Chapter ss33: 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.Aall newest chapters on n.o./velbi/n/(.)com

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.

“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. ☜