Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Department Store Shopping
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The next morning.
I woke up to the sunlight pouring in.
"Sunlight coming into my room? I'm actually touched."
Do people living in luxury homes always share their lives with sunlight like this?
Lost in such thoughts, I was still lazing around in bed.
The bed in the apartment provided by the Association was as fluffy as cotton candy.
"Mm..."
I habitually turned on my smartphone without even opening my eyes properly.
On lazy days, I can't resist scrolling through the gallery.
Even last night, the Hunter Gallery had piled up with idiotic posts.
"...Rumors really can't be trusted."
I chuckled and rolled around in bed.
Me, the Association President's son? Our faces don't even match in size.
Still, the cheap nickname "Blue Vest" gaining fame didn't feel half bad.
"Nice weather today. Maybe I should do something."
I jumped out of bed and headed to the dressing room.
Standing in front of the full-length mirror, there was an unemployed guy in baggy training clothes with bedhead.
Bank balance: 540 million won.
For a man with an estimated annual income of 6 billion, he looked pathetically shabby.
"Appearance matters for people and products alike."
While doing delivery, it was fine to wear whatever.
But now, things had to change.
I'd be hanging out with S-Ranks like the Association President or the Saintess sometimes. I couldn't keep wandering around in training pants forever.
Suddenly, I remembered the welfare card Manager Park had given me.
The welfare points were still untouched at 5,000.
"Wait. Don't these expire if I don't use them?"
Turns out the points renew annually.
Meaning, if I don't spend this year's by year-end, they vanish into thin air.
"Crazy. My 50 million won."
50 million could buy 2,000 branded chickens.
If I let even a million points go to waste, I'd regret it for three years straight.
"Fine. It's not even my money. Let's burn it today."
I quickly showered and opened the door.
Manager Park was chatting with the cleaning staff.
"Manager Park."
"Yes, Sang-hyuk. What is it?"
"Can I use the welfare points at a department store?"
"Of course. Hunter welfare points have no restrictions except gambling. It's all hard-earned compensation for risking our lives."
Perfect answer.
"Shall I drive you to the department store?"
"Nah, it's fine. You're busy—get back to work."
I strolled out lightly and arrived at Apgujeong Department Store in a minute by my standards.
They say the economy's bad, but the luxury section was packed even on a weekday morning.
The passersby oozed class from their outfits.
I tried to walk confidently through the stores.
Don't chicken out, Lee Sang-hyuk. You've got that welfare card with a fat limit in your pocket...
But actually buying clothes here felt daunting.
I'd spent my life searching for the cheapest Ku-bbang T-shirts worth 10,000 won.
I had no clue what brands were good or what styles suited me.
"How many zeros is that price tag?"
I picked up a jacket—3.9 million won.
Normally, that'd require delivering 3,900 packages.
Of course, after deducting gas and truck costs.
Tremble.
I casually hung it back up.
The epitome of inefficiency. 4 million for a jacket?
But I had to buy. I needed to burn that welfare card.
Caught in a dilemma, I wandered the menswear section.
That's when I spotted a familiar back.
Glorious black hair, slender figure, tall stature, overwhelming aura.
Yoo Na-yeon?
Why was she here?
Yoo Na-yeon was carefully selecting something in the corner of the menswear section.
In her hand: a deep navy tie.
I sneaked up behind her.
"Whatcha doing?"
"Kyaa!!"
Yoo Na-yeon jumped in shock, flinging the tie into the air.
I smoothly caught the falling tie.
"Jeez, you scared me."
"Hey! I told you to make some noise when you walk!!"
Her face turned beet red as she fumed.
Come to think of it, back in elementary school, I pranked her like this once and got the silent treatment for three days.
I'd forgotten about that old incident.
I handed her the tie.
"Who's this for? Don't tell me you got a boyfriend?"
"W-What are you talking about? No! I was just... checking if it'd suit my dad!"
"Really? The color's totally my style. You've got taste."
I held the tie to my neck and checked the mirror. Yoo Na-yeon's eyes darted around.
"R-Really...? It... kinda suits you too..."
"So what brings you here? No dungeon today?"
"Day off. But you? You refused when I offered to buy you clothes, saying you were allergic to department stores."
"Here to use the welfare card. Heard it expires if I don't."
"Pfft."
Yoo Na-yeon burst out laughing.
"So like you. Can't pass up free money?"
"Obviously. But now that I'm here, I have no idea what to buy. If you've got time, help me out. Borrow some fashion sense from an S-Rank who dresses well."
Her face lit up at my suggestion.
She looked ready to jump in, but suddenly cleared her throat and crossed her arms.
"Hmm. My time's valuable... but if you're begging, I'll make an exception."
