It was a big night for Kim Hyun Joong. He’s at an exclusive mansion in Kigami Jinjya Japan owned by Hiroshi Jun, one of the richest men in Japan. A private auction in being held for 양류관음도, Avalokiteshvara, painting from the Korean Goryeo Dynasty, 1310 CE.

Kim Hyun Joong had his eye on that painting as he was collecting the artifacts of the Goryeo Dynasty.  Incidentally, Park Yoochun just held his premiere night for his movie in Tokyo and so he was tagged along the said private auction together with Choi Seung Hyun who attended the Tokyo Fashion Week in Japan and Kim Jaejoong who had to deal with some business transactions for one of their hotels in Japan.

The four friends were holding their respective glasses while waiting for the auction to start. Seung Hyun kept on wandering his gaze over the crowd. He then sighed impatiently.

“Why did my hyungs tag me along this boring auction!?” Seung Hyun looked up at the ceiling helplessly. Yoochun was chucking at the sight of Seung Hyun’s bored face.

“What did I tell you about Hyun Joong hyung’s kind of fun Yoochun hyung? I told you his head is upside down. His idea of fun is boring. Look at all these ladies. Bunch of old hags vying for some ancient artifact. I should have stayed in Tokyo with the y models.” Seung Hyun crossed his arms over his chest and muttered childishly.

“Just shut your mouth Seung Hyun. Just for tonight. It’s his birthday tomorrow. We have to celebrate and welcome his birthday together.” Jaejoong whispered.

“Like you’ve been celebrating our birthdays with us while you were in Europe.” Seung Hyun spat back sarcastically.

“Why do you always act like a big baby whenever you’re with us? You get with the most girls with all three of us combine and yet here you are complaining because you can only see old hags in this auction. I swear I’m losing my patience with you.” Yoochun sighed heavily as he looked frustratingly at Seung Hyun.

“Hyung…don’t be mad at me…” Seung Hyun pouted his lips and tugged on Yoochun’s jacket. Hyun Joong was just looking at them silently. He can’t afford to lose his focus tonight. This is a rare chance to get that painting. He needs to get that painting.

Kim Hyun Joong is the eldest son of Kim Sun Joo and Kim Hye Kyo. Their family is considered an institution in the Cultural Heritage of South Korea. They own the largest private museum in the country. As the eldest son, Hyun Joong is appointed to follow in his father’s footsteps. At a young age, he’s already at par as far as experience in being a curator with those that had earned Doctor of Philosophy, master’s degree in history and art abroad. Ever since he was little, he was already trained to master his craft.

For about two years now, Hyun Joong has been collecting artifacts from the Korean Goryeo Dynasty and this painting is one of the most important pieces. He’s willing and ready to bid any given price just to get the painting.

“I’ll just talk to Mr. Hiroshi guys.” Hyun Joong left his friends and walked towards Mr. Hiroshi, the owner of the mansion and the owner of the painting. Mr. Hiroshi was standing by the table with different assorted finger foods and he was talking to a friend.

“Ohayo Mr. Hiroshi-san…” Hyun Joong greeted the old man with a ninety degree bow. The old man smiled at him in response.

“If it isn’t my favorite client. How are you son?” The old man asked him as he took a small sip of his champagne.

“I’m honored to have been invited in your exclusive auction Sir. Although you should’ve just given me the painting as a birthday gift…” Hyun Joong smiled widely as the old man laugh in endearment.

“If there weren’t any rules and if it not for the violent reactions of the people vying for this painting, you know I’d give the painting to you in a heartbeat.” The old man touched Hyun Joong’s shoulder and the latter just nodded.

“I know Mr. Hiroshi. Although I must say, you still owe me a birthday gift. Perhaps you can give me one of the swords of the samurai from the Nara Period – Classical Japan. You have one to spare.” Hyun Joong smiled charmingly, trying to push his luck.

“You know what, you really are your father’s son. You are even twice as persistent as he is!!!” Mr. Hiroshi let out a hearty laugh.

“Alright, alright…I’ll have one of my curators send that to you in Seoul.” Mr. Hiroshi resolved as he bid Hyun Joong goodbye.

Hyun Joong smiled to himself in satisfaction. 

“This is going to be a very good night.” Hyun Joong said to himself while smiling.

All of a sudden, he was distracted by a munching sound nearby. When he turned to his left and look, he noticed a lady in a little red dress munching on the finger foods like there was no tomorrow. She was stuffing one food after another.

He eyed the lady in the red dress carefully. She doesn’t look the least bit Japanese nor does she look Caucasian.

“Omo!!! Omo!!! Maa!!!” The lady suddenly gasps in delight upon tasting one of the foods on the table. He was disgusted with the way the lady ate. was wide open while marveling at the delicious food.

“Well she’s definitely Korean.”Hyun Joong thought to himself as he heard the lady speak in Korean. The lady kept on stuffing food in that she didn’t notice there wasn’t any champagne left in her glass.

Hyun Joong was alarmed when the lady’s cheeks started to become red. It looked like she was choking and her eyes grew big when she finally noticed there was nothing left to drink in her glass.

