Chapter 4

For a barbecue restaurant renowned for its immaculate ventilation, the dining hall was unexpectedly thick with smoke.

“Em oi[1]! My friends are coming in a group, you know? Clean up nhanh nhanh[2]!”

Hauling a smoking grill grate away from one of the tables, Hyun-woo muttered the reminder under his breath to the nearest employee. His habit of haphazardly blending three languages was surprisingly fluid. Pushing a cart loaded with side dishes, the staff member glanced at the wall clock and quickened his pace accordingly.

“Boss,” the employee called out, catching Hyun-woo’s attention. “Your friends have arrived.”

Hyun-woo clicked his tongue in exasperation. “They’re always so damn punctual. Ugh. Li, is Table 10 cleared?”

“Yes, Table 10 is all cleared,” Li replied promptly.

If anything, the Vietnamese employee’s Korean sounded far more plausible than his employer’s polyglot mishmash.

It was Friday, the most hectic day of the week. In the midst of frantic preparations for an already packed dinner rush, Se-woong had called. When he asked for a table for six to accommodate his department colleagues, Hyun-woo had boasted without a second thought that he would arrange a private room. That bravado proved to be his undoing. In his memory, the private dining rooms still had openings, and accommodating six guests seemed simple enough—except the floor was completely overbooked.

He really shouldn’t have trusted his own memory. The reservation ledger didn’t exist for decoration, nor was the floor manager standing at the front counter by sheer coincidence.

Smacking his forehead with his palm, Hyun-woo hurried toward the entrance to greet his guests. Though he had run the restaurant for years and weathered every manner of absurdity in the business, swallowing his pride to make awkward excuses still came hard to him. He found it nearly impossible to conceal his distress.

The exhaust fan in the private room is broken right now… Ah, no, that sounds ridiculous. The ventilation hood in the room suddenly broke down…

Rehearsing excuses in his head, he tugged nervously at his earlobe, struggling with phrases that felt awkward on his tongue. If it were up to him, he would have preferred to confess the truth and smooth it over with complimentary dishes, but it weighed heavily on him that the actual guest of honor was Se-woong’s superior. What if Se-woong ended up getting chewed out over this mess?

Steeling his resolve, Hyun-woo stepped into the foyer, yet Se-woong and his colleagues were nowhere in sight near the entrance where they should have been waiting. Well, strictly speaking, the two figures standing before him certainly qualified as friends.

“Ah, what the hell? It was just you guys?” Hyun-woo grumbled, exhaling in relief. “I bolted out here thinking Woong arrived. If you two are here, just head straight upstairs. Why drag me out?”

Catching sight of Lee Shin and Min-hyung standing near the front counter, he feigned annoyance. Since when did they ever ask for his permission before heading up? Closer than family and gathering so often that they had a permanent four-person room reserved on the second floor, they could have easily walked straight upstairs instead of summoning a busy man from his rounds.

Crossing her arms over her chest, Min-hyung scoffed, “Who called for you? We didn’t summon anyone. The staff said our table was still being cleared, so we’re just waiting. By the way, are you monopolizing all the business in this neighborhood? You’re practically raking in gold, Yuk Hyun-woo.”

“Raking in gold, my ass. Business hasn’t even been that great lately, Min-hyung,” Hyun-woo retorted, waving his hand dismissively. “The place that just opened across the street serves snow crab as a complimentary side dish! What the hell, is the owner Russian? How does snow crab count as a side dish? What are actual crab restaurants supposed to do?”

“Gimmicky side-dish bullshit never lasts—since when can some measly appetizers compete with your ridiculous stroke of luck?” Min-hyung scoffed dryly.

Despite Hyun-woo’s lament, Min-hyung merely flashed a reassuring grin. Just as she had pointed out, Yukwoo-jeong was continually expanding in scale. At this rate, its revenue could easily rival that of a mid-sized corporation. Beyond coming from an affluent family, Hyun-woo possessed an uncanny knack for attracting wealth. Having once hit the jackpot on a slot machine he pulled purely for fun in Las Vegas, his financial fortune was undeniably extraordinary.

Lacking for nothing and constitutionally incapable of flattering others, Hyun-woo had somehow flourished in restaurant hospitality—an industry notorious for demanding that one swallow every ounce of pride. Min-hyung felt genuinely proud to see him thriving as a responsible adult. What impressed her most was that he worked harder on the floor than any of his employees.