And so began Yoo Na-yeon's dress-up doll game.
"Put that down first. You've gotta wear stuff that fits properly."
"I like baggy."
"Shut up and try this on. No, not that. That's too dull."
"Bright colors do look good."
"Right? Hmm. These pants are a bit short on you. Why are your legs so long?"
I must've gone in and out of the fitting room over a hundred times in no time.
My mind tired out before my body did.
I grumbled about just grabbing anything, but she was firm.
"No whining. Follow me. After seeing you dress like a bum all this time, I need to cleanse my eyes today."
Finally, I stood before the mirror, perfectly styled from head to toe.
Luxury suit, perfect fit, and even the tie she'd been eyeing.
Now, I looked like a proper young heir anyone would believe.
"...Whoa."
An exclamation slipped out.
This is why they say clothes are wings.
I pulled back the curtain and stepped out. Yoo Na-yeon, sitting on the sofa, froze at the sight of me.
Her eyes widened, scanning me up and down.
"..."
"What? Bad? Too much?"
I fidgeted with the tie awkwardly. She hurriedly looked away and coughed.
"Ahem! Well... not bad. You look human now, unlike before."
"That's a compliment?"
"Yeah. It is."
We finally escaped shopping hell well past lunchtime.
Total spent: Easily over 20 million.
"One-time payment."
25 million won.
Even as points, my fingers trembled.
Calm down. It disappears if I don't use it.
After shopping, we stopped by a cafe.
All that luggage? Round trip to home takes 2 minutes with change to spare.
"Haa... Shopping's real labor."
I sprawled on the sofa.
Picking clothes felt harder than 2,000 deliveries.
Yoo Na-yeon didn't touch her iced Americano and just stared at me.
"Sang-hyuk."
"Yeah."
"You haven't had any... weird stuff lately?"
Her voice lowered.
Unlike her usual tomboyish self, her expression was serious.
"Plenty of weird stuff."
Just listing recent events would equal someone else's year.
"Not that. Gates. Don't the recent ones seem too contrived in location?"
I paused with my coffee midway.
"Contrived?"
"Yeah. The chicken shop the other day, and the gate incident on the morning news today. They have something in common."
Yoo Na-yeon glanced around and whispered even softer.
"They all popped up near S-Rank Hunters."
"..."
I tilted my head.
Yoo Na-yeon had been S-Rank since 15, but I'd only gotten caught in a gate once recently with the chicken incident.
"Gates are supposed to open randomly where mana waves are unstable, right? But this year, incidents keep happening around top rankers. Like someone's directing them."
"Villain work?"
"Not certain. The Association's hushing it up. But... among S-Ranks, it's an open secret. Someone's targeting us."
Yoo Na-yeon smiled bitterly.
"That's actually why I asked you to join our guild. Safer with a guild's protection than wandering alone."
I fell silent for a moment.
She wasn't just scouting for performance. She was worried as a friend, and I'd been yapping about efficiency without realizing.
"Thanks for worrying. But I'm still hiding my identity, so it'll be fine."
"Idiot. That's how accidents happen. You don't know you're already rated above S-Rank? Not knowing Blue Vest now makes you a spy. Even villains are watching."
"I'm not Blue Vest right now."
I spread my shoulders, showing off the perfectly fitted clothes.
"Jeez... Never seen you take things seriously."
That's when it happened.
Weeeeeng!
A shrill siren echoed through the entire department store.
Gate occurrence alarm.
The once-quiet cafe area erupted as people screamed and ran.
The peaceful department store turned into pandemonium in an instant.
Even the rich and elegant lose composure in crises, it seems.
"Yoo Na-yeon."
Yoo Na-yeon had her eyes closed, concentrating.
As a mage, detection was her specialty.
"A small gate just opened on this floor. As expected... might be targeting me."
She clenched her fist. Flames flickered in her hand.
"Sang-hyuk. Evacuate with the others. You haven't had formal hunter training yet. I'll handle the gate. B-Rank's no problem."
"Could be targeting you. I'm coming too."
She was even off-duty today, in casual clothes.
No weapon, no armor.
Worrying to enter a gate like that.
"You don't even have your staff."
"Don't worry. Why do you think S-Ranks are S-Ranks? We crush everything barehanded. Go first! I'll contact you later!"
Yoo Na-yeon vaulted the table toward the gate without waiting for my reply.
"That reckless tomboy..."
I sighed.
Running as she said was efficient.
If she meant nothing to me.
Who abandons an 18-year childhood friend and runs?
This was beyond efficiency or gain.
"Gotta pay for the tie at least."
I smiled, gently stroking the tie she'd picked, with my fingers.
My steps were light.
I could catch up to my tomboy childhood friend in one second flat.