They walked out of Jisoo’s apartment building to find Yixing’s driver waiting right at the entrance in a sleek black Mercedes. As they got in, Jisoo asked if Yixing had any solid ideas for the gift.

Yixing explained that he’d bought his mother a ton of clothing accessories last year, which she liked, but there was no way he could just recycle that gift this time

They chatted briefly about Yixing's mom's style. Yixing shared that she was the typical businessman’s wife—she went to lots of galas and charity events, but she hated anything too fussy or over-the-top, so he needed something really clean and simple.

Hearing this, Jisoo immediately remembered that her own grandmother had been a regular customer at this awesome local jewelry brand that had a great reputation. The brand was known for its super modern, minimalist designs, often using high-carat gold. She figured if they went there, they might find a jewelry set his mom would actually love.

Jisoo then recalled that the brand’s main store in Cheongdam was temporarily shut down for renovations. They had moved all their stuff to an outlet in one of Seoul’s fanciest malls. She quickly told the driver to head there instead.

When they arrived at the mall, Jisoo noticed the crowd was insane. It seemed way more packed than usual. Apparently, some kind of special event was happening at one of the luxury fashion outlets, and a bunch of famous celebrities and idols had been invited.

Not wanting to get totally swamped in the chaos, Jisoo quickly dragged Yixing toward the escalators. While walking past a ton of fancy stores on their way up to the fifth floor, where the jewelry spot was, Jisoo gave Yixing the lowdown on the brand so he knew her pick wasn't just random.

"The jewelry scene in Seoul is less about huge bling and more known for minimalist style," Jisoo explained. "This company has been around for almost thirty years, and they focus on simple, elegant designs with seriously amazing craftsmanship. My grandmother, who is notoriously picky, has been one of their oldest and best customers. You can totally trust their quality."

Yixing nodded in understanding. "I trust my consultant's judgment," he replied, giving her a small, confident smile.

The shopkeeper on duty turned out to be Ms. Jang Soomin, the assistant manager who always served Jisoo’s grandmother. The middle-aged woman immediately recognized Jisoo. Ms. Jang totally took care of them, setting aside several jewelry sets that perfectly matched their minimalist brief. They were quickly hustled into a private VIP room while the pieces were being prepped.

While waiting and chilling with the refreshments, they chatted casually. At one point, Yixing pulled his vibrating phone from his pocket and held it up.

"Heads up," he murmured, his eyes meeting hers briefly. "I need to deal with this message. Just a quick work thing."

Jisoo couldn't help but think about how well-mannered Yixing was. She could probably count on one hand the number of people who ever bothered to give her advance notice before diving into their phone mid-conversation.

Jisoo watched as Yixing went into full-on work mode. His fingers flew across the screen, scrolling up and down as he seriously read some file. He only raised his head when he seemed to realize Jisoo was totally staring at him.

"Something you wanna talk about?" Yixing asked, flipping his phone face-down on the table, signaling he was back online for conversation.

Jisoo, caught red-handed staring, felt a slight blush creeping up her neck.

She quickly made up an excuse. "Oh, nothing at all," she said, deflecting with a small, innocent smile. "I was just admiring your speed. You type almost as fast as you fold on an argument about family duty.

Yixing let out a low chuckle at her witty jab. "I'll take that as a compliment," he replied, shaking his head slightly before turning his focus back to his phone screen, knowing Jisoo had given him the go-ahead.

It didn't take long for Ms. Jang Soomin to return, rolling in a small trolley neatly displaying several jewelry sets. The moment Ms. Jang laid them out, Jisoo’s eyes locked onto one specific pearl set.

The set was gorgeously minimalist: a delicate rose-gold vine dotted with perfect little ivory pearls and tiny, organized crystals that looked like frozen dew. The bracelet and earrings matched perfectly, creating a look of sleek, modern grace.

It wasn't that Jisoo was obsessed with pearls, but the set instantly felt familiar. It reminded her immediately of her own Grandmother's treasured old collection from this exact brand—proof of its quality and timeless elegance. This set wasn't flashy; it projected confidence and traditional class. Knowing her picky Grandmother loved the brand, Jisoo was absolutely certain this subtle, sophisticated design was the perfect fit for Yixing's mother.

She allowed Ms. Jang Soomin to explain each piece one by one. This was important so Yixing could understand the specs and the whole history behind the materials used. Yixing listened intently, occasionally giving Jisoo a raised eyebrow, silently checking if the pieces passed the test based on the shopkeeper's pitch alone.

Once the sales pitch was done, Ms. Jang gave Yixing time to choose. But just as Jisoo predicted, Yixing simply turned his attention back to her.

"What's the verdict, Consultant?" Yixing asked, leaning back in his chair. "I mean, my mother would probably like all of them. But I hired you to make the tough calls. So, your pick?"

