episode_0233

.

Just in case Han Sua might feel uncomfortable, I decided to avoid places that were too crowded.

Since Lee Jiyun had threatened to kill me if I came back too late, I made sure to return home by at least 11 p.m.

As long as I stuck to these rules, there wasn’t much else to worry about, which was a relief.

The only real risk was the possibility of another student spotting Han Sua and me together, leading to rumors spreading around the academy…

But honestly, that didn’t sound entirely unappealing either.

Lee Jiyun had already seen my true self to some extent, so she’d probably just think, That pervert finally made his move, huh?

As for Lee Hayun, she’d likely dismiss it with a simple, That’s just a baseless rumor, and the issue would be resolved just by publicly acknowledging the relationship.

Considering the aftermath, that would actually be the cleanest solution.

From Han Sua’s perspective—having learned about relationships through Yozora—she’d probably assume Hayun was in a similar dynamic with me.

Well…

No matter the outcome, the process would be a hassle,

so it’d be best if we just didn’t get caught in the first place.

“Let’s go that way. Looking at the map, I think it’s this alley.”

“You don’t really know either…?”

“Su-a.”

“Ah, u-uh… Ujin… So you don’t really know either…?”

“…Yeah. Like I said earlier, I don’t know much about clothes and stuff.”

“…Don’t laugh…”

“I’m not laughing.”

“You are laughing…! …Ugh…”

The sky bled crimson as the sun dipped below the horizon.

After briefly checking the map, I slipped my phone back into my pocket and led Han Sua forward.

I matched her pace to make sure she wouldn’t trip,

sticking close to the buildings rather than walking in the middle of the street.

Not because I was trying to hide my face.

Nor because I was worried about getting swept up in the crowd and something unpleasant happening.

The reason was much simpler.

Given the time and location, the bustling shopping district near the station was already packed with people.

The loud busking sounds coming from the crowd gathered over there were no exception.

I thought Han Sua might secretly dislike how crowded it was already…

But thankfully, my concerns were unfounded.

She was much calmer than I expected.

Except for one thing—her hand, gripped in mine, kept fidgeting restlessly.

…Her childish reaction made it feel less like I was walking around with a twenty-year-old girl and more like I was dragging a niece several years younger through the shopping district.

Glancing back at Han Sua, who was trailing half a step behind me, I let out an inexplicable chuckle as we stepped through the entrance of a large clothing store.

“Welcome.”

The indifferent customer service suggested the employee was just a part-timer.

Too young to be the owner.

Or maybe this was just the trend these days?

After receiving a greeting from a clerk helping another customer, we ventured further inside.

The background music was mellow, and there weren’t many customers around, so the atmosphere was pleasant.

Quiet with few customers—not exactly something the store owner would want to hear, but it suited me just fine.

Let’s see.

Dresses. Jeans. Bags. Hats and accessories…

That section over there must be shirts.

As I slowed my steps to browse, Han Sua quietly followed, her eyes scanning the surroundings.

But strangely, the entire floor seemed to be women’s clothing.

According to what I’d found online, this store was supposed to carry both men’s and women’s clothes.

Just as I turned my head, a short label caught my eye.

1F. WOMAN.

2F. MAN.

Unlike the stores I’d visited before with Jiyun and Hayun, where men’s and women’s sections were divided by the center aisle, this place seemed to separate them by floor.

Probably… because the store itself was bigger.

Not that I minded.

My excuse was that we’d pick out clothes for each other, but really, I just wanted to dress Han Sua to my own tastes.

If anything, this worked out better.

“Since the second floor is men’s and the first floor is women’s, let’s pick your clothes first.”

“…Um.”

“Hm? What?”

“Sh-… Ujin, can’t we pick your clothes first?”

“My clothes first? …Why? I’ll pick mine eventually anyway, so it doesn’t matter.”

“Honestly… I… I like these kinds of clothes the most…”

“…Hmm.”

A pitch-black T-shirt with no prints and dolphin shorts—the perfect outfit for lounging around at home.

One step. Two steps.

I deliberately put some distance between us, then looked Han Sua up and down from head to toe. Almost immediately, she flushed red with embarrassment and began covering herself with her arms—one hand half-hiding her face, the other desperately shielding her chest.

Funny. No matter how she tried, she just ended up looking cute.

Of course, I understood the sentiment of “I can’t be bothered to change into anything else” that came with comfy clothes like those.

Staying comfortable at home is the best.

Plus, with her natural looks, she still looked pretty even in something that plain.

But it felt like a waste to just leave her in those frumpy clothes just because she was already attractive.

The better the craftsman, the more particular they are about their tools—I at least wanted her to dress as well as the people walking around outside.

“Then just try changing three times.”

“Three times…?”

“Yeah. You’re already plenty pretty, but I want to see you in something even prettier.”

“…”

“…Do you not want to?”

“…Th-three times… is fine…”

“…Good. Hold on.”

Judging by her reaction, if I just kept complimenting her, she’d probably change ten times without complaint.

