Shopping
"I've already contacted the nearest Shinhwa Department Store. If there's somewhere else you'd prefer, we can change course."
There was something fascinating about the limousine. The separation between his seat and the driver's.
It's seriously insane.
There was even a fridge. Lee Sooyoung was giving her report from there. In the meantime, he took the chance to check her out. Today, she'd swapped her office look for a dress. It gave off a completely different vibe from usual.
Her hair looks a bit different too...
She'd tied it up in a single ponytail like always, but it felt more elegant somehow. The touch of a professional stylist was evident. Her face was the same—must be the power of full makeup.
Staring too much would be rude, right?
She must have spritzed on perfume; a lovely lily scent wafted over. And the dress? A white one with a deep plunging neckline, layered under a cardigan that toned down the sexiness just enough. Even like that, she continued her usual professional briefing. Honestly, he barely registered what she was saying.
"Yeah... just head to the closest one."
He half-listened. Something about having contacted them ahead. He figured she'd just told the driver up front. That's how they ended up at Shinhwa Department Store. He should have sensed something off the moment they pulled into the parking lot.
"Welcome. We were notified in advance and have been waiting."
A female employee and a male one—two department store staffers were already out there to greet Shin Jaewoo. He was caught off guard. And that wasn't all. He didn't have to enter through the regular entrance or shop like everyone else.
VIP Lounge.
They headed straight up to the 7th floor where it was located.
"We've brought up all the men's suits currently in stock, tailored to your preferences. For a party, a suit seemed the safest style, so that's what we ordered... but if you'd like something else, just let the staff know."
As she said, the lounge was filled with suits from various brands.
Whoa.
What was shocking were the price tags. Most suits started at several million won. Anything in the hundreds of thousands didn't even make it up here.
"Would you... like to see something a bit more affordable?"
Lee Sooyoung noticed him glancing at the tags. Even the richest people didn't want to waste money.
"No, that's fine. I don't have any specific brands in mind anyway. Could you pick something for me, regardless of price?"
He handed the task to her. Lee Sooyoung smiled at that.
"Of course, sir."
***
How long had it been since he'd splurged this much on a suit? No need to skimp on money, that's for sure.
Shirts can cost this much too?
Some shirts topped a million won. Talk about sky-high prices.
I've been wearing 5,000-won Daiso shirts until now.
The prices had jumped several times over. He'd have been stunned at a few hundred thousand, but over a million? What were these even made of? Everything started at over a million. No wonder they call it luxury.
"How about this?"
Lee Sooyoung had picked a slim peak-lapel navy suit for about 15.5 million won. Inside: a dress shirt at 1.1 million, tie at 680,000, shoes at 1.2 million, belt at 450,000.
He didn't know the brands. But swapping everything except underwear and socks added up to this.
Prices like this are possible, huh.
One thing was clear: the shirt felt incredibly soft against his skin.
Totally different from what I'm used to.
Was this silk or something? He wasn't an expert—just letting them dress him—so details escaped him. And now, the highlight.
"If you don't need it, we can skip, but... wouldn't some accessories be nice?"
Lee Sooyoung asked quietly. Her eyes sparkled. Shopping without a budget limit was thrilling, even if it wasn't her own money. It was more than enough to pique her interest.
And the model's not bad either.
Shin Jaewoo's decent looks only fueled her excitement. One minor downside: his height. He wasn't short, but not towering over 180cm either. Right now, she was reveling in the vicarious joy of dolling him up.
It's like I'm his girlfriend.
The other staff probably saw it that way too. Thinking that, she edged a little closer to him.
Changing how I address him... too obvious?
"Sir" felt too formal. She subtly switched it up.
"I figured you'd need something like that once you think about where you're headed next, Jaewoo."
It wasn't an odd term, but it could spark imaginations.
"Accessories... like bracelets, rings, necklaces?"
First things that came to Shin Jaewoo's mind. His face twisted in distaste at the thought. Jingling with rings and bracelets?
This isn't hip-hop...
Some rappers rocked that style. But it wasn't his taste. Gold chains dangling everywhere looked tacky. He didn't judge others, but it screamed nouveau riche.
Wait, am I nouveau riche?
No real reason to go that far anyway. Seeing his reaction, Lee Sooyoung looked awkward.
"Well, those exist too, but... accessories mean watches."
"Ah."
He realized his mistake and felt a bit embarrassed.
Watches...
He thought of the watches she mentioned. Wristwatches, specifically. Honestly, he preferred digital ones over luxury brands. They showed time instantly, had timers, etc.
But they don't mean digital watches here, do they?
These were for flaunting wealth over function. Like designer bags for women, watches were men's luxury staple. Some brands charged absurd prices—hundreds of millions occasionally.
Super extravagant, yeah.
Like the clothes, he only vaguely knew brands. Rolex rang a bell—super famous.
What else is out there?
Curious? Just ask.
"...Sounds good. I'll take one."
Watches soon lined up before him. Carefully selected from top brands. Probably because watches were inherently pricey. Or rather, what arrived wasn't physical watches but a tablet.
"These are the highest-end options available here."
As a super-VVIP endorsed by Panta Bank, even Shin Jaewoo couldn't summon the actual stored pieces. That's how strictly they were managed.
"They're probably more worried about damage or loss during transport than trusting you."
Lee Sooyoung added from the side. Made sense.
"Whoa."
The prices were brutal right off the bat. Earlier suits started at a million; these kicked off in the tens of millions.
They don't even show the multi-million ones.
Even luxury brands had cheaper models. But knowing his wealth, they'd curated accordingly. Anyway, he sorted by price—most expensive first.
"Cartier...?"
A brand whose name vaguely rang a bell. Now he knew it made watches.
"Ah, Cartier. Definitely a good one."
Lee Sooyoung's eyes lit up. But he felt differently.
Is this even a watch?
Not the classic watch image. More like something mimicking one. Still, the intricate craftsmanship was undeniably pretty. Her words nagged at him, though.
"'Good' meaning... not the absolute best?"
"Well, it's not in the top five watch brands. Popular, sure, but..."
Popular, but not elite. So why first here?
"The absolute top brands probably don't have stock on hand."
Like sports cars—new ones could take months. Same deal.
Watches need waiting too, huh.
He realized anew. And honestly, waiting didn't suit him.
"I'll just go with this."
Rotonde de Cartier Flying Tourbillon
This one's price sailed past 100 million won. And it looked mystical.
Pretty.
Wizardly design, like a magic tool. Per his request, it was brought forward.
"Oh."
Even the box was gorgeous.
Everything was set. Time to head to the party.
"Oh, right—before that, I promised. Pick something you want too, Sooyoung."
"Really... is that okay?"
Her eyes went wide like a rabbit's.
"Of course."
His answer was simple. Shopping wrapped up enjoyably enough. As they left the VIP lounge—
Huh?
Shin Jaewoo's eyes widened at the sight outside. In his line of view: people he knew all too well.
Kim Hyeju... Han Taeho...?
The two who'd betrayed him were at the department store.