Evil Organization’s Extra Mr. A

“9th Chapter”

“The rain starting from early morning tomorrow is expected to continue until the afternoon, so please be especially careful when driving in the rain this morning.”

“It’s raining in the early morning.”

I was checking the weather on the TV news while taking a picture of the clothes I had taken out from the closet.

Why? An hour before Yubin’s part-time job ended, I suddenly received a message from her.

[Older Brother. Take pictures of the clothes you have.]

[Why clothes?]

[Hurry up.]

After hearing that, I took out and arranged the clothes, took a picture, and sent it.

The reply took some time, and while I was staring blankly at the news on TV, the reply arrived.

The picture I took came back again. The difference was that there was a black jogger pants and an oversized black t-shirt on the floor. And there was a circle mark on the blue jacket and below that.

There was a message saying [Wear this].

Since I heard that my look last time at the bookstore wasn’t great, I wore the clothes with the circle mark as Yubin instructed.

As I waited for time, it seemed like it was time to go out, but I stopped when I was about to put on shoes at the entrance.

“Just a moment.”

Even if we have an adversarial relationship, I don’t want to get a bad evaluation just because of shoes after wearing what I was told to wear. I pulled my foot out of the worn brown sneakers and opened the closet.

There weren’t many shoes, but I found one that looked somewhat usable. From several pairs of shoes, I picked out high-top sneakers with white soles and black tops.

Although I was reluctant to wear them because they felt like my feet would touch the ground directly, I decided to try them on since the answer might be correct if I didn’t want to avoid it the most.

Walking towards the convenience store, I saw Yubin coming out after her shift change.

She noticed me too and waved to greet me.

“You timed it perfectly?”

“I live close by, so I couldn’t be late.”

Yubin looked me up and down as she spoke.

“You wore what I said. Thank goodness.”

When I looked at my clothes, I naturally looked at Yubin’s outfit as well.

Her tight polo shirt revealed her chest and the sleeves were see-through, allowing a glimpse of her pale arms. She wore black stockings under her short skirt and high-heeled shoes with a slight elevation.

Noticing my gaze, she stepped back to show her whole outfit after looking at herself once.

“How do I look?”

“You look pretty.”

“If I had more suitable clothes, I could have dressed you up even better.”

Again, I realized how inappropriate my outfit was that day. Although I didn’t seem satisfied with my current outfit, I didn’t say anything further since I wore exactly what I chose.

“I texted you an hour before the end of work because I suddenly thought about it. What did you plan to wear originally?”

I didn’t think much about it. I planned to open the closet and wear whatever appropriate clothes I found. If I hadn’t texted, I probably would have worn the same worn-out brown sneakers.

“Just casually? I didn’t really think about it.”

“…I’m glad I texted.”

I avoided Yubin’s fierce gaze and suddenly smiled at me, putting her arm around mine. I felt my scattered mind clear up due to the gentle pressure on my arm.

“Let’s go. The department store will close soon.”

Department store? I only intended to go to a nearby shopping district to buy clothes, but suddenly the plan changed. I couldn’t bring myself to say I didn’t want to go to the department store.

It’s hard to explain in detail, but if I said it outright, something big might happen.

Since buying clothes is essentially the same whether it’s a department store or a shopping district, I decided to go with her. Despite feeling a bit uncomfortable with Yubin holding my arm, I decided to follow her.

On the main street, we saw many families and couples out enjoying their weekend night. The bars were crowded, and the restaurants were bustling with customers.

“What did you eat?”

“Let’s go buy clothes and then eat. We have plenty of time until the restaurants close.”

While walking to the department store, Yubin didn’t let go of my arm, and I couldn’t ignore the sensation. I kept pushing away the thought from yesterday and continued walking until we reached the department store and started wondering where to start.

Looking at the floor guide, I was observed by Yubin.

“What are you thinking about?”

Without saying anything, I just stared at the guide, which made her wonder what I was thinking.

“I’m thinking whether I should start with your clothes or solve my own problem first.”

“Why are you worrying about my clothes when you came here to buy clothes for me?”

Listening, it made sense. Why was I even worrying about Yubin’s clothes?

The thought was brief, and the conclusion was simple.

“It would be good to look at both at the same time.”

“Did you want to look at my clothes too?”

Her expression brightened, and she moved closer to me.

The distance was so close that I instinctively turned my head away, and Yubin, realizing she had gotten too close, cleared her throat and looked back at the guide.

“Let’s start with your clothes first. I’m in a hurry.”

Does that mean there are many problems with my clothes?

Following Yubin’s advice, I started looking at my clothes and went up to the floor where men’s clothing was displayed using the escalator.

Upon reaching the floor, I saw quite a few people. It wasn’t crowded enough to feel overwhelmed, but many were couples, and I felt Yubin’s grip tighten on my arm. I momentarily worried she might crush my arm.

“Do you have anything specific in mind?”

Looking at me with a fierce gaze, she asked, and I answered honestly. However, I felt like my response lacked sincerity, so I tried to give a more thoughtful answer.

