By Zephyria 
Yeom Cheon-ho pushed a glass with golden liquid shimmering in front of Yeon-rok and said.
“Since you came as my partner, you can act more confidently. No one will be able to treat you carelessly.”
“Because I’m a Name partner?”
Many people here had called him a Name bearer, but Yeon-rok still found the term Name partner more familiar. Yeom Cheon-ho’s face was gentle as he looked at such Yeon-rok. It was a gaze that looked at something infinitely pure and harmless.
“Yes, that’s right. Because you’re a Name partner.”
It was the first time Yeom Cheon-ho had used the term Name partner. He explained to Yeon-rok one by one like a sweet lover.
“I told you that people are as important as money to people like me. In that sense, a Name partner is the most precious person. The possibility of betrayal is very low, and at the same time, they are like a lifeline. That’s why they can be treated as equals, regardless of their origin or background. Aren’t they as precious as gold and jewels?”
His voice was soft and clear, only audible to Yeon-rok’s ears. However, the content somehow sounded strangely cold on the one hand. Yeom Cheon-ho then added.
“And most of the powerful people here really love gold and jewels.”
“Uh…….”
“That means everyone cherishes and loves their Name partners. Isn’t it really romantic? So everyone will treat Yeon-rok-ssi as if they were treating me. If they don’t want to upset me.”
The corners of his lips and eyes drew round curves, but somehow only his eyes felt cold. His values were quite different from Yeon-rok’s. So, an agreeing answer didn’t come easily, and he awkwardly smiled and sipped his drink. He was a little surprised that the golden liquid was alcohol, but it was very delicious.
“This is delicious.”
“Do you like alcohol?”
“Um, I don’t particularly like it or dislike it. But I think I’ll start to like this.”
As they chatted, the opening remarks were over before they knew it.
The event was nominally a charity banquet for patients with rare diseases, but when they peeled back the layers, it was a place for networking. As Yeon-rok watched the people, he belatedly realized something strange. Why were there so many Name Awakened here?
‘The probability of a Name Awakening is only about two or three out of a hundred people, but here it seems like almost half of them are.’
He looked around the banquet hall again. Wealthy people like Yeom Cheon-ho, prominent professors, artists, politicians, and lawyers were everywhere. They never mentioned the words “Name” or “Name partner,” which the public often used, and they uniquely revealed and emphasized their picture-like Name, “Hwamyeong.”
‘Why did CEO say that it was essential to bring a Name partner? There are quite a few people here who haven’t brought their Name partners, though.’
The moment he recalled the words he had dismissed without much thought. He felt like he was in some strange, peculiar, and secret community… But before he could continue thinking, people swarmed in from all directions.
“CEO Yeom Cheon-ho! It’s a real honor to meet you like this.”
“Do you perhaps remember me?”
“If you have time, could I have a word with you for a moment…”
Lee Yeon-rok didn’t want to be a hindrance to Yeom Cheon-ho, but he also didn’t want to repeat the same greetings dozens of times like before, so he jumped up from his seat. The hand he was holding fell away with the movement.
“I’m going over there to get something to eat!”
Yeom Cheon-ho looked down at his now empty hand for a moment before nodding. As soon as Yeon-rok left, people quickly filled the empty space. Only after retreating to a quieter place did Yeon-rok breathe a sigh of relief.
“Wow. I didn’t do much, but why am I so tired?”
Being a chaebol isn’t for just anyone. He understood why Yeom Cheon-ho was overworked every day. Yeon-rok stood at a distance, occasionally glancing at Yeom Cheon-ho while diligently filling his hungry stomach. He was also sipping on alcohol from time to time when someone passing by saw Yeon-rok and stopped.
“Excuse me.”
Yeon-rok quickly swallowed what he had in his mouth and replied, “Yes?” The other person seemed to be an aide. There was an immediate reason he could tell. Like Kim Jeong-seong and other aides, this person was also wearing a cookie-cutter, achromatic suit and holding a phone and tablet in his hand. The other person smiled harmlessly and said,
“I think you have something on your hair, but you don’t seem to know.”
“Oh, really?”
Yeon-rok hurriedly felt around his hair, but he couldn’t feel anything. He couldn’t see it well even when he looked at it in the selfie mode of the camera app. The other person cautiously asked,
“If it’s not rude, may I take it off for you?”
“Ah, yes. Please.”