Gazing down at his watch, Shin quietly asked, “Se-woong is coming? With whom?”

Meanwhile, one person in their circle couldn’t have cared less whether his close friend’s restaurant was packed with patrons or utterly deserted. It was Lee Shin. Glancing down at his wrist once more, his tone had remained completely flat.

Wherever he went, Lee Shin was praised for his easygoing charm and amiable demeanor, yet before his closest friends, he unreservedly revealed his callous and indifferent nature. Having grown up together from childhood, he couldn’t have concealed it from them even if he tried.

In the past, he had treated even his girlfriends with such detachment that onlookers were the ones left feeling embarrassed. With Se-woong, on the other hand, he grew so hypersensitive that it bordered on suffocating. The moment Se-woong slipped even slightly beyond his control, Shin had been unable to bear it, unleashing the full brunt of his possessive temper.

The mere fact that they had grown close through relentless bickering proved just how special Se-woong was to him. By nature, Shin never invested enough effort in others to show genuine anger. Rather than wasting energy on an argument, he simply disregarded them. For him to clash so fiercely with Se-woong meant only one thing: his entire focus was consumed by him.

Hyun-woo blinked, scratching his cheek awkwardly. “Hmm…? Ah, right. I guess I let it slip that Woong was coming. Who else would he come with? His colleagues from the Secretariat. You know that superior of his, the one built like a barn door. What was his name again? Major Choi?”

Sheepishly toying with his earlobe, Hyun-woo felt the awkward weight in the air. At some point, bringing up Se-woong in front of Shin had become an exercise in walking on eggshells.

“Major Kang,” Shin pointed out flatly.

“Right, Major Kang! They’re coming for his wedding invitation dinner,” Hyun-woo babbled before trailing off in a panic. “Man, but we’re totally overbooked, so there aren’t any private rooms left—oh, damn. They’re here. You two go on up. I’ll join you in a bit.”

Spotting six strapping men approaching from the parking lot, Hyun-woo hurried out the front door. Watching him rush outside with his hands clasped deferentially, he looked every bit the seasoned merchant.

Shin silently turned over the abbreviation Hyun-woo had used.

Turning toward his companion, Shin asked, “Min-hyung, what’s a ‘cheong-mo’?”

“A wedding invitation dinner, probably,” Min-hyung replied with a shrug. “Sounds like someone’s handing out wedding invites.”

Shin waved a hand toward the stairs. “Ah, wedding invitations… Go on up first, Min-hyung. You said you’re spending the night with your boyfriend. Hang around here too long and the meat smoke will soak straight into your clothes.”

“Ugh, it probably already has—I’m heading up, then,” Min-hyung groaned with a click of her tongue. “Tell Se-woong to drop by our room later!”

As Min-hyung climbed the stairs, Shin kept his eyes fixed firmly on the entryway. Moments later, the front door swung open and a cadre of men filed inside. Though they had shed their duty uniforms, their military posture and bearing remained unmistakable.

Chattering among themselves as they entered, the men froze mid-step upon noticing Lee Shin standing in the lobby. Their fluster at encountering an unexpected superior lasted only a split second before ingrained discipline took over, prompting a crisp, synchronized salute. Shin returned the greeting with an easy nod and a disarming smile.

With Shin’s warm smile setting them at ease, the Secretariat staff relaxed their posture. Having frequently dropped by their office to visit Se-woong, Shin was already a familiar face to them, and his reputation for impeccable manners at headquarters made him far more approachable than most senior officers.

Even so, treating Major Lee casually remained an impossible feat. No matter how affable his demeanor appeared on the surface, the unspoken boundary he drew between them remained sharp and impenetrable.

Shin greeted them amiably. “Looks like the Secretariat is having a team dinner. The meat here is exceptional. As expected of the Chairman’s office, you dine only at the finest spots.”

“Come now, Major, what would we know about fine dining?” Hee-chan chimed in with an easy chuckle. “We only came here once before thanks to Captain Cha. Are you here for dinner as well, sir?”

As the ever-sociable Hee-chan stepped forward to answer, Shin nodded in understanding at the mention of Se-woong. His gaze drifted past the group toward the glass doors, locking onto Se-woong, who lingered outside. Major Kang and Hyun-woo appeared to be leading the conversation, with Se-woong simply standing quietly by their side.

