In a store packed with newlywed couples, the entrance of two young men instantly turned heads. And with both of them being ridiculously good-looking, it was impossible not to stare.
A clerk hurried over with a polished customer-service smile and asked sweetly,
“Is there anything I can help you find?”
As if he’d been waiting for the cue, Jung Tae-seok jumped right in.
“Wedding trousseau.”
“Excuse me?”
“Trousseau.”
Are you insane?
While Jung Tae-seok delivered the absurd line without so much as blinking, Yeo Eun-jo’s face turned beet red. He quickly tugged on Tae-seok’s arm and scrambled to fix the situation.
“We’re here for clothes! You said you didn’t have a single thing to wear this winter!”
“But there’s nothing in our newlywed home either.”
Newlywed home, my ass.
Eun-jo groaned under his breath, unaware that his flustered expression only made them look even more like a couple.
The clerk, having sized things up, smoothly stepped in front of Tae-seok.
“You’ve come at the perfect time. We don’t offer trousseau discounts every day, you know.”
In Korea, commerce always comes first. Clapping her hands cheerfully, the clerk looked between the two of them.
“You two make such a lovely couple! If you buy bedding today, you’ll get a free set of matching couple pajamas. Want to take a look?”
“Couple pajamas?”
Tae-seok’s face lit up immediately. Spotting the reaction, the clerk beamed even brighter.
“This season’s designs are super cute. And with how stunning this gentleman is, I think yellow would suit him beautifully. Pink would be adorable, too…”
As the clerk gushed over Eun-jo’s looks, she led the way to the bedding section. Tae-seok followed behind her like a kid hypnotized by the Pied Piper.
And just like that, the shopping spree began.
Anything marked with couple or trousseau, Tae-seok insisted on buying.
The more he bought, the more radiant the clerk’s smile became.
“These are couple slippers—”
“Sold.”
“Couple utensils—”
“We’ll take them.”
“Matching eye masks—”
“Eye masks? Toss those in too.”
Eye masks? What the hell for?
Eun-jo, who had been trying to intervene earlier, now just stood there watching Tae-seok with a look of disbelief. He was actually setting up a home.
Soon enough, multiple clerks were tagging along, arms full of shopping bags. It felt exactly like the time they’d splurged using Jin Mu-seong’s card at the luxury store.
But that was Jin Mu-seong.
There was a universe of difference between using the credit card of an older man and swiping one from your younger boyfriend. Especially now—after wrecking his dorm room, Tae-seok had to fork over his entire paycheck to the Center for damages. He claimed it wasn’t much, but that was clearly a lie. It had to be a hefty sum.
And still, the shopping bags kept piling up.
While sitting on a display bed, Eun-jo quietly approached a clerk. “Excuse me,” he said softly, and the woman turned to him immediately.
“Yes, sir?”
Her voice was polite, but her eyes sparkled with intensity. It was like she didn’t dare blink—afraid she’d miss even a second of admiring his face.
She seemed to be the only one who recognized him in the store. Otherwise, there was no way everyone else would just leave him alone. She had even bought a fashion magazine featuring Eun-jo through Chaeso Market, a secondhand trading app. Seeing him in the flesh felt like a dream come true.
“Is there something you need?” she asked, smiling with all her might, praying she didn’t come across like a total creep.
When Eun-jo smiled back, the soft roundness of his cheeks lifted adorably. His faint blush made him look even more angelic.
Holy crap.
In that moment, she genuinely felt like she could lift a bed onto her back and deliver it to his house herself.
“This stuff we’re buying right now…”
Eun-jo cast a quick glance toward where Jung Tae-seok was standing and gestured subtly.
“Please charge everything from here on to my card. And have it delivered to the same address.”
“The same address?”
The clerk echoed without thinking, drawing in a sharp breath. Her gaze flicked rapidly between the two of them.
So… it’s not Esper Park Se-yul—he’s dating Esper Jung Tae-seok?
Ever since that magazine spread, there had been quiet speculation tying Eun-jo to Park Se-yul. She had been part of that buzz herself—there had been something hard to explain in the air between those two, even in still photos. Their chemistry practically leapt off the page. And honestly, when both of them could go toe-to-toe with actors and idols in looks and presence, why wouldn’t people ship them? Compared to the celebrity world constantly caught up in DUIs and gambling scandals, stanning Team A—who saved the country with both their faces and their skills—felt like a superior choice.
This might actually work out.
Park Se-yul’s sharp, icy vibe definitely matched Eun-jo well, but seeing Jung Tae-seok fussing over trousseau items while grumbling under his breath? That had its own charm. A cute one. Trying to get a grip, the clerk just exhaled quietly when Eun-jo asked again, a bit more carefully this time.