He couldn’t help but wonder how in the world the lady managed to eat so much without gaining any weight. His eyes trail down the lady’s long slender creamy legs as her right foot started tapping the ground. He was entranced for a second but was immediately taken away from his reverie when the lady grabbed the champagne glass he was holding and drank its contents in one shot.

The lady slapped her chest and was struggling to breathe.

“Tsk. It’s a pity that she doesn’t have the least bit of breeding. How in the world did she get invited to an exclusive auction like this?”Hyun Joong wondered.

“Thank you so much. I thought I was going to die!” The lady threw Hyun Joong a friendly smile. He just responded with a cold nod as he eyed her up and down. He turned and walked away but the lady followed him. She linked her arm with his, discarding the formalities, acting as if they were very close friends.

“How much do you think that painting would sell? I really have to get that you know! I need to get that painting no matter how much it costs!!!” The lady giggled. Hyun Joong stopped in his tracks and looked at the lady seriously.

“Look miss, do you even know what that painting is and where it came from?” Hyun Joong couldn’t help himself with the condescending tone. The lady’s mouth fell open. Hyun Joong shook his head.

“Of course you don’t have any idea. What do I expect from a lady who stuffs food in as if the world will end tomorrow? Such a disgrace.” Hyun Joong’s lips curved into a sarcastic smile as he eyed the lady once again.

The lady looked appalled and she was terribly offended with Hyun Joong’s remark. Hyun Joong left her in the middle of the crowd and walked towards his three friends.

“What was that about?” Jaejoong asked Hyun Joong as the latter looked irritated.

“That lady wants to steal my painting and she doesn’t even know what the hell it is she’s planning to buy. It’s a disgrace to have art lover posers like hers just so that she could show off her money. She even free loads on those finger foods like she hasn’t eaten for days. She doesn’t have the least bit of breeding and just snatched my glass away without even saying sorry. Then she walks beside me and clings into my arms as if we’re very close. ” All three of his friends fell silent because that was the longest complain they’ve ever heard from Hyun Joong about a girl.

“She must really be something for you to rant about her like that hyung…” Seung Hyun wiggled his eyebrows at Hyun Joong teasingly. Hyun Joong elbows him in response.

“Damn it hyung!!!” Seung Hyun crouches in pain.

“She’s pretty...” Jaejoong chirped.

“And y…” Yoochun interjected.

“And she has an appetite of an elephant…” Hyun Joong snapped at the three guys looking at him with their teasing smiles.

The bid for the painting finally started. There were others who dared to out bid Hyun Joong but stopped when he announced that he wanted to buy the painting for ten million dollars. The crowd fell silent, everyone in awe. The painting’s estimated price was only a little under five million dollars but Hyun Joong was willing to double up the amount.

“Eleven million dollars? Going once…going twice…”

“Twenty million dollars!” A voice croaked from a far corner of the mansion. Hyun Joong cursed as he recognized that annoying voice. The crowd was silent once again.

“Twenty million dollars!!!” The lady in the red dress repeated. She stood up and shouted. She was talking to someone on the phone as if she wasn’t the least bit concerned about buying the painting.

“Twenty one million dollars? Going once…going twice…”

“Twenty three million dollars…” Hyun Joong mentally cursed knowing that he already went out of his budget. He stood up and looked at the lady in the red dress and she just smiled at him lazily.

“Thirty million dollars!!!” The lady walked towards Hyun Joong. They both walked towards the center of the bidding area, holding each others gaze.

“Thirty five million dollars…” Hyun Joong responded. The lady in the red dress raised her eyebrow and she was still holding her phone.

“Thirty six million dollars? Going once…going twice…” the lady raised her hand to stop them.

“Yes. I will meet you there in a jiffy honey. I just need to finish this business.” The lady ended the call and smiled at Hyun Joong cockily.

“This lady with no breeding and a disgrace wants to bid for that silly painting for fifty million dollars.” Hyun Joong’s mouth fell open.

As much as Hyun Joong doesn’t want to accept defeat, fifty million dollars is way beyond his budget.

“Fine. You win. But this is not the end of it.” Hyun Joong spoke icily.

“Whatever handsome snob.” The lady replied, brushing him off.

“Fifty one million dollars…going once…going twice…going thrice…and the painting goes to the lady in the red dress!!!”

“What’s your name?” Hyun Joong asked in a whisper as the lady touched his chin with her index finger.

“Bom…Bom Park...don’t ever forget it…because I guarantee you Mr. Handsome Snob. You’ll see me around.” Bom turned away from him and walked towards the center and signed the document to seal the bid. She throws the crowd a triumphant smile and she walks towards Hyun Joong once again.

She leans in and whispers in his ear.

“By the way, that silly painting is양류관음도, Avalokiteshvara, it’s a hanging scroll, ink and colors on silk. Its height is 203 inches, width is 119 ¾ inches. Drawn in Goryeo period of Korea 1310. It has been stored at Kagami Jinjya Temple, Japan up until now.”

“Contrary to your prejudice, I do my homework. It’s nice playing this game with you Mr. Handsome Snob. Until we meet again.” 
 

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(A/N)

Again, this is a preview of a chaptered fic I'm planning about KPop's F4.

This is Hyun Joong's preview. The other previews of TOP and Yoochun are already posted on my story list.

So it's Jaejoong's story next and that is where I'm going to merge everything.