She was dressed like a fashionista, with a patterned white collared shirt and subtle trumpet pants. Holding two bottles of lemonade in her right arm and her phone between her neck, she was a balancing act waiting f0r disaster. I watched as she bent down to scan through the variety of ramen choices and continue to bicker with the other person on the line.

"Yes, I know it's good publicity but - Hold on. Yes, Heath? Yes I know, I'm currently on the line with her. The reporter from The Scoop keeps wanting to push for the article. You are in charge of the marketing for the gallery. Could you get her to get her head out of her ass?" The fashionista threw her hands in the air, accidentally letting go of the two bottles of lemonade. She mumbled a 'shit' as one of the bottles rolled towards me. I stepped forward to grab hold of the rolling bottle and put it in my basket.

As I took out the packets of ramen and put them back to the shelf, I shoved the basket towards the fashionista. "I think you should put them inside here before they start rolling around the supermarket."

I could hear the person on the other side of the line speaking so quickly and loudly but the fashionista was looking at me as though I have four eyes.

She blinked not once, but twice at me before taking the basket from me.

"Well... Thank you for helping me. That's really nice of you." The fashionista broke into a huge cheery grin before turning back to her phone. "Shut up, Heath. You listen to me." Just then, her phone started buzzing as another person tried to call her on the phone.

My feet stayed rooted to the ground unknowingly as she dropped the basket on the floor and pulled her phone away to look at the incoming call. I saw a glimpse of the contact image and I was shocked. The man on her screen looked strikingly similar to the man I saw at the park. My mouth went slack as the fashionista answered the phone.

"Yeah, Sage? Yeah, I'm getting the groceries now. Yeah, Samyang? I'll get them. And by the way, Heath called and - " The fashionista suddenly looked at me and I realised I was still standing there staring at her. "I know you gave me the basket, but do you need any help?"

I quickly shook my head and brisk walked my way out of the aisle to get another basket. I couldnt shake the sight of the contact image on the fashionista's phone.

They look so alike... It might not have been him...

I grabbed another basket and went back to the ramen section, hoping to get some clues from the fashionista, but she was already gone. I swallowed back a sigh and took the packets of ramen I've left behind. Arming the basket in my hand, I crossed aisles to complete the grocery list, knowing Gray would murder me if I've missed out on anything.

After grabbing all the groceries, I headed towards the self-checkout counter. I was looking at my basket, checking to see if I've missed out on any items when someone strolled past me, smelling like wood and pine.