Episode 418
Charity Party Gala.
This event, also called ‘Sponsorship Night,’ is usually hosted by foundations or art museums that desperately need sponsorship. The atmosphere and proceeding method are different from galas held in the sports industry, and there is also an attendance fee for sponsors to participate. And the ticket price. The entire table reservation fee to sit and enjoy the meal becomes a donation.
Typically, the event begins with a performance and dance that everyone can enjoy, followed by dinner and an auction. In fact, at this point, the meaning was more about social and cultural activities than the true meaning of charity.
Lee Jae-heon couldn’t dress comfortably like usual. A cravat tucked into a vest or a tailcoat with gold threads in detail. Even though it was frustrating, I had to dress well to meet the dress code.
“uncle!”
And due to the nature of the gala held on a small piece of land, it was inevitable that most people who knew each other would gather.
“What about my macarons in Saamchon?”
“What about my chicken?!”
Anyone can see Jaehyung Lee’s face. As soon as I entered, Lee Jae-heon frowned at the two nephews who rushed at me.
“These are my uncle’s habit…”
“Ah, so the macaroons!”
“Chicken!!”
Inside the sharp raised eyes like a cat, I could feel the tenacity towards prey. Because of Lee Jae-hyung, who attaches great importance to image management, he is forced to follow a diet, so this opportunity would be even more welcome. Although he looked nice and thin, to Lee Jae-heon’s eyes, he just looked skinny. As an uncle, I felt sorry for him.
Again, Jaehyung Lee and Jaehee Lee had children late. Unlike Lee Jae-hee’s children, who are now adults, these children were only high school students.
“I bought it, I bought it. “When will you grow up?”
Jaeheon Lee placed snacks in the hands of people coming and going without being noticed.
It was quite funny to see them smiling happily while accepting macaroons and chicken like colts running around in a field, even though they had a proper dress code that showed they were children of noble families. This macaron Cheosuni and Chicken Cheodoli are similar.
Jaeheon Lee grumbled in a familiar tone.
“If you ask me to cook it at home, you can get something tastier, but you always end up running errands for me.”
“The food I make at home… doesn’t taste like this, uncle.”
Nephew No. 1 Lee Jun-hee, who was eating chicken in a corner behind a pillar that people couldn’t see, looked at him with a straight face.
“I’m eating something cheap but with a stimulating taste.”
“Are you a chicken expert? “Why is Malbon bird like this?”
“I want chicken that hits me like a nuclear bomb, not subtle chicken that seeps into my tongue like an orchid. And this kind of chicken cannot be delivered to my house. You know, Mom and Dad, I hate things like this. “It’s falling apart.”
“Huh…”
Lee Jae-heon turned his head and looked at his nephew number 2, Lee Jun-young. She took out a beautifully packaged macaron with tough hands like a bandit and made eye contact. The bright eyes are quite bold.
“Why?”
“Why are you doing that again? “Macarons are a snack that requires a lot of work, so it would be much tastier if you make them at home.”
“? What do you say like that? “Money comes out of my uncle’s wallet, and I can’t be the only one left out.”
“Is this steamed bun taking money from my uncle who doesn’t even earn much?”
“Ah, Eva is the only one who buys things for Lee Jun-hee. Just buy something for that bastard because he’s so pretty. “If you’re going to buy me that chicken, isn’t it natural to buy me one too?”
“Why does the providence of nature come out of my wallet?”
Lee Jae-heon said that and felt troubled inside.
‘…Why is this really like this?’
I thought it was just like that until I met Lee Jae-hyung or Lee Jae-hee, but even when I saw the faces of my nephews, the old man manager’s personality became especially stronger. These little kids, who are in a good mood after meeting their uncle Lee Jae-heon, who is the only one among the adults with a strong sense of humor, look cute for no reason.
Honestly, even though they have personalities that could never be called ‘cute’.
“I heard you kicked out the tutor your older brother called the other day.”
“The face is ugly.”
“Junyoung, how many good-looking people are there in the world?”
“Can’t I get a handsome tutor for my mind and body? “I can’t admit it.”
“If you’re going to kick me out, please politely say no.”
“Ah, old man… Dad ordered this. Yeah, I don’t listen. “Yeah, I won’t.”
“You will understand my feelings only when you have a nephew like you…”
Lee Jae-heon looked at his nephew number one, Lee Jun-hee again.
“Your uncle told you not to throw away money at school, but you couldn’t stand it and made a fuss again?”
“No sir… I have money, why can’t I spend it? “Is this a country?”
