Chapter 68: What Happened at the VVIP Social Gathering (1)
It was well known that Muhammad bin Mukh, the Crown Prince of Dubai, hosted private social gatherings and forums every year, inviting prominent business leaders and political figures from around the world.
Due to the tight security, no one knew exactly how these gatherings were conducted, but there were whispers that the parties were extravagant beyond imagination.
Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, a seven-star hotel in Dubai.
Everything in Dubai was the epitome of luxury, but even among such splendor, the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah Hotel stood at the pinnacle.
At the very top floor was the exquisite restaurant Al Muntaha, where guests could enjoy drinks and meals while overlooking the stunning islands and the Arabian Sea.
I stood right next to Sulayman hyung, trying to hide my awe as I subtly darted my gaze around the place.
“Good lord… This is another world entirely.”
The staff, each of them stunning enough to put Hollywood stars to shame, moved gracefully around the room.
Even the smallest decorative items exuded an air of refined elegance.
It was truly the peak of opulence—a paradise completely detached from reality.
Just how many security checks had we passed on the way in?
As expected from a social gathering where only the highest of the high attended, the security was incredibly tight.
Of course, thanks to my remarkable Hyung-nim, I was granted a free pass without any hassle.
‘Just what is Sulayman hyung-nim’s real background?’
Could just having a lot of money really get you into an event like this?
Especially in Dubai, where even street beggars supposedly drove sports cars?
As I pondered over my mounting questions, the elevator quietly arrived at the top floor.
It had been so smooth and silent that I hadn’t even noticed we were moving.
I glanced at Sulayman hyung standing beside me.
‘Is smiling his default setting?’
Every time I saw him, his face was naturally adorned with that warm, pleasant grin.
“Hyung-nim, are you sure it’s okay for me to be here? I don’t want to embarrass you.”
But my words wiped that smile right off his face.
“Embarrass? Me? Nonsense! You’re like family to me. Who would dare say otherwise when I brought my own family along?”
“Hyung-nim…”
I hadn’t meant much by it, but his strong reaction caught me off guard.
When he mentioned family—something I didn’t really have—my heart felt oddly warm and tingly.
Reattaching his trademark cheerful smile, Sulayman hyung wrapped his arm around my shoulder and strode confidently into the party hall.
The lavish banquet hall was already bustling with numerous guests, and the diversity was striking.
Of course, there were plenty of Arabs in white thobes with ghutras1 (thobe and ghutra — are traditional clothing commonly worn by men in Arab Gulf countries, and they carry both cultural and religious significance) wrapped around their heads, but I also spotted Hispanic men with deep bronze skin and elderly white gentlemen dressed in elegant suits.
Though their races varied, they all had one thing in common—the unmistakable air of wealth and prestige.
‘Well, duh. This is a secret VVIP-only event.’
For me, it just felt like I was tagging along with a solid connection to enjoy good food with a great view—nothing too overwhelming.
Suddenly, from the outskirts of the hall, an elderly gentleman caught my gaze.
“Huh? Is that… Song Dae-woon?”
“Chairman-nim?”
Chairman Lee Seung-hwan approached with a look of disbelief, his eyes sweeping up and down my figure.
“How on earth…? How did you get in here…?”
As I struggled to come up with a response, Sulayman hyung lightly tapped my shoulder and spoke up.
“Looks like you’ve run into an acquaintance. Mind if I go greet a few of mine as well?”
“Of course, hyung-nim. Don’t worry about me.”
Honestly, there were already plenty of people trying to strike up a conversation with Sulayman hyung, and it was starting to get overwhelming.
Since my main goal was just to wander around, eat good food, and blend into the background, I gladly let Sulayman hyung go on his way.
Chairman Lee Seung-hwan pulled me aside to a corner and bombarded me with questions.
“This isn’t a place just anyone can come to. How did you get in here…?”
“I didn’t really want to come, but that’s how it turned out. Anyway, I’m starving, so let me order some food first.”
When Chairman Lee Seung-hwan nodded absentmindedly, I called over a server and ordered drinks and food.
Soon, the table was overflowing with dishes, and I started devouring them—without being too sloppy, of course, given the place we were in.
Watching me, Chairman Lee Seung-hwan let out a dry chuckle and asked in a low voice,
“Dae-woon-ah… Do you even know where you are?”
Munch munch.
“Isn’t this just a gathering for rich people to build connections?”
Munch munch.
