As Yeonrok was reading the room, Yeom Cheonho urged him to try eating something in a gentle voice. Accordingly, only after Yeonrok drank some ade and ate a slice of cake did Yeom Cheonho get to the main point.
“Today we came to buy some clothes for Yeonrok-ssi to wear right away.”
Director Park, who had been waiting with a smile maintained while Yeonrok ate cake, smiled even more deeply.
“Ah! I see. Is there a particular brand you’d like?”
“Clothes that would suit Yeonrok-ssi’s taste would be good.”
When the conversation caught his attention and Yeonrok stopped his fork, Yeom Cheonho urged him to eat again. Yeonrok broke into a cold sweat as he ate a couple more of the sweet desserts whose names he didn’t know. Even in this situation, they were delicious. He still didn’t even glance in the direction where his ex-lover was.
When he’d emptied about half of the three-tiered tray, employees came pulling mobile hangers lined with clothes. Yeonrok’s fork stopped again. Then the personal shoppers explained what this outfit was and what that was and what the season collection was, but it sounded like an alien language to Yeonrok. The stiffened Yeonrok looked at Yeom Cheonho with eyes requesting help.
Then he let out a small laugh for some unknown reason, and Yeom Cheonho stood up. He personally selected clothes from the hanger and held them out to Yeonrok.
“Would you like to try them on?”
“…I will.”
Yeonrok hesitantly put down his fork and stood up. The fitting room he entered holding the clothes was unnecessarily spacious. Yeonrok put the clothes down on the sofa, then hung them on a hanger, pacing around and looking about.
Even though no one was watching, Yeonrok took off his clothes while reading the room for no reason. He put on the cloud-light and soft knit and the stiff, cool pants, stared into the mirror for a long time, then awkwardly left the fitting room. Yeom Cheonho nodded his head satisfactorily.
“It suits you well as I expected. Doesn’t it?”
When Yeom Cheonho sought agreement, the personal shoppers who had only been beaming until then began pouring out compliments.
“Since you have a fair and handsome face, you pull it off absolutely perfectly.”
“This is the first time I’ve seen someone who looks this good in yellow.”
“R-really?”
With reddened cheeks, Yeonrok awkwardly fiddled with the knit. Then he hesitated when he discovered the price tag. Did I see the numbers correctly just now? Before he could properly check the price tag, the personal shoppers aggressively launched their offensive.
“Customer, would you like to try on this outer too? If you layer it in an overfit like this… Ah! It really suits you so well. It’s like it’s completely custom-made.”
“How about athleisure style? The design is sharp and the mobility is good, so it’s useful both as everyday wear and sportswear. This is a product from this season’s capsule collection…”
“If you’re going to a somewhat formal place, how about matching this half coat with a houndstooth check pattern turtleneck?”
With the flood of terms that seemed familiar but ultimately didn’t make sense, Yeonrok’s mind became hazy, forgetting about his ex-lover and everything. The only words he could properly understand were things like shirt and pants. Hangers kept coming in and going out endlessly. He ultimately couldn’t check the price tags and went in and out of the fitting room several times. It was quite exhausting even though he was just changing clothes.
Nevertheless, since compliments poured out every time he left the fitting room, Yeonrok gradually gained confidence. Perhaps thanks to the personal shoppers’ and Yeom Cheonho’s sense in choosing clothes, even Yeonrok found his appearance in the mirror unfamiliar yet quite satisfactory. Feeling somewhat proud, thinking ‘Well, my face isn’t bad at all,’ he naturally smiled slightly.
‘What would I have done if my face was ugly too?’
He was already inferior to his Name Partners in terms of social status and wealth in many ways, but if his face had been shabby too, he really would have lived without being able to hold his head up. The personal shoppers who acted like tongues in mouths also smiled broadly when Yeonrok smiled. Then they politely asked Yeom Cheonho.
“Customer, how is it?”
It was a question asked knowing well that while the person wearing it was Yeonrok, the payer was someone else. When Yeom Cheonho stroked his chin and cast a sharp gaze, everyone tensed up. He opened his mouth.
“There’s a somewhat inadequate part.”
“What would the inadequate part be…?”
The personal shoppers, who instantly became apologetic, asked cautiously. Just as Yeonrok’s confidence, which had become dispirited again, was about to break, Yeom Cheonho answered.
“The shoes.”
