DASH-Chapter 160

“Your house...?”

Jaekyoung asked, tilting his head slightly as if the suggestion caught him off guard.

“Yeah, my parents’ house in Ilsan.”

“I know that, but....”

Jaekyoung trailed off, sounding a bit embarrassed. Instead of expressing dislike, he seemed more embarrassed, so Jiheon playfully kissed him on the lips again.

“Why? Not mentally prepared? We can go some other time, then.”

“No, that’s not it.”

Jaekyoung quickly clarified. And then, he finally opened up about his hesitation.

“I don’t have anything to wear right now.”

At that unexpected reason, Jiheon burst into laughter.

“What? Just wear anything neat.”

“No. I’m going to wear a suit.”

Jaekyoung insisted firmly. This time, Jiheon was the one puzzled. Kwon Jaekyoung was socially wrecked and didn’t give a shit about social norms, strolling around in sportswear most of the time. He even attended an award ceremony in a jersey (of course, it was his way of silently protesting, ‘I’m still training, very busy, so please stop bothering me.’). Yet, now he insisted on wearing a suit to meet the family of the person he was going to marry.

“I think a nice sweater and slacks will do. Suits feel too formal. It’s not a business meeting or something, so there’s no need to be overly formal.”

“I want to wear a suit.”

Jaekyoung continued to be stubborn. When Jiheon gave him a quizzical look, Jaekyoung glanced down for a moment, brushed his bangs, and said:

“I need to wear a suit to look more mature.”

Only then did Jiheon understand Jaekyoung’s real concern, and he couldn’t help but laugh again.

“You’re mature enough now. No, you’re technically an adult. But why the sudden need to look even more mature? Do you wanna look that old?”

Jiheon said it playfully, but Jaekyoung wasn’t having it.

“Your family might not see it that way, hyung.”

Jaekyoung stated bluntly.

“And people in this country tend to see me as unusually young.”

He had a point. Since middle school, Jaekyoung had been an athlete who captivated attention and affection, often referred to as not just the national dongsaeng but also the nation’s son and filial child. Even after turning 20, many still remembered him as the ‘young genius.’ To make matters worse, when his appearance on “Joining the Enemy” caused a stir, some people criticized Jiheon, labeling him as a shameless thief preying on children.

But that was because they only saw Jaekyoung on TV. When people saw him in person, they were so impressed by his height and physique that they didn’t think he was young at all. On the contrary, field staff unanimously described him as intimidating, afraid to even make eye contact due to his unique indifferent expression and harsh demeanor.

However, mentioning this might make Jaekyoung overly conscious of his threatening demeanor again, so Jiheon decided to keep quiet.

“Alright, if you wanna wear a suit, go for it.”

Jaekyoung’s expression brightened a bit with Jiheon’s support.

“Then, won’t the day after tomorrow be a bit difficult, hyung? It’ll take a few days just to put an outfit together.”

“Don’t you have a suit? You attended the Asian Games after-party two years ago. You must’ve worn a suit back then.”

“But I’ve grown taller since then, haven’t I? What are you talking about?”

Jaekyoung was dumbfounded.

“It’s just 3 to 4 cm, though?”

“What do you mean by that?”

Jaekyoung expressed his displeasure openly.

“That’s crucial for the length of your pants. I’m meeting your parents; I can’t show up like that.”

A guy who only wore tracksuits whether he was asleep or awake suddenly showed interest in dressing up in a new suit. Given his laid-back philosophy on fashion, it was a bit unexpected.

“Hold on. First of all, let’s find a place with ready-made clothes in your size.”

Jiheon immediately took out his cell phone and started searching. Luckily, he found several overseas brands in department stores with the right size.

“But it might need alterations.”

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“How long does it take for alterations?”

“I don’t know. Probably two days.”

After a moment of thought, Jiheon suggested:

“Alright, let’s go on Friday, then.”

“Is that okay?”

“Yeah, no problem. When I talked to my mom earlier, she said she had plans on Tuesday and Thursday, so she told me to go on Wednesday. But Friday should be fine too.”

“Oh.”

Relief washed over Jaekyoung’s face. Despite saying no with words, it seemed like he still needed some mental preparation.

“Hey, by the way, are you okay with Friday?”

Jiheon asked Jaekyoung again just to make sure.

“Or do you want to postpone? I was planning on visiting them this week anyway, so I don’t mind going alone. I haven’t even told my parents I’m bringing you along.”

“No, I want to go with you, hyung.”

Jaekyoung quickly affirmed.

“I really want to.”

“Alright, let’s head to the department store right away.”

As Jiheon pocketed his cell phone, Jaekyoung had already darted into the bathroom.

Jiheon was a bit worried because it was Monday, but surprisingly, the department store nearest to his place was open. Moreover, the first store they checked responded right away, confirming that the size they needed was in stock.

“Is this for a special occasion, sir?”