“Can you be a little more specific?”

Considering her words, I thought about it. I came here to buy clothes for the upper and lower body. But, as Yubin suggested, I hadn’t really thought about what kind of clothes to buy.

“I’m not sure what kind of clothes to choose. That’s why I decided to come here to see if something would come to mind.”

I don’t have the ability to logically articulate my thoughts. Even if I did, it would be better to speak straightforwardly rather than waste time trying to sound convincing.

Seeing me lost in thought, Yubin, who had been holding my arm, released it and stepped back to observe my overall appearance. Being observed by Red from HunterKiller made me uneasy.

“Your style doesn’t suit vibrant or flashy colors. Something with a moderate amount of color should be fine.”

I’ve never paid attention to clothes, so I didn’t understand what Yubin meant, but when in doubt, following her instructions is the best approach.

“I can’t choose properly, so I’ll pick something for you.”

“Okay.”

Then, she put her arm around mine again, and serious shopping began.

While looking at several stores, she examined the clothes with a serious look and asked me to change into the ones she picked. After changing, she would look me over and give me another set of clothes to choose from.

At first, it was exciting and fun to experience something I’d never done before, but gradually, I started feeling tired of going from store to store and changing clothes. I wondered if it was necessary to go through all this trouble to pick out clothes, but seeing Yubin enthusiastically helping me made those thoughts disappear.

“Should we go look at my clothes now? You’ll pick something for me, right?”

Seeing her immediately suggest going to look at her clothes after finishing mine, I felt impressed by her stamina. Not only did she have to endure wearing clothes she wouldn’t actually buy, but she also had to pick and fit them on me. Could this level of effort be required to play Red from HunterKiller?

Before this, I thought I could handle looking at her clothes without any issues.

I barely managed to hold onto my scattered thoughts.

“But will I be able to find something good for you?”

Hearing about clothes made me feel insecure. It’s okay if my outfit doesn’t make me look good. I haven’t been particularly interested in clothes. But choosing someone else’s clothes is different.

If I worked this hard to pick out clothes for her, I’m not sure I could handle the axe-like gaze she might give me if she didn’t like what I chose.

“Let’s go. We’ll know once we’re there.”

As I put the shopping bag over my shoulder, Yubin grabbed my hand.

Somehow, I felt like I was being dragged along.

I was surprised when we reached the floor with women’s clothing.

Unlike men’s clothing, women’s clothing came in various styles and designs. Already, I felt a headache coming on as I thought about finding something Yubin would like among so many options.

“Come on!”

With a battle-ready stance, she held my hand and we looked at numerous stores. There were various tops, bottoms, dresses, and coats. Seeing so many unfamiliar clothes, I couldn’t figure out how to look at them properly.

Whenever I stopped to examine a single piece of clothing, I noticed Yubin following my gaze, which made me feel self-conscious. Every time I turned my head, she followed, continuing to match my gaze, which was annoying.

What would she like? What would suit her?

Unconsciously, I became genuinely concerned about finding the right clothes for her and noticed a dress on display.

It was a dress with a white collar and the rest in black, with embroidery throughout and a lace skirt attached below the skirt, making it three-dimensional and beautiful.

“Is this your style?”

Yubin, who had been observing me, noticed that I was looking at the dress and asked.

“Not really a style, but it seems like it would suit you. Want to try it on?”

“Sure? Excuse me!”

She immediately called a staff member to get the dress and went straight to the fitting room.

Although I knew changing clothes would take a short time, it felt much longer. I was eager to see if the image in my mind would match the actual dress and waited for the door to open.

“How does it look?”

Yubin in the black dress looked exactly as I imagined and suited her, but something felt off.

“Yes, it looks nice.”

Despite saying it looked good, I noticed a hint of dissatisfaction in her eyes and looked at me.

“Want to try other clothes?”

“Sure.”

From then on, I earnestly started looking for clothes that would suit her. Without interest in clothes, it was pointless to spend days finding the perfect ones. I thoroughly searched for clothes that would definitely suit her.

Instead of just thinking “This will do,” I needed the certainty of “This is it.” As I took on the role of choosing clothes, the determination to find the right ones outweighed the fatigue, and I realized Yubin must have felt the same way as she helped me pick out several outfits.

While looking at a few more clothes, we heard the announcement that the department store was closing.

“Older Brother, they’re closing.”

“Already?!”

By the time I realized it, it was already past 9 PM, and most people in the department store had left. Disappointed at not being able to pick out clothes, I searched for something, but nothing caught my eye immediately.

“It’s okay. We came here to buy clothes for you anyway.”

“That’s true, but…”

Following Yubin’s lead, our steps headed towards the escalator leading downstairs.

“Let’s come again next time. I’ll definitely pick out the right clothes then.”

“Sure! Let’s come again.”

Seeing her smile brightly, I felt a little relieved, but the disappointment didn’t completely vanish.

“!”

I noticed a set of clothes.

“Hold on a moment.”

