Entering the mall, my head snapped left to right, as my eyes lingered from one place to another.

Walking through a security detector, Me and Jihye, walked in and my vision, went from one store too another.

Right now it was early in the morning, but there were still a hefty amount of civilians inside the premises.

Growl!

My stomach growled once again. Seriously, my stomach seriously had a mind off it’s own. But nonetheless, I was famished at this point.

I hadn’t eaten anything for the last five days, since I went comatose after the fight with the demon.

The hospital's IV drip was the only thing which provided me with the appropriate nutrition’s, to keep my body stable!

Jihye cocked her head slightly in my direction and spoke! “ We have to go to the second floor--that’s where the restaurant is!”

I only nodded in response. At this point I didn’t have much energy left, or I think my mind was only playing tricks on me. But I really was craving some delicious food.

“So how’s your time at Lock, Jiwoo?” She excitedly said whilst taking a step forward.

Many stores blurred passed my eyes as I walked beside Jihye!

Clothing stores! Designer shoes store! And many, many more!

Honestly, I didn’t know how to answer to that question? I was not the person whom she used to know!

I’m someone who out of nowhere took control over her brother's body. But judging from the way I found his body, I was sure that Jiwoo was being bullied and was not enjoying his time in Lock one bit!

But was only a hypothesis on my side, I had came to claim over the series of things that I saw. When that Thomas named kid approached me and my body shivered.

Placing my hand on the back of my head, I put a fake smile on and responded.

“Nothing to worry about, I’m enjoying my time at Lock!” But I felt guilt crept up from within my heart as I said those words.

Placing her hand over her chest, she took a sigh of relief and looked at me with a bright smile! “Then everything’s fine as long as you’re fine and enjoying your time there!”

The guilt only increased. I had lost everything in my previous life, my family, friends, everything!

The only thing which kept me sane in those times of despair and desperation were my battles against the demon king's army.

But now that I came back in time and experienced all these emotions once again, I felt guilty for taking Jiwoo’s body and life from him.

But, what’s done is done! All I can do is live my life to the fullest in his stead.

Then shifting my gaze in front of me I looked through the Mall’s interior.

The interior was genuinely eye catching.

There were artifact stores, Mana crystals and cores stores, and all kinds of battle gears available in this Mall.

I was intrigued to take a look, but my priority for one was to stuff my mouth with something delicious.

Then walking up to the escalator, we both stepped on it and ascended to the second floor.

Reaching the second floor, it was just like the first floor, shops along shops and eye catching advertisements.

There were large holograms in the air which displayed different ads and other items.

There was a sword advertisement on it.

Looking at the ad I thought I was forgetting something. I guess it was only my imagination.

But I only gave them a nonchalant look, before following Jihye from behind!

After our walk for a good minute, we finally stopped in front of a restaurant.

It was called, La Cuisine!

A French restaurant!

“It’s not a French restaurant. It serves foods from all around the world.” What I was thinking Jihye said out loud.

Snapping my head in her direction, my face harbouring a look of astonishment as I spoke. “ Are you a psychic or something?” I questionably asked.

“My dear little brother, it’s called a big sister's intuition!” She crossed her arms as she inclined her head and spoke.

“Yeah, yeah Miss psychic, let’s hurry up inside!” I teased as I stepped inside own my own.

“Wait for me Jiwoo!” She hurriedly entered together with me.

With a quick foot we both went inside and walked through the tables before sitting down in the left side middle row.

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Sitting down on the seats, we both took the tablets placed on the stand on the left side of the table.

Clicking on the tablet, a wide variety of cuisines displayed on the screen.

Ranging from Italia, French, Japanese, Indian etc.

“What are you choosing?” I asked Jihye. Still looking through the dozens of cuisine selections.

“I think fried eggs and sausages!” She said whilst scrolling through the tablet.

Tapping on a few icons, I placed my order and placed the tablet back from where I took it.

“So what did you order?” Jihye said.

Leaning back into my seat, I spoke, “Italian omelette with sausages and a Frittata.”

After I told her I just ideally waited for our food to arrive.

“Jiwoo after we finish eating we are going to do some shopping okay?” She said.

She didn’t ask a question rather gave me an order, to accompany her.

“If you want me to carry your bags you should have just said so!” I teasingly said.

“Since when did my cute little brother get so smart?” She scoffed!

“Oh yeah?” I looked at her with my eyes narrowed into small slits, and a smile.

“Don’t get mad, it’s just a joke okay!”

“Now that we are here, let’s buy your birthday gift as well?”

I looked at her and blinked twice before speaking. “It’s okay! I’m old enough now so there’s no need to buy me one.”

Her expression changed and harboured a sad one. “Jiwoo if you’re worried about the money, then don’t...” Her tone turned gentle. “Your job is to enjoy school and worry about your studies and rank in Lock. My new job is paying well and I told you its my treat today!”

She brought her hand close to mine and grabbed it. Seeing the hardened expression over Jihye's face caused my chest to tighten up.

I clenched my other hand tightly as I looked Jihye in the eye.

I felt pathetic.

“It’s not that, I genuinely think I’m old enough to not receive gifts, that’s all!”

“But still, please let me buy something as sorry.” She pulled her hand back and continued. “I was really busy during the week of your birthday so I couldn’t buy a gift for you.”

“Okay fine.” In the end I gave in.

