Chapter 19: The Little Things That Happen When a Young Lady Goes to the Department Store

“It’s an honor to see you again, Young Miss.”

Chauffeur Jung, whom I had called with a fluttering heart, was waiting for me in the underground parking lot.

No, first of all, this underground parking lot attached to this apartment is truly ridiculous.

Honestly, it was more stylish and well-decorated than a supermarket.

Why on earth would they decorate an underground parking lot so beautifully?

There was even a fitness center and a screen golf range on the B1 floor.

I considered playing golf here once but stopped because I felt people’s eyes on me.

“Have you been well too, Chauffeur Jung?”

“Haha, of course, Young Miss.”

The underground parking lot, as if it were the most natural thing, could be accessed by an elevator.

Chauffeur Jung was waiting for me right at the entrance of that elevator.

After a simple greeting, had I walked about ten steps?

A black luxury sedan, no, a limousine much longer and uncomfortably luxurious, with its engine already running, was waiting for me.

“Ah…”

Chauffeur Jung, as if it were perfectly natural, strode quickly to the back seat and opened the door for me.

Wow, this… is really incredibly burdensome.

I’m feeling the fact that I’ve become the youngest daughter of a chaebol family all over again.

…But why are there no other cars around here?

Is there a reason why there’s one empty space on each side?

Looking at other sections, there are a few empty spaces here and there; is there some kind of unspoken rule?

I don’t know.

“Where shall I take you, Young Miss?”

“To the Gangnam Hansung Department Store, please.”

The back seat of the limousine was embarrassingly plush and comfortable.

It feels so cozy I could just fall into a deep sleep right here.

“Understood. Would it be better if I contacted them?”

Contact?

What contact is he talking about?

…In times like these, I should say the magic phrase.

“As usual, please.”

“Haha, understood. You’re planning on some light shopping for a change of pace, I see.”

“Yes, please think of it that way.”

Chauffeur Jung didn’t particularly glance at me through the rearview mirror.

…Still, the thought that he might be looking at me made me hold my smartphone vertically and launch ‘Galaxy Train.’

I needed materials for skill enhancement to do the ridiculous act of spamming ultimates from turn 0 using Iines, just like Heretic’s idea.

Hehe, I didn’t forget to properly turn on silent mode so the game sounds wouldn’t be embarrassing in this one-on-one situation.

“Miss Se-ah. May I… dare to ask you a question?”

Chauffeur Jung spoke while driving skillfully.

“Yes, please feel comfortable.”

“Are you feeling a bit better, Young Miss?”

It was a question befitting an aide who had watched over Kwon Se-ah for a long time.

So, what should the 26-year-old youngest daughter of a chaebol family answer here?

Should I speak rudely like a villainess from a makjang drama?

…At least, that wouldn’t be it.

The Kwon Se-ah in the over ten interview videos I found was not that kind of woman.

“Yes, I’m okay. The fact that I couldn’t attend my parents’ funeral still feels like a regret and sorrow, but… I can’t be sad forever, can I?”

“That’s a relief. I was worried that you might not be able to get up again, Young Miss.”

“There’s no way I’m that weak, right? Please don’t worry about me from now on!”

After answering like this, I silently looked at my smartphone elegantly, pretending to be working.

…I shouldn’t have done that!

***

“Welcome, Miss Kwon Se-ah. We’ve been expecting you.”

As I got out of the limousine with Chauffeur Jung’s help, a female employee bowed neatly.

A ponytail tied lightly, a neat uniform.

Something business-like, yet with a sophisticated feel.

To be honest, her appearance was quite remarkable.

The kind of pretty even a woman would find pretty?

…No, I’m a man, but!

“Today, I, Kim Ha-yoon, will be assisting with your shopping, Young Miss. Please let me know anytime if there’s anything unsatisfactory.”

…What is this?

Helping with shopping?

Why?

No, wait a minute, could it be that what Chauffeur Jung said about making a call earlier was this?

