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it’s not his choice to be here but it’s a good one. high-end restaurants and bars are his go-to suggestions, leaving his clients with the choice to pick racier places instead. he doesn’t care for the “extra services” himself, but a hostess bar is good in that he doesn’t have to do all the entertaining while selling his proposal. he entertains enough at his center.
upon his client’s request, they’re given a table in the corner, quiet and discreet. says something about his wife having alot of connections but shin reassures mr. jung that she probably doesn’t have as many as he does. it’s played off as a joke, though they laugh because they know it’s not. they’re handed two menus by the waiter, one for food and another for drinks. in a place like this, neither are interested in the former. jung asks for a domaine de chevalier and shin buys them chateau giscours instead. always go a mile further, he’s been taught. mr. jung is more than pleased with the choice of wine.
shin takes the opportunity to go through the skeleton of his proposal with jung first before they’re sent any company. while highlighting the last of some minor details, his client is already distracted by the lady approaching their table, their company for the night shin presumes. young, beautiful, but her poise is no doubt what catches the attention of men. shin sets his document file aside as he gets up to greet her with courteous nod of his head, jung following suit.
once the server opens the bottle of wine, shin inspects the cork to ensure that the wine’s been stored on its side. he gives the server a go-ahead before their wine is poured for them. “it’s my second time here,” he answers simply and lets jung ramble about how he’s only been here a couple of times, which is apparently too little for his liking. shin aerates his wine with gentle swirls while jung sips from his glass without much of a thought as he tells her it’s fine, that they’re happy with just her company for now.
“yeah, we’re here to discuss some business, i’m trying to sell my proposal to him. not sure how successful that’s going to go now that you’re here though,” he jests with a light smile, the corners of his eyes forced to crinkle. a whiff of his wine, then a sip from his glass; it spreads in his mouth and slides down his throat like velvet, the earthy aroma drawing an approving hum from him. with the shy notes of tannin and blackberry lingering in his mouth, he sets his glass down, attention returning to the two.
amidst the grace of her movements lies calculation, shin has noticed, from her choice of plain water to how she chooses to sit. he brushed it off as a common habit of such businesses, but his interest is piqued when he senses the increasing strategy. ( still nothing as meticulous as his own, of course. ) instead of mirroring her posture, shin opts to sit comfortably straight, hands resting on the table. “no wine for the lady? i’m sure mr. jung wouldn’t mind sharing.”
