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CH302 | GSI
🕑 Added 2025-04-12 03:10:01 +0000 UTC"Ten sets of underwear and dress shirts are packed in the large suitcase. Just in case, I also put in an extra suit," she said.
"Ah, okay," replied Choi Ho-geun.
He was brushing his teeth and poked his head out slightly from the bathroom door at the sound of his wife's voice.
Wearing an apron, his wife continued speaking as she neatly stacked brand-new, still-packaged dress shirts into the open large suitcase in the living room.
"Don’t wear the same ones two or three times just because it’s a hassle. When you get back to the hotel, make sure to put your clothes in the washing machine and always wear fresh ones, okay?"
"Come on, two days should be fine. It’s not like they smell or anything."
"Oh, please. Of course they do."
She shot him a look, as if she'd been expecting that answer.
"Do you know how shabby someone looks walking around in wrinkled, stained dress shirts?"
With a sigh, Choi Ho-geun smacked his lips and replied under his breath.
"Alright, alright. I’ll change every day, okay?"
"You’re not even going alone—you're going overseas with your subordinates. You can’t afford to look sloppy."
"Alright, alright. What am I, a ten-year-old?"
"If you were a kid, at least you’d listen when told."
Knowing that arguing any further would just lead to more nagging, Choi Ho-geun nodded vaguely and let it slide.
"Don’t worry. I