Chapter 65: I Like Looking At It, But…
On Friday morning, I hurried to get ready to head out.
Not in my usual office attire, though—just something comfortable and casual.
Since I’d been roped into acting as Sulayman hyung’s personal guide in Korea, CEO Lee Jong-hoon had personally handed me the company card, telling me to take good care of him.
He even assured me it would be covered as a business expense, so I should do my best.
“Dad’s heading out. Gonna go play with my rich hyung-nim for a bit.”
— Meooow.
I gave a cool wave to the Samtan brothers, who had come to see me off at the front door, and then stepped out.
Down in the underground parking lot, I started up my neglected G-Wagen.
Vroooom.
“Where should I take this hyung-nim to make it a day worth talking about?”
Honestly, I had thought he was just being polite.
The man had come to Korea as an official UAE delegate, after all—I never expected him to actually reach out.
“Ugh, weekend traffic.”
Good thing I left early. If I’d taken my time, I might’ve been late.
My destination was Baekje Hotel, a place known for hosting national events—fitting for one of Korea’s top luxury hotels.
“Second time here already.”
It was also where my connection with Chairman Lee Seung-hwan had begun.
As I approached the hotel’s main entrance, I spotted Sulayman hyung right away.
Dressed in his pristine white kandura, he beamed as he waved enthusiastically.
The moment I pulled up, he climbed into the passenger seat.
“Hahaha, seeing you here makes me even happier, ahu-nim.”
“You must be exhausted from all your engagements. Are you sure you don’t need to rest?”
“Oh, doing nothing is what truly pains me. But I sincerely appreciate you agreeing so readily to this, all for this hyung’s sake.”
They say the wealthy are often warm-hearted.
This hyung… He really had a way of making people feel at ease.
“It’s only natural for an ahu to take care of his hyung. As the Arab saying goes—Rafiq qabla tariq!“
“‘Choose your companion before you choose your journey!’”
Today, my words were flowing effortlessly, as if my tongue had been greased.
Just to be clear, this wasn’t a business pitch.
I was just hanging out with a close hyung visiting from a distant country.
‘Though admittedly, not your average hyung-nim.’
“You made an excellent choice, hyung-nim. Today, I’ll show you the heart of Korea.”
To make sure Sulayman hyung got the full Korean experience, I had even squeezed in some last-minute studying.
Studying what, exactly?
For starters, I’d read the Muslim-Friendly Restaurant Guide and Korea Free & Easy for Middle Eastern Tourists—published by the Korea Tourism Organization—three times each.
‘I didn’t even study this hard for school exams.’
But preparation breeds confidence—and confidence is a weapon.
“It’s a bit too early for a meal, how about some light shopping to start?”
“Ah, you do know your stuff, ahu-nim. Nothing like a little pre-meal shopping to pass the time.”
With his approval, I steered the car toward a department store in Myeong-dong.
Our first stop: the cosmetics section.
“Since you’ve come all the way to Korea, hyung-nim, would it be alright if I got a little something for your wives? I mean, your esteemed wives?”
“Hoh… You even thought of my family. I’m touched by your thoughtful gesture, ahu-nim.”
Sulayman hyung grabbed my hand and began browsing the cosmetics counters.
“Among Arab women, Korean cosmetics are praised for their gentle formulas and skin benefits.”
This ajusshi…
He clearly had no clue what his wives would actually like.
“If you’re having trouble choosing, would you like me to recommend something?”
“Oh! I’d be most grateful.”
Sulayman hyung’s face lit up at the thought of me solving this tricky dilemma for him.
Among Middle Eastern women, the most popular Korean beauty products were color cosmetics.
Since they wore hijabs, they naturally focused on eye makeup the most.
Eyeliner, mascara, eyeshadow—you name it.
I swept up an entire collection of eye makeup products, sticking to only the highest-end brands.
Once everything was neatly packed into a gift bag, I handed it to Sulayman hyung.
“Hahaha! My wives are going to lose their minds over this. I’ll be sure to tell them it was personally picked out by you, ahu-nim.”
Yes, please do.
A wise man fears his wife’s temper, and in his case, he had multiple things to worry about.
