“What are you thinking about?” A voice interrupted my five minute stare down with the green peas in a pod.

 

“Nothing…” I trailed off as I avoided her stare.

 

“Okay, enough of this. You need to..”

 

“Where’s Yuri?” I asked abruptly.

 

“I told her that I will be with you and you, stop trying to change the subject.” She said as she opened my closet and started going through my clothes.

 

“We are going to forget about all this. Just you, me and the mall.” She continued as she shoved some clothes to me.

 

“But Jess..”

 

“It’s final.” She glared at me and pointed towards the bathroom.

 

The next thing I knew, I was already at the mall being dragged along like a little kid who refused to go to a dentist. I can’t remember the last time I went shopping though I really enjoyed it before she left. Then again, I can’t remember enjoying anything after she left.

 

It was hard to forget, especially when everything and anything around reminds me of her. Just like the dukong in front of me that I found myself staring at for the past 5 minutes.

 

“That was her favourite toy.” I muttered and regretted it immediately. I was expecting another lecture about moving on when I found myself standing in front of the toy store alone.

 

Aish, where’s that girl.

 

Mindlessly, I wandered around the mall in search of the said girl when I was suddenly pulled into one of the shops.

 

“Welcome! Sorry about pulling you in but business is slow and you look like you need some… inspiration.”

 

Inspiration?

 

I cocked an eyebrow as I looked at the girl. She was slightly shorter than me and seemed familiar.

 

“What’s with the mask?” I asked skeptically as I eyed the suspicious girl.

 

“Ah, it adds to the mysterious feel of the place, doesn’t it?” she replied with a mischievous grin.

 

That was when I glanced around the shop. There were all sorts of weird stuff on display, ranging from shell necklaces to woods craft to antique-looking coins.

 

Interesting.

 

Scanning through the items in the shop, I slowly walked to the counter display where something caught my eye.

 

“A pink-lover I see. Say, do you believe in parallel universes?” the girl said as she saw the pink pocket watch I was looking at.

 

I tilted my head in confusion. What’s pocket watch got to do with parallel universes?

 

“It was said that this pocket watch allows one to travel through parallel universes.” She continued as if she knew what I was thinking. “There are supposedly 12 dimensions with subtle differences between them and while they are parallel, they are not necessarily in line with each other.”

 

“What?”

 

“Hear me out,” she laughed. “For example, it is 2013 now but in another dimension, it may be 2003 or 2009 or 2024 or 2007 or…” she illustrated dorkily.

 

“Okay, okay, I get it.” I interrupted before she continues endlessly.

 

“Do you have any regrets that you wish your parallel self can fix?” she asked as she took the watch out of the display and onto the counter.

 

I frowned at the question.

 

“Lost someone?” she probed further and I was starting to feel a little irritated.

 

“Pardon me. Since business is slow, I can charge you half price for this.” She apologized, sensing the change in atmosphere.

 

“How do I know if you are trying to sell me a spoilt watch? It does look like it is not working.” I spoke as I fiddled with the watch.

 

“Nonono, it is meant to be like this. You are supposed to turn the hour hand and each number will bring you to another dimension!” she exclaimed, sounding a little desperate, as she showed me how to tune the watch.

 

“Fine, I will take it.” I said hesitantly.

 

“Great! You wouldn’t regret this, I promise.” She chirped as she placed the pocket watch into a box.

 

Just as I was about to leave the shop after paying, she grabbed my hand again and said, “There are some rules to this though. You can only travel to each of the dimension once. When you are in another dimension, only your other self can know your origins. No one else can know that you are from another dimension or you will be brought back to your own dimension. You can help your other self in fixing the regrets that you may have but eventually, it has to be done by your other self. It is after all, not your dimension. Good luck!”

 

With that, she smiled warmly and let go of my hand.

 

Her eyes… looked so familiar.

 

I shook off the feeling and left the shop.

 

After wandering for a while more and still no sign of Jessica, I sat down at one of the benches in the mall and took a look at the shopping bag holding my recent purchase.

 

What came over me to actually buy this junk?

 

Is it because it is pink?

 

Or it promises a chance to rectify my mistakes?

 

Or that it may bring her back?

 

I must be crazy, she’s gone. Even if this thing works, my Taeyeon will still be gone.

 

I chuckled bitterly to myself as I heard someone shouted my name in a distant.

 

“Yah!! Where did you go?!”

 

“I can say the same about you.” I shrugged.

 

“Don’t patronize me.” Her tone changed and I could feel the temperature dropping.

 

“Sorry.” I quickly apologized while trying some of my aegyo. Before she could say anything, I linked our arms and pulled her into one of the department stores and chirped, “Come, let’s go shop!”

 

-

 

After spending the day at the mall, all I wanted was a hot shower and my soft sanctuary.

 

Just as I head towards my bed, I tripped over my shopping bags that I have randomly thrown on the floor when I went for a shower straight after reaching home. Out came a peculiar looking box.

 

Pocket watch. Parallel dimensions.

 

I sighed as I picked up the box and sat on my bed.

 

At least it’s pink.

 

While fumbling with the watch, I realized the hour hand was stuck at the number 9.

 

“It’s 10 already.” I mumbled to myself as I changed the hour hand to 10 and pushed the knob at the side.

 

Click.

 

-

 

A/N

Hmmm, I wonder what's this red button do? *Pushes the button*

Click.