Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Jang Doha smiled gently at me.

“It’s okay. I don’t think you feel the same way I do. But I confessed because I wanted to tell you that my attitude towards you is going to change.”

He seemed completely unfazed.

“What?”

“I almost lost you, Yena. When I heard about the accident in America, it felt like my world was falling apart. And I regretted it. I regretted not confessing my feelings sooner and not approaching you more assertively. I won’t let that happen again. Just stay as you are, Yena. I’ll be the one to make the move. I’ll work to win your heart. Just don’t push me away. That’s all I ask.”

His soft voice, his deep gaze, his bright smile—everything seemed to pierce my heart. My heart was about to race, but I tried to remain as calm as possible.

“I’m not going to change…”

“Don’t try to. You don’t need to consider me. As time passes, you’ll find yourself drawn to me.”

His confident and calm demeanor suddenly made me suspicious.

“Did you tell your parents about me on purpose?”

He smiled with a twinkle in his eye. “Yes.”

I paused. And then opened my mouth. “What if I kept rejecting you?”

“It’s all right even if you do. I would keep approaching you until you understood my feelings. And I will continue to do so.”

I sighed. I couldn’t think of a way to push away someone who said he didn’t care if he was rejected and would go his own way. Moreover, he had already told his family, so there was no alternative. But I had to warn him.

“It won’t be easy.”

He smiled brightly as if taking my words as consent.

“Don’t worry about that. By this time next year, we’ll be a perfect couple. Let’s come back to Hwadamsup then.”

I chuckled. What a positive person.

“Shall we go get something to eat?” I changed the subject, eager to escape the current atmosphere.

He chose a quaint Italian restaurant. From the outside, it didn’t seem like a place known for its food. I eyed the place skeptically and asked,

“Is this the place?”

“The reviews were good. People said it was unexpectedly amazing. The best spaghetti of their life.”

“I’m picky about my food.”

“I know. But since we’re here, let’s give it a try.”

The inside of the restaurant was clean, though not luxurious. It had a decent atmosphere. We settled by the window, and soon, an elderly woman who appeared to be the owner came over to take our order. He asked,

“What’s the best dish here?”

“Our Truffle Aglio Olio and pizza are quite famous.”

“Then we’ll have one of each, please.”

The woman left, and I spoke up.

“I start work on Monday.”

“Yes.”

“We originally planned to hire my sister-in-law as a consultant for our restaurant business. She was an exceptional cook.”

“The Honorary Chairman did mention that. But now, we can’t bring your sister-in-law on board, right?”

“Yes… So, I’m thinking of bringing her mother instead.”

Jang Doha’s eyes widened in bewilderment. “Her mother?”

“Yes. She’s a renowned master of royal court cuisine. Her name is Han Yesuk.”

“Ah, I see… But she lost her daughter only recently. Will she be able to work?”

“I met her in person and asked. My grandfather also supports her working with us.”

“Are you planning to incorporate royal court cuisine?”

“If we can produce it as frozen meals, it’s not without potential. Foreigners are very health-conscious. Currently, frozen kimbap is all the rage in the U.S. I’m considering vegan options.”

He pondered over the idea for a while. “Hmm… If it’s vegan, there’s definitely a market for it. Let’s give it a shot.”

Surprisingly, he agreed readily with my idea.

“Why are you agreeing so easily?”

“If we don’t start, we can’t succeed,” he smiled. The businessman in him was shining through. “Don’t worry about others. Just go for it. After all, it’s the Honorary Chairman’s special directive.”

My grandfather’s special directive… That meant I could ignore other reporting systems. This was news to me, but I didn’t show it. My eyes darkened. If I hadn’t been careful, I would have made a mistake there.

“Yes.”

At this point, my curiosity about him grew.

“You’ve already succeeded with Meat and must be busy with that. Why did you join MK?”

He chuckled. “You’re finally asking. I was always waiting for you to ask.”

He continued, “I didn’t want to fall into a rut. Meat is already systemized and runs smoothly without me. I like challenges. And, I really admire the Honorary Chairman.”

Seeing my puzzled expression, he kindly explained.

“When someone reaches that level of success, they usually boast about their achievements in a high-handed manner. They never admit any shortcomings. But the Honorary Chairman personally came to meet me. He asked for my help. It was a shock. I’ve met many people, but he was the first to approach me so sincerely. And he accepted my conditions.”

