Chapter 13
"President Shin!"
The manager bowed his head in greeting.
"Welcome. If you had let us know, I would have prepared everything in advance..."
"It’s all right. I stopped by on a whim. Is there a private room available?"
"Of course! The VIP room on the second floor is open. This way, please."
The manager led the way with polite efficiency.
They climbed the stairs to the second floor.
The noise from the first floor receded little by little.
It felt as though the second floor and the first were entirely different worlds.
Doors lined both sides of the corridor.
So these were all private rooms?
The manager opened the innermost door.
"Right this way."
A spacious room opened before them.
One wall was entirely glass, giving a clear view of the street outside.
Soft lights glowed above the table.
Shin A-young took off her coat and hung it on the coat rack by the entrance.
A white blouse and tailored slacks were revealed beneath it.
The manager brought over a menu.
"What would you like tonight?"
Shin A-young tapped the table lightly with her fingers and looked at Si-woo.
"It’s late, so how about something light with a glass of wine and a few dishes to go with it?"
"Yes, that sounds good."
He preferred ice-cold beer, and wine had never really been his thing.
Still, it would have been rude to refuse when she had made the suggestion first.
"Then please bring a bottle of Château Margaux 2011 vintage, along with some dishes to pair with it."
"Understood, President. I’ll prepare it right away."
They were sitting alone across from each other in a place with an intimate atmosphere, and Si-woo felt awkward.
He looked away and picked up the luxurious leather menu resting at one corner of the table.
There, he found the wine she had just ordered.
[Château Margaux 2011 - KRW 2,000,000]
The menu was written in French.
For a moment, he thought he had misread the number.
Not 200,000 won. 2,000,000 won.
That expensive?
The image of himself buying four cans of convenience-store beer for ten thousand won and feeling satisfied came to mind.
When Shin A-young saw his stunned expression, she covered her mouth and laughed.
"That does seem a little excessive for one meal."
"It isn’t excessive. Considering the value of the work I saw today, two million won is nothing. And you’ll only become more famous, Si-woo. You’ll have plenty of occasions like this from now on."
"Me?"
"Of course. Oh, and today I’m paying. If we don’t drink on a day like this, when would we?"
Her voice was easy and unhurried.
Thanks to that, the tension in his shoulders slowly began to loosen.
"You were tired, weren’t you?"
"Yes. I think I can finally breathe now."
A little later, the manager returned with the wine.
He took the bottle from its elegant box and showed the label to Shin A-young.
After she nodded, he opened it with practiced care.
He pulled the cork, let them inhale the aroma, then poured the wine slowly into their glasses.
Shin A-young lifted her glass and held it up to the light.
The ruby-red wine shimmered softly.
She took a slow sip.
"This is nice."
She sounded pleased.
The manager filled Si-woo’s glass as well and placed the dishes on the table.
Salmon tartare, duck pâté, burrata with baguette.
Roasted vegetables and mushrooms were plated with immaculate care.
Shin A-young raised her glass.
"Thank you, really. Because of you, I got to see a work I might only encounter once in a lifetime."
Si-woo lifted his own glass.
"I should be the one thanking you. Because of you, President, everything was resolved so smoothly. I appreciate how much effort you put into this."
The two lightly touched glasses.
A clear note rang out.
Si-woo took a sip of the wine.
It went down smoothly.
There was almost no bitterness or astringency, and a subtle fruity aroma spread across his tongue.
So this is what a two-million-won wine tastes like.
He was impressed despite himself.
It wasn’t crisp or refreshing the way beer was, but it had a depth of its own.
"How is it?"
"It’s good. Smooth, full of flavor, and quite delicate."
"I’m glad. Château Margaux is one of the five great châteaux of Bordeaux. The 2011 vintage is especially good to drink now."
Shin A-young slowly swirled her wine glass as she spoke.
"Oh, and Si-woo."
"Yes?"
"There’s something else I need to talk to you about."
Her serious expression made Si-woo tense as well.
What was this about?
"Your share, Si-woo."
"Mine? My share?"
"Yes. Your commission from this deal."
"Ah..."
He hadn’t really given that much thought.
Of course, he hadn’t intended to work for free.
He just didn’t have a clear sense of what would be a fair amount.
He had only vaguely assumed he’d receive some cut if the deal went through.
"You weren’t planning to refuse it, were you?"
"No. I was going to take it. If I did it for free for Jun-hyuk, it would probably only make him uncomfortable, and I think I should be properly compensated for the time and effort I put in. It’s just..."
He gave a frank answer.
"This is my first time handling a deal like this, so I’m not sure what the proper range is."
"I’m glad you see it that way. If the broker doesn’t take a commission, it can actually cause problems."
"What kind of problems?"
"People might start saying things like, 'He took a separate payment behind the scenes,' or 'He used pressure to buy it for a song.' Rumors like that can spread. And as you said, it could make Jun-hyuk uneasy, too. For something this extraordinary, all sorts of stories are bound to follow."
She had pointed out something he had never even considered.
"More than anything, if you don’t take a commission, what happens to other brokers? They could be compared to you and asked, 'Why are you charging a fee when Kim Si-woo doesn’t take one?'"
Shin A-young looked him straight in the eye.
"This isn’t a matter of goodwill. It affects the industry as a whole. And above all, you deserve to be paid fairly. You went all the way down to Namhae yourself, found the genuine pieces, protected Jun-hyuk, and connected him to our gallery."
There was real sincerity in her voice.
When it came to money, Si-woo asked cautiously, "Then what’s the standard in the industry?"
