November 1st was Bae Jung-yoon’s birthday. …Guess that means he should get a present, huh?
Come on, a person has to have some sense of decency. He couldn’t just accept a gift and pretend nothing happened. Besides, who knew—this might be the last chance he’d ever have to celebrate Bae Jung-yoon’s birthday.
Still, what do friends normally give each other? You’d have to have actually given someone a gift before to know that kind of thing. And honestly, Bae Jung-yoon didn’t seem to need anything. The guy lived without any sort of material want.
That said, it’d be ridiculous to just show up with a bouquet like Bae Jung-yoon once had. There was no way he could pull off something that cringey. Not even for Bae Jung-yoon.
No—especially not for him. When he did stuff like that, it came off playful. But if I did it, it’d just seem pointlessly serious.
After two days of mulling it over, Go Hoon finally made up his mind.
“Hey, come with me to the department store today.”
He decided to just go shopping with Bae Jung-yoon. Rather than relying on his terrible sense of taste and ending up with a crappy gift, it made more sense to see how Bae Jung-yoon reacted in the moment.
Wandering around aimlessly, something was bound to catch their eye. Or maybe Bae Jung-yoon would show interest in something.
When he suddenly brought it up during breakfast, Bae Jung-yoon gave him a curious look. Well, it wasn’t like Go Hoon often suggested hanging out, and now he was asking to go to a department store of all places—definitely out of the ordinary.
“A shopping date? Sounds fun.”
That puzzled look didn’t last long. Bae Jung-yoon nodded easily.
Once they’d decided to go out, they changed clothes and headed straight to the department store.
Go Hoon scanned the first-floor shops with a thoughtful expression. He’d gotten him here, sure—but now what? He had no idea what to pick.
The glitzy, upscale atmosphere of the store made him instinctively uncomfortable. It felt like he’d wandered into a place that didn’t suit him at all. The whole vibe put him on edge.
No, focus. He wasn’t here to buy something for himself. He came to pick out a gift for Bae Jung-yoon. Stand tall. Repeating that to himself like a mantra, Go Hoon slowly looked around. Then something caught his eye.
He walked toward a display featuring ties and belts. The brand logo on the wall looked familiar, which probably meant it was a go-to label that most people could trust.
“Hm.” Go Hoon hummed quietly as he picked up a tie. It was a deep navy with a subtle pattern made of thumbnail-sized brand logos—clean and sharp. In other words, it looked like something that would suit Bae Jung-yoon perfectly.
He sneaked a glance at the price tag. Not bad. As he examined the tie, a clerk in a suit approached and offered to let him try it on.
“Not me—him.”
Go Hoon didn’t hesitate as he pointed at Bae Jung-yoon. The clerk quickly turned and draped the tie around Bae Jung-yoon’s neck.
Bae Jung-yoon obediently stood still like a mannequin. He must’ve already figured out that this trip was for him. Maybe Go Hoon should’ve been grateful that he didn’t pretend not to know and ask why he was the one trying it on.
Go Hoon gave him a once-over from head to toe with a serious face. Yep, it looked good. Then again, with that face, what wouldn’t look good?
Apparently, the image of Bae Jung-yoon in a suit over summer break had left a lasting impression. The way his eyes had gone straight to the ties made it obvious.
Once he officially joined a company, he’d probably need to wear suits often, so it seemed practical too. Maybe Go Hoon’s expression was too intense while thinking it through, because Bae Jung-yoon smirked as he looked at him.
He was staring back at Go Hoon with an amused, almost playful expression. Go Hoon raised an eyebrow but didn’t ask what he was smiling about. No point in being prickly with the birthday guy.
“What do you think? Be honest.”
When Go Hoon asked, Bae Jung-yoon rubbed the tie between his thumb and middle finger. Then he took it off and held it up to Go Hoon’s chest.
What the hell? Startled, Go Hoon instinctively leaned back, but Bae Jung-yoon just nodded in approval.
“It’s nice. The fabric isn’t scratchy, feels sturdy, and the color works well.”
His smiling eyes had a mischievous glint to them. God only knew what weird thoughts were running through his head. Go Hoon gave a discreet shake of his head and told the clerk they’d take the tie.
“If you’d like to exchange or return the item, please keep the tag attached and bring the receipt to the store,” the clerk explained politely as they handed him the shopping bag.
No sooner had they stepped out of the store than Go Hoon handed the bag to Bae Jung-yoon.
“Birthday present. If you want to exchange or return it, don’t take the tag off and bring the receipt. You heard them, right?”
He rattled it off quickly, and Bae Jung-yoon smiled as he nodded.
“Thanks. I’ll use it well.”
To be honest, Go Hoon didn’t think it was much of a gift. The clothes, shoes, and watches Bae Jung-yoon usually wore were all far more expensive than this.
But for some reason, Bae Jung-yoon seemed genuinely happy. That smile hadn’t left his face.
