106. VIP - (2)
106. VIP - (2)
***
"I tend to prefer clothes that are clean without being over the top, so I'd like to take my time looking through the brand catalogs."
Serin spoke in a calm, indifferent tone, as if she had little interest in fashion.
But inwardly, she was struggling to keep herself composed so that her awkwardness wouldn't show.
Even if she knew almost nothing about famous fashion brands right now, letting that show would make her look completely out of her depth.
For now, her plan was to look at the brand catalogs the employee had mentioned and get through this situation.
Eunji gave a small nod at that.
"A clean style without being over the top... Ah! Then could you wait just a moment? I have several images in mind, so I'll bring a few samples and some brand catalogs."
Eunji left for about ten minutes, then returned to the Diamond Lounge where Serin and Eunha were waiting.
Serin looked at her and the words slipped out before she could stop them.
"...That many?"
Not only had Eunji carried several garments herself, but she had apparently asked another employee for help—a male employee had followed her in carrying an overflowing load of items, and Serin felt a bit dizzy at the sight.
'Ah.'
The colorful clothes were one thing, but she'd assumed they'd bring maybe one brand catalog at most. When she saw roughly four catalog books, as if mocking that assumption, Serin couldn't help but sigh.
Thud. Thud.
The catalogs were carefully stacked on the lounge table.
Eunji looked at them and smiled brightly as she spoke.
"Among the brands that can create a clean, understated look, I chose some fairly well-known ones. I prepared them to suit your refinement, Serin, so the selection ended up a little large. But once you actually try them on or look through them, you'll see there aren't really that many."
She said it as if it were nothing, but Serin's eyes twitched slightly as she watched her.
'She's not saying I have to try on all of those, is she...?'
She'd brought six different outfits already, and Serin was already feeling a strong sense of reluctance.
"Um, Eunha...?"
"Yes, go ahead, Serin."
"I'm not really the type who likes changing clothes often..."
Serin glanced sideways at the clothes the employee had brought and hinted to Eunha.
I don't want to change clothes.
Eunha turned her head calmly to look at Eunji.
With a look that said, 'Did you hear that?'
"Just holding the clothes up against yourself in front of a mirror can give us a good sense of the sizing. You don't have to change into everything—styling is perfectly possible without that. If the clothes I brought seem like too many..."
Flustered by Eunha's look, Eunji quickly continued.
"Ah, then that's fine."
Serin gave a small nod in agreement.
If it was just holding the clothes up instead of changing into them, then it wouldn't be that hard.
After that, rather than immediately pushing the clothes, Eunji opened the brand catalogs she'd brought and began introducing various products one by one.
"Serin? The brand I'd especially recommend is the one at the top of the catalog you're looking at now, a brand called Atelier."
As she spoke, she pointed to the clothes at the top of the catalog one by one and gauged Serin's reaction.
Serin's eyes, which had drifted over involuntarily, twitched faintly.
Every single one was a light-colored garment with an airy, flowing feel. Among them were pieces with lace, some that were subtly see-through, and others with completely exposed shoulder lines.
Simply put, it was a parade of clothes that all exuded femininity.
Loveliness, liveliness, freshness...
On top of that, even the small charm points marked beside the clothes subtly grated on Serin's nerves.
But even so, the clothes she showed were undeniably pretty.
In the midst of that subtle conflict.
Seeing Serin's expression tighten slightly, Eunji quickly flipped the page and showed her several other styles, but Serin still wore an uncertain expression and didn't seem convinced.
Thud.
Eunji carefully closed the catalog and opened another one with an awkward smile.
"Then how about styles like these?"
The clothes she showed this time were clearly different in style.
A cold, heavy feel.
Clothes using dark tones—black, gray, and deep navy—all carried a sense of weight.
Yet they were all soft pieces that subtly showed the body's lines—jeans, cardigans, blouses, and suits—and I found my gaze drawn to them.
'How do all these clothes look so expensive?'
With that thought, she inadvertently looked at the prices written beneath the clothes.
'...?'
For a moment, Serin wondered if her eyes were playing tricks on her—it felt like there was an extra zero attached to the price.
Even the cheapest started in the million-won range, and there were far too many pieces that made her wonder how they could possibly cost that much.
The most expensive among them was a clean, stylish black suit in the eight-million-won range.
'What kind of clothes cost eight million won for one outfit...'
Serin kept her disbelief hidden on the outside, but inwardly she was dumbfounded by the prices.
