Jung-yeon politely declined, then laughed as she hooked her arm through Kang-woo’s. Caught off guard, his eyes met those of a woman neatly dressed in a navy dress. When he awkwardly tugged the corners of his lips into a smile, she let out a small “Ah,” then nodded gently with a soft smile.
“Yes, understood. Director, then we’ll take our leave for today. Please enjoy a comfortable and pleasant shopping experience.”
“Good work.”
After passing the woman who bowed deeply in polite farewell, Jung-yeon strode toward the escalator. Even then, Kang-woo kept glancing back over his shoulder.
“What?”
Noticing how his head kept turning elsewhere, Jung-yeon asked. Kang-woo scratched his cheek before answering.
“Ah… I was wondering if she was someone you knew.”
“She’s my personal shopper.”
“Personal shopper?”
“Simply put, she helps me shop. I’m not really the type who likes wandering around stores. I usually use a private room.”
Replying in an even tone, Jung-yeon scanned the shops on the second floor. Kang-woo simply nodded.
“I see.”
Personal shopper, private room—he couldn’t fully grasp those unfamiliar terms, but he figured it meant there was some quiet, private space where people like her could shop comfortably.
“Hm, shall we start from the third floor?”
Following Jung-yeon, who naturally led the way, Kang-woo rode the escalator up another level.
“It’s been a really long time since I came shopping like this with someone.”
Arm linked with Kang-woo’s, Jung-yeon wandered around the various stores on the third floor with a flushed, excited face. Every time they stepped into a shop, two or three more shopping bags were added.
Even if the heels were low, heels were still heels. And they had been circling the floor for nearly an hour, yet she showed no signs of fatigue.
Meanwhile, Kang-woo’s legs were beginning to ache a little—it had been a while since he’d walked this much—but he tried not to show it.
If he’d stayed home, he would’ve just stared at the unmoving second hand of the clock all day anyway. Feeling grateful that Jung-yeon had gone out of her way to bring him outside, he followed her around without complaint.
“This time, here.”
After thoroughly browsing the third floor and purchasing a balanced mix of clothes, bags, and shoes, Jung-yeon immediately strode into a store as soon as they returned to the second floor.
Even from the outside, it was clearly a men’s casualwear shop, marked with the logo of a well-known brand. Kang-woo hesitated for a moment before following her in.
“Come over here, Kang-woo-ssi.”
Seeing him standing awkwardly at a distance, Jung-yeon beckoned with her hand. Kang-woo obediently approached. Pulling several garments from the rack, she began holding them up against his body.
Kang-woo shrank his shoulders, uncomfortable with the situation. He had only come along to look around.
As he awkwardly tried to step back, fingers neatly painted with apricot-colored manicure grabbed his arm firmly.
“Don’t hunch your shoulders—straighten up and stay still. I want to see what suits you better.”
At her deliberately stern voice, Kang-woo instinctively lifted his head and straightened his back.
Jung-yeon hummed cheerfully to herself as she busily selected clothes, clearly in high spirits.
“Hm, as expected—when the mannequin is good-looking, everything looks good on it.”
For a moment, Kang-woo felt as if the eyes hidden behind Jung-yeon’s sunglasses were sparkling.
“Kang-woo-ssi, what size do you wear?”
“In this customer’s case, size 100 should fit.”
The moment Jung-yeon asked, a staff member who had been lingering nearby quickly approached and spoke up.
“Really? Then could you bring that size?”
“Yes, of course, ma’am. Please wait a moment.”
Before Kang-woo could object, the smiling employee disappeared inside.
“Uh, I don’t really need clothes…”
“Just try them on once. Actually, I’m buying a gift for someone else, and their build seems similar to yours.”
“Ah…”
Embarrassed, Kang-woo felt like he’d jumped to conclusions.
“I see.”
His ears grew warm, and he cleared his throat awkwardly. Jung-yeon smirked slightly.
While he stood beside her as she browsed other clothes, the employee soon returned with the items.
“The fitting room is this way.”
Following the employee’s polite gesture, Kang-woo entered a space surrounded by mirrors. After changing and stepping outside, Jung-yeon rested one hand on her chin and nodded with satisfaction.
“As expected—pretty.”
Pretty. It felt like an adjective that didn’t quite suit him. Of course, she probably meant the clothes were pretty.
As Kang-woo awkwardly fiddled with the collar, Jung-yeon pushed another outfit into his hands.
“Try this one on too.”
After that, Kang-woo changed clothes several times. It felt like at least a dozen outfits. Judging by the growing pile of clothes, it practically resembled a fashion show backstage.
“Your proportions are great, sir. You really pull off anything.”
Every time Kang-woo stepped out of the fitting room, Jung-yeon wore a deeply satisfied smile, and the employee eagerly joined in with compliments.
It felt like being trapped in a hell of praise.
“Don’t people ever stop you on the street? Asking if you’d like to be a celebrity?”
It was already embarrassing listening to the overly enthusiastic employee, but Jung-yeon piled on with that question.
“…I don’t go out much.”
In truth, once, someone had approached him in front of his school, introduced themselves as working for an entertainment company, and handed him a business card. But it had only happened once, and he didn’t particularly want to brag about it, so he brushed it off casually.
“Hm.”
