A Risky Shopping Trip
Clatter…
After returning to my room and washing the dishes, I thought back on my conversation with Yuna.
'Was it really a good idea to agree to her request?'
My feelings toward her were still a tangled mess. The questions and pain from her sudden breakup announcement. The strange, abnormal behavior she'd shown yesterday and today. Nothing had been clearly resolved.
Yuna seemed like she'd changed a lot, yet at the same time, traces of the person I used to know still lingered. It was an odd feeling.
I let the complicated emotions wash away with the water, shook the moisture from the dishes, and set them on the drying rack.
Knock, knock.
'Huh?'
A knock came from the front door.
"Who is it—"
Curious, I opened the door, and a dazzling sight unfolded before me.
"I came to visit. We're neighbors now, after all."
Yuna stood in front of the door, smiling brightly.
My mouth hung half-open as I stared at her, completely entranced.
She wore an off-shoulder white dress that left her delicate shoulders and collarbones fully exposed. Her glossy black hair was neatly combed and cascaded down to her lower back. A wide-brimmed summer hat sat atop her head.
Her striking beauty combined with the innocent outfit created an almost unreal allure, as if she'd just stepped out of a photoshoot.
"What's wrong?"
Yuna tilted her head, watching me stand frozen in place.
"Huh? Oh, it's nothing."
I quickly averted my gaze, my face flushing red.
Even though we'd been intimate just last night, seeing her dressed up like this made my heart race irregularly all over again.
"Mind if I come in for a bit?"
Yuna asked with a slight smile.
"Uh? Sure…"
"Then excuse me."
She greeted me politely and stepped inside my room. After glancing around once, her eyes widened like a rabbit's in surprise.
"Wow… your place is really clean."
She looked puzzled, as if something didn't add up.
"Why?"
"It's just… I've never been to a guy's place before. It's different from what I imagined."
"What did you imagine?"
I asked with a chuckle. Yuna fidgeted with her fingers as she answered.
"I thought it'd smell musty, have clothes scattered on the floor, be messy… and maybe have a bunch of figurines on display."
Her gaze drifted toward the computer desk in the corner.
"And…"
"And dozens of gigabytes of porn on the computer?"
I added teasingly. Her face instantly turned bright red.
"W-when did I ever say that!"
"Haha!!"
Unable to hold back, I burst out laughing. Yuna puffed out her cheeks and shot me a sulky glare.
After the laughter died down, she asked cautiously.
"Do you… have anything to do right now?"
"Nope?"
I shrugged. As of today, I was officially unemployed. I had nothing to do.
"Really? Then let's go shopping together!"
Yuna grabbed my arm.
"I left in such a rush that I left all my clothes and underwear back at the dorm."
"What? Right now?"
"Yeah!"
At her cheerful reply, I looked her up and down again.
"…You want to go out dressed like that?"
"I'm not an idiot. Of course I brought a mask."
Yuna pouted slightly and pulled a mask from her pocket to show me.
"If I wear this and pull my hat down low, no one will recognize me."
I pressed a hand to my forehead. Her overwhelming looks weren't something a single mask could hide. Plus, that dazzling dress would definitely draw every eye on the street.
"Can't you just order online? Most things arrive in a day."
Yuna placed both hands on her hips and retorted in a sulky voice.
"Some things you have to try on in person to check the size."
'Things you have to check the size for?'
I pondered for a moment before realizing she meant underwear, and felt a bit embarrassed.
Still, taking Yuna outside in her current state was bound to cause problems. If someone recognized her, the internet would explode in no time.
When I seriously explained the risks, her expression quickly turned gloomy.
"You're right… but staying cooped up at home feels so suffocating."
Yuna muttered weakly, staring at the floor.
"I did run away, but being alone in that small room… it just makes my head spin and my heart feel heavier."
Seeing her depressed face, I couldn't bring myself to refuse anymore. That unstable, hollow look in her eyes had returned.
Finally, I scratched my messy hair and surrendered.
"Haa… fine. But change into something else first. Something more ordinary, something that won't stand out as much."
Yuna looked down at her dress, puzzled by my compromise.
"Does it… not suit me?"
"No, it suits you incredibly well. That's the problem. It stands out way too much."
At my compliment mixed with scolding, she gave me an incredulous look.
"Really? I picked the plainest outfit I own, thinking about how people might stare."
'Good grief…'
I let out a dry laugh in disbelief. Stella Yusia's idea of "plain" was clearly on a completely different level from a normal person's.
That natural disconnect in perspective hadn't changed, whether in the past or now.
"Anyway, that dress is absolutely not happening. I'm not budging on this."
Faced with my firm stance, Yuna pursed her lips but nodded.
"Okay. I'll go change quickly."
"I'll wait in the hallway, so take your time."
Watching her walk back to the neighboring room with a trudging gait, I smiled faintly. Time had passed and circumstances had changed, but the fact that some things remained the same gave me a strange sense of comfort.
* *
Clunk…
We sat side by side in the back seat of the bus heading to the department store. Yuna, wearing a black cap pulled low and a mask covering more than half her face, had changed into a loose-fitting T-shirt and pants. The effort to hide her curves and beauty was obvious.
Even so, her stunning looks were hard to conceal, so I had to keep glancing around nervously.
Fortunately, it was a weekday afternoon, so the bus was mostly empty, and no one had recognized us yet.
"Wow, it's been so long since I rode a bus."
Yuna whispered excitedly, looking out the window.
"Back in college, we used to ride this every day for our dates… brings back memories, doesn't it?"
"Yeah, it does."
At my reply, Yuna let out a small laugh. As a top-tier celebrity, she probably rode in a van every day now. Public transportation must have felt like a nostalgic event from the past.
