When we opened the doors, I first noticed the temperature. It was cold in there, almost icy. There were the executives, almost shivering. It was silent.
I realized that even while we were gone, not a single thing was discussed. It seemed Do Hyun was in such a strangely powerful position over our people that they didn’t even have the courage to speak up, but with the tea arriving, there was now hope.
“Ah,” breathed the chairman with noticeable relief. “Well, now that your tea is here, would you like to discuss the particulars?”
Do Hyun and his business partner were still sitting as calmly and as coldly as before. The aides carefully stepped around them and placed the empty cup in front of him, and then filled it with the tea from the teapot. The warm, comfortable smell of the barley tea filled the room and seemed to battle the cold, making the immediate space just barely warm enough to stop shivering.
Do Hyun looked down at the tea. Watched the steam rising. He didn’t look at me, and instead took a few slow breaths, smelling the aroma from his leaned pack stance.
He closed his eyes and I watched as his face subtly relaxed. The fierceness of his eyes just barely faded.
And he looked so… beautiful.
Until his eyes opened and he once again looked the picture of supremacy and arrogance.
“Do Sun,” Do Hyun said, now dismissive. “I would rather not speak anymore. I’ll leave the negotiating to you.” His head subtly turned – towards me. When he started loo
The tall one reached forward for a few papers placed in the middle of the table. It was, I assumed, the contract.
“Do Sun?” the chairman sputtered nervously. “I assume you’re… I assume you must be family, then? Do Hyun and Do Sun?”
Do Sun, the taller one, stared at him coldly. “No,” he said in a carefully enunciated tone. “No relation. I am Do Hyun’s business manager – I handle all of his restaurant operations and ensure that he is free to exercise his craft. Let us hope that the contract hasn’t changed too much since we last spoke.”
The executives squirmed in their seats as Do Sun picked up the papers and looked at them through his glasses.
“This isn’t the deal we discussed,” he said after a short time. The way he spoke was more clipped, more efficient than Do Hyun. Almost like a machine. “We were led to believe you wanted partnership. As in, investment into our operation. Additional restaurants built at our location, using our branding and with us in control of operations. But this…” He tossed the paper onto the table and it slid neatly over to Chairman Wong. “This is a contract that has us sell… our brand. Our intellectual property, and even our location. There is no provision for our input or control. And,” he said, scoffing, “there is a non-compete that forbids him from making anything that would directly compete with your product line. It’s like you want us to stop working altogether.” His glasses reflected with a steely glare.
Chairman Wong’s eyes were wider than saucers. Anyone could tell he was deeply, deeply regretting the stunt he pulled – every iota of his plan to somehow stack the favorability of a deal his way had disappeared.
“I can only assure you…” the chairman said, stuttering, “we understand that as a craftsperson, you have every interest in making sure that your brand's name is held at the highest possible standard. It is why we want to make sure that everything that we do is perfect. We have plans to produce a bottled coffee product with your recipe, that will—"
“You told me you wanted to make you told me you wanted to invest in my operation,” Do Hyun suddenly spoke up, his eyes still closed. The calmness in his voice did nothing to conceal the icy tone. “You lied to me. You want to buy me out, and get me to stop making coffee altogether.”
“Oh, that's not the case,” said the chairman. “Your name will be in every possible news source the day after you sign. A deal of this size – why, it would be all over the place! The only thing that will be different, is that you've moved on to your next venture. You’re free of that spot now! With this kind of money, you could open up a location anywhere! Many, many billions of won richer, I might add!”
Do Hyun was silent. Do Sun followed his lead and kept his mouth closed. For an agonizing moment, everyone waited for them to think and to make a decision.
Do Hyun then looked at me.
Entirely unprompted.
“Why did you have her here?” He asked. His hand went to the cup of barley tea. He picked it up, and drew in the scent as he watched me with his cold, solemn eyes.
I blinked, trying to understand where he was coming from.
“What do you mean?” Asked the chairman.
“You brought her in here to somehow stack the deal your way,” Do Hyun said. “And you are going to tell me why, or I will walk out, right now.”
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