“And if anyone gives you trouble, you come directly to me.”
By seven o'clock, the private room was ready.
A long polished wooden table stood beneath a hanging lantern.
Elegant place settings were arranged around ceramic bowls, polished spoons, and metal chopsticks.
The centerpiece consisted of a simple arrangement of white blossoms.
Along one side of the room, sliding wooden panels softened the light.
The opposite wall held a traditional landscape painting.
The dinner menu had been prepared carefully.
Marinated galbi would arrive on a sizzling platter.
Bulgogi would be served with onions, scallions, and mushrooms.
Japchae would follow with vegetables and sesame oil.
The table would also receive haemul pajeon, tteokbokki, steamed rice, doenjang soup, and an assortment of banchan including napa cabbage kimchi, radish kimchi, seasoned spinach, and bean sprouts.
The kitchen had been informed that one guest reported a shellfish allergy.
For that guest, a separate scallion pancake would be prepared without seafood, using clean equipment and ingredients verified by the kitchen.
The waitress checked the allergy note twice.
She understood that food allergies were not matters of preference.
When the guests arrived, the billionaire entered first.
Two executives followed closely behind him.
More guests appeared in the hallway, speaking quietly in Korean.
The billionaire looked exactly as she had expected.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, and immaculately dressed.
His salt-and-pepper hair had been brushed backward, and his neatly trimmed gray beard gave him a commanding appearance.
He moved with the confidence of someone accustomed to being recognized.
The restaurant owner greeted him warmly.
The billionaire acknowledged her with a brief nod.
Then he entered the private room without looking at the waitress standing near the doorway.
For the first several minutes, everything proceeded normally.
The waitress served water, distributed menus, and confirmed the allergy accommodation.
The billionaire ordered an expensive whisky.
Other executives requested Korean spirits, tea, or sparkling water.
Conversations overlapped as the guests settled into their chairs.
Several men discussed traffic.
Another complained about a flight.
The youngest executive spoke quietly to a colleague about documents that had arrived late that afternoon.
The waitress maintained a professional expression.
She did not interrupt.
She did not make unnecessary eye contact.
But as the dinner progressed, she noticed a change in the conversation.
The billionaire began asking pointed questions about the acquisition.