In Denial
In Denial
They visited the most sought after mountain ranges in Italy, Seceda.
"Wow! This is so beautiful" Chan-Mi exclaimed, looking at the green slopes, touching the clouds. The rest, even Geun, had a gawking moment at the beautiful sight.
They had all earlier hiked in the direction of the mountain. It a long and tiring trek, but they realize how worthy was their journey.
The Alpe di Seceda is located on the sunny side of Val Gardena, at the foot of the nature reserve, part of the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage, and is often a favorite place to visit by tourists, hoping to get a good climb or biking.
Its peaks reach up so high that clouds covered half of its mountains.
"This is a good place to run!" Announced Geun, dropping his bag and blazing through the green slopes! "Whoohooo!"
The rest of the group followed, and Salvi's security wound up looking after their belongings.
They took as many pictures as they could, especially utilizing drones to capture the best views of the mountains.
Only after they have accomplished taking all shots from varied angles did their party take a rest, lying against the grassy slopes. They all formed a circle, their heads closer to each other.
They all looked up to the blue sky, thinking about their beautiful day. Chan-Mi said, "It would have been nice if Mom and Dad were here."
"We can bring them here, Chan-Mi," suggested Salvi. "Maybe after our wedding."
Salvi and Chan-Mi ended up chuckling at his suggestion, making Nari and Geun frown.
"Hey! No secrets!" Nari scolded. "Are you two already engaged?"
"No, not yet. I'm still waiting for Salvi to buy me a pink diamond ring, just like Mom's," remarked Chan-Mi.
While it was true, there was no formal discussion between them about getting engaged, they casually talked about it. Chan-Mi was a year shy of turning twenty-seven. It was only a matter of time before she would be allowed to tie the knot.
"Well, I want a black diamond ring, just like Mom's other ring!" Revealed Nari, making Luiz choke on her words. He wondered how much was a black diamond ring.
"Don't worry, Luiz. While a black diamond is rare, it is not that expensive. You better start scouting though because it's a rare gem to find," Geun said, immediately understanding where Luiz was coming from.
"And I can already see it. Luiz is going to be a famous chef, starting with a restaurant in Korea offering Italian cuisine," suggested Salvi, forming a new discussion.
"I'd really like that and I'll help Luiz manage his restaurant," revealed Nari. "JKW will be a primary investor!"
Luiz just chuckled at her suggestion. He then revealed, "Actually, I already have big-time investors."
"Woah! Really, Luiz! That's great!" Nari said, turning to Luiz. She gave her that look of adoration, proud of where he had come.
"My boss from my previous workplace offered to invest in me, but it would be right after I graduate. Even the school offered a fraction of the investment. They all said I had the potential," Luiz said while looking back at Nari.
He reached for her hand and said, "Nari, when my restaurant opens, it will become the most famous one in the city. I hope you can handle the establishment."
"We are all very proud of you, Luiz," said Salvi. Over the years, he had offered to help Luiz financially, but he always refused, wanting to make money on his own. He accepted minimal help, but whenever monetary, Luiz made it a point to return him the lent value.
Salvi understood that while he could easily ask for help from him and Geun, Luiz wanted to try making it on his own.
"Can we invest in your restaurant too?" Geun asked. "Why can't we benefit from your skills, Luiz? You are being selfish!"
"There is nothing wrong with receiving investments from us. We are going to get our money's worth anyway," Geun added.
Luiz just laughed and eventually said, "Fine. Fine. You'll get your fair share of income."
"Good, I already have a place in mind. The previous brick steak house has announced selling their property. I already contacted the owner," revealed Geun. "It will take several months for it to be ready and refurbished, but just in time until you return."
"Wow, that location is good," remarked Luiz.
"You should have paid for it, Geun!" Told Nari.
"Relax. The owner isn't going to sell the place to anyone else. I told him, I'd expose his extra-marital affairs when he even considers selling it to someone else," told Geun.
They all laughed at Geun's approach of getting what he wanted, but they all knew it was a technique taught by Anton himself.
"Damn," said Chan-Mi. "I feel like Geun has Dad's best traits."
"Yeah, and he is going to be lovey-dovey with his future wife too like, Dad. Tough on the outside but a slave to his beloved!" Remarked Nari.
Both Nari and Chan-Mi laughed at the idea while Luiz and Salvi kept their mouths shut. They knew well to keep their opinions to themselves when it came to Geun. Only his sisters could dare bully him and they could get away with it.
"What? I'm not going to be like Dad in that aspect. Besides, I don't have anybody I like," he reasoned. "I just want to rule my empire and be the most prominent businessman in the city."
"Oh, really?" Nari asked with a sly grin on her face. "I thought you like Ara."
"No! She is just my aid. When are you going to get that into your heads," told Geun. "I don't like women."
"Ara is a woman," told Chan-Mi.
"But she is one of the boys. There is a difference," Geun defended. "She isn't like those girls at school who melt in my stare and turn red in my presence."
With a scoff at being reminded of such girls, Geun said, "I will never like those kinds of young women."
"What kind of girls do you like then, brother dear?" Chan-Mi probed.
"I don't like any. They are a bother. It's enough, you both are a bother," he told, folding his arms, being reminded of how he wound up in Italy because of his sisters.
"I think bother to Geun means love," teased Nari.
"Yeah, he always tells us we are a bother, but when we ask him to pick us up, he always does," explained Chan-Mi.
"You are a bother, Noona! Get in the car now!" Chan-Mi portrayed Geun's character.
"Or even when I never asked, he'd get me those fortune cookies and say, Here's your cookie. Stopping by at the shop was a bother!" Nari added before laughing.
"Oh, and don't forget how Geun hunted down your recent stalker, Chan-Mi, he said it was a bother too!" Told Nari.
The girls knew that while Geun said words of disagreement; he was always there for them when they needed him the most.
"And that's exactly why we know that Geun will be just like Dad when he finds his very own Mommy equivalent," told Nari.
"You know, grandma said, Dad was very much in denial before with his feelings for Mommy too," told Chan-Mi. "Just like how Geun is now with Ara."
"Okay! I'm getting up. This discussion is going nowhere," said Geun.