I'm updating early to celebrate Infinite The Eye first win ! I'm so glad for our boys ! Let's cheer for them even more !

FYI, at the end of the last chapter, I was like SUNGJONG-AH GET THE HELL AWAY THAT GUY IS A PSYCHO !

He didn't listen...

Woohyun was checking on the stock after the lunch rush hour when his apprentice came looking for him.

“Chef !” Taehyung called from the door. “A customer is asking for you.”

“Is there a problem ?” Woohyun asked, walking to him.

“Not at all. She wants to congratulate the chef, apparently.” He said.

Woohyun nodded and put the electronic device in his hands.

“Keep checking the stock, and consult me if you notice we are short or miss on something.” He asked.

“Yes chef !” the young man said before getting into the storage room.

Woohyun walked to the kitchen and saw a waitress waiting.

“Where is she ?” he asked her.

“In the VIP room.”

“Thanks.” He gave her a nod before making his way to the said place.

The VIP room was on the back of the dining room, separated from it for more privacy. The room itself was very expensive, so it was used only by very few who could not be spotted in public without attracting attention. Woohyun remembered that during the restaurant’s renovations three years ago, Sunggyu requested it to be built for the very top clientele, he had said, but Woohyun knew he had meant Dongwoo at the time. Right now, he couldn’t say anymore. He slid the door of the VIP room open and entered. On the table were the remains of a VIP seafood platter and an open bottle of Muscat, the woman sipping on her wine. As she heard the door, she turned her head and smiled as her eyes landed on him.

“I was expecting you.” She said, turning her glass in her hand. “Please, have a seat.”

“Sadly, I don’t have much time to spare you.” He replied.

“It won’t be long. Pease.” She insisted, designating the chair across her.

Woohyun sighed but obliged, hoping it will waste less time. Now that he faced her, he noticed the way she scrutinized him, and he felt ill-at-ease.

“Don’t you recognize me ?” she asked.

He looked at her with incredulous eyes, not really understanding what was happening.

“I’m sorry, should I ?”

She laughed at that, joyful and clear.

“It’s true then, that you don’t look at women that way. It’s quite sad. You’re the perfect husband material, Nam Woohyun-shi.”

That’s when something clicked in his brain, and he understood who he was dealing with.

“You’re Lee Saehee.” He realized.

“You nailed it.” She said with an amused smile. “Will you take a glass of wine ?”

“I don’t drink during my work hours.” He opposed, putting a hand on the glass before him. “I rather cut the chase here. What do you want ?”

“So hasty.” She chuckled, pouring herself some more wine. “I just came because I was curious. I heard so much about you, so I wanted to meet you. You’re more handsome than in pictures.”

“That’s all ?” Woohyun asked, ready to leave.

“Not quite.” She admitted. “I also came to give you a friendly advice.”

Woohyun tensed but let her pursue.

“Coming here, I was probably followed by some tenacious paparazzi or even sasaengs, ready to grasp any crumb worthy of gossip. That’s how my life looks like, because I’m a celebrity. Hoya is the same, only ten times worse because he’s an idol, not only famous in Korea but worldwide. If a scandal breaks, sure we’ll get burned, but we know the risks. Besides, Hoya and I are normal people. We may be famous now, but we came from average background. You’re not.”

“What do you mean ?” Woohyun asked, defensive.

“Aren’t you the youngest son of Nam Group, the first construction corporation of the country ?” she said knowingly, pushing toward him a newspaper, which front page was an article about the breakthrough of the Nam group in the construction field in North Africa.

“If a scandal breaks, you’ll be the one with the most to lose. So I advise you to keep a low profile for the time of our dating arrangement. I don’t care what you two are doing, but want to be involved in a scandal implicating one of the major conglomerate of this country.” She said, taking her purse before leaving.

Left alone, Woohyun took the newspaper and looked at the handshake picture. Two men were shaking hands, their countries’ flag behind them. The title was bold and huge.

NAM GROUP WIN OVER ALGERIA'S CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS

CHINA LOSING THE POWER STRUGGLE

Woohyun fished his phone out of his pants’ pocket and texted his older brother.

Saw abeoji in the newspaper. Congrats for the contracts. Seems like a huge deal.

He stood up and was about to leave when his phone buzzed.

Yes, it is. We’ve been working on it for months. And about abeoji, congratulate him yourself. He’s your father too, even if you don’t give a damn about the company.

Woohyun snorted as he read his brother’s answer. Even texting, he couldn’t help but bossing him around. Nevertheless, he had a point. Woohyun didn’t spoke to his father since the disastrous dinner at the family mansion. Maybe it was time he let go of his grudge, considering his father would never make the first step. He walked out of the restaurant, dialing his mother.

“Hi mom.” He said when she picked up.

“Woohyunie !” she said, sounding happy. “How’s my baby ?”

“I’m well, thank you. What about you ?”

“Fine, just fine.” She said. “I’m glad you called.”

“Yes, about that… I saw abeoji in the newspaper. I guess it’s a pretty big deal huh ?”

“Tell me about it, your old man can’t shut up about it.” She sighed. “Speaking of which… Yeobo ! Woohyunie’s on the phone !”

The next few sentences where hardly distinct, his mother obviously putting a hand on the speaker.

“Don’t act like that !” a hush was heard. “He’s your son !”

“Yobuseyo ?” a man’s voice was eventually heard on the other hand of the phone.

“Abeoji, it’s me, Woohyun. Hum… I saw you in the newspaper. You looked really good. And huh… I wanted to congratulate you for the contracts. I guess it was an important business deal.”

“Well, you would know if you did not act like a stranger to your own family.” His father said.

“Father, please.” Woohyun said, trying to avoid an argument.

“We’re too soft with you, that’s all.” His father said. “If we had been as firm with you as we were for your brother, you wouldn’t have wondered out your natural path.”

“Well, maybe if you had actually been around when I was growing up I wouldn’t have to carve a path all by myself.”

“When will you stop blaming us for it ? Yes, we haven’t been around, but we provide you everything.” His father pointed out.

“I wasn’t speaking about material things.” Woohyun said.

“Well, when you stop those childish aspirations, we’ll be able to talk.”

“I don’t think being loved is a childish aspiration.” Woohyun exclaimed. “Since this conversation is going nowhere, I suggest we stop now. I wish you a good day father, and all my congratulations again.” He said before hanging up.

Woohyun was about to cross the hall and get back to the restaurant when someone called his name.

“Woohyun-ah !”

He turned his head and recognized Sunggyu’s mother.

It’s definitely not my day, he thought as he walked to her.

 “Ommonim.” He greeted her with a smile.

“Aigo, look at you.” She cooed, cupping his face to have a good look at it. “You’re a grown man now.” She said, squeezing his shoulders. “I’m almost jealous of your mother, seeing how handsome you are.”

“You’re too kind.” Woohyun said.

“How is your mother by the way ?”

“I was on the phone with her just before you came. She’s fine, equal to her