Chapter 20: The VIP Client of the Three-Color Cat
Mid-June.
Jiang Jaehun was enduring the fifteenth day of a moral struggle at the Seongsu-dong real estate agency.
It was the university graduation season.
A flood of clients surged into the housing market—students searching for apartments before the September semester and fresh graduates moving closer to their companies.
Today, Jiang Jaehun was on duty at the store.
The senior agents were all busy out making deals, including the manager.
This suited him perfectly—no need to compromise his conscience.
2 p.m.
The cicadas outside the glass door buzzed, mingling with the hum of the air conditioner vent.
Jiang Jaehun’s fingers flickered over the keyboard, trying to sift through the vast database for the best value properties.
Just then, the glass door swung open suddenly.
The wind chime gave a soft tinkle.
He looked up.
A woman came into view, her face mostly hidden behind a black mask, a camel-colored bucket hat pulled down low over her brows.
Her plain cotton sweatshirt was unremarkable, but the three subtle stripes on the cuffs matched perfectly with the early spring Fendi collection featured in Lee Sung-kyung’s Vogue magazine.
—Wealthy!
Definitely a VIP client.
Without thinking, Jiang Jaehun stood quickly and bowed politely.
“Hello, welcome to the Seongsu-dong Real Estate office. How may I assist you today?”
“Um...” The woman glanced at the recommended listings posted on the wall and spoke in a muffled tone beneath her mask.
“I’m interested in commercial spaces.”
“What kind of business, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“A café.”
Jiang Jaehun swiftly pulled out a map of Seongsu-dong and spread it on the desk, pointing to several locations.
“This one is 50 pyeong with a monthly rent of 1.5 million won per pyeong, deposit 100 million won; next door is 80 pyeong with a kitchen, but the fire inspection...”
[Note: One pyeong is a traditional Korean unit of area, about 3.3 square meters.]
“Do you have anything in Apgujeong?” the woman interrupted suddenly.
“Apgujeong?”
“Yes, the corner shop on Rodeo Street.”
“No problem, please wait a moment.”
Jiang Jaehun’s fingers flew over the search bar like a seasoned smoker flicking ash.
“Found it!”
He pointed at the screen.
“Apgujeong, Rodeo Street corner shop, 80 pyeong, monthly rent 36 million won, deposit 300 million won.”
“That expensive?”
“Uh, top-tier business district means prices like these...” Jiang Jaehun answered with a forced smile.
“Is the ownership clear?”
He glanced at the owner’s name on the system and nodded.
“Of course. The owner is an overseas Chinese residing in Hawaii, fully authorized us to handle the transaction.”
“Overseas Chinese?”
Her eyes above the mask narrowed.
“Who reviewed the Korean contract for the overseas Chinese?”
“The legal, legal team...” Jiang Jaehun felt cold sweat trickle down his neck.
The pressure she radiated was just like when Hwang Jung-min suddenly checked his script.
“Can we view the property tomorrow?”
“Certainly. May I have your contact information...?”
He handed over a registration form, but she didn’t take it.
“Give me your phone number.”
“All right.”
Jiang Jaehun pulled a business card from the back of the holder on the desk and handed it over with both hands.
“Jiang... Jaehun.”
Her gaze moved from the card to his face and paused.
“Your tie is quite unique.”
He looked down at the faded “IU” print.
“Thanks, a friend gave it to me...”
Suddenly the glass door banged open. Kim Sung-beom rushed in, his suit soaked with sweat.
“Damn this weather—Oh! A distinguished guest!”
The woman quickly lowered her hat brim and stood up with a swift motion.
“I’ll contact you tomorrow when I have time.”
“Uh, yes. Please take care.”
The wind chime jingled.
After she got into the van, Kim Sung-beom turned to Jiang Jaehun.
“What’s her background?”
“She said she wants to see the Apgujeong commercial space.”
“The Apgujeong space? Which one?”
Jiang Jaehun pointed to the computer screen. Kim Sung-beom leaned in and clicked with the mouse.
“Coming to Seongsu-dong to check a specific Apgujeong property? Could she be a competitor trying to poach listings?”
“Probably not. We have chain stores in Apgujeong too; maybe she’s just passing by.”
“Makes sense.”
Kim suddenly turned.
“Did you get her number?”
“She took my card...”
“Ash! What good is your card to her!”
Kim slammed the desk, spitting droplets in Jiang Jaehun’s face.
“Wait for the client to call you? Do you think this is Samsung Group’s call center?!”
Jiang wiped his face.
“She said she’d call.”
“She said she’d call?”
Kim mimicked a high-pitched female voice, “Do you also believe she’s going to gift you a Hannam-dong villa?”
