Cress walked around the unfamiliar city of New Beijing, bright lights blinking in different colors as music blasted in almost every store. It was night time yet everyone is full of energy and crowds still form on the street.
She sighed.
"What gift can I give him?" She asked to no one in particular.
She's been roaming around the market district looking for Thorne's perfect birthday gift and yet she still cannot find one.
Hair products? Leather jackets? Boots?
Looking back at her portscreen she realized she only has 30 more minutes before his "meeting" with Kai is over.
She'd been busy helping Kai with various information he needed for a new research, even as they were aboard the rampion, that she forgot about Thorne's special day.
He'd been trying to hint at her about him getting older and a special event that's soon to happen, yet she didn't catch up.
When she realized, Thorne's birthday is about a day away. She panicked and immediately sent a comm to Cinder and asked her for help.
"A comb? Uh.. a mirror?", Cinder suggested. "I think he might want something like beauty products.. or something. You know, so he's always pretty."
Beauty products? What does she know about creams and lotions and powders?
25 minutes
After her talk with Cinder she asked Kai to distract Thorne as she look for his gift, hence the immediate and "very important meeting" that Kai called Thorne for. They landed in New Beijing just in time for her to sneak out and find a gift.
20 minutes
Cress' eyes darted to the one boutique that shine with pink and red decorations. Colognes, lotions, creams, shirts, undergarments and other products line up inside. She smiled and ran immediately inside to look for his present.
"Hello miss, can I help you with anything?" A young lady wearing a pink and grey dress asked her as she held two bottles of cream, or so she thinks it is, in both her hands.
"Oh. Yes. Uh.. I don't know which one of these would be good for you."
The woman laughed and smiled at her, amused. "Well that depends as to what it is for. See this one-"
15 minutes
"I'm really sorry. But i don't know any of these," her eyes pleaded with the lady. "I don't know how to-" She looked down embarassed.
The woman's voice surprised her as her face was suddenly in front of hers, staring. "You have a pretty healthy skin, probably some-"
"No, it's not for me. It's for," Cress' cheeks felt hot as her voice turned into a whisper "my boyfriend."
The woman's brows shot up.
"See, it's his birthday and I don't know what to give him. I only have a few minutes left and I really need to buy his gift now. Cinder- I mean, a friend said these might do but I'm not familiar with them. Please help me." Cress' eyes darted between the lady and her portscreen as she count the few remaining minutes.
"Your boyfriend's birthday?"
Cress nodded.
"I know just the thing. Come with me."
