After paying for the groceries, Cecilia stood still for a moment, staring at the shopping cart nearly overflowing with bags and items.
A small sigh escaped her lips.
How am I supposed to bring all of this back home? she wondered, eyeing the wheels of the cart as if they'd somehow offer a solution. She couldn't just take the mall's cart outside—doing so might get her fined… or worse, banned from the store entirely.
Still deep in thought, she began pushing the cart slowly along the polished tile floor of the mall, its wheels clicking softly with every turn. Sirin walked beside her, her small hand gently holding onto Cecilia's sleeve as they navigated through the mall's gentle crowd.
"Which floor is the ice cream shop on, dear?" Cecilia asked without looking down.
Sirin perked up and looked up at her mom. "Wait, I'll check."
She let go of the sleeve and began tapping at her phone screen. Meanwhile, Cecilia glanced around and spotted a shop just a few steps ahead—its storefront modest but with a certain charm that tugged at her curiosity.
She carefully pushed the cart to the side of the wall, away from foot traffic, and turned to Sirin. "Guard the cart for a moment, alright? Mom just wants to check that store over there."
Sirin gave a small nod, eyes still on her phone. "Okay, mom."
Cecilia walked toward the store, the soft jingling of chimes welcoming her as she stepped inside. The lighting was warm and gentle, casting a peaceful glow over the wooden shelves and small displays. It wasn't particularly large or grand, but something about the air inside felt… nostalgic.
She didn't even know what kind of store it was—maybe a boutique, maybe an antique shop—but her feet moved on their own as she walked between shelves lined with small trinkets, handcrafted jewelry, and old-looking boxes.
Her eyes drifted across polished stones, tiny glass bottles, and elegant brushes, until something behind a cluttered row of bracelets caught her attention.
Tucked at the back of a shelf, almost hidden, was a ring.
Drawn to it without thinking, Cecilia reached out and picked it up. It was a simple piece—silver, delicate, with a small white flower etched into the top. Elegant in its minimalism. Soft and quiet, like a memory you couldn't quite recall.
The moment her fingers touched it, a tear slid down her cheek.
"…Eh?"
She blinked in surprise and quickly wiped her cheek. Another tear followed.
Cecilia frowned, confused. There was no emotion—no grief, no pain—yet her heart felt heavy, like a whisper of something long lost.
Why am I… crying?
She looked down at the ring again, now cradled in her palm like something fragile. The flower shimmered faintly under the store's lighting.
Something inside her stirred. A memory, maybe… or a feeling that didn't belong to her.
She clutched the ring a little tighter.
And then she exhaled softly, steadying herself.
"…It's just a ring," she whispered, almost to herself.
Cecilia brought the delicate ring to the cashier, her steps slow and thoughtful. The clerk didn't ask any questions—just scanned it with a quiet beep, bagged it gently, and handed it over.
She held the ring in her palm for a moment, gazing down at the small white flower nestled in silver. Her fingers slowly closed around it. She let her eyes flutter shut, drawing in a quiet breath, as though sealing away something fragile inside her heart.
Then, with a small sigh, she slipped the ring into her pocket and turned to leave.
Outside the store, Sirin stood near their cart, watching her mother with curious eyes. When Cecilia approached, her daughter tilted her head slightly.
"Mom, did you buy something?" Sirin asked.
Cecilia smiled gently and nodded. "Just a small item," she said, reaching out to softly caress Sirin's cheek, her touch light and warm.
Sirin giggled a little at the gesture before raising her phone again. "The ice cream shop—it's just a few stores ahead!"
"Is that so?" Cecilia replied, returning her hand to the cart handle. "Then let's head there."
They resumed walking, the soft hum of mall chatter surrounding them. The cart wheels clattered lightly against the smooth tile floor as they passed several boutique stores and cafés.
After a short walk, they arrived at the ice cream shop.
Cecilia blinked in mild surprise. "Huh… it's not nearly as crowded as I expected."
Given how "viral" Sirin said it was, she'd imagined long lines and overexcited teenagers. Instead, the shop was nearly empty—just a couple of people sitting by the window, quietly enjoying their treats.
Maybe it was just today… or maybe it was one of those places that got popular online for aesthetics, but couldn't quite live up to the taste or price.
Still, she looked down at Sirin's face. Her daughter's golden eyes were sparkling with anticipation, her steps just a little quicker as she approached the shop doors.
Cecilia's expression softened.
Well, even if it's just hype... how could I ruin that smile?
She followed after Sirin, pushing the cart slowly behind her.
"Alright, let's get some ice cream," she said with a small laugh.
Cecilia guided the shopping cart to an empty table near the corner of the ice cream shop, its metal frame gently rattling as she parked it beside them. The soft hum of the mall outside barely reached through the pastel-colored walls and cozy chatter of the small store.
"Sirin, what flavor do you want?" Cecilia asked, resting her hand on the back of a chair.
"The chocolate one!" Sirin beamed, her golden eyes lighting up. "With rainbow sprinkles on top!"
Cecilia chuckled. "Alright, just wait here for a moment, okay?" She patted Sirin's head affectionately, brushing back a stray lock of silver hair, then turned and walked toward the counter.
There were only two other customers ahead of her, murmuring their orders to the cashier. While waiting, Cecilia glanced at the vibrant display of ice cream tubs—soft swirls of color arranged neatly in rows under the glass. Chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, pistachio… and a striking mint-green peppermint.
Once it was her turn, she leaned forward slightly. "One chocolate cone with rainbow sprinkles… and one strawberry, please," she said after a brief pause. Then, without thinking much about it, her eyes lingered on the peppermint flavor. "And... one peppermint cone as well."
