Help, My Eyes
"We're not officially dating yet."
"Oh. you're not??"
"I had a feeling you might be curious about the nature of our relationship."
Manager Kim Minju wondered if the woman before her possessed the ability to read minds. Seeing a man and a woman heading to Wonderland, she initially assud they were a couple. However, it turned out she had misunderstood.
"I apologize. If my gaze made you uncomfortable, I sincerely apologize once again."
"It's okay, but do we genuinely give off a couple vibe?"
"Oh, absolutely. You two look like a perfectly matched, handso, and beautiful couple."
"Really? Thanks."
The woman, with a cat-like deanor, stood out from the beginning. The way she clung to Baek Taeyang's arm clearly indicated they were a couple. Even when choosing clothes, she naturally sought the man's opinion to achieve the perfect girlfriend look.
The occasional kisses and overt hugs made it apparent that they were a couple. The manager thought, ‘At that level, is it really not the case? Kids these days are so different…'
Manager Kim Minju couldn't help but compare it to her own dating days with her husband, where even holding hands made her blush and uncertain. Seeing the couple in front of her, openly living together and still not officially dating, struck her as almost laughable.
"You sure have a nice collection of casual ho attire."
"Thank you for the complint."
"This one, that one, and… the one I just wore, maybe? Kindly arrange them."
"Yes, understood. I will prepare them right away." The manager picked up the ntioned clothes and arranged them in an easy-to-wear manner. Fortunately, there was no need to worry about Baek Taeyang's side, as four designers were already attending to him.
The woman snatched the clothes and strolled over to Baek Taeyang.
"Taeyang~ I've chosen all my clothes. Could you be a darling and help put them on?"
"We're running out of ti. I'll definitely do it next ti."
"Hmph…!" She looked disappointed as she approached Kim Minju again.
Even though the clothes seed easy to put on, her gesture indicated a willingness to accept assistance. As a manager, Kim Minju had developed the ability to deeply analyze every action of VIPs. Even in this simple act, she interpreted the woman's situation differently from a regular person.
These are casual attire she said…
One's dignity and grace don't spring up overnight. Since their first encounter, Kim Minju had sensed an air of upper-class familiarity from the woman. However, the woman's nonchalant treatnt of a top dostic company as just another store montarily caught her off guard.
"Miss, are you, by any chance…"
"Yes, the Magic Tower. I'm the daughter."
"Oh, my apologies…"
But isn't she supposedly in a relationship with Kim Minsoo?
Given the articles that ca out, it was only natural to assu Kim Minsoo would be accompanying So Yoomin. Even though the parties involved denied it, the early photoshoot together had been far from ordinary. So naturally, the assumption was that they were dating.
I nearly made a huge mistake, almost offending the royal family without recognizing her. Thankfully, there had been no slip of the tongue, and she seed to be in good spirits.
"Then, I'll gladly escort you to Wonderland right away."
She observed that both of them had a wealth of experience, making the process of choosing clothes surprisingly brief. They possessed a clear preference, decisiveness, and a keen awareness of their personal style. Describing them as a handso and beautiful couple wasn't rely an empty complint. The glimpses in the rearview mirror portrayed them as the epito of luxury.
Effortlessly rging a casual the park atmosphere with an upscale touch, Baek Taeyang, in jeans, a white T-shirt, and a black cardigan, appeared as a fashion statent, courtesy of his well-built physique. So Yoomin, on the other hand, radiated youthful yet sophisticated charm in a white tennis skirt, apricot-colored stockings, and a red long-sleeved V-neck shirt.
Weren't they expecting one more person to join?
There's a saying about birds of a feather flocking together. Naturally, soone eting the standards of this couple would likely possess a similarly outgoing personality and a sense of fashion. Kim Minju had never witnessed a case otherwise.
However, shortly afterward, Kim Minju's thoughts crumbled.
"Oh, that's Minsoo."
"Is he the companion you ntioned?"
"That's right. Please stop here, thanks."
"Yes… It was an honor to pick you up."
It's unbelievable… How can soone dress like that? Mingling with VIPs in that attire? Should I intervene?
Kim Minju, deeply troubled but turned the steering wheel. She no longer wanted to witness that spectacle.
The lemon-colored cotton pants were the first thing that caught my eye, confidently asserting their presence under the warm sunlight.
"Running fashionably late, about five minutes!" Kim Minsoo's playful remark and wink managed to be oddly endearing.
But really, lemon-colored pants? It would have been slightly more tolerable if it was just the pants. If the catastrophe was limited to one area, he could've changed – a fixable offense. Heck, I might've even considered buying him a replacent.
"Minsoo, why are your shoes… purple?" Yoomin's pupils were jittering non-stop as she uttered the question.
