Chapter 50.1

Chapter 50.1

Seok-kyung alternated his gaze between the line of mannequins, Seol-do in front of him, and Ara, who was now looking at him from inside the store.

It took less than three seconds for his handsome face to turn pale with contemplation.

“Stop talking nonsense and buy it quickly.”

He turned 180 degrees, as if to hide his flushed face, and turned his back to the entrance. The shopping bags hanging from his arms rustled along with his movements.

“What? I was expecting something,” Seol-do muttered playfully as she led Ara into the store.

Seok-kyung’s gaze continued to wander for a while. His eyes, bouncing around the people moving between the lobby and the hallways, finally landed on a shop window nearby.

Among the items displayed beyond the transparent glass, one necklace caught his eye.

It was a delicate chain made of platinum, with a tiny diamond, shaped like a pinky nail, intricately set in a circular design.

Despite the more extravagant and fashionable necklaces surrounding it, Seok-kyung couldn’t take his eyes off that one.

…It would suit her well.

Just as that unvoiced thought crossed his mind, a presence he hadn’t noticed before suddenly burst forth beside him.

“Wow, it’s pretty.”

Ara, who seemed to have finished shopping, was now holding several shopping bags emblazoned with the logo of a famous lingerie brand.

Seok-kyung glanced at Ara’s neck, which bore no accessories, and straightened his back from the slight bend he had taken while examining the display.

“Give it to me.”

He pointed at the shopping bags Ara was holding.

“I-I’ll carry this!”

Ara shook her head and quickly hid her hands behind her back.

“Na Ara. Come here. It’s time to buy shoes.”

Just then, Seol-do, who had gone ahead, waved her hand toward Ara.

“Let’s hurry. Seol-do is calling you.”

Ara naturally used Seol-do as an excuse and stepped out of Seok-kyung’s reach. Her hurried steps, fueled by her flustered feelings, caused her loosely tied hair to flutter like flower stems.

Seok-kyung watched Ara’s retreating figure and then glanced back at the necklace in the display. After a moment of hesitation, he narrowed his brows slightly and followed Ara into the shoe store.

Once inside, Ara was already trying on a pair of sneakers recommended by a staff member. Next to her, Seol-do was comparing them with a different colored model.

Seok-kyung stood in front of Ara, gazing down at several pairs of sneakers, then turned his eyes to scan the other shoes displayed on the wall.

“Not that one. That one.”

He pointed to a model that stood out among the options.

“Of course. Our boss has a good eye. This model is the most expensive limited edition in our store, and it’s so popular that we only have one left in stock.”

The staff member spoke sweetly as they brought over the sneakers Seok-kyung had pointed out.

“Fortunately, it’s the perfect size for this customer. Would you like to try these on as well?”

Ara glanced at the shoes the staff member held out in front of her.

They were white sneakers with a round toe, looking neat and cute. She also liked the blue line that served as a point along the side, connecting to the sole.

Except for the staff’s insistence that they were the most expensive in the store.

“Yes? Ah, yes…”

But Ara could only respond that way while glancing at Seol-do. Saying “too expensive” was a response that had long been forbidden.

“Alright. Then just a moment…

The staff member loosened the laces of the sneakers and approached Ara, passing by Seok-kyung. As he bent down to turn the shoes for Ara’s comfort, Seok-kyung set the shopping bags he was holding down on the floor.

He half-snatched the pristine white sneakers from the staff member’s hands and slowly knelt on one knee.

“Right foot first.”

His pleasant voice resonated from a lower eye level than Ara’s gaze.

“Crazy.”

Seol-do exclaimed in a mix of admiration and disbelief as she pulled out her smartphone. Soon, the sound of rapid-fire photos being taken filled the air.

“Nam Seol-do. Aren’t you going to put that away?”

“What are you talking about? This has to be documented. It’s worthy of the Hall of Fame.”

Seol-do captured even the expression on Seok-kyung’s face as he looked up with a frown.

Seok-kyung thought it might be better to disable the camera function of the goblin’s magic wand and raised his head toward Ara.

“Na Ara. Right foot.”

“Huh? Oh, yes.”

Only then did Ara timidly extend her right foot. Her anxious gaze wavered, dropping from the two bickering goblins to below her knees.