Ch 70

In the first-floor reception room, Ji-an listened to the planner explaining various things, but his mind had already drifted to Andromeda, just as Ideun always said. Marriage? He had never even dated and had planned to live alone for the rest of his life, so everything the planner brought up felt unfamiliar.

“Ji-an?”

Lost in thought while gazing out the window, Ji-an quickly straightened his back at the sound of his name and looked at the planner.

“Do you have any questions?”

…He knew nothing, so there was nothing to be curious about.

“The schedule is tight, so please review this file with available wedding venues that match your preferred date and decide by tonight. The venue needs to be chosen first so we can plan accordingly.”

Oh, I’m getting married in the last week of February. Right. That means the wedding is less than a month away. Already overwhelmed by the files he had seen since morning, Ji-an looked at the date written on the new file in front of him and nodded, responding with a simple “Yes.”

Is this what they meant by absolute stability? I’m finding out too much at once.

“By the way, how are you preparing for the wedding gifts and dowry? Ideun didn’t mention anything about that.”

Dowry and wedding gifts?

Right, he should prepare something. Even if he had no family, there was still Grandmother. He had received a bracelet as a proposal gift, but at least one ring should be prepared.

“You must be overwhelmed, preparing for a wedding so suddenly. I’ve included all the necessary details in this tablet, so take a look, and if you need any help, just let me know.”

Seeing the planner smiling gently while making eye contact, Ji-an’s lips pursed downward. Even just flipping through the tablet a few times made everything feel overwhelmingly distant.

“There are often emotional ups and downs before a wedding. If you feel too stressed or exhausted, don’t hesitate to reach out for support.”

“How do I handle the dowry? Isn’t dowry about giving things like blankets, dishes, um… bags, and cash gifts to the groom’s parents? But Grandmother doesn’t lack anything… nor does she need money…”

Before Ji-an could finish speaking, the planner’s smile wavered slightly.

Twenty years as a wedding planner. She had handled numerous high-profile weddings, with more than half of her career spent organizing weddings for the upper-class elite.

Yet, for the first time, she couldn’t immediately come up with a response to the tearful groom sitting before her. Of all people, what kind of dowry could one possibly prepare for Chairman Choi?

It was well known in their circles that Chairman Choi had been searching for a suitable family for his grandson’s marriage. She had even heard rumors about discussions with Chairman Noh’s youngest son and that the Noh family was actively looking for a wedding planner.

But just a few days ago, CEO Choi himself had come to her, saying he needed to arrange a wedding as soon as possible. That alone had been shocking.

Being in charge of Chairman Choi’s grandson’s wedding could drastically elevate her career, so she had put other weddings on hold and dedicated her entire team to preparing for this one.

She had no prior information about the groom’s partner, so she had been curious about who they were. Upon meeting Ji-an, she was first surprised by how young he looked—barely twenty, she thought. Then she was shocked again to learn he was actually twenty-five.

He wasn’t a strikingly flashy beauty, but the more she looked, the more his delicate and endearing appearance drew attention. Since she couldn’t outright ask about his family background, she had only been making rough guesses, but now, hearing that she could handle the dowry arrangements herself, she became more eager.

Carefully, she began speaking while mentally compiling a list of potential dowry items for Chairman Choi’s household.

“If you let me know your budget, I can draft a list accordingly.”

“……”

As soon as she asked about the budget, Ji-an’s teary eyes filled up again, and the planner hurriedly continued.

“The dowry is mostly a formality. I’m sure, for Chairman Choi, just having you is more than enough. Since Ideun is getting married later than most Alphas, he might be eager for great-grandchildren…”

“There is one.”

The response was so soft that the planner instinctively leaned forward slightly.

“Pardon?”

“…There’s a little snake.”

The planner, who had remained composed even in the face of brides throwing tantrums over dresses on their wedding day, suddenly realized—this wedding would not be easy.

When was it that Chairman Noh’s side was running around looking for a wedding planner?

Watching Ji-an discreetly wipe his tears, the planner subtly took the tablet resting on his lap.

That family certainly had its quirks and eccentricities.

“The dowry isn’t urgent at all. So let’s focus on the wedding itself first. Even at the end of February, the weather can be unpredictable, so we’ll rule out outdoor weddings.”

Hearing a small “Okay,” the planner swiftly moved her fingers across the tablet, deleting all files related to dowry preparations and outdoor wedding venues.

“If not fully outdoors, how about a terrace? Since you don’t like stuffy, enclosed spaces, I initially looked into outdoor venues. On the wedding day, there’s a lot to prepare, and moving around early in the morning will be exhausting, so we should avoid morning and late evening. Instead of an awkward 2–3 PM slot, how about around 5 PM? By then, the sun will be setting, and the sky will look beautiful.”

The wedding’s theme depended on the time and location. Now that both had been set, there were fewer things to worry about, so she swiftly deleted unnecessary portfolios.

For a client who clearly needed her support, she was ready to roll up her sleeves.

After all, when signing the contract, the only instruction she had received from the client was:

“Wedding venue, time, interior, attire—everything. Just do whatever Ji-an wants. Don’t worry about the cost.”

“Would you like to hold a simultaneous ceremony? And for the menu… is there anything you’d particularly like to include?”

