"Can you give me an example?"

("Sell me on this, you're talking big game but I'm calling your bluff.")

...sigh.

"Nam Hee-seo-nim, these kinds of things don't lend themselves to showy examples, but off the top of my head... I introduced Kim Sejin to his now-wife, and got him to be on that Chanel ad he was in last year, which I wanted because there's someone in their design department I wanted to like me."

"...Kim Sejin, the actor?"

"Him."

"...and if I ask him about it, will he confirm this?"

"Of course."

"What did you need someone in the Chanel design department to like you for?"

"I know someone who likes knowing about future releases ahead of time so she can stay on top of them, and now I can give her that information."

"Should I be expecting you to sail off to fancy parties on some regular basis? I don't recall you doing so recently."

"They're pretty sporadic, especially now that I know enough people. I can certainly take you to them if you want, though."

"Oh, don't bother, these events are dreadfully dull."

"I'll decide case by case, perhaps."

"That does seem more... personal... than I'd expected."

"Money can buy many things, Nam Hee-seo-nim, and those things you and I already have."

("So what I'm offering you is not something you could trivially buy.")

"But money does have the advantage of being concrete."

("I have no good way of telling how much use of your so-called 'network' is worth how much of my help, to you.")

"The principal value of money is to buy things which aren't money unless you are specifically a moneychanger, I'm sure you can come up with a ballpark notional price you'd pay for any given network-derived benefit and compare with what you'd charge for your time and expertise if you must make the comparison in numbers."

"Hmm," she says, leaning back again and drumming the armrest. "Not wrong."

("That still feels like it leaves value on the table but I can't quite put my finger on why.")

"...well, regardless of anything else, I do consider all of this a pretty big favour to us—to me. I don't think I owe anyone a favour quite this big."

("This doesn't need to be a transaction, if you don't want it to be. You could also be part of my network. Do you like Gucci or Prada?")

She tilts her head and holds his gaze, not saying anything for a moment, looking like she's searching his expression for something. 

("I barely know you, and have no reason to trust you. I seem to be finding myself unaccountably wanting to, anyway.")

"Perhaps we could table this discussion for now? As you said, this won't be the last time we'll meet up to discuss this, and we'll of course still keep in touch in the meantime, so maybe by then you'll have a better idea of how you feel."

("We could do a trial run and if you don't like my suggestion we can try to workshop new ideas later.")

Her expressions softens into a small smile. "Yes, that's probably best for now."

("Those terms sound good to me. Also, good job.")

"I doubt you'll have much reason to get ahold of me directly but my email address is up on my website."

"I do believe there was something else you mentioned you could use my help with, with Dal-seo?"

("You may call me Kang Jaeha-shi but she called me oppa so I'm not going to use honorific language for her.")

Blink. "Me?"

"Oh, yes, I did."

("No, no, go ahead, that's probably going to be useful.")

"Dal-seo has been exposed to Korean corporate politics less than you and I have," ("despite the fact that you claim to have wanted to stay away from the game"), "and I feel like having someone who could be more of a mentor to her would benefit her greatly."

("She needs to learn how to lie.")