Everyone’s gaze turned downward. Only then did Yeonrok consider how old the shoes he’d worn were. When did I buy those? He hadn’t paid much attention until now, but looking at them now, they were extremely grimy. They were even worse because they happened to be white. The personal shopper regained their smile.
“Since your shoes are a vintage type, there might be a very slightly unbalanced part visible, so we’ll pay even more careful attention.”
Yeonrok learned for the first time that anyone could express worn-out sneakers from being worn for so long so beautifully. Shortly after, dozens of pairs of shoes entered the room. After trying on shoes one by one, all the desserts he’d eaten earlier had been completely digested.
“Customer, how about this time?”
After finishing putting on the shiny shoes as well, he waited for Yeom Cheonho’s verdict again. This time Yeom Cheonho crossed his arms and tapped his right chin with his fingertips. He slightly furrowed his eyebrows and said.
“Perfect. But it would be even better if we added a few items.”
This time, all kinds of fashion accessories appeared in a line. After putting on and taking off belts, cuffs, sunglasses, and even socks, changing clothes one more time, wrapping a soft cashmere muffler around his neck, and putting on a pair of gloves, Yeom Cheonho nodded as if finally satisfied.
“Which outfit did Yeonrok-ssi like best?”
“I liked this one I’m wearing now…”
Yeonrok, finally exhausted to the point of being hungry from the desserts being completely digested, answered weakly. Ex-lover, clothes, whatever—it was exhausting. Since they’d held hands earlier, he wanted to just eat something and go home. Even though it was winter and the personal shoppers diligently fanned him or wiped his sweat, he was sweating profusely again.
“Good.”
Yeom Cheonho clapped once and stood up. Then he woke Yeonrok’s hazy mind by saying this.
“Let’s purchase everything you’ve tried on so far.”
* * *
Yeonrok listened to the waiter’s explanation in a daze.
“…This is an amuse-bouche composed of liver purée and abalone.”
I think he just said some kind of flower was in the ingredients? Yeonrok’s gaze wavered. However, without showing it, he just nodded as if he understood. On the diced cube-shaped abalone flesh, purple sauce was artistically placed.
When the waiter who’d finished explaining withdrew, Yeonrok cautiously moved his utensils. His eyes sparkled as he put the bite-sized food in his mouth and chewed. Yeom Cheonho asked with a smile.
“Is it to your taste?”
“It’s delicious. And it has a strange and fascinating flavor.”
Yeonrok’s brow furrowed as he concentrated on the food with a combination of taste and aroma he was eating for the first time in his life. If he’d been in a cap and carelessly dressed like when he’d stopped by the flower market earlier, it would have been an extremely uncomfortable place.
However, as Yeom Cheonho said, once he was properly dressed, Yeonrok could act as if he was someone who came to places like this often. He thought such behavior might look a bit funny in Yeom Cheonho’s eyes, but…
‘Still, it’s nice.’
It was nice that he was kind and gentle to him, and it was nice to have unfamiliar, new, and wonderful experiences. When he kept hesitating because it was awkward and unfamiliar, he was grateful for the delicate consideration shown as if seeing right through Yeonrok’s situation and feelings. However, there was something that bothered him even about that consideration.
“Didn’t we buy too many clothes after all?”
Yeonrok said anxiously, picking up and putting down his water glass. From the one price tag he’d glimpsed earlier, he could well tell that if you added up the prices of all the clothes and accessories purchased today, it would be beyond imagination. The most expensive piece of clothing Yeonrok had ever purchased was a lightweight padded jacket, and even that didn’t exceed 100,000 won, so it was very burdensome. Yeom Cheonho smiled broadly and said.
“Yeonrok-ssi, do you know how much Hwan-ssi’s spending was last month?”
Hwan-ssi? He’d thought this when his name was called too, but these were really ticklish forms of address he couldn’t get used to. Yeonrok shook his head no.
“Last month he spent over 100 million won.”
“What?”
At the amount beyond imagination, Yeonrok’s mouth fell wide open. What on earth do you buy to spend over 100 million won in a month?
“Did he buy a sports car? Gyeonwoo-ssi also spent tens of millions of won. On the other hand, Yeonrok-ssi’s spending as of yesterday was merely 0 won. This is something that concerns me greatly.”
100 million? Tens of millions of won? For Yeonrok, who’d hesitated whether to use his card even at convenience stores, these were truly staggering amounts. He stuttered slightly.
“But that’s too much money…?”
