* * *
It kept bothering him.
He didn’t want it to, but his thoughts kept drifting in unwanted directions.
“Ugh….”
There were exhibits he should be looking at, places he hadn’t explored yet.
But his mind was preoccupied with something else entirely, making it hard to focus on what was in front of him.
“Wookyung, should we take a break? Let’s grab something to eat.”
As if he’d been waiting for this moment, Choi declared a break.
In reality, it was impossible to see everything in one day anyway.
Plus, his concentration was slipping, and as Choi pointed out, he could use some food and rest for his aching legs.
But for some reason, he hesitated to agree.
If they sat down together, the conversation might steer back to the unexpected reunion earlier.
No, more precisely, he was afraid of confirming that what he had overheard was true.
‘Not that I really care or anything…’
It was just… curiosity.
Whether they had really gone to the same school, whether the person he remembered was the same person standing in front of him now.
Normally, he wouldn’t care about something like this.
But for some reason, when it came to Choi, he couldn’t help but pay attention.
‘This is all because of dad and older brother acting all weird about him…’
Sighing, he tried to blame others for his wandering thoughts, but just then, he heard a small chuckle beside him.
“Wookyung, I know you’re a workaholic, but you still need to eat. Our number one priority is stamina. Let’s go.”
Apparently, Director Choi had misunderstood why he was hesitating.
But there was no way he could correct him—he couldn’t exactly say, ‘Actually, I was wondering whether or not I should bring up your past.’
So, he just quietly followed behind.
The exhibition was huge, with food stalls everywhere.
They sold everything from sandwiches and burgers to dumplings, noodles, and rice dishes.
“Where are we going?”
Yet, Director Choi passed by all of them without stopping.
In fact, he seemed to be heading straight for the exit of Hall A.
When Wookyung finally noticed, he couldn’t help but ask.
“The hotel restaurant.”
“A restaurant? At a hotel?”
Even if it wasn’t far, leaving the exhibition just to eat there felt excessive.
But Director Choi didn’t seem to think so.
“I made a reservation, so don’t worry.”
Apparently, the reservation had already been made, so Wookyung had no room to argue further.
“So fussy. Really fussy.”
Where was the guy who had made do with a sandwich and coffee at a café yesterday?
And now, today, he was planning to carve into a steak at a fancy restaurant?
Well, considering what he had said—about walking around all day in a vast area—he did need a hearty meal.
But still, this was excessive.
“You don’t have to worry, Wookyung. I won’t make you pay.”
“I wasn’t worried.”
The rebuttal came out instinctively, and he quickly shut his mouth, realizing his mistake.
Seriously.
He didn’t know why he kept blurting things out whenever he was around Director Choi.
‘Keep your distance. Keep your distance.’
He repeated it in his head as they walked, following Director Choi into the hotel.
But when they arrived, he saw the stars displayed at the entrance—five of them.
For a simple lunch, this place was absurdly excessive.
A place like this was for entertaining buyers or important guests.
‘This is too much. Way too much!’
Grumbling internally, he followed Director Choi into the restaurant.
A formally dressed waiter greeted them and guided them to their seats, as if he had been expecting them.
“Here, Wookyung.”
He looked at the menu Director Choi handed him.
The cover was made of luxurious leather, confirming his suspicion—it was an expensive place.
And sure enough, the prices next to the menu items were shockingly high.
“Are these in yuan?”
“They’re in dollars.”
That made it worse!
Just how expensive was this place?!
As Wookyung stared at the numbers, trying to decide what to order, a polite waiter approached and asked if he would like any recommendations.
It was a kind offer, but also a burden, so he hesitated for a moment.
“If it’s hard to choose, letting the waiter decide is an option too. What do you feel like eating? Meat? Seafood? Or maybe a course meal?”
A course meal for lunch?
He was slightly tempted but shook his head.
“…I’ll have the steak.”
As soon as he answered, Director Choi smoothly and calmly began ordering in English.