“The Lock’s tournament is just a week from now, would you be coming?” I said, changing the subject.

“Yeah, I took the day off for the first day of the tournament.” She exclaimed.

Just as she finished her sentence, a waiter approached our table along a trolley with our food.

Elegantly placing the food from the trolley to our table, he with a slight bow of his head went back with the trolley.

“Shall we?” I said.

***

Finishing my food, I grabbed the tea cup by its handle and brought it close to my mouth.

I was stuffed at this point.

Taking a quick sniff of the herbal tea I took a sip.

“I didn’t knew you drank herbal tea?” Jihye said taking a sip of her coffee.

“Habits change over time!” I exclaimed. I didn’t like herbal tea myself, but I only got into drinking it because my master had forced me into drinking herbal tea.

But herbal tea does calm you down! Fact!

But its not like I don’t like drinking coffee or any other beverage.

Finishing the tea, I placed the cup down and the waiter from before approached us.

“Sir, your bill!”

Taking the tablet from his hand, I looked at how much our bill was!

Taking my card out of my inventory quickly, I gave it to the waiter.

“Jiwoo I’ll pay, I said I was going to pay!” Jihye hurriedly said.

But ignoring her, I proceeded with what I was doing. The waiter took a transaction device out for his dimensional storage and put my card inside it.

He gave it to me and I pressed the code on the screen and after a second he pulled my card out and gave it back to me.

“Thank you Sir! I hope you will come back again!” With a bright smile the waiter left.

We both got up from our seats and walked out of the restaurant.

On our way out Jihye bombarded me with questions.

Why did you pay? I was going to pay!

Where did you get the money to pay?

“Calm down Jihye. I got a part time job of a kind and it paid me well.”

“Haaa.... Fine I’ll believe you for now.” With a sign, she said.

We walked off in to the mall.

Grabbing Jihye’s hand, I dragged her into a clothing store.

“Jiwoo but this place is quite expensive.” She said.

“Oh really, then even better!” I joyfully said as I marched into the shop.

BUZZ—! BUZZ—!

My phone started to vibrate inside my jean's pocket.

Taking it out, I saw the number, then looked at Jihye.

“Jihye you select something for yourself, I will be right back.” I showed her I was getting a call and stepped out of the shop.

“Hey Jihoon!”

It was Jihoon calling.

[Hello Jiwoo!!!]

“Yeah what’s up?” I said.

[I forgot to give you your sword back in the hospital!]

Just when Jihoon said it, I finally realised what I was forgetting about.

The system interface appeared before me and I opened the inventory.

The looked for my sword. But it was not there.

Only the sheath was inside the inventory.

My eyes shot open.

“I-Its not here!” I said in a low voice.

‘Could I have left it inside the dungeon.’

[About your sword, I have it!]

Hearing Jihoon’s voice my body relaxed and I answered.

“You do?”

[Yeah, I can bring it to you, if you want?]

“Yeah that’ll be great! I’m in the Mall on the XX.XX street. XX.XX clothes store on the second floor.” I sighed in relief.

[I’ll be there in five minute!]

Then he hung up not giving me a moment to respond back.

I was not freaking out because I temporarily lost Bleak Star, no, no, no.

It’s a tale from my past life. I once broke the sword which my master had given me. And in conclusion, I got beaten up black and blue by him.

He beat me black and blue for not taking good care of my weapon.

The old fart once said, a sword or a weapon of any kind is just like one of your body's organs' which you choose. So the bearer has to take responsibility for it.

He really was a freak for his ideals!

If my master knew about my mistake, he would have beaten me up till I was half dead!

Just thinking about those times send shivers down my spine.

The trauma was real, no cap!

“Huh!?”

I think I walked off too far from the store.

‘Where was it? I think it was this way?’

After finding my way back to the store I stepped inside the store.

“Who the hell do you think you are to bump into me? Do you even know who I am?” I heard a woman’s shout.

I saw some lady arguing with Jihye.

I walked up to them.

“What’s wrong Jihye?” I asked.

“This lady bumped into me and she is now blaming me that I was the one who bumped into her.” She explained to me about what happened during my absence.

“Lady apologise!” I said.

“You think that bitch is the one telling the truth, boy?” She barked.

“Take care of them.”

She said and her guard approached us from behind her.

The people coalesced inside the store and outside the store to take a look at what was happening inside.

“It’s best if you apologise to madam and leave, or else?” He threatened.

The muscular man who stood in front of me had a buzz cut and was wearing a black suit, coupled with black sunglasses.

“Oh I’m sorry that my sister bumped into a pig like her!” I shot back. My voice cold.

“You little...!”

A brown hue exuded the muscular man’s body as the atmosphere around the store changed.

“rank, Huh?” I said.

“It’s best for you kid, that you apologise properly and leave!”

Cough—! Cough—!

Jihye started to cough heavily and she look deprived of breath.

My eyes became blood shot as I turned my gaze from Jihye towards the man before me. I directed a wave of bloodlust in his direction.

I could see a shiver running through his body and his hand starting to shake.

Forming his hand into a fist he propelled it at me.

“What’s going on here?”

I heard a familiar voice from behind me, coming from the crowd.

The man stopped his hand mid punch.

Soon two figures walked out of the crowd and stood beside me.

It was Jiyoung and Jihoon.

“I asked what is going on in here?”

Her voice cold and authoritative. Her face didn’t display a single emotion.