Side Story 33. The Day of the Auction - Woo Yeon-Hee

Woo Yeon-Hee said, "He's not picking up the phone."

"Hmm, that's not like him. Do you think something happened?"

Woo Yeon-Hee just shrugged. It was true that they hadn't been in contact for over three hours, but worrying about him would be somewhat ridiculous. She stretched her arm out with the phone in her hand, and her other hand rested on Seong-Il's shoulder.

"Seong-Il, do you realize we don’t have a single photo together?"

She was confident about her selfies as she was wearing full make-up, and Seong-Il was dressed in a neat suit. Thanks to the many selfies he took with his fans, he knew his best angles. He slightly lifted his chin and formed a 'V' with his fingers as a smile touched the corners of his lips. It was the same charming smile his fans raved about.

After checking the photo, Woo Yeon-Hee frowned.

"What, why?" Seong-Il asked.

"What are you doing right now?"

“That’s how all the insiders[1] take pictures, noona."

"Insiders?"

"Ah, noona, you need to catch up. Don't you know what an insider is? Anyway, if you ask me, I'm not just an insider, but a top-tier one. A top-tier insider is..."

"Seong-Il."

"Yes?"

"You remember you stayed here for Ki-Cheol’s education, right?"

"Yes."

"Don't you think it would be better for his education if you just went to Saint Dragorin?"

"Give me a break. I have to enjoy little pleasures like this to make it worth staying. I don't have money or abilities anymore, so I might as well enjoy the fame."

Seong-Il posed again.

"You're so lame. I can't stand you."

"They say the late-life crisis is the scariest."

Woo Yeon-Hee laughed heartily again.

***

Amanda hesitated to open the door. The auction was about to start, but laughter kept coming from the cabin. The Caliber and Miss Woo's conversation was entirely in Korean, so she couldn't understand their exchange.

However, one clear feeling was that their relationship wasn't just limited to mere acquaintances. They seemed very close. There was hardly a gap in their jovial chatter. This meant that Caliber and Miss Woo were talking about numerous topics to ensure their conversation never paused.

Did they know each other before all this began?

Amanda pondered but soon shook her head. Her initial impression of Miss Woo had been limited to seeing her as Ethan's Cinderella.

Nonetheless, the confidence and self-esteem that Miss Woo had shown over time could not have been possessed by someone of a status lower than Ethan’s. Also, Miss Woo did not hesitate to spend an astronomical amount from Ethan’s wallet for her beauty. She didn’t seem to be grateful for that either.

Any ordinary woman would have reacted to the weight of such a huge sum of money. But both Ethan and Miss Woo seemed merely dazzled by her beautifully adorned appearance with having no reaction to the money she spent.

It was then that Amanda realized that Miss Woo's status was not any lower than Ethan's. Therefore, the assumption that Miss Woo and Caliber might have been close friends since before the Day of Advent didn't hold from the start.

The walls of social status were solid. The rich did not invite those from the lower classes into their world. The Caliber was now one of the most powerful men in the world, but it was a well-known fact that until the Day of Advent, he was just an ordinary, middle-aged man in Korea.

Hence, there was no connection between an ordinary middle-aged man and a princess whose identity was hidden from the public.

But to consider that they got closer from the Day of Advent...

The Awakened had come from a war on another planet.

The Caliber was one of the heroes at the forefront.

Laughter erupted again from inside. Amanda wondered what was so funny as she heard the sound of the Caliber's clapping getting loud. If someone were to ask if Miss Woo was a fun person, she couldn't say so.

She seems gentle and kind on the outside, but she's cold inside. She's not someone with a sense of humor.

Amanda felt like she was getting lost in a maze. She could not guess what Caliber and Miss Woo were so happy about and what common topic they had that allowed them to talk for hours. She was also curious when and where such topics were created.

The philosopher Occam said that the simplest explanation was most likely the right one. If there were assumptions with many conditions compared to those with fewer conditions, then the latter was closer to the answer.

From this perspective, there was only one explanation for why Miss Woo and Caliber were conversing endlessly. Their friendship likely had been formed over the long period around the Day of Advent. This was not just about the relationship between Caliber and Miss Woo, but it also explained the other mysteries surrounding Miss Woo.

Especially the innocent smile over a single ice cream...

Miss Woo might be an Awakened!

If so, Miss Woo's immaculate skin wasn't just because she was Asian. Also, the equal footing she showed in front of Ethan wasn't because she belonged to the world of the elites.

Amanda checked again from the bottom of the stairs. Guards were preventing guests from entering, and yet some guests who still hoped for an audience hadn't left. If anyone else found out about the ongoing joyous conversation and laughter between Caliber and Miss Woo, they would come to the same conclusion. It was clear what the repercussions would be.

