SSS-Class Profession: The Path to Mastery-Chapter 322: A Perfect Afternoon

The afternoon sun was warm against my face as Sienna and I stepped out of the apartment building, the gentle breeze carrying the scent of blooming flowers from a nearby park. She walked beside me, her fingers nervously fidgeting with the hem of her turquoise dress. It was cute and Camille was the one who had insisted she wear it, claiming it brought out her eyes.

"You sure about this?" Sienna asked, her voice soft and filled with uncertainty. "I mean, going out in public... aren’t people going to stare at us?"

I glanced down at her, noting the way she kept her gaze fixed on the sidewalk ahead. Her shoulders were slightly hunched as if she was trying to make herself smaller. Even dressed up, she carried herself with that same quiet humility that had drawn me to her in the first place.

"Let them stare," I said, reaching out to gently take her hand. "I want to spend time with you. Just you."

Her fingers tightened around mine, and I felt some of the tension leave her shoulders. Despite her shy nature, there was a strength in her grip that reminded me that she was an A-Rank Construction Worker. She might be gentle and soft-spoken, but she could probably beat me in a fight if I wasn’t taking it seriously.

There was a mall that was only a fifteen-minute walk from our apartment, but as we headed towards it, I could already see the familiar pattern starting. People on the street doing double-takes, whispered conversations, the occasional phone being raised to take a photo. It came with the territory of being in my position. Though I found myself wondering if they truly understood the weight that I was carrying.

"Rey," Sienna whispered, her steps faltering slightly. "There’s a lot of people looking."

"Hey," I said, stopping and turning to face her. "Look at me."

She raised her eyes to mine, and I saw the anxiety there, the way she was trying to shrink into herself.

"You’re with me," I said softly. "That means you’re safe. That means you belong here. Don’t let anyone make you feel otherwise."

A small smile tugged at her lips, and she nodded, straightening her shoulders just a fraction.

"Okay," she said quietly. "Okay."

The mall was one of the newer ones in the city, its glass facade gleaming in the afternoon light. As we approached the entrance, I noticed the subtle discrimination that was present. There were employees checking everyone’s ID to ensure of their rank, discrete security personnel who were clearly higher-ranked individuals. The atmosphere felt more exclusive than other common malls.

"Where do you want to go first?" I asked as we stepped inside, the cool air conditioning a relief from the warmth outside.

Sienna looked around, her eyes wide at the sheer size of the place. The mall stretched out before us, multiple floors connected by elegant escalators, each level lined with shops that ranged from common retail to exclusive boutiques.

"I... I don’t know," she admitted. "I’ve never really been here before."

The honesty in her voice reminded me of how different our backgrounds were. While I’d been focusing on bringing myself higher and higher through the social ladder, she’d always been more focused on her work, on building and creating rather than accumulating possessions.

"Then let’s explore," I said, squeezing her hand gently. "We’ve got all afternoon."

We started on the ground floor, wandering through the more accessible stores. I watched as Sienna’s eyes lit up at a display of artisanal tools in a crafting store. Her fingers trailing along the handles of some hammers and chisels with an appreciation that only someone in her field could have.

"These are beautiful," she murmured, picking up a small carving knife. "Look at the balance, the way the weight is distributed."

I was a construction worker myself, but I had never really focused on things like this.

I smiled, pulling out my card. "Want it?"

Her eyes widened, and she quickly put the knife back. "Rey, no, I couldn’t—"

"Sienna," I said gently while picking up the knife and a few other tools she’d been admiring. "Let me do this. Please."

She opened her mouth to protest, but I was already heading to the counter. The shop owner who was a middle-aged man with callused hands that spoke of years of craftsmanship, looked up as I approached.

"Excellent choices," he said, then his eyes widened slightly as he recognized me. "Oh, Mr. Vale. It’s an honor to have you in my shop."

"Just Reynard is fine," I said, handing him my card. "These are for my partner."

He glanced over at Sienna, who was standing a few feet away, her face flushed with embarrassment and what Psychological Insight told me were hints of happiness.

"She has good taste," he said, ringing up the purchase. "These are some of my finest pieces."

As we left the store, Sienna carrying her new tools in a small bag, I noticed more people starting to recognize me. A group of teenagers whispered excitedly, their phones out, while a family with young children stared openly.

"Does this happen everywhere you go?" Sienna asked, her voice tinged with curiosity rather than anxiety now.

"Pretty much," I admitted. "Though it’s gotten worse lately. It used to only happen when I wore masks, but we caused that to change didn’t we?"

She nodded thoughtfully, then she surprised me by stepping closer, her arm brushing against mine.

"Then I guess I should get used to it," she said softly. "If we’re going to do this more often."

The quiet confidence in her voice made my chest warm. This was the Sienna I’d fallen for—the one who, despite her shyness, was willing to step up and help me when it mattered.

We made our way to the second floor, where the shops were noticeably more upscale. Here, I started seeing even more employees checking IDs and what’s worse is that the rank minimum was increasing.

"B-Rank minimum," Sienna read from a sign outside a high-end clothing boutique. "Reminds me of when I first brought you to that hair salon."

"I thank you for that, you know?" I said while smiling at her. "If it wasn’t for that then I’d look homeless to this day. Though these rank minimums are starting to bother me."

She nodded, but I could see the wheels turning in her mind. Despite her shy nature, Sienna was incredibly intelligent—her A-Rank Construction Worker job wasn’t just about physical strength, but also about understanding complex engineering principles and problem-solving.

