My heart did a stupid, nervous flip. I was face-to-face with the parents of the guy I'd played that night-basketball with . I bowed low, 90 degrees.
"Good evening. Please, come in."
"Ah, you must be San-gun," the woman said. She was elegant, sharp, and looked exactly like an older, colder version of Myung-Dae. "Myung-Dae mentioned you." Myung-Dae , standing behind her in a black hoodie, plaster still on his nose, just scoffed.
"Omma…" His father, a tall, quiet man, nudged him in the ribs until he said something.
"Be polite. San-ssi, thank you for welcoming us. How are you finding Korea?"
"It's... amazing, sir," I said, bowing again. "A lot is happening. Please, Eomeonim is in the garden."
I led them through the house.
The giraffe was definitely gone. As we stepped out onto the lawn, Mrs. Lee turned. The frazzled, apron-wearing woman from the grill was gone.
In her place was a "real CEO", wearing an elegant dark blue dress, her hair perfectly coiffed. She was the picture of a graceful, wealthy host.
"Ah, Taek-young, Hye-won! Welcome!" she said, her smile brilliant. "Myung-Dae, it's good to see you. You're looking... well." She glanced at his nose but didn't comment. "Please, sit," she insisted. "I must apologize. Min-hyuk will be a little late. He's stuck at the clinic."
Myung-Dae's father nodded. "Ah, the hospital keeping him busy? A dentist's work is never done, eh?"
Clinic? Hospital? Dentist? I just assumed Mr. Lee was a businessman. Their family owned a private hospital?
We all sat. The parents immediately fell into the easy, coded language of the rich. "...the committee meeting was a success, Eun-sook..."
"...I heard the Parks are remodeling their entire third floor..."
"...did you see the new landscaping at the club?"
It was the "golden triangle" gossip, and I was completely out of my depth. I just sat quietly, trying to look polite.
Just then, the intercom chimed again.
"Ah, that must be the Yoo family," Mrs. Lee said, standing up. "Excuse me, I'll get the gate."
As soon as she was out of earshot, Ji-hoon, who had quietly joined the table with a drink, leaned forward.
"So, Mrs. Lee," he said to Myung-Dae's mother. "How is the new location coming along? I heard you're opening in Samcheong-dong?"
Myung-Dae's mother sighed. "A nightmare. The contractors are delayed. But the permits finally came through. We hope to open before the festival."
I was completely lost.
I leaned over to Ha-neul, who was laser-focused on the hanwoo beef sizzling on the grill.
"What restaurant?" I whispered.
Ha-neul, without taking her eyes off the meat, whispered back, "Their family owns 'Mise-en-scène.' The cafe chain."
My jaw dropped.
"'Mise-en-scène'? The one with the green awnings and the antique books? I've... I've seen that in K-dramas! They're always filming there!" Myung-Dae, who had been silently scrolling on his phone, looked up at my outburst. A small, mocking smirk played on his lips.
"Wow, 'Mountain'. You get excited by a cafe?"
Before I could reply, Mrs. Lee's voice drifted from the entryway.
"Welcome, welcome! Please, come out to the garden!" She returned, followed by Mr. Yoo (Jae-man), a man who looked like he owned half of Seoul, and his equally elegant wife.
And behind them... Yoo Chae-rin.
She was in a perfect white dress, her hair flawless. When she saw me sitting at the table, her face froze, her eyes turning to ice. But she wasn't alone. Holding her hand was a small girl, maybe ten years old, clutching a doll and hiding behind her older sister's dress.