"The first lesson every child of Athena learned: Mom was the best at everything, and you should never, ever suggest otherwise." – Rick Riordan

--

"Can we pass by the supermarket for a while mom? Are you feeling okay?" 

I look at my mom throw the rear mirror, who's on the back seat. Her black coat's thick, covering entirely her bony body. 

"Oh, yes! We've got to have dinner, right!! How thoughtless of me! Emma, what do you want to eat?" 

She sounds so cheerful that I can't help seeing my lips curl a little.  

"Fukushi-san, do you have a preference?" I look at Fukushi-san, sitting next to my mom and ask. 

Kenji Fukushi looks puzzled by my question, and scratches the back of his head, then he replies hesitantly a little. 

"I'm not sure... Hm, there's just so many things I want to eat..." His cheeks are dyed deep in tomato red as if it's something strange. 

"Me too, actually! What do you prefer, meat or fish? Or any allergies?" I say it out it formality, because I didn't want our guest to be embarrassed or uncomfortable. 

"Anything's okay for me! Meat, fish, yeah fish sounds nice, I'm not picky at all!!! Yamaoka-san, what would you like to eat?" 

My mom's deep in her thoughts in a second. 

"Mom?" 

"Yamaoka-san?" 

I feel a bit awkward that we said it in unison. 

"Ah, hahaha, sorry I just spaced out for a second, so you two have decided??" 

We rigorously discussed over our dinner ideas on the car, but by the time I got the car parked, the two of them were lost inside the shopping mall. The biggest shopping mall is filled with people, every corner of it, so I just call my mom's cell. 

"Oh, we're in the Stratorian's store, come Emma, wooooa, wait, wait, yeahh yeah, that one suits you so well!!!! Emma, Emma?? Come quick, Emma!" 

I didn't get to say a word, but my mom already hung up the phone. 

I look through the electronic map near the escalator. 

Stratorian? Hm, upstairs, or the last time I came here, which was around a year ago in this rainy season, Stratorian was also upstairs, next to Wisdom Bookshop, and have a cafe nearby. At first, I was surprised by how many people were flowing into the shopping center, the biggest shopping center in District 10. And most of them travel alone, to either the supermarket or restaurants. 

I pass through the basement floor -2, where all the restaurants are located. They are filled with people, however, few restaurants over the right cover already closed despite the opening time. I suddenly spot the smell of stewed chicken in the Asian restaurant. 

When I was small, this was my favorite, out of everything, not books, not songs, not school, not playing with friends, but eating my mom's stewed chicken was the most satisfying thing in my little world. I grew up, and sometimes make stewed chicken myself. It's still tasty, but over the table there isn't anyone complementing on it, or listening to me saying how good it is. 

I think I should buy one portion, but the queue in front of the Asian restaurant is quite long, so I give up on the idea, and search my way to where my mom and Fukushi-san are. 

Before I know it, my mom and Fukushi-san are intensely looking at me, from the top of my head, to the tip of my toes, and I bet they are trying to see through my organs in the meantime. Finally, in unison, their eyes are as if gluing to my neck. 

Standing awkwardly in Stratorian, we are the only customers in the shop. I have a thing against being the only one in a shop, it almost feels like someone's eyes are sticking to my back while I skim through the clothes, which for whatever reason but that makes me uneasy. However, those two don't seem to have any problems with that. 

"Kenji, how do you think it'd look?" My mom talks to Fukushi-san with her gaze still on me. 

Fukushi-san nods accordingly. 

"Definitely stunning" 

They both nod seriously as if trying to decide a matter of the Earth, and I don't think I'm exaggerating. 

"Emma, try this on!" 
"Oh, that'd look nice on her too!" 
"Yamaoka-san, how about this?" 
"Wow, you've got good eyes there, Kenji-chan, Emma!! Come, take this too!" 
"Nah, this one on you look not very nice suddenly, don't take that!" 
"Oh, Emma, do you need help with the back zipper, dear?" 
"How about this smell, Yamaoka-san? Do you think it suits Emma-chan?"
"Oh this shirt doesn't have a smaller size, that's unfortunate!"

