Besides buying some summer clothes for herself, she also wanted to pick out some new skirts for Alison, who had reached the age of eighteen and was developing a keen sense of style and beauty.
As they stepped into the supermarket, Kang Su-bin's eyes widened in dismay.
"There are so many people here," she exclaimed, her brow furrowed in distaste.
She had always hated crowded places, and the throngs of people on the first floor of the supermarket made her hesitant to venture further.
However, Alison was undeterred, her excitement palpable as she pulled her mother's hand, and they squeezed into the crowd. Alison had already secretly been looking forward to this trip, and she was determined to make the most of it, browsing through the various stalls and shops with an air of anticipation.
As she slipped into the supermarket, Alison had already selected a beautiful white dress, and all that was left was for her mother to pay for it. She stood patiently, waiting for her to finalize the purchase.
Just as they were approaching the women's clothing section, a group of boisterous young people suddenly pushed their way in, their laughter and chatter filling the air.
The already crowded area erupted into a commotion, with people shuffling and pushing to get out of the way.
Alison was jostled forward a few steps, and when she looked up, she was shocked to discover that her mother was nowhere to be seen. Panic set in, and she couldn't help but shout "Mom" at the top of her lungs, but her weak voice was instantly drowned out by the cacophony of noises surrounding her - the loud speakers blasting announcements, the murmur of the crowd, and the wail of children.
Meanwhile, Kang Su-bin was struggling to stay afloat in the sea of people.
She was swept up in the tide of shoppers, her tall and full figure buffeted from all sides. She instinctively wrapped her arms around her chest, trying to protect her curves from the unwanted attention of the crowd.
Despite her best efforts, her plump body was still subjected to the occasional touch or squeeze from the people around her. She couldn't help but regret bringing her daughter to the supermarket on this chaotic day.
If only she had known it would be so crowded, she would have postponed their trip for a few days. But now, she was at the mercy of the surging crowd, forced to move forward slowly with the flow of people.
As Kang Su-bin navigated the crowded aisle, she suddenly felt a hand brush against her round and perky buttocks.
She was taken aback, her head snapping around to see who was responsible for the unwanted touch.
Her eyes landed on a young man in his early twenties, his hair a vibrant yellow from dye. He was gazing up at the promotional slogan hanging above, a look of mild interest on his face, seemingly oblivious to the fact that his hand had just made contact with Kang Su-bin's body.
As he stood there, his eyes darted back and forth, his gaze never settling on one spot for too long. It was clear that he was concealing something, his restless eyes betraying his attempts to appear nonchalant.
The faintest glimmer of unease danced in his eyes, a subtle hint that he was hiding a secret, one that he desperately hoped would remain concealed.
Kang Su-bin's eyes narrowed, her gaze piercing as she glared fiercely at the person before her. Her noble status and elevated position in society had always commanded respect, and people of her standing were rarely approached by those of lower ranks.
However, the present situation had turned the tables, and she found herself at the mercy of others. The usually composed and confident Kang Su-bin was now helpless, her anxiety growing with each passing moment. Her sole desire was to locate her daughter, Alison, and escape the chaos that surrounded her.
As she pondered her predicament, Kang Su-bin turned to scan the crowd, her eyes searching for a glimpse of Alison's familiar face. She continued to move forward, carried by the surge of people, but her progress was soon halted.
A group of individuals emerged from the opposite direction, and the two crowds converged, becoming entangled in a sea of bodies. Kang Su-bin was trapped, unable to move forward or backward, her frustration growing as she waited anxiously for the supermarket staff to intervene and direct the crowd.
However, the supermarket seemed to be caught off guard by the sheer number of enthusiastic customers. The staff, overwhelmed by the influx of people, were busy greeting and assisting the shoppers, leaving them little time to manage the crowd.
Kang Su-bin felt a growing sense of desperation wash over her as she stood there, helpless and trapped.
The chaos that surrounded her was a stark reminder of their county's backwardness. The excitement generated by the new supermarket was a telling sign of the town's pent-up desire for modern shopping experiences.
For years, the people of the county had been forced to suppress their desire for retail therapy, and now, with the arrival of this new supermarket, they were eager to indulge in the novelty of it all.
As she stood there, surrounded by the throngs of people, Kang Su-bin couldn't help but think that this phenomenon would eventually become less common.
Perhaps, in a few years, when the Inje-county fully integrates with the city, the excitement would wear off, and the crowds would dissipate.
But for now, she was stuck, a prisoner of the supermarket's unexpected popularity, forced to wait patiently for the crowd to disperse. And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the congestion eased, and the crowd began to move once more.
As she stood there, lost in thought, Kang Su-bin was abruptly startled by the sensation of someone lifting the slit of her cheongsam, their hand brazenly reaching in to caress her plump and round thighs.
The touch was uninvited and unmistakable, a blatant display of sexual harassment that made her blood run cold.