Still holding hands, I walked straight towards the clothes Yubin had spotted, and she followed my footsteps, finding the clothes I discovered.

It was a dress with a white blouse underneath and shoulder straps, designed slightly slim on the upper body, which would fit Yubin’s curvy figure tightly yet appropriately.

The skirt was designed similarly to the first dress I saw, with a semi-transparent lace skirt attached above, but it had yellow patterns scattered across the lace.

“Let’s try this one before we leave.”

After searching for a long time and finally finding the right dress, I couldn’t contain my excitement.

“Okay.”

Yubin called a staff member, and we went into the fitting room together, enduring the wait once again. But this time, the waiting didn’t feel as tiring. While the mental image was perfect, there was still uncertainty and anticipation about how it would look in reality.

I understood how the person selecting the clothes felt as I imagined the satisfaction of finding the perfect outfit.

The moment the fitting room door opened, before Yubin could say anything, I raised my fist and gave her a thumbs-up.

“Best one yet.”

“Really? Then let’s go with this one.”

I hesitated a bit when she agreed to buy it right away.

“Are you sure? It fits you well, as far as I can tell.”

“As long as it fits you, that’s all that matters. I’ll change back.”

Smiling contentedly, she went back into the fitting room.

Seeing the perfect fit between the imagined design and the real thing, I felt a thrill of satisfaction. It wasn’t just that the clothes looked good on me, but the fact that Yubin seemed to like them made me feel even more satisfied.

“How much is it?”

“Yes, it’s 260,000 won.”

Upon hearing the price, Yubin froze.

Realizing later that the store we visited was a famous clothing brand store, where each piece of clothing was quite expensive.

Yubin’s financial situation isn’t great. I don’t know how much she earns as a HunterKiller, but if she’s working part-time at a convenience store, it suggests she doesn’t have much financial flexibility.

Yubin, who wanted to buy clothes but couldn’t due to her card situation, had no choice but to give up on the outfit I chose. So, I handed my card to the staff.

“?! Older Brother, this is expensive.”

“I can’t use it if you don’t treat me as a social person.”

Though she may be an invader from space, I’m not so broke that I can’t buy her a single piece of clothing.

“Still, this is my outfit.”

“Think of it as a gift for picking out your outfit.”

Even though I’m not familiar with fashion, I could tell that the design was beautiful and the material was good. Though I bought several outfits for myself today, the price of the dress I chose for Yubin was higher. But considering her effort in picking out the outfit, this seemed reasonable.

“Excuse me, can I pay for this?”

The hesitant staff member broke the silence.

“Yes, please proceed.”

Today, I felt like I looked a bit more sophisticated. If we were to have a rematch next week, she might hit me with her painful punch, but for now, as long as I stay in a normal and equal position without wearing the suit, I can keep my identity hidden.

“Thank you.”

I lowered my head, not showing my face, but she didn’t seem to have any complaints, so it should be fine.

Around 9 PM, when it was usually the time to start having fun, there were many more people than when we entered the department store. The crowd on the main street was overwhelming, and Yubin put her arm around me again.

We had become so used to holding hands and walking together that it felt natural.

“Shall we get something to eat?”

“Yeah, do you want something specific?”

I learned from my previous experience at Spacystro HQ that the best way to order food is to just say what you want. If you’re not sure what you want outside, it’s best to look for it while walking.

“Shall we look for a place while walking?”

Finding a place while walking is the best option.

“Sure.”

“But aren’t your legs getting tired?”

Since I started walking in heels from the convenience store and hadn’t sat down once while browsing the department store, I wondered if my legs were starting to hurt.

“It’s fine. I may look delicate, but I’m actually very strong.”

I knew firsthand how strong she was from the grip she had on my arm.

“That’s good to hear. Just let me know if you need a break.”

“Alright.”

We started walking toward the restaurant, but we were so engrossed in conversation that we didn’t realize we had wandered far from the busy area.

“There’s no restaurant around here.”

“Let’s go back. We’ve gone too far.”

Just as I turned around, I felt something falling above my head and looked up.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s raining?”

“Raining?”

Yubin looked up and spread her palm to see the raindrops falling on it.

“Let’s go somewhere quickly.”

“Right. They said it would start in the morning.”

The rain started earlier than the forecast predicted, pouring heavily within a minute.

“Oh no…”

We ended up standing under the roof of a closed shop, watching the heavy rain.

“It’s pouring. They said it would rain until the afternoon tomorrow.”

While thinking about what to do, Yubin suddenly fell silent. If we had found a restaurant sooner, the situation might have improved. But Yubin started talking non-stop about ‘Simoju Technology Theory,’ which distracted us.

If the convenience store were closer, I would have rushed to buy an umbrella, but the convenience store was too far away.

“Older Brother.”

“Yes?”

Silently, Yubin’s voice made me turn my head, and I saw her blushing as she looked at me.

“My legs hurt…”

Just at this moment.

“Let’s stop for a moment.”

Looking for a place to sit, I noticed Yubin pointing to a building across the street. A motel with lights on its sign.