* * *

As soon as they finished work, the two headed straight to a department store located thirty minutes away by car.

Going to the men’s clothing section was exactly what Doyoung had expected.

But an unexpected situation arose the moment they stepped into the first store.

“Who are you shopping for today?”

A staff member greeted them with a kind smile, and just as Doyoung opened his mouth to answer—

“For him.”

Beom Sinje pointed at Doyoung with a nod.

“What? You?”

“You first.”

The purpose of their visit to the department store was clearly to buy clothes for Beom Sinje.

“You don’t even own a single suit, do you?”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

Beom Sinje’s argument was hard to refute, leaving Doyoung unable to insist that Sinjae shop first.

Sinjae had a point—Doyoung, whether at home or work, always dressed casually and didn’t own any formalwear.

“Understood! Then let me guide you this way.”

Seizing the opportunity, the staff member’s eyes sparkled as they swiftly ushered Doyoung toward rows of neatly hung clothes.

“With your fair skin and well-balanced physique, you’d look great in any color!”

With that, they rapidly selected a variety of suits, sorted by color and design, transferring them to a portable rack.

“This way to the fitting room!”

Looking at the staff member, who seemed more excited than he was, Doyoung let out a heavy sigh and obediently followed.

Beom Sinje trailed behind naturally.

“How about trying this one first?”

The staff member handed over a carefully selected suit, and Doyoung took it without protest, disappearing behind the curtain.

Moments later, Doyoung reemerged, now dressed in a suit.

“Oh my, it looks fantastic on you! What do you think, sir?”

Quickly realizing that Beom Sinje was the one footing the bill, the staff member turned to him with the question.

The light-toned suit, with its subtle sheen, certainly suited Doyoung well.

“It’s nice.”

“Isn’t it too flashy?”

Doyoung frowned as he looked in the mirror.

After all, this was for a corporate party, not a wedding or concert.

“Is it?”

When Beom Sinje tilted his head in apparent confusion, Doyoung clicked his tongue and returned to the fitting room to try another option.

This time, he came out wearing a navy suit with a calmer vibe.

“That looks wonderful too, sir!”

The staff member clapped in admiration.

Given Doyoung’s slim build and fair complexion, most outfits suited him, but seeing him pull off anything and everything was truly a treat.

“How about this one?”

“It’s good too.”

“Don’t give me such vague answers.”

By this point, Doyoung began to suspect that Beom Sinje wasn’t paying attention.

Just as he had shown little interest in the party discussion earlier at the office, he might be skimming over this shopping trip since it wasn’t for him.

“No, I’m serious. Both the previous one and this one look great.”

Unconvinced, Doyoung tried on another suit, but the reactions from Beom Sinje and the staff remained consistent.

It was impossible to discern what they liked so much.

“Come on, why do you like everything? Pick one—what looks the best?”

“Do you really need to buy just one?”

“I hardly have occasions to wear one, so one is enough.”

At that, Beom Sinje nodded in agreement, though he seemed disappointed when Doyoung settled on the most neutral navy suit.

Once Doyoung’s shopping was done, it was Beom Sinje’s turn.

While Doyoung had chosen his clothes quickly, Beom Sinje’s process was meticulous to the point of being tiresome.

“There’s nothing here. Let’s try another store.”

Four stores later, after browsing through a third of the men’s clothing shops in the department store, Beom Sinje was still dissatisfied.

Doyoung watched him with a mixture of disbelief and amusement.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

When Doyoung asked why he was staring, Beom Sinje responded nonchalantly.

“You’ve got broad shoulders and great height, so everything looks good on you, but the sizing’s an issue.”

As Doyoung observed Beom Sinje try on another suit, he scratched his chin.

Given his impressive build, something always seemed off—whether it was the sleeve length, pant length, or chest fit.

“This won’t do. You’ll need something custom-made.”

“That’s unnecessary—”

“You can’t have the Guild Master greeting guests in an ill-fitting suit. Let’s go.”

