Jo Su-hwan
But Min Na-hee didn't get angry at all.
Kim Namhu had realized something different about her: unlike most women in the entertainment world, she didn't feel ashamed of her past.
He could see it in the way she dressed and adorned herself like a current-day Ten-Pro hostess.
She was proud of what she had accomplished through her own abilities.
That was why Kim Namhu naturally understood her past and her skills.
It brought her great pleasure.
At first, her expectations had centered on Jo Su-hwan's face, but now she could see that Kim Namhu was no ordinary man either.
"This should make for an interesting match."
Kim Namhu quietly made his way to the bar and took a seat there.
While sipping the cola prepared as cocktail ingredients, he observed Jo Su-hwan.
Jo Su-hwan spoke as if he were hosting female guests in his own establishment, relaxed and without a trace of tension.
"Na-hee noona, what kind of liquor do you like? Bombers? Cocktails? If there's anything you want, tell me. I happen to have a trick for mixing drinks too."
Given how deeply the soju culture was ingrained in Korea, many people enjoyed making their own drinks.
Some hosts even went so far as to perform sleight-of-hand tricks with liquor to elevate the atmosphere at gatherings.
Jo Su-hwan wasn't inquiring out of curiosity about Min Na-hee's preferences.
He wasn't showing off his skills either.
He was simply trying to ease the mood with light conversation.
"Not bad at all."
It was impressive how naturally and without any burden, he could talk to a woman.
It went beyond relying solely on his looks. The host had developed a certain skill set when it came to interacting with them.
Kim Namhu kept a close eye on what new tricks Jo Su-hwan might be about to pull.
Min Na-hee would intersperse her play with Jo Su-hwan by occasionally glancing at Kim Namhu's expression, wondering if he was tense, putting on a relaxed act, or feeling a sense of crisis.
"What on earth is he making that face?"
And Kim Namhu's expression was utterly unreadable.
It wasn't blank, yet no one could decipher what thoughts were swirling behind it.
An hour passed in no time.
Jo Su-hwan had played well enough for a while before approaching Kim Namhu.
He had certainly made the most of his strengths.
In truth, even if the woman sitting across from you was merely attractive, you could still enjoy the time together even if she didn't speak much.
Women were no different.
Jo Su-hwan, an exceptionally handsome host in the industry, needed only to sit in the room with a woman to keep her satisfied.
Since he was also using his wit to entice her, Min Na-hee could drink freely and happily.
Jo Su-hwan downed a glass of cold water and said, "Well done."
Min Na-hee seemed to think she had fully won him over.
"Yeah, that's right."
Kim Namhu stood up from his seat with a light smile.
Jo Su-hwan remained arrogant, living off his own superiority.
And Kim Namhu paid Jo Su-hwan no mind at all.
This match was purely about winning, with no room for personal feelings.
If it meant earning twenty million won in an hour of effort, it was only natural to ignore personal emotions.
"Jo Su-hwan will feel the sting of defeat in the smallest way imaginable."
Kim Namhu took his seat beside Min Na-hee.
Min Na-hee was smiling, as if the time spent drinking with Jo Su-hwan had been quite enjoyable.
"Relax and have a good time."
"Yes, understood."
Min Na-hee poured a full glass of soju into a clean glass and handed it to Kim Namhu.
"If I drink alone, it won't be fun."
Kim Namhu raised the glass and gulped down the strong soju in one go.
His stomach began to warm pleasantly.
"Good. Then let's get started with introductions. I'm curious how much they differ from the rumors."
"I don't know what rumors you've heard, but they won't be enough. My name is Kim Namhu, currently working at The Queen."
It was a simple introduction.
Before Min Na-hee could lose interest, Kim Namhu continued.
"It's different from Jo Su-hwan."
"Is this a threat?"
Min Na-hee's excitement had clearly faded.
She loved when the two hosts fought over her.
But that had to be done in a way that showcased the men's charms.
Speaking ill of others never helped a man's appeal.
A man who spoke ill of others held no charm.
Jo Su-hwan, still seated at the bar, was smiling.
He seemed to think Kim Namhu had made a fatal mistake by desiring to win.
