Chapter Text
Having been pulled rather abruptly into the clothing store, Kim Kiryeo stood blankly among aisles of clothes. He shifted a bit, uncertain of what to do.
Honestly, Kiryeo just couldn’t understand the huge deal about what he was wearing; there was no need to make such a fuss. But since he didn’t want anyone to figure out that he wasn’t human, he decided to go along to help strengthen his disguise.
Not that he knew anything about clothing. In fact, he could barely even wrap his head around the fact that people needed to wear clothes at all. It seemed like so much extra work for no reason.
With a sigh, he turned his gaze up toward the towering racks covered in all sorts of clothing.
Ahh… What should I get? Kim Kiryeo idly wondered.
And then he realized—he didn’t actually know how to go clothes shopping. It was clear that Earth had some unspoken rules about the manner of attire, but as unspoken as they were, this pitiful alien had no clue about them.
However, it was obvious from Esther's reaction that he had clearly broken one of these rules. Given the fact that he had no desire to continue standing out, he decided to pick out some clothes.
At first, he considered asking Esther for help, only to belatedly realize she was deep in conversation with a male employee. Making the decision not to bother her, Kim Kiryeo turned back around and ventured deeper into the store.
Clothes, clothes, clothes. Ah! What to wear, what does a human wear~ Humans wear bright and colorful super cherry clothes because they have no work! Oh, what a world to live in, no work to do at all~
Since his only current role model for what to wear was Seo Esther, it would probably be best to go for something similar to what she was wearing.
With that in mind, Kim Kiryeo took a sharp right toward the women’s section. Not that he knew that, of course—our little alien had zero understanding of human gender.
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With a rather nonchalant expression, Kim Kiryeo wandered aimlessly among the aisles, running his hands through flowy dresses, skimpy skirts, and cropped tees. He couldn’t help but be in awe of all the patterns and materials.
The designs were simplistic but like nothing he’d ever seen. His roaming gaze finally came to a standstill at the sight of what must be one of the mythical seven wonders of the world.
Unable to stop himself, Kiryeo pressed forward, legs seemingly moving of their own volition. Step, step, step. His worn-out sneakers treaded softly on ceramic tiles as he drifted toward his destination.
At last, Kim Kiryeo came to a stop in front of the object.
Reaching out his hands, he pressed against the soft fabric. His fingers sank gently, softly into the skirt, tracing its dark patterns. He stepped back to admire the outfit in its entirety.
The outfit itself was a three-piece women’s suit. The entire thing was matte black, yet covered in subtle patterns that could only be seen when angled just right—it was like watching the night sky, a dull darkness full of unseen life.
It was beauty incarnate, nothing like what had existed back on Alphauri.
Though his previous species had no need for clothing, Kim Kiryeo was sure that they would have only produced dull and lifeless costumes—so focused on the destruction of work that none could focus on the beauty of creation.
Ugh, the thought of those horrible working conditions makes me sick just thinking about it.
Just as he was beginning to fall back into his traumatic memories of being employed, Kim Kiryeo was abruptly interrupted by the sound of clattering heels.
Turning around, he barely had time to blink before—
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“Ah, Kiryeo-ssi! I've been looking everywhere for you! How could you just run off like that?” the curse mage cried out, apparently having been put into quite the panic when she noticed he was gone.
Then, as if noticing his confusion, she leaned away with a slightly embarrassed flush.
“Of course, that is not to say you aren’t allowed to go off, considering you’re now Korea’s fourth S-Rank hunter, but I had assumed you’d want a tour or general introduction first.”
“Oh, actually—”
Just as he began to try and correct her misconception about his rank, she yet again cut him off.
“Actually, what are you doing here?” she questioned, as though suddenly aware of where they stood.
That was at least a question he could answer.
Stepping aside to reveal the outfit that had mesmerized him just moments earlier, Kim Kiryeo flashed Seo Esther what he hoped was a pleasing grin.
“I found an outfit that I think is quite enjoyable.”
Esther blinked for just a moment, glancing between the blond-haired man and the clothes, her face twisting with a horde of emotions.
