Golden Print [EN]: Chapter 274

Woojin’s lunch appointment was just downstairs, in the WJ Tower.

He headed to the fancy Chinese restaurant there, a place he knew well. It was a bit expensive, yes, but the food was always delicious, the atmosphere was calm and elegant, and most importantly, it was quiet – perfect for private conversations. Woojin often chose this restaurant when he needed to meet important people, and today was no different.

“Welcome, sir!”

“Hello, Mr. President. Is the reservation confirmed?”

“Of course. This way….”

The restaurant manager, recognizing Woojin, kindly guided him to the reserved room, and Woojin entered first to order the food.

Woojin said, “Three of the Course A meals, please.”

The waiter asked, “For three people, sir?”

“Yes,” Woojin replied. “They’ll be here soon.”

“Certainly, sir. I’ll get that started for you.”

Woojin was glad this meeting worked out. Both he and the person he was meeting were very busy, so finding a time was lucky.

That busy person was none other than Seokjung’s friend, Seokho.

Woojin had been maintaining a relationship with Seokho ever since Seokjung introduced them.

Sitting down, Woojin briefly recalled their phone call from last night.

[Seokho’s voice on the phone] “Hey, are you free to talk, Woojin?”

[Woojin’s thought] “Oh, the celebrity Woojin is calling me. I’m flattered.”

[Seokho] “Haha, celebrity? You’re too kind. You’ve been very busy lately, right?”

[Woojin] “Well, I’m just pretending to be busy. But what’s up?”

[Seokho] “You said you’d come visit our office sometime, right?”

[Woojin] “That’s right.”

[Seokho] “Are you free anytime soon? I also have something I’d like to ask you.”

Seokho was still getting settled in Korea after moving back. But in America, he was a famous curator.

Woojin knew Seokho was the perfect person to ask for advice. As a curator, Seokho knew everything about putting together exhibitions.

Woojin knew architecture well but lacked experience in exhibition design.

So, in designing the Magok exhibition hall, he wanted to get some advice from Seokho.

It wasn’t advice on the design itself that he needed.

Woojin knew exhibition design was different from what Seokho did. But understanding how exhibitions were planned would really help him design the space.

Woojin told Seokho these things, and Seokho happily replied.

[Seokho’s voice on the phone] “If it’s about that, I think I can really help!”

[Woojin’s thought] “Oh!”

[Seokho] “How about tomorrow?”

[Woojin] “Tomorrow?”

[Seokho] “I’m free tomorrow afternoon. If you are.”

It felt a bit quick, but Woojin said yes right away.

Thinking about it, it seemed better for Woojin to hear Seokho’s advice before the full-scale design meeting.

[Woojin] “Then how about lunch tomorrow, hyung? Let me treat you to a meal.”

[Seokho] “Sounds good. Then I’ll come to your office for lunch tomorrow.”

[Woojin] “Thank you.”

Just before they hung up, Seokho said something surprising.

[Seokho] “Oh, right, Woojin.”

[Woojin] “Yes?”

[Seokho] “Can I bring someone with me?”

[Woojin] “Someone…?”

He suddenly said that there was someone who could help Woojin and asked if he could bring them along.

[Seokho] “It’s a friend I was supposed to meet for dinner tomorrow, but I think they might be helpful to you too.”

Woojin was a bit taken aback, but there was no reason to refuse.

If it was a good connection who could be helpful, there was no harm in knowing them.

Seokho was busy, so Woojin knew he wouldn’t bring someone who wasn’t helpful.

[Woojin] “Well, alright.”

[Seokho] “Haha, great. Then see you tomorrow.”

[Woojin] “Yes, hyung!”

And so, he was waiting for Seokho.

Woojin suddenly became curious about the person Seokho was bringing.

‘Someone who could be helpful to me… Who could it be?’

He hadn’t been very curious before coming to the appointment, but now that he was waiting, his curiosity began to grow.

Woojin was still wondering who it could be when he heard a soft tap-tap at the door. Footsteps approached the room.

Seokho stepped out of the taxi and looked up at the tall building.

“Wow… This building is something else,” Seokho said.

“What, oppa? Why did you come here?” a woman asked, stepping out of the taxi after him. She had her hair in a neat ponytail and wore round glasses.

Seokho glanced at her and chuckled.

“Why else? I told you I had an appointment?”

“The appointment was at WJ Tower?”

“Yeah, I heard there’s a famous Chinese restaurant here?”

“WJ Tower is famous for having many great restaurants.”

“Really?”