"No. I'm just telling the truth."
"The truth?"
"Yes. You're here because of the rumor that Jo Su-hwan is handsome, right? He is handsome. But isn't that just something hosts gossip about among themselves? If you're the kind of noona who can easily spend thousands in a single night, couldn't you meet idols or actors too?"
That was true.
Though Jo Su-hwan was as handsome as any actor, Min Na-hee possessed the ability to sponsor genuine celebrities.
In Korea, there were plenty of handsome but struggling actors and idols.
Twenty million won could be used to sponsor them and have them to yourself however you wished.
"A woman like you would need more than just a handsome face. Wouldn't there be someone better?"
Kim Namhu wasn't insulting Jo Su-hwan.
He was simply praising Min Na-hee's abilities and informing her that there was someone more suitable for her.
Min Na-hee was listening intently to Kim Namhu.
It felt as though she was being enchanted by his magical way of speaking.
"Then what kind of man should I meet?"
"A man who isn't handsome but difficult to meet, just like me."
Min Na-hee laughed.
Kim Namhu still hadn't proven himself to her.
"The rumors say there's a host who can talk well but not so well in bed. But there are plenty of hosts who can talk well but aren't so good in bed either."
"But isn't it true that there aren't many men who can exactly give you what you want?"
Talking well or performing well in bed weren't Kim Namhu's greatest weapons.
His greatest weapon was his power of observation.
He quickly identified what the female client wanted and found a way to provide it.
That was what had made him the best host in the nation.
"Then what exactly do you want?"
Her desire was simple.
Men fighting over her.
It was a dirty and cowardly way to boost her self-esteem.
She couldn't say it directly.
The typical situation for someone who had risen from a dirty background: proud of their abilities but hated for their sordid past.
She loved being praised for her abilities and hated it when her dirty side was exposed.
So Kim Namhu knew exactly what she wanted yet couldn't say it outright.
Kim Namhu spoke around the subject.
"What would be the point of having mediocre hosts show off their tricks? It would be better to have the best host."
"So you're the best host?"
Kim Namhu's words didn't add up.
Even the wife of the Prosecutor General, the country's top host, wouldn't be easy to summon.
It wasn't about money.
To summon such a host, the Ministry of Justice, the highest authority in the prosecution office, would have to be involved.
And at this point, Kim Namhu was only at the level of having a good reputation among the upper class.
He couldn't claim to be the best host in the country.
"Not yet, but in a few years, I will be such a host. Wouldn't it be nice to nurture one in advance? Just as you nurtured your husband."
Min Na-hee was amazed.
She too was a former Ten-Pro woman who had perfectly captured a prosecutor and made him her own.
She could read the intention behind Kim Namhu's grand words.
By praising her abilities, which she was most proud of, he was telling her that he too would make the choice, just as she had chosen her husband.
"I wasn't the type to be swayed by a man's words... but for some reason, this one doesn't feel offensive?"
Kim Namhu was now accurately understanding her life and abilities.
He was speaking beautifully about it.
Naturally, Min Na-hee's heart was bound to waver.
"This guy is going to become big."
Min Na-hee had seen Kim Namhu's potential.
He possessed the qualities to become the best host in the country, exactly as he claimed.
He was someone she might have trouble meeting even now.
So meeting Kim Namhu like this now felt like pure luck.
He was on a completely different level from the handsome man often seen near broadcasting stations.
"I might not be able to meet him later either."
Kim Namhu was now telling her to choose and nurture him.
It was a sweet promise that sounded as if he would treat her like a regular customer for the rest of his life.
But Min Na-hee knew.
The regular customers of real top hosts or Ten-Pro hostesses had to work hard to keep them.
Hosts had limited time, and if many clients desired them, the less capable clients would inevitably be pushed aside.
Min Na-hee could be arrogant toward Kim Namhu now, but she couldn't do so forever.
"Alright. I'll choose you. Let's go to the private room."
Min Na-hee grabbed Kim Namhu's wrist and pulled him to his feet.
He had won her heart in less than an hour.
It had been only a little over ten minutes.