I Need Women's Gear. 02
“Welcome... in?”
The clerk's greeting twisted into a strange question. It was because she'd encountered such an unusual pair of customers.
The woman leading the way inside, followed by another customer dawdling behind her. Couples like that showed up now and then, but two women together? That was a rare combo.
“If you're looking for something specific, feel free to browse and let me know.”
The clerk responded straight out of the manual. When two people came in together, she didn't approach until they asked first.
“Do something about this girl.”
But the woman who'd entered first, Yeonseo, had other ideas. She dragged Yeonwoo out from where she was hiding behind her back.
“Oh my. Wow.”
The moment the clerk laid eyes on Yeonwoo, they went wide. She covered her mouth, but a gasp of admiration slipped out anyway.
No matter how much she'd hidden under baggy clothes, she couldn't fool the clerk's eyes.
“Miss, your style is amazing.”
“Y-Yeah? Uh, thanks. Ahaha...”
“No joke, seriously.”
The clerk narrowed her eyes and scanned Yeonwoo up and down. She held out both hands flat, then moved them along Yeonwoo's curves, up and down.
“Wow, do you model or something?”
“Nah, just...”
“You're so naice—that's why!”
The clerk's eyes sparkled as she pounced. With swift precision that left no room for resistance, she stuck to Yeonwoo, lightly groping here and there.
“Wow, ooh, wow. You could be a fitting model!”
“W-Wait. Uh. Ngh. Uh...”
“Ahh, but your current bra's way too small. Did you grow a lot recently? No, even if you did, this size is too tiny to account for it.”
“......Too small.”
Yeonseo muttered under her breath, but the two, lost in their own world, didn't hear.
“Shall we try some on right away? New arrivals mostly. Here at our store—”
“Huh? Right now? Wait, I haven't mentally prepared...”
“Oh, someone with a big heart like you, even joking around—come this way!”
The clerk immediately hauled Yeonwoo off.
“Jeez.”
Yeonseo let out an incredulous laugh. It was ridiculous how much impact her brother-turned-sister was having.
“Then why'd we even come together?”
Everyone was handling everything anyway—what was the point of tagging along?
But that thought didn't last.
“Yeonseo-ya! Hurry! Quick, you pick something!”
“Miss!”
“I-It's fine! My little sis will handle it!”
Yeonwoo bolted out like a shot and hid behind Yeonseo's back again. In that short time, something must've happened—her hoodie zipper was down, clutched tightly shut with both hands.
“Miss, I swear I'll take such good care of you! Right?!”
The clerk chased after, eyes gleaming, arms already full of new lingerie. Her gaze on Yeonwoo was like a starving leopard.
“......I'll do it. This sister's super shy.”
With the clerk's sigh of ahh, Yeonseo shook her head helplessly.
But a soft smile played on Yeonseo's lips.
Of course, the smile didn't last long.
“So why do I have to wear this?”
“Didn't you see that earlier? It flutters around all transparent—your nips would show right through!”
“They won't. There's patches inside.”
“Patches? Like, for fixing stuff?”
“Haa...”
Yeonseo sighed. The underwear Yeonwoo had picked was a logo-banded bralette and boyshorts. Gray ones with CK on them, no less.
“Why sports lingerie—”
“Lingerie? This? Isn't this Calvin Klein?”
“That's the brand, dummy.”
“Anyway, I'll take this.”
“I'm not saying don't buy it—let's keep it in mind and check other stuff first.”
“I looked. They're all the same. This one's fine.”
“Haa...”
Once she started getting stubborn, it was pointless. No way could she physically drag a hunter who'd schooled a Gold-rank nutcase.
“Fine. At least try it on.”
“I can do that at home.”
“Do you even know how to wear it properly?!”
“Just put it on, right?”
“You gotta scoop 'em to get the right size!”
“S-Scoop...?”
“Talking's pointless. Just come in.”
In the end, Yeonseo's patience snapped. She was the type who couldn't stand frustration anyway. And she'd seen Yeonwoo at her absolute worst since the orphanage days.
Yeonseo grabbed the logo-banded bralette Yeonwoo wanted so badly and entered the fitting room with her.
“......”
“Ack.”
“What's 'ack'? You gotta strip to try it on!”
“B-But. It's... too rough. Too violent.”
“Are you nuts?!”
“Eek.”
“Like this, scoop 'em up. Tuck 'em properly inside. Firmly.”
“Hngh, ngh.”
“Got it? Feel how full they are now?”
“......”
“Answer me!”
“O-Okay...”
“You think I want to do this? Be grateful I fixed it by hand.”
“B-But.”
“Thanks?”
“......Th-Thanks for today, too.”
“Fix yourself up and come out.”
Yeonseo exited the fitting room first. Left alone, Yeonwoo collapsed to the floor, unable to control her body or mind.
“I'll head out first—pay and catch up.”
“......Yeah.”
Yeonwoo dazedly stared at the fitting room mirror. But it was too embarrassing to look straight, so she half-covered her eyes with her fingers.
Yeonseo bolted straight out of the lingerie store. Truth be told, it was just as embarrassing for her. More complicated, even.