Ah, aaah!

Ack!

Aaaack!

I just came here lightly, thinking of making some pasta!

I came to prepare meals for a few days!

“Yes… well, please take good care of me. I’m just planning to buy a few necessary things and go back. So please don’t worry too much.”

“Yes, Young Miss. I will help you have an enjoyable shopping experience.”
Um, excuse me.

Your very existence is making me sad, you know?

Ah… but if I say I don’t need it now, this person will also be in a very difficult position, right?

Someone higher up might come running, out of breath, asking what’s wrong.
Sigh…

“I’ll do some shopping in the food hall on the B1 floor.”

Without necessarily waiting for Kim Ha-yoon’s reply, I moved my feet quickly.

Ah… If I knew this would happen, should I have dressed a bit more properly?

I’m currently wearing jeans and a black windbreaker just thrown on!

The person following me closely from behind is in full makeup and a perfectly tailored black suit, so it’s a bit, a bit much, isn’t it?!

“Is there anything specific you are looking for?”

“I saw it last time, so I’ll go straight there.”

I answered with a smile and then gripped the small, black, somewhat premium-looking shopping cart with both hands.

There was a small reason why I specifically chose this department store.

I had a glimpse of the inside when I came for the pop-up store last time.

Well, I wondered if a department store would be much different, but even the shopping cart feels different from a regular supermarket, so it’s a bit ridiculous.

“I, I will push it for you, Young Miss.”

“Uh… Yes, please do.”

If I insisted on doing it myself here, it felt like it would negatively affect this woman’s performance review, so I let her push it.

Ah, but the visuals are really strange.

I’ve even thrown my handbag into the shopping cart and am just trudging along, and this unnie in a suit is pushing the shopping cart next to me and following along?

…Is this the power of money?

It’s scary.

Scary.

“Where would the basil be? The kind packaged with just fresh leaves.”

“If it’s that product… it’s over here, Young Miss.”

Kim Ha-yoon skillfully guided me.

Is a department store a department store for a reason?

It looks incredibly fresh.

I picked up a plastic pack of basil.

“This much should have a decent aroma… …Huh?”

What, there’s no scent at all?

Isn’t this almost non-existent?

“Miss Ha-yoon?”

“Yes, Young Miss. Is there a problem?”

“This basil, assuming I’ve purchased it, I’d like to check its condition.”

I have plenty of money anyway.

Not wanting to create more food waste, I opened the plastic packaging and smelled the basil.

“As I thought… my nose wasn’t wrong. Miss Ha-yoon, please smell it too.”

Basil should have a cool, refreshing, and subtly sweet aroma, but the basil in my hand right now was not like that at all.

I’m not a culinary expert, but while living alone, I learned a few things to somehow set the mood when I bothered to add this expensive ingredient.

Honestly, when you’re living alone, the temptation to save the money you’d spend on basil for mood-setting and just have a cheap cup ramen meal instead is always there.

“I’m… I’m sorry, Young Miss. There was a problem with the product. I will prepare a different one for you immediately.”

“It’s alright. It’s not like I absolutely have to add basil.”

“Ah, no. If the Young Miss wishes, I can quickly contact logistics and…”

“It’s fine.”

Seeing Kim Ha-yoon trembling strangely, I stated my intention curtly.

“Tomatoes are more important than basil. I’ll look at the tomatoes.”

“Ah, yes…! Yes! The tomatoes will surely be to your liking, Young Miss!”

Kim Ha-yoon smiled brightly and guided me to where the tomatoes were.

Let’s see.

The tomatoes should be fine, right?

Just like how Korean beef or 1++ grade meat feels different from the start, the tomatoes sold at a department store must be completely high-class, right?

“Hmm…”

“Is, is there something you don’t like, Young Miss?”

“No. Well… it’s not that I particularly dislike it, but it’s a little different from my expectations.”

Kim Ha-yoon’s face turned pale again.

