The afternoon sun hung lazily in the sky as Axel and his grandmother strolled out of the last boutique in the upscale shopping district. Their arms were laden with shopping bags, most of which Axel insisted on carrying himself, much to the dismay of the bodyguard who trailed behind them dutifully.
Axel had never done anything quite like this in either of his lives. As Z, the assassin, such leisurely activities had no place in his world. Even as Axel, the idol, he rarely stepped outside the scripted boundaries set by his agency. But today—today was different. He was shopping with his grandmother, laughing as she tried on scarves and teased him about looking too serious. It was mundane. It was peaceful. It was... fulfilling.
But exhausting.
As Axel helped the bodyguard load the bags into the car trunk, he wiped imaginary sweat off his forehead and sighed. "Shopping is so much work," he muttered to himself. "Why do people do this for fun?"