Jiang Jaehun said nothing.
9 p.m.
The convenience store sign glowed, casting Jiang Jaehun’s shadow.
He took out a freshly bought can of tuna, squatted by the greenery, and popped the tab open.
“Meow—”
A calico cat crept out of the holly bushes and rubbed against his pant leg.
Jiang scratched its chin.
“You think she’ll call tomorrow, don’t you?”
The cat said nothing, only pawing at his pants, reaching for the tuna can.
He handed it over, stroking its head.
“A client of that caliber wouldn’t stand you up... If this deal closes, I’ll get you Royal Canin.”
The cat purred in reply.
The next day.
7 a.m.
The dew on the Apgujeong shop’s shutter hadn’t dried yet.
Jiang Jaehun clutched the shop keys, squatting on the curb, nibbling on a seaweed rice roll.
8 a.m.
He checked his phone signal bars for the eighth time, turning the ringtone volume to max.
10 a.m.
A street cleaner passed by for the third time, pushing her garbage cart.
“Heartbroken, young man?”
Noon.
The scorching sun softened the asphalt. Jiang Jaehun shrank into the fire hydrant's shadow, his eyes fixed on every nanny van passing the intersection.
Then his phone buzzed suddenly.
He hurriedly checked—it was an entertainment news push about behind-the-scenes of “The Book of Nine.”
“Damn...”
He hesitated, then reopened the image.
—The eyebrows and eyes of Bae Suzy’s historical costume look were almost identical to that client from yesterday.
While he was absorbed in comparing the photos, a black nanny van screeched to a halt at the intersection.
The window rolled down one-third, and Lim Yoon-ah tilted her head to study him.
“Jiang Jaehun?”
“Hmm?”
He snapped his head up, squinting for five seconds before recognizing her.
“Senior Yoon-ah... cough, Yoon-ah? What are you doing here...?”
He suddenly fell silent.
The shop and S.M. Entertainment were both in Apgujeong; her passing by was no surprise.
“Switched careers to a doorman?”
Lim Yoon-ah pointed to the sweat stains clumping on his shirt.
“Waiting for a client...”
“What client?”
“A buyer. I’m experiencing life for a new film role.”
He gave a crooked smile.
“Oh—”
After hearing his explanation, Lim Yoon-ah turned and pulled a bottle of ice water from the car fridge.
“Someone as earnest as you will succeed at whatever you do.”
“Thank you.”
“Gotta go.”
As the window rolled up, she added,
“Except for choosing ties.”
Jiang Jaehun looked down at his crumpled “IU” print and gulped down the cold water.
1 p.m.
The street cleaner passed by a fourth time, tossing a bottle of mineral water at his feet.
“You’ll get heatstroke, and no one will carry you.”
He looked down at the water, wiping sweat from his eyes; salt stains soaked through the back of his shirt.
3 p.m.
Unable to withstand the scorching sun, Jiang ducked into the convenience store for air conditioning, poring over materials and reciting café renovation guides.
6 p.m.
Kim Sung-beom’s frantic calls made his phone burn.
“Has the client arrived?!”
“Probably stuck in traffic...”
“Your head’s stuck in traffic! Come back and show apartments to the foreign students!”
“...”
8 p.m.
Still crouching outside the shop, Jiang finally accepted he had been stood up.
He stood, kicked the shutter door; dust blew from the lock and made him cough.
“Cough cough... I told you, you can’t trust someone wearing Fendi...”
Sure enough.
Back at the office during the evening meeting, Kim flung the performance sheet down with a slap.
“Can’t even keep VIP clients, tomorrow you’re handing out flyers!”
“...”
10 p.m.
Jiang just unlocked the door to his shared apartment when his phone vibrated.
He pressed it close to his heated ear.
A gentle female voice said,
“Is it still possible to see the property now?”
“Yes! I can be there in half an hour!”
“See you in forty minutes then.”
After hanging up, Jiang turned and headed out.
Lee Sung-kyung poked her head from the kitchen.
“Hey, where are you going?”
“To show a client the property!”
The door closed behind him, her mumbled voice mixing with the fridge’s hum.
“You don’t have to work so hard, dummy...”
Street lamps on Apgujeong’s shopping street stretched Jiang Jaehun’s shadow like taffy.
He squatted before the shutter, eating a convenience store triangle rice ball, the phone screen lit with a countdown—7 minutes to 10:40.
The crunch of tires rolling over gravel pierced the silence as a black nanny van slid quietly to the curb.
The door opened; the tip of a stiletto tapped the ground.
“Sorry, got held up with some errands.”