Watching him, Go Hoon suddenly felt embarrassed and scratched his cheek.
“Let’s head home.”
They’d bought what they needed. He turned to walk toward the parking lot—but Bae Jung-yoon grabbed his arm.
“Now it’s my turn.”
Your turn? Go Hoon furrowed his brows in confusion as Bae Jung-yoon pulled him forward and began walking.
***
“No need.”
Go Hoon refused firmly and started to back away, but Bae Jung-yoon grabbed his arm.
“Just try it on, Hoon.”
The two of them were currently locked in a quiet tug-of-war inside a luxury boutique. The whole thing had started when, while browsing clothes, Bae Jung-yoon suggested Go Hoon try something on.
Of course, Go Hoon immediately refused. They were here to get Jung-yoon’s birthday present—not to shop for himself.
Besides, he didn’t see any reason to stock up on clothes like this. It’s not like he’d even get much use out of them. He’d probably outgrow the opportunity to wear stuff like this soon enough. It just felt like a waste of money. But as always, Bae Jung-yoon was even more persistent.
“It’s my birthday today.”
He said it with a soft, charming smile. Go Hoon’s brows furrowed immediately.
“Yeah, and I already gave you a gift. The tie.”
“And that’s it? Just give the gift and be done? You have to make good memories, too.”
Isn’t he asking a bit much? Go Hoon grumbled internally, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it aloud.
“I thought you asked me out today for a birthday shopping date, Hoon.”
In other words, what Bae Jung-yoon was really saying was: So you just buy the gift and call it a day? What about me, the one who came with you?
“Just think of this as you hanging out with me because it’s my birthday.”
“So what—you wanna play dress-up or something?”
“Yup. Sounds fun, doesn’t it?”
Not even remotely. He wanted to shut it down right then and there, but the words wouldn’t come.
That was the problem. Go Hoon was far too soft when it came to Bae Jung-yoon. Just seeing that face made the word “no” catch in his throat.
He frowned and hesitated, clearly torn. As if sensing how close he was to giving in, Bae Jung-yoon leaned in with a bit more coaxing.
“Hoon, it’s not like trying it on costs anything.”
“He’s right, sir. You don’t have to buy it—just try it on and see how it feels.”
Even the ever-smiling store clerk jumped in enthusiastically. In the end, Go Hoon was all but pushed into the fitting room by the two of them.
He parted the curtain and stepped inside, looking around with a dazed expression.
“…Why is this fitting room so big?”
It was just a place to change clothes, but it was surprisingly spacious. There was even a cushy-looking sofa and a clothing rack off to one side.
Standing alone in such a roomy space made him feel oddly self-conscious. He stared at his own hesitant reflection in the full-length mirror for a moment, then slowly began changing.
He pulled on a green sweater and a pair of black slacks. Then he stared at himself in the mirror—at the unfamiliar figure looking back. It felt strange. Like he was wearing clothes that didn’t belong to him.
“You look good.”
He flinched and turned his head. Bae Jung-yoon was leaning against the wall, eyes sweeping up and down, just like he had done earlier. Then came that same graceful, faint smile.
“You’re pretty.”
Go Hoon’s eyes narrowed. Pretty, huh.
He wasn’t naïve. He knew the word pretty didn’t suit him. That’s why he couldn’t take the compliment at face value. Still… he couldn’t exactly say he hated hearing it.
His chest itched. He tried to cool the flush creeping up his face.
“You’ve seen it, right? That’s enough. I’m changing back.”
He deliberately snapped, waving his hands in dismissal—a clear signal for Bae Jung-yoon to leave. But instead, he walked right over and approached him. Setting down the box he’d been holding onto the sofa, he nodded toward it.
“Sit down.”
Now what strange request was coming? Go Hoon just raised an eyebrow and didn’t budge. So Bae Jung-yoon gently gripped his shoulders and pushed him down onto the sofa.
He opened the box—and inside was a pair of sneakers. Clean white with subtle gray accents, sleek and understated in design.
Most designer shoes came with loud, oversized logos that felt like too much, but these didn’t. You’d have to look up close to even spot the brand.
Kneeling in front of him, Bae Jung-yoon took out the shoes and loosened the laces. Meanwhile, Go Hoon instinctively pulled his feet back. His own sneakers suddenly looked especially worn and dingy.
Come to think of it, he’d had these for quite a while. And on Bae Jung-yoon’s birthday of all days? Maybe he should have put more effort into his outfit today. That regret hit him right about when his foot was caught.
Bae Jung-yoon carefully removed Go Hoon’s old sneakers and gently slipped the new ones on.
Go Hoon didn’t resist. There was something steady and almost soothing about the way he tied the laces. Focused completely on the knot, Bae Jung-yoon finally spoke, almost casually.
“Did you know there’s an old superstition? If you give your lover a pair of shoes, they’ll run away.”
