Chapter 66: The Big Shot Hyung-nim Brought Along
The plane that had taken off from Incheon Airport was nearing its descent into Dubai, an artificial city perched at the edge of the Arabian Peninsula’s desert after roughly ten hours in the air.
“There really is nothing out here.”
Beyond the window, past the towering Himalayas, all that stretched endlessly was an arid sea of sand, devoid of a single blade of grass.
And yet, I wasn’t bored in the slightest.
After all, the inside of this plane was nothing short of paradise.
I still couldn’t quite wrap my head around whether I was in a plane or a high-end hotel.
‘What kind of plane comes with a shower?’
This private jet was designed to accommodate a total of thirteen passengers and was equipped with a kitchen, a refrigerator, a bedroom, and even top-tier Wi-Fi.
Sulayman hyung handed me a glass of Jellab1 (Jellab is a traditional Middle Eastern drink made primarily from grape molasses (or date molasses) and rose water, usually served cold over crushed ice and often garnished with pine nuts or raisins. It’s popular in countries like Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and parts of the Gulf, especially during hot weather or festive occasions like Ramadan).
“Here, have a drink, ahu-nim. You’ll find it quite pleasant.”
Even the teacup in my hand was said to be worth millions of won.
Back in Korea, I wasn’t exactly a nobody when it came to money, but this…
This was an entirely different class—so far beyond my reach that I wouldn’t even dare to compare.
So, I decided to just enjoy it.
“Hyung-nim, you should have a drink as well. Let me pour you one.”
“Haha! The flight felt so lonely at first, but chatting like this with you made time fly. We’re already about to land.”
“Thanks to you, hyung-nim, the trip has been comfortable. I appreciate you looking out for me.”
“Tsk, what are you saying? This is just the beginning. Do you think I’d let you off the hook after receiving such hospitality? Brace yourself—I’m going to show you the very essence of Dubai.”
Rather than looking forward to it, I was starting to feel a little scared.
What exactly was he planning that required such a grand warning?
At this point, I decided to just surrender to fate—whatever happens, happens.
Finally, our plane landed at Dubai International Airport, where Sulayman hyung’s personal chauffeur was already waiting.
“This city is unbelievably sleek.”
As we drove toward downtown Dubai, I found myself in a state of constant amazement.
Speeding down Sheikh Zayed Road, which runs through the heart of the UAE, I got the distinct feeling that I was looking at a Middle Eastern version of New York.
When the Burj Khalifa—the tallest building in the world—came into view, my jaw practically hit the floor.
‘How much would the rent be for a month in that place?’
It was a curiosity that came naturally as a fellow property owner.
To me, the most fascinating thing about Dubai was how two different eras coexisted.
At one point, Sulayman hyung had the driver stop the car and took me to a tower observatory framed by a massive square structure.
Standing at the top, I looked straight ahead and saw Dubai Creek, with its well-preserved Arabian-style traditional houses.
When I turned around to face the opposite side, an entirely different world unfolded before me—soaring skyscrapers, an endless desert that carried a mysterious allure.
“What the… What is that?”
Right in the middle of the sea was a bizarre-looking island shaped like a palm tree.
“That’s Palm Jumeirah Island. They developed a sandbank in the shape of a palm tree, built hotels and various entertainment facilities on it, and turned it into a major tourist attraction.”
“That’s insane.”
“Palm Jumeirah was designed with a focus on sustainability. Interestingly, instead of damaging the environment, its development actually led to an increase in marine biodiversity.”
Unlike Korea, where land reclamation projects are always tangled up in environmental controversies, Dubai has managed to preserve nature while creating a global landmark.
I had to admit—it was truly impressive.
Sulayman hyung, who had driven me all the way to my hotel, held my hand with an apologetic look.
“I’m sorry, but I have an important engagement. I’ll have to leave you here for now.”
“Just the fact that you brought me here is more than enough. Please, don’t worry about me.”
I watched as the sleek luxury sedan disappeared into the distance before heading inside to check in.
“Wow. This place is nice.”
The sheer opulence of the room left me speechless.
Two single beds, golden accents—everything about it exuded a distinct Middle Eastern flair.
