I guess… Maybe this "quest" wasn't so bad after all.
…No, wait.
That line sounded painfully— cliche… even in my head.
We stepped out of the arcade together, blinking at the mall softer lighting after all the bright screens and buzzing noises. Ivy hugged her new plush, some kind of bear-blob thing— like she had just saved it from an evil empire.
Meanwhile, I awkwardly carried a massive sunfish plush under my arm. Yes, massive. Don't ask how I got it. Don't ask why I won it. Just accept it…
"Alright," I muttered, adjusting the massive sunfish under my arm. So it won't accidentally smack anyone. "Clothes. Before you start wearing my shirts like some oversized dresses."
Ivy gasped dramatically. "But they're comfy!"
"Yeah, and you look like a walking laundry bag."
She giggled, skipping ahead. "Then I'll pick my own!"
"Go wild within reason," I said, immediately regretting the words. "I guess."
The sliding doors of the clothing store opened with a soft chime. Cool air. Soft lighting. Polished tiles. One of those higher-end places I always walked past but almost never entered unless I needed something for events. And even then.
The moment we stepped inside, a woman in a sleek black uniform turned toward us. Her eyes widened.
"Oh my— Mister Si Hon?"
I blinked. "Uh…. Yeah?"
"Welcome! It's been so long since you've visited! You're buying clothes today?"
Ivy peeked from behind me, and tugged my sleeves and whispered, "They know you?"
"Unfortunately."
One of the staff poked my side. "Oh don't be like that Mr. Si— Hon, what do you mean unfortunately?"
I pretended I didn't hear her.
She clasped her hands politely. "We'll prepare your usual preferences right away."
"Actually," I interrupted, gently setting the giant sunfish beside a mannequin. "Not for me. For her."
The woman blinked. "Her?"
Ivy waved, holding up her tiny blob-plush. "Hi! I'm Ivy!"
"Oh! How adorable!" The staff's voice melted instantly. "Miss Ivy, what would you like to wear?"
Ivy's eyes sparkled, clutching her Blob-plush tightly. "Anything?"
I opened my mouth to limit the Damge but— too bad, Ivy had already vanished into the aisles.
She darted between racks, running her hands through dresses, skirts, and jackets.
Every few seconds came a gasp or a "Whoa!" or an "Ahjussi, look at this one!"
"He's… letting her pick herself?" One of the staff whispered.
The other one nodded like they were watching a miracle.
"Yeah," I muttered, crossing my arms. "I'm feeling generous today."
A few minutes later, Ivy returned with her arms full of pastel sweaters, denim shorts, a hat with bear ears, and something suspiciously glittery.
Wait.
glittery?
"… You said no pink explosion," I reminded her.
"It's not pink!" she said proudly. "It's a rose sunrise!"
I groaned. "That's pink with marketing."
She giggled, spinning around as staff members smiled from afar, already whispering about how Si Hon was actually shopping like a human being.
Then one of the staff clapped her hands together, smiling. "Let's try them on, shall we? The fitting rooms are this way, Miss Ivy."
"Okay!" Ivy chirped, hugging the clothes and followed bouncing like a puppy.
I followed a few steps behind, dragging my poor sunfish along the floor.
The staff at the counter whispered as we passed.
"Is that really Mr. Si Hon?"
"He's… carrying a plushie."
"I think I just saw him smile—"
"Shh! Don't ruin the moment!"
I sigh. "Great, great... Ha-Ha-Ha. Now everyone thinks the neighborhood shut-in with money finally grew a heart."
While Ivy disappeared behind the curtain, I leaned against the wall outside the fitting room. I could hear the rustle of clothes and her muffled little hums.
Then—
"Ahjussi! How do I put this on?!"
"Which one?"
"The skirt thingy! My legs feel weird!"
I rubbed my temples. "That's… how skirts work, Ivy."
A pause. Then a dramatic, "Ohhh…"
Classic.
After what felt like an hour, the curtain slid open—
Ivy stepped out wearing a pale grey hoodie and a denim skirt. The sleeves were slightly long, but overall… it actually fit.
She spun around once, the hem fluttering. "How do I look?"
"Not… bad. You look… normal."
She puffed her cheeks. "Normal?! I look cool!"
"Sure. Cool."
One of the employees giggled softly. "She's adorable, Mr. Si Hon. Your daughter has great taste."
I froze. "My what?"
Ivy tilted her head. "Daughter?"
The woman smiled warmly. "I'm sorry. She looks just like you when she smiles."
"What!? I didn't even smile— did I?"
Then Ivy grinned instantly. "That's because I am his daughter!"
I choked on air. "You're what now—"
The staff burst into laughter. "Ahaha! You're a funny cute girl."
Ivy blinked, confused by their reaction. "But—"
"Don't worry about it," I muttered, patting her head before she could make it worse. "She's… my cousin's kid. Visiting."
The staff accepted that with suspicious ease.
I exhaled quietly. Crisis averted.
Ivy leaned closer and look up at me, whispering, "But Ahjussi… we don't look like a cousin…"
I gave her a deadest stare. "Please don't start."
She snorted, clutching her tiny plush again. "Hehe."
Employees nearby whispered to me.
"Excuse me, Mr. Si Hon, may I actually ask who the young lady is? Your little sister? Or perhaps…"
Before I could answer, Ivy piped up— loud and proud, "like I said I'm his daughter!"
The entire store went silent for half a second— then laughter rippled through the staff.
"Ahaha, I see! What a funny girl!" one of them said, still chuckling.
I sighed, rubbing my temples. "Wait, no, please... Daughter? I'm twenty-two. She's ten. Do I look like I could've raised a kid that fast?"
Ivy huffed, puffing her cheeks. "Well you act like a dad sometimes!"
"Yeah, well, I also act like a guy who regrets walking into this store," I muttered.
The staff laughed again, clearly enjoying the show more than doing their job.
***
After a few more minutes of Ivy admiring herself in the mirror, I held her hand and we approached the counter.
I placed the clothes down while adjusting the sunfish under my arm.
"Did you find everything you need Mr. Si Hon?" the cashier asked, all polite smiles.
"Yeah," I said, setting the pile of clothes down. "Just these."
I shifted the massive sunfish under my arm, the one from the arcade, while Ivy hugged her little bear plush like it was part of her soul.
While the cashier started scanning, a few employees nearby whispered.
"Is he actually paying with his card this time?"
"No way, that card looks like it has infinite money."
"Do you think it glows when it swipes?"
I muttered. "These people need new hobbies."
I handed over the card anyway. The cashier accepted it like it was made of gold, it is worth more than a stack of gold.
The card Beep. The receipt printed out. Transaction approved.
Ivy leaned against the counter, smiling at her reflection in the glass. "Ahjussi, I like shopping with you."
"Yeah, yeah," I muttered, putting my card away in my wallet. "Let's go before someone asks for a picture."
"What?"
"Kidding"
As we walked out, one of the staff whispered loudly, "See? I told you he's not heartless! He even shops now!"
I pretended I didn't hear it, but Ivy giggled all the way to the exit.