Jung-yeon made a small sound through her nose and shrugged.
“The entertainment industry is missing out on real talent. With that face alone, you’d already pass. If you’re interested, I could introduce you.”
Whether she was serious or joking, Kang-woo couldn’t tell at all. Unsure how to respond, he simply let out an awkward laugh.
“Haha…”
“This won’t do. I can’t choose just one. Here—give me all of these.”
Jung-yeon flicked her finger toward the piled-up clothes. The employee brightened immediately and hurriedly led them to the counter.
By the time they finally left the store, they had three large shopping bags from that single shop alone.
And the shopping didn’t end there.
Only after circling the first and third floors once more did Jung-yeon finally say they should stop browsing the stores. By then, both of their hands were filled with large shopping bags.
“I’ll keep this one, and please move the rest to the car.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Jung-yeon handed over a large bundle of bags to a driver who had appeared from somewhere, then beckoned to Kang-woo, who was lightly tapping his thighs.
They took the elevator to the very top floor of the department store. After passing a golfwear shop and heading into a corner, a large door appeared.
[VIP Lounge]
Reading the words on the metallic sign, Kang-woo followed closely behind Jung-yeon as she scanned a card and entered.
“Will you be having brunch?”
“No. Just coffee.”
“Yes, understood. Please take a comfortable seat inside and place your order.”
After finishing her quiet conversation with the staff member, Jung-yeon turned back to Kang-woo.
“Come on.”
“Ah, yes.”
The interior had the atmosphere of an upscale café. Wood-toned furniture and low, muted lighting created a very cozy feeling. Neatly illustrated framed artwork hung here and there, adding visual interest.
The two of them sat at a table near the window where warm sunlight streamed in. The sofa, seemingly made of cowhide leather, felt soft and smooth.
“What would you like to drink?”
Jung-yeon handed Kang-woo the menu. Starting with coffee and extending to various types of tea, the menu was more diverse than he expected.
After scanning it briefly, Kang-woo pointed to one item.
“I’ll have chamomile tea.”
“Do you want chocolate cake for dessert too? It’s good.”
“Yes. I’d like that.”
At the welcome suggestion, Kang-woo nodded quickly. Jung-yeon smiled faintly and called a staff member to place the order. Before long, drinks and dessert arrived on a tray.
All the beverages were served in clean glass cups with wooden coasters, and the cake—topped with finely grated chocolate and a gold-coated chocolate ball—was beautifully presented on a plate rimmed with gold.
“Haa, just as I thought. Coffee after a good shopping session is the best.”
After taking a long sip of her iced Americano, Jung-yeon leaned back in her chair almost lazily, closing her eyes as if savoring the caffeine spreading through her bloodstream.
At her easygoing demeanor, Kang-woo found himself smiling without realizing it.
When their eyes met, Jung-yeon grinned, straightened up, picked up her fork, and stabbed a piece of cake.
“Mmm, it’s delicious as always. Kang-woo-ssi, try it.”
Kang-woo also liked sweets, so he picked up his fork.
“Thank you for the food.”
As he placed the cake in his mouth, the sweetness of chocolate spread across his tongue. It was incredibly rich and moist.
“It’s delicious.”
“Right? That Seok-ho—he doesn’t understand the joy of sweetness. An iced Americano with sweet chocolate cake is practically heavenly.”
“Exactly. Hyung doesn’t snack much either. Sweet things are so good.”
Remembering how Seok-ho couldn’t even appreciate the taste of bungeoppang, Kang-woo nodded enthusiastically. Somehow it felt like he had found a strong ally.
“Come to think of it, I once bought Seok-ho a fresh cream cake before. But would you believe that brat didn’t even take a single bite and just threw it away?”
Speaking in a disgruntled tone, Jung-yeon continued chattering. While listening to her, Kang-woo’s thoughts drifted elsewhere for a moment.
Still, on the birthday they celebrated together, Seok-ho had shared a slice of fresh cream cake with him peacefully. Of course, the rest had ended up being Kang-woo’s share.
“No matter how thoughtfully I take care of him, he never appreciates it. That brat doesn’t even realize this noona’s sincerity. It’s honestly upsetting.”
After complaining with a wronged expression, Jung-yeon leaned deeply into the sofa and quietly gazed out the window.
Eyes sharp like Seok-ho’s reflected the bright blue sky.
No… actually, she gave off a slightly different feeling from Seok-ho. How should he describe it…
“Ah, right.”
While he was pondering, Jung-yeon suddenly exclaimed and moved.
She stretched her hand to the side and placed several shopping bags she had kept separate on the table. They were the clothes purchased earlier at the men’s store.
“This is my gift.”
He had suspected it—and as expected, they were for him.
“Ah, it’s okay. You don’t need to give me something like this.”
Kang-woo quickly waved his hands.
“I don’t need this many clothes.”
His current daily life had a very narrow range of movement—he hardly needed going-out clothes at all. Besides, no matter how wealthy she might be, such an excessive gift felt burdensome.
“It’s a reward for spending hours hanging out with me. So take it.”
If that was the reason, he couldn’t accept it even more.
In fact, Kang-woo felt grateful to Jung-yeon instead. If not for her, he would’ve spent the entire day staring at his phone, waiting for Seok-ho’s call.