The manager recognized Jaekyoung and inquired with a friendly smile. Worried that Jaekyoung might blurt out some nonsense, Jiheon jumped in.

“Yes. He will wear it to an awards ceremony.”

“Oh, I see. Athlete Kwon Jaekyoung must be getting another award, I suppose? He’s amazing, so cool.”

After showering praise for a while, the manager turned to Jiheon suddenly.

“But, sir, your vibe is very different from what I saw on Joining the Enemy.”

Jiheon, unaware that the manager would recognize him too, felt a bit embarrassed and chuckled.

“Oh, is that so?”

“Yes. You look more striking on TV.”

“I guess I look pretty good on cameras.”

Jiheon said in a joking manner.

“Back then, I lost a lot of weight ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) compared to now, and they used makeup on me when recording, so I probably looked better than real life.”

“No, no. You look much better in person, sir.”

The manager shook his hand and gave him an earnest look.

“Sometimes, people with distinct features feel a bit off with too much makeup. You look much more handsome in person. You’re really handsome.”

At the manager’s words, Jaekyoung suddenly reached over and touched Jiheon’s cheek—specifically, the compress attached to it—and remarked:

“You’d look even more handsome without this.”

“No, hey, what are you saying?”

Jiheon stepped away in surprise, and this time, the manager addressed Jaekyoung with a smile on his face.

“Athlete Kwon Jaekyoung looks just like he did on Joining the Enemy.”

‘I guess that means he looks the same...?’

Jiheon was ready to brush it off and move on, but the manager kindly corrected his assumption.

“I used to think those shows were all scripted, where celebrities treat their managers like best friends. But you two genuinely seem to have a great relationship.... It’s really refreshing to see. I initially thought athlete Kwon Jaekyoung was playing it up for the variety show, but that’s not the case.”

The manager expressed it as discreetly as possible.

“Of course. I don’t fake anything.”

Jaekyoung spoke loudly, perhaps taking it as a compliment.

“Yes, yes, so I noticed. In fact, it seems that you two get along even better off-camera.”

“You’ve got a keen eye.”

“Oh, of course. Anyone can tell.”

The manager responded enthusiastically.

“You both seem to have great personalities and a good blend of looks. What do you think? Have you ever considered trying matching suits? These days, even close friends go for matching outfits like that.”

The manager tried to push sales with some banter. Surprisingly, Kwon Jaekyoung was taking it all seriously. Normally, he’d dismiss it with a “You’re talking nonsense” expression, but the manager’s generous compliments seemed to cloud his judgment.

“Hyung, what do you think? Let’s go for matching outfits this time and—”

“Yeah, no need.”

Jiheon cut him off, then turned to the manager, pointing at the suit set he had his eye on.

“Do you have this one in his size?”

“Of course. Please give me a moment.”

The manager took the suit jacket and disappeared to the back of the store. Seizing the opportunity while he was away, Jiheon spoke to Jaekyoung.

“When we go to other shops, just keep quiet no matter what they throw your way, alright?”

It was the first time Jiheon outright told Jaekyoung to utilize his expertise—treating others as if they were invisible. Of course, it was to prevent Jaekyoung from falling prey to persuasive sales tactics and reckless overspending, but more than that, Jiheon wanted to steer clear of talking about their relationship.

Whether they were having a kid or getting married, there was no need to broadcast it to the world just yet. For now, it was best to keep their personal life under wraps before the Olympics. And if that was difficult, at least until after the second selection round.

Jaekyoung also agreed, saying, “Honestly, I don’t think it’s necessary, but if it makes you comfortable, I’ll do it.” However, given his earlier behavior, it seemed like he was ready to explode with pride at the slightest hint of banter or instigation from someone nearby.

“Alright, I understand. I won’t hassle you about it anymore.”

Jaekyoung quickly acknowledged that he couldn’t rely on his own self-restraint.

However, even though he couldn’t voice his thoughts, his whole body screamed otherwise. At the liquor store where they sought a gift for Jiheon’s dad, Jaekyoung eyed a set of Haphwanju (alcohol that a couple made themselves, with the famous bush clovers as the main ingredient), which they wouldn’t even drink. At the home goods store where they shopped for Jiheon’s mom’s gift, he ogled a couples’ coffee cup set (of an extremely expensive German luxury brand).

Jiheon would have preferred him to talk alone with the staff, but Jaekyoung stood in the middle of the store, eyeing items with a solemn expression. Jiheon didn’t like the attention everyone passing by was giving him. At this rate, witnesses might claim they saw Kwon Jaekyoung at the department store buying wedding gifts and post it on social media or somewhere else.

“Hey, let’s get out of here.”

The moment Jiheon settled the bill, he hurried out of the store, dragging Jaekyoung along. While briskly walking in search of the escalator, they stumbled into an unexpected ambush.

It was a baby goods store.