Work Text:
How would you feel if you ran into your coworker outside of work?
Not just any coworker, but your direct senior, and technical boss.
If you have a friendly relationship with them, it would likely just turn out to be a few minutes of greeting and small talk before the two of you parted ways. If you had a not-so-friendly relationship, the best option was pretending you never saw them and walking off as fast as possible.
But if you had a complicated relationship that was a mix of both, and more…
"Eyy, Soleum-ah~ Looking for new clothes? You came to the perfect street! I know my way around, so I'll show you some good places, yeah?"
Agent Choi!!!
Was in the fashion district!!!
Soleum's peaceful afternoon of window shopping shattered like a fragile mirror right before her eyes. In front of her was her capricious superior, Agent Choi, with her long hair loose and done in curls, smiling cheerfully as she locked their arms together faster than Soleum could react.
In a split second, Soleum was trapped, side pressed flush to Choi's as the older woman began to walk them down the street. Her sheer strength made it so that Soleum was forced to fall into the same pace lest she wanted to stumble and break her nose on the sidewalk.
"What clothes are you looking for, hm? A dress, shoes? What look do you prefer?" Choi's eyes fell onto Soleum's worn hoodie, and she felt herself flush in embarrassment. "Hmm… A new jacket, then." She concluded. The flush grew hotter, and with it a pang of annoyance. Just because she wasn't dressed nicely now didn't mean she had no nice clothes at all…
…It was just that most of them were back at the officetel. Soleum considered making a surprise visit to grab some. There was a good chance her roommate had already thrown her stuff out to make space, but since Baek Sayeon knew she was alive, there was also a good chance that she left things untouched in fear of Soleum.
But then again, more stuff means a bigger hassle when moving motels… Mournfully, Soleum resigned to being the unfashionable junior.
"Um, Agent… I actually didn't come here to buy clothes…" She timidly explained. "Since it's my day off, I thought of doing some window shopping…"
"Window shopping? Why not real shopping, hm?" Choi tilted her head slightly, fixing Soleum with eerie eyes and equally eerie smile. "Haha, a civil servant's hazard pay may not come close to that of Daydream's, but there's still more than enough left over for indulgences after paying bills and necessities. … Don't tell me, you spent it all?"
Soleum forced down a flinch at the sudden mention of her former workplace. In doing so, she missed the split-second chance to respond to Choi's rapid fire talking, "Aigoo, you shouldn't spend so carelessly, Soleum-ah! It might seem like a big sum now, but when you're digging for cash in the future, even a few months' pay wouldn't be enough. I never took Grapes-ie for the irresponsible type, but it's surprisingly cute…"
"That's not it," Soleum cut in, sounding flustered. "I'm saving money. Window shopping is a hobby…"
"A hobby, huh? So you like fashion?" Was it just Soleum, or did her gaze turn slightly critical. "Well, what kind of senior would I be if I let my junior wander around without some gorgeous pieces to her name? Don't worry about the price– it's on me!"
"W-Wait, that's not what I…!"
But Choi was already tugging her to a different direction, a light gleaming in her eyes. "You're in luck, since I know the best shops around. Onwards!"
“This shade is too bright," Choi commented. "Soleum-ah, I don't think you can be trusted to know what colors look good on you."
Soleum, who had unconsciously picked a dress based on her appearance before she arrived in this world, could only fidget and mumble some defensive words that Choi didn't buy. In my defense, I was tanner…! She often spent weekend afternoons out in the park, pretending to do work when really she was reading and writing DER wiki entries. The warmth was comforting, and the presence of people made her less jumpy of the horrific sights and imagines.
Even if there were plenty of entries based on a previously peaceful and warm environment…
But that wasn't the point. Soleum could only admit to being fashion-blind in front of her senior's critical eyes– a hit that hurt to take when she was quite proud of her styling sense.
She took the chance to observe her senior properly as Choi muttered to herself about colors and dress styles. Choi looked completely different from the agent that dominated the room in and out of work hours. When Soleum first met her in the hospital room, Choi had been dressed almost casually despite being in work attire. Her unzipped jacket had revealed her lack of a tie, and her long hair was carelessly pinned up by a cheap claw clip. Her face lacked makeup, revealing light eyebags and blemishes, though they were outshone by her constant smile.
In the days following Soleum's appointment to Hyunmoo Team 1 as Agent Grapes, the almost sloppy appearance was consistent. Soleum often heard the sharp-dressed Agent Bronze scold Choi for her improper attire, but the tired way it went about made it clear that it was a common occurrence. After Soleum had settled into her role, Choi gradually changed to sleek ponytails and light makeup. Though a tie never appeared around her neck, her collar was popped and wrinkles were nonexistent. Agent Bronze never said a word about the sudden change, making Soleum suspect that Choi's choice in appearance was deliberate.
Outside of work, however. While her overwhelming talking style and sharp presence remained, the impression that she gave was a far different direction from the casual and open senior or the cheerful but professional agent, roles that displayed her age and experience (regardless of her uncomfortable personality). Instead, in her place was a young woman dressed to the nines in trendy clothes and cute makeup.
A ruffled mini skirt showed off her strong legs and thighs while remaining feminine, and a baby blue tank top trimmed with white lace hugged her frame without being sensual. Earlier, Choi wore a white cardigan to match her skirt, but now it was hung on the couch leg as she sat and criticized Soleum's fashion choices. It showed off her broad (broader than average on a woman, at least) shoulders and the scars lining muscular arms, previously covered by the long sleeves.
Her loose hair was scattered over her shoulders and collarbone. Choi's straight hair was perfectly curled at the ends by an experienced hand, adding to her youthful appearance. Though, aside from her style, the biggest contributor was her face! Choi already had a natural baby face, and paired with her makeup, she looked like a college student playing around during the weekend. Soleum was beginning to suspect that the reason why Choi barely wore makeup at work was that the lack of it showed her real age.
To top it all off, Choi wore a pair of white platform heels, the kind with the strap that switched it from bold to preppy. Soleum was only a few inches taller than her, but the heels had made them the same height. She was unused to having Choi's face even closer than it usually was, whenever the woman inevitably shoved herself into Soleum's personal space.
In essence, the Agent Choi before her was neither the faceless and noble character from the wiki, who had nothing of her personal life and background to show, nor was she the eccentric and intimidating senior that threatened Soleum's very existence at the bureau. She was just Choi, a woman who cared about every detail in her appearance, dressing up on a free day and playing a civilian with no responsibilities.
Somehow, it was…
"Soleum-ah~ Stop spacing out! I found this for you to try." Black fabric was shoved into Soleum's arms, and she blinked out of her dazed, overtly-long observation. Choi shoved herself into Soleum's space once again, grinning at her with the face of a woman who wasn't going to let Soleum go until she wore something they were both satisfied with. "Go, go, go! We only have so many hours left before the day ends, and I still have a lot of work to do with you."
The tone dipped into an undercurrent of cheerful threatening, using double-meaning words that would normally have Soleum stiffening and racing to defend against, but for once, she couldn't focus at all. The scent of apple blossoms filled her nose, replacing the metaphorical scent of danger she always got dizzy on whenever Choi rattled her like this.
She smells… So nice?
"Soleum-ah~ Earth to Soleum-ah~" Choi shoved herself even further into Soleum, her soft breast squishing into Soleum's arm.
Holy fuck.
Soleum resolved to go window shopping ever again, her longing for pretty clothes be damned.
A dangerous Disaster could be found in this fashion district. It was something she mentally added to her mental archive of wiki entries, half hysterical.