— Swish
I pulled back the curtains, revealing a panoramic view of Dubai’s skyline.
I couldn’t wait to see the city at night, when the lights would spread out like a sea of stars.
“Worth every penny.”
One thing I hadn’t known was that the government provided no financial support for the business delegation.
All travel and accommodation expenses had to be covered by the participating companies.
Of course, in my case, Buksan had taken care of everything.
After unpacking, I called CEO Lee Jong-hoon.
“Yes, CEO-nim. I just arrived at the hotel. Three hours from now? Understood.”
— Click
He mentioned that he was accompanying his father, Chairman Lee Seung-hwan, for their scheduled meetings.
After that, I dialed CEO Song Si-ho.
“CEO Song-nim, where are you now?”
— “Right around the corner! I’m in a taxi.”
“Oh, really? Since I’ve already checked in, just head straight to the room when you arrive. Yeah, yeah. I’ll text you the details.”
And finally, my last call:
“Yeah, Seul-gi-ssi. Are Yeon-tan and the kids doing alright? Haha. Really? That’s a relief. I’ll owe you big for a few days. Yeah, thanks.”
Fortunately, Hong Seul-gi had volunteered to look after my cats while I was away, as she happened to be on a break.
“I should get her a gift.”
After hanging up, I sank into one of the chairs in the room and absentmindedly gazed out the window.
“Dae-woon, you’re not here for a vacation. Time to go all out.”
Watching the Dubai skyline burning red in the sunset, I steeled my resolve.
[UAE-KOREA BUSINESS FORUM]
The grand banquet hall of the Rixos Marina Hotel, renowned for its sheer scale, was steadily filling up with Arab and East Asian guests.
At the VIP table, visibly reserved for the elite, sat President Park Chang-soo and UAE’s King Al Nahyan.
At a massive round table marked with Buksan’s name, Chairman Lee Seung-hwan, CEO Lee Jong-hoon, and Buksan Defense CEO Ha Seung-ho took their seats.
Meanwhile, at the far end of the table, I sat with Matthew and CEO Song Si-ho.
Sitting at the same table as corporate giants seemed to have overwhelmed them—both looked stiff with nerves.
Chairman Lee Seung-hwan, his signature hearty laugh echoing through the room, shot me a mischievous grin.
“Heh, heh, heh. So, it’s true—this was your first time on a plane?”
“What? You already heard? Well, yeah… The plane was definitely nice. Fast, comfortable—top-notch, really.”
“Of course it was. Kkk. Only you would have your first flight on a royal private jet. There’s no one else like you.”
CEO Lee Jong-hoon chuckled and chimed in to Chairman Seung-hwan.
“Dylan—no, Dae-woon-ssi played a big role in securing this partnership.”
“I’ve got ears, you know.”
Then, Chairman Lee Seung-hwan gave my shoulder a firm pat.
“Anyway… thanks, kid.”
“Huh? For what?”
“Thanks to you, I was able to land a solid blow on Chairman Im of Osung. It felt so damn satisfying—I actually slept like a baby for the first time in ages. Heh heh heh.”
“If you’re so grateful, can you please stop pestering me about playing Janggi…”
“Tsk tsk, what’s wrong with a game of Janggi, you brat? Just one round—no more, no less.”
Yeah, right.
It was never just one round.
The only way to win was never to start in the first place.
I shook my head firmly.
“No way. If you bring up Janggi again, I’m not going.”
“You little—tsk tsk. Just itching to humiliate an old man, aren’t you? Fine, you rascal!”
The others gaped at our banter, which sounded more like grandfather and grandson than chairman and employee.
CEO Ha Seung-ho of Buksan Defense, in particular, looked like he might faint on the spot.
Lee Seung-hwan, the man once feared as the Siberian Tiger, was actually… like this?
Even if he told the other Buksan executives, they probably wouldn’t believe him.
“Haaaaah…”
As expected of a national event, this was mind-numbingly dull.
I was stifling a yawn so hard that tears welled up in my eyes.
One grand introduction after another, followed by the ever-so-eloquent welcome speeches from the high-ranking officials of both nations.