“I come to Seongsu-dong often. Didn’t you know?”

“How would I know that?”

The person Seokho brought to his appointment with Woojin was none other than his junior from school.

Since Seokho had studied abroad, his junior was naturally an international student from the United States.

She was quite close to Seokho.

Beyond just a senior-junior relationship, she had also been a colleague who worked with Seokho for quite a long time when he was working as a curator.

“You didn’t bring me all the way here just for a free meal, did you?”

“You know me too well,” Seokho chuckled.

“What is it? Who is this person you’re meeting? Are you trying to introduce me to a guy?”

“Oh, you’re quite sharp?”

“Really? A guy? I didn’t even put on makeup properly.”

“If you’re okay with someone about five years younger…”

“No, thank you!” she said, rolling her eyes playfully. “I’m silly for thinking you were actually being nice, oppa.”

“Yoon Minseon, why are you so grumpy today?”

“You’re making me grumpy, oppa!” she retorted.

Seokho loved art history and planning exhibitions, while Minseon focused on designing the spaces for them – exhibition design.

Unlike Seokho, she had been in Korea for quite some time.

Seokho led Minseon down a busy street, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “You’ll have to thank me a lot later,” he said, a playful smirk on his face. Even though he was already a well-known exhibition designer in Korea, today, Seokho was focused on fun.

“You’ll be thanking me a lot later, you know,” Seokho said, a playful smile on his face.

Minseon rolled her eyes. “Oh really? Who is this amazing person you’re dragging me to meet?”

“Hush now! You’ll see soon enough. And we’re almost late,” Seokho replied, gently pushing her forward.

“Fine, fine! But if the food isn’t good, I’m blaming you,” Minseon grumbled, but a hint of excitement was in her voice.

Seokho kept his secret smile hidden. Minseon had no idea who they were about to meet. *Perfect,* he thought. He loved teasing Minseon, and this was going to be his best joke yet. He was pretty sure she was a big fan of that famous guy, Woojin. He could almost picture her surprised face already.

Their footsteps echoed softly on the wooden floor as they walked down a quiet hallway. *Tap, tap.* Seokho paused outside a door marked “Private Room.” He took a deep breath, anticipation bubbling inside him. He reached for the handle, and with a slow *creak*, the door swung open. He stepped back slightly, eager to see Minseon’s reaction.

Minseon stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes went wide, and she gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. “Oh…!” she breathed, completely stunned. Then, in a shaky voice, barely above a whisper, she managed, “S-Seo Woojin…?”

Minseon caught her breath and started to speak quickly, her cheeks flushing pink. “I-I’m so sorry!” she stammered. “I was just so surprised… I didn’t mean to sound like I didn’t believe it was you!”

Woojin chuckled warmly. “Ha, haha. No worries at all. You’re right, I am Seo Woojin. It’s a real pleasure to meet you, Yoon Minseon.” He offered her his business card.

Minseon took it with slightly trembling hands. “Yoon Minseon,” she repeated, still flustered. “Oh dear, I should have my card… somewhere… just a second!” She started patting her pockets frantically, her eyes wide with a mix of excitement and embarrassment. She was so flustered, she almost forgot her manners. But she wasn’t the only one feeling surprised.

Woojin smiled politely at Minseon, but inside, a flicker of surprise went through him. *Yoon Minseon… that name sounds familiar.* He watched her flustered movements as she searched for her card. Then, he saw the name clearly printed on the card she finally presented. *Yoon Minseon… could it be *the* Yoon Minseon?* He remembered hearing about her, even though his past work hadn’t been directly in exhibition design. She was well-known, especially for someone in their thirties. He recalled something about an international conference…

He looked at the business card again: [Designer – Yoon Minseon] [Freelancer affiliated with IEA]. *IEA… International Exhibition Design Association.* He knew that was a prestigious group, not many Korean designers were part of it. A slow smile spread across Woojin’s face. *Seokho wasn’t kidding when he said he was bringing someone helpful.* This was more than helpful; this was perfect. Getting advice from Yoon Minseon could be a huge advantage for his design competition.

Seokho, who had been quietly observing, raised an eyebrow, a puzzled look on his face. “Wait, you two know each other?” he asked Woojin.

Woojin nodded, a pleased smile playing on his lips. “Yes, I do. Minseon is very well-known in the exhibition design world. Of course, I’ve heard of her.”

Minseon’s eyes widened again, sparkling with delight. “Really? You know my work?” she asked, hardly daring to believe it.

“Yes,” Woojin confirmed with a warm smile.