"Really… the old days were better."
Her voice was thick with longing. Without warning, she rested her head on my shoulder.
"……!"
Startled, I turned to look at her. But she paid no attention to my gaze and instead looked up at me with innocent eyes, as if nothing was wrong.
"Why?"
"Oh, no reason…"
Unable to find the words, I frantically glanced around. Since we were in the very back seat, thankfully no other passengers could see us. My heart felt like it was about to leap out of my mouth.
We weren't a couple anymore, and on top of that, she was a famous celebrity. While I was internally panicking, Yuna went a step further and intertwined her fingers tightly with mine.
"Hey…!"
I flinched and tried to pull my hand away, calling out softly.
"You said you'd help me. So just a little… please."
Yuna squeezed my hand tighter and whispered pleadingly. Faced with her trembling voice and desperate eyes, I couldn't bring myself to shake her off.
In the end, I let out a sigh and relaxed my hand. It had been so long since I'd felt an ex-girlfriend's soft touch and warmth. Even amid the anxiety, forgotten affectionate feelings and memories of last night overlapped, sending a faint thrill up my spine.
'Is this really okay?'
The obvious doubt and unease remained. But at this point, I couldn't coldly reject her anymore.
Resigned, I tried not to focus too much on the warmth of our joined hands and stared out the window.
"Hey, Dohun…"
Yuna broke the silence and spoke carefully.
"Do you… have a girlfriend right now?"
"Cough!"
The sudden question made me choke, and I coughed repeatedly.
"…No."
At my short answer, I felt the tension drain from her body.
"Thank goodness…"
Yuna let out a sigh full of relief.
"Really… thank goodness…"
That meaningful murmur, as if reassuring herself, lingered in my ears.
* *
The department store on a weekday morning was surprisingly quiet. Yuna wandered around the women's clothing section with her mask on, looking as happy as a girl on a field trip.
"Dohun, how about this? Does it suit me?"
Yuna held a flowing blouse up to her body and asked. I kept glancing around nervously, worried someone might recognize her voice.
"Uh, it's pretty. Looks good."
I answered half-heartedly, and she shot me a sulky look.
"You're not even looking properly, are you? Just giving a random answer?"
"No, it really is pretty. I mean… with your face, anything would look good on you."
It wasn't flattery—it was the truth. When the hanger was Kim Yuna, what outfit wouldn't suit her?
At my honest compliment, her eyes widened in surprise, then she smiled happily, her eyes crinkling above the mask. She naturally took my hand and dragged me around the store.
"I've really wanted to do normal things like this. Just like before…"
Yuna hummed a tune while swinging our joined hands. Seeing how happy she looked, I couldn't bring myself to tell her to let go and ruin the mood. I just followed wherever she led.
After wandering for a while, my legs started to ache. When I saw where Yuna was heading, I stopped dead in my tracks.
It was a large lingerie store, with colorful women's underwear displayed on mannequins.
"I-I'll wait outside."
I said, backing away, but Yuna grabbed my sleeve tightly.
"Why not? Come in with me. It's boring to pick things out alone. Help me decide which ones look prettier."
"Are you crazy? Why would I go in there and help pick out your underwear!"
I whispered in shock, but Yuna clasped her hands together and gave me pleading puppy-dog eyes.
"Please… I really left all my underwear behind and have nothing to wear. I'm begging you, okay?"
Faced with her persistent attitude, I finally surrendered. Hanging my head low, I followed behind her into the store.
Luckily, there was only one employee inside, and no other customers. Yuna boldly picked out several flashy bra and panty sets and brought them over to me.
"How about these? Black lace. Which do you think is prettier, this one or the wine-colored one?"
"Don't ask me that…"
I scolded her, turning my head away in embarrassment. But she just grinned mischievously and held the black bra up to her chest, wiggling her body.
"What do you think? If I wear this… would it look even prettier than yesterday?"
At her provocative question, I felt my face flush hot.
"T-they're all pretty, so just pick something already…!"
I answered in a lowered voice, and Yuna laughed silently.
"Okay. Then I'll just try these two on. Wait for me in front of the fitting room for a bit."
Following the employee's guidance, Yuna slipped into the fitting room at the back of the store. I leaned against the wall outside, awkwardly staring into space. The heat still hadn't left my face.
A few minutes passed like that.
Yuna's small voice came from behind the curtain.
"Dohun."
"Yeah?"
"Um, sorry, but… could you come in here for a second?"
"What?!"
My voice rose without thinking. I quickly lowered it and spoke toward the curtain.
"Are you crazy? Why would I go in there…!"
"It'll only take a second! The hook in the back is tangled and I can't reach it."
Yuna peeked her face through the gap in the curtain, making a pitiful expression as she pleaded. I looked around the store in a panic. The employee was busy organizing things at the counter and wasn't paying attention to us.
'Haa, this is insane.'
I couldn't believe this was happening.
"Hurry!"
But with Yuna urging me repeatedly, I had no choice but to slip through the curtain and enter the fitting room.
And then I froze at the sight before me.
In the narrow space, Yuna had taken off all her clothes except for the underwear she was trying on. Her slender waist contrasted with the curve of her hips. She had the black lace bra I'd just picked out half-on, her smooth back fully exposed.
Feeling my gaze, Yuna turned her head. When our eyes met, a faint, inexplicable smile spread across her lips.
"Can you fasten this for me?"
She reached behind her back and offered the hook. Without realizing it, I swallowed hard.
The contrast between her pale skin and the daring underwear forcibly summoned memories of last night's sticky encounter. My trembling hand slowly reached toward the hook on her back.
The narrow space was filled with the sweet scent of a woman's skin. Deep in my lower abdomen, uncontrollable heat and emotions began to swirl once more.