Rules of Attraction |Yeosung|

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"The most simple rule of feminism: If you wanna snag a man, you have to be willing to go all the way."

"All the way? What do you mean, 'all the way?'" Hansung questioned.

"By stepping up your game in everything: Makeup, hair, clothes, accessories. I'm telling you, women get competitive when it comes to men."

"That's so much to learn! Where do I even start?" Hansung's head spun from everything Yeowool was telling him.

"With the basics; start small, work your way up. Now show me how you fan yourself," Yeowool demanded.

"How is that going to help me gain Sunwoo's attention?"

"Because men judge your every move and word; everything you do has to be done with grace and elegance. Now fan yourself!"

Reluctantly, Hansung unraveled his fan, quite sloppily, and began to beat the air around his face.

"Hansung, honey," Yeowool interrupted. "Everything you did just now was completely and utterly gross!"

Hansung pouted. "Well, how should I do it then?"

"Fanning yourself shouldn't be much of a challenge; it has to be quick and refined. Let me show you." Yeowool took out his own fan and snapped it open with ease in one, fluid movement. "Try flicking your wrist like this; it'll help the fan open up by itself."

Hansung followed his mentor's advice, and was now unraveling it not-so-stiffly.

"Good. Now copy me: Lightly fan it over your nose," Yeowool instructed, doing so to demonstrate.

Hansung tried to mimic his movements, but ended up fanning himself too vigorously.

"No no no! Lightly! Like you're petting a baby!" Yeowool hissed, bonking him on the head with his closed fan.

"Hyung, I'm trying! And that hurt," Hansung sulked, his fan still waving violently as his other hand rubbed his slightly sore head.

"You want to pet the baby, not spank it! Maknae, your fanning is strong enough to create a tornado! You don't want to hurt the baby, do you?"

"No!" The younger Hwarang gasped.

"Then pet it!! Fan yourself like you're petting the baby," Yeowool repeated.

The thought of himself mentally spanking an innocent baby worried and horrified Hansung greatly, heightening his awareness at the amount of power he was using to fan himself.

"Better," Yeowool praised. "It still needs a bit more work, but we'll worry about that later. Now, do you have any silver with you?"

"Yes, why??"

"Come along. We're going shopping."

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After a short walk through the Capital, the two Hwarangs reached Master Geun's Goods and stepped into the pristine building, eyeing the endless racks of colourful hanboks and accessories.

Hansung reached out and fingered the fabric on a vermillion-coloured hanbok. "Wahh! This looks so cool—"

Yeowool smacked his hand away from the rack.

"Oww," Hansung whined. "What was that for?!"

"We're supposed to be looking for something that screams flirty and approachable, not cool and brooding."

"Sunwoo would like something like this," Hansung murmured.

"Master Yeowool!" A voice exclaimed from the back.

"Master Geun," Yeowool greeted back as he bowed and shook hands with the famous salesman. "It's been a while."

"Well you know what they say—"

"'It's never too late to purchase from Master Geun's Goods,'" they recited together in unison.

"Ha ha! Smart boy; you're a man after my own heart," Master Geun teased. "Now what can I do for you today?"

"We need to make a few upgrades for Master Hansung here," Yeowool explained, gently pushing him forward and resting his hands on Hansung's shoulders.

"The usual?" Master Geun said with a knowing smile.

"The usual."

The salesman nodded and immediately got to work, pulling off various hanboks in every colour.

"Come, come!" He shoved a hanbok into Hansung's arms and ushered the nobleman into a changing room. "Try this one on." 

A few minutes later, Hansung came out wearing a green-and-orange hanbok. He threw his arms out dramatically, posing for the two contemplating men. "How do I look?"

Master Geun stroked his chin, judging his first look. "It's not a bad choice—"

"What do you mean, 'it's not a bad choice?!' He looks like a pumpkin!" Yeowool protested from his side. "We can't let him walk out looking like a vegetable!"

Hansung whined, "I don't look that bad, do I??"

"Perhaps what Master Yeowool says has some kernel of truth," the salesman said gently, picking up a different coloured hanbok and offering it to Hansung. "Put this one on."

Hansung huffed and stomped back into the changing room, coming out again wearing the plum-coloured robe given to him by Master Geun.

"It's a step from the pumpkin one, but he doesn't look too good in purple," Yeowool commented to Master Geun.

"I don't like the flowers either," Hansung added, gesturing to the pink floral print adorning his robe. "They're too flowery for me."

"Let's have him wear something else. Maknae, try the viridescent one next," Yeowool suggested.

Over the past few hours, Hansung tried on hanbok after hanbok as Yeowool and Master Geun examined every potential piece of clothing he could wear. One by one, they were turned away; there was always something not quite right with each one.

One looked like a peasant's wardrobe had thrown up on Hansung, according to Yeowool, while Master Geun thought that another made him look like a deformed kimbap.

"Do not lose hope Master Yeowool," the salesman insisted. "This is the last one he's trying on. It may not be as bad as the others."

"Let's hope so," the Hwarang replied as Hansung stepped out of the changing room for the last time.

Yeowool felt his jaw drop as Master Geun clapped his hands together giddily, staring at Hansung's final option: A pale yellow hanbok embossed with gilded dragons along the sleeves and the hem of his robe.

"Splendid! Absolutely splendid!" Master Geun squealed, darting to Hansung's side to observe the hanbok up-close. "The perfect blend of flirty, regal, and masculine! Don't you agree, Master Yeowool?"

Yeowool nodded woodenly, still taken aback by Hansung's new appearance. He dropped his gaze to the floor, feeling a large blush bloom onto his cheeks in which no amount of makeup could cover up.

"I like it too!" Hansung piped up, oblivious to his companion's scarlet, throbbing face. "We'll buy it!" He stated further to Master Geun.

"Wonderful! That will be 200 pieces of silver."

At that, Hansung choked on his saliva, coughing and sputtering. "200?! That's so expensive!"

"How about 50 pieces of gold?" Yeowool offered, pulling out his money pouch and tossing it towards the salesman, who caught it.

He peered into the bag, and his eyes lit up greedily. "You got yourself a deal! A pleasure doing business with you two." Master Geun shook hands with the two Hwarangs.

"Oh! Master Yeowool! A word of advice for you," he called out as they were leaving his store, beckoning him over.

Yeowool bent down to his height, and the salesman whispered into his ear: "Tell him how you feel."