Shopping

Chatting with Yubin was always a trip, because our personalities were complete opposites — every conversation left me thinking, huh, so there really are people out there who feel this way… which, in its own weird way, was actually educational.

So there I was, strolling along and absorbing new knowledge, when somehow we'd arrived at a department store.

"Wow, it's been ages since I've been to a department store."

The last time… when even was it…?

Definitely not since I'd regressed, so at least a year, minimum. And if I couldn't even remember it, probably closer to three.

It wasn't exactly important information, so I swept the thought out of my head before it went any deeper.

"Really? I feel like I come at least twice a month."

"…And what exactly do you have to buy that often?"

"Huh? That's WHY I come — to find out if there's something to buy! Just because you show up doesn't mean you have to buy something!"

Oh. So that's how it works.

Another entry for the knowledge bank, right there.

"Also! It's not like I go to the same place every time — I rotate through different stores every two weeks, so it's totally fine! And besides—"

"Let's go in."

I could feel a TMI barrage incoming, so I cut her off and headed into the department store.

"Good news, it's not too crowded."

"Right?!"

"You said you're buying a coat, right? According to the directory, clothing's on the seventh floor. Let's take the elevator."

"Huh? But we're looking at makeup today too!"

"…I'm sorry, what? Can't that wait for another day?"

"Nope! You don't own a single piece of makeup! It's even worse than your wardrobe situation — we have to fix it!"

…So that was the real objective all along.

No wonder she'd agreed to buy me clothes so much faster than usual, after going on about how she couldn't let me keep dressing like that.

"I don't need it. I don't wear makeup."

"No! Okay, sure, your face says that's technically true…! But! Are you seriously walking into an important occasion bare-faced?!"

"Can't I just go to a makeup shop when I need to?"

"Huh…? I mean, that's technically… Ah! Almost got sucked in again! Haha! Not falling for that anymore!"

"Tsk."

I clicked my tongue in disappointment.

"…You're not mad, are you?"

"Hm? No, of course not."

Did I look mad?

My expression hadn't changed at all, though?

"Phew! Okay then! Now I can relax and enjoy myself!"

Ah, so she was testing the waters.

…She really did come here with a plan today.

"Ugh… fine, let's go…."

I'd already promised to humor her, so this was on me — what could I do?

Like it or not, she'd helped me move, and that made a flat-out refusal impossible.

…If I'd known this was coming, I never would have asked for her help.

"Hehe! Unnie's gonna make sure you buy at least one thing today!"

"…I told you I'm not buying anything."

"Something other than clothes!"

"…Not makeup either. I'll just keep you company. So no forcing things on me, please."

"Really?! Yay! Hehe~"

"Ugh…."

With one more sigh, I followed after Yubin, who was humming to herself in high spirits.

"So, we'll take the escalator?"

"Yeah! Third floor first!"

Third floor… that's the cosmetics floor, isn't it?

…May this end as quickly as possible.

I was already missing home.

A short escalator ride later, we reached the third floor.

"Yeonwoo! Let's hit that store first!"

"Sure."

I followed the ever-eager Yubin into the shop.

"Welcome!"

"Hi, hello, come right—"

Yep. Classic.

The moment the clerk saw my face, she froze mid-greeting, and Yubin jabbed me in the ribs with her elbow.

"Your eyes! Your eyes!"

Hm? I'm making my usual face, though?

"Relax a little!"

…So she just wanted me to look friendlier.

"Ahaha… I-I'm fine, really! Wow! You're both so beautiful! This product has been really popular lately — would you like to try it?!"

It honestly hurt to watch her keep shooting nervous little glances my way, but what was I supposed to do about the face I was born with?

…This is so unfair.

"Then! Let me check out this shade!"

"Oh my! It's obviously going to suit you, you don't even need to check — how thorough, young lady!"

Since it was clear she still couldn't take her eyes off me, I sat down in a chair, closed my eyes, and let my head droop.

"By the way… is she a friend of yours?"

Only then did she seem to relax, shifting her charm offensive toward Yubin.

"Nope! She's my little sister!"

"Oh, really?! You both look so young, I just assumed you were friends! Hoho!"

"Hehe! You really think so?!"

Yubin and I were what, four years apart?

Hm… the gap wasn't exactly nothing.

So I sat there with my eyes closed, half-listening to their chatter, until—

"Yeonwoo! Wake up!"

"Hm…?"

Did I doze off?

"…It's done already?"

"Just finished!"

Yubin waved the shopping bag in her hand as she said it.

"Oh… I see…?"

"Yep! But! Why are you so cute right now?! Is this what you're like when you wake up from a nap?!"

"…Excuse me?"

"Ah, okay, you're back to normal."

…I really need to stop sleeping in front of people.

"Yeonwoo! When we're done shopping, wanna come over and nap at my place?! Unnie will sing you a lullaby!"

"Don't say stupid things."

"Sob! Where'd the angel Yeonwoo from thirty seconds ago go, and why is there only regular Yeonwoo left?! Give her back, you demon!"

"I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠said, don't say stupid things."

And so we wandered around the rest of the third floor.

…For a grand total of three hours.

And even after all that wandering, she barely bought anything!

"…Shouldn't we get moving on the clothes soon?"

"Hm? One sec! Just this one store!"

…She said that two hours ago too.

At this rate, she was going to drag me through every cosmetics shop in the building.

I could feel my sanity deteriorating, so I finally played the trump card I'd been agonizing over for the past hour.

"If we go now, I'll let you dress me up in exactly one outfit."

"WHAT!"

Yubin, who had been sprinting toward the next store, whirled around with an expression of pure desperation.

"R-Really?!"

"Yes."

"A s-skirt?! Feminine clothes are on the table?!"

