First Day at Work (5)
“Haa… Just how much longer is this going to take…”
Covered head to toe in pins, Sihyun muttered the words half out of his mind while hands endlessly measured him and forced him into one suit after another.
It felt like more than two or three hours had already dragged by. Dozens of ultra-premium suits hung before his eyes, and every tailor in the shop seemed to have descended on him at once, swarming around him with measuring tapes that never stopped moving.
Ah… I really shouldn’t have signed that contract…
Standing there like a mannequin that couldn’t move an inch, Sihyun slowly began to recall how he had ended up in this living hell—starting from the moment he and Yuri had finished lunch.
Right up until they stepped out of that shabby restaurant after a surprisingly satisfying meal, Sihyun had naively believed that the day’s endless chaos was finally over and that the rest of the time would roll by smoothly.
His employer, however, had no such intention.
“Hey.”
Just when he thought they were heading back to the office, Yuri seized his arm in a tight grip.
“Ah, what is it this time?”
Sihyun shot back reflexively, his tone already blunt. It had become almost second nature by now, so Yuri paid it no mind and pressed on.
“What’s with that outfit of yours?”
She looked him up and down with open disgust, her face twisting into a frown.
“What? What’s wrong with my clothes?”
Sihyun glanced down at himself, genuinely baffled. He had bought the set dirt-cheap during an eighty-percent off sale at Minicloth, but considering the original price it wasn’t exactly garbage.
In Yuri’s eyes, though, he was nothing more than a scruffy guy in a worn, frayed jacket and faded jeans.
“You’re my bodyguard.”
She clicked her tongue as if it were the most obvious thing in the world—and as if she simply could not stand looking at him any longer.
“Hey, haven’t you ever watched a movie? Don’t you know what bodyguards wear?”
“No, I haven’t. And what are bodyguards even supposed to wear? Just throw on whatever…”
“Ha—!”
Yuri let out a short, incredulous laugh at his reply.
“You’re my bodyguard! Are you seriously going to keep standing next to me looking like that?”
Sihyun’s eyes lit up at once, as if the idea actually pleased him.
“Oh, then I just won’t walk around with you at all?”
“Like hell that’ll happen—!”
Yuri finally screeched at the hopeful look on his face.
“Ugh, this is hopeless. It’s not just the clothes, it’s—ugh…!”
“What are you so picky about? Just leave it rough and—eek!”
Yuri yanked his arm again before he could finish complaining and dragged him off somewhere. The place they arrived at was a sleek, luxurious building. There wasn’t even a proper sign, so he had no idea what it was at first, but a quick glance suggested a hair salon.
Yet it had far more than just the usual cutting chairs—every kind of facility imaginable—so he wondered if it was even the same kind of place he knew.
I just need a haircut, right? Why is there so much stuff…?
It was nothing like the neighborhood Blue Club he normally used. With prices climbing and even a simple cut getting expensive, Sihyun had been thinking of just hacking it off himself with scissors at home. Stepping into a high-end beauty salon like this felt like entering another world entirely.
“Uh, Boss? I just got my hair cut not long ago…”
“Shut it!”
Yuri smacked him hard on the back before he could finish.
“Just shut up and do what you’re told!”
In the end Sihyun was practically forced into a plush leather chair and left at the mercy of a slick-looking hair designer who spoke in an absurd mix of English.
“Oh~ Yuri Han~ this Girl is… oh my god! Boy?”
Seriously? Over an hour just to cut a guy’s hair!? This is killing me!
Sihyun kept grumbling inwardly. He wanted to squirm from the discomfort and boredom, but Yuri’s cold blue eyes were fixed on him with lethal intensity, so he didn’t dare move a muscle.
The torturous time crawled by. After the hair and every other bit of styling was finished, Sihyun caught his reflection in the mirror and let out a small gasp before he could stop himself.
Is this even me?
He wasn’t the only one stunned.
“Oh~ my god! Unbelievable! Beautiful! Perfect!”
André Bang, a veteran designer who had styled countless stars and celebrities, gushed over Sihyun without a shred of restraint.
“I’ve worked this floor for decades, but a Boy like this? First time ever~”
His speech was pure chaos, yet his skill was no lie. Under his hands Sihyun’s looks had become dazzling enough to shine.
At the sight of the newly reborn Sihyun, Yuri forgot to breathe for a moment and simply stared, then flushed without realizing it.
Wh-what is this? What the hell is this?
Her heart hammered wildly. He had already been pretty enough to turn girls’ heads, but this—
Th-this is foul play, isn’t it!?
The near-criminal transformation left her dizzy. She tried desperately to control her expression, but the slight tremor in her eyes and her flaming-red ears gave her away as she flustered.
“Ahem!”
Yuri coughed urgently and shoved a hand into her inner pocket.
