The Dreamlike First Morning of Summer Break
The first morning of our dreamlike summer vacation after finals. In that limousine where I'd been stunned holding the private jet ticket and the uninhabited island ownership papers, Seol-ah gripped my hand without letting go and immediately veered toward the heart of Gangnam.
"Here we are. Let's get out, Jinwoo."
The car door opened, and we'd pulled up in front of an ultra-luxury high-rise boutique that no ordinary person could even dream of entering. Normally, VVIPs from around the world lined up here to snag the finest limited-edition pieces from every corner of the globe, but today the main entrance was eerily quiet. The only souls in sight were the boutique manager in his impeccably tailored suit and dozens of staff lined up perfectly at the entrance.
"Director, VVIP! Welcome! As instructed, we've cleared the entire store for the day—no other reservations, perfectly reserved just for the two of you."
The manager bowed so deeply his face turned pale, practically folding in half. Seol-ah had rented out Korea's most expensive building with a single phone call.
"Hey, Han Seol-ah. Buying an island wasn't enough—you're chartering a whole shopping mall now? Our stuff combined would fit in a few trunks."
I pinched the bridge of my nose at this overwhelming barrage and grumbled. Seol-ah hooked her arm tightly through mine and flashed a leisurely smile.
"A few trunks? Oh, Jinwoo, you still don't get the basics of an uninhabited island getaway. We're staying there a whole month. Sure, it's a bug-free paradise, but everything you wear, use, or slather on has to be the absolute best in the world. No secondhand touches or mass-produced logos allowed on my island—not even one piece."
The manager swallowed dryly at her words, tense. I knew by now that her idea of "basics" meant only the rarest masterworks—produced in just a handful worldwide, without even a brand label.
"Come on, let's go in. Time to start Jinwoo's summer fashion show."
And just like that, I was dragged by Seol-ah's hand into a battlefield of packing worth tens of billions, beyond the wildest dreams of a dirt-poor returnee student.
We hit the resort wear section first, made from the finest fabrics. The dressing room, surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass, held rows of clothes that looked ordinary at a glance but melted like butter under your fingers—top-tier silk and linen in every color, neatly hung.
"Okay, Jinwoo. Try on outfit number one and come out."
Seol-ah shoved me inside and handed over a soft sky-blue silk shirt and crisp white linen shorts. I changed and stood before the mirror, and a gasp slipped out unbidden. It wasn't clothing—it was like draping a layer of soft air over my skin, with an insane tactile bliss. The natural flow hugging my body's curves made me look so polished, I barely recognized myself.
"Oh my…!"
The door opened as I stepped out, and Seol-ah's big eyes widened round before curving into a honey-sweet smile. She stood, staring intently, her gaze licking over every inch of me like hot flames.
"Perfect… You're insanely hot, Kang Jinwoo. How does one outfit change make class ooze out of you like this? I want to plop you on a yacht with a wine glass right now."
She approached, fussing meticulously over my shirt collar with a laugh. Every brush of her fingers against my nape sent dizzying waves of tension crashing over me—I had to swallow hard.
"Next! Number two! Three! Try them all and come out! We're fitting every single top-tier summer piece in this mall on you today."
With her fierce yet blissful declaration, my ordeal began.
Vicuña cashmere ultra-light robes, a swimsuit from a fabric so rare there were only five in the world, even shoes custom-molded from a 3D scan of my feet—bespoke espadrilles. For four hours, I traipsed in and out of the dressing room dozens of times, changing outfits. Each time, Seol-ah gazed in rapture: "That fit is art—buy!" "This color hugs your skin perfectly—buy!" Her card strikes were merciless.
Behind me, dozens of Taesung Group secretarial staff sweated buckets, hauling endless luxury paper bags every time she yelled "buy!" It looked like a warzone supply line.
After clothes, we reached the jewelry corner, crammed with rare gems and limited-edition watches from around the world.
"Seol-ah, fine for clothes, but watches and jewels for an island? Awkward for swimming."
She smirked, flashing the silver ring on her finger in front of my eyes.
"Silly. That's why we need them more on an island. In the middle of that emerald ocean with nothing around, watching jewels sparkle on my man's skin—that's my fantasy."
She picked up a diver's watch from the case: deep ocean-blue, encrusted with dense, label-less diamonds.
"This one's a summer limited—only three in the world. Titanium case, movement hand-carved by a master over five years. You'll wear it diving deep into the sea with me. Got it?"
Ignoring my protests, she clasped it on my left wrist. Heavier and more brilliantly lustrous than my old Rolex, this multi-billion-won beast gleamed.
"And this too."
Now she fastened a razor-thin, dazzling top-grade diamond necklace around my neck herself.
"These diamonds? I special-ordered them cut to match the starlight from that night sky we watched together at ten. Every time it touches your skin, remember I'm protecting you."
Her voice thickened with tender affection. As she leaned in, her warm breath and rich scent against my chest numbed my senses. Speechless, I stared into her blindly devoted eyes gazing up at me.
This insanely beautiful, dangerously obsessive girlfriend's love was flashier and heavier than any gem.
The all-day indiscriminate shopping storm finally ended. The luxury sedan's trunk and backseat were stuffed to bursting with Seol-ah's haul of bags—no room left.
By rough estimate, more money had vanished into the ether today than I'd earn in a dirt-poor student's lifetime.
"Haa… Your scale is insane, Han Seol-ah."
I sprawled in the limousine backseat, muttering exhaustedly. Seol-ah, pristine without a drop of sweat, snuggled against my shoulder.
"Tch, Jinwoo. Whining over a little summer packing? Be grateful I didn't buy out the whole mall."
She hugged my waist tight, nuzzling my chest. The cool silver ring on her finger kissed my bare skin delightfully.
"Jinwoo."
"Yeah?"
"This feels like a dream. Spending summer break just us two."
Her voice brimmed with deep affection and excitement.
"For ten years, every summer brought back that cramped, sweltering one-room. Summers without you were just brutally hot and lonely."
I reached out quietly, clasping her left hand around my waist. The hidden diamond inside my ring pulsed against my palm with her heartbeat.
"No more alone summers, Seol-ah. Every summer, fall, winter, spring ahead… I'll be right by your side."
I whispered, pressing a light kiss to her pale forehead.
"Let's shut out the world on that island till break ends and just rest. Your perfect castle for two, like you always said."
She looked up at me, the city's glittering neon reflecting beautifully in her eyes.
"Yeah. I'm never letting go. Even after classes start, skip school and live with me here. I'll tell the university president to graduate you early or something."
"Ugh, here we go again. My queen."
I laughed in disbelief, tweaking her nose tip playfully. Undeterred, she lunged, wrapping her arms around my neck and burrowing deep into my embrace.
"I love you, Kang Jinwoo. My universe, my world, my everything."
"Love you too, Han Seol-ah."
Outside the window, the city nightscape blurred by in deepening darkness, while in my arms nestled the world's scariest, most lovable first love.
Our first summer break. This limousine, packed with one-of-a-kind luxury gear, was hurtling toward our perfect paradise.
This insanely extravagant, sweetly capitalist vacation was raising its curtain at last.