Wookyung had noticed before—when Diretcor Choi spoke English, his voice became even clearer and more precise, almost like a voice actor’s.
It made him want to listen more closely. Without realizing it, he focused entirely on Director Choi’s voice, and before he knew it, the waiter had already left.
He had been too distracted to catch what was ordered, but he didn’t want to ask outright, so he just watched in silence.
“I ordered steak, salad, a few side dishes, and a wine to pair with them.”
“…Right.”
For just a few items, the conversation had seemed unusually long.
But Choi didn’t seem inclined to explain further.
“Today, the tenderloin is particularly fresh and soft, so I chose that. And the wine is a good selection from Montalcino.”
Sometimes, Director Choi’s ability to read people was downright eerie.
Moments like this—when he seemed to know exactly what Wookyung was thinking—made it feel even more uncanny.
‘Is this an Alpha thing too?’
According to rumors, Choi was an exceptional dominant, just like Director Min.
He was younger than Wookyung, yet he held a higher position and was in charge of the company’s major projects—something that could definitely provoke envy.
If that was the reason the CEO had brought him in, it would make sense.
‘But didn’t he say he was a Beta?’
There were stories about him being bullied at school for that.
But surely, that wasn’t the only reason.
“If you have any questions, feel free to ask.”
Now that they were sitting face-to-face, it felt like Choi could see right through him.
Maybe that was why he had chosen a quiet restaurant in the first place.
“You decided to exhibit office furniture at the expo from the start, right?”
Choi blinked, surprised by the unexpected topic.
Then he stared at Wookyung, as if to ask, ‘That’s really what you want to know?’
But Wookyung simply met his gaze, unfazed.
“That’s right. As I’ve said before, when entering a new market, it’s best to invest in areas with more potential.”
“But home furniture is much more familiar to consumers, isn’t it?”
“That familiarity makes customers more particular. Bedding, sofas, dining tables, dressers… Dozens, if not hundreds, of similar models are released every year.”
“Wouldn’t that just mean there’s high demand?”
There was a reason HK Furniture prioritized home furniture—it was a guaranteed seller.
Plus, they had a construction subsidiary, which ensured a steady supply to newly built apartments and officetels.
If they were serious about expanding into a new market, wouldn’t it be wiser to focus on something with higher sales potential?
“What we need isn’t a stable customer base.”
“Then what?”
“We need to make HK Furniture’s name known.”
What kind of vague answer was that?
Wookyung resisted the urge to frown.
HK Furniture wasn’t some new startup.
Right now, they were mainly focused on the domestic market, but ten years ago, they had expanded into China, Japan, and Indonesia.
Even though they had since withdrawn, the brand was still well-regarded.
Just then, the food arrived.
As Choi had described, they were served steak, salad, pasta, soft bread, and a glass of wine each.
“Let’s eat.”
Choi gestured like he was the host of this meal, but Wookyung didn’t refuse.
He had already been tempted by the delicious aroma.
“I heard we were in the same class at school. Aren’t you curious?”
Just as Wookyung was swallowing his last bite of steak, Choi suddenly asked the question.
“I didn’t think it was my place to bring it up.”
“You don’t have to hold back with me.”
No, thanks.
He wasn’t interested in unnecessary kindness.
‘Was he curious?’
Maybe for a moment.
But he had pushed that curiosity aside before even stepping into the restaurant.
How long had Director Choi known?
And earlier—was he really waiting for Wookyung to bring it up first?
The thought crossed his mind briefly, but he didn’t voice it.
Why?
Because he didn’t want to give Diretcor Choi any more opportunities to get closer.
“…No, not really.”
“I figured you’d say that.”
Choi let out a soft, deflated chuckle.
‘What does he think he knows?’
And what was with that all-knowing look?
Suppressing the urge to glare, Wookyung focused on picking up a bite of salad instead.
“Well, whenever you want to know, just ask.”
‘Not happening.’
Instead of answering, he put the salad in his mouth and chewed.
The first taste was sweet, but the aftertaste was bitter.
* * *
