A Symphony Of Home

Thirty-Two (Tae Ho's POV)

(Edited)

We were on the plane heading to Italy. Maria was more excited than I'd ever seen her. She had meticulously created an itinerary complete with a detailed schedule, and her enthusiasm was contagious.

Upon arriving at the hotel, we were greeted with a welcome drink and a brief tour. The hotel also had some light snacks prepared for guests, including spring rolls and a variety of meatballs stuffed with different herbs and peppers.

"Tomorrow, we'll have to get up early," Maria announced to the group. "We're visiting a vineyard that produces one of the finest wines. I'd love to hear your opinions afterward."

"A vineyard?" Chan Woo asked, intrigued. "Which wine?"

"Promise me you won't research it."

"I can't promise anything when it comes to wine."

Maria chuckled. "I've always appreciated your honesty, Chan Woo. But you'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out." With that, she headed toward the elevators. "Goodnight, everyone."

That was our cue to retire for the night as well.

Once we got to our room, I noticed something was off with Elysia. Ever since our encounter with Jenna at the party, she'd been distant. The passion in our lovemaking hadn't diminished, but outside of that, she seemed withdrawn, like something was gnawing at her. I couldn't help but wonder what else had been said between her and Jenna that night.

As she got ready for bed, I tried to make conversation. "Which vineyard do you think we'll visit tomorrow?" It was a safe question, though not the one I really wanted to ask.

She paused, thinking. "I don't think it'll be in Sicily or Sardinia since we're not on the islands. We're closer to the Piemonte region, so I'm guessing it'll be a vineyard that produces Barolo." She glanced at me, her eyes thoughtful. "What do you think?"

"I have no idea. I'm surprised you know something of wine," I replied, still amazed at how effortlessly she could name vineyards and their regions. I didn't realize she knew so much about wine.

She nodded, then returned to her thoughts, staring at the hotel brochure in her lap. Something was weighing on her.

"Is something wrong?" I asked, sitting beside her.

"No, not at all," she said, though her voice lacked conviction. She put the brochure down and crawled into bed. "Let's get some sleep. Tomorrow's an early start."

I wasn't convinced, but I decided to let it go. I would figure out what was bothering her during this trip.

The next morning, we piled into a van headed for the vineyard. Maria had planned most of the day around this visit, but none of us knew the full itinerary yet. When we arrived, we were greeted by a tall, dark-skinned man who introduced himself as Francesco, the owner of the estate.

"Good morning," Francesco said, gesturing toward the vast vineyard behind him. "Today, I'll be giving you a tour of the property, and we'll follow the entire process the Nebbiolo grape goes through before it ends up in your glass. Please follow me." He didn't wait for a response, immediately leading us to the first rows of vines.

As we walked through the vineyard, Francesco explained the unique characteristics of the soil, the climate, and the specific techniques used to cultivate the grapes. We then moved into the main building, where he guided us through the wine cellar, explaining how the wine was aged.

"So, Barbaresco is the sister wine of Barolo?" Chan Woo asked, clearly engrossed.

"That's right," Francesco confirmed. "Both wines are made from the Nebbiolo grape, but Barolo has more more body and requires longer aging. They're similar in price, but the flavor profiles are distinct."