Having somehow smoothed over the reservation blunder, Hyun-woo pulled the heavy door wide open, ushering Major Kang and Se-woong inside. It was Kang who first acknowledged Shin’s presence.

Stepping forward with an expansive grin, Major Kang called out, “Well, look who’s here! You’re at this joint too, Major Lee? Finished eating, or just getting started?”

Shin offered a respectful salute. “I just arrived myself. I heard you were coming, sunbae-nim, so I waited to pay my respects before heading upstairs.”

“Ah, is that so? My wedding invitations came in, so I gathered the JCS team to hand them out and treat them to some quality beef,” Kang remarked proudly. “If you have time later, Major Lee, why not swing by our table for a drink?”

“I’ll have to pass on the drink, as I’ve been taking herbal medicine lately—alcohol is off-limits, but please do give me an invitation,” Shin replied smoothly with an apologetic tilt of his head.

As Shin smiled with eyes crinkling warmly, Major Kang returned the smile, though an awkward stiffness lingered around his mouth. Maintaining an air of relaxed superiority proved taxing in front of an officer who was far younger yet shared the exact same rank.

Kang shifted his gaze toward the proprietor. “Oh, but you’re heading upstairs? I was told the exhaust fans across the entire second floor were acting up tonight. Right, Boss?”

“Huh? Ah, well, this guy is a close buddy of mine, so he can breathe in a little smoke and be totally fine,” Hyun-woo stammered, rubbing the back of his neck. “He’s tough, as you can see! Besides, there’s no room left on the first floor for him anyway. Ah, hahaha!”

Even a shred of scrutiny would have unraveled Hyun-woo’s clumsy excuse, but Major Kang was so thoroughly flattered at receiving preferential treatment over Lee Shin that he accepted it without question. His face bloomed into a broad, satisfied grin. Sensing the opening, Hyun-woo seized the moment to seal the deal.

Turning toward the counter, Hyun-woo briskly called out, “Manager! Please escort Major Kang and his party to the inner reserved booth. And bring out that special cut of meat I set aside—the one I personally handpicked from Majang-dong today. Set that up for them first.”

In truth, all Hyun-woo had done was dismiss the junior server and summon the floor manager from the register. Yet trivial theatrics often worked wonders in moments like these. It was the quintessential art of flattery—the recipient’s ego stroked despite seeing through the gesture, and the host conceding nothing of real consequence.

The floor manager, who had been standing stiff as a cardboard cutout behind the counter, stepped forward. Major Kang moved to follow him, only to pause mid-stride and look back at Lee Shin.

Kang offered an expansive wave. “Well then, enjoy your dinner, Major Lee. Still, if you find a spare moment, drop by for a quick glass. One drink won’t hurt, right?”

“Yes, sir, I’ll keep that in mind,” Shin replied courteously.

To any discerning ear, it was an empty platitude. Shin clearly saw no reason to prolong the conversation with another refusal. For Major Kang, however, having an officer of Lee Shin’s stature comply without argument was all that truly mattered.

Just as Kang and the Secretariat team finally turned to head toward their table, a voice broke the lull.

Shin’s voice softened unmistakably as he called out, “Woong-ah.”

The warmth in his voice was starkly different from the polite detachment he had shown the others. Shin had no intention of letting Cha Se-woong slip past with merely a cursory nod.

Shin closed the distance between them with a gentle smile. “Won’t you say hello to Min-hyung for a second? She knows you’re here.”

His palm brushed lightly down Se-woong’s shoulder in an effortless, practiced motion.

This was a familiar sight even to the Secretariat staff. Major Lee Shin had always addressed Captain Cha Se-woong with that unmistakable intimacy.

Between military classmates—or rather, between any two ordinary men—such an affectionate tone would have sounded embarrassingly intimate, yet on Shin it felt inexplicably natural. Given the rare circumstance of the two sharing a cadet room in Hwarang Hall[3] multiple times throughout their academy years, a unique bond was only to be expected.

Se-woong, meanwhile, cast his eyes about in search of a plausible excuse to decline. With his colleagues already disappearing toward the private dining area, no convenient distraction presented itself. Left with no other choice, he offered a rather lame deflection.

“I have a seat reserved here with my team,” Se-woong replied in a low, even tone. “I’ll pass for today.”

“Min-hyung will be disappointed,” Shin murmured softly.

Se-woong did not yield an inch. “Please let her know I’ll see her next time, sir.”