The worker nodded, quickly scooping each one. A few minutes later, after paying, Cecilia carefully returned to the table with all three cones in hand.
"Here it is," she said, crouching a little to hand Sirin her order. "Your favorite—chocolate with rainbow sprinkles."
"Yay! Thank you, Mom!" Sirin took it with both hands and immediately gave it a happy lick.
Cecilia sat down, glancing at the strawberry cone in her left hand. "This one's strawberry. If you want to try some later, just tell me, okay?"
"Okay!" Sirin replied between bites, a small smear of chocolate already forming at the corner of her mouth.
Then, Sirin pointed curiously. "And what about that one, Mom?"
Cecilia blinked, looking at the peppermint cone in her right hand.
"…This?" she murmured.
She stared at it for a moment, confused.
"I… don't remember why I ordered this one." She tilted her head slightly, as if hoping an explanation might come if she looked at it long enough.
The pale green swirl glistened softly under the shop lights, untouched.
A strange, hollow feeling settled in her chest, subtle but cold—like she'd done something on instinct.
"…Maybe I just felt like trying something different," she added, forcing a small smile and setting the cone down on a napkin in front of her.
But even as she said it, she didn't touch the peppermint ice cream. It simply sat there, slowly beginning to melt.
-----------------------------
A few minutes later, Cecilia and Sirin walked side by side, heading toward the shopping mall's exit. The trolley wheels squeaked quietly as Cecilia pushed it forward, its contents shifting softly with each turn. Sirin clung close to her side, one hand lightly holding onto Cecilia's sleeve.
As they moved, a strange thought lingered in Cecilia's mind—something about earlier still didn't feel right. That extra peppermint cone, her reaction in the boutique, the sudden tear… it was all too unfamiliar. Too distant, like a memory borrowed from someone else.
She glanced down at Sirin and smiled softly, reaching over to ruffle her daughter's hair. Sirin looked up, beaming for a moment before returning to her quiet steps.
But then… something changed.
Cecilia frowned, her brows furrowing as she looked ahead.
The exit doors—bright, glassy, and usually not more than a minute's walk from this corridor—still looked far. Too far. And as they walked, they didn't seem to get any closer.
"…What?" she whispered under her breath.
They kept walking. The lights above flickered briefly. Then again. And then the world around them started… glitching.
Shadows warped. The colors of the walls bled into each other like smeared paint. The floor rippled subtly under their feet, like water disturbed by a breeze. The signs on the wall jittered, unreadable, and the distance to the exit stretched farther and farther with each step.
Cecilia stopped.
Sirin, already tense, pressed her face into Cecilia's stomach. Her small arms wrapped tightly around her mother's waist.
Cecilia immediately set a calming hand on her daughter's head. "Hush, hush... It's alright, dear. Mom is here," she said softly, her voice low and steady, despite the creeping unease curling in her chest.
She looked around—everything beyond a few meters was blurred, as if reality itself was struggling to render properly.
Then she noticed it—a single tear clinging to the corner of Sirin's golden eye.
Cecilia gently wiped it away with her thumb, kneeling a little to bring herself to Sirin's level.
"It's fine, Sirin. I'm here," she whispered, pulling her closer, one hand around her shoulder protectively. "No matter what happens... Mom is here."
All around them, the mall seemed to pulse, a static haze forming at the edges of their vision.
And still, the exit never came any closer.
Cecilia's mind raced, her thoughts scrambling for any possible way to escape this twisting, unraveling reality. The mall's exit, though still impossibly distant, remained the only visible path forward.
She locked her gaze on the glass doors at the far end. Run. It was the only thought in her mind.
But then—
A low, distorted crack echoed behind her.
Cecilia froze for half a second, then turned her head slightly.
Behind them… the world was falling apart.
The floor warped, shelves and walls bent inward, sucked into a pulsing void of static. Reality itself—like a corrupted video file—was collapsing, folding and tearing, chasing after her like a storm of noise and nothingness.
"Sirin," Cecilia said firmly, kneeling quickly. Her voice was calm but urgent. "Close your eyes for mom, okay?"
Sirin, trembling slightly, gave a shaky nod and shut her eyes tight.
Without hesitation, Cecilia scooped her daughter into her arms, leaving the shopping cart behind. As she turned back toward the exit, she heard the metallic crunch of the cart being swallowed behind her—no more than a blur of static now.
Cecilia took off running.
Her boots echoed loudly against the tile floor as she sprinted through the mall's distorted corridor. Glitches flickered around her like broken pixels—reality twitching and jerking as if trying to reject her presence.
She ducked under a hanging sign that glitched into multiple versions of itself in midair. She weaved around a pillar that flickered in and out of existence, its shadow jittering like a strobe.
"Huff… huff…" her breathing grew heavy, muscles burning—but she didn't slow down.
She risked a glance over her shoulder.
The collapsing void was faster now.
The floor behind her crumbled into fragments of glowing blue data, like puzzle pieces being erased one by one. Is sea of quanta—was it trying to consume this bubble too?
Cecilia grit her teeth, pushing harder, clutching Sirin close to her chest.
I don't care what this place is. I don't care what's happening.
I won't let her go.
But no matter how far she ran, the exit still remained distant—taunting her.
Time no longer felt real here.
Had it been minutes? Hours?
Her limbs screamed in protest, but she kept moving—dodging shards of glitching debris, ducking under collapsing signs, navigating a world that twisted and bent like a dream turning into a nightmare.
And still, the exit shimmered far ahead like a mirage.
And still, the void behind crept closer.
(A/n: peppermint ice cream)