“Wow, this steak is so soft it feels like pudding.”
Chairman Lee Seung-hwan let out a chuckle, shaking his head.
“I knew you were a bit of an oddball… but this isn’t just any gathering. It’s not somewhere you can just show up because you feel like it. That’s why even Jong-hoon couldn’t come along.”
“Really? Isn’t CEO-nim important enough? Excusez-moi? Champagne, please.“
I confidently flagged down a passing server and ordered a glass of champagne.
“It may look like a social gathering, but it’s essentially a private economic forum. People here discuss global developments and how each country is preparing for future industries.”
“Oh, really?”
As expected of a top-class hotel, the food was absolutely phenomenal.
Everything tasted amazing, even though it was my first time trying most of it.
Chairman Lee Seung-hwan, seemingly frustrated with my indifferent attitude, pointed discreetly at someone.
“Do you recognize that person over there?”
Chairman Lee Seung-hwan gestured towards a man wearing a red-and-white checkered ghutra that resembled a towel.
“Um… I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere before…”
“That’s Muhammad bin Sar, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. His estimated assets alone are worth 2,700 trillion won.”
“Whoa. 2,700 trillion. That’s insane.”
Honestly, it didn’t even register. It wasn’t 27 trillion or even 270 trillion—2,700 trillion was just too absurd to grasp.
Anyone would just go, “Wow, that’s impressive!” and nod their head.
“Kkkk. At least you’ve got the right attitude.”
His wrinkled eyes drifted toward the crowd, where people were chatting in a lively, relaxed atmosphere.
“Most of the people here have the power to influence the world economy. Even the business deals made here alone are easily worth tens of trillions. Just catching a few crumbs from that would be enough to be called a conglomerate.”
“That’s pretty impressive.”
Honestly, I wasn’t all that interested.
For me, the thrill came from investing in people and making money through the process rather than simply increasing numbers.
At that moment, someone started approaching us.
“Already out of energy? What are you doing sulking over here like this? Chairman Wang Chuan-fu was just looking for you to discuss secondary batteries.”
It was Chairman Im Gwan-hoon of Osung, one of Korean top-ranked conglomerates in the business world.
“Heh, let the one who’s desperate come find me. A businessman shouldn’t go running just because he’s called. I just happened to meet an old acquaintance and was exchanging greetings.”
“An acquaintance?”
Chairman Im Gwang-hoon tilted his head, then glanced at me and widened his eyes.
“Whose family are you from?”
For a moment, I was at a loss for words.
Should I say I’m from Sprout Orphanage and the son of Director Kang Maria?
As I just stood there without saying anything, he must have misunderstood, because Chairman Im Gwang-hoon suddenly started speaking in broken English.
“Oh, did I make a mistake? Where are you from?”
“I’m from Korea.”
“Oh, Korea! Good!”
An awkward silence settled between us.
Damn.
This must be the downside of rote English education.
Chairman Im Gwang-hoon, still looking rather uncomfortable, eventually glanced at Chairman Lee Seung-hwan.
“Hahaha! This is too funny to watch. Let me introduce him – he’s one of our employees.”
“An… employee?”
Chairman Im Gwang-hoon’s face contorted into a bewildered expression.
“Is he from the Buksan family?”
“No way. There’s no one in our family with that kind of reckless courage.”
“Then is he some promising talent Buksan is strategically nurturing? No, that can’t be it… Even so, there’s no way he could come here… Who exactly are you?”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Song Dae-woon, currently working as an intern at Buksan Ventures.”
“An… intern?”
Chairman Im Gwang-hoon’s face twisted even further, his mouth hanging open as if he might start drooling any moment.
Well, it was understandable.
Even a CEO of a company wouldn’t be able to step foot in this place, but here I was, an intern, sitting comfortably.
But hey, it’s not like I wanted to be here in the first place.
“If you’re lying, boy—you’re in big trouble—”
“Ahu-nim! There you are – I’ve been looking everywhere!”
Who on earth would dare interrupt Chairman Im of Osung?
Of course, it was none other than Sulayman hyung.
“Is something wrong, hyung-nim?”
“Hahaha! Does there need to be a reason to look for my ahu-nim?”
“Of course, hyung-nim. You can come find me anytime.”
“Actually, I wanted to introduce you to my friends.”
“Friends…?”
That’s when I finally noticed the crowd of people gathered behind Sulayman hyung.
Most of them were young Arab men in their thirties and forties.
