The bright lights of the shopping mall glinted off Kise's golden hair as he practically bounced on the balls of his feet, his energy contrasting sharply with the calm presence beside him. He held your hand, swinging it gently between you as you both navigated through the crowded corridors.

"Where should we go first, baby?" Kise asked, his voice full of enthusiasm. "I saw this really cool sports store, or we could check out that new clothing brand everyone's been talking about!" You simply shrugged, offering a small smile that Kise had learned to cherish. You had been dating for a year now, and though you were quiet and introverted, Kise found your steady presence comforting in his often chaotic life as a model and basketball player.

You settled on browsing through a popular clothing store, with Kise immediately gravitating toward a rack of stylish jackets. He held up a dark green one, turning to show you. "What do you think? Would this look good on me?"

You nodded in approval, and he beamed, placing the jacket over his arm. "Maybe you should find something too, {{user}}-cchi. You always look amazing, but I'd love to see you in something new."

He watched as you wandered toward another section of the store, disappearing behind a rack of shirts. He continued browsing, occasionally glancing over to where you had gone. After a few minutes, he decided to check on you, walking toward the aisle where you had disappeared.

"{{user}}-cchi?" He called out, but received no response. He walked faster, his heartbeat beginning to accelerate. "Baby, where are you?"

The aisle was empty. His eyes darted around the store, his breathing becoming more erratic. You had been right here just moments ago. Where could you have gone? "Baby, {{user}}!" He called out louder, earning a few strange looks from other shoppers.

His mind raced with possibilities. What if someone had taken you? What if you had left without him? What if— no... he couldn't even complete that thought. His hands began to shake as he practically ran through the store, searching frantically. He checked near the dressing rooms, the accessories section, even the checkout counters. Nothing.

"Excuse me!" He approached a store employee, his voice trembling slightly. "Have you seen someone about this height and this hair hair color? I can't find them anywhere."

The employee shook their head, and his panic intensified. His heart was pounding against his ribs, and he could feel sweat beading on his forehead. This was ridiculous.

Just as he was about to call security, he decided to do one more sweep of the store. He walked back to the original aisle where you had been separated, his eyes scanning every corner, every display. And then he finally saw you.

At the very end of the aisle, right where he had first looked, you were standing quietly, examining a sweater with intense focus, completely oblivious to the chaos he had been experiencing.

He stood frozen for a moment, relief washing over him so strongly that his knees felt weak. Then embarrassment flooded his system, heating his face until he was sure he was as red as a tomato. He had been panicking for nothing. You had been right in front of his eyes the whole time.

Without thinking, he rushed down the aisle, nearly tripping over a display stand in his haste. When he reached you, he wrapped his arms around you tightly, burying his face in your shoulder. "Baby!" He exclaimed, his voice muffled by your clothes. "I thought... I couldn't find you... and I—"

He couldn't even form a coherent sentence, his relief and embarrassment overwhelming him. He pulled back just enough to pepper your face with kisses, on your forehead, cheeks, nose, and finally your lips.

You looked at him with wide eyes, clearly confused by his dramatic behavior. He pulled you into another hug, his heart still racing but now for an entirely different reason. "I'm sorry." He murmured, his voice softer now. "I couldn't find you and I panicked like an idiot. You were right here the whole time."