“It’s labeled as premium organic tomatoes, so…”

I picked up a large tomato and touched the skin with my thumb.

The color wasn’t as perfectly red as I thought.

Should I say there are subtle bruises, or does it feel like it has many blemishes?

…No, since it’s organic, is it unavoidable?

I can’t go to a regular supermarket anyway, and I never even saw tomatoes like this when I was living alone, so I should just buy them.

“It’s not bad. Don’t worry about it.”

Since I was planning to make tomato pasta anyway, I wouldn’t need to worry about the blemishes.

“Young Miss. If there’s anything you don’t like, you can tell me anytime.”

“No, it’s just that the tomatoes looked more ordinary than I expected, so I was arbitrarily disappointed—”

“I, I will bring you something better than these tomatoes right now! I’ll also get the basil for you immediately!!!”

Kim Ha-yoon, as if screaming, picked up three packs of tomatoes, holding them to her chest, and hurriedly ran off somewhere.

“Uh… Why is she doing that?”

No way?

I just thought the tomatoes weren’t as good as I expected and said so honestly…?

…I didn’t unknowingly power trip, did I?!

***

The shopping at the department store continued to be a bit chaotic after that.

Even when buying meat, if I asked what cuts they had, suddenly freshly cut meat, packaged, would appear in my cart from somewhere.

Even with wine, when the product I was looking for wasn’t visible and I asked if they perhaps didn’t have it, the absurd response that they would go check the warehouse came out.

Anyway, after roughly stocking up on enough food for about two weeks, I received the “Young Miss” treatment until the very end.

“Chauffeur Jung, you don’t need to carry these things for me…”

“It is naturally my duty to help. It’s alright. Rather, I am just glad to see you looking so energetic, Young Miss.”

Is it okay for me to receive this much help from Chauffeur Jung, who looks to be about Kwon Se-ah’s father’s age?

Anyway, it’s a relief that I don’t have to move heavy things three times.

“By the way… It seems Miss Elodie has visited while I was unaware.”

Elodie?

Who is that?

A celebrity?

An idol?

“Um… I don’t know why Chauffeur Jung thought that, but the only people I’ve contacted recently are Chauffeur Jung and Chief Secretary Lee Eun-byul.”

Chauffeur Jung’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.

“Does that mean… that the one who cleaned up the house so neatly was you, Young Miss?”

“Of course?”

“Ha, haha… You’ve truly become healthy. That’s a relief. A relief. Before, until Miss Elodie came, it was really… hahaha.”

Chauffeur Jung smiled brightly but seemed to feel sorry to elaborate further and swallowed his words.

No, but who on earth is this Elodie person that such words are coming out?

“Chauffeur Jung. I… I mentioned this before, but my mind is a bit hazy, and I have some amnesia, so I’m asking a question.”

“Yes, yes. Please speak comfortably.”

“Who is Elodie? What is our relationship? I don’t remember anything.”

“Ah… You truly don’t remember.”

Chauffeur Jung didn’t look at me strangely.

“Miss Elodie, should I say she is Miss Kwon Se-ah’s housekeeper? Or a domestic helper… When you introduced her to me, you introduced her as a ‘housekeeper’.”

“I, I had someone like that?”

…No, if I think about it, isn’t it too obvious?

That’s right, at first, I was also excited, wondering if a cleaning ajumma would come, wasn’t I?

Isn’t it actually stranger that there isn’t someone exclusively under me, cleaning the house, doing laundry, and cooking meals?

There’s no way I lived well on my own forever in this ridiculously large house!

“I understand. Thanks to what you told me, I remember a little now.”

On the smartphone I hastily took out, ‘Elodie’s’ phone number was saved, as if it were a matter of course.

This means I don’t have to go through the trouble of cooking.

A professional cook will make the meals?

What could be more delicious than that!

“But… her name is quite strange…”

Logically, I shouldn’t have thought this way.

Conversely, I should have thought more seriously about what a person with such a name would look like!