JKA 53

The world seemed to spin before his eyes. Was he short on oxygen? Because he was in such a small space? Such a nonsensical thought occurred to him. He wondered why fastening just a few buttons was taking so long, and as he thought he should get it over with quickly, his hands kept slipping on the buttons.

His hands were sweating. It felt like sweat was running down his back too. He could feel that the breath he was exhaling was too hot. Jiwoon wanted to escape this small fitting room as soon as possible. If someone were to suddenly ask from outside if he was done changing, he felt like he would faint on the spot. He was dizzy, thinking about what in the world was happening.

After finally managing to fasten all the buttons, Jiwoon let out a sigh of relief and lifted his head. Zeo, with an unfazed expression, turned around and checked his reflection in the mirror attached to the fitting room wall. The cool blue shirt fit his body perfectly. He stared through the mirror at Jiwoon, who was standing behind him with a bright red face.

“Matching shirts?”

At Zeo’s words, Jiwoon’s eyes widened as he met his gaze in the mirror. Then, unable to say anything properly, he just moved his lips before glaring at him as if annoyed. He knew it probably wasn’t intentional. But Zeo, just for fun, turned his body to tease Jiwoon.

“Holding hands is not okay, but matching shirts are?”

“I, it’s just that the colors h, happened to be si, similar, that’s all.”

“I know.”

“Then why, why.”

“It’s fun.”

Saying that, Zeo suddenly threw the fitting room door wide open and gave Jiwoon a hard push. Jiwoon, stumbling backward from the push, lost the strength in his legs and collapsed into a sitting position. Then, he felt the sofa he had been sitting on just a moment ago beneath his bottom.

His heart was pounding. Did anyone see? Jiwoon looked around, but for some reason, neither the clerk nor any customers were in sight. What is going on, he thought, and just then, the clerk who had been helping him returned to the store holding a bunch of things, made eye contact with Jiwoon, and said with a smile.

“Looks like he’s not out yet, maybe the size doesn’t fit. With a bigger size…”

The clerk said, putting down her things, seemingly completely unaware that Jiwoon had been in the fitting room until just a moment ago. At that moment, Zeo came out of the fitting room, opening the door with an expression as if nothing had happened. He naturally closed the door and asked Jiwoon.

“How is it, should I go with this one?”

His brazen face was enough to make a dry laugh escape. The clerk complimented Zeo’s appearance and recommended other clothes. As the clerk, asking if the suit he was currently wearing wasn’t too hot and saying there were thinner materials, spoke beside him, Zeo gave a nonchalant smile. Jiwoon, sitting quietly and watching the scene, was dumbfounded.

‘He’s a guy who doesn’t even know how to fasten shirt buttons.’

Like that, Zeo repeatedly came out wearing various suits as if he were in a fashion show. He had asked him to fasten his buttons, but he came out just fine wearing the new shirt he received from the clerk. Seriously, why is he like that, he thought, but then the memory of his own nail marks on Zeo’s shoulder made his face flush.

Does it look good on me, do you like this one? Every time Zeo came out in new clothes, Jiwoon’s face was a complete mess. Zeo happily watched Jiwoon’s ever-changing face as if it were a movie. Before long, having chosen several outfits, Zeo asked if he could have them delivered to his home. Then, he naturally paid for the clothes.

Zeo, having received only a couple of shirts to wear right away, bid farewell to the clerk with a gentle face and approached Jiwoon, who was still sitting quietly. Jiwoon stood up awkwardly and stood next to Zeo. What clothes wouldn’t suit that face? He was a clothes hanger that every store in the department store would welcome.

“Di, didn’t you buy too much?”

“No? I haven’t bought enough yet.”

Zeo, as if asking what he was talking about, once again dragged Jiwoon around. From casual wear that he could wear comfortably to suits, he was practically on a mission to sweep the department store clean. And in between, he didn’t forget to pick out Jiwoon’s clothes as well. As if determined to make him realize his clothing preferences for sure today, he was unstoppable.

Jiwoon, following such a Zeo, at some point began to have a question. It was, where on earth does all that money come from? It was to the point where he wondered what was up with him, buying dozens of clothes at a department store of all places. If you added his own clothes to that, the money spent so far was no small sum.

“U, um. By the way, wh, where does the mo, money come from?”

Jiwoon asked Zeo, who was trying on a pair of sneakers. At that, he looked at Jiwoon and asked jokingly.

“Afraid I might have stolen it or something?”

“No… you d, didn’t have a job or anything to e, earn money.”

“Why not?”

“…”

“Did you think I cleaned up after you for free?”

“…Do a, angels get a sa, salary?”