After that, the real shopping spree began, and let me tell you—Sulayman-hyung’s spending habits were no joke.
Hopping from one luxury boutique to another, he bought items with the casual ease of a kid picking up snacks at a convenience store.
Just carrying the shopping bags alone was becoming overwhelming.
Then, out of nowhere, he fastened an extravagant gold watch around my wrist.
“This is my gift to you, ahu-nim. Please accept it.”‘
Before I knew it, a dazzling gold watch was clasped around my wrist.
Staring dumbfounded at the timepiece, I urgently called out to Sulayman hyung—if this continued, I’d be buried alive under shopping bags.
“H-Hyung-nim! How about we leave the department store and try… a different kind of shopping?”
“Hmm? Different shopping?”
“Heh. A beloved father should remember his daughters too.”
I already knew he had several daughters—his Stargram account had made that abundantly clear.
“Hahaha! You’re more thoughtful than I am, ahu-nim.”
“I know a place they’ll absolutely love. Shall we head there?”
“Hooh? There’s such a place?”
I took Sulayman hyung to Seongsu-dong, right by Seoul Forest Station.
“This is…?”
[SZ Entertainment Store ‘Gwanghui’]
An official offline store selling merchandise from SZ Entertainment’s K-pop artists.
Heh. I had already done my research by stalking his Stargram.
That’s how I knew—his daughters were completely obsessed with K-pop.
“Hahaha! I never would have expected a place like this! Brilliant!”
Sulayman hyung’s eyes sparkled with intrigue as he took in the dazzling, vibrant interior.
The store was packed with international visitors, all eager to get their hands on exclusive merch.
Seeing him look utterly lost amidst the overflowing selection, I stepped in to guide him.
I focused on goods from his daughters’ favorite idols, methodically filling up the basket.
“First off, you must get this light stick. And these cereals with their idol’s face on them? They’ll go crazy for these.”
Keychains, stationery, jewelry, postcards, albums—you name it.
If his daughters’ favorite idols were on it, we bought it.
Of course, I was the one who paid.
This kind of spending wouldn’t even make a dent in my bank account.
With both hands full of shopping bags stuffed with K-pop merch, Sulayman hyung beamed.
“When I get back to Abu Dhabi, my daughters are going to lose their minds. Thank you so much, ahu-nim. I’ve learned something today.”
After all, he had chosen Buksan Ventures over Osung.
Compared to that, this was nothing.
I responded to his heartfelt gratitude with nothing more than a smile.
“Feeling hungry already? How about we grab something delicious to eat?”
“Is it that late already? Traveling with you, ahu-nim, makes time fly without me even noticing.”
Wow. This Hyung-nim really had a way with words.
One of the biggest challenges for Muslim visitors in Korea was food.
Because of religious dietary restrictions, they couldn’t eat pork.
Of course, I was well aware of this and had already planned accordingly.
“Here we are.”
“Hooh…”
The restaurant I brought Sulayman hyung to was Yukga1(It likely refers to a specialized Korean BBQ restaurant known for a particular meat dish), a legendary BBQ spot in Namyangju.
For over 50 years, this place had served just one signature dish—seasoned beef short ribs.
Sulayman hyung glanced around, taking in the charm of the traditional hanok-style building with evident interest.
A staff member guided us to a private room.
I had specifically requested one, knowing that he might prefer to avoid unwanted attention.
Soon, red-hot charcoal was placed before us, and a thick copper grill was set on top.
What made this place special was its doenjang2(fermented soybean paste)-based marinade rather than the usual soy sauce.
Ssssssss…
The moment the marinated ribs touched the grill, they sizzled loudly, releasing an explosion of rich, mouthwatering aromas into the air.
“Gulp… The scent of the beef and marinade blend together beautifully.”
“You won’t be disappointed. Even the King of Jordan once ate here and loved it so much that he still has these ribs imported regularly.”
Sulayman hyung swallowed hard as he watched the ribs turn a perfect golden brown over the fire.
When the server finally gave the go-ahead, the two of us tore into the marinated short ribs like men possessed.
“Wow… Truly a master’s work.”
