To be honest, deciding to buy clothes was a rather impulsive choice.
I had recently realized that I lacked outfits to go out in, and since Luche offered a ride, it would make the trip easier.
It turned out to be an efficient decision—doing everything in one go.
What I hadn’t anticipated, however, was the outrageous prices at the department store.
I should have just gone to an outlet instead. Even a simple, plain cotton jacket cost as much as dozens of packs of ramen.
That’s easily a week’s worth of food expenses, even if you cook one bowl at a time!
The presence of the department store “dungeon” guards—better known as the clothing store clerks—didn’t help either.
“Bright colors would really suit you, ma’am…”
“Umm, do you really think so?”
“What about this one? Would you like to try it on?”
Once I put the clothes on, it wasn’t bad at all. I guess my petite figure complemented light, flowing outfits.
If I could ignore my initial discomfort, it was indeed true.
But this thing is too expensive.
The fabric seemed thinner than the other clothes I’d looked at earlier—why is it costing more?
“Is there anything else you’d like to see?”
“Oh! So you’re looking for something specific?”
“Well… I’d like to find some pants. Something simple, you know, something I can wear anywhere.”
What I needed were clothes suitable for somewhat formal occasions, or at least something presentable. And I needed long pants so I wouldn’t have to wear a skirt.
Though, it was hard to articulate exactly what I was looking for. Right as I was stammering, a savior appeared.
“Maybe you’d prefer slacks? Since you seem to like monochromatic colors, black or navy would be good choices.”
“Yes!”
Luche, that is, Iga-yun, sometimes helped out while enjoying her own shopping spree. She followed me around casually, but it seemed she wasn’t overly intent on finding things for herself.
Fortunately, the clothes she picked out were perfect. They carried a subtle femininity in their cut, but overall were presentable and clean.
At this point, I wouldn’t have much resistance to wearing them.
As for the price… well, it still hurt. But decisions had to be made.
“Yes, I’ll take this!”
“Certainly! I’ll assist you with the payment.”
In the department store, I also bought a few more pieces of clothing—not only those that matched the new pants but also preparing, just in case, for the possibility of meeting Elderlyn.
Luche had mentioned something like casual suits or semiformal outfits, but whatever it was, it fit the description.
It cost quite a bit of my spare money, yet this seemed worthwhile for important events. I’d have to store them carefully since frequent wear might ruin them.
After the card was charged, the attendant went off to package the clothes, and Luche was still looking around the store.
She had been incredibly helpful in measuring and selecting the clothes. Not wanting to interfere, I grabbed a seat nearby.
I was somewhat wary, given the stereotype that shopping among women involves making each other try every possible outfit, but this wasn’t the case—it turns out that this might just be an illusion of media.
She occasionally glanced my way but never pressured me into anything.
Would she stop shopping once I get up? I better find something to do, like check my phone, until she’s done.
“Ma’am, I’ve finished wrapping your clothes. Would the journey to your house be long?”
“Ummm… about an hour by bus?”
“We can deliver them to your home if you’d like. There’s no extra charge, and it usually takes a day, sometimes two.”
“That sounds good. Please do that.”
With a nod, the attendant smiled and turned away.
It worked out well. I was wondering how I’d handle lugging all these clothes.
It might be these thoughtful arrangements that justify coming to such expensive department stores.
Still, I will stick to outlets from now on. It’s just too pricey.
While I was nosing around the Invul gaming community, Luche was picking out clothes with an attendant in tow.
Surprisingly, there were more soft, frilly, and girlish outfits in the section we browsed than I expected.
She must have a preference for those kinds of styles, although she usually dresses more maturely.
I was pleased as a fan to discover a side of her I hadn’t known.
“Sorry, Da-eun. Did you wait long?”
“Oh, don’t worry about it. Have you finished shopping?”
“Well, for now. I did check out some shoes, but there wasn’t much that caught my eye here.”
Though she had bought quite a bit, that was expected. Rich people’s shopping, it must be beyond the understanding of ordinary folk like me. After all, I can’t picture myself shopping by telling an attendant to “Grab this and that” while dragging them everywhere.
