Chapter 112
I couldn't possibly refuse Yoo Seol-ah's request to head out, her fresh destructive power amplified by a hairstyle I'd never seen on her before. Sure, I wanted to lounge around a bit longer, but we needed to furnish the place anyway, and I could always crash again after we got back.
Still wearing my dress shirt, which hung comically oversized on her frame, Yoo Seol-ah glanced down at herself and beckoned me over.
"Step out for a sec. I need to change."
It was only minutes ago that I'd been admiring her bare body, but she was surprisingly thorough about this. She had this theory that being too open could harm a marriage, so I obliged, closing the bedroom door behind me on the pretense of checking something and heading to the living room.
"Hm-hmm~"
She sounded thrilled. Furniture shopping or not, this was us heading out together—a date, plain and simple. We'd end up grabbing something tasty, hitting a café... denying it would be the weird part.
Ignoring her humming, I quickly checked my email and personal requests page. Sent off some replies to clients, then knocked on the bedroom door. It swung open faster than expected—she'd been ready in no time.
There she stood, staring up at me across the threshold.
...Damn, I still couldn't get used to how stunning she was, even after seeing her every day.
I was the type who preferred no makeup, but Yoo Seol-ah always added a touch for outings, maybe for her own satisfaction. Her porcelain skin didn't need much, but she'd do subtle cheek tinting and eye makeup. Her skills were top-notch; early on, even I couldn't tell the difference made. Now, after all this time, I could spot exactly what vibe she was going for.
The side-tail hairstyle, paired with makeup that made her already huge eyes pop even more? Adorably devastating. And unlike her simple hair tie from before, she'd added a fabric ribbon to the side-tail, making her look like she'd stepped straight out of a manga.
But... didn't she ask me to leave so she could change clothes?
Going from oversized no-pants shirt to short-sleeve tee and dolphin pants didn't seem like much of a switch.
"...And you're going out like that?"
"Y-Yeah, it looks weird, doesn't it...?"
My bewildered tone deflated her instantly. Weird? A tee and dolphin pants were her go-to sleepwear at home. Sure, not unwearable outside, but with the weather not fully warm and her knowing her own killer figure, the odds of her picking that for public were slim to none.
...Had she gotten so excited about the date that she grabbed her comfy defaults without thinking? Her occasional airheaded charm made it plausible. I recalled her once searching high and low for her phone... while holding it.
Sure enough, her gaze drifted to the side-tail by her face.
"...The side-tail's too flashy, right...?"
Her silver hair already drew eyes like crazy; adding the side-tail would amp it up. But it suited her perfectly, so who cared? Even plain styles couldn't hide her magnetism.
"No, not the hair. The hair looks great."
"......?"
A question mark practically floated above her head next to her hair. Was she for real...?
I stared pointedly at her white tee—so thin her skin faintly showed through underneath. Finally following my gaze downward, she let out a perfect idiot noise.
"Oh."
Yeah... good thing she caught it now. Fine for the corner store, maybe, but a department store? No way.
Her earlobes flushed crimson in seconds, and excuses poured out like machine-gun fire.
"...I-I was so focused on tweaking my hair and makeup...! I'll change quick, just wait!..."
She slammed the bedroom door and vanished inside.
She was really pumped.
Most folks didn't know how full of gaps she could be normally—that's why everyone teased her mercilessly. But it made her laser-focused moments all the more striking. Back in battles during our Astasia days, or now when she drew... that intense gaze was killer.
It wasn't long before the door reopened. This time, properly dressed for outside, she emerged with an awkward expression.
A casual-yet-cute dark sailor-style dress that played up her charm. As she'd once confided, sizing up like this downplayed her curves nicely. Still embarrassed, she avoided my eyes.
"...Shall we go?"
"Let's head out."
Stepping into the hall and checking the elevator mirror, I got why she'd hesitated earlier. She'd matched the outfit to her hair—full-on sailor vibe. Someone could easily mistake it for cosplay. Especially with her face pulling it off flawlessly.
We'd agreed on furniture first, so we hopped the bus straight to the department store. Contrary to her worries, most people were glued to their phones. A few did double-takes and gawked, though.
Regular Yoo Seol-ah turned heads; this prototype version? Impossible not to notice unless blind.
I whispered to her.
"You're used to cosplay anyway, right?"
"It's not cosplay, first off...? And I've only ever photographed myself for fun!... Never done events or anything..."
She listened but clearly felt self-conscious. Fair—side-tails like this were idol stage looks or cosplayer territory, not everyday.
Once at the store, though, she switched to confident mode, hunting the furniture she'd researched.
"Sofa first. I thought it over—fabric matters a ton with a cat."
"It'll get shredded quick."
"Yeah. Looked it up—some are made extra tough on purpose."
"For pet owners?"
"Yep."
Following her lead, we reached a brand packed with sofas. One clerk at the counter; no other browsers.
Yoo Seol-ah squeezed her eyes shut, deliberating, then approached the clerk.
"...Are the C-3 and C-4 the same material as that one over there?"
"Yes! The whole C series uses it—super popular with cat owners. Tests show it takes 250,000 scratches to pierce!"
"Got it. Mind if I sit for a bit?"
"Of course~ Take your time!"
She talked a big anxious game, but handled it smoothly once speaking. She led me to the gray sofa.
"Sit. Same fabric, just smaller."
"You researched deep, huh?"
"Yeah. But feel's something you gotta test."
We sat side by side—surprisingly plush yet supportive. I liked it. Cat-proofing was a bonus; ruined sofas were common in pet homes.
"...This one's it."
She decided fast too. Pricey, but after scoring our apartment so easily, money wasn't tight.
"We'll take the C-4."
"C-4, the L-shaped one?"
"Yes."
"Perfect! Fill out this form, and I'll explain the rest."
The clerk beamed at our quick buy. As expected, she got chatty and friendly.
"Are you, like... an idol or something?"
Yoo Seol-ah flashed an awkward smile at the genuine question. Face and outfit screamed idol; I'd have wondered too.
"N-No... just a regular person."
I bit back Grand Mage retort—that'd be overkill.
"Really? Not modeling or anything?"
She squirmed under the praise, her subtle introversion kicking in. I could see her struggling but let it ride—it was entertaining.
"So you two are married?"
"Yes. Fiancé and fiancée...?"
"Wow, everyone's delaying marriage these days... Young couples like you tying the knot? Impressive."
Pro sales talk flowed naturally. She turned to me.
"Your husband must be thrilled... Ten years here, and I've never seen anyone as gorgeous."
"Never met anyone this pretty in my life either."
"Oh my."
I was as hyped as she was—words slipped out that I rarely said to strangers. In front of others, she got shy fast, smacking my back with her palm, but her twitching lips betrayed her delight.