In Case of Broken Hearts

𝄞 2. My World Your Universe

Being an only child makes her independence and dependency exists like each side of the magnet. It is inherently attracted to each other, much like her need for the two.

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Covered up in a hoody even though it's a solid 28' degree outside, Alice decides to keep her anonymity rather than her comfort because the only grocery store is inside the shopping center and there's a 50:50 chance of her running into Matty, or Stephanie, or anyone who might know those two.

The time on her phone reads 17:12 when she walks out of Coles' self check-out counter. If it's up to her, she'll be enjoying Sundubu-jjigae with both of her parents at the comfort of her air-conned dining room as opposed to having Chinese buffet takeaway in the middle of the humid food court, but alas, it is never up to her, so off she goes to get the large plate honey chicken and fried rice that always tastes a little bit less than she hoped for.

"You forgot the soup." Chinese buffet Aunty surprises her with the paper cup of Chicken and Corn soup. Alice thought she managed to get away from it earlier when Aunty didn't put it on her tray. It's not that she doesn't like it, but she feels bad for not paying $2 for it when others have to, even if she's a regular customer who goes there seven out of ten times every month.

"Oh, no, that's okay, you don't have to, emh... well, I'll just pay for it. " Alice puts down her plastic spork and she rummages through the pocket of her jeans for a gold coin, but the Aunty waves her hand no, so she accepts it with a weak smile. "Ah, thank you, but really, you don't have to always give me this."

"Nonsense, you're too thin, you should eat some more. Do you want shrimp cracker? I bring you some, wait ah?"

"What? No, don't..." Alice immediately leaves her seat to catch up with the Aunty, but among the tired looking office men with their loose ties and mums with their bubs in the stroller that comes into view, a familiar posture catches her sight.

The way his hair sweeps briskly across his forehead when he walks, and how he unconsciously hunches his broad shoulders when someone's around, out of all places, Moon Boy makes an appearance at the Chinese takeaway shop.

The memory of his cautious kiss rushes in like a current, and in a flick of an eye, Alice gets pulled under the what ifs that she thought she had buried in the back of her mind.

What would've happened if she didn't pull a Cinderella then? Would he offer her the glass slipper to try on? Would he pull her out of the slump and into the palace?

Would they have a story at all if she stayed just a little bit longer?

Her curiosity soars high to an unbeknownst height, almost losing control of itself in the process, but the questions stand still in her head as the spot becomes clear and Moon Boy walks away with a plastic bag in tow.

"Here's your cracker, come again soon." Chinese buffet Aunty hands her the bag of cracker with a concern smile. "Eh, you alright, ah? Why you look like that? Want some drink?"

"Oh, I'm... fine, thank you." Alice can taste the bitter lie that comes out of her mouth as she tries hard to ignore her snowballing regret.

She doesn't realize how much she wants to meet him again until just now and she feels like she's going insane because of it. Alice knows she shouldn't be this way, given how they're a complete stranger to each other, but nothing feels right for her until she starts to run in his direction.

The adrenaline kicks in the second her legs swing, and she doesn't spare any time to reconsider her actions. Living as a minority in the outskirts of the city, Alice isn't one for prioritizing impulse over consideration, but when it comes to Moon Boy, it's somehow always the opposite for her.