“I’m surprised we finished so quickly. Aren’t you hungry?”
I hesitated to answer.
It’s expensive here.
I don’t even eat a roll of kimbap in places like this. If we went to a restaurant catering to Luche’s palate, it could wipe out my balance.
A sparrow following a stork will have its legs stretched—proverbially speaking.
“I should treat you to dinner since you helped me out.”
“Can I, uh, eat a lot?”
“Of course.”
—
The high-floor dungeon, I mean, shopping mall’s 44th floor housed a restaurant. With its clear glass walls, it offered an exquisite view of the city below.
I was momentarily dazzled by the pristine restaurant, but quickly gave way to apprehension.
‘Am I looking like an idiot now? What do I do?’
A name that could be of no recognizable language: ‘OpLangs.’ The prices listed on the menu were, once again, astronomical.
I’m not entirely clueless. I know these high-end restaurants have their own rules, and if not followed, one could be deemed extremely rude or uneducated.
And therein lies the problem—I am uneducated.
Most of the meat I’ve eaten was pork belly or pork neck. The closest I’ve come to beef is having it fully cooked on a grill with adults.
Naturally, I knew little about terms like rare or well-done.
In my life, my sword practice was all-consuming, leaving little room for education in other areas.
That placed me among the less knowledgeable players.
“What would you like to order? The pasta here is pretty good.”
“I’ll take your recommendation.”
“Yes. And I’ll order my favorite steak?”
There wasn’t much else I could say as I froze in place. By the time Iga-yun finished ordering, I was already overwhelmed and shrank under her gaze.
A brief silence was broken by her gentle voice.
“Have I ever told you about my horseback riding?”
“Horseback riding? No, this is the first time I’m hearing it.”
“I began riding at a very young age. I loved it. I even cared for the horses and always went to the stable when life got rough.”
I am a fan of Luche. I thought I knew a lot about her, but I guess not.
“You know about the time I broke my arm? It was due to a fall from a horse. Bella—that was my horse’s name—might have been startled by a nearby accident and lost her footing. I broke my leg when I fell. Losing my prized friend and sustaining such injuries—it felt like the whole world was collapsing.”
The story that followed was the one I knew well. Years of rehabilitation, learning to move the leg that refused to budge, and eventually discovering Invul.
The same player who couldn’t even hold a shield became a notorious streamer and, soon after, a top Paladin in rank games.
I wanted to follow her success story.
That’s why I became her fan.
“I attempted suicide five times. I felt like I’d lost everything. Like I was abandoned by the world. It was something I couldn’t endure.”
“…”
So, that’s the case.
Even Luche had her hardships. It wasn’t just me being weak and falling behind.
That fact was oddly comforting.
“These days, I’ve taken to playing the piano. I’m not very good yet. Fact is, my fingers still don’t move as they should.”
“Even now? I thought you were fully healed.”
“Yes. They don’t move as precisely as I’d like. But it’s been a big improvement. I believe you, Da-eun, will improve bit by bit as well.”
“Having volunteered at the rehab center for years, I noticed that Da-eun seemed to be in a lot of pain every time we met. That’s why I wanted to encourage her,” Luche added.
“Can I, with hard work, become like you, Luche? Or rather, Iga-yun?”
“Of course. If not today, then tomorrow. If not tomorrow, then the day after. You know it well—we’re used to taking our time.”
Indeed. I nodded. Someday. Even if not today, progress bit by bit is enough.
Our ordered food arrived. I had a creamy pasta dish, while Luche’s came with a strong garlic scent.
Guided by what I vaguely recalled, I twirled my fork into the pasta.
It wasn’t too different from what Luche was doing. Listening to her talk, I took my first bite. It was delicious—like a gift.
“Oh, by the way, you aren’t thinking this meal is a gift, are you?”
“…Is it not?”
“Try not to be too surprised tomorrow.”
The next day, a large delivery of clothes arrived at my place. They were the items Iga-yun had picked out at the mall.
