The sissy games

Part 19; Why me?

"Yes, let's go!" Ember picked up her bag, stood up, and walked to the door. Alex couldn't believe his ears—a free day outside this place. He smiled as he walked towards her, and Ember opened the doors. They got into a car, and once more, Alex was blindfolded. After a lengthy drive, he was finally allowed to remove the blindfold. He found himself in a fascinating city center. They stood on a plaza surrounded by shops and restaurants, all housed in medieval-style buildings with stone facades, arched windows, and colorful banners fluttering from the rooftops. The cobblestone streets added to the old-world charm, making it feel like they had stepped back in time.

"Wow! It's beautiful here," Alex said, his eyes wide with amazement.

Ember, standing in front of him, softly replied, "It is." She then turned around and said, "Let's look around."

Alex quickly caught up to her, and they walked side by side, exploring the narrow streets and admiring the architecture of the buildings. "So, I got us some money to use today," Ember began, but Alex, still captivated by the surroundings, didn't hear her.

He was lost in thought, wondering where they could be. The people in the town spoke English, which he noted. "Sorry, what did you say?" Alex asked, snapping out of his thoughts.

"I said we have some money to spend today," Ember repeated.

"Oh, really? Then let's use it all!" Alex joked.

Ember smiled, and they continued exploring the shops. They sold all sorts of things, from souvenirs to handmade crafts. As they walked, Alex started feeling a bit uncomfortable. Ember noticed and asked, "What's up?"

"I feel like people are staring at me, probably because of this," he said, pointing to the pink tips of his hair.

"I can't really do anything about that, unfortunately. We'll just have to deal with it," Ember replied.

Feeling awkward under the gaze of others, they continued walking. "Uhmm, what do you think of that?" Ember asked, stopping and turning toward a shop window.

Alex looked in and saw a mannequin wearing a short white dress. "Uhm, I like it," he said carefully.

"Really? Let's go in." They entered the shop, which was bustling with people browsing, chatting, or simply looking around. Ember quickly moved to where she had spotted the white dress. "Hmm, which size—S or M?" she asked, holding up two dresses.

"Uh, try on the M," Alex suggested, a bit unsure.

"Okay! I'll try it in the dressing room," she said, walking off. Alex, not knowing what else to do, followed her. Ember disappeared into the fitting room while Alex awkwardly waited outside.

A moment later, he heard a soft voice, "Alex?"

"Uh, yes?" he replied, approaching the curtain but not opening it.

A hand emerged from the curtain, holding the dress. "Could you get me the S? This one is too big."

Alex took the dress, found the S, and returned to Ember. "Ember?" he called.

"You're back! Did you get it?" she asked.

"Yes, I found the S," he said, carefully handing the dress through the curtain.

"Thank you," Ember said as she tried it on. After a short while, the curtain opened, and she looked in the mirror. "What do you think?"

Alex scanned her from top to bottom. The dress fit her perfectly, and he couldn't help but notice how well it suited her figure. Blushing, he said, "You look very pretty."

Ember looked away, trying to hide her own blush. "Perfect, then I'll buy it," she said, quickly retreating back into the fitting room.

They bought the dress and continued visiting more shops. "Are you hungry?" Alex asked as his stomach growled.

"I could go for lunch! There are plenty of places here, so pick one," Ember replied.

Alex looked around, chose a spot, and they took a seat. After ordering lunch, they sat facing each other.

"I love today already," Ember said with a smile.

"I like it too," Alex replied. Then he asked, "So, on your free days, do you like to go shopping?"

"It's one of the things I enjoy, yes."

"And what else do you like to do?" Alex asked, realizing he didn't know much about Ember personally, except for the fact that she had watched him play all those days ago.

"I like watching movies, going to the cinema, and I love traveling," Ember answered.

Just as they were talking, their food arrived, and they both began to enjoy their meals. While eating, Alex found himself thinking about how kind Ember had been. If he hadn't chosen the red lipstick that day, he would have ended up with a different mentor. This made him curious.

"So, I was wondering... Back then, when you chose me, was it just random? Did you just pick me out of a crowd?" Alex asked suddenly.

Ember hesitated, caught off guard by the question. "Well, uhm, not exactly. We were given a few options, and... well..."

"You chose me?" Alex prompted.

"Yeah... I'm sorry," she said quietly.

"But why me?" Alex asked, genuinely curious.

"Well, you were a sportsman," Ember began.

"Ah, I see. So you thought I'd be good for the physical challenges," Alex realized.

"Yes," she replied.

"So, how many other boys have you mentored into this?" he asked, his tone more serious.

"You're actually the first recruit I've been responsible for selecting. I've mentored before, but I was never sent out to find new recruits. It was only after... when he... died... that they allowed me to choose a contestant on my own," Ember paused, the painful memory evident in her expression. "I refused to do it at first, but you know how they are. They forced me. I had no choice but to pick someone new for the games."

Alex was silent, taking in the weight of her words. "That's horrible," he said, his voice filled with sympathy.

Ember didn't respond, the pain still fresh. "I was told to choose someone, talk to you, get you to the café, and they would handle the rest."

They both sat in silence for a moment, neither knowing what to say. Finally, Alex spoke up, trying to lighten the mood. "Well, I hate being in this mess, but I'm glad I might get us both out of it."

Ember's eyes softened as she smiled faintly. "That's so sweet," she said, almost to herself.

Alex didn't hear her and said, "Let's pay and enjoy what's left of this free day."

"Sure thing!" Ember agreed, and they moved on.

They left the restaurant and continued shopping. "How much did they even give us?" Alex asked as they walked.

"Around 600," Ember responded casually.

Alex stopped in his tracks. "They gave us a whole month's salary for one day?"

"Yes, so let's spend it, shall we?" Ember said with a grin.

They visited different shops, and Alex asked, "Can I even buy anything, you know, not girly?"

"Sure, I'll just keep it with me. I'm sure they won't let you keep anything in your room."

Alex wondered how much longer he would be stuck in this situation. Ember interrupted his thoughts, "Want to look here for some clothes for you?"

"Uh, yeah! Let's go," he agreed, not even paying attention to the store they were entering.

They browsed through various t-shirts and shorts, eventually trying on and buying a few items. As they continued shopping, they ended up in another clothing store where Ember spotted some clothes she liked. "I'll try these on. Maybe you can look around and see if there's anything you think I'd like?" Ember suggested.

Ember headed to the fitting room, leaving Alex alone to sift through women's clothes. Already feeling self-conscious with his pink-tipped hair, he felt even more out of place. He found a skirt and a top he thought Ember might like and brought them to the fitting rooms.

When he arrived, the shopkeeper greeted him, "Would you like to try those on?"