Shopping Date

[Rayl]

As Rayl nodded and saw Leo's agreement to wear the black suit, she was thrilled and her eyes sparkled with joy. However, she soon became flabbergasted by the multiple requests Leo was making. "W-Wait, what?" she stammered, feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the instructions and plans he was laying out for their evening.

Nevertheless, she sat there beside him, meekly listening as he continued to explain their arrangements for the evening. It appeared that after they finished getting their measurements taken at the boutique, Rayl would head to the D'Jari Beauty Parlour for hair and makeup. Once that was done, she would return to the boutique, and then they would both proceed to the restaurant called Fuego Troika Sky Dining.

Rayl's heart raced with excitement and a hint of nervousness. It seemed like Leo had meticulously planned this special evening for them, and she couldn't help but feel touched by his thoughtfulness. She knew this would be a memorable experience, and she eagerly anticipated spending this time with him, embracing the new and beautiful moments they were about to create together.

Rayl smiled meekly as she stood beside Leo, her hand resting on his elbow as they approached the counter. She watched quietly as the staff and Thisbe took care of everything, observing Leo getting his measurements taken first and then her turn came.

She paid attention to Thisbe's movements, noting how he carefully measured her body from shoulders to waist and jotted down the numbers in his notebook. Once it was all done, Thisbe smiled at her and teasingly suggested that Leo should spoil her rotten. Rayl blushed at the comment, not knowing how to respond, so she simply smiled back meekly.

As they made their way back to the receiving area, Rayl met up with Leo and said, "Let's go?" Her heart was filled with a mix of excitement and nervousness, but she was eager to embrace the experiences they had planned for the evening. Hand in hand, they left the boutique, venturing into the evening filled with anticipation and the promise of wonderful moments together.

[Leo]

While waiting for Rayl, Leo is chatting with the cashier outside the fitting room to ask her of her work rates and how she's finding the job to be. He wants to make sure the job won't be too stressful for Rayl. According to the cashier, Thisbe Prescott is a strict employer, but he is fair and genuine. Leo thanked her for disclosing this information, just in time as Rayl steps out.

"Let's go." He responded to her politely, opening his arm towards her so she can reach the inside of his elbow to hold on to. Leo somewhat prefers this than holding hands, simply because he can get nervous, and his hands will automatically get clammy. "I'll walk you to the beauty parlor."

As they step out of the boutique, other occupants of the mall who's walking past visibly were looking over to the couple's general direction. Leo kept his vision straight, aware of the attention but ignoring them completely. He hopes nobody calls out his name.

As he gets on the escalator with Rayl, Leo smiles at her in guilt. "Sorry... A lot of people here know who I am... You can just ignore them if they approach you, okay?" His fame is quite embarrassing to disclose, but he has to let Rayl know just in case. "But if people ask who you are, you can let them know I'm your boyfriend." If there's anything Leo wanted the world to know, is this beautiful elusive woman is someone important to him. Even his facial expression seems to be of pride.

After a bit of walking, the two of them finally arrives to D'Jari Beauty Parlor. There are two ladies in front of the store, already expecting Rayl. Their faces brighten at the couple's arrival, and they bowed synchronously. Leo lets go of Rayl in front of the parlor with a smile. "I'll be heading down to the barber. I'll pick you up here in an hour?" There's an unmistakable delight in his eyes as he said so, excitement welling up in his stomach to see a dolled up Rayl soon.

"I hope you will enjoy the experience. They will take care of you." With a polite nod, Leo begins to walk off.

[Rayl]

Rayl glanced at Leo, who was beaming with excitement, as they stood in front of the beauty parlor. Leo said his goodbyes and headed to the barbershop. Rayl looked up at the signage and confidently entered the shop, where the receiving staff warmly greeted her. She remembered Leo's advice to mention his name for her appointment.

"Appointment from Leo?" she inquired, noticing the girl's face light up as she guided Rayl to the salon chair. A hairdresser approached and carefully assessed Rayl from head to toe, acknowledging that her appointment had been arranged by Leo.

As the hairdresser begins cutting her hair, Rayl watches nervously in the mirror. The sound of the scissors snipping through her locks fills the air, and she feels a mix of excitement and apprehension. She takes a deep breath, reminding herself that it's just hair and it will grow back if she doesn't like the result. As the hairdresser works her magic, Rayl notices how skillfully she handles the scissors, effortlessly shaping her hair into the desired length. The stylist's confidence puts Rayl at ease, and she starts to relax in the salon chair.