“Originally, within the concept of a country, there are laws, morals, and ethics. “Why don’t you learn just one thing: humility?”
“Uncle, there’s something I learned from watching you.”
“I think I know what it is, but tell me first.”
“The right not to be humble can be bought with money….”
“Issi Lee Jae-hyung, this guy is real.”
To be honest, the personality of the old manager can never be said to be good, but the original intention of the parents was to hope that the personality of the child would be exemplary even if the personality of the child was poor.
Perhaps because he had no children, the heart of the old manager, who had looked upon his niece as if he were his son or daughter, could not help but break down at the sight of these crooked guys.
“Okay, just eat a lot. Just be healthy…”
Meanwhile, these children are not mannequins either. Because of my age, I probably couldn’t have included it in the storyline, but I had a strange feeling about it. I’m not sure if it’s relief or wonder.
“I heard my uncle’s house moved. “Can I go out to play?”
“No, you bastards. “It’s right near the office.”
“Are we ashamed? Can’t you show it to your colleagues? So is that so?”
“Do you know that now?”
“Oh really…!”
Nephew No. 2 Lee Jun-young, who chewed and swallowed four macarons in an instant, hit Jae-heon Lee hard and soon stopped with wide eyes.
“…what is it? Why is it so hard?”
“I exercised.”
“It was crazy. Doesn’t this guy have abs too? “I want to touch your stomach just once.”
“Why don’t you get rid of it? Huh? Have you become a pervert while we haven’t seen each other? Hey, go away. Go away quickly. “Because there are three black guys gathered together, people are already attracting attention, so what are they doing?”
“Ahh just this once.”
As expected, Park Da-young was not as good at acting cute. Jaeheon Lee became calmer.
“Get your hands off me. I touched my uncle with my hand who just bought a macaron. “You say this is sexual harassment.”
“Seeing.”
Nephew number 1, who was watching, wrinkled his face.
“Seeing, you must be crazy. “I feel like I’m going to throw up.”
“Puke it up, throw it up.” “Mom will really love it.”
“…Still, I can’t throw up right away after eating chicken for the first time in a long time. Okay, I’ll be patient with you.”
“Damn.”
It was none other than Lee Jae-hee who rescued Lee Jae-heon, who was struggling among his nephews.
Jaehee Lee approached with an elegant appearance, as if she were the matriarch of a long-established family, and slowly glanced at the faces of her nephews. There was a strange sense of intimidation on his noble smiling face.
“What are you all doing here?”
“…Uh….”
“Jaeheon, you should come here too. Maybe it’s because it’s been a while since you’ve been in a place like this, but people are looking for you. “It won’t take long, so come here.”
“Yes, sister.”
Lee Jae-heon followed Lee Jae-hee, leaving his two stiff nephews behind.
“But Jun-seo….”
Nephew number 3, Park Jun-seo. Unlike nephews 1 and 2, who were high school students, he was an adult who was just learning about social life. Jae-Hee Lee, who had little time to spare due to holding the real power of the company and reorganizing its internal affairs, had a child late in life, so although she was younger, she was younger than Jae-Hyung Lee.
Moreover, nephew number 3 was Jaehee Lee and Bungeobbang.
“I’m spinning with my dad. don’t mind.”
“Oh yeah.”
“Well, Jaeheon’s love for his nephew is deep. “Let’s hang out together later after the event.”
“I’m playing with you, sister…”
“Oh, I guess so. Who says what?”
“….”
How can I make this stand out?
Lee Jae-heon’s face lost color as he could already see the future of being captured and tormented by his nephews. Manager Kkondae was fond of his nephews, but not to the point where he held them in his arms. How cute would you say that those who treat him like a toy and poke him in the side are cute?
“Jaeheon, say hello. “This is the CEO of Daily, who is very indebted to our party this time.”
“Haha nice to meet you. Manager Lee Jae-heon.”
“Oh, is the person next to you your daughter?”
“Yes, I heard that I wanted to say hello to Manager Lee Jae-heon…”
I briefly made eye contact with a woman with eyes as polished as a pebble, but out of courtesy, she smiled and slightly averted my eyes.
Even though Lee Jae-heon had just left the throne and was pushed out of the succession, he couldn’t act abusively or act like an old man in a position like this. If the chairman, who holds real power in the family, introduced me, I had to smile and accept it. It meant that I had to be quiet, which was out of character, but it was an uncomfortable position for one reason or another.
“….”
It looks a bit like someone somewhere.