As an executive assistant, she decided to keep the client's secrets. Amanda told the guards again to strictly control the access and returned to her original spot by the cabin door. But for some reason, she felt weak in the knees, and her mouth became dry.

Even when she tried to distract herself by repeating song lyrics, one thought kept interrupting. There weren't many Awakened in a position to chat so joyfully with Caliber. And among them, only one was a woman. Mary.

His lover...

Her face turned pale.

***

"I'll head out first. I have more to discuss with the old man."

When Seong-Il brushed past Amanda, Woo Yeon-Hee also came out of the open door.

"It's about time to move, right?"

Amanda nodded and turned around. Woo Yeon-Hee's soft voice reached from Amanda’s back.

"I know Amanda is a smart woman."

Amanda was about to descend the stairs but froze.

"I... I...am just honored to serve the two of you. Secrets... Secrets..."

Amanda was trying her best. If she kept going like this, like in front of Caliber, she could faint again.

"It's not a secret."

"..."

"You know who Ethan is, right?"

"Yes."

"I am a greedy person. I have lots of desires, wants, and cravings. I plan to enjoy luxury with Ethan from now on. Can you help? If you continue to serve us like now, it'll be very helpful."

It felt like a dream for Amanda.

“You must have your own life, so I don’t intend to force anything. You don’t need to answer right now. Please think about it until the auction is over.”

Woo Yeon-Hee simply left those words behind and went downstairs. Preparations for the auction were complete on the deck. Woo Yeon-Hee walked by, not giving a single glance to the guests approaching her.

Amanda hurriedly followed Woo Yeon-Hee and brought a bid ticket from the desk. The bidding number was One.

"Ethan notified me that he won't be attending."

At the mention of the name 'Ethan,' Amanda's shoulders slightly twitched.

"Don't worry, Amanda. Perhaps, we were meant to see each other."

Woo Yeon-Hee took the bid ticket and found a seat. Then, a man who had been seated next to her waited for her to sit before speaking.

"I'm Wang Long. You're the yacht's owner, right? It is an excellent party."

His English pronunciation was fluent. Woo Yeon-Hee didn't reply, just as she had ignored the crowd when she first arrived. After one glance, she averted her gaze, but the Chinese man continued speaking.

"I feel like I've used all my luck today, seeing such a beautiful lady sitting next to me. If you don't mind, may I know which country you are from? I'm from Beijing."

Instead of replying, Woo Yeon-Hee called for Amanda. At that moment, Amanda was carefully peeling off a name sticker from the seat that was initially reserved for Ethan, handling it as if it was a sacred relic. She carefully tucked it into her pocket and approached Woo Yeon-Hee.

Woo Yeon-Hee said, "Can we change seats? I'd prefer the one next to Caliber."

The Chinese man watched her leave with a flustered expression. The murmuring of him speaking in Chinese to those around him was loud enough for even Woo Yeon-Hee, who was at a distance, to hear.

Seong-Il scratched his nose and whispered into Woo Yeon-Hee's ear, "What should we do? They either think we can't understand, or they want you to hear. Just give me the order. It's easier for me to deal with them than picking my nose."

Woo Yeon-Hee smirked as she asked, "Can you handle it?"

"Why wouldn’t I be able to? If you command it, I'll make it happen. I am down to have some blood in my fist."

"Thanks, even if it's just words."

"Hehe. You know me too well. I was never going to cause trouble here. They aren't worth our attention, noona."

"But you, do you also speak Chinese?"

"Do you not? It's all the same whether it is English or Chinese."

"You must be the elite of the elites. What did he say?" she asked.

Seong-Il hesitated before saying, "...It is better for you not to know."

"What was it?"

"He was complimenting your angelic beauty. Satisfied?"

Woo Yeon-Hee was about to tease him back, but she closed her mouth. Because the auctioneer was on stage with a microphone.

"Today's auction will start with modern art, followed by classical art, and then special collections.

The first piece today is Norman Katz's 'The Day of Advent.' It's an abstract piece, inspired by the Day of Advent, finished this July by Norman Katz. The deep to subtle hues and the contrast with the powerful impression of the red strokes make it remarkable.

The piece starts at 10 million dollars…"

When the auction began in earnest, Woo Yeon-Hee's eyes were fixed more on the empty seat, where Ethan was supposed to be seated than the screen displaying the auctioned piece. Initially, she had brushed off her concern for him as trivial, but half a day had already passed. It was inevitable that she grew more worried.

What is he doing with Osiris that he's out of touch?

1. Slang in Korean that means someone who is very popular in a group of people and up to date with trends. ☜