"It seems like it would create a lot of division," she said carefully.

"It does," I agreed. "But it also creates opportunities. Higher-ranked individuals often have specific needs, resources, and... purchasing power."

As if to prove my point, we approached a jewelry store with an "A-Rank and Above" requirement. The employee only checked Sienna’s ID, I guess I was famous enough for this, and the well-dressed salesperson immediately approached us.

"Good afternoon," she said with a professional smile. "Welcome to Celestial Gems. How may I assist you today?"

Sienna hung back slightly, but I could see her eyes drawn to a display of necklaces. They were simple and elegant pieces that would complement her understated style perfectly.

I guess she’s not like Camille huh? She would’ve likely walked around like she owned the place and I wouldn’t even be shocked if she did.

"We’re just looking," I said, before noticing Sienna’s gaze. "Actually, could we see that necklace? The silver one with the small pendant."

The salesperson’s eyes flicked between us, and I saw the moment of recognition cross her face.

"Of course, Mr. Vale," she said, her professionalism taking on a slightly warmer tone. "This is one of our newer pieces. The pendant is crafted from a rare mineral that took years to excavate."

Sienna’s eyes widened as the woman fastened the necklace around her neck, the small pendant catching the light beautifully.

"It’s too much," Sienna whispered, her fingers touching the pendant gently.

"It’s perfect," I said, and I meant it. The simple elegance of the piece matched her personality perfectly. It was beautiful without being ostentatious.

As I paid for the necklace, I found myself thinking about the rank requirements. We’d passed several A-Rank stores, but I hadn’t seen any with S-Rank requirements. It made sense from a business perspective—S-Ranks were incredibly rare. In a population of tens of millions, there might only be a handful of S-Rank individuals in any given field. Creating a store that catered exclusively to them would be financial suicide.

"Rey?" Sienna’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. "Are you okay?"

"Just thinking," I said, taking her hand as we left the jewelry store. "About how rare certain things are."

She tilted her head, curious, but I just smiled and squeezed her hand.

We spent the next hour exploring more stores, and I watched as Sienna gradually became more and more comfortable with the attention that we were drawing. She still blushed when people stared, but she no longer tried to hide behind me. Instead, she walked with her head up, her hand firmly in mine.

I bought her a few more things that I doubt most girls would enjoy including a set of engineering books she’d been eyeing, a comfortable sweater that brought out the color of her eyes, and a small toolkit that made her face light up with genuine joy.

"You don’t have to buy me everything I look at," she said as we sat in the mall’s food court, sharing a plate of dumplings.

"I know," I said, watching as she carefully picked up a dumpling with her chopsticks. "But I want to. You work so hard, Sienna. You deserve to be spoiled a little."

Her cheeks flushed pink, and she ducked her head, but I could see the smile she was trying to hide.

"Besides," I added, "I’ve got more money than I know what to do with. Might as well spend it on someone who matters."

She looked up at me then. Her eyes were soft and warm.

"You matter too," she said quietly. "Don’t forget that."

The sincerity in her voice caught me off guard, and I felt something tighten in my chest. This woman who was shy, gentle and incredibly strong had a way of seeing through all the complexity of my life to the person underneath.

As the afternoon wore on, we eventually made our way back outside. The sun was beginning to set, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink, and the air had cooled to a perfect temperature.

"Want to walk through the park?" I asked, gesturing toward the green space that bordered the mall.

She nodded, and we made our way along the winding paths, the shopping bags forgotten in my other hand. The park was beautiful in the evening light—trees casting long shadows, couples and families enjoying the cooler air, the distant sound of children playing.

"This has been perfect," Sienna said as we found a quiet spot beside a small pond. "Thank you, Rey."

"Thank you," I replied, stopping to face her. "For agreeing to come out with me. For putting up with all the staring and attention."

She laughed softly, and the sound made my chest warm.

"I’ve put up with a lot worse for you," she said, then blushed at her own boldness. novelbuddy-cσ๓

We stood there for a moment, the world around us fading into background noise. The evening light caught in her hair, and the necklace I’d bought her glinted softly at her throat. She was beautiful, not in some dramatic way that commanded attention, but in a quiet, steady way that made everything else seem less important.

"Sienna," I said softly, stepping closer.

She looked up at me, her eyes wide but unafraid. I reached out, gently cupping her face in my hands, and she leaned into the touch.

"I’m going to kiss you," I said, giving her a chance to pull away if she wanted.

Instead, she rose up on her tiptoes, closing the distance between us.

The kiss was soft, tentative at first, then deeper as she relaxed into it. Her hands came up to rest against my chest, and I could feel the strength in her grip even as she melted against me. When we finally pulled apart, both of us were breathing a little harder.

It wasn’t our first kiss, but it was by far the nicest one we’ve had.

"That was..." she started, then trailed off, her face flushed but her eyes bright with happiness.

"Perfect," I finished, and she nodded, a radiant smile spreading across her face.

We stood there for a moment longer, foreheads touching, the world around us peaceful and quiet. This was what I’d been missing. I didn’t need some grand moments of ranking up and completing an event quest, but instead, I wanted these small, perfect moments with someone who truly understood me.

"Aww, how cute. Forgive me for interrupting."

The voice came from behind us, warm and amused. Instinct screamed at me as we both turned toward the sound.

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