Because of the soft texture lingering on her hands.
“Better than some stranger touching her, right?”
That thought settled her tangled feelings a bit. But the thoughts kept spiraling.
Soon, she pictured the clerk groping Yeonwoo's body everywhere, fitting her underwear.
“......She's really a woman now.”
Her heart grew complicated again. They'd grown up together in the orphanage, gone independent, become adults—always side by side. And now her brother was a woman in an instant.
Honestly, the orphanage held no good memories. But Yeonwoo had always been on her side, her pillar, letting her endure.
Even the day the orphanage burned. In the most dangerous moment, it was Yeonwoo who'd saved her.
“Haa.”
Memories she didn't want to recall. Yeonseo squatted on the floor and let out a deep sigh.
Which brought the thoughts looping back. Yeonwoo, now a woman. A woman trembling over buying underwear.
“What're you doing?”
A voice called, and Yeonseo looked up. Her face twisted immediately.
A strange man was looking down at her. Come to think of it, no man's voice would call her anymore.
“Hmph.”
Yeonseo snorted. It was laughable, this clueless hunter trying to hit on her without reading the room.
She'd always had a strong aversion to men because of bad orphanage memories. Yeonwoo was the only exception.
“College student? Right? Something bad happen?”
“We're not bad guys. You know what the Mobile Team does to hunters who do bad shit.”
And there were two of them. They flashed their hunter accessories smugly, grinning.
“Not interested. Leave.”
“Why so prickly?”
“C'mon, hang out. We'll cheer you up.”
“Tch.”
Yeonseo clicked her tongue openly. There were always these types strutting around like big-shot hunters. And her looks weren't ordinary.
Because of orphanage trauma and hassle, she never dolled up. But she was already one of the campus goddesses everyone knew. Yeonwoo's superior beauty just overshadowed her relatively.
“We might not look it, but we're Silver-rank.”
“Say the word, we'll get you anything you want.”
“I have company, not interested—leave.”
“Company? As pretty as you? Even better!”
Yeonseo finally furrowed her brow. It irked her—they seemed to be referencing her sister-turned-brother.
“Scram.”
“......Huh?”
“I said scram.”
The air froze cold.
“Hey, this bitch. We were being nice 'cause you're hot, and you keep crawling up our asses.”
The man growled low, face twisting.
“What's this?”
Then a soft voice cut in. This time, it really was Yeonwoo.
“......Whoa.”
“Dude, jackpot. Insane.”
The two men's gazes shifted to Yeonwoo. Their eyes darted hungrily, grins widening.
“......Hah.”
Yeonseo squeezed her eyes shut. Everything had gone to shit in seconds. A sense of despair washed over her.
“Sis. Wait a sec.”
Yeonseo hurried to defuse things. She was used to flirty stares, but Yeonwoo wasn't. Suddenly a woman—no helping it. She had to handle it.
As she moved to stand—
Whoosh—red-tinged hair fluttered before her eyes.
Yeonwoo was suddenly right in her face.
Crack!
“Hngh...!”
Yeonwoo's knee slammed into the man's solar plexus. With a choking gasp, he flew back, sprawling on the floor.
“Wh-What the!”
The other panicked and swung instinctively, but Yeonwoo didn't dodge. She stomped down hard.
Thwack!
Her heel crushed his shin. His powerful punch sliced empty air.
Yeonwoo pivoted without pause, kicking him full force.
“Guhk!”
The second thug crashed down too. The two punks piled up nicely together.
“She said scram.”
Yeonwoo growled low.
“H-Huff. You crazy bitch...! You know who I—!”
“Wait, dude. Th-That's her! The Gold-rank schooling chick!”
“......What?”
The two punks looked up at Yeonwoo from the floor.
“Run!”
“Fuck!”
They scrambled away on all fours like dogs.
“Punks who aren't even a big deal. Ugh!”
Yeonwoo threateningly raised her arm at their retreating backs. Then she helped up the squatting Yeonseo.
“Huh?”
“What're you doing? You okay?”
“Yeah, fine. Oppa.”
“It's sis now.”
Checking for injuries, Yeonwoo twisted Yeonseo this way and that, inspecting her body.
“True.”
Yeonseo chuckled. Her looks had changed drastically, but the core was still her oppa.
The lingering unease she'd unconsciously harbored melted away. Finally, a sense of relief.
“Here, take this home.”
“Why? Got somewhere to go?”
“Gotta hit a gate.”
“What? Right now? Immediately?”
“No money left. Gotta earn some now.”
“......Why?”
But the relief was fleeting. Yeonseo scowled as she opened the shopping bag he'd handed over. No wonder it was so heavy—multiple packs of the same thing.
“How many of the same design did you buy?! Planning to wear these forever?!”
“No need for anything else.”
“Ha. Haha...”
An incredulous laugh burst out. Maybe it was all the mixed stuff, but their mindsets were just worlds apart.
“Fine. Live like that forever then.”
She still couldn't shake the unease. All she could do now was watch over her from the sidelines. Nothing else.