As the cutting comes to an end, the hairdresser starts curling Rayl's hair into beautiful beach waves. She skillfully uses a curling iron, creating loose and effortless curls that give Rayl's hair a stylish and voluminous look.

Once the hairstyling is complete, the hairdresser proceeds to apply a light dusting of powder and a touch of lipstick to enhance Rayl's natural features. Rayl watches as her pale face gains a subtle glow, and she was stunned as the hairdresser made an amazing transformation of her. Not really knowing if she's ready to embrace her new look.

As Rayl admires herself in the mirror, she realizes that sometimes a change in appearance can bring about a positive change in how one feels. She feels grateful for Leo's suggestion and for stepping out of her comfort zone to try something new.

With a renewed sense of self-assurance, Rayl sits down at the receiving area of the beauty parlor waiting for Leo, excited to show off her fresh hairstyle and beach wave curls.

[Leo]

While Rayl was in the parlor, Leo got into a bit of trouble when he's making his way to the barber. He notices people are beginning to approach him, taking a video of him on their phones. He walks faster, almost speed-walking his way to the barber, intending to lose these people.

The artist arrives in the barbershop sweating. He's not athletic, so even a quick walk is apparently tiring to him now. The staffs of the parlor welcome him warmly, and then they began discussing with him on what he would prefer to be done.

Leo hadn't thought this far, and ended up telling the barbers he has a date tonight. Apparently, that was enough information for the men to get to work. They washed his hair, blow-dry it, shaved his face, and finally begins trimming his hair. The barber told him his hair is dry, so they had applied some kind of nice-smelling gel or oil to keep it moisturized. They hadn't cut his hair much, simply layering it so it looks sleek and neat.

Leo was in full view of his transformation and almost didn't recognize himself on the mirror. He actually looks decent, for a change. After it's done, he deeply thanked the barber, then went on his way to D'Jari Beauty Parlor.

On the way there, he had to slip past several people whose beginning to ask whether he's Leonard de Piero. Leo simply walked past them and answered, "Wrong person, excuse me." He eventually finally arrived there at the front of the parlor, then rests his hands on his knees as he catches his breath. Really, he needed to start exercising.

Suddenly, while he's still bent forward like that, a pair of shoes approaches him. He recognizes it's Rayl's, so his eyes slide up her body until he can finally see her gorgeous face. Leo froze, smitten by her new look. "Rayl...?"



Their eyes connected, and something in his eyes twinkled. His normally pale cheeks bloomed into a pinkish color. Suddenly, his heart rate quickens, and he can feel his hands beginning to get clammy. He wants to tell her she's beautiful, but he's stuck just staring at her like a statue.

[Rayl]

From the reception area, Rayl glanced outside through the clear window of the parlor and noticed Leo hurrying back towards the shop. After bidding farewell to the staff, who nodded and smiled at her, she opened the door and stepped out, walking towards Leo, who was about a meter away from the parlor. As he looked up at her, he seemed frozen, but Rayl greeted him with a soft smile.

"Hey, how was it?" she asked gently, still smiling warmly. Her shoulder-length hair fell slightly on her face after the haircut.

"The hairdresser suggested cutting my hair and adding some waves," she paused, looking at him with concern, as she was not accustomed to Leo being so quiet.

Rayl extended her hand towards him, offering to help him up. "Well?" she inquired, wanting to know his thoughts on her new hairstyle.

[Leo]

Leo is lovesick. He is completely downright lovesick. His jaw is still slack, but he could hear and understand Rayl perfectly. It's just his brain refusing to compute that such a drop-dead gorgeous woman can harbor any sort of feeling for him. Him; this gangly wimpy excuse of a man who can't even speak up how absolutely beautiful she looks.

Rayl offers her hand to him, and that broke the petrification spell. Leo takes hold of her arm and stands to his full height. "You... Your..." He tries to articulate, fails, and then just decided to do gestures with both of his hands. He points to her face, then gestured to her hair, then puts both of his hands atop his chest, on his heart.

His mouth is opening and closing, he's trying really hard to say something. Finally, after a full minute of struggling, he finally lets out a full sentence, "I would like to kiss you." That's it. It's not a question, or an order. It's just how Leo genuinely feels. "I love you so much..." He stammered, unsure where his filters are at this current moment. "I can't believe you'd want to go out with me..." Overwhelmed by the words that slipped out of his mouth, Leo lifted three of his fingers to place them on his lips. "S-sorry..."

He's still holding her hand with his other hand, and at this point, it probably got clammy with nervousness. "Y-you're so picturesque that I can't believe you're here with me of all people." He drops his eyes, finally breaking his stare of her. "Thank you..."