After giving her a soft smile, I called over the female clerk who had been idling in the distance.

“Excuse me, sorry to bother you, but can she try on what that mannequin is wearing? Just the top and bottom, nothing else.”

“Huh? Oh, for your girlfriend?”

“Yeah.”

“……”

“Just a moment. I’ll bring the right size.”

Normally indifferent to customers, but sharp and responsive when called—surprisingly, her customer service was exactly to my liking.

But my satisfaction was short-lived.

The clerk returned not with two empty hangers, but four, and handed me the clothes.

“I brought these, but your girlfriend has such a great figure. For a white denim look like this, rather than just wearing the shirt as-is, layering it with a cropped piece or pairing it with something loose would work better, so I grabbed these on the way. What do you think?”

“…Oh, sure.”

“And if she prefers loungewear, over there we have some nice pastel-toned pieces for this season…”

“Right, right. Just a sec. Uh, let’s try this first.”

What is she even saying?

I nodded along like I understood, though I really didn’t.

It didn’t seem like she was just trying to upsell, though—she genuinely seemed eager to help.

After glancing past me at Sua a few times, the clerk said to call if we needed anything and disappeared behind the counter.

Somehow… the whole exchange felt like a mirage. Here one second, gone the next.

This didn’t happen when I picked out clothes for Jiyun before—but then again, Hayun had done most of the choosing that time.

Hmm…

Letting out a quiet sigh, I handed the clothes to Han Sua, who still looked dazed.

“Here. The fitting room’s over there—go try it on.”

“…”

No verbal response.

But the way she quietly took the clothes and scurried toward the fitting room suggested she was willing.

Once I heard the swish of the curtain closing, I used the free moment to check my phone.

I hadn’t been able to earlier with Han Sua right beside me,

but when we first entered the store,

my phone had vibrated in my pocket about twice.

“…?”

I’d assumed it was Jiyun nagging me about when I’d be back or hurrying me up,

but there was one missed call.

No caller ID.

Definitely suspicious.

And given that it had only rung once or twice before hanging up, even more so.

My first thought was that Yozora was messing with me again…

But I couldn’t be sure.

Given what had happened before with someone else, I couldn’t rule it out.

I had no idea how they’d gotten my number, but higher-ups had used underlings to contact me like this in the past.

About twice a year.

Come to think of it, the timing lined up—late April, back when I was twenty.

If I remembered right, around this time, some French politician had secretly reached out about his erectile dysfunction—

“Eh…?”

“…?”

While lost in thought, Han Sua’s voice suddenly came from behind the fitting room curtain, where only the sound of fabric rustling had been before.

What was it? If she’d tripped or something, it should’ve been closer to a scream than this confused murmur.

Maybe she’d accidentally torn off a tag or something.

Moving closer but keeping enough distance to avoid misunderstandings, I spoke up.

“What’s wrong? Something happen?”

“…N-no, nothing’s wrong…”

“Then what? Does the size not fit?”

“N-not that either… It’s just…”

Rustle.

Compared to the swish when she’d first closed the curtain, the sound this time was much lighter.

And at the same time, what came into view was—

“…The clothes are… kind of…”

“…”

Eyes drowning in embarrassment, so intense it completely erased any fierceness.

Similarly flushed cheeks, burning red.

And the clothes.

Though she kept tugging them down desperately,

the thin line of her waist contrasted starkly against the fullness of her chest, leaving most of it exposed.

…Had I been staring too long without saying anything?

Han Sua, glaring at me with teary eyes, silently pulled the curtain a little tighter.

“D-don’t just stare… say something…”

“…Like what? That it suits you?”

“No, the clothes are weird…!”

“Not really. Plenty of people around here are wearing stuff like this.”

“P-perverts wear this, don’t they…?”

“Dunno. How would I know women’s fashion? They probably just wear it because it’s cute. Like those dolphin shorts you have on.”

Earlier, the clerk had called it a cropped layered look, right?

Now that I thought about it, I had noticed the hem was a little short when I took the clothes.

But since it was women’s wear, I figured it was just designed differently from men’s and didn’t think much of it.

I hadn’t expected it to be this short, though.

…Hadn’t expected Han Sua’s navel to be fully exposed.

Even after seeing every inch of her during sex,

just catching a glimpse of her soft waistline like this in public

was enough to make desire simmer inside me.

I hadn’t expected that.

“…”

But I couldn’t do it here.

Pinning Han Sua in the fitting room and fucking her breathless would feel amazing, but…

We’d be caught in less than three minutes, and I wasn’t shameless enough to not care.

I’d have to hold back. Damn it.

As I dragged a hand down my face, Han Sua, who had pulled the curtain even tighter, whispered,

“…Does it look good?”

“…Huh?”

“The clothes. Do they really suit me?”

“…Yeah.”

“…Then I’ll wear them for you at home. For now, let’s find something else…”

“…”

“Go find something else…! Hurry…”

“…Got it. Just a sec.”

…Forget the movies.

I just want to take her somewhere with a bed.

…This damn girl.