11: Chapter 11 The Eye-Catching Black Suit

In late December, Seoul was still wrapped in a thin layer of frost in the early morning, bitingly cold.

The sky had just brightened not long ago. Liu Zijun had already finished his daily exercise and was now standing in front of the walk-in closet, feeling a bit conflicted.

Only a few clothes hung in the wardrobe, yet each piece exuded an extraordinary texture.

That was because he was accustomed to that standard of living from his past life. Even though he was now a bodyguard, he didn't intend to settle for less.

But at this moment, he was in a predicament; he truly had too few clothes.

Last night, he received a notice from the company. Today, f(x) had a group schedule in a busy downtown area, and he was to accompany them.

His fingertips brushed over an expensive, deep black suit, feeling the exceptionally fine fabric.

This was a style custom-made for him by a special friend. The cut was sharp yet not restrictive, perfectly accentuating his tall and straight physique.

After his rebirth in this life, he had just finished handling matters over there before rushing back to China. Then, he brought this suit with him to The Peninsula.

"The work uniform isn't ready yet, so I'll have to wear this for now."

He murmured to himself, casually taking out a shirt and a subtly patterned tie in matching colors, deftly tying it.

The man in the mirror had sharp, cold features, but this suit softened much of his aloofness, adding instead a touch of steadiness.

However, he looked nothing like a bodyguard, more like a successful businessman or a wealthy young master.

Having gained Choi Jin-ri's initial acceptance made Liu Zijun feel considerably more at ease inside.

If Son Ye-jin knew about this mindset, she'd probably be grinding her teeth in frustration.

"So cold and indifferent to me, yet so attentive to this Choi Sulli."

When he went out, the convenience store downstairs from his apartment building had been open for a while. He had also visited it yesterday morning.

Sure enough, the shop owner's wife smiled and handed him a cup of coffee.

"Young man, you look so handsome in that outfit today. Are you going to meet someone important?"

Liu Zijun took the coffee, nodded his thanks, and offered no further explanation—after all, he couldn't very well say he was going to be a bodyguard for idols.

When the taxi stopped at the entrance of the SM Entertainment building, it coincided with the peak time for fan gatherings.

Several girls holding Super Junior support banners widened their eyes the moment they saw him get out of the car, whispering among themselves.

"Wow, that oppa is so handsome! Is he a newly debuted artist?"

"He doesn't look like one. His aura is so cool, but that suit really shows off his figure!"

Hearing the chatter, Liu Zijun didn't break his stride.

He knew wearing this outfit was too eye-catching, a major taboo for security personnel.

But while packing last night, he realized he hardly had any clothes, and what he did have were all these semi-formal styles.

Just as he reached the hallway leading to the f(x) practice room, he heard Victoria Song's cheerful voice from ahead: "Sulli, let me borrow your hand warmer! The heating doesn't seem very strong today!"

This was followed by Choi Sulli's soft, sweet reply: "unnie, take it. I have another one."

Liu Zijun quickened his pace. As soon as he turned the corner, he came face-to-face with the approaching f(x) members.

Victoria Song looked up first, her eyes instantly lighting up: "Huh? Isn't this Liu Zijun?"

She looked Liu Zijun up and down, unable to resist reaching out and touching the chest area of his suit.

"This suit really brings out your aura! The fabric feels expensive just to the touch. Is it your own clothes?"

Liu Zijun nodded, pinching the hem of his suit, and said, "Yes. The company's work uniform isn't ready yet, so I have to wear my own for the time being."

Victoria Song smiled and turned to the members behind her, saying, "Look, Mr. Liu Zijun looks even better in this suit than the male artists at our company do in theirs!"

Krystal Jung walked over with her arms crossed. She was wearing a black hoodie today, her gaze still carrying a hint of coolness, yet unable to conceal her curiosity.

Even this Little Iceberg couldn't help but say, "Mr. Liu Zijun, what brand is this suit? It looks custom-made."

She usually had some interest in fashion and could tell at a glance that the suit's tailoring was exceptional, not something you could buy off the rack at a department store.

Liu Zijun paused for a moment, not wanting to show off, so he replied vaguely, "A friend helped me have it made before. No particular brand, just comfortable to wear."