"EMMA! COM' ON!" My mom drags my hand, then pushes me out of the dressing room.

This is so embarrassing. How old am I already? At this age, I thought there wasn't anything I should be shy about, at least, not trying some random black floral dress. 

Now I'm standing in front of the big mirror. Everyone's eyes are on me, which is enough to set my back on fire. 

"Eh... Mom?" 

I hear myself calling my mom, who's standing on the right of me. She looks at me, not the mirror in front of us. For a second, I thought I see her eyes tear up. 

"M..om?" 

"Hahaha, my eyes are so stylish! You look 100 times prettier in this dress, Emma! How do you like it?" 

"It's a fine dress... but the pattern's a bit too..." 

"It fits you alright?" 

"Yes..." 

"Okay, I'll buy it for you!" She says without a moment of hesitation 

"I also think that you look suddenly really beautiful in that dress, Emma!" Fukushi-san, who just came from another dressing room, says. I can't decide whether I should be happy with his complement or not. 

"Thanks! You too!" 

It seems like he's trying a new shirt, full white, with a soft-looking material. 

I am definitely not a big fan of fashion, but even I can tell that that shirt really lifts up his appearance. Fukushi-san's already tall, and slimmer than most, the shirt was as if tailored for him. 

"Oh my! What a handsome boy! Kenji-chan, come come, stand closer!" 

"Thank you, Yamaoka-san!!!" 

Fukushi-san steps closer to me and mom. I find it super embarrassing now that one more person gets to see me in this dress. 

"Emma, the dress suits you so nicely" his voice's cheerful as before, just like my mom's. His voice isn't sarcastic anymore, but I can't think of how to reply anymore. 

"Thanks. The shirt's good on you too, Fukushi-san" 

Neither me nor Fukushi-san say anything. Having replying him just the same words, a moment of silence appears one more time. Haizz, why do I feel so awkward? 

 "Chin up Princess or the crown slips!"

Doesn't matter what my mom says, my attention has been abruptly caught by a phone appearing out of the blue in front of my eyes. 

No way...

"NOW SAY CHEESE YOU TWO!!!" 

No way that I'm in a picture...

Just, cut me out. 

My mom grips my arm firmly. 

"CHEESE EMMA!" 

Tak. 

My mom takes a picture of us, then Fukushi-san suggests to take a selfie together. 

We go out of the shop with bags on both my hands and Fukushi-san's, my mom bought herself a simple dress. I have a new shirt, that new black dress, and new perfume bottle, and a new vest jacket. I didn't pay attention to the price tags at all until I stood in front the cashier near the hair accessories, looking at the over 1500-dollar receipt. My mom didn't even sweat, she gave me her credit card, but I paid with mine. Sometimes, I think that's the perk of being an animator. I don't earn much, but I've been too busy to spend any money on stuff like clothes and cosmetics. Fukushi-san only got himself some clothes for change since he doesn't have enough from the hospital, and that white shirt also.

"Feel like a young lady now, Emma-chan?" My mom clings to my elbow, asks me cheerfully, and then she laughs out loud. 

"Thanks Mom!" 

"Yes, no problem dear!!! Great job, Rin Yamaoka! My daughter actually turned out pretty decent!" She says proudly to herself. 

I choose to stay silent, listening to her. But Fukushi-san breaks into laughter, and instantly nods his head non-stop without delay. 

"I already feel like 20 walking next to you, dear, we should have gone shopping more often, hahaha! Let's go let's go! Supermarket! Oh, actually, do you know where's the supermarket?" 

I lead the way to the supermarket, my familiar relaxing place. 

A thought crosses my mind as we're taking a small trolley cart. 

If tomorrow's The Last Day, what's the point of having a new dress that I can't actually wear? 

And now, we're about to get a bunch of food, we're not gonna finish in the next 30 hours. But then my mom's phone rang.