“…”

“Alright. We’ll base it on a Western-style course and include banquet noodles in between. It’s a meaningful dish, so it won’t be overwhelming or too heavy within the course. As for the second part…”

Her efforts to ensure the client’s emotional stability and minimize distress had begun. If a client had firm opinions about the wedding, she fully respected their choices. But when faced with a client like this—one who simply nodded along with a bewildered expression—she knew she had to narrow down the options drastically. Choosing between two or three options was far easier than choosing from ten.

“I’ll discuss the second part with Ideun. Would that be alright?”

“Yes!”

Hearing the brightest and clearest response she’d gotten so far, the planner smiled.

“Alright. Today, Ji-an, you just need to choose one out of these three options. Or two, if you’d like—it’s fine; we can adjust accordingly. But if anything comes to mind, like, ‘I like this,’ or ‘I want this,’ or ‘I’d love to have this,’ just send me a message right away.”

After eliminating three-quarters of the portfolio she had spent all night preparing and reducing the list of things to review, she set the tablet down and stood up. Only then did she see the most relieved and at-ease expression on Ji-an’s face that day.

As soon as she stepped out of the beautiful house, she picked up her phone to call her team and inform them of the changes. But as she did, her expression shifted strangely. Instead of heading to her office, she arrived before the notoriously elusive Chairman Choi.

“Did you meet my grandchild-in-law?”

“Yes.”

Kneeling properly on a soft cushion, the planner answered carefully.

“I heard it’s being arranged in a hurry, but haste doesn’t mean it should be done carelessly.”

“…Yes.”

“There’s no need to invite too many people, so keep it small—but meaningful. Since I’m an old woman stuck in the past, I don’t know what young people like these days, so you make sure to handle the wedding gifts properly. I don’t want to hear any complaints about that later. As for guest favors and other minor details, discuss them with Secretary Lee instead of troubling my grandchild-in-law with them.”

“Excuse me?”

The planner, who had just neatly trimmed and simplified the wedding plans with the client, felt momentarily overwhelmed by these new instructions.

“There’s no need to trouble that young one with such matters—it’s all the work of adults, after all. The only thing they need to do is dress up nicely, hold hands, and walk into the venue. Just check with them about that. And make sure no rumors start circulating about this wedding. If anything is needed, request it from Secretary Lee without hesitation. Give my grandchild-in-law whatever he wants. Understood?”

“Yes, I understand.”

What kind of job was wedding planning, after all? Half of it was about communication. And as a planner who had handled countless high-profile weddings, she had built her career on dictating the latest wedding trends.

Every time she orchestrated a wedding for a wealthy family, details about the wedding attire, gifts, floral arrangements, and even the choice of champagne for guest favors became the talk of the industry.

Yet, this wedding had to be elegant without being extravagant, understated yet sophisticated, modest yet unmistakably refined—all while staying completely out of the public eye. Having heard these conditions directly from Chairman Choi himself, she let out a long sigh.

Just a couple of hours ago, she had walked through a modern yet warm garden, and now she found herself strolling through the refined courtyard of a traditional hanok, as if time had shifted. As she pulled out her phone to call her team, she glanced at the name on her screen and let out a dry chuckle.

‘Client Choi Ideun.’

Now, she had to report how her meeting with Seo Ji-an had gone and what decisions he had made.

***

Although Ji-an hadn’t spent much time with the planner, he quickly realized he was being thrown into something he hadn’t even thought about. But only for a moment—because she was undoubtedly a professional, cutting down his worries with remarkable efficiency.

The overwhelming amount of information displayed on the tablet when he first received it had been significantly reduced, and even the daunting matter of wedding gifts had been taken off his plate. Feeling like he’d just overcome a major hurdle, Ji-an slumped onto the sofa.

He had an errand to run, but everything was happening so quickly, like beans being roasted over a lightning bolt. It was exhausting.

“A terrace wedding at sunset, huh? That does sound pretty. Then… would white flowers look nice? I don’t even have anyone to invite… But there’ll probably be a ton of people, right?”

Resting a hand on his lower stomach, Ji-an murmured to himself as he replayed the planner’s words in his mind. But with a small groan, he sat up. The future could wait—he had things to do now.

After stroking Bobo’s head near the entrance, Ji-an straightened up when he noticed a household staff member seeing him off.

“I’m going with the driver, and I have my phone, so… Could you please keep this outing a secret from him? Really, I’m just going to the department store to pick up one thing and coming straight back. It’s a surprise gift for him, so I don’t want him to find out.”

Whether he would actually do just that was uncertain, but after receiving a promise from the staff member not to tell Ideun, Ji-an finally set off. He remained glued to his phone, searching for something until he arrived at the department store.

Who would’ve thought he’d visit a department store this often in his life? After stepping out of the car, he walked briskly toward the store, already knowing exactly what he was going to buy. Since there was a wait, he passed the time browsing the window displays.

When his turn came, he walked in and told the staff member assisting him that he wanted to see an item he had looked up in advance.

“Pardon?”

“This item was supposed to be in stock here. Has it already been sold?”

“Is this the watch you’re looking to purchase?”

Ji-an nodded as the staff, wearing gloves, pointed to a watch displayed in a glass case at the most prominent spot in the store.

“Not this one?”

Seeing the employee gesture toward another watch in the front display case, Ji-an gave a slightly awkward smile.