"No? What did you think."

"Ah… right, that was never happening…."

"You have a rough idea of my limits, right?"

"True…? I mean, I've seen everything you normally wear, so it's not hard to figure out…?"

"Then let's go."

"Wait! Not one outfit! One try-on! One styling session!"

"…Within my limits, that is?"

"Yes!"

"Then that's acceptable."

"Yesss! Hehe! I'm telling the members later that I successfully got Yeonwoo to change clothes!"

…Is that really brag-worthy?

"Oh! What about a dress shirt?!"

"A dress shirt? Hmm… that much is… whatever, I guess."

"Hehehehe! I've got the outfit idea! Let's go, let's go!"

So up to the seventh floor we went, browsing this corner and that until we finally settled on a store.

While Yubin pawed through rack after rack, I'd long since had the spirit drained out of me and sat slumped in a chair, staring blankly at the ceiling.

"Yeonwoo!"

At her call, I snapped back to reality and stood up from my chair.

"Can you try this on?!"

"…All of that?"

"Yep!"

A white dress shirt, jeans, and a black coat?

Now I understood why she'd changed the terms.

"I grabbed it off the model display! It's gonna look sooooo! In-CRED-ibly! good on you!"

Yeah, well. It would look good, sure.

…It would also amplify that intimidating aura by roughly the same amount, but sure.

"Let me check the sizes."

"Okay!"

Jeans, fine… coat, fine… dress shirt, though… too small.

"I need a bigger size in the shirt."

"Huh? Really? I know for a fact my eye for fashion is su-perb, and that one's perfect for you!"

"…No, it's—"

"Aha! You just don't want to wear it and you're making up ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠excuses, don't lie!"

"No, it's—"

"Hah! That would've worked on the old you, but not today! Now get in there!"

…Has my credibility really sunk this low?

"And what's your plan if it doesn't fit?"

"Unnie will buy you ALL of it!"

"…I mean, other than the coat, I probably wouldn't wear any of it?"

"Then! Unnie will buy the coat!"

At her offer, I checked the coat's price tag.

"Whoa."

That's… actually not bad?

The moment I saw the price, the interest that had been entirely absent moments before began to stir.

"You're saying all this after checking the price, right?"

"Y-yeah! Obviously!"

…She didn't check.

"I'll take it."

Normally I'd have steered clear of a tight-fitting garment, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠but today my desire to inflict financial damage on Yubin — who'd caused me no small amount of mental damage — outweighed all caution, and I impulsively agreed.

Well, it'd just be a little snug, that's all.

It'd put a bit of emphasis on the chest, but there'd be nothing actually embarrassing about it.

Tch… that's exactly the part I hate, though….

Anyway, I took the clothes, slipped into the fitting room, and started changing.

Uh oh. I'm screwed….

That was the exact thought that hit me as I pulled on the dress shirt.

As I'd predicted, the size was off.

…It was just smaller than I'd estimated. By a lot.

No… hold on, the buttons won't even close…?

"Yeonwoo! All dressed?!"

"Give me a second."

Ugh… now what….

I gave up on buttoning it all the way, sucked in my body, and fastened as many buttons as physically possible.

…Was that the limit?

Squeezing any further felt like a one-way ticket to being forced to buy clothes I hadn't even paid for yet, so I stopped and gave the mirror a once-over.

Tch… this is bad, isn't it….

Still, I had to show Yubin the results, so I threw on the coat and checked the mirror again.

This is seriously bad….

It was like the motion-capture suit all over again. Back then I'd hated it because my figure was on full display — but this time… that… wasn't it way too risqué…?

If you think I'm overreacting, understand that overreacting was the only available response.

Of everything I'd worn since my transformation, this was by far the most revealing…!

"Yeonwoo! Are you still not done?! It's been ages!"

"Ah, um… just come in…."

I couldn't walk out there myself, so I wrapped the coat around me, cracked the door open, and let Yubin inside.

"Wow! I KNEW it! The second I saw that coat, I thought, that is SO Yeonwoo's!"

"Ah. Great."

"So! How's the shirt?! Does it fit?!"

"…It's way too small."

"…Lies! You're hiding it on purpose to mess with me! Like I said before, that trick doesn't work on today's Yubin! Open the coat!"

…Just how much karmic debt had I racked up in my past life, exactly?

Feeling my credibility scrape rock bottom for the second time today, I took a deep breath.

"So, um… don't be shocked."

"Hm? Okay!"

…Am I really supposed to show her this?

Well, the results had to be shown, that was the deal….

Ugh, whatever.

My head was burning hot, so I gave up on thinking and let go of the coat.

"Whoa…."

Ugh….

Why did it feel like I kept getting publicly humiliated these days….

Seeing Yubin's stunned face — eyes blown wide, jaw hanging open — I decided that not watching was the better option and shut my eyes.

"Whoa… no, seriously, whoa…."

…She's milking it on purpose, right?

"You always wear such baggy clothes when we meet, I never knew you were carrying all this around… I'm sorry, unnie failed you. Oh, by the way — since when are you, uh, the bustier unnie?"

"…Be quiet and get out. So I can change."

"Right! But you look SO pretty right now! Just! Go out like that— …Yeonwoo. When ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you get all dressed up properly, you're somehow even scarier than usual, you know that…?"

"Get out. Now."

…If I also got a bob cut, would Yubin finally leave me alone?

Idly musing on pointless things, I gave the mirror one last look at my ice-cold glare, colder than usual, and changed back into my own clothes.

Once I'd changed in record time and stepped outside, I paid for the coat.

"Ta-da! Here's your coat!"

"Thanks."

"Ah! This money was worth every won! Today was so much fun! Yeonwoo! Thank you!"

…I, for one, was having absolutely zero fun.