“Is there a limit on how many items I can pay for separately?”
“Oh, no—no limit at all. I’ll take care of it right away.”
The moment she took the card in both hands, a long shadow stretched over her. She looked up—and there was Jung Tae-seok, now standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Eun-jo.
Tae-seok casually wrapped an arm around Eun-jo’s shoulders, glancing between her and Eun-jo like a man guarding what was his. The look in his eyes was sharp, like he was checking to see if she was getting too close to his partner.
What the hell is wrong with him?! the clerk screamed internally.
Then Tae-seok leaned in close to Eun-jo—so close it looked like he might kiss him—and tilted his head slightly. His expression was… pouty.
“Hyung.”
He said it low, like a quiet prompt, clearly waiting for an explanation. The clerk, who had just been zoning out while mentally replaying their cover shoot, snapped back to reality. Nothing had happened. She had just been handed a card for the next transaction. That’s all she had to explain—
“Baby.”
The word slipped casually from Eun-jo’s mouth. His eyes stayed locked on hers the entire time.
“Baby.”
The second time, his tone was softer, gentler. Tae-seok’s eyes widened like he’d just been hit in the chest.
Eun-jo, still focused on the clerk, quickly shot her a look to get the payment moving and murmured under his breath to Tae-seok,
“Forget the couple bedding… Want to check out the lingerie section?”
“I do.”
Tae-seok nodded without hesitation, completely bewitched. If he had a tail, it would’ve been wagging like crazy behind him.
With all the calm precision of a skilled trainer, Eun-jo spoke softly again.
“Then what should you do first?”
Like a soldier activating in a gate, Tae-seok immediately moved. He snatched up the shopping bags, rattled off the address to the clerk in a rush, then grabbed Eun-jo’s hand and practically sprinted out of the store.
The clerk could only stare blankly at their retreating backs.
Still trying to process what just happened, she suddenly gasped and slapped both hands over her mouth.
“This is… real…”
She nodded to herself, already planning the detailed fan account she’d post the second she got home.
***
“Haaah…”
Tae-seok was walking even faster now than when they’d first entered the store. The tips of his ears, peeking through his messy hair, were glowing red.
He suddenly spun around and came back. His eyes were bloodshot—just like they got when he used his abilities in a gate. Striding toward Eun-jo, he stopped right in front of him.
“Hyung.”
This time, he didn’t forget to reach out his hand.
When Eun-jo quietly placed his own hand over it, Tae-seok laced their fingers together like a bashful lover on his first date.
“So… when are you gonna show me what you bought?”
“…Huh?”
It was a fair question, sure—but with the two of them currently sharing a room with others, there hadn’t been a private moment to show off anything just for him. As Eun-jo hesitated, Tae-seok slowly ran his fingers along the back of his hand.
“Can’t you wear it on top, too…? No, wait—forget it. Don’t answer. Not yet.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“Don’t even say stuff like that. Seriously… Haaah…”
Jung Tae-seok waved a hand, flustered, and turned his back on him.
“Just hearing you breathe… feels like I’m gonna come.”
Ever since Yeo Eun-jo had gone missing, Tae-seok had been all over the place emotionally. Not that he’d been great at controlling his feelings before—but now? He couldn’t even fake it.
He stared down the sparkling hallway and let out a long, shaky breath. Eun-jo stepped up beside him, quietly taking half the shopping bags to lighten the load.
“That store’s this way.”
Please, just—don’t let anyone look down between his legs right now. With that silent prayer, Eun-jo took Tae-seok’s hand and led the way forward. Judging by how silently Tae-seok followed, he hadn’t been joking about earlier.
Then— A sharp scream ripped through the air.
Both of them whipped their heads around just as the sound of a child’s cries rang out loud and clear.
“WAAAAAAAH!”
It was the same little boy they’d seen downstairs earlier. He’d fallen near the entrance of the escalator, lying face-down as the moving steps continued dragging upward behind him. His mother was desperately trying to lift him, but his jacket had already been sucked in. It wouldn’t budge.
Every time the escalator folded inward, the boy’s chin slammed into the edge. Blood dripped down, and his screams grew louder. In a full-blown panic, the mother shrieked,
“Someone—please help! My son—his clothes—!”
The moment they grasped what was happening, both Eun-jo and Tae-seok took off running.
Tae-seok reached them first. He wrapped an arm around the kid’s waist, braced himself, and yanked hard—ripping the trapped fabric clean off.
