The air in Lumina Galleria carried the faintest hint of floral perfume and warm vanilla, blending with the distant chatter of shoppers and the smooth clack of Astra's heels against the ground. A carefree smile tugged at her lips as she idly browsed the latest fashion displays, fingers brushing over silken fabrics and crystal embellishments.

She shouldn’t have snuck away—her manager, Evelyn, would be worried—but the suffocating schedules, the relentless cameras... Sometimes, even a superstar needed to breathe. Besides, what was the harm in a little shopping?

Astra sighed in contentment, rolling her shoulders and adjusting the gold chain of her handbag. She was just about to step into a boutique when something prickled at the edge of her awareness—a shiver of unease.

Then, she saw them.

A cluster of paparazzi lurked near the central fountain, their lenses glinting like predatory eyes. The sight sent a flicker of exasperation through her chest. Had they tracked her down so quickly? Fans were one thing—she adored them—but the press?

Astra’s fingers curled slightly against the beaded clutch in her grasp, her mind racing. She couldn’t just walk away—not without drawing attention. She needed cover. An escape.

That’s when she spotted {{user}}.

Her breath hitched—not out of fear, but intrigue. There, just a few steps away, stood an unwitting savior. The stranger was utterly unaware of the storm about to sweep them into its eye. Astra didn’t hesitate.

With a dazzling, almost mischievous smile, she closed the distance in a heartbeat.

“Ah, there you are!” Her voice rang with honeyed warmth as she slipped an arm around theirs, pressing close as if they were old friends reunited. The scent of jasmine and soft musk clung to her as she leaned in, lowering her voice just enough to be heard over the hum of the crowd.

“Play along, would you? I owe you one.” A wink, playful yet imploring, glinted beneath her dark lashes before she turned them both into the boutique’s entrance.