“Wow! That’s amazing!” Minseon exclaimed, her earlier fluster replaced by pure excitement.

Seokho scoffed, rolling his eyes playfully. “No way, she’s not *that* famous,” he teased.

Minseon playfully glared at him. “Oppa, be quiet! Just stay out of it,” she said, though a smile tugged at her lips.

“Hey! Don’t forget who brought you here to meet Woojin!” Seokho protested, feigning offense.

“And you didn’t even tell me! I didn’t have time to put on proper makeup!” Minseon retorted, lightly touching her cheek.

“But you always say you don’t like younger guys, remember?” Seokho continued to tease.

Minseon groaned dramatically. “Please, oppa! Can’t you just be quiet for five minutes?”

Woojin watched their playful argument with a warm, genuine smile. He found their easy banter quite charming. Seokho was clearly a lively personality, and Minseon, with her quick changes from flustered fan to playful sister, was certainly engaging. After a moment, Woojin chuckled softly and cleared his throat gently. “Please,” he said, gesturing to the chairs, “why don’t we all sit down? I’ve already ordered some food.”

Minseon blinked, suddenly aware of her own loudness. “O-Okay,” she said, a little embarrassed. “Was I being too loud?”

Seokho grinned sheepishly. “Yeah, sorry about that. I brought someone a bit noisy, didn’t I?”

“Ah, really, this oppa…” Minseon muttered under her breath, but she was smiling now too.

Maybe it was the boisterous start, but somehow, the initial awkwardness seemed to vanish instantly. The conversation flowed easily between them.

Minseon, clearly thrilled, leaned forward, her eyes shining with excitement. “Really, really,” she began, her voice bubbling with enthusiasm, “I’ve wanted to meet you for ages!”

“Me?” Woojin asked, a polite smile on his face.

“Yes! I’m a huge fan, actually,” Minseon confessed, a slight blush rising on her cheeks. “That pavilion in Wangsimni Parafield… it was absolutely shocking! I’ve never seen anything like it, even in America.”

“Ha, haha,” Woojin chuckled, pleased by her praise.

“Actually,” Minseon continued, her words tumbling out quickly, “at first, I didn’t even realize Woojin was a… well, a broadcaster.”

“I’m not exactly a broadcaster, though…” Woojin interjected gently.

“Oh my, not a broadcaster? But you’re practically a celebrity!” Minseon exclaimed, waving her hand dismissively.

Woojin just smiled faintly, a little embarrassed by the compliment.

“Anyway,” Minseon went on, her excitement undiminished, “I became a real fan after seeing that pavilion. It was just incredible.”

“Thank you,” Woojin said again, genuinely touched by her enthusiasm.

“And I heard this WJ Tower is also your design?” Minseon asked, her eyes wide with admiration.

“You could say… that?” Woojin replied, a hint of a question in his voice.

“What kind of projects are you working on now?” Minseon asked eagerly. “Oh, right! I should try to visit the set in Icheon sometime…”

Minseon was talking so quickly, so enthusiastically, it was almost dizzying. But her genuine admiration was infectious. Woojin found himself easily drawn into the conversation. It was thanks to her easy chatter that he felt comfortable bringing up the real reason he wanted to meet.

“Ah, actually,” Woojin began, leaning forward slightly, “I’m starting a new design competition soon…”

“Oh!” Minseon exclaimed, her eyes widening further. “What kind of competition?”

“It’s for Magok M-Tec,” Woojin explained. “They’re building a new convention center in the Magok district.”

“Oh, really?” Minseon repeated, her interest piqued.

“Yes,” Woojin nodded. “It’s a design competition for that… quite a large project.”

As Woojin began to describe the project in more detail, the first dishes of their course meal started to arrive, the aroma of food filling the air. But for now, the conversation was even more enticing than the food.

“So,” Woojin said, leaning forward slightly, “when you think about it, good building design is really about creating the best space for the people who will use it, isn’t it?”

“That’s right,” Minseon agreed, nodding thoughtfully.

Seokho also nodded, listening intently.

Woojin paused for a moment, then continued, “And that’s actually why I wanted to meet you both today. I really wanted to hear your thoughts, especially about the ‘exhibition hall’ part of the convention center, from the perspective of someone who actually *uses* those spaces – like Seokho, as an exhibition designer.” He glanced at Minseon, a warm smile in his eyes. “And then, to my surprise and good fortune, I also got to meet Minseon, who is an expert in exhibition design herself! I feel incredibly lucky today.”