"Wow!" Aliff exclaimed with sparkling eyes, his head swiveling in every direction like a curious little owl. "This is really beautiful!"
They had just exited Sarah's white car, which was parked in the botanical garden's parking area.
"By the way, Sarah," their mother asked while locking the car, "where did you get this car? Did you buy it yourself?"
"Hmm..."
Sarah shook her head, smiling slightly. "Uh, no, Mom. This car is a gift from Sister Siti. She said it would be easier for me to get to school or go out."
"Hah?! Where did she get the money?" their mother inquired.
"Sister Siti said she works somewhere, but I don't know where she works!" Sarah replied.
"Oh, I see. Maybe I'll ask her later..."
Before they could walk far, Aliff was already tugging at his mother's hand impatiently. "Mom! Mom! I want ice cream over there!" His small finger pointed to an ice cream truck parked under a shady tree, complete with colorful umbrellas.
"Alright, let's buy some," their mother smiled, allowing her son to pull her toward the ice cream truck. Sarah and Razak followed behind, laughing at Aliff's enthusiasm.
"What flavors do Aliff and Razak want?" their mother asked once they reached the ice cream truck.
"Chocolate flavor!" the two brothers answered in unison, making the ice cream vendor chuckle.
"And Sarah?" their mother turned to her daughter.
Sarah looked at the menu board displayed, tapping her chin with her finger. "Hmm... I want chocolate mixed with vanilla!"
"Alright," their mother smiled at the friendly ice cream vendor. "I would like two chocolate, one chocolate mixed with vanilla, and one strawberry."
"Okay, please wait a moment," the ice cream vendor replied cheerfully, starting to prepare their order.
While waiting, Sarah looked around the increasingly crowded park. "Actually, the distance from the flat to here isn't too far," she explained. "Walking might only take about 15 or 20 minutes."
There, they could see people jogging, children playing in the park, and some riding bicycles.
"Wow, that's really close?" Razak seemed interested. "So we can walk here next time?"
"Of course," Sarah nodded. "But you need to go with me or Mom. This place is big; you might get lost."
"Here's your ice cream!" the vendor called out, handing over four cones of delicious-looking ice cream.
They sat on a bench under a gazebo in the botanical garden, where there were several gazebos throughout, and Aliff and his family were now at the gazebo by the river, enjoying their ice cream while watching the sparkling fountain. Aliff ate with such enthusiasm that he got chocolate smudged on his cheek, prompting Sarah to laugh and clean it off with a tissue.
"Aww...
"Don't eat your ice cream too quickly; look at your cheek..."
"Hmm..." Aliff let his sister clean his cheek.
After finishing their ice creams, they continued their journey. They also saw people jogging nearby.
"Be careful, Aliff," their mother warned anxiously, watching her youngest son walk too close to the riverbank. "You might fall into the water."
"Don't worry, Mom!" Aliff replied confidently, still captivated by watching the waves in the water. "Aliff won't fall!"
Sarah walked closer to Aliff, ready to catch her little brother if he fell. Meanwhile, Razak walked beside their mother, occasionally glancing at his younger brother.
"Hm... Mom," Aliff suddenly stopped, pointing to a group of people sitting by the river. "What are they doing over there?"
"Oh, they are fishing, dear," their mother explained. By the riverbank, several fishermen sat patiently, holding their fishing rods.
Aliff's eyes sparkled with interest. "Oh, I understand! Can Aliff go fishing too?"
His mother gently shook her head. "You're still too young to fish, dear. Maybe when you're older?"
They continued their walk until they reached a wooden bridge that spanned the river. On the bridge, some fishermen also appeared focused on their activities.
"Wow, there are people fishing here too!" Aliff exclaimed in awe.
"Yes, this place is famous for fishing," Sarah explained. "They say the fish here are big and of many kinds."
Suddenly, Sarah remembered something important. "Oh yes, Mom," she turned to her mother. "We're running low on cooking supplies at home. We need to stop by the store to shop later."
"Ah, that's true," their mother nodded. "In that case, let's go to the supermarket after this, and we can also buy snacks for you."