I prepared this in advance because I figured other girls would swarm him like flies once I started taking him around… perfect timing.
“Hey, put this on.”
“What’s this? A mask? I’m not sick.”
“Shut up! Wear it whenever you’re guarding me! No—wear it all the time, even normally!”
“Come on, seriously…”
Faced with her stubborn insistence, Sihyun had no choice but to take the black mask and put it on. The place she dragged him to next was the very shop he was stuck in now—Yuri’s private tailor shop.
Whether she noticed Sihyun dying of boredom and discomfort or not, Yuri sat on a sofa watching him change and murmured to herself.
“Mmm… this one’s good, and that one’s good too…”
Then, as if deciding, she clapped her hands once.
“Alright, I’ve decided. We’re buying all of them!”
Sihyun stared at her in pure horror.
“What kind of nonsense is that!?”
He shouted loud enough to make the tailors jump back, but Yuri didn’t so much as blink. Instead she asked back with complete calm.
“Why? Don’t you like them?”
Sihyun was floored by the way she pretended not to understand while knowing full well why he was reacting like this.
“Haa—? It’s not about liking them or not…!”
“Ah, if it’s the bill you’re worried about, don’t be. I’ll cover everything, obviously.”
“That’s not what I’m saying! And we don’t need this many! Even one is already too much pressure!”
His face was practically on the verge of tears. Yuri narrowed her eyes.
“Hmm~ If you’re already dying under this little pressure, we’re going to have a problem.”
She grinned playfully, as if teasing him on purpose.
“Ah! I don’t care! Just one suit! If you don’t make it one suit, I will never show up for work again no matter how hard you beat me to death!”
When Sihyun practically howled, Yuri raised both hands in surrender.
“Haa… this guy really knows how to play hard to get… Fine, fine~”
Then she smoothly moved on to the next plan.
“We’ll go with the one you’re wearing now. It’s getting late, so let’s just grab dinner~”
“…Yes.”
Dinner? Sihyun wanted nothing more than to clock out right that second, but he already knew resistance was useless. He hung his head and trailed after her.
The place they arrived at next was a hotel restaurant so luxurious it was obvious at a glance. The moment Yuri sat down she asked him with a mischievous look.
“This is the kind of place you wanted to come to, right?”
“No, I never said that.”
“Pfft, sure, sure. Of course you didn’t.”
“I’m serious!”
“Alright, stop sulking already.”
“Haa…”
Sihyun sighed and stared blankly at the fork and knife on the table. He simply looked at them without picking anything up. Yuri tilted her head.
“Hm? What’s wrong? Aren’t you going to eat?”
“Ah, yeah…”
He reluctantly reached for the fork under her prodding—when a familiar, affectionate voice called out to him.
“Sihyun~”
He turned his head.
“Huh? Mom? And Harin unnie?”
Seojin was waving as she walked over with Harin. Completely unexpected, the two of them appeared out of nowhere. Sihyun turned to Yuri with accusing eyes. Yuri merely shrugged as if the answer should have been obvious.
“Did you really think I’d leave your poor mother alone this late just so I could have a private dinner date with you?”
“Ha—!”
Sihyun was momentarily speechless with disbelief. Then he muttered,
“Please stop calling her ‘Mother’…”
Even as he grumbled, the corner of his mouth curved up on its own. Part of him had kept fretting about whether it was right to enjoy such a lavish dinner while Seojin waited for him at home.
Seojin reached the table, beaming, and greeted Yuri.
“Hello, Miss Yuri~ Thank you for inviting us to such a wonderful place… I really ought to be the one treating you…”
“Not at all, Mother. This is my treat to celebrate Sihyun’s first day, so please just relax and enjoy it with us~”
“Oh my~ I feel bad just receiving like this. Thank you so much, Miss Yuri~”
“Don’t mention it. Harin, you sit down too.”
“Huh…? Uh, yeah… okay, Yuri… ahaha…”
Once Seojin and Harin took their seats, the meal began in a reasonably warm atmosphere. While eating, Sihyun glanced around. Apart from the staff, there wasn’t a single other customer in the restaurant. Noticing his gaze, Yuri spoke just loud enough for everyone to hear.
“Is something going on today? Looks like we’re the only ones in the whole restaurant.”
Seojin scanned the room as well, then laughed along.
“You’re right. How strange~ Hoho…”
Sihyun let out a quiet, incredulous laugh.
Of course there’s no one else. It’s obvious she booked the entire place.
He decided not to call her out on it. There was no need to ruin the mood.
And so Sihyun’s first day at work—long and exhausting as it had been—seemed to be wrapping up in relative peace—
“Oh my? Now that I look at it, what’s with those clothes on our Sihyun? And you got a haircut too? Kyaa~ My son is so pretty~”
…or rather, not quite. But it ended, one way or another.