After a moment of being incapacitated, Leo finally begins to move and lead the way to Le Chic Couture. Still, he's not going the same way they came from, he decided on the long way. "There are... paparazzies... on that side. Sorry," he explains weakly.

Hand in hand, they walk their way to Thisbe's boutique without much trouble. Leo has his head down, using his cap to hide a part of his face, but the people around them stares at them anyway. He thinks it's because Rayl really is too beautiful. She has a good figure and walks gracefully; people would mistake her for a model probably. And with her current makeup and hairstyle, she looks even more radiant, if that's even possible.

At one point, he saw a piece of trash on the ground, so he decided to pick it up and throw it at the nearby trashcan. He had to leave Rayl for a moment to do that, but once he returns to Rayl, he found her with another man chatting her up.

'Ah, of course.'

[NPC: Male]

"--have the latest technological advancement. It's a good incentive, don't you think? Hovercars are all the rage now. Would you like to see it?" A man with a Gradian-styled crewcut is busy boasting to Rayl about his new car. He looks flashy, with several attractive piercings and he wears smart casual clothing.

Still, he wasn't really pushy. He stands a bit further so she can have her space, but he would not stop talking. Every so often, he ends his speech with a question to get Rayl to respond to him. "You look like you're not from here. Have you stayed in Gradia long?"

The way he speaks sounds polite and was said with a clear tone. It just seems like he's just a good samaritan who doesn't know when to stop talking. A chatterbox. "Have you had lunch yet? There's a really good waffle place on the ground floor. I think it's a good snack to eat while walking around this huge mall. And beside that stall, there's a fancy ice cream shop. Do you like warm things or cold things?"

Leo has returned but the artist had such little presence, the flashy man did not see nor acknowledge his existence yet.

[Rayl]

Rayl pulled him up while glancing at how Leo was acting. Observing his gestures with her, she raised an eyebrow as he tried to articulate what he wanted to tell her with his hand movements. Somehow, she understood what he was trying to convey and softly chuckled, saying, "Wow... I guess, thank you. It seems you're happy?" She looked around, noticing some people at the mall glancing their way. "They probably think it's because of Leo," she thought silently as she sighed.

Suddenly, her head bobbed up as she looked at him, surprised by Leo's sudden spontaneous response that he wanted to kiss her. Her face turned pink, and her ears reddened with embarrassment at his straightforward expression of affection. "Jeez, Leo, don't say that; we're in public," she murmured, flabbergasted, but at the same time, touched by his love for her. "But I love you too, and there's no way I wouldn't go with you," she added, suddenly looking away to compose herself.

After a couple of awkward minutes, the couple began walking, with Leo leading them on a long path toward the boutique to avoid the paparazzi. Rayl raised an eyebrow, feeling a bit confused about Leo's status. All she knew was that he was a simple, traveling man who loved exploring and learning new things.

She paused as she noticed Leo picking up trash from the ground and throwing it into a nearby trash can. Just then, a chatty guy approached them, not perverted or bad, but rather a loudmouth boasting about his car. Rayl looked at him nonchalantly, showing no interest in his ramblings.

Leo was her only interest; she had no interest in this overly talkative guy. She sighed and shook her head, responding coldly and straightforwardly, "I would like to excuse myself; I have my boyfriend with me," before walking back to Leo and clinging to his arm. "Let's go... ho-honey," she stammered at the end, her face full of blush and embarrassment at her own words, but it was her way of showing the man that she wasn't available for conversation.

[Leo]

Leo stood quietly behind the man, unsure of how to proceed or get their attention. He would like more than ever to talk over this man and 'assert his dominance' as they call it by calling out Rayl and lead her out of the situation. Unfortunately, Leo is socially inept.

The artist clenches and unclenches his hands, needing the small pressure to remind himself that he's still standing there and he need not think for too long. Just as he's gathering his courage to finally speak up, Rayl beats him to it and made her way to him.

Leo was caught in surprise when Rayl linked her arm to his, led the way and evven called him with a petname. Despite himself, his face flushed. He stared at his feet as they walked. This is very unlike him. He's usually the kind of person who would think far ahead and plan things out logically, but right now, he's a putty of overwhelming emotions.

"R-Rayl," he calls out to her while still looking down, but he reaches out using his other hand that's not currently in her hold to press the back of her hand in determination, "I want to learn about you more... Your likes, your dislikes, your expectations, your view of life, everything." He wants to know more, so he may understand what about him that she finds appealing. He wants to be a better partner for her, if at all possible.

