NLFSD Chapter 39

Chapter 39

No, maybe it’s not that they’re being polite to me personally—this might just be a hotelier thing.

Having worked in a hotel resort group, Jiwoon had met plenty of refined hoteliers and managers, people whose service-minded attitudes were practically armor. Deciding this man must simply be one of them, Jiwoon cleared away his distracting thoughts.

“Shall we take a walk?”

“Ah, yes, Director.”

“Let’s check the inner pathways—see if they’re convenient for walking. And if someone in a wheelchair were to use them, we need to ensure there aren’t thresholds that could cause problems.”

Yep, definitely an inspection. A surprise site check of the resort’s maintenance, scheduled over the weekend. And of course, it’d feel better to bring along at least one subordinate rather than go alone, right? Sigh.

…Still, this place is amazing.

Jiwoon had never seen a resort that utilized an entire forest while preserving nature so completely. The gardens were largely European in style—partly maze-like, partly left in a natural state, with paths leading toward the main building.

“This is incredible. No wonder they said construction costs were astronomical… Now I get why. Instead of forcefully reshaping nature, they built around its existing beauty—it must’ve been harder that way.”

“Do you like it?” Taecheon asked.

Jiwoon nodded. “Yes. It’s like heaven.”

It was an honest assessment. The autumn forest was so beautiful it felt like paradise on earth.

“Hm. I see.”

“Oh?! Look over there—there’s a wedding…! An outdoor wedding!”

In the main garden, a ceremony was underway.

“Wow. That’s gorgeous.”

The grooms, radiant in their pure white formalwear, walked hand in hand down a flower-strewn aisle as about thirty guests, seated on modest yet tastefully ethnic chairs, applauded enthusiastically.

“Shall we move a little closer?”

“Yes.”

They approached just close enough not to intrude. Even from a distance, the scene was dazzlingly beautiful. The couple—presumably an Alpha-Omega pairing—shared a beaming smile as luminous as their white attire, sealing it all with a kiss. Jiwoon couldn’t help but marvel.

“It’d be so nice to get married somewhere like this.”

“You like outdoor weddings?”

“Huh?”

“I asked if you like that kind of wedding style.”

“Ah… well, yes. Getting kissed on a grassy field under natural light like that—it’s beautiful.”

Jiwoon clapped softly for the couple. Taecheon watched him quietly and nodded.

The next stop was another resort owned by the Sehwa Group. Perched with a breathtaking view of the Han River, the property’s land alone was now valued in the hundreds of billions of won. Arguably the most expensive site in all of Gyeonggi Province, it boasted excellent transportation links and was considered the group’s “golden resort.”

“Wow… The last one was amazing, but this is even more incredible. So extravagant.”

Though Jiwoon had been with Sehwa Group for two years, he worked at headquarters in an office role and had only ever seen sites like this through photos or promotional videos. Seeing it in person was incomparable—the scale and splendor were overwhelming.

“That tree is enormous.”

Jiwoon’s eyes fell on a massive tree in the center of the garden. Its ancient aura gave it a mysterious presence.

“You really seem to like trees,” Taecheon observed.

“Yes, I love plants.”

“But you don’t keep any at home.”

“That’s because I couldn’t take care of them. Until a few months ago, I lived in a tiny studio apartment that didn’t even get sunlight.”

He’d wanted to raise potted plants but felt guilty about doing so in such a cramped, dark space.

“Hmm… And now? You could raise them at our place.”

“Huh? At our place?”

We’re leaving soon—how does it make sense to start raising plants now? It would only become extra baggage later. And with no idea when he’d move out, he didn’t want to start caring for something living.

“Ah, it’s fine. I’ll raise some when I live alone later.”

“Later?”

“Yes. Later.”

Taecheon seemed to mull over Jiwoon’s answer for a long moment.

“For now, let’s head to the restaurant. We should try the food.”

“You’re personally checking the restaurant menu?”

“Well, something like that.”

When they arrived at the resort’s main restaurant, the chef and general manager came out to greet them.

“Director, welcome.”

“It’s an honor to have you visit.”

After returning their polite greetings, Taecheon took a seat.

“Are the dishes I requested prepared?”

“Yes, of course.”

Requested beforehand? Are there special dishes unique to this place?

