The Color of Charle’s Heart
Returning home, I had a simple breakfast with Charle. Our schedule for the day would kick off at ten in the morning! Charle was so eager for our date that I’d picked an 11:00 AM movie.
"Oppa, are we leaving at ten then?"
"No, let's head out now."
Already? At nine in the morning? Charle’s eyes were asking exactly that.
"I’m just that excited for our date, Charle."
"Really?"
Charle clasped her hands to her chest, her eyes sparkling. I wasn't lying! When I nodded, she excitedly began getting ready to leave. Charle dressed in the black sleeveless turtleneck and jeans she’d been wearing when we first met. Her other clothes were just too revealing, after all. They were basically all outfits that showed off her thighs or left nothing to the imagination. Her tops usually exposed her navel and the upper curve of her breasts. Seeing her like this, I realized the extent of Yeongseon’s taste in clothing. Outfits with maximum exposure. Of course, I’d felt it since we worked at the PC Bang together, but Yeongseon had no qualms about showing off her bare skin. As long as it was comfortable for working out...
'There seems to be more to it than that, though. Maybe she enjoys the gazes of men.'
Yeongseon would probably squirm with delight if I made her expose herself outdoors, wouldn't she? Thinking that, I got dressed myself. Clean chinos and a mock-neck short-sleeve tee. And, just as Charle had suggested, I styled my hair neatly with wax.
"As expected, Oppa, you look more handsome with your hair styled up."
"Is that so?"
I checked my reflection in the mirror from different angles. Was I handsome? Well, if Charle said so, then it must be true. We headed to the department store where the cinema was located. As I’d expected, Charle’s eyes widened to the size of saucers the moment she saw the department store.
"Ka, Kangmin Oppa? What is this place?"
It was big. It was vast. It glittered with lights. Staring at the marble floors, Charle worried whether her high heels were even allowed to step on them.
"Even the royal palace wouldn't be this flashy..."
Charle looked around, clearly anxious. Fortunately, as I held her hand and showed her around, her tension began to melt away. She felt especially at ease after seeing the clerks greet us kindly.
"It’s so pretty..."
She must have already adapted to the department store, as she began looking here and there. Then, Charle’s eyes locked onto a jewelry store. Sparkling necklaces and earrings tempted her. Charle approached the display case as if bewitched. Come to think of it, Chanel earrings would suit her black sleeveless turtleneck perfectly. How much were Chanel earrings? 760,000 won? Pass. 'But I do want to buy her at least one pair of earrings.'
"Charle, are your ears pierced?"
As I checked, she brushed her hair back with her left hand to show me her ears. A small hole was positioned adorably on her earlobe. The stray hairs near her ears, her snow-white nape, and the inside of her wrists were all clearly exposed. My heart pounded. Trying my best to suppress my face, which felt like it was turning red, I asked the clerk to take out a product.
"How about this?"
A 130,000 won item. Rose gold with sparkling cubic zirconia. After setting aside living expenses from the part-time pay I’d received from Yuda, if I picked up another shift, I figured I could somehow make it through the month. If I considered that I’d spend about 70,000 won on a dress... it was just within budget! When I held the earring up to Charle’s ear, she smiled brightly and lifted her black hair even higher.
"How is it? Does it look pretty to you, Oppa?"
My gaze focused intensely on her earlobe and nape; she looked incredibly beautiful. I swallowed hard and nodded.
"Then we'll take this!"
Charle said without even checking the mirror properly. It seemed like anything was fine as long as I said it was pretty. A corner of my heart felt ticklish.
The clerk asked Charle, "Would you like to wear them out?"
"Yes!"
She reached out to take the earrings, tilted her head slightly to expose her ear, and put them in. Charle bit her lip slightly while the post pierced through her ear. It was breathtakingly sexy. I glanced at her, then handed over my card for the clerk to process the payment. I told them to throw away the receipt.
"Oppa, how do I look?"
Charle smiled broadly, tucking both sides of her hair behind her ears. A smile that felt like a thousand suns shining at once. If I’d known she’d be this happy, I should have bought her gifts sooner. I stammered as I complimented her.
"It really suits you, Charle. You're pretty."
"Hehe. Thank you, Oppa! I’m going to wear these every day."
My heart felt like it was floating. She was so happy. Next was the women’s clothing store. Among the displayed items, one caught my eye. A white dress. It was a product that reached below the knees, didn't expose her shoulders, and was only modestly V-necked at the chest. It was a dress that wouldn't reveal a single one of her tattoos. Why would I buy a dress like this when I’d gone through the trouble of tattooing her? Because Charle, the other day... she seemed to have some resistance to showing her tattoos to others. I wondered how she’d feel about an outfit like this.
"How about this, Charle?"
When I held out the white dress, Charle looked back and forth between me and the dress, looking flustered. I placed the clothes in her hands and pointed toward the fitting room.
