Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: A Trip to the Department Store
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◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Suits or jackets.
To keep coming to places like this from now on, I'd need some sharp clothes.
They had to be versatile enough to wear anywhere.
And appropriately upscale, yet light enough to wear casually.
And most importantly...
'Not too feminine...'
You might think it's ridiculous coming from someone who looks like a woman on the outside, but I'm a man.
Or more precisely, I used to be.
That's why being told to suddenly wear something frilly would feel awkward, no matter how much my outer appearance screamed woman.
Plus, if I carelessly wore a skirt and accidentally flashed my legs, it'd be a total disaster.
'Absolutely not.'
I had zero interest in earning some nickname like "XX-dong Spread-Legs Girl."
Anyway, after mulling over all that, I arrived at the department store.
There was one nearby with an outlet attached, so no need to go far.
It was walking distance, so I enjoyed the cool morning breeze on the way in, feeling great as I entered.
'Pretty empty.'
A weekday morning. Of course it was quiet.
Maybe I could browse leisurely.
'It's been ages since I last came to a department store. A few years?'
I'd come here back when I was prepping hard for job interviews.
I still vividly remembered trembling as I charged a suit on an 8-month installment plan for a company interview.
If you asked why I bought such an expensive suit...
It's because I'd gone to an interview in a cheap one once and gotten a smirk laced with mockery.
I could still picture the interviewer snickering at my appearance.
No questions came my way that day, and naturally, I got rejected.
People say others aren't as interested in you as you think.
That's true, but not in the job market.
People there are weirdly obsessed with everyone else.
'They say pedigree is everything, but it doesn't seem quite that absolute.'
If pedigree was truly everything, Seoul National University grads would have a 100% employment rate. Sure, they'd have an edge over others.
Ah, whatever.
That complicated world has nothing to do with me anymore.
Enough pointless thoughts. Time to enjoy myself.
That's why I came, after all.
"Whoa..."
I shook off the tangled thoughts and strode confidently into the first floor of the department store.
'Is this a restaurant floor?'
Insanely packed with restaurants and dessert shops.
Was it always like this? It really had been forever.
I'd stuffed myself at breakfast earlier, so food didn't appeal, but one cafe in the distance caught my eye.
A cafe decked out lavishly in gold, orange, and red.
Honestly, it felt more like a palace than a cafe.
'What kind of place is this?'
Curiosity pulled me closer, step by step.
The faint coffee aroma wafting over as I approached lifted my spirits a bit.
'They sell a ton of stuff...'
Looking closely, it wasn't just coffee and beans—they had cups, saucers, sugar bowls, you name it.
A specialty coffee shop, I guess.
A quick search said it was a high-end spot from Singapore.
'What? 16,000 won a cup?'
Then I spotted an even more shocking price in the reviews.
How does brewed bean water cost as much as old-school fried chicken?
I couldn't just walk away.
"Gotta try it or I'll regret it..."
What could justify 16,000 won a cup? Brimming with anticipation, I hurried inside.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Hmm..."
Honestly, it wasn't as great as I'd hyped it up to be.
Maybe my expectations were too high?
Still, among all the coffees I'd had, this was the first with such a bold aroma and sharp bite.
Less sweet, more like it was declaring, "This is coffee," with its strong bitterness—but no nasty aftertaste.
Tasty.
But at this price?
Ah, the fancy cup and saucer that came with it were premium, and they threw in a straw that looked like merch.
Plus, factoring in the vanilla cream on the side, it felt about right.
'Considering the extras, it's fair enough.'
The vanilla cream was so good I kept dipping into it, and satisfaction crept in bit by bit.
'Kinda sucks paying 5,000 won extra over takeout, though.'
Drinking in-store cost about 5,000 won more than takeout. No clue why—seating fee, maybe?
'Eh, the sightseeing's fun at least.'
Gawking at the sparkling shop made me feel like some mega-chaebol for a moment.
I mean, I am a mega-chaebol now, but it still felt a tad unreal.
I chuckled to myself and slurped the last of the coffee from the cup.
'Definitely a different finish.'
Then I stood, carrying the lingering coffee scent on me, and left the shop.
'Where do I buy suits?'
I hadn't planned specifics, so I looked around.
First floor was all food—no suits here.
Not sure where to go, I wandered over to a staff member at the info desk.
"Um... sorry, I'm here to buy a suit. Where should I go?"
The female staffer smiled brightly as she listened, then pulled out a small pamphlet from the desk showing the full map.