"Yay! Snacks!" Aliff jumped excitedly, nearly making the wooden bridge sway.
"Be careful, take it slow," Razak reminded him, holding his younger brother's shoulder. "You might disturb the fishermen."
***
After parking the car in the basement, they began to walk into GM Klang, one of the largest shopping malls in the city.
Actually, they didn't need a car to get here; if they had kept walking through the botanical garden, they would have reached GM Klang, which wasn't too far from the garden.
As soon as the automatic doors opened, they were greeted by the familiar hustle and bustle of a modern mall—soft music playing from the speakers, visitors chatting mingled with children's laughter, and the aroma of food wafting from the food court above.
"Wow... there are so many people here!" Aliff exclaimed in amazement, his head spinning in every direction like a little owl.
"But this place is really cold," Aliff remarked.
"Are you okay?" Sarah asked, looking at her shivering brother.
"Aliff is fine," he replied.
"Alright, Aliff, come here," their mother grabbed Aliff's hand. "Since it's crowded here, you must not let go of your mother, okay? You could get lost later."
"Okay, Mom!" Aliff nodded obediently, gripping his mother's hand tightly.
Sarah walked ahead, "Let's head to the supermarket first, okay? It's on the ground floor, near the eastern entrance."
"Wow, look!" Razak pointed to a toy store filled with displays of robots and action figures. "There are Power Rangers! That's your favorite toy, Aliff."
"Hah?! Where? Where?" Aliff looked around eagerly.
"Later," their mother smiled at her son's enthusiasm. "We'll shop for groceries first, and then we can check out the toys, okay?"
"Okay," Aliff replied.
After that, they passed various shops—clothing boutiques with trendy mannequins in the windows, electronics stores showcasing the latest gadgets, bookstores filled with best-selling book posters, and other stores that caught their attention.
"Oh right," Sarah remembered something. "We also need to buy school supplies for Aliff and Razak. They will start learning with me tomorrow."
"That's right," their mother nodded. "You'll need new notebooks and stationery, right?"
"And don't forget," Sarah added casually, "your teacher is very strict about neatness."
"Yes, Teacher!" Aliff and Razak replied in unison, causing nearby visitors to smile.
Finally, they arrived at the supermarket. They grabbed a shopping cart, and the adventure of shopping began. Aliff, who had never been to such a large supermarket before, looked amazed by the tall shelves filled with various goods.
"Mom, Mom! Look! There's cereal with a toy inside!" Aliff pointed to a row of breakfast cereals.
"And look at this," Razak added, "there's bread shaped like Power Rangers!"
Sarah laughed at her two brothers' antics. "You guys are already excited just entering the supermarket. Imagine how you'll feel when we get to the toy store!"
***
After almost an hour of wandering inside GM Klang, Aliff's little steps began to slow down. His usually bright and enthusiastic eyes now looked sleepy and tired. Seeing her younger brother's condition, Sarah quickly offered to carry him.
"Come here, I'll carry you," Sarah said, bending down to let Aliff climb onto her back. Aliff rested his head on her shoulder, and his eyes slowly began to close.
Their mother walked beside them, her hands full of shopping bags filled with groceries. Razak, still full of energy, walked lightly, occasionally glancing at his younger brother.
"Hmph, you're so weak, Aliff," Razak complained. "Just one hour of walking and you're already tired."
"Be quiet," Sarah gently replied. "Alright, alright. Looks like he's already asleep now. Let's head to the car."
Since Aliff had fallen asleep, they didn't go to the toy store.
They walked toward the parking basement, Aliff's steady breathing showing that he was sound asleep on his sister's back.
"Maybe he's tired from all the activities today," their mother commented softly.
Razak now opened the car door for Sarah, carefully helping her place Aliff in the back seat.
"Tomorrow we start learning, okay?" Sarah reminded, covering Aliff with a jacket inside the car.
The white car exited the GM Klang basement parking. In the back seat, Aliff was still sleeping soundly, occasionally mumbling softly. Razak sat beside him.