PHUW 27

This time, Jeong Mok chuckled.

“I didn’t even know there was a store there.”

Ah. If he didn’t like banks, maybe he didn’t like carrier stores either. Places like that usually tried to push new services.

“Then do you want to wait at the steakhouse? I can go change the ownership myself and come back up.”

“Haeri-ya.”

Haeri, who was about to move, stopped mid-step.

Haeri-ya.

The tone was so gentle it tickled. And not “Ahn Haeri,” just “Haeri-ya.” His ears felt warm for no reason. Sure, he spoke in the Seoul dialect himself, but hearing his name called so warmly by an older man made him self-conscious.

It was like how a guy from a small Gyeongbuk town, who’d grown up surrounded by dialect, might feel his heart drop when a stranger in Seoul spoke to him in smooth standard Korean. That random, irrational flutter, making him wonder, “Is he interested in me?” His head said there was no reason for it, but his chest stirred anyway.

Still holding Haeri’s startled gaze, Jeong Mok added in that almost magical voice,

“Shouldn’t we eat in comfort?”

“C-comfort…?”

“Yeah. Comfortably.”

“Right. Yes. Let’s eat comfortably.”

He even stammered. Feeling it was hopeless to calm down here, Haeri hurried toward the escalator.

‘Seriously? Getting worked up over just my name? Why can’t I get a grip?’

He shook his head with his eyes closed. Jeong Mok followed two steps behind, his presence prickling at Haeri’s awareness. He wanted to take another step up, but that felt too obvious, so he held back.

The steakhouse, fortunately, was in a corner on the first floor. Four parties were ahead of them, with a thirty-minute wait. They left their contact info and stepped away. The benches outside were already occupied by the people they’d seen earlier.

“Let’s go buy some clothes while we wait.”

“Clothes?”

“Yeah. You don’t have any, not even underwear.”

At those words, Haeri glanced down at himself.

He’d been borrowing Jeong Mok’s clothes all this time. They weren’t just oversized, they were practically idol-group debut-stage baggy. He’d been wearing slippers, too. In contrast, Jeong Mok was neatly dressed. Same clothes, but one of them looked like a walking fashion spread while the other looked like a relic from the 20th century.

Haeri followed without saying a word.

As they walked, he could feel people’s eyes on them. Jeong Mok’s build alone drew attention, and his face was handsome to boot. Despite his masculine, hard-to-approach looks, his style was neat yet relaxed, genuinely stylish. His presence was impossible to ignore.

Some people’s eyes widened at Jeong Mok, then slid to Haeri, and they smiled faintly. A shameless middle-aged man openly stared at Jeong Mok, then noticed Haeri and smirked. A more tactful young couple gave Haeri a quick once-over, whispered to each other, and nudged shoulders.

‘Is it that different?’

In the store window’s reflection, they looked like a dashing hyung-nim and the half-wit kid tagging along. Haeri’s face flushed.

They passed a large, affordable brand store and a sportswear chain, but Jeong Mok didn’t stop. Haeri didn’t try to pull him back, and they eventually arrived at a luxury select shop that also served as an outlet. He headed straight for a brand particularly popular with men in their twenties.

Haeri’s heart sank for a different reason when he spotted one of the tags hanging from a sleeve, it was the same brand as the clothes he’d gotten back from the hospital. It was obvious Jeong Mok had brought him here on purpose.

“Do you like it here?”

“Probably… I guess?”

Catching on that Haeri had realized, Jeong Mok smiled gently.

“Pick something out.”

Even if it was expensive, he could afford it. He had the 100 million won from the settlement. But in reality, that much cash would barely cover a deposit for a small apartment in the capital. Without his memories, he didn’t know what kind of expenses he might face. Blowing it on clothes seemed reckless.

He was about to suggest a cheaper brand when Jeong Mok took a T-shirt off the rack.

“What about this one?”

He held it up to Haeri, gauging the fit.

“Will it fit? Could you check this for me?”

A staff member came over quickly and confirmed the size was fine, mentioning it was a new arrival at full price and offering two other colors. At Jeong Mok’s question about trying it on, the staff said the black one was available for fitting and took it to the fitting room.

Before he knew it, Haeri was changing. He stepped out and stood awkwardly in front of the full-length mirror.

“How is it?”

Jeong Mok, who was rummaging through pants, glanced up.

“It’s fine, but…”

He’d nearly popped his eyes out at the price tag while changing. He’d known it was a luxury brand, but 570,000 won for a plain sweatshirt was absurd. He was scared to wrinkle it.

Maybe it was just the price playing tricks, but it seemed to fit really well. The relaxed cut, quality fabric, and clean finishing made it look sharp. Just a basic design, yet this was why people went on about luxury brands.

“It looks great on you. If you pull the sleeves up a little, it’ll be even more stylish.”

The staff tugged the loose sleeves up over his forearms. Whoa, this was heading into hard-sell territory. Haeri quickly pushed the sleeves back down. He planned to leave it here and go find something similar at a different and more affordable brand.

“It’s too expensive.”

Jeong Mok clearly didn’t see it that way.

“The fit’s nice and it looks good. One black and one white, please.”

“Yes, I’ll get you new ones.”

The staff’s voice was bright with enthusiasm.

“Two? Even one is expensive.”

Startled, Haeri quickly waved his hands. The staff, who had just been about to fetch the clothes, froze mid-step.

“Pretty things should be bought all at once. If you come back later, they might be gone. And since it’s a basic T-shirt, you’ll wear it often.”

Jeong Mok added it as if it were nothing. But that might be true for him, not for everyone.

“But who stocks up on 570,000 won hoodies in every color?”

“Hm? In my family, we usually shop like that. Shopping is a hassle.”

“…Sorry?”

“Good clothes are expensive. And this is actually on the cheaper side since it’s a brand for kids in their twenties. You seemed to like it, so just get it here.”

It wasn’t only Haeri who was at a loss for words, even the staff seemed taken aback.

‘570,000 won for a hoodie for twenty-somethings is cheap?’

‘If you say so.’

Haeri asked with his eyes, and the staff rolled theirs silently in reply.

So not only him, but his whole family must be wealthy. Judging by how effortlessly he carried himself, it made sense.

“Shall I get new ones ready?”

“Yes, please.”

After confirming, the staff went to fetch them. This time, Haeri didn’t stop him. If Jeong Mok was going to buy them anyway, he might as well take it as the charity of a generous rich man and keep quiet.

“Do you mind trying on some pants too? Haeri-ya, how about these?”

This time, Jeong Mok held out a pair priced at 790,000 won. Haeri accepted them gingerly, worried they might drag on the floor. Just as he was thinking the next thing would probably be an outer jacket worth several hundred thousand won, Jeong Mok actually started browsing through coats with an extra comma on the price tag.

“790,000 won for one pair of pants is too much. And I’ll pay for the jacket.”

“It’s fine. I was planning to buy you clothes anyway.”

No, it’s not fine. He had plenty to say, but once again the smiling staff whisked him away to the fitting room. It wasn’t even gold-plated, how could a pair of cotton pants cost that much? He grumbled but he put them on anyway.

When asked if they were comfortable and if he liked the design, he said they were fine but that the price was very uncomfortable. Jeong Mok didn’t listen. For all his soft demeanor, the man was stubborn.

“I’ll wear them out.”

“If you do, we won’t be able to exchange or refund them. Is that okay?”

The staff glanced at Haeri for confirmation. Was his current outfit really that embarrassing? It was loose because it was Jeong Mok’s, but if you called it an oversized fit, it didn’t look that strange.

“It’s fine. Cut the tags, please. I’ll pay with this.”

Jeong Mok handed over a black card.

The staff, clearly pleased to have such an easy customer, snipped the tags before Haeri could object. While they rang up the items, another employee packed the old clothes along with the extra hoodie into a large shopping bag.

“Please throw out the old clothes and only pack the new ones.”

The staff looked startled.

“These are designer, and you’re throwing them away?”

He showed Haeri the tag still attached to the neckline. Written in italic letters, it was a brand Haeri didn’t recognize, he’d assumed it was just some off-brand.

“Is it expensive?”

“Yes. New, it would be over 600,000 won.”

Even though it was another brand, the staff sounded genuinely regretful.

“600,000 won for a plain white T-shirt? That’s insane. Put it in the bag right now.”

“No point dragging around old clothes. They didn’t even fit me, so they’ve been sitting around.”

Although Jeong Mok told him not to, this time the staff followed Haeri’s request and packed them.

“I’ll wear it.”

Haeri insisted on it and took the T-shirt carefully. As they left the store, the staff bowed them out. Jeong Mok scanned the surroundings, then pointed somewhere.

“Let’s get shoes now.”

“Right now?”

“Slippers don’t go with new clothes. And your feet will get dirty.”

In barely forty minutes, Haeri ended up with two hoodies, one pair of cotton pants, three plain T-shirts, five pairs of briefs, and two pairs of sneakers. With price being no object, choosing and buying took no time at all.