Chapter 46
Since how I saw her mattered most, the boss lady returned to the counter with a beaming smile, while Yoo Seol-ah pouted just a little.
"...But is it really okay for me to be here?"
"What do you mean? We're shopping for clothes together."
"No, I mean, is it okay to let her see us like this?"
She's her cousin, and they're close with the family, so wouldn't that spark all sorts of thoughts?
Yoo Seol-ah answered without a hint of hesitation.
"Unnie might look like this, but she keeps her mouth shut tight. If she says not to worry, then don't."
Might look like this... Sure, she had that vibe from her image alone, but it really hit home how close they were. And if Yoo Seol-ah got along with someone, I could trust them without question. Knowing her personality, she wouldn't hang out with anyone who didn't meet her standards.
"...And anyway, we'll have to introduce you to the family someday..."
Her voice trailed off smaller and smaller, like she was burrowing into the ground.
...Of course, I'd been thinking the same thing, but hearing her say it outright, even while blushing—that was so quintessentially Yoo Seol-ah. Her face stayed composed, but she couldn't hide her ears turning bright red.
"Why are you grinning like that?! I mean later! Someday later...!"
"Who said anything?"
I hadn't uttered a word.
But damn, the family genes were strong. I'd met two of Yoo Seol-ah's relatives so far—Jia noona and this boss lady—and both had striking looks. Meeting them one by one like this, I'd eventually end up face-to-face with her parents. The strategy for conquering something was always to start from the outskirts. Building good relationships with the rest of the family would lower the difficulty of the final boss.
"How old is unnie, anyway?"
"She's... turning twenty-nine soon. Doesn't look it at all..."
"For real?"
...I'd pegged her at mid-twenties, maybe even younger. The oversized glasses and cute vibe played into it, but even accounting for that, it was shockingly youthful. No wonder Yoo Seol-ah used formal speech with her—a nine-year gap made sense.
"Totally real. Nine years older than me. She's a total pro at fashion, so I've learned a ton from her."
"Makes sense if she runs a shop..."
"She handles this place solo, and it's thriving. Been open about four years?"
Just surviving four years in prime real estate like this said volumes about the business. Foot traffic was insane here.
"Where do you usually buy your clothes?"
"Just cheap brands at department stores when I go. And I wear old stuff for ages."
Once growth stopped, sizes stayed consistent, so I didn't toss clothes easily. Truth was, fashion wasn't a big interest— I just aimed for not-too-flashy basics. Jeans, tees, jackets on rotation. I wasn't the type to experiment boldly when I knew zilch.
Yoo Seol-ah gave me a quick once-over.
"You dress super clean and put-together."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. And you draw well too, from last time. Feels like you have solid basic taste."
"...What's this, praise?"
Yoo Seol-ah wasn't the type to withhold compliments. She was straightforward unless it embarrassed her. This was just a little payback for the bus incident.
She snorted in disbelief.
"Hey, why paint me as some compliment-hater? That's ridiculous."
"Then say it now."
"Why should I? Truth is, you're not amazing at clothes—it's just your build makes everything look good..."
"......"
See? She complimented me anyway.
I just stared silently, and she cleared her throat awkwardly.
"...Anyway, let's look at clothes."
"Have the expert pick for me. I barely know anything."
"Fine, I'll pick yours if you pick mine."
Mutual picks? I knew next to nothing about women's outfits. At best, I could reference my sister's style.
"Didn't you say you're not that good? You sure you wanna trust me?"
She was right—I'd never picked professionally informed. Just eye-balled it.
But her gaze turned sharp, like I'd slighted her.
"...Your sense is good, so it's fine..."
"What if I waste time picking wrong..."
"Hey."
Now she was full-on pouting. She started enunciating every word deliberately.
"Even if you suck at picking, I don't care. Just choose what you wanna see me in...!"
She flushed red but kept her voice low enough not to reach the counter.
"What matters most is how you see me, so that's why I'm asking you to pick... God, why are you so clueless?"
"......"
Her tone sounded annoyed, but the content was too damn cute. I'd never gotten couples' public displays before, but now? Totally relatable.
The shop wasn't huge, so racks blocked the counter's view completely. I stepped closer and pulled her into a quick hug without a word.
"Eep..."
She startled a bit but didn't push me away. Being out in public, I let go after a moment.
Her face had been pinkening before, but now it looked ready to burst. She fussed with her bangs to hide it, then murmured softly.
"......If you get it, then pick what you like."
"...I'll do my best."
...It was winter, no heater blasting, but I was sweating.
"No asking opinions—just pick full outfits."
With her proposal to go purely by personal taste, I split off to browse.
What to choose? Honestly, finding something that'd look bad on Yoo Seol-ah seemed harder.
First instinct: no crop tops. They were trending—even in winter, plenty of girls wore them—but with her figure, it'd be too much exposure outside.
Browsing slowly, I turned and spotted something eye-catching: a plain white oversized crewneck tee with tiny lettering.
I pictured her in it and decided instantly. The length would make her look adorable. Not just her taste—mine leaned cute too.
Crewnecks hit mid-thigh, so pairing was easy. Factoring her proportions and the length, I grabbed short black hotpants.
She was still browsing, so I called her over.
"Decided. This and this."
She'd get my vision right away. She checked them and nodded.
"...Bottomless look, huh?"
"Yep."
"You didn't have to say it—we're on the same wavelength anyway."
"Really?"
"I wear oversized tons. Moe sleeves too."
Otaku term or not, "moe sleeves" were long ones draping past the hands, like her current blouse. My taste exactly—I hoped she'd wear them more.
She held the shorts to her hips and nodded.
"Cool. I'll go with this."
I'd based it on her first-meet knit dress: same bottomless vibe, but sexier then, cuter now.
And the coord wasn't done.
"Pair it with black knee socks."
"......"
"The kind that hit right at the knee."
She'd said my opinion ruled, so full Sion taste it was. My goal here? One thing.
She knew exactly and shot me a side-eye.
"...Hey, aren't you blatantly thigh-obsessed?"
"Guilty."
"......"
I could own it. Her thighs were a killer asset.
Crewneck on top, knee socks below, with just a sliver of pale thigh peeking in between—maximum emphasis.
That'd been the plan from jump. She pondered, then chuckled dryly.
"...Black-and-white shoes would match perfect. Got it."
"For real?"
"Yeah. Planned to buy whatever you picked anyway. And mine's set."
Same here—I'd buy hers sight unseen. Curiosity piqued, I followed as she grabbed my picks and headed to menswear.
"This shirt, oversized knit vest. Pants are comfy slacks—good?"
Dark gray vest and black pants, white shirt—clean, close to my usual. Never worn a vest over a shirt post-uniform, but if she wanted it...
Seeing the combo sparked a thought.
"I like it. But it kinda matches what you're wearing now?"
Her current fit: blue blouse, black vest dress. I'd heard it was one-piece, but broken down: blouse, vest, tennis skirt.
Colors didn't overlap, styles differed, but the vibe synced perfectly.
"...It's different."
"Huh?"
"That's why I picked it...!"
She spun and bolted to the counter. Suddenly, yesterday's apron obsession flashed back.
...Is she dead-set on matching me today?