By Zephyria Clinging tightly to Winston’s neck, Yu-jin kept rolling his eyes. It was his first time in such a fancy place. The walls and ceiling were all sparkling and dazzling. The walls and floors were all marble, and the chandeliers hanging from the ceiling were lit with numerous light bulbs, making it as bright as day. And what about the people? Their neatly trimmed hair and impeccable suits were matched with makeup and attitudes that were more elegant and graceful than ever. He couldn’t believe there was such a fancy place. Yu-jin was so overwhelmed that he couldn’t come to his senses.
Passing through the employee who was waiting while opening the large door that looked heavy, he entered another large space inside. After carefully placing Yu-jin on the elegant and large dark gray leather sofa, Winston sat next to him. Only then did Yu-jin realize that he hadn’t taken a single step since getting out of the car.
“What would you like to drink?”
Yu-jin didn’t know what to say to Winston’s question and just fumbled around.
“Wa, water…”
Choosing the most innocuous word, Winston seemed to think for a moment and then asked.
“Can I choose for you? I know a delicious drink.”
“O, okay, I like it.”
Thank goodness. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but suddenly Winston overlapped his lips with Yu-jin’s. Before he could react, he pulled away first, so Yu-jin just blinked with a bewildered face. Winston sighed and slumped his shoulders as he looked at Yu-jin.
“Yu-jin, you can’t seduce me in a place like this.”
“What?”
He couldn’t understand what he was saying at all. Just when he felt somehow wronged, Winston frowned and tried to kiss him again.
But this time, he turned his head away by a hair’s breadth.
“I, I didn’t seduce you or anything.”
As Yu-jin stammered and protested, Winston looked at him with a serious expression. Feeling uneasy at the thoughtful reaction, Winston soon straightened his body and raised his hand. As the manager, who had been waiting, readily approached, he said something as if nothing had happened, but of course Yu-jin didn’t understand anything.
“What is this place…?”
He had no idea what he was trying to do in this separate space. Winston smiled and replied.
“I want to buy you something.”
“Buy me? What?”
When Yu-jin repeated his words in surprise, the manager returned again and placed drinks and beautifully made refreshments in front of them. As he looked curiously at the glass with blackish-brown liquid and white cream on top, Winston nodded as if urging him.
“Try it, I’ll order something else if you don’t like it.”
“O, okay.”
As he put the straw to his lips and sucked it in as he was told, Yu-jin’s eyes widened in an instant. He couldn’t say anything and just looked at Winston, who burst out laughing at the sight.
“Do you like it?”
As he brushed Yu-jin’s hair back from his forehead and asked affectionately, Yu-jin nodded his head urgently. He never knew there was such a taste in the world. It’s sweet and moderately bitter, but it’s cold enough to wake you up, and the sensation of it going down your throat is incredibly smooth. He was eating it mindlessly when suddenly, a beep, an unpleasant sound rang out. Hurriedly taking his mouth off, he saw that the glass was already empty. At the sight of Yu-jin putting down the empty glass in embarrassment, Winston asked for another drink and added an order.
“Shirts and pants, something that would suit him.”
“Understood.”
The manager smiled and replied, then disappeared. Yu-jin put the sweet buttery bread in his mouth and closed his eyes, sighing in admiration.”It’s delicious.”
The mansion always provided him with food and prepared everything he needed, but Yu-jin didn’t know what to say, so he couldn’t make requests.
Only once, he had been so curious about a dish from a book that he asked for it to be made, but it tasted so strange that he had a terribly difficult time eating it. After that, he never said such a thing again. He would feel too sorry if they went to the trouble of making it and he couldn’t eat it.
But he could ask them to make this.
Feeling his heart swell with joy, Yu-jin tugged on Winston’s sleeve a couple of times. When Winston, who had been drinking coffee, turned his gaze to him, Yu-jin, his face flushed red, started to speak.
“What’s this called? What do you call it?”
“Financier.”
Winston said, glancing at the half-eaten piece of bread that Yu-jin was still holding. Winston, watching Yu-jin diligently memorize ‘financier, financier,’ asked,
“Do you like it?”
“Yeah, uh-huh.”
Yu-jin, his eyes sparkling, revealed his grand ambition.
“Next time they bring me a meal, I’m going to ask them to make financiers too. I didn’t know something like this existed, so I couldn’t ask.”
Winston once again stared intently at Yu-jin’s face. A complex emotion flickered across Winston’s face as he watched him happily savor the remaining piece little by little. Just as Winston, lost in thought for a moment, was about to say something, a knock was heard, and the manager opened the door. Behind her followed an employee carrying a tray with drinks and two employees pushing a rack of clothes.
“Would you like to try them on right away? Or would you like to rest a little longer before looking?”
At the manager’s question, asked with a smile, Yu-jin hurriedly rubbed his greasy hands roughly on his clothes. Winston, seeing him do that, didn’t say anything and turned his gaze to the manager.
“We’ll take our time looking, so could you give us some space? Thank you.”
The manager looked momentarily surprised, but soon gave a casual smile and a nod before leading the employees out. Once they were alone, Yu-jin finally turned his gaze to the clothes hanging on the rack and blinked.
“Are you going to buy me clothes?”
“Yes.”
Seeing Winston nod readily, Yu-jin gaped in confusion.
“Um… is the outfit I’m wearing now… weird?”
“No, Yu-jin. Absolutely not.”
Winston quickly smiled and denied it, seeing his complexion turn pale.
“I just want you to wear clothes that I buy you when we meet. Not the clothes your father bought you.”
“Oh…”
Yu-jin seemed a little relieved at that, but then tilted his head. As if reacting as if the money you use is Harold’s money anyway, Winston casually added,
“This is my money. I earned it, so you don’t have to worry about it.”
“You earned money? You’re still a student? How?”
Yu-jin raised his voice in surprise. There are many ways to earn money. But Yu-jin had been confined for so long, so it was natural that he knew nothing about the world.
“I did a little bit of stocks.”
“Stocks?”
“Yeah.”
Winston didn’t say anything more and changed the subject.
“Would you like to eat some more? Or should we change clothes first?”
Yu-jin soon noticed his intention and looked back at the tray. After hesitating for a moment, he made up his mind and opened his mouth.
“I’ll eat some more.”
* * *
It was a good thing he ate more.
By the time he came out after trying on his fifth outfit, Yu-jin seemed completely exhausted. Every time Yu-jin changed and came out, Winston would give him all sorts of instructions, like turn this way, turn that way, walk from here to there, and then he would hand him another outfit he had picked out. And then it would start all over again.
It was the first time he had ever put on and taken off so many clothes in one place in a row. Yu-jin wanted to tell him to stop, but he couldn’t upset Winston, who had gone to the trouble of earning money to buy him clothes. Yu-jin, who had no choice but to endure and go in and out of the fitting room several times as he was told, couldn’t help but let out a deep sigh when Winston handed him another outfit.
“Are you very tired?”
Winston burst out laughing and asked. Yu-jin mumbled, embarrassed, “A little.”
“Isn’t this enough…?”
“Honey, let’s just try this one more on.”
Winston pleaded, handing him the shirt and pants he had picked out. But Yu-jin was more surprised by the other part and widened his eyes.
“Honey…?”
“Yeah.”
He asked, feeling dazed, but Winston’s reaction was nonchalant. He lightly kissed Yu-jin on the forehead and then asked,
“Shall I help you change?”