Chapter 6.1

*Warning: The following material may contain strong language, unusual humor, violence, and sexual contents that readers may find offensive. Please use your own discretion.*

6.1

“Do you even own a whip?”

When Sunghee asked with a smirk, Sejin replied,

“If I order it online, it will be here in a week.”

When he answered easily, she pinched his arm. With a flinch, Sejin moved away from her a little.

“You’re so mean, Sunghee.”

“Just tell me what you really want.”

“Fine, fine. Are you busy tomorrow?”

Sunghee looked up at him and asked,

“Why do you ask?”

“I want us to wrestle in bed all day tomorrow.”

When he grinned, Sunghee sighed.

“Are you serious?”

“I’m just kidding. Even I can’t do this all day. My stamina isn’t that good.”

Then why did he even bring it up? For a moment, she felt so expectant. Realizing her heart was pounding rapidly, Sunghee scolded herself. What has gotten into her?!

“So what is it that you want? If you don’t tell me in three seconds, it’s over.”

“If you aren’t busy, I want you to go to the department store with me.”

She couldn’t believe what she had just heard. The department store? To do what? When she stared at him in confusion, Sejin shrugged his shoulders.

“It’s just that my mother’s birthday is coming up soon. I need to get her something, but I don’t know what. I thought that you, a woman, might have a good idea.”

“But it’s your mother. Wouldn’t you know her taste better than I do?”

“My mother’s taste is rather elegant, unlike mine. Since you’re an art major, I thought you would have a better taste than me. Don’t you agree?”

Sejin used his arms as a pillow and faced her. Sunghee frowned a little before sighing. Well, perhaps he was right. But this meant she had to spend the whole day with him in the department store where the staff were known to be notoriously snubby.

Could she do this? Could she spend the whole day with him without getting angry at him?

Sunghee laid on her stomach and turned towards him.

“Do you have other clothes at home?”

“Clothes? Of course I do. Did you think I went around naked or something?”

When he asked her in confusion, Sunghee said to him firmly,

“Then we needed to drop by your place first thing in the morning. We will need to get something better for you to wear. And we definitely need to do something about your hair.”

“Huh? Why? What’s wrong with my clothes and hair?”

Sejin frowned and covered his head with his arms as if to protect his hair. Looking at him acting childish, Sunghee rolled her eyes.

“You can’t go to the department store looking like that. I know it’s not right, but the people there will treat you differently depending on how you look. You need to wear clean UNWRINKLED clothes, and let’s go get your hair done at the hairdresser tomorrow morning. We also need to get you a new pair of glasses. Just do as I say.”

When she gave him a menacing look, Sejin nodded. Stretching his body and turning the night stand lamp off, he grumbled,

“Sunghee, you’re acting like my girlfriend.”

The room suddenly turned dark and Sunghee blinked a few times to get used to it. She felt a little strange. His girlfriend? Changing his appearance to match her preference… Was this really what a girlfriend would do to her boyfriend?

She murmured,

“Just call me Pygmalion.”

“Pygmalion? But he married his own statue, didn’t he?”

“Well… I guess that sounds strange.”

When she answered quickly, Sejin gave her a low laugh. Sunghee turned to look at his face, but she couldn’t see a thing in the dark. She couldn’t tell if his eyes were laughing too, or if it was just his lips.

***

“So his hair… Please just cut it short. Don’t you think that would be better?”

“Hmm… He does have a lot of hair, so shorter hair would certainly be easier to take care of. You don’t really do anything with your hair, do you, Sir?”

Sejin was sitting in a chair at the hairdresser’s. When the hairdresser asked him, he nodded with a pout. Sunghee kicked his leg, and with a sigh, he answered,

“No, I don’t.”

“How about dying your hair lighter as well? Something that will match your skin tone. It will make your face look more lively.”

“Are you saying I look dead now?”

When Sejin grumbled, the hairdresser seemed confused. Sunghee smacked his shoulder and smiled at the hairdresser.

“Yes, I agree with you. I think he should get his hair dyed too. As for the color… Hmm… Could you get me a color chart?”

“Of course.”

The hairdresser must’ve realized it was going to be easier to deal with Sunghee than Sejin. She quickly brought the color chart and the two women discussed the best color for him. In the end, a light brown was chosen and the hairdresser began dying Sejin’s hair. When the hairdresser left them for a moment to get the dye, Sejin grumbled,

“Sunghee, is this really necessary? We’re just going to the department store. It’s not like I’m going on a blind date or something.”

“Have you ever been on a blind date before?”

“At my age? Of course, I have.”

Sejin frowned as if she had just insulted him. Her eyes wide in surprise, Sunghee crossed her arms and asked,

“Then how come you don’t even own a decent suit?”

***