Jisoo, given the request, pointed immediately to the pearl set without a second thought. "This one. Nobody ever went wrong with pearls, you know. I guarantee your mother will totally adore it."

Yixing immediately nodded in agreement and asked Ms. Jang Soomin to wrap the set right away. Ms. Jang smiled with satisfaction and promptly handled the transaction.

Jisoo was rather intrigued by how easily Yixing agreed to her choice. Yixing didn't even ask for the personal reasoning behind selecting the pearl set—whether it was the brand, the carat weight, or just the design.

"Seriously, you don't want to know why I picked that set?" Jisoo asked, slightly curious about Yixing's immense trust.

Yixing merely gave a casual shrug. "If you want to explain, go ahead. But whatever your reason is, I trust it. Why? Because I’m sure my mother will love anything chosen by a consultant who set such a high, non-negotiable fee for herself," Yixing finished with a small smirk. "That’s enough of a quality guarantee for me. Consider your high-priced honorarium fully earned."

Jisoo could only shake her head, amused by Yixing's consistent approach of relating everything back to 'price' and 'trust.' She mentally accepted that the 'honorarium' was officially the standing joke of their relationship, likely to be referenced anytime Yixing wanted to tease her. He was truly a straightforward and pragmatic person.

The jewelry was paid for, and Ms. Jang Soomin quickly packaged the pearl set into a luxurious, sleek box. As Yixing finished the transaction, Jisoo excused herself to use the restroom. She took her time, enjoying a few minutes of quiet before stepping back out into the cacophony of the mall.

When she emerged, she found Yixing waiting patiently, looking at some bangle bracelets displayed on a nearby counter.

It was only then that Jisoo truly registered the mall’s sheer volume of people. The crowd had seriously ballooned since they entered, reminding her of a massive World Cup viewing party years ago. Faint, high-pitched screams of girls were now totally audible from the lower floors, clearly signaling that the celebrities had shown up. Yixing decided the situation was definitely not the best for continuing their shopping trip here.

"So, the pearl set is done. Now for the second item," Yixing noted, glancing at his watch.

They quickly talked about Yixing's mom's hobby—drinking tea. Jisoo immediately pitched an idea: a traditional Korean celadon tea set. She knew this cool artisan studio that was conveniently located outside the mall. Ditching the chaotic mall for the quieter studio was an absolute no-brainer.

As they walked toward the atrium, the sheer scale of the problem hit them. The open ground floor was totally jammed with spectators. People were leaning over the railings on every single floor to watch the event below, and the management had actually turned off all the escalators to prevent a pile-up. Taking the stairs down five flights through that crowd? Impossible.

All the decent express elevators had lines snaking around the corners. Only one service elevator, located on the far side of the mall, looked remotely empty, but it only dropped them off at the upper ground floor. From there, they’d have to switch to another random elevator on the opposite side just to reach the basement parking. Jisoo sighed and pointed out the ridiculous escape plan.

"That’s our best bet," Jisoo stated, already analyzing the traffic flow. "The queue for the upper ground elevator isn't too long, and it's on the other side of the building, so the crowd won't be as bad."

Yixing agreed instantly. He fished out his phone and quickly called his driver to switch their pick-up location to the basement lobby on the far side of the mall as they walked toward the elevator Jisoo indicated.

They didn't have to wait long. The elevator arrived, and thankfully, it was empty when they stepped in. Jisoo sighed in relief, but the moment the doors closed, her relief vanished. At the next two floors, more and more people—flushed and determined—began to crowd into the confined space, jostling for position. The small elevator cabin quickly transformed into a suffocating, metal box.

Jisoo suddenly found herself stumbling backward, bumping right into Yixing, who was standing behind her. Yixing, immediately sensing Jisoo’s discomfort in the tight space, reacted in an instant.

He smoothly pulled Jisoo sideways toward the elevator wall, quickly moving to position himself in front of her. He reached out and grabbed the metal railing with both hands, bracing himself against the glass wall on either side of Jisoo’s waist, effectively creating a protective barrier around her with his own body.

As the crowd continued to push and jostle, the two found themselves in a ridiculously intimate position, their bodies pressed together by the sheer mass of people and shopping bags surrounding them. Jisoo couldn't help but feel a surge of awkwardness at the sudden closeness, her heart racing at the unexpected breach of their personal boundaries.

With Yixing's chin now hovering just above her eye level, Jisoo found herself acutely, almost painfully aware of his presence. The fresh, masculine fragrance of his cologne enveloped her, and the warmth of his body became the only comfortable anchor in the chaos. She became hyper-aware of the fact that his breath stirred the hair near her temple, and that the only thing separating them from the pressing crowd was the solid line of his chest. In this moment of enforced intimacy, her heart hammered against her ribs, and she realized, with a rush of heat, just how close he truly was.