As I was walking around the event venue with my head blank from the overwhelming frustration and fatigue, Jaehee Lee gently tapped Jaeheon Lee’s forearm. The voice was lowered, as if the greeting procession was almost over.
“Look over there.”
“….”
“Is that what you were looking for?”
I could immediately tell who was talking.
Naturally wavy brown hair pulled back. For a moment, I thought I had seen the wrong person when I saw that my hair was stylish and neat, rather than the messy, dog-haired half-up that I always saw. The only thing I was familiar with was the strong body that stood out from the crowd and that languid expression that seemed to be bored to death.
Jaeheon Lee must have noticed my gaze and made eye contact and smiled as he nodded slightly.
“…Yes, that’s right.”
It was Song In-myeong, dressed like a nobleman.
The event hadn’t even started yet, but I was already tired.
* * *
The auction began with dinner, and Song In-myeong, who was at the next table, slowly came over and sat down next to Lee Jae-heon. This happened while nephew No. 1 Lee Jun-hee, who was the original owner of the place, was away to eat the remaining chicken.
Lee Jae-hee, who was the head of the table, glanced at this place and Lee Jae-hyung frowned slightly as if he was displeased, but they both turned their attention to the auction without saying a word. It seemed that one of the reasons for participating in this event was to help Jaeheon Lee with his undesirable hobby.
“how is it.”
“…What do you mean?”
“That was beautifully made.”
“….”
The work currently up for auction was a glass craft. It was a water drop-shaped vase, and its smooth surface was divided into sections like jewels and sparkled, making it truly beautiful. If even water was added inside, the light would scatter and become even more magical.
“It’s a work by an author I also like. People don’t know it because it’s far away now, but that glass surface wasn’t just divided. There are small diamonds encrusted in a few key corners. At the same time, the subtle form draws the eye back to the flowers rather than the vase.”
“…Thank you for the detailed explanation, but…”
“I learned some techniques from the author who made that, and the one I made is also pretty good.”
“….”
“I heard that Manager Lee Jae-heon is interested in this type of work.”
Even though Song In-myeong’s side approached them first, the Lee siblings’ reaction was poor, and it seems that this is because they made separate comments to Song In-myeong.
Even if Lee Jae-heon found what he was looking for, he must have thought that the person who approached him directly should be the other party, not the Lee family, so that his pride would not be hurt. It’s obvious.
‘So, is there a possibility for this situation? Yes, there is no way that the clever Song In-myeong could not judge the situation and approached me like this.’
After organizing his thoughts, Jaeheon Lee nodded.
“you’re right. Recently, by chance… I came across this work. “I didn’t know I would do this, but there were more interesting works than I expected.”
“Even in my work?”
“….”
This is what I want to hear coming from the mouth of ‘Jae-heon Lee’: ‘I like Song In-myeong’s work.’ Or perhaps you are wondering whether that will actually happen. It is a test to see how far the good man ‘Lee Jae-heon’ will go to catch Song In-myeong.
Of course, Jaeheon Lee, who was not ‘Jaeheon Lee’, was able to nod his head without any pressure.
“Yes, I think so.”
“…I see.”
Song In-myeong continued speaking with a grin on his face as if he was going crazy with fun, as if it were the same person who had looked like he was bored to death before the event started.
“It’s a little disappointing.”
“What’s disappointing?”
“My work is being sold in a private auction today in part 2 instead of part 1…”
“Aha.”
“Would you like to participate in the second part of the event held in the future?”
In the behind-the-scenes world, Lee Jae-heon has a history of agreeing to look after Song In-myeong in real life three times, but I don’t think that’s the case now.
In the first place, it was not possible to catch Song In-myeong if they had met each other at this type of event, and Lee Jae-heon also took the position with the purpose of only catching Song In-myeong’s tail.
There is no need to blow one out of three chances, and Song In-myeong himself is never in danger. Lee Jae-heon was a complete loser, but since Song In-myeong was invincible, he started flirting with her, asking her to join him in part 2 as well.
“There will be more interesting works in Part 2.”
“….”
“There are probably many more interesting writers.”
Song In-myeong used ‘Seong Dae-young’ as bait.
It was obvious that it was a modified work to gain the favor of ‘Lee Jae-heon’, but I felt very good about it.
“Would you like Gumi?”
“…Well….”
I tend to like quick-witted guys.
“I’ll think about it.”
As expected, he is an easy pup to deal with.
If I had known this would happen, I would have tried to recruit them from the park, but it was a disaster.
(Continued in the next part)