Doyoung firmly grabbed Beom Sinje’s wrist and led the way.

Glancing down at his captured wrist, Beom Sinje shifted his gaze to the man pulling him along.

“There’s a tailor shop in the department store. Ah, there it is.”

As Doyoung spoke, Beom Sinje finally turned to look. A sharply dressed man greeted them with a slight bow.

“I’ll take your measurements first. Sir, please follow me.”

By the time Beom Sinje looked back, Doyoung had already settled into a plush chair, his crossed legs and composed demeanor radiating the air of a chaebol heir.

‘It suits him.’

Watching Doyoung blend perfectly with the luxurious interior, Beom Sinje found himself briefly mesmerized.

Doyoung, noticing his gaze, waved him off.

“Go on. I’ll be here.”

Only then did Beom Sinje turn away and follow the staff.

Meanwhile, Doyoung observed the measurement process with quiet interest.

“His shoulders really are broad. His chest is well-developed too, no wonder jackets don’t fit. Look at those thighs…”

Was it all the consistent exercise lately?

Muttering to himself, Doyoung snapped out of it, feeling a sudden heat creep up his neck and a dryness in his mouth.

“Must be from shopping non-stop,” he muttered, ordering a drink from a nearby staff member to distract himself.

But his gaze unconsciously drifted back to the tall, handsome man standing a little way off with his arms outstretched.

◇◆◇◆◇

Three weeks later.

Doyoung had been busy since morning.

Preparing for the MOU signing and celebration with ATE Pharmaceuticals that evening left him feeling like ten bodies wouldn’t be enough.

This type of event was supposed to be handled by the Planning Office.

However, since Chunho Guild didn’t have a dedicated planning or operations team, Doyoung had to gather a few hunters who seemed at least somewhat capable of handling such tasks and personally oversee everything.

‘Should I have just outsourced it to an external agency?’

He briefly regretted not doing so but ultimately felt it was more reassuring to manage it himself.

Even if an agency had taken over, he wouldn’t have been able to completely let go of his involvement anyway.

“Secretary Na, should I leave this here?”

“Yes, place it over there. Oh, but that one goes over there.”

Even now, after lunch, Doyoung was in the banquet hall, supervising hunters setting up tables, hanging banners, and clearing the stage.

“Secretary, excuse me for a moment. Someone’s here to see you.”

Even amidst the chaos, people kept seeking him out.

His gaze naturally shifted toward the entrance, where a familiar figure stood—Joo Taekwon, a doctor he had grown closer to while working on the ATE Pharmaceuticals contract.

“I’ll step away for a moment.”

As Doyoung approached, the doctor greeted him with a smile and casually swung a polycarbonate bag.

“What’s that?”

“Today’s freshly completed clinical trial—a revitalizing tonic.”

“What nonsense is this?” Doyoung frowned, raising an eyebrow in disbelief. Taekwon, thinking the expression was strikingly similar to Beom Sinje, continued with a grin.

“The final testing of the medicine we discussed before is complete. The results are amazing. It helps hunters recover from fatigue after using their abilities and boosts their energy.”

‘And what am I supposed to do with that?’

Doyoung narrowed his eyes, crossing his arms as he regarded the doctor skeptically.

Taekwon, undeterred, waved the bag insistently, urging him to take it.

“Isn’t the government sending a few hunters to the event later? It’d be nice for them to experience the effects firsthand.”

Realizing Taekwon’s intent, Doyoung accepted the bag.

“That’s not a bad idea.”

“Right? Have them try it at the event and ask for feedback. Of course, the guild members who participated in the clinical trial were all very positive about it.”

‘But the government won’t know that yet.’

Taekwon’s persuasive tone made Doyoung glance down at the bag of medicines.

It wasn’t a bad idea to let a few people try it and observe their reactions.

“How many do you have here?”

At the question, Taekwon looked at him curiously. Doyoung smirked mischievously.

“Prepare 150 more. Let’s make sure the external hunters attending the party get a taste.”

* * *