Chapter 17.1

Jang Doha smiled gently at me.

“It’s okay. I don’t think you feel the same way I do. But I confessed because I wanted to tell you that my attitude towards you is going to change.”

He seemed completely unfazed.

“What?”

“I almost lost you, Yena. When I heard about the accident in America, it felt like my world was falling apart. And I regretted it. I regretted not confessing my feelings sooner and not approaching you more assertively. I won’t let that happen again. Just stay as you are, Yena. I’ll be the one to make the move. I’ll work to win your heart. Just don’t push me away. That’s all I ask.”

His soft voice, his deep gaze, his bright smile—everything seemed to pierce my heart. My heart was about to race, but I tried to remain as calm as possible.

“I’m not going to change…”

“Don’t try to. You don’t need to consider me. As time passes, you’ll find yourself drawn to me.”

His confident and calm demeanor suddenly made me suspicious.

“Did you tell your parents about me on purpose?”

He smiled with a twinkle in his eye. “Yes.”

I paused. And then opened my mouth. “What if I kept rejecting you?”

“It’s all right even if you do. I would keep approaching you until you understood my feelings. And I will continue to do so.”

I sighed. I couldn’t think of a way to push away someone who said he didn’t care if he was rejected and would go his own way. Moreover, he had already told his family, so there was no alternative. But I had to warn him.

“It won’t be easy.”

He smiled brightly as if taking my words as consent.

“Don’t worry about that. By this time next year, we’ll be a perfect couple. Let’s come back to Hwadamsup then.”

I chuckled. What a positive person.

“Shall we go get something to eat?” I changed the subject, eager to escape the current atmosphere.

He chose a quaint Italian restaurant. From the outside, it didn’t seem like a place known for its food. I eyed the place skeptically and asked,

“Is this the place?”

“The reviews were good. People said it was unexpectedly amazing. The best spaghetti of their life.”

“I’m picky about my food.”

“I know. But since we’re here, let’s give it a try.”

The inside of the restaurant was clean, though not luxurious. It had a decent atmosphere. We settled by the window, and soon, an elderly woman who appeared to be the owner came over to take our order. He asked,

“What’s the best dish here?”

“Our Truffle Aglio Olio and pizza are quite famous.”

“Then we’ll have one of each, please.”

The woman left, and I spoke up.

“I start work on Monday.”

“Yes.”

“We originally planned to hire my sister-in-law as a consultant for our restaurant business. She was an exceptional cook.”

“The Honorary Chairman did mention that. But now, we can’t bring your sister-in-law on board, right?”

“Yes… So, I’m thinking of bringing her mother instead.”

Jang Doha’s eyes widened in bewilderment. “Her mother?”

“Yes. She’s a renowned master of royal court cuisine. Her name is Han Yesuk.”

“Ah, I see… But she lost her daughter only recently. Will she be able to work?”

“I met her in person and asked. My grandfather also supports her working with us.”

“Are you planning to incorporate royal court cuisine?”

“If we can produce it as frozen meals, it’s not without potential. Foreigners are very health-conscious. Currently, frozen kimbap is all the rage in the U.S. I’m considering vegan options.”

He pondered over the idea for a while. “Hmm… If it’s vegan, there’s definitely a market for it. Let’s give it a shot.”

Surprisingly, he agreed readily with my idea.

“Why are you agreeing so easily?”

“If we don’t start, we can’t succeed,” he smiled. The businessman in him was shining through. “Don’t worry about others. Just go for it. After all, it’s the Honorary Chairman’s special directive.”

My grandfather’s special directive… That meant I could ignore other reporting systems. This was news to me, but I didn’t show it. My eyes darkened. If I hadn’t been careful, I would have made a mistake there.

“Yes.”

At this point, my curiosity about him grew.

“You’ve already succeeded with Meat and must be busy with that. Why did you join MK?”

He chuckled. “You’re finally asking. I was always waiting for you to ask.”

He continued, “I didn’t want to fall into a rut. Meat is already systemized and runs smoothly without me. I like challenges. And, I really admire the Honorary Chairman.”

Seeing my puzzled expression, he kindly explained.

“When someone reaches that level of success, they usually boast about their achievements in a high-handed manner. They never admit any shortcomings. But the Honorary Chairman personally came to meet me. He asked for my help. It was a shock. I’ve met many people, but he was the first to approach me so sincerely. And he accepted my conditions.”

