When browsing the internet, stories like this often pop up.
Someone shows up at a luxury brand store dressed sloppily, only to be looked down upon by the staff.
Sometimes the story ends with the person getting angry, and other times it finishes with them standing up for themselves and having a satisfying, triumphant moment—the so-called ‘refreshing victory.’
Both Yuseong and Shin Jia had come across such stories before.
Perhaps because of that, Shin Jia hesitated a bit before entering the store.
“That’s not professional behavior.”
When Shin Jia said that, Lee Yul Hee responded with disbelief.
Surely, there might be some luxury store employees who judge customers that way.
But at stores selling high-priced items, providing service like that is completely unacceptable, Yul Hee insisted.
“So, don’t worry.”
That was her confident assurance.
The employees inside the store were surprisingly kind.
“Welcome to Maison Mircelle. Is there anything you’re looking for?”
“I’m here to get a suit tailored.”
Yuseong answered absentmindedly, and Yul Hee quickly jumped in.
“How can you just say it like that? If we’re doing this, we should pick something nice.”
Then she started listing various demands on behalf of Yuseong.
“……… Also, I’m looking for something not too formal. Two-button single-breasted. The lapel should be a bit narrow, I think. Could you show us a few options? Oh, that herringbone and Glen check jacket are nice too. Please bring those as well.”
Her requests were complicated enough that it was difficult to keep track, but the staff seemed to understand everything Yul Hee said.
Before long, they brought close to ten suits.
“I thought I’d just wear something black.”
“Got a funeral to attend? Yuseong, I think you should wear a slightly lighter color. It will brighten your complexion.”
Yul Hee and Shin Jia took turns examining what might suit Yuseong better.
To Yuseong, everything looked like a blur, but they seemed to clearly notice the differences.
They looked so happy that Yuseong quietly observed what they were doing.
After a while, the suit Yuseong would try on was finally decided.
“This navy one—can I try it on?”
“Of course, sir.”
It was a choice made where Yul Hee and Shin Jia’s opinions perfectly matched.
“I wish this was bespoke and tailored exactly to Yuseong’s body, but right now, this ready-to-wear brand is the best option. Let’s have you try it on.”
Jacket, pants, shoes, and shirt.
In a short time, Yul Hee completed the full coordination.
Yuseong grabbed the clothes and casually walked into the fitting room.
Watching Yuseong’s back, Shin Jia spoke up.
“Unnie, how do you know so much about this?”
“Hm?”
“No, it’s not women’s clothing, it’s men’s, but you seem to know it perfectly. Oh, do you have a boyfriend or something?”
Shin Jia smiled mischievously after saying that.
Seeing her so delighted as she talked about having a boyfriend, Yuseong felt the unique vitality of someone her age.
Yul Hee gave a wry smile and replied.
“I don’t have a boyfriend right now. But since I do a lot of broadcasting work, I’ve learned a lot. I also worked as a stylist for a while.”
“Wow, a stylist. Next time Yuseong oppa has a shoot, can you help out too? I don’t think he pays much attention to those things.”
Shin Jia said with a smile.
But hearing that, Yul Hee’s expression darkened a little.
“Yeah, I’d love to. If only I could.”
There was a heavy nuance behind her words.
Just as Shin Jia was about to ask about it, Yuseong came out of the fitting room.
“It feels a little tight.”
Everyone in the store—the customers and staff alike—naturally turned their eyes toward Yuseong.
***
Suit, formalwear.
Had he worn something like this in a previous life?
He vaguely remembered having a scruffy black suit, probably the one worn to funerals.
This kind of luxurious suit was a first.
More than the luxury, the light navy color itself felt a bit unusual—not black.
“Isn’t it a bit flashy?”
He looked into the mirror to check the awkwardness but couldn’t really tell if it was good or strange.
“Well, I’ll know once I go out.”
Once he showed it to Yul Hee and Shin Jia, he would get their opinions.
Yuseong stepped out of the fitting room.
“It feels a little tight.”
He said this because the collar felt a bit restrictive.
The reaction from everyone around was strange.
For about three seconds, all eyes in the store were fixed on Yuseong himself.
Silence followed.
“…… Why isn’t anyone saying anything?”
As soon as Yuseong asked Yul Hee that, the concentrated gaze shifted away.
“Wait, just a moment.”
Yul Hee’s expression became serious.
She hurriedly called over one of the staff she had been watching.
“Can we use that pomade over there?”
“Oh, yes, of course. But it’s actually a free gift we give to customers who have purchased our products.”
“I’ll buy it then. I’m going to buy the suit, so give it here.”