"For a famous expert like Advisor Jeong Hae-won, it’s usually around five to ten percent of the transaction amount. Though with high-value pieces, it varies wildly. Sometimes it goes into the tens of millions, or even over a hundred million won."
Indeed, people with entirely different careers were paid entirely different amounts.
It was a staggering sum.
"But your case is special."
"Special?"
"Yes."
Counting off each point on her fingers, Shin A-young said, "Advisor Jeong appraises works that someone else brings in. You started one step before that. You found the piece online, went all the way to Namhae yourself to verify it, and became certain it was genuine."
She let out a deep breath.
"On top of that, you brokered it to our gallery. If it hadn’t been for you, those two works would never have seen the light of day."
Shin A-young met Si-woo’s gaze.
"That’s why I think ten percent is appropriate."
"Ten percent?"
"Yes. If you wanted to be greedier, you could probably secure more. But that’s something you’d have to negotiate with Jun-hyuk."
Ten percent of 15 billion won was 1.5 billion.
It was the kind of money people usually only saw in lottery winnings.
It was enough to make anyone’s jaw drop.
In the past, it would have been unimaginable money.
But another thought came to Si-woo first.
"Actually, there’s something I’m worried about."
As Shin A-young set down her wine glass, she asked, "What are you worried about?"
"Jun-hyuk. If an eighteen-year-old student suddenly receives 13.5 billion won, wouldn’t that be dangerous? I looked into it, and apparently there’s something called a trust for assets. I wondered if that might be a way to help him."
Shin A-young shook her head with a small laugh, as if she couldn’t help herself.
"That’s exactly like you, Si-woo. I already considered that part."
"You did?"
So she had already thought of it.
He was glad he’d asked.
"Rather than giving him 13.5 billion won all at once, we’d entrust it to a specialized institution for management. We’d set it up so that only living expenses and hospital bills are disbursed, making it impossible for Jun-hyuk to spend a huge amount impulsively."
"Then he’d also be able to respond if people around him asked him for money."
Shin A-young nodded.
"Exactly. He can simply say, 'It’s tied up in a trust, so I can’t use it.' He’d be fully protected by law as well."
She went on to explain in a calm, measured way.
"It would be best to start with a small allowance and gradually increase it as he gets older. That way, Jun-hyuk can slowly build his own money-management skills. But when it comes to his father’s medical expenses, those should be left unlimited."
"That’s a good approach."
"And if a major event comes up, like marriage, buying a house, or starting a business, he can consult the trust administrator and withdraw additional funds. It doesn’t have to be operated in a rigid way."
He hadn’t expected Shin A-young to have thought it through so thoroughly.
"Thank you. You’ve solved my worry."
"Not at all. For us to trade with peace of mind, Jun-hyuk needs to be able to manage the money safely, and his father needs proper treatment."
Shin A-young said, "Still, we’ll first sign a conditional preliminary contract that says, 'If the scientific appraisal confirms authenticity, we will purchase it for 15 billion won,' and we’ll give him an advance for treatment and living expenses."
"Then Jun-hyuk can use what he needs for treatment right away, while his future stays protected."
Si-woo summarized it neatly.
"Exactly. It would be best if you contacted Jun-hyuk tomorrow and explained it to him."
"I’ll do that. I’ll persuade Jun-hyuk quickly and get the contract signed."
"Then shall we have another drink to a successful deal?"
Si-woo lifted his glass again.
"To a successful deal."
The clear sound rang out once more.
Perhaps because it was such an expensive wine, it went down easily.
He wondered when else he’d ever get the chance to drink something like this.
"But we still haven’t gotten to the point, have we? I said I had a proposal for you."
Si-woo raised his head and looked at Shin A-young.
"Yes?"
She spoke carefully.
"I’d like to have you join our gallery."
"I already declined the scouting offer."
"This isn’t just a scouting offer. Hear me out first."
Her eyes were serious.
"I’d like to give you a position in the gallery, like Advisor Jeong. It doesn’t have to be a position that ties you down to the gallery."
"What do you mean by that...?"
"This incident convinced me. You have an eye for the real thing. And it’s a talent you were born with."
Her voice gained momentum.
"At Eterna Gallery, we already have outstanding experts like Advisor Jeong Hae-won. But we don’t have anyone who can find objects the way you do. Someone who can uncover hidden treasures."
Shin A-young looked him squarely in the eye.
"If you join our gallery, we’ll be able to find even more masterpieces in the future."
He was caught off guard.
This time, he had indeed made an impressive discovery.
But that was entirely thanks to the status window.
"Let me put it more concretely. I’d like to hire you as a consultant for our gallery."
"A consultant?"
Shin A-young explained, "It would be a completely free position. No commuting requirements, no obligation to come and go. You’d move however you like. There is, however, one condition."
Without meaning to, he swallowed dryly.
"First, if there’s a worthwhile piece you uncover, give our gallery the right of first refusal."
"Right of first refusal?"
"Yes. Before you offer it to another gallery or auction house, give us the first chance to buy it. Of course, we’ll set the price fairly at market value. If we decline to purchase it, then you can take it elsewhere."
Shin A-young took a breath and continued.
"Second, we’ll set your annual salary at 200 million won. And you’ll still receive the same ten percent commission on the items you broker."
Two hundred million won.
And on top of that, a commission for brokering items.
For a moment, he wondered if he’d heard wrong.
It was more than surprising. It was extraordinary.
"So I’d be getting paid twice?"
"Yes. That’s how much our gallery truly wants to have you."
Shin A-young said it with an expression that made it clear she didn’t want to lose Kim Si-woo, no matter what.