However, from Eunji's perspective, Serin was now looking at the clothes with much more interest than before, so she smiled brightly and nodded.
"So these are the kinds of styles and brands you like, Serin?"
"...Pardon? Ah, yes."
Serin answered reflexively, then realized the price range of the product she'd just been looking at and opened her mouth to say something—but Eunji spoke first, beaming.
"I knew it. Serin...! Your eye for style and products is just as exceptional as your radiant appearance! Honestly, the first catalog I showed you was aimed at women in their early to mid-twenties, with bright, elegant styles that let them express themselves in everyday life. But the catalog I just showed you is for women with real presence and refined grace—It's the kind of clothing that subtly brings out an innate elegance without needing to show off..."
Eunji paused mid-sentence, slowly looked Serin up and down once, then gave a small nod and continued with conviction.
"This catalog definitely seems to suit you better, Serin. You immediately found a style that suits you without me even saying anything... People with such striking looks really do seem to have an eye for fashion, don't they?"
Eunji was half genuinely impressed, but she never forgot to flatter Serin as part of the service.
Customers with that level of appearance were rare, and she figured that such a person would naturally have fashion sense to match their looks, so she was speaking almost entirely from the heart.
"Does Serin have a good eye for this kind of thing?"
Eunha, who had been quietly listening to her, spoke to Eunji with curiosity, and Eunji smiled even more brightly, as if energized by Eunha's interest.
"Yes, Serin really does seem to have a discerning eye. The pieces she was looking at just now are all among the most popular items from their luxury brands... I was planning to recommend those same pieces from what I brought, but I didn't expect her to pick them out immediately. Serin, if you're comfortable with it, would you like to try them on now?"
"Ah, ah... yes."
Serin, who had been watching the two of them converse, couldn't bring herself to say anything in response to Eunji's suggestion and just gave a small nod.
How could she say she wanted to look at other products here?
No, more than that, she couldn't bring herself to interrupt the female employee who was speaking with such confidence.
......
They moved to one of the private rooms in the S Department Store Diamond Lounge, and Serin accepted the clothes Eunji handed her before going into the fitting room to change.
And she had a bit of trouble when Eunji said she would help her change—Serin firmly refused and insisted on changing alone.
Slip.
Over a pristine white shirt from a luxury brand, a sleek black semi-suit in a refined material exuded understated elegance.
Slide.
Beneath the suit, black slacks that fit her legs perfectly completed the set.
As she changed, Serin briefly had the illusion that she was heading to some important occasion.
No.
That wasn't it.
The thought crossed her mind for a moment. Once she had finished changing, Serin looked at herself in the full-length mirror on one side of the fitting room, as if checking her appearance.
"..."
The moment she looked in the mirror, her silver hair caught her eye.
She gently ran her fingers through her pure white hair, which contrasted so sharply with the black suit, and slowly took in her appearance.
An eight-million-won black semi-suit, a white shirt beneath it, black slacks.
Her pure white hair stood out brilliantly against them, drawing the eye, and the crisp fit of the black suit at her exposed wrists quietly drew attention as well.
Finally, the luxurious-looking black designer shoes that had been matched to the semi-suit as a set.
Tap.
Tap.
Serin lifted her foot and tapped the floor, moving a little awkwardly.
With the movement, her pure white silver hair shifted and lightly covered the surface of the black suit.
In that strange sense of dissonance—both unnatural and somehow fitting—Serin murmured quietly.
"Does it suit me?"
It certainly didn't seem bad, but she couldn't quite feel sure.
More than anything, this version of me felt unfamiliar. It was definitely me, yet somehow didn't feel like me... The sense of dissonance was overwhelming.
'In what world is this clean without being over the top?'
The standard of "not over the top" had clearly included the price...
The thought struck her suddenly, but she was already swept up in it.
Since she had finished changing, Serin carefully parted the dozens of layers of silk fabric at the fitting room entrance and slowly stepped out.
Rustle...
The dozens of layers of silk that had veiled the fitting room entrance drifted apart, gradually revealing Serin in the black suit.
"Oh my, oh my!! Serin!! It looks absolutely wonderful on you...!!"
Eunji, who had been waiting in the lounge for Serin to come out, covered her mouth with her hand and let out an exaggerated exclamation the moment she saw her.
Eunha, who had been waiting calmly, widened her eyes at the sight of Serin.
Eunha's hand, which had been flipping through a catalog, went slack, and the catalog fell from her grasp.
Thud.