Whatever it was, Jiwoon was certain it would taste amazing and eagerly sat down. Soon the manager began serving small portions of food on pristine white plates.

“The appetizer is Beijing duck rolls, accented with scallions and cucumbers from high-altitude farms in Gangwon Province.”

Visually stunning, yes—but portion sizes were laughably small, and the foreign spices hit hard.

“What other appetizers do you have prepared?”

“We also have Spanish-style tomato soup.”

“Hm. Both the duck rolls and the soup are strongly foreign. The guests might find them polarizing. Do you have a safer Korean course option?”

“Of course. We have a fusion Korean course. I’ll begin serving that right away.”

Jiwoon caught the word “guests” and realized belatedly: This isn’t just a menu test—it’s a wedding course menu tasting. They’d come here to check on that. Well, it made sense; Taecheon, as head of marketing, would personally taste the dishes and evaluate presentation.

“This is a chilled dish made with pine mushrooms.”

“Wow. That’s incredible.”

“And this is lightly blanched scallops and octopus—pairs beautifully with the wedding wine.”

Soon the manager brought out a neatly arranged yet appetizing Korean course. It resembled the courses Jiwoon had eaten at colleagues’ weddings, and the flavors were solid across the board.

“How’s the taste, Assistant Manager Lee?”

“It’s absolutely top-notch.”

“Korean-style is safer, right?”

“Well… speaking as an assistant manager in Sehwa’s marketing department, yes.”

“And purely from a guest’s perspective?”

“Korean is still better. Western, Chinese, or Japanese dishes can split opinions, like you said.”

“In that case, I’ll respect your opinion. We’ll go with Korean.”

“…Huh?”

Jiwoon furrowed his brows and rubbed his ear. That sounded… strange. Why does my opinion matter here? It’s not like this is my wedding menu. Shouldn’t this decision come from the manager, the head chef, and Taecheon together?

“Exactly as I said: outdoor wedding and Korean course menu—on both points, I’ll follow your opinion.”

“Wait, what are you saying…?”

Jiwoon stopped mid-sentence.

Hold on. Is this… about me?

The outdoor wedding at the previous resort. Taecheon repeatedly asking his thoughts on different venues. The food here, the talk about guest preferences…

Every piece was pointing toward one conclusion. But he couldn’t say it out loud, because the idea that Taecheon was planning their wedding felt impossible to believe.

And come to think of it, Taecheon had called Chairman Seo earlier this morning… Hadn’t he said he’d make a decision and report back today? Was this the decision—choosing the wedding venue?

Curiosity, unease, and tension surged all at once. Jiwoon couldn’t hold back any longer. He decided there was no reason to keep wondering when he could just ask outright.

“Um, Director. Can I ask you something?”

Taecheon, elegantly cutting through a pine mushroom, looked up at him.

“What is it?”

He set down his spoon and knife, resting his chin on his hand—a gesture that highlighted the sharp, masculine lines of his jaw.

“It’s just… well,”

Jiwoon swallowed hard and mustered his courage.

“We didn’t come here just for company business, did we?”

“No. We didn’t.” Taecheon’s reply was immediate, without hesitation.

“No, I mean… Let me ask straight. What’s the purpose of us being here today?”

Under the table, Jiwoon’s fists clenched, his palms slick with sweat.

“To look for a wedding venue.”

“…Excuse me? What did you just say?”

Jiwoon doubted his own ears. Wedding? As in marriage? As in holy matrimony?

“Ah…”

Stunned, Jiwoon sat there with his mouth hanging open, unable to form words. Taecheon fiddled idly with the base of his water glass and continued.

“To be precise, we came to see if this venue would suit my wedding—whether the food, location, and transportation all meet the standard.”

“…The food… the transportation…”

“Yes. A wedding is an immensely important event—you can’t decide it lightly. There are things you can only know by coming here in person, like the parking situation.”

Unbelievable. I can’t even be mad—I feel like running away. Jiwoon’s jaw trembled slightly. He clenched his fists tighter, trying to stop his hands from shaking.

“You’re talking about your wedding, right, Director Seo Taecheon?”

“That’s correct.”

“…Ha.”

Jiwoon let out a hollow laugh into the empty air.