"It's the weekend, sweetheart," Chung Luo-Yong was looking at his daughter expectantly as he watched her eat. "Do you have any-"
"Please don't change the subject, Father," Ji-Eun cut him off with an unamused grin.
"I am not trying to," he replied sheepishly. "I was just checking in on you. I wanted to see if you're going out today."
Chung Luo-Yong looked over to his left and gestured over to Oh Jaehyun and Secretary Lee with eyes that pleaded 'help'. The two, however, refused to jump in, with one staying mute and stuffing his mouth with food while the other shook his head and began looking away.
Ji-Eun carefully put her utensils down and faced her Father, her eyes dimming with every passing second.
"How exactly do you know 300 to 400 people? I doubt you know all of them," Ji-Eun said. "Is this just your number or does this list include Uncle and Auntie's list of invited associates too?"
"Honestly-"
"I bet the people on 'your' list must have only met Uncle Lee through business meetings, seeing as he has represented you one too many times for the last - Oh, I don't know - 40 years."
Secretary Lee cleared his throat and glanced at Oh Jaehyun who was looking everywhere but at his fuming friend.
"If I may, Young Miss," Secretary Lee piped up. "That is just your Father's list of known associates. And we have already trimmed this down."
"That list," Jaehyun interjected. "That doesn't include yours yet, so..."
Ji-Eun's narrowed eyes now trained on the two male secretaries and they stopped talking at once.
"I don't believe this," she said, covering her mouth. "You guys are part of the problem."
She bit her lip as she turned to her Father who was trying to reason with her.
"Sweetheart, this is just the second revision, okay? We'll trim it down more. Don't get too worked up."
Although she understood that her Father had a plethora of people who worked for him and business partners who he had to take care of, she doubted that everyone needed to be at a family event, especially a wedding. There was always something about being paraded in front of people that made her uncomfortable. Like a monkey at a zoo. She hated it. She had always been successful at staying out of the spotlight, company-wise, and media-wise, but this was something else. She couldn't avoid this one.
Her Father was still speaking, still trying to coax her when she felt a warm hand envelope her right one.
"Young Miss," Old Chen smiled as he whispered. "It'll be fine. They're just really excited for you," he nodded at her.
Ji-Eun sighed and smiled at Old Chen, mouthing the words, 'I'm trying'.
Old Chen's smile widened, patted her hand, and went back to eating his dinner quietly.
Ji-Eun smiled ruefully and turned to face her father. "Father," she started. "How about I negotiate a number?"
'Oh... That tone.' Jaehyun knows that tone all too well. It was what she used when she was negotiating a deal or a closing. He looked at the Father-Daughter pair and waited.
Ji-Eun cleared her throat. "I'm negotiating a number close to a hundred," she said, raising both her hands quickly when she saw her Father try to talk. "...TOGETHER with the Song's Family guest list. In turn, we'll send every single person - on ALL of our lists - gifts instead."
Her Father glanced at Secretary Lee thoughtfully.
"Gifts?" Chung Luo-Yong said. "What kind of gifts? And you said every single person?"
Ji-Eun nodded as Jaehyun looked at her incredulously. "Ji-Eun," he tried to get her attention. "That's got to be well over five hundred, no six hundred-"
"I'll take care of it," Ji-Eun said quickly, her hands clasped together. "I'll even send them out personally. What do you say?"
Chung Luo-Yong leaned back in his chair and nodded, lost in his thoughts while Jaehyun and Secretary Lee thought about how much work and money would go into it. Five, six hundred plus people...
'That's a bit excessive,' Jaehyun mouthed to Ji-Eun. 'Are you sure?'
'You're no help!' Ji-Eun mouthed back. 'You're supposed to help save me from this embarrassment.'
Secretary Lee nodded to the elder. "It's not a bad idea, President," he said. "We should give the Young Miss our support."
Chung Luo-Yong sighed and shook his head.
"Okay," he said, smiling a little. "You may discuss this idea with Hyun-Shik and your Auntie."
Ji-Eun tilted her head and smiled haughtily at Jaehyun.
"Thank you," she held her hands out. "Please give me the list, Father."
Chung Luo-Yong could only relent as he watched her daughter tuck the folder with the list in it behind her back. Peace returned to their dining hall as they all finished their meal.
After lunch, Chung Luo-Yong retired to his bedroom while Secretary Lee went to his room in the mansion to relax. Old Chen ushered both Ji-Eun and Jaehyun out when they tried to help clear the table, giving them each a big cookie as if to say, 'Behave, children.'
And so, Jaehyun had been lounging on one of the cots on the second floor, reading a work document, when he noticed Ji-Eun walking down from her room, all dressed in a dark, bike riding outfit.
"You're going out?"
Ji-Eun bounded over to him and gave a small smile. "I'm supposed to meet... him this afternoon."
Jaehyun looked at her and shook his head. "Song Hyun-Shik," he said. "You better get used to saying his name in public. You guys will be married soon."
She laughed and nodded. "Yes, well..."
"Please don't tell me you're going to meet with him wearing that and riding your bike."
She looked down and surveyed her clothes.
"It's the weekend," she said in protest. "And this is presentable."
'Sure, you can wear whatever you want.' He sighed and smiled at her. He reached into his pocket, took out her car keys, and held it out to her.
"Use the Maybach," he said. "And wear warmer clothes." He remembered the last time she visited his house, on her bike during the cold season.
She reached for the key but hesitated. "You know I don't like driving that car around when I'm on my own."
"Ji-Eun, it's your car," he laughed. "You drive it well when we're working, going places."
"Exactly," she whined. "When I'm not alone."
Jaehyun stood up and ruffled her hair.
"Go and change," he said, putting the documents down. "I'll wait for you downstairs. I'm going out too."
"Wait. Where are you going?" She asked. "If I had known you're going out-"
"Nope," he grinned at her. "I'm not going to chaperone you."
Jaehyun sidestepped around her and walked towards the staircase.
"Besides, I'm going to go get Nana," he said as he continued walking. "Your Father wants her to stay in the mansion for your wedding."
"Then you should-"
"Don't think about it. I'll use the SUV," he interjected, waving his hand dismissively. It seemed he knew what she was going to say. "Her luggage, plus the food she's bringing won't fit in the Maybach. Plus, I don't think that fiancé of yours would want me intruding on your date," he finished jokingly.
Ji-Eun watched her friend's retreating back for a while and grudgingly walked up to her room to change as he disappeared.
'I don't even know what we're supposed to do.' She thought as she walked. 'I'm not sure what constitutes as 'making up' when it comes to Song Hyun-Shik. Making up is not a date thing, isn't it?'
She let out a tired sigh and went inside her room to look for more suitable clothes.