"You're right here, ma'am. For women's clothing, head to the third floor, go straight this way, then through that garden to the other building."
This department store was ridiculously huge.
Felt like three big buildings mashed together.
"Thank you."
With her kind directions, I hustled over to the spot she mentioned.
All women's clothes, for sure. Familiar brands everywhere.
Not used to everything being women's wear, though.
'Where are the suits...?'
About 20 minutes of walking later, I spotted a problem.
'All budget brands.'
Shops here were everyday brands you see everywhere—not the so-called luxury ones.
Or cheap fast-fashion spots.
Not knocking them at all.
Back in my Choi Min-hoo days, I'd always shopped at places like this.
The issue wasn't that they were budget or whatever.
'If I wanted stuff from here, I'd have bought nearby.'
No point trekking to a department store for common brands.
'There must be other women's sections. Can't be just this.'
Mulling it over, I noticed a touchscreen map on a big pillar nearby.
Searched for a luxury brand that popped into mind.
A loading circle spun, then vanished.
'Next building over.'
Luxury shops were in the adjacent structure.
I'd said I wanted a suit—why'd she send me here?
There were suit shops here too, but...
'Too casual.'
Student-friendly casual suits.
The kind that'd suit high schoolers or college freshmen perfectly.
And with that thought...
'...I'm basically one of those kids.'
My reflection in a mirror suddenly flashed in my mind.
'No wonder they mistake me for a student.'
Especially dressed like this.
It was a bit of a detour, but I'd found my way.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Men aren't that into luxury brands.
Too much of a generalization? Fine, rephrase.
I wasn't big on luxury brands.
So I'd assumed famous ones only did bags and wallets.
That's why I hunted down women's suit shops, only to find even the big names sold suits.
'Didn't know...'
Not just suits—coats and jackets galore.
What I liked? They weren't overly girly.
So I eyed a jacket that seemed semi-formal and headed straight into the store.
Staff glanced at me curiously.
That lasted a second before one approached smoothly.
"Welcome. Looking for something specific?"
Did luxury stores assign personal shoppers like this?
A bit uncomfortable, I nodded anyway.
"Yes... I saw that one on display out front."
"May I ask your size?"
"Uh... Probably L."
Chest would make M too tight. Online said D-cups could squeeze into M, but...
Truth was, I'd never measured properly.
Underwear was a guess, and my current clothes? Just eyeballed the length.
'Nothing's certain.'
First time really shopping, so maybe normal. Might as well get measured while buying multiples.
"Please wait a moment."
She vanished as I mulled that over.
Left alone in the store, I awkwardly browsed slowly.
'Fancy.'
The vibe was elegantly old-world.
A rich, heavy scent tickled my nose—super pleasant.
Staff were all impeccably groomed, shining without a flaw.
I finally got what "people with a sheen" meant.
"Ma'am, is this the item?"
While admiring, she returned with a packaged jacket.
Navy blazer—er, jacket. Perfect as an outer layer.
Still summer, but fall was coming.
Mornings and evenings were getting chilly—good to have one.
It wasn't flashy, which I liked.
"Yes, that's it."
"Would you like to try it on for size?"
"Uh... sure."
"This way to the fitting room, then."
She led me to one deeper inside.
Unlike others I'd seen, plush curtains and spacious.
"Ring the bell here if you need assistance."
Polite but formal farewell as she drew the curtain.
I carefully shed my tracksuit.
Peeling off the black one revealed the cheap white tee underneath.
It clashed hard—I gave an embarrassed smile.
Then gingerly slipped on the jacket beside me.
Glancing at the tag: ₩2,280,000.
Nearly dropped it in shock.
'What the hell price is this?'
Exceeded a night at the hotel.
Separate from my 500 billion assets, this felt alien for one jacket.
Even luxury—no frills, just a jacket.
Material and craftsmanship be damned; I saw only the price.
Hesitated, then set it aside.
'Splurging at the hotel and now this?'
No chaebol life for me, I thought, and carefully tried it on.
Cheap tee. Topped with the jacket.
'...It works.'
Mirror check: Big difference.
An 8,000-won tee looked 50,000-won grade thanks to it.
Top half only? Straight out of a chaebol heiress drama.
'Not that dramatic, hopefully.'
Silly thoughts as I twisted to check myself out.
Definitely different.
Not like slopping around in tracks.
Suddenly got fun.
'Try some others?'