"C-can we... talk about those during dinner tonight?" He wishes he can connect with her more emotionally, so then he can deliver more intimately. "I... I also would like to call you.. with a petname too..." He's struggling with his words, but Leo is trying. He really likes her.

Finally, they have reached Le Chic Couture.
Thisbe Prescott is standing inside, facing them from inside the glass doors. He looked visibly relieved at seeing them, and walks off further in the boutique to do something.

"I'm... really happy, that we're properly dating now..." He whispered, barely audible to a normal person, and his dark eyes finally takes a peek over at Rayl. "Let's make the best time out of it." Leo reaches over to the glass door and pushes it open for her as he stands aside to let her in first. "After you, my love."

[NPC: Male]

Thisbe has seen the couple from inside his boutique, and immediately calls over the one staff he has, the cashier, to set the dress in a dressing room. "I'll be helping with the final adjustments of the dress, after I'm done helping de Piero with his suit." He calls out to her, making sure she understands him, and then he waits by the entrance politely.

The moment the both of them had entered, Thisbe greets them politely. "Happy to see you two again. Now Rayl my dear, please follow Nadine over to the dressing room. She will help you with the dress." He politely gestured towards his staff, who helpfully guides Rayl to a room at the very end of the boutique while carefully carrying the adjusted dress.

"de Piero, you're with me. Come." Strictly, he led Leo to a room at the other end of the boutique, after carrying over the suit he had adjusted on his arm. Thisbe then hangs the suit inside the room and steps outside before closing the door. "Don't wear the jacket yet. Let me know when you're done."

He waits outside patiently for a few moments, until finally the door was unlocked by Leo. Thisbe steps in and looks over how the shirt had snugly fit the artist's thin body like a glove. Leo had not worn the jacket yet, as he was told, and the fashion designer had to ask Leo to turn around for him several times. He fixed a cufflink, straightened a collar, tightened the tie, then finally helped Leo in the jacket.

It looks neatly-tailored, almost satiny on Leo's lithe body. It was designed to be smooth and lustrous, and he had to admit the material fits quite well with Leo's skin tone and hair. "Looks good. Just don't wear that hat on you, please. You look fine as is." Happy with how his clothes looks, Thisbe nods and excuses himself to help with Rayl's dress next.

He gave Leo a bag to put his previous clothes in and powerwalks his way to the other side of the boutique without waiting for the artist. He finds his assistant, the cashier, waiting outside the closed door. "Did the dress fit?" He questioned his staff, who nods politely. "Good. I didn't need to adjust much, her body naturally fits it. It's like the dress was made for her."

The staff agrees and they got into a small conversation about the fabric. After a moment, Thisbe finally calls out to Rayl from outside the door. "Rayl my dear, once you're ready, open the door. I'm here for the final touches of the dress."

[Rayl]

The pet name was initially a way to brush off the guy's advances and avoid further bother. However, she didn't anticipate that Leo himself would also want a pet name. His words made her feel embarrassed, and she could feel her body tensing up.

She averted her gaze, feeling the flush of embarrassment, but secretly, she was curious. She wanted to know more about Leo, not just the moments they had shared in the past or their first encounter at Veyyard. She wanted to know everything about Leonard De Piero, even the most trivial things. Those seemingly trivial things mattered a lot to her.

As Leo headed into the dressing room, she took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. Thisbe, the owner of Le Chic Couture, led her to a separate area of the boutique, where a friendly female staff member assist her. The staff member, however, was very helpful and understanding, making her feel more at ease. The staff picked out the dress they reserved and she began trying to focus on the task at hand, and occasionally and secretly admiring herself in the mirror.

But her thoughts kept returning to Leo. She wondered what he liked to do in his free time, what his favorite hobbies were, and what his dreams and aspirations were. She pondered how they could find opportunities to spend more time together... more.

[NPC: Female]

While working at the couture, Calira, one of the female staff, could be heard humming as she tended to some dresses, while Thisbe attended to matters in the receiving area. When the door's soft chime indicated the arrival of guests expected to try on reserved clothes, Calira automatically made her way toward the receiving area to greet them.

Thisbe instructed her to assist the black-haired girl, Rayl, who was Leonard De Piero's companion. Calira warmly smiled at Rayl and guided her to the female dressing room. "This way, Miss Rayl," she said, leading her just a few steps away from the room. "By the way, I'm Calira, your assistant for dressing and checking the dress," she introduced herself as she handed the dress to Rayl.

"I'll give you a few minutes to change. Just call me when you're ready, alright?" Calira informed Rayl, who nodded. After closing the door, Calira patiently waited for a few minutes until she heard Rayl's call. With a respectful knock, she informed Rayl that she was entering.