Yeon-rok lowered his head, and the other person reached out. He flinched. His scalp tingled as if a hair had been pulled out. The other person showed Yeon-rok a piece of tape-like material.
“Something like this was stuck to it. It must have transferred from some decoration. Well, I’ll be going now…”
“Ah, thank you.”
As he bowed and touched his hair, Kim Jeong-seong, who was assisting Yeom Cheon-ho, quickly approached. He glared at the aide who had approached Yeon-rok and asked Yeon-rok,
“Do you know that person?”
“No. He just took something off my hair and left.”
Even with that answer, Kim Jeong-seong was not relieved. He touched Yeon-rok’s hair and clothes, carefully checking for anything unusual, and then gave a warning.
“Next time, just come to me. In this place, if you allow contact from others, something troublesome could happen. There are people who attach listening devices.”
“I’ll be careful.”
Attach listening devices? Startled, Yeon-rok quickly replied. Nevertheless, Kim Jeong-seong seemed concerned, constantly watching him or busily taking care of him while walking back and forth, so Yeon-rok had no choice but to return to Yeom Cheon-ho.
“I’m back…”
“Did you fill your stomach a lot?”
Yeom Cheon-ho said, gently taking Yeon-rok’s hand. Yeon-rok couldn’t say that he had devoured three or four plates, so he replied with a shy pretense, devoid of conscience.
“I filled it a little.”
Even though he had spent quite a bit of time, there were still many people around. Fortunately, Yeom Cheon-ho seemed to have noticed Yeon-rok’s burdensome feelings and appropriately cut off the conversations.
Yeon-rok listened to the conversations with one ear and let them out the other, continuously sipping on the alcohol he had enjoyed earlier. When he asked Kim Jeong-seong what time it was for the third time, the banquet finally showed signs of ending. The banquet organizer picked up the microphone and went on stage.
― Distinguished guests, I have good news for you. The donations this time have exceeded the target amount and reached the highest level!
Cheers and applause erupted from all directions. Yeon-rok also clapped enthusiastically, wanting to go home quickly.
― Thank you so much. As a reward, the top ten donors will be invited to a special gathering separately after the banquet.
A sense of foreboding came over him in an instant, and Yeon-rok flinched.
― Now, the glorious first place is, none other than… CEO Yeom Cheon-ho of HM Capital! He generously donated a whopping 1 billion.
The applause grew even louder. Surprised that his Name partner had donated 1 billion, Yeon-rok clapped even more enthusiastically.
“Wow, you donated 1 billion? That’s amazing.”
As Yeon-rok exclaimed, Yeom Cheon-ho smiled and whispered a fact that Yeon-rok didn’t know in his ear.
“You get a lot of tax deductions when you donate.”
I see…! But even so, 1 billion was still an astonishing amount. Then, the names up to 10th place were called out in order. Listening to the names of quite familiar companies and celebrities, Yeon-rok realized.
‘If this place is for networking, then these ten people are a huge connection?’
There were quite a few people who showed disappointment at not being in the rankings and missing out on the ‘special gathering’. Above all, judging from the amount of donations, it was clear that everyone, including Yeom Cheon-ho, was a wealthy person whom people were trying to get close to.
Apart from that, Yeon-rok felt a little sad. He didn’t know what the special time would be like, but it meant that his return home would be delayed even further. As he expected, an aide from the organizer approached and politely guided them.
“Yeom Cheon-ho-nim, and Lee Yeon-rok-nim. Please come this way.”
He had hoped that only Yeom Cheon-ho would be taken, but Yeon-rok, as his Name partner, was also tied to it. When the donors, partners, and aides gathered in the lobby, the number of people was a whopping dozens. Soon, the banquet organizer approached and smiled brightly.
“I’m really happy to see you again this year, following last year. There are also some new faces. Nice to meet you. Then, shall we all go and enjoy a pleasant after-party?”
The organizer led them with a flushed face, as if he was very excited. It was towards the direction of the elevators. Of course, not everyone could ride at once, so the donors and aides were divided. The organizer pressed the button for the top floor, located at the very end of the elevators.
Yeon-rok, who was watching the electronic numbers indicating the floors change without much thought, suddenly sensed something strange. Yeom Cheon-ho’s hand, which was always warm to the point of being hot, seemed to be gradually cooling down.
“…CEO?”
Yeon-rok called out, but for some reason, he seemed to be very distracted by something and couldn’t hear him at all. Soon, the elevator stopped with a ding. It was the top floor of the hotel.