“I see… Are you sure this is what you want?” Esther asked, her voice tinged with an odd lilt. “Not that there's anything wrong with what you chose! I just imagined something more…”
She trailed off toward the end, looking rather unsure of herself.
Kiryeo suddenly felt a spark of nervousness shoot through his veins. Had he done something to cause concern without knowing it? Was his cover blown?
Unable to respond to Esther’s comment, he simply stared ahead with a blank expression on his face. Luckily, Esther didn’t seem to mind at all as she turned her attention back to the clothes that Kim Kiryeo had picked out.
“Well, it is very elegant. It's kinda surprising to see you choose something so normal out of all the options you had.”
Kiryeo furrowed his brows ever so slightly. “Is that supposed to mean something?”
“Not at all!” The curse magician barked with a laugh, evidently having overcome her previous shock. “How about you try it on first? It would be a shame if such a cute outfit went to waste because of size.”
Kiryeo nodded in agreement with her words. That was a reasonable concern, and so—with a bit of guidance—he made his way to the fitting rooms.
Entering the nearest fitting room, the alien immediately set to changing. Slipping away from the tacky fried chicken shirt, mismatched pants, and worn shoes, Kim Kiryeo made a transformation.
He stared at himself in the mirror with a sort of giddy awe, joy sparking just beneath the surface of his skin.
He looked beautiful.
That was the only real description that the former resident of Alphauri could think of.
His host body clearly looked much better than when he had first arrived in it. Bleached yellow hair with black roots, calm sambaegan eyes, and a slim figure dressed in a black skirt that fell just above his knees. A matching blouse and vest added to the look, golden cufflinks that had previously gone unnoticed enhancing the elegant feel of the suit.
Looking in the mirror, Kim Kiryeo did not believe he looked a single bit like the powerhouse so many others claimed him to be.
Surely, showing up in this would help convince them of reason and rid whatever foolish thoughts had come to their minds about his strength.
After all, he was just a simple F-Rank struggling to get by.
With those thoughts cemented in his mind, Kim Kiryeo exited the room, feeling much more prepared for the future conference.
Esther had obviously been waiting for him, given the way she immediately jumped to her feet the moment he stepped out.
“Oh wow…” she breathed out. “You look great.”
Kiryeo couldn’t help the smidge of pride that popped up at her words. Of course, he’d been Alphauri’s greatest archmage; he never looked bad, no matter how weak of a body he was in.
Still, to be polite, he graced her with a smile. “Thank you. Are we done now?” he couldn’t help but question, seeing as their main goal had been accomplished.
Seo Esther nodded along with his words. “Well yeah, but are you absolutely sure that's what you wanna wear?” She seemed almost hesitant to speak.
“Of course, I will always support you no matter what, but a lot of people in power are older and tend to be more close-minded. They won’t accept anything deemed… different.”
Her words came out with a sharp, angered tinge.
Kim Kiryeo didn’t quite understand her words but could feel her concern, and thus responded with what he hoped were calming words.
“No one will care much; after all, I am only a pathetic F-Rank. Once they see what a misunderstanding was made, I’m sure everyone will forget.”
Esther blinked. Once. Twice. Then—
“Still continuing that narrative, huh? I guess it's true that every S-Rank has some quirks, isn’t that right, Kiryeo-ssi?”
She smiled fondly, clearly not expecting an answer, which she didn’t receive.
“Let's go check out now. I picked out a couple of suits just in case, but I can send them back if they make you uncomfortable.”
Kiryeo shook his head. Why would that make him uncomfortable?
Given the fact that he was wearing a suit when he woke up in this body, the previous owner had clearly enjoyed them, and thus Kiryeo held a certain respect for them.
It was the least he could do to show respect for the body that would grant him a peaceful life with absolutely zero work. Ever.
He would never work again.
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The silence had apparently taken too long to be filled, as the leader of the magic tower placed down the suits she was carrying and began to lead the pair to the register.
Although Kim Kiryeo felt a bit bad when he checked the price, remembering that the woman in front of him was one of Korea’s richest made him feel a little bit better.
And with that, the two left the clothing store—
Kiryeo with a brand-new outfit, and Esther with a brand-new “revelation.”