Inside, she smiled proudly as she observed the dress hugging Rayl's body perfectly, a testament to her boss's artistic talent. "Oh my, the boss will surely be proud. It fits you perfectly," she exclaimed with admiration. Just then, she heard Thisbe approaching the room, indicating that Leonard and his companion were also ready.

Calira proceeded to check the dress meticulously, making sure there were no uncomfortable folds or imperfections. She paid attention to every inch, ensuring everything was flawless. "So, I'll step outside now, Miss Rayl. Just come out when you're ready," she said, leaving the girl to finish dressing.

Calira stepped out of the room and greeted Thisbe with a warm smile. "It's a masterpiece, I'm happy and proud of the dress. It's as if the dress was made for her," she giggled playfully, expressing her interpretation of how well the dress suited Rayl.

[Rayl]

"Thank you, Calira," she whispered as Calira exited the dressing room, leaving her once again alone to examine the dress that Leo had selected. She gave a slow twirl, ensuring the dress fit her body perfectly.

A sense of comfort washed over her due to the fabric's softness, but at the same time, she felt a hint of anxiety. This would be Rayl's first experience wearing something so fancy, and it exposed some parts of her body, like her shoulders, bosom, and thigh, allowing the air to flow freely. While it was comfortable to wear, she also felt the dress exuded elegance and was more suited for a special event or occasion.

Recalling Thisbe's offer to model dresses like this, she considered that such attire was probably normal for models, who wore whatever the artist envisioned.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Thisbe's voice, prompting her to realize she shouldn't keep them waiting any longer. Taking one last look at herself in the dress, she sighed and decided it was time to join the others.

As she opened the door, she saw Thisbe, Calira, and Leo, who was already dressed in his suit, sans his hat. She couldn't help but raise an amused eyebrow at the sight. Leo was not wearing his hat right now, which surprised her. "W-well?"

[NPC: Male]

Thisbe's eyes widened once Rayl gracefully steps out of the dressing room. His gloved hand flies over to touch his chin, critically inspecting the dress. He asks Rayl to turn around, and once she does, he nods in satisfaction.

"I'll need to place some accessories over you, please wait." Thisbe reaches over a clear plastic and pulls the sticky tape off. After that, he carefully pulls out a thin beautiful chain of something that has stars on it. "This goes around your waist, so I will pin it for you."

Thisbe does his work precisely and quickly; it didn't even look like he's struggling with applying the accessory around the dress. After that, he reaches over to a necklace and lays it carefully around her neck. He clips it together without even asking her to turn around, knowing exactly what to do.

"And you're done. Very good." He steps back and looks over at her again. Without waiting for Leo's response to anything, Thisbe snatches the bag that he gave Leo earlier to put his previous clothes on and gave the bag to Rayl. "Please put your clothes here, dear. Keep in mind, return the dress and suit to the boutique next week. You don't need to wash them, we will dry clean them ourselves."

With that, Thisbe brings over Calira with him to the front counter, giving space for the couple to admire one another, all thanks to his beautiful designs.

[Leo]

Thisbe was walking so fast, Leo could barely keep up. After being given the bag, the artist takes his time carefully folding the clothes we came with and neatly puts it in the given bag. He rather wears his hat, but Thisbe begs him not to. With a sigh, he puts his hat last inside the bag.

Because he was taking his time, he arrives much later. Specifically, he came at the perfect time after Thisbe is done with Rayl's accessories. The moment he sees her, Leo's hold of the bag slackens, and it safely hits the marble flooring with a soft thump.

The artist's jaw was open, shaping his mouth into a perfect 'o'. His eyes are on her, scanning her like a computer; her semi-bare shoulders, her pale arms, her perfect waist, how the dress supports her breasts, how it hugs her hips, how the fabric flows down on her shapely legs as well as the shoes the boutique provided. He was looking at her so intently, he barely notices that Thisbe and his staff has left them alone.

"Magnificent..." The word bubbles out of his lips in disbelief. "Gorgeous. Amazing. Wow..." Finally, Leo wills himself to step closer to her, never blinking and looking just as surprised as when he met her in front of the salon. "H-how are you so... perfect..." His hand had raised to touch the side of her cheek, as if he couldn't believe Rayl is real in the first place.

Suddenly, his face drops into disappointment. "If we didn't have a date right now, I would've just taken you straight home and--" His mouth is open to continue his words, but his tongue stops. He knows well enough not to say raunchy things like that in this moment. Who knows, he might just throw her on his shoulder and ran home to their bedroom if he finishes speaking that sentence.