The ensemble of purple shoes, black socks, and lemon-colored cotton pants was enough to drive any sane onlooker mad. Apparently, her immunity to ntal attacks, courtesy of the supposed witch's blessing, wasn't holding up.
"Oh, this is supposed to be the latest trend, you know?"
From his tone, it was evident that soone had recomnded it. Perhaps it wasn't an overall assessnt of the outfit but a random assortnt of individually trending items.
"Taeyang, our tops have the sa color!"
They did. The only discrepancy was Minsoo's audaciously deep V-neck with a standing collar. I tried to look past it for the most part.
My plan was to play along, teasing him just enough while enjoying the outing. But this is pushing it too far.
It exceeded the limits. He even went as far as forcibly applying wax to his entirely disheveled hair, slicking it back.
To roam around Wonderland looking like that? This is a serious problem. If the story had progressed as originally planned, it would've been his one-on-one date with Yoomin.
My intervention must've significantly altered the story's course. Perhaps he dressed up even more to make a better impression. But… that's the choice he made to avoid losing his girlfriend?
"How did you get here?"
"Oh, I took the bus."
Unbelievable.
The reason Kim Minsoo had to be the protagonist of this novel was precisely this.
A hero who, shalessly, reached his destination amidst adversity and hardships. A knight who, when everyone said no, nodded alone, enduring humiliation and persecution. That's none other than the protagonist of this novel, Kim Minsoo.
"Minsoo, this is seriously not it."
No matter how much soone embraces their inner nerd, there's a limit. Parading around like that is just asking to be pigeonholed into a special-interest group and treated accordingly.
"The heck do you an ‘not it'? This is, um… I just picked the most popular items from the list he recomnded."
"Who recomnded?"
In truth, I had a pretty good idea of who it was.
"Yeah, that person, the love expert… sothing like that."
"I see…"
Only belatedly did my attention shift to the gold necklace and the oversized buckle on the belt. Yoomin seed to be fighting back nausea behind .
Even the family that had co to Wonderland early in the morning was shocked by his appearance. Right now, the only one blissfully ignorant of the situation was Kim Minsoo himself.
"Why's everyone reacting like that? Did they stay up late because they were excited? They're not kids."
Today, Kim Minsoo had clearly co prepared with a ga-changing move to reverse his precarious relationship.
"Minsoo, I'm genuinely giving you advice. People will laugh at you."
"Isn't it about getting attention?"
"Of course, because people don't ignore a clown on the street. Anyway… let's just go inside."
From a brief search yesterday, Wonderland had nurous clothing stores, ranging from casual wear to cosplay outfits. If he refused to change, I'd have to force him to listen, even if I had to resort to drastic asures.
"I… I can't handle this. Taeyang, I'll hold onto our clothes and walk ahead…"
"Sure, take it easy."
Yoomin hadn't even greeted Minsoo and was in no mood for it. It was a testant to how dreadful Kim Minsoo's fashion sense was.
"Minsoo, walk a bit away from ."
"But Yoomin, I want to be—"
"I told you to stay back. Do you want to make it clearer?"
"S-Sorry…"
Changing the exterior doesn't an the interior has changed. Thankfully, a slightly intimidating stance was enough to make him cower instantly. If he had truly reached a boiling point, resorting to violence might have been the only option.
"Welco to Wonderland! …Hm? Pfft.. Ahem… Welco to Wonderland!" The receptionist couldn't resist a chuckle at the sight of Kim Minsoo.
"Mom, I think that guy peed in his pants."
"Shh, don't say that. Don't make eye contact and let's go."
"Dad! I want a toy like that eagle on his belt too."
"Oh, Minwoo! You shouldn't say such things loudly."
Maybe being awakened makes even whispers echo in my ears. My supposedly blessed body is now the worst curse imaginable.
"Wow, they're really sothing else, parading around like that."
"They look like a bunch of otakus gathering."
It was utterly unfair. I wanted to scream that it wasn't true.
I'd rather do an ergency quest at this point…
Kim Minsoo continued to mutter behind . It was evident he had no intention of changing his clothes, but I needed sothing urgent to shift the narrative. Frowning and telling him to be quiet could only do so much.
Hey, Mr. Double Chin, lend a hand and solve this ss will you…
There was no way that rotund author could stand idly by as the situation deviated from his intention. Even if he was probably scheming my demise at this very mont, he couldn't just ignore this situation. It didn't add up.
As if in response to my silent plea, when Yoomin attempted to hold my hand, a quest window materialized before my eyes.
———————————Ergency Quest Activated!
[Hallucination Dungeon: Succubus Night] is starting!———————————
Suddenly, the surroundings filled with white mist. The once lively Wonderland morphed into a dark, red-lit district of the night. The vibrant streets were replaced by a crimson glow, resembling a curtain descending.
"I survived…"
Perhaps this is better after all.
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