Just when I thought the speeches were over, the UAE’s Minister of Economy, clad in a pristine white turban, stepped onto the stage.
“Honored guests, thank you for visiting the UAE…”
Surely, that was the last one, right?
Nope. Now the two presidents were coming up for their keynote addresses.
At this point, if I didn’t pinch my thigh, I was in real danger of dozing off.
Only after the keynote speeches finally ended did the real event begin.
One by one, the CEOs of major corporations stepped forward, exchanging MOU certificates with the UAE’s Minister of Economy, flashing their best capitalist smiles.
Naturally, Chairman Lee Seung-hwan strode forward with the same commanding presence that had earned him his reputation, shaking hands with the minister without an ounce of hesitation.
He was a veteran who had walked the bloodstained path of business warfare, and even now, the spirit of a tiger still burned in his eyes.
‘Ugh… When is this going to end?’
As the tedious forum finally reached its conclusion, the host grabbed the mic.
“This officially concludes the forum. We kindly ask all business delegation members to prepare for the Korea-UAE Business Consultation Meeting.”
‘Finally.’
To be honest, this was the real reason we were here.
The Korea-UAE Business Consultation Meeting was the key event—an opportunity to network with UAE buyers, secure export deals, and attract investors.
We had to walk away with something.
[STUDIO SH]
Our booth, modestly set up on the outskirts of the venue.
I took a seat and scanned my surroundings.
Banners promoting cutting-edge technologies—healthcare, blockchain, AI—were everywhere, making the whole event feel incredibly high-tech.
Then, I turned to look at our own booth’s banner.
A cute little cat, aiming a gun at a grotesquely ugly pig.
It was a comically exaggerated illustration, blown up in size.
I knew I shouldn’t feel this way, but honestly… It was kind of embarrassing.
“Uh… Why does it feel like no one’s coming our way?”
Song Si-ho scratched his chin awkwardly, letting out a sheepish chuckle.
Sure enough, while the booths in the central area were swarming with Arab buyers wrapped in turbans, traffic grew sparse toward the outer edges.
A few Arabs glanced at our booth with mild curiosity, but they quickly lost interest and walked away.
“What are we supposed to do about this…?”
A glaring case of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer.
In the distance, the other booths were buzzing with lively conversations—handshakes, business card exchanges, deals being made.
Meanwhile, our booth was practically deserted.
I was seriously contemplating whether we should start pulling people in like nightclub promoters when—
“Oh! So, this is where you were.”
A familiar voice made me instinctively turn my head.
“Hyung-nim!”
I had never been so happy to see someone in my life.
Seeing Sulayman hyung—who had even brought a friend along—nearly brought tears to my eyes.
I rushed forward without thinking and eagerly guided them to their seats.
“I heard you were busy…”
It wasn’t like I hadn’t contacted him.
But since he was a high-ranking figure in the UAE, his schedule was packed, and he had told me there was no guarantee he could make it.
“Haha, aren’t Buksan Ventures and I partners now? Besides, this is about you, so of course, I had to come running.”
“Hyung-nim…”
This hyung—
He really had a knack for making people emotional.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and turned to the friend Sulayman had brought along.
“And this gentleman is…?”
“Oh! Look at me losing my manners. You should introduce yourselves. He’s someone Studio SH will be very glad to meet.”
The middle-aged Arab man—dressed not in a kandura but in a yellow short-sleeved shirt, his hair thinning—extended his hand with a smile.
“I’ve heard a lot about you from Sulayman-nim. My name is Mujahid.”
Mujahid pulled out two business cards from his wallet and handed them to me and Song Si-ho.
[TOMATEM GAMES CEO Mujahid]
“Tomatem Games? A game company?”
As I tilted my head at the card, Song Si-ho’s gasp cut through my confusion.
“H-holy—! T-T-Tomatem Games?!”
“What’s wrong? You know them?”
His eyes darted between Mujahid and the business card, his voice trembling as he spoke.
“Of course I do! They’re one of the top three game publishers in the Middle East!”
…Looks like hyung-nim brought someone far bigger than I ever could’ve imagined.
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