After deciding that, Yul Hee snatched the pomade from the clerk’s hand.
Then she grabbed Yuseong’s wrist and sat him down in front of the mirror.
“Alright, time to put my former stylist experience to work.”
“You used to do that kind of work too?”
“That’s why your collar feels like this. I’m going to fix your hair.”
“What are you doing?”
Saying that, she stood behind Yuseong.
The ornate chair in front of the mirror.
Yuseong sitting there, and Yul Hee standing behind him.
The luxury men’s store suddenly felt like a barber shop.
Yet, even the staff didn’t dare to stop Yul Hee.
They were expecting her to do something good.
Yuseong looked at himself in the mirror in front of him.
Yul Hee’s expression was very serious.
She lifted her slender fingers and gently swept up Yuseong’s front hair.
The cool touch brushed against his forehead.
“As expected, having the forehead visible feels refreshing.”
It wasn’t a beauty salon, and it felt strange to entrust someone you know with your hair like this.
“I’m going to lift it a bit.”
Yul Hee took some pomade and applied it.
Then she skillfully began combing Yuseong’s hair upward.
She even took out a tail comb from her handbag and meticulously tidied his hair.
Her movements were natural, definitely showing her stylist experience.
Yuseong’s usual hairstyle was more like messy hair.
By brushing his slightly wavy hair upward, his appearance definitely looked cleaner.
“There.”
Yul Hee said that and patted Yuseong’s shoulder proudly.
Shin Jia standing behind them was amazed.
“Perfect.”
Then, suddenly, she started clapping.
As Shin Jia clapped, the staff and customers around joined in with smiles.
“What’s with those people?”
Yuseong’s composure couldn’t help but crack in this embarrassing situation.
“That’s because my work is excellent.”
Yul Hee said confidently.
Even Yuseong had to agree.
Golden light shone down on Yuseong, and the reflection in the mirror was quite stylish.
The shirt and pants fit perfectly to his appropriately shaped body, and the navy jacket’s fabric clearly screamed luxury.
The finishing touch was the slicked-back pomade hairstyle.
Together with the suit, it gave a classic impression.
“If you ever have another shoot, try doing it like this too. Though I probably won’t be able to help then.”
“It’s a hassle and probably hard to manage. Why? Are you quitting?”
Yuseong said jokingly, but Yul Hee nodded gravely.
“Yes. Things are going too well. The higher-ups are watching closely. The Clip Content Team is scouting explorers other than you now. They want to give me a team leader position, but since I don’t have the seniority yet, they’re thinking of transferring me to another department.”
Yuseong nodded.
This was a common occurrence in any organization.
When the person below achieves something, the people above often take advantage of it.
“Well, if there’s another content shoot, someone else might come, so just keep that in mind. It’s a pity—I was going to make you a star.”
“I have no desire for that. I’m not a performer but an explorer.”
“In this day and age, you know even 5th-rank explorers have their own YouTube channels, right?”
“That’s nonsense.”
“Ahahaha. Oh, and let’s take a photo, okay?”
Yul Hee said as she grabbed her camera.
She turned on selfie mode and made a V sign with her fingers.
Click.
“Hehe, this needs to go on Instagram.”
Seeing her happily fiddling with her phone, Yuseong stood up.
Then he handed his card to the staff.
“Please charge me for what I’m wearing now.”
“That suits you perfectly, Mr. Yuseong.”
The clerk said, taking the card.
Even the staff here knew his name.
Yuseong gave a wry smile.
“Oppa, you look amazing.”
Shin Jia came closer and gave an honest compliment.
“Let’s buy a watch now, buy your clothes, and go home.”
“Yes!”
At that moment, Yul Hee smiled brightly and raised her phone.
“Look at this. You’re already a complete star.”
“Really?”
“Here’s a heart.”
It was Yul Hee’s personal 5145 account.
The photo she had just taken.
It showed Yuseong sitting in the suit, Yul Hee holding the comb next to him, and Shin Jia standing behind.
Below it, the number of ‘likes’ was increasing at an incredible rate.
It had been uploaded just five minutes ago, but the number of likes had already gone into the thousands.
“Thanks to me, my follower count is going up too.”
Yul Hee said with a grin.
Yuseong just shrugged.
Since she picked out the clothes, letting her post a few pictures was an easy concession.
“Well then, let’s quickly buy the rest. I’m getting hungry.”
A few days later.
Yuseong never imagined that photo would have such a massive impact.
***
December 31st, evening.
The promised day.
Yuseong arrived on the first floor of the Phoebus Hotel, located in Jung-gu, Seoul.