Jiwoon asked with a dumbfounded expression. At that, Zeo, who had stood up after putting on the sneakers, made a strange expression and finally couldn’t hold it in and burst into laughter. At the sound of his hearty laughter, Jiwoon just blinked his eyes. It was the first time he had seen him laugh so heartily, and he completely forgot that he had laughed at his words and just stared at his face as if mesmerized.

Had there ever been a time when Zeo laughed in front of him, looking so happy? Jiwoon couldn’t remember well. In any case, it felt like this was the first time he had seen that expression, and his chest felt all tingly. When he was expressionless, he felt even less human. Zeo made various expressions, but they had never deeply resonated with him. But now, he kept trying to find some meaning in each and every expression he made.

“I, I don’t think it was th, that funny of a story.”

Liking his smiling face was one thing, and feeling strangely offended was another. Because he was spending money like water, he wondered if he really did get a salary. It wasn’t meant as a joke, but since he laughed like that, Jiwoon became embarrassed.

“It’s not stolen, borrowed, or taken, none of that. You don’t need to know where the money came from.”

“…”

“It’s complicated, but there’s also a simple way. It’s definitely not a bad thing. As if I would?”

Zeo said that and bought the sneakers he was wearing as well. When the staff said the desired size had to be ordered and that it would take some time because it was a popular model, Zeo said that was even better and asked for it to be sent by delivery. If he didn’t want the number of shopping bags to increase, he could just stop shopping. While he was thinking that, Zeo talked to the staff about something and then suddenly brought a pair of sneakers and placed them in front of Jiwoon.

Jiwoon was sitting on a small sofa by then. He was tired from watching Zeo’s shopping and circling every floor of the department store several times, so he was at a point where if he saw a chair, he would try to sit down no matter what. Zeo, holding a shoebox, knelt on one knee in front of such a Jiwoon and promptly took off the sneakers Jiwoon was wearing.

“Wh, what is it?”

“Never mind that. You, tell me an interesting story.”

After suddenly taking off his shoes, Zeo, who was changing them into the new shoes from the box, looked up at Jiwoon with a smiling face.

“An i, interesting story? All of a sudden…”

“You’ve only told uninteresting stories. On a shopping date like this, you’re supposed to pick out clothes for each other, try them on, and buy the same things, and have fun like that, but the conversations in between were really bad.”

“I, I think we did everything you m, mentioned…”

They picked out clothes for each other, and bought similar clothes. Although it wasn’t intentional, Jiwoon and Zeo were now wearing blue shirts side by side. Even though they were a little different, wearing them together made it feel like a couple’s look.

“Or you can ask me things you’re curious about.”

“Y, you won’t answer properly anyway…”

“Who, me?”

Zeo answered in a dumbfounded tone and finished putting the remaining shoe on Jiwoon as well. Even so, tying the shoelaces seemed quite difficult for him; he just loosened them a lot and couldn’t tie a proper knot. At this, Jiwoon bent his waist to untie the sloppily tied knot and then tied it again.

“Lo, look carefully.”

He crossed the laces and passed one over. Then he made a loop, wrapped the lace over it again and pushed it inside, then made a similar loop and pulled both sides tightly. Then, a bow shape was formed.

“D, don’t take the laces all the way out of the h, holes, put your foot in… and pull to a, adjust. Then, when your f, foot is held well and it’s not too t, tight, after pulling it to that point.”

“…”

“You can t, tie a knot like this.”

“This is harder than buttons.”

“A l, little. Yes.”

Zeo watched quietly as Jiwoon tied the shoelaces, and then, as if imitating him, tied a knot on the other shoe whose lace had come undone. Despite saying it was harder than buttons, he tied the knot skillfully as if he had done it often.

“Y, you actually know h, how, don’t you?”

At Jiwoon’s question, Zeo frowned.

“I didn’t. I just learned now.”

“H, how can you do it as s, soon as you learn?”

“Because I’m built that way.”

“…”

“Want to wear them out? They have this one in your size.”

Zeo, who had gotten up, didn’t even listen to Jiwoon’s answer and said he would wear the new shoes out, and to throw away the shoes he had worn there. Because he had worn just one pair of sneakers day in and day out for the reason that they were comfortable, the heel of the shoe was worn down. Jiwoon looked down at the new shoes. It was the same design as the one Zeo had just picked.

“Walk.”

At Zeo’s words, Jiwoon put down all the shopping bags he was holding as if cradling them in his arms and walked around the store in a circle. For new shoes, the fit wasn’t bad. Zeo, without a word, watched Jiwoon walk around here and there, then finished paying and picked up all the shopping bags Jiwoon had tossed aside.

“Should we get something to eat?”

At the question from Zeo who had come closer, Jiwoon just blinked his eyes.

“A, are we going home?”