Chapter 64: I have planned

"Excuse me, sir."

Kai was selecting a few things he thought would suit Elara. There was a children’s section in the store as well, so he had already started looking through it when one of the shop staff approached him.

"Miss Jean wishes to see you."

Kai’s brows lifted. So they had already introduced themselves, huh?

Regardless, he followed the woman inside, only to see something he knew he would not forget anytime soon.

It was not the dress itself that caught him off guard, but the way Jean looked wearing it. The black one-piece dress reached her knees and hugged her figure perfectly, accentuating her slender frame without being too revealing. Her hair fell over one shoulder, leaving the graceful length of her neck exposed.

A faint flush colored her cheeks as she looked at him.

"Do I look good?"

"Hmm, definitely. It suits you... this color."

Kai smiled, forcibly dragging his gaze back to her face. Damn, he had definitely been checking her out, and Jean had noticed. The faint flush had already spread down to her neck.

The staff member smiled and said, "Sir, every dress suits Madam so well that I really wish to suggest she participate in the candid photoshoot our store is holding. Not only would some of the clothes you purchase today be compensated, but you would also receive..."

"No, thanks."

Kai declined instantly, though his tone remained polite.

There was no denying that their security came first. Still, when he rejected the offer, it had been purely impulsive. Irritation had already risen within him at the thought of someone else taking Jean’s pictures, even though he knew he was being overly conservative. Especially when she was, technically, just his friend.

Regardless, he did not take back his answer, and the staff member simply nodded in understanding.

Jean, however, did not miss the annoyance in his voice. The realization genuinely brought a small smile to her lips.

She tried a few more dresses after that, growing more comfortable as she went. Each time, she came out and showed herself to Kai, clearly wanting his second opinion.

After seeing yet another dress, Kai nodded.

"She wasn’t lying. Whatever you wear suits you."

Jean smiled faintly. "Well, I don’t know about that... Elli doesn’t seem to like me like this."

That made Kai curious. He turned toward Elara, only to find her deliberately looking somewhere else.

Jean giggled. "She’s gotten used to seeing me with my face covered, so this new look must be strange for her."

Kai hummed in agreement before turning back to Jean.

"There are a few other dresses. Do you want to try them?"

Jean gave him a sheepish smile.

"Did you not like any of them much? I mean, I thought the black one should be it."

She had tried so many options because she genuinely thought they were supposed to choose the best one among them.

But Kai looked at her as though he had not understood the question.

"Huh? What are you talking about? We’re buying everything you’ve tried."

"..."

Jean went completely speechless.

She had tried... over seven dresses already.

He couldn’t be serious.

...

Dhak.

...He had indeed been serious.

Kai bought her thirteen dresses in total, three of them reserved for formal occasions.

Jean could only stare at him in silence until Kai finally gave up trying to defend himself.

"It’s all planned, Jean. See, the more you owe me, the more secure I’ll be during my retirement."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Stop with that lie. Aren’t you spending a little too much? And this isn’t about Elli either."

There was genuine concern in her voice.

"You should really think about the future, Kai. If you have extra savings, put them somewhere they can grow or at least remain safe."

Kai let out a quiet sigh and turned to look at her.

"I might not appear particularly responsible, but trust me, my financial planning is quite organized. I’ve already saved enough to live comfortably for ten years without needing to work a single day."

Jean’s brows rose.

"Are you telling the truth?"

"Yep. Want to see my bank statements?"

Jean immediately flushed. "No. They’re personal, so don’t go showing them to just anyone."

Kai nodded in understanding.

Though she certainly wasn’t "just anyone," he decided not to pursue the topic any further. Instead, he opened the car door for her.

"Now, if you’re feeling better, shall we go to our final destination?"

Jean’s brows lifted. "Hmm? There’s another place?"

Kai nodded.

"Indeed. And you’ll love it."

He climbed into the driver’s seat and started the car.

A smile remained on his face as he drove toward a place that held a very special meaning.

...

"So... this is the place you’ve been so excited to bring me to?" Jean asked, her lips curving into a faint smile.

She could never forget this dark, worn-out factory, the place where she had once lived alongside several other homeless people.

Her eyes grew faintly moist simply from standing there.

It had not been long since she had left this place. Before reuniting with Kyle, she had lived in a dormitory near the station for roughly a month. And yet, returning here brought a flood of emotions she could barely suppress.

"Maa..."

Elara suddenly patted her mother’s chest.

The little one seemed to have noticed her mother’s sadness as well. After spending most of the day ignoring Jean, she now reached out to her and gently patted her.

Kai approached Jean from the side and, after a moment’s hesitation, rested a hand on her shoulder.

Jean leaned against him, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Thank you... You couldn’t have given me a better birthday gift than this."

Kai smiled faintly.

"So you realized it, huh?"

Through her tears, Jean smiled back at him.

"You aren’t very difficult to read these days."

Kai chuckled.

"Well, let’s talk about that later. Shall we go in?"

Jean turned toward the place that had once been her home and quietly nodded.