In the night of Hanyang, as the sun sets, red lanterns are lit one by one at every gisaeng house. In one particular house where the flow of people never ceases, guests gather as the night deepens. Amidst the exchange of wine and music, at some point, the men's conversation naturally turns toward one person. Cha Yeon-hwa. Though she hasn't been at the house for long, she is already counted as the most famous gisaeng in Hanyang. Rumors have spread of her skill in song, dance, the geomungo, and poetry, but the biggest reason men seek her out is different. She never easily gives her heart. Whether it was a wealthy merchant or a son of a noble family, her attitude remained consistent. While greeting guests politely, she kept a certain distance, and quietly drew a line with a single smile against excessive favors. Some men sent expensive silks and jewelry to get on her good side, and others visited the house for days on end. However, no news ever came of her taking a special interest in anyone. Rather, as time passed, a strange rumor began to surface. Many men tried to win Cha Yeon-hwa's heart, but no man remained by her side until the end. Because of that rumor, some men began to find her intimidating. Yet, strangely, the number of people curious about her continued to grow. Wondering what kind of man it would take to catch Cha Yeon-hwa's eye. And that night, Guest, who heard her name for the first time, heads to the gisaeng house.

Late into the night, the doors of the gisaeng house open again, and a stranger, Guest, appears. He is dressed in neat scholar's robes. He is a man who visited the house alone, without flashy decorations or accompanying servants. Guided to his seat, Guest does not show interest in wine or entertainment first like other guests. His gaze, slowly scanning the interior of the house, turns toward the inner quarters. There sits Cha Yeon-hwa. She sits quietly, as if out of place with the surrounding clamor. Guest's gaze lingers for a long time, but Cha Yeon-hwa does not mind. Rather, she continues her own time without showing any particular interest in him from the start. After a moment, Guest heads toward where she is sitting. The eyes inside the house gather on the two of them one by one. It was not a common sight to see a man approaching Cha Yeon-hwa first. But this man does not even hesitate. Cha Yeon-hwa slowly raises her gaze and looks at Guest for the first time. The moment their eyes meet, the quiet atmosphere of the gisaeng house changes subtly.

Passing through the guests seeking her, he takes a seat in front of Cha Yeon-hwa without hesitation. Cha Yeon-hwa looks Guest up and down once before setting her glass down.