The premium Hanwoo beef, paired with the restaurant’s secret miso marinade, was a flawless combination—each element elevating the other to perfection.
Even Sulayman hyung, usually so talkative, had gone completely silent, fully absorbed in devouring the ribs.
We only put down our chopsticks after finishing the meal with a bowl of cold noodles.
Sulayman hyung cleared his throat.
“Ahem… I see now why the King of Jordan spoke so highly of this place. If possible, could you arrange for this dish to be sent to the UAE in the future? Of course, I’ll make sure you’re well compensated.”
The sight of this usually composed man, sitting there with marinade clinging to his beard and looking at me with desperate eyes, nearly made me burst out laughing.
“What compensation? There’s no need for that between us. I’ll make sure you get as much as you want, so don’t worry.”
“Hahaha! That’s my ahu-nim! Thank you! Truly, thank you.”
Was he really this happy about it?
It must’ve been very delicious.
As the person who brought it, I couldn’t help but feel proud.
As the one who brought him here, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride.
“So, what’s the next stop on our itinerary, ahu-nim?”
Oh?
Now he was the one asking me first.
That had to mean he was thoroughly enjoying the Song Dae-woon Tour of Korea.
“Now that our stomachs are full, how about taking a nice walk somewhere with fresh air?”
“That sounds like a great idea. I was starting to feel like I might explode.”
With that, we headed to Chuncheon.
Most people would assume I’d take a foreign visitor to Gyeongbokgung Palace, but…
Mmm. That’s a no-no.
For first-time visitors, it might be the obvious choice, but Sulayman hyung was different.
He’d probably seen Gyeongbokgung more than enough times already.
“Hooh… The atmosphere here feels completely different from Seoul.”
Of course.
It’s completely different.
After seeing nothing but skyscrapers in Seoul, Sulayman hyung’s face lit up with excitement as he took in the natural beauty of Nami Island.
From that moment on, we didn’t exchange many words.
We simply walked, quietly admiring the scenery around us.
A cool breeze rustled through the bare branches.
“This reminds me of the first time I met you, ahu-nim.”
His words broke the silence, and I turned to look at him.
“It all started on a whim. I volunteered to be a judge at the Korea University Hackathon just to check it out. But you left quite the impression. Your bold spirit and confidence.”
“I was just a clueless kid, running around without thinking.”
“And yet, who would’ve expected that kid to speak fluent Arabic? Hahaha!”
Feeling embarrassed, I scratched my head.
After a moment, I hesitantly asked,
“Hyung-nim, what was it about me that you liked so much? Honestly… we barely exchanged greetings.”
I was genuinely curious.
Sulayman hyung’s affection for me was so one-sided that even the most oblivious person could not help but notice.
Even the most oblivious person couldn’t miss how Sulayman hyung had shown me such one-sided favor.
“Hmm. Well? Since you brought up an Arabic proverb before, I suppose I should return the favor. You felt to me like طنجرة ولقت غطاها.”
‘A pot that has found its lid.’
In other words, a perfect match—two souls meant to meet.
A wave of deep emotion washed over me.
‘Why is this hyung so sweet?’
Maybe that’s why he had so many wives?
“Anyway, today’s trip was truly incredible. I could tell you went through a lot of trouble to make it special for me. Thank you, ahu-nim.”
“Not at all. I really enjoyed spending time with you too, hyung-nim.”
“You’ll be coming to the UAE soon. Would it be alright if I invited you to my home? No, actually—you must come. I insist.”
How could I possibly refuse when a bearded man with glistening eyes was looking at me like that?
I nodded without hesitation.
“I’d love to visit.”
“Hahaha! You can look forward to it. I’ll make sure to return the hospitality properly. Well then, shall we head back?”
“Let’s go, hyung-nim.”
Clearly excited about my visit, Sulayman hyung walked a few steps ahead before suddenly stopping and turning back to me.
“By the way, do you like cheetahs?”
“I like looking at them…?”
“They don’t bite people too hard. Though the two of them do love to play rough.”
“…..?”
I might need to reconsider visiting Sulayman hyung’s house.
A few days later.
I finally boarded the plane to Dubai.
And then—
“This… is a plane, right?”
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