“Conditions?” I asked curiously.

“When I achieve the goal, I’ll leave. That was my condition.”

“Are you planning to create something new?”

He gave me a strange smile. “Or I might put down roots at MK. If you’ll allow it, Yena.”

That was a sort of confession. I pretended not to notice and asked again.

“Are you sure it’s okay not to go back to Meat?”

He seemed to understand my intent, smiling broadly and shrugging.

“My friend is managing Meat well. When a company has two owners, conflicts are inevitable. As long as I receive my performance bonus, I have no regrets.”

“That must be a significant bonus?”

“Very. Meat’s annual revenue is substantial. Plus, I own a considerable share of Meat.”

I had already received a report on his wealth from Chief Jeon. He probably had as much, if not more, than my grandfather. Yet, strangely, he didn’t indulge and flaunt his luxury and instead lived simply.

“What do you do with all that money?”

Does he just accumulate it? I wondered.

“I donate it.”

I was shocked.

“What?”

“I donate. To children’s hospitals or places that need money. I also run a charity organization.”

I couldn’t believe it. Isn’t it true that the more money you have, the better? That’s how everyone lives. People would sell out their own parents and children, even betray their friends, all for the sake of money.

“All of it…?”

“I keep enough to live on and donate almost all of it. I don’t need that much money. And I’m still earning. The Honorary Chairman gives me a generous salary.”

He didn’t seem like he belonged in this world. By the standards of MK, the world I grew up in, his decision was difficult to understand.

“Don’t you think it’s a waste?”

He looked at me as if I were the strange one.

“Why would it be a waste? It’s only natural to donate. I’m not living in this world alone.”

It felt like I’d been hit on the head with a hammer. I saw him in a new light.

“Are you falling for me right now?”

Flustered by his sudden comment, I stuttered.

“Wh-what nonsense…”

He rested his chin on his hand and smiled gently.

“I hope so. From now on, you’ll see that I’m a pretty decent guy. Take your time getting to know me.”

His confidence and easygoing nature disoriented me. I looked away, but my heart was already racing. It wasn’t because I was falling for him, but because meeting someone with such different values was a shock—a refreshing shock.

The food arrived. Grateful for the distraction, I took the first bite and nodded in approval.

“This is good. The truffles are top quality, and the salt isn’t just ordinary salt. You use good ingredients.”

“You can tell by eating?”

“I have a sensitive palate. I got used to my sister-in-law’s cooking.”

“Your sister-in-law must have been a great cook.”

“She was.”

I kept my answers about myself brief, focusing instead on emphasizing my refined taste. The pizza seemed too exquisite for such a secluded spot, with the cheese being particularly exceptional.

“Can you tell the ingredients just by eating this too?”

“It’s difficult to achieve this texture with flour from our country, but they’ve done it exceptionally well. The dough is superb, and it’s well-fermented. Did they make the cheese themselves as well?”

He looked astonished at my observations.

“You really are a genius with food.”

“It’s nothing like that.”

“No, really. I’ve never met anyone like you. I have a sensitive palate, too, but you’re on another level.”

I felt embarrassed by his praise. When we finished eating and were paying the bill, he asked the woman behind the counter.

“Do you make the cheese for the pizza yourself?”

The woman was surprised.

“How did you know? People usually just say it’s tasty, but they rarely know we make it ourselves.”

He glanced at me. Feeling a bit self-conscious, I quickly acknowledged that the food was delicious and headed outside first. Leaning against the wall, I took in the sky.

The sky had always been there, a familiar backdrop to my life. But today, it seemed somehow different—clearer, bluer, brimming with hope. It had been a while since I had really looked up and noticed.

After a while, Doha joined me outside. He stood beside me silently.

“You were right, Yena.”

“You doubted me?”

“A little. You’re the first person I’ve met with such a sensitive palate. You have a special talent.”

I had never considered it special. If anything, I had resented it for confining me to the kitchen for ten years. But his praise and respect, even the thumbs-up he gave me, made me inexplicably happy.

On the way back to Seoul, the road was congested, but it didn’t feel boring to be stuck in the traffic. He was a great conversationalist. I didn’t need to say much; I discovered he was quite talkative in a way that put others at ease.