𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐒

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A small family business on a quiet street in Seoul City-the kind with the lower level dedicated to serving customers, with the small apartment on the second floor reserved for the family-the proprietors.

He looked through the tinted limousine window at the hand-lettered sign over the doorway and fought back a sneer at how utterly childish it looked. Well, they are supposed to be the best in the area…

The Park Jewerly Company…

Through his network of connections he had heard tell of their fabulous reputation in the dealing and appraising of gems from nearly all nations, though, as the name would indicate, specializing particularly in Australia objects-the family had arrived to Seoul from Sydney several years prior, if he remembered his research correctly-which he nearly always did. Since the family had opened up shop, under the older owner of the bussiness Jihoon Park now deceased as of a few months or so, the small company had built a solid reputation as an honest, reliable dealership and appraisal service. Of course, with Jihoon gone, his son Chanyeol had taken his place as the head of the business and of the family, and there hadn't seemed to be any problems so far.

He had come, after all, to have the famed Jewlerly Company take a look at a recent acquisition he wished to display in his office later that evening-for the upcoming soirée, or somesuch thing, that the Park Corporation was hosting in its headquarters to celebrate its purchase-or rather, its buyout-of a local competitor-a small Seoul.

Park Jimin didn't particularly like these sorts of parties, if he were completely honest about the subject.  Useless affairs where everyone seemed to drink and flirt and swirl about with no regard for propriety or common sense. And the endless nagging from his colleagues and rivals about his life, for Jimin never brought anyone to these functions… rather annoying.

He personally had not embarrassed himself in such a way at one of the many, many parties he was required to attend, not only those he threw on behalf of the Park Corporation, but those of business partners and other major corporations in the area. He simply put on a show-it was easy for him after so many years of learning how. Smile. Dazzle with charm. Refill the glasses. Win them over. Propose deals. Get pens in hand. Signatures. Everyone going home happy, with a beautiful woman on their arms-the entertainment for such affairs was often… interactive. Creating sustaining relationships with other leaders of industry.

After all, when one ran an arms manufacturing company, it did not do to make enemies…

"Mr. Park, sir, we've arrived." Mark's voice crackled through the intercom.

Jimin pressed the button and responded, voice somewhat testy. "Yes, Mark, I'm quite aware. You'll be carrying in the gemstone, of course."

"Of course, sir."

Then Jimin was stepping out of the vehicle, squinting against the bright sunlight while Mark stood by the door, at attention, before straightening his impeccably tied blue tie, brushing a speck of dust off his dark gray wool suit, and walking up the gently sloping ramp to the door of the Park Jewerly Company, where a tiny "open" sign hung in the curtained window.

He hesitated before knocking on the door-it looked rather dirty, and the blackened, doorbell was no better. Would proper hygiene really be too much to ask…?
*

knock knock*

Chanyeol jumped at the sound of a firm, steady knocking on the door. Flipping the magazine he was reading closed, he shoved it into a drawer of the old, slightly splintery wooden desk. "Ah-yes-one moment, please!" Thank the gods-a customer. God knows we do need the business… He threw his hair back,wiped the crumbs from the cookie he'd been eating from his stubbled chin, and straightened his wrinkly button-down shirt before shoving his glasses up his nose and walking around the desk to answer the door.