Jiang hastily swallowed his rice ball, pounding his chest.
“No, no problem! Glad you could make it!”
The Apgujeong shop’s rolling shutter hissed halfway open and jammed.
Jiang kicked the rusty track and shone his phone flashlight into the entrance.
“The fire inspection is grade A. See, the extinguisher in the corner was replaced just last month.”
The woman bent down, shining her own phone flashlight inside.
Jiang followed, flicking the light switch on.
“Since you specifically want to see this shop, I assume you’ve done some research. It’s on the main route for SM and JYP trainees going to and from practice, with three music show studios within two kilometers—ideal for your target customers.”
Jiang rattled off everything he had memorized.
“Ceiling height is 5.2 meters, suitable for a mezzanine or loft design; the storefront is wide, perfect for brand display.”
The woman stopped at the corner wall and tapped it with her knuckles.
Jiang’s heart leapt.
“The blueprints show this is a non-load-bearing wall—removing it would greatly increase usable space and allow flexible renovations to suit your needs.”
She nodded and continued the tour.
“The property is commercial land, free of mortgages or disputes. The owner’s power of attorney is locked in our headquarters’ safe, ensuring transaction security.”
“Maintenance fees are 12,000 won per pyeong, covering garbage collection and security, with no extra management fees.”
“...”
That was how Jiang Jaehun spent the tour, explaining everything.
At the door, she finally spoke.
“This rent is 12% higher than Cheongdam-dong.”
“The shops on this street are pricier because of the stable fanbase that forms the main consumer group.”
This went without saying for Jiang Jaehun.
Apgujeong was synonymous with fashion and wealth.
Since Gangnam Style’s explosive popularity in 2012, it had ranked among Korea’s top three upscale shopping districts.
Though foot traffic was slightly less than traditional areas like Myeongdong or Dongdaemun, its influence remained top-tier nationwide.
Whenever a new group from S.M. or JYP hit big, surrounding shops’ revenue skyrocketed.
“I spoke with the owner this morning; he’s willing to offer two months’ rent-free for renovations. We can also recommend design teams to help you control costs.”
Suddenly remembering Kim Sung-beom’s hard-sell tactics, Jiang slapped his thigh.
“Oh, right! Our group chat says Lim Yoon-ah is also coming to see this shop tomorrow!”
“Lim Yoon-ah?”
“Yes, from Girls’ Generation.”
She pulled out her phone, swiping the screen before turning it toward him—
[Girls’ Generation’s Lim Yoon-ah’s first lead role—‘The Prime Minister and I’ script reading leaked photos]
Jiang suddenly understood.
No wonder she was in such a hurry at noon—she had a script reading.
Wait...
Jiang glanced past the phone screen and met her eyes above the mask, the same deadly stare he had seen when secretly using Lee Sung-kyung’s hair mask. Clearing his throat awkwardly,
“M-maybe she’ll reschedule...”
“She’d have to master bilocation first.”
“Uh...”
“Tell the landlord to extend the rent-free period to three months.”
“Three months? I’d have to ask...”
“I can pay the deposit now.”
“Okay!”
The woman took a cash check from her chain bag; the ink on the seal was still wet.
“Deposit now, sign the official contract by the end of the month.”
Jiang stared at the anti-counterfeit watermark of Shinhan Bank on the check—it was identical to the “big deal” Kim had boasted about last week.
“Is there a problem?”
“N-no...”
He hurriedly pulled out the receipt book, writing “commercial space rental deposit” in the payment reason column.
“Please sign here.”
She took the receipt, signed in the dim light, and handed it back.
“Bae Suzy?! Are you the same Bae Suzy from Miss A?!”
“Same name.”
“Oh...”
Jiang eyed her suspiciously.
“You... have much more poise than she does.”
“...Thank you.”
For some reason, he thought the thanks sounded a little like gritted teeth.
On the subway crossing the Han River, Jiang Jaehun stared at the reflection of his “LV” tie in the window, lost in thought.
He sent the deposit receipt to Kim Sung-beom, who replied with a 60-second voice message.
Opening it revealed alternating exclamations of “Damn it!” and “Huge win!”
The calico cat waited at the convenience store entrance, the Royal Canin bag gleaming gold under the moonlight.
The streetlamp split his shadow in two.
One half was real estate agent Jiang Jaehun, the other half actor Jiang Jaehun.
Arriving at his apartment building, he looked up to the fifth floor—Lee Sung-kyung’s bedroom glowed warmly, stark against the night.
As he inserted the key, the light suddenly went out.
The tuna rice ball Jiang had bought for her in the fridge had vanished.
In its place was a box labeled [Sample] seaweed rice roll.