“Alright, everyone! Say hello! This is my ahu Song-nim from faraway Korea!”
With that, the group of men in white thobes rushed forward one by one, each extending a hand for a handshake.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Abdullah bin Ahmad Al-Equa. I run a food factory called Jenan.”
Since he mentioned a food factory, I thought it might be a company that makes snacks or something.
“Hahaha! The owner of the largest pasta factory in the Middle East is being modest.”
“Pleased to meet you. I’m Abdullah Al-Futtaim. I operate the Al-Futtaim Group, handling various businesses like trade, insurance, and real estate.”
“Hussein Sajuwan. I run a real estate development company in Dubai…”
Sulayman hyung-nim was truly the ultimate social butterfly among social butterflies.
I don’t know how he’d been describing me to others, but everyone looked at me like I was dripping honey.
Before I knew it, my hands were loaded with business cards.
Chairman Lee Seung-hwan and Chairman Im Gwang-hoon just stood there, mouths agape, staring at me.
As I struggled to keep up with the endless introductions, Sulayman hyung brought over another person.
But the aura around this man was nothing short of extraordinary.
If I had to describe it, it was like a lone crane standing tall among a flock of birds—or rather, a lone phoenix among a group of cranes.
I had never seen an Arab man this handsome before.
“Finally, I get to introduce two people I really wanted to meet. This is His Highness Sheikh Muhammad Bin Mukh Al-Maktoum. He’s the Vice President of the UAE and the ruler of Dubai, the second son of His Majesty Sheikh Muhammad Bin Rashid. He’s also a distant relative of mine.”
An absolute big shot.
If he was the son of a ruler, did that make him a crown prince?
The ridiculously handsome Prince Bin Mukh smiled and extended his hand.
“We finally met. It’s a pleasure. I’m Bin Mukh.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Song Dae-woon from Korea. Thanks to Sulaiman hyung-nim, I’m honored to meet such an esteemed figure.”
“Hahaha. As hyung said, your Arabic is quite fluent.”
“You two chat for a bit. I’ll just go greet someone and be right back.”
And just like that, Sulayman hyung flitted away again.
“Sulayman hyung-nim sure is popular.”
When meeting someone for the first time, the easiest topic to break the ice with is usually a mutual acquaintance.
“He’s an exceptional person, both in character and ability. No matter where he goes, people naturally gather around him. There’s much to learn from him. But more than that, I’ve been quite curious about you.”
“Me…? You mean me?”
Crown Prince Bin Mukh’s deep, lake-like eyes stared straight at me.
“This is the first time I’ve seen hyung speak so highly of someone—especially a foreigner.”
“Is that so?”
What an embarrassing hyung.
Still, it felt good to know he’d been speaking well of me.
“Hyung is kind to everyone, but that doesn’t mean he opens up to just anyone. There’s always a boundary.”
That was news to me.
To me, he was just the goofy hyung with that big, silly smile.
“I heard that hyung invited you to his house.”
“Yes, he insisted that I come over sometime.”
“Hahaha. Among his acquaintances, those who’ve visited his house probably don’t number more than five.”
“Really?”
I was dumbfounded.
“Unfortunately, after a past incident where he almost faced trouble inviting someone over, he stopped allowing outsiders into his home. So, for hyung to invite you, it means he trusts you that much.”
“Wow… I don’t even know what to say.”
If I had known it was such a big deal, I would have invited him to my place, too—even if it was a bit shabby.
“Anyway, I, too, am quite curious about you. If it weren’t for my schedule, I’d invite you to my new house as well.”
“Me?”
“Hahaha. Unlike hyung, I actually enjoy having guests over. Don’t worry; the house is heavily guarded with armed security, so nothing serious will happen.”
A housewarming party where you have to risk your life? How thrilling.
Still, I had nothing to lose, so I just nodded and smiled.
“Of course. I’d be happy to come if you invite me.”
“Hahaha. I like your boldness. Ah!”
Suddenly, Crown Prince Bin Mukh’s face grew serious, and he cautiously asked,
“By the way, do you like lions? Hahaha, it’s a gentle female lion.”
For some reason, I felt an odd sense of déjà vu and shook my head vigorously.
“If lions aren’t to your taste, I also have a white tiger from India.”
It’s not about preferences, you crazy guy!
In a panic, I glanced around desperately, searching for Sulayman hyung.
Honestly, at this point, even a cheetah would be better.
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