He didn't mention that the fabric alone for this suit cost several months' salary for an average person, let alone the custom tailoring fees.

Whether in his past life or this one, he had never lacked money and never paid much attention to such things, but now he felt it was a bit too conspicuous.

Amber Liu walked over with her arm around Luna's shoulders. She was wearing a loose denim jacket today.

Her tone was straightforward: "Mr. Liu Zijun, did you used to have a job that required wearing formal attire? You seem to carry yourself especially well in a suit, unlike us who always feel awkward in formal dresses."

This question actually gave Liu Zijun a slight pause.

He recalled that in his past life, he mostly wore this suit while on missions, but those experiences couldn't be spoken of.

He could only reply flatly, "I used to have a job that involved meeting people frequently. I just got used to wearing them."

Luna tugged at Amber Liu's sleeve and said softly, "Don't ask so many questions. If Mr. Liu Zijun doesn't want to say, just let it be."

Choi Sulli had been standing behind Victoria Song, not saying much, just secretly watching Liu Zijun.

Seeing that everyone else had finished asking, she finally spoke up softly: "Ji-Jun oppa, won't you be cold wearing that? The wind seems quite strong today."

Her gaze fell on the collar of Liu Zijun's shirt, worried he was only wearing a dress shirt.

Liu Zijun looked down at her, his eyes immediately softening a few degrees.

"I'm wearing thermal underlayers inside, so I'm not cold. If you're cold, I'll get you a heat pack when we get to the schedule location."

Hearing this, Choi Sulli's cheeks flushed slightly pink. She could clearly sense Liu Zijun's partiality towards her.

She nodded and said softly, "Thank you, oppa."

Just then, Manager Han Jaeran walked over carrying a large bag, calling out from a distance: "Kids, time to go! We can't be late for today's schedule!"

It was only when he got closer that he saw Liu Zijun. His eyes instantly went wide: "Oh my, you must be Ja-joon-xi! That suit of yours is way too handsome!"

He circled Liu Zijun once, reaching out to touch the suit's fabric, his face full of envy: "This material... you can tell at a glance it's not cheap! Our company's security work uniforms are simply incomparable!"

He sighed and said, "By the way, I'm their Manager, Han Jaeran! You can call me Brother Jaeran! I heard about what happened with Sulli yesterday. Thank you."

Liu Zijun smiled, shook his head, then said okay, which counted as a reply!

Han Jaeran also knew Liu Zijun was Chinese and that he probably wouldn't pay much heed to all those seniority systems.

Han Jaeran was still marveling: "Ja-joon-xi, where did you buy this suit? Could you recommend the place? I'd like to buy one for myself to wear when meeting clients."

Liu Zijun explained again: "A friend helped me have it made. It probably isn't easily available outside.

I just arrived at The Peninsula and only have this one set, so I have no choice.

I'm actually planning to go to a mall tonight to buy a few more ordinary suits for work later. This one is too eye-catching."

Victoria Song said in surprise, "Huh? You still need to buy new ones? Isn't this suit of yours perfectly fine?"

Liu Zijun shook his head and said, "It's better to keep a low profile. I'm here to be a bodyguard. I'll buy two sets myself, and once the work uniform arrives, I'll wear that from then on!"

Hearing this, Han Jaeran nodded in agreement: "Let's also drop the formal speech. We'll be colleagues from now on, so let's keep things casual! Ja-joon is right about this. It's better for us support staff to keep a low profile."

"Alright, enough chatting. We should get going!

I'll drive today. With Ja-joon's help from now on, I should be able to take it a bit easier!"

The members all nodded and began gathering their things.

After packing her own backpack, Choi Sulli walked over to Liu Zijun and asked quietly, "Ji-Jun oppa, for today's schedule, you'll be following us the whole time, right?"

Seeing the dependence in her eyes, Liu Zijun's heart softened. He smiled and nodded, "Mm, I'll be following the whole time. Don't worry."

Hearing this, a faint smile finally appeared on Choi Sulli's face, as if a weight had been lifted from her heart.

Suddenly remembering something, she added, "After today's schedule is over, how about I go with you to buy clothes, oppa?"

Liu Zijun was taken aback, but under the little girl's expectant gaze, he still nodded!

Having received his answer, Choi Sulli's ears turned slightly red under the teasing looks from the other members.