what money can buy | jjk

03

The following week, you meet with Jeongguk twice more, another dinner and then lunch. All in public. He's in a constant state of confusion, doesn't know what you want from him. By now, he's had plenty of time to ask, but it feels wrong, and maybe he's scared to make you feel bad. Perhaps he's also afraid of the answer itself. It would be a lie to say that he doesn't enjoy spending time with you, to say that his heart doesn't race whenever you text him to decide a time and location.

But with every meeting, he feels worse. Like he doesn't deserve everything you're giving him, because at this point, you've also started buying him things.

Just like the first time you met, Jeongguk follows you through the mall. Although you argued, saying he's not your butler, he successfully convinced you to let him carry your bags for you. They're not heavy, and Jeongguk feels at least a little useful.

You walk through a clothing store, one that he's had his eyes on for a while. He tries to not ogle the black cargo pants that hang from a wall, but he'll never forgive himself if he doesn't at least look to see if they're on sale. So while you're busy looking at jackets since you claimed that you need something thicker than a denim jacket when winter comes along, Jeongguk sneaks away.

Unfortunately, the price tag in his hand says two hundred dollars, and he drops it from his hand. You've given him a lot of money, but he needs to save as much as possible. What if you decide that you don't want to continue paying him to just follow you around? That's a very valid concern, and he will still have rent to pay and food to buy. Another time, he tells himself.

"Oh, those would look super cool on you!" You state from next to him, startling him slightly.

That's one thing he likes about you; you didn't say that he'd look cool in the pants, but that the pants would look cool on him. Maybe an insignificant detail, but it matters to him.

"Yeah, but not worth the price," he pouts jokingly and turns his back to the clothing item to follow you.

"I'll buy them for you?"

Jeongguk's eyes flicker over your face. That wasn't his intention. You asked so softly to avoid making him feel bad for accepting the gift. But he still feels bad, and he can't accept it.

"Oh, no, there's no need. You've done enough for me already."

"Didn't you say that it was your birthday soon? I won't if you really don't want me to, cause I don't want to make you uncomfortable, but I'd love to buy them as an early birthday present."

How is he supposed to say no when you're looking at him with the cutest puppy eyes he's ever seen? An idea forms in his head.

"Only if you'll follow me back home and eat pizza with me," he challenges, smiling confidently. However, that smile is almost wiped off when he notices you starting to look more uncomfortable than he's ever seen you before.

Just as he's about to retract the offer and apologize, you speak quietly.

"Are you sure? I don't want to impose."

"Yeah, I'm sure," he assures you, and you seem to consider it with your gaze on the floor and your bottom lip between your teeth. "Compromises, you know?"

"Okay then," you agree, and Jeongguk smiles wide. It spreads from him to you, and your eyes start to sparkle with excitement. "You wanna try them on?"

With the pants and receipt in a bag, you leave the mall to go back to Jeongguk's place. You're complaining about the city's light pollution and how you wish it didn't exist so that you could admire the stars, and though Jeongguk hums and nods, his thoughts are somewhere else. More specifically, back on when he tried the pants on.