"Go in there and try it on."
"Oh, can I really try it on?"
She flinched as if the concept of fitting rooms was unfamiliar, but she went in nonetheless. Waiting outside the fitting room, I heard the rustling sound of fabric rubbing against skin.
"Um, well... how is it?"
Seeing Charle emerge from the fitting room, I was left speechless. Even the clerk let out an exclamation.
"Customer, it really suits you so well!"
The black sleeveless turtleneck she’d been wearing earlier, even if it covered her tattoos, had looked strangely erotic. But the dress she was wearing now made Charle look like a completely pure young lady. Fluttering like a white dress, she exuded a pure atmosphere like a bellflower. Charle herself seemed to be wearing such an outfit for the first time, as she kept bringing her hands to her nape. She was incredibly shy, but she looked truly cute and beautiful. Charle asked me what she looked like.
"O, Oppa. How is it? Is it weird?"
"It suits you so well!"
Of course, thanks to her large breasts, her cleavage was visible through the V-neck, but it was still far less lewd than the clothes she’d worn until now. Hmm, I like this, too. It’ll be less likely to catch the eyes of other men.
"Do you want to try this one on, too?"
I handed her another outfit I’d picked out while Charle was changing into the white dress. This one was more to my personal taste. The second item was a gray H-line dress. It was a design similar to what Yeongseon wore. It was the kind of thing a "new-town housewife" might wear...
"Uuu..."
Charle came out after changing, her face a bit pouty. Since Charle was quite tall, her thighs were fully exposed, revealing her garter belt tattoo to the whole world, and because her breasts were overwhelmingly prominent, the entire line of her bra was visible. The line from her chest to her pelvis drew a beautiful curve, but because her physique was so "violent," the dress had essentially turned into a clubbing outfit. Even the clerk swallowed her words, saying, "It suits you... well..." It looked too lewd.
"Oppa, do you like clothes like this?"
Well, isn't it the same as wanting to show off if you own a Lamborghini? But it was a bit much to wear this out. "Charle, do you want to change back into the white dress and come out?"
At that, Charle nodded vigorously. While Charle was inside the fitting room, I spoke to the clerk.
"I’m going to pay for both dresses. I’ll wear the white one out."
"Understood. I’ll remove the tags. You know there are no exchanges or refunds, right?"
"Ah, yes."
Before long, Charle changed back in the fitting room and trotted over to my side. Honestly speaking, this white dress seemed like it had been made specifically for Charle. Her silk-like hair, which reached her waist, contrasted with the white and looked incredibly beautiful.
"Charle. It really suits you."
Hearing the compliment, Charle’s face bloomed with smiles as she leaned her head on my shoulder. It seemed she really loved the gift. Then, she checked the time and made a fuss.
"Ah, Oppa. The time is almost up!"
"Oh? You're right."
We took our shopping bags and headed up to the cinema on the 9th floor. During that time, Charle slowed her pace whenever she saw something resembling a mirror to check her reflection.
"Charle. Do you like it that much?"
Charle nodded enthusiastically. It felt really good to see her so happy. While I was thinking that, Charle’s heart was pounding with pink excitement.
'Kangmin Oppa... he surprisingly has good taste.'
Charle was agonizing over it in her heart. The reason many romantic relationships break is because of wishes the other person hasn't voiced. Wishes like these, for example:
I wish you’d keep in touch more. I wish you’d tell me you love me more often. I’ve told you twenty times that I like flowers. I prefer sashimi over meat. I’d rather just cuddle for a long time than have sex.
She had clearly given hints about what she liked, she had clearly spoken about it, but the other person seemed to forget or ignore it. As those things pile up, the relationship slowly starts to creak. But she didn't want to say it directly. Before she had to say it, she wanted him to remember it if he loved her. It was sad to think they were a couple that had to be told about the obvious things.
Charle’s heart was the same. She knew Kangmin liked short clothes. He liked to dress her in clothes that revealed her breasts, her thighs, her navel, and he liked showing her off to others. But there were times when Charle disliked that, or felt embarrassed.
If they were in a space where it was just the two of them, she would have happily worn them. But she could feel it when they walked down the street. After men brushed past her on the road, they would turn their heads to look at her. There were people who stared straight at her breasts while riding the bus. There were men who would insist on sitting next to her even when there were plenty of other seats. That was why she wanted to tell Kangmin:
'Can't I wear something else instead of clothes like this? I won't stop wearing them entirely, but... still...'
But how did he know to gift her an outfit like this without her even saying a word? Charle’s heart was thumping as she headed to the cinema, holding Kangmin’s hand. Her heart was walking toward Kangmin. Even though he was rough when they had sex, he had been watching over her well in everyday life—hmm, so that’s how it was—her face turned red with a feeling different from when they were having sex.
She trotted along, hoping Kangmin wouldn't look back. For some reason, it felt like today was going to be a truly enjoyable date.