Salt Forest

Half a century ago, in the upper echelons of South Korean society, countless scandals erupted among high-class courtesans. Among them, Suryeo, the only traditional Korean restaurant still standing today, continues that legacy. One day, its owner, Lee Haejin, hears something unexpected: Tae Yirim, the third son of the Seonha Group, has requested a meeting with him. Haejin has not the slightest desire to get privately entangled with a chaebol heir or a dominant alpha male, but his gut tells him that ignoring this could become troublesome. Reluctantly, he agrees to the meeting.

“I’d like you to find a painting for me.”

Tae Yirim makes an unexpected proposal, and Haejin rejects it outright.

“You’ll need me eventually.”

“Maybe. We’ll have to see about that.”

Then one day, Haejin senses something unusual with his body and visits a hospital. His doctor advises him to meet a dominant alpha. The problem? Haejin’s alpha phobia. He tries to procure alpha pheromones that are less repulsive to him, as he usually does, but his body reacts with an inexplicable rejection. Caught in this dilemma, Haejin coincidentally catches a whiff of Tae Yirim’s pheromones.

“I’ll agree if you meet my conditions.”

“Tell me. I’ll make it work, whatever it is.”

“No s*x. Just give me your pheromones when I need them.”

And so, Haejin strikes a deal with Tae Yirim and sets out to find the painting the man desires.

“I know it’s hard to believe, but I’ve never lied to you, Lee Haejin.”

“…”

“And I never will.”

The one thing that nags at Haejin is that he can’t figure out Tae Yirim’s true intentions. And then, Haejin begins to suspect that there’s a secret hidden in the painting Tae Yirim is searching for…