CHAPTER 347: IT’S A DATE [2]

As Charlotte and Brandon continued their leisurely stroll through the city, the morning sun had climbed higher, casting a golden glow over the streets.

The air carried a crisp edge, tinged with the faint sweetness of blooming flowers from nearby planters and the distant hum of traffic.

Their path turned through the bustling heart of the city, where the streets widened into a grand avenue lined with towering buildings and colorful shopfronts.

As they approached a massive building at the end of the avenue, Brandon’s steps slowed, and he turned his gaze to the sprawling mall.

Its glass exterior shimmered under the sunlight, reflecting the cityscape.

His eyes lit up, and he gave Charlotte’s hand a playful squeeze. "Charlotte..." he said, nodding toward the mall. "Let’s go in. I want to get you something."

Charlotte raised an eyebrow, and she tilted her head to meet his gaze "Get me something? Kael, I don’t need anything. I’m perfectly fine."

"Oh, come on," he teased, his lips curving into that familiar smile.

"You’ve been working so hard, and I bet you haven’t treated yourself in ages. Let me buy you some clothes. Something nice."

A faint blush bloomed onto her cheeks and she quickly averted her eyes, pretending to look at a nearby street sign. "No, really, I’m fine."

"I don’t need new clothes. This cloak is enough." She tugged at the edge of her black cloak as if to emphasize her point.

Brandon chuckled and gently tugged her hand, pulling her toward the mall’s entrance "Nope, not taking no for an answer."

"We’re going shopping, Charlotte."

She opened her mouth to protest again, but the warmth of his hand and the look in his eyes made her resolve falter.

With a quiet huff, she allowed herself to be pulled forward as they entered the mall.

Brandon guided Charlotte through the bustling mall as he looked around for the directory signs.

"There," he said, pointing to an escalator leading to the second floor. "Women’s section. Let’s start there."

Charlotte’s eyes widened, and she pulled his hand before whispering, "Kael, no, I don’t need-"

But before she could finish, he was already pulling her onto the escalator.

As soon as they entered the woman’s section, they were greeted with racks of dresses, blouses, and skirts stretching out in every direction.

Charlotte hesitated at the edge of the section, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her cloak as she looked at the rows of clothing.

She was used to practical attire and never had thoughts of dressing herself up beautifully.

Well... she did put some effort into today’s clothes to look more appealing because it’s a date after all.

But still, she was never the type of woman to focus on her beauty.

Brandon, however, let go of her hand only to start browsing a nearby rack, pulling out a soft white dress with a delicate lace hem. "What about this?" he asked, holding it up.

The dress was undeniably cute, with a fitted bodice and a flared skirt.

Charlotte’s eyes widened, and the blush spread across her cheeks like wildfire. "Kael, no!" she exclaimed in embarrassment.

"That’s... too much. It’s too... frilly. I am not a teenage girl." She waved her hand dismissively.

He laughed, clearly enjoying her reaction. "Too frilly? Come on, you’d look adorable in this."

He held it closer, as if imagining her in it, and his teasing grin only made her flush deepen.

"Absolutely not," she said, crossing her arms and turning her head away with a faint pout on her lips.

"Put it back."

"Fine, fine," he relented, hanging the dress back on the rack.

But his eyes were already looking through the next row, and before Charlotte could say anything, he darted toward another display.

This time, he pulled out a bright red off-the-shoulder top paired with a high-waisted skirt.

"Kael!" she hissed as she stepped forward to grab the hanger from him.

"What are you doing? That’s..." Her cheeks were burning as she imagined herself in the eye-catching dress.

Brandon dangled the outfit in front of her. "I think it’s perfect. Bold and confident, just like you."

He took a step closer, lowering his voice to a teasing murmur. "Come on, Charlotte. Try it on. For me?"

Her heart skipped a beat at the way he said her name, soft and coaxing, but she shook her head vehemently, her hair falling into her face as she tried to hide her flustered expression.

"No, No..." she muttered, snatching the hanger from him and returning it to the rack with a huff.

Undeterred, Brandon moved to another section and came out with a pastel blue sundress adorned with tiny embroidered flowers.

He held it up with a smile "This one’s perfect for you."

Charlotte’s jaw dropped "Kael, stop it. That’s... I can’t wear that. It’s embarrassing."

The dress was far too whimsical for her usual composed presence, and the thought of trying it on made her stomach flutter with nervous anticipation.

"Embarrassing? It’s adorable," he stepped closer and held the dress against her as if to visualize it.

"You’d look like you stepped out of a fairy tale. Come on, just try it. One outfit. For fun."

She peeked at him, her green eyes narrowing, though the blue and yellow energies rippling within them showed her inner turmoil.

With a sigh, she relented, taking the dress from him. "Fine. One."

Brandon’s face lit up, and he gave nod "Yes! You’re going to look amazing."

She followed him toward the fitting rooms and entered one of the fitting rooms first.

Inside the small room, she hesitated, staring at the pastel blue dress.

With a deep breath, she slipped out of her cloak, shirt, pants, and heels, pulling the dress over her head.

The fabric was soft, lighter than anything she was used to, and as she caught her reflection in the mirror, she barely recognized herself.

The dress hugged her figure in a way that felt quite vulnerable, and the embroidered flowers added a touch of whimsy she wasn’t sure she could pull off.

Her cheeks burned as she smoothed the fabric, her fingers trembling slightly.

Stepping out of the fitting room, she glanced at Brandon who was waiting outside.

His eyes lit up the moment he saw her. "Charlotte," he muttered in genuine awe "you look... wow."

She crossed her arms, trying to hide her embarrassment but her lips curved into a shy smile "This is a one-time thing."

He stepped closer and his fingers brushed hers as he took her hand again. "I don’t know. I think you could get used to this. And I could definitely get used to seeing you like this."

Her blush deepened, and she gave his hand a gentle squeeze "Let’s just buy it and get out of here, Kael."

Upon hearing this, he grinned "Oh... how could we do that, big sister? We have more clothes to try on."

Her gaze quivered in panic "W-Wait, no, no, Kael-"

---

Looking at the red off-the-shoulder top paired with a short, high-waisted skirt in her eyes, Charlotte blinked her eyes.

The outfit was bold and far more revealing than anything Charlotte would ever choose for herself.

The top’s neckline dipped daringly, and the skirt’s hemline was high enough to expose a generous amount of leg.

Her eyes flicked to the skirt and her mind was already imagining how it would cling to her hips, leaving her thighs exposed.

Keeping his smile, Brandon spoke "You said the blue dress was too frilly, so let’s try something bold. For me..."

Looking at his soft eyes, she was defenseless and with a nod, she stepped back into the room "...Okay."

Entering in, she slipped out of the blue sundress, folding it carefully before pulling on the red top and skirt.

The fabric was smooth and slightly stretchy, molding to her figure.

The off-the-shoulder top left her collarbone and shoulders bare, while the short skirt hugged her hips and ended well above her knees, exposing the smooth, toned lines of her thighs.

She turned to the mirror and was surprised by her own look.

Her fingers fumbled nervously at the hem of the skirt, trying to coax it lower, but it refused to budge.

"This is ridiculous," she muttered to herself, though a small part of her couldn’t deny how striking she looked.

Taking another deep breath, she pushed open the fitting room door and stepped out.

Brandon was waiting just outside, leaning casually against a rack, but the moment he saw her, his posture straightened, and his eyes widened slightly.

His gaze traveled over her, lingering for a moment on the curve of her shoulders before drifting down to the skirt, where his eyes caught her thighs.

A smile spread across his face, "Charlotte..."

Her face flushed a deeper shade of red than the outfit itself, and she crossed her arms, shifting her weight to one leg in an attempt to appear nonchalant "So... how is it?"

"You look incredible. Like, really incredible." He tilted his head with a soft smile "You’re pulling this off better than I could’ve imagined."

She could feel his eyes on her, and the weight of his attention made her both self-conscious and strangely exhilarated.

She glanced down at the outfit again, "It’s... not practical. I can’t exactly fight in this."

"Who says you have to fight in it?" he chuckled under his breath.

"Maybe you wear it for a day like this. For me."

He took her hand again, brushing his thumb over her knuckles "Come on, let’s get it."

With a faint smile, she relented as she gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "Fine..."