He entered the hotel lobby wearing a perfectly fitting suit.
His hair was neatly styled, making everything look just right.
Waiting for him was Chief Manager Choi Jun Yeol from Cheonghwa’s Special Strategy Planning Office.
“Oh, Yuseong. You look very sharp today.”
“Chief. Did you do this?”
Though it had been a while since he last met Chief Choi, Yuseong said this while pulling out his phone.
“What do you mean?”
“Look at this. Did Cheonghwa actually order you to spend money on this?”
On Yuseong’s phone was the entertainment news section of a portal site.
Why he was featured there, no one knew, but several media outlets had written articles about him.
“Oh? Baek Yuseong’s surprise appearance at Apgujeong Luxury Store… The perfect fit of his luxury suit—I’ve seen it too. This is the article.”
“That’s right.”
“We had nothing to do with it.”
Yuseong sighed.
If Cheonghwa had interfered to make this article, it would have been worse.
“It’s embarrassing.”
But Cheonghwa hadn’t interfered either.
So it must have been the internet journalists who found his photo and wrote about it on their own.
Yul Hee’s words about him becoming a star suddenly felt real.
“Haha, thanks to you, our PR team’s single broadcast is doing great. We didn’t even promote it, but it’s just naturally gaining traction.”
Chief Choi laughed warmly.
“Alright, let’s just get to cooking.”
Yuseong rubbed his hands together.
When things got this busy, it was better to focus on something he enjoyed.
“Follow me. The two of them are waiting anyway.”
There were two things Yuseong liked most.
One was eating. The second was cooking delicious food.
And Yuseong had made thorough preparations for today.
The ingredients he brought were heavy in his bag, but carefully packed.
“This top floor of the hotel is reserved only for the Council members. Let’s go up there.”
Chief Choi said, presenting his card key to the elevator.
The elevator started moving up on its own.
Through the glass window, Seoul’s nightscape was visible at a glance.
Ding dong.
As the elevator doors opened, a luxurious banquet hall appeared.
Though Yuseong had never been here before, it looked just like a secret social club on the upper floors.
How it was made, no one knew, but the room even had a lit fireplace on the wall.
Two elderly men sat in front of it.
“Oh, Yuseong is here.”
The one greeting him warmly was Lee Woo Do.
Next to him, with a sour expression, was probably Park Gyeongjae.
But Yuseong couldn’t properly respond to Lee Woo Do’s greeting.
From the moment the elevator doors opened, a strong scent was filling the air.
This space was permeated with the scent of time.
Abundance, autumn, forest, fallen leaves, nuts, sunlight. A fragrance that condensed all of that.
“This scent is…”
As Yuseong muttered this, Park Gyeongjae’s expression changed.
“Oh… The chairman was right. This young man has quite the sensibility.”
He gently shook the glass in his hand.
The amber liquid swayed inside.
It was the legendary whiskey, aged 102 years.
There was no doubt about that.
“My name is Park Gyeongjae.”
“I’m Baek Yuseong.”
While greeting Park Gyeongjae, Yuseong couldn’t take his eyes off the whiskey.
Seeing this, Park Gyeongjae burst out laughing.
“Haha! You really like whiskey, huh? Here, let me pour you a glass first.”
Park Gyeongjae lifted the bottle and poured some into a glass.
Yuseong was slightly surprised.
Originally, the promise was that he would serve the alcohol after Yuseong prepared a dish that satisfied Park Gyeongjae.
But now, he was being served whiskey first.
It seemed to reflect a different side of Park’s personality than what Lee Woo Do had described.
“Then, thank you.”
There was no reason to refuse.
“Take your time and savor it.”
Yuseong carefully smelled the scent.
Then he took a sip of the whiskey in the glass.
“How is it? Isn’t it fantastic?”
“Yes, it’s a fine whiskey.”
When Yuseong answered that, Park Gyeongjae smiled broadly.
Then he glanced sideways at Lee Woo Do with a sly expression.
A look of triumph.
Meanwhile, Lee Woo Do’s face looked a little nervous.
But Park Gyeongjae’s smile was shattered by Yuseong’s next words.
“But this is a boring prank.”
“What?”
“This is not the 102-year-old whiskey you mentioned. It’s a completely different whiskey.”
Yuseong pointed to his nose.
Meaning, the scent filling the room and the whiskey he just drank smelled completely different.
Lee Woo Do laughed loudly.
“Pffft! I told you! Yuseong wouldn’t be fooled by that cheap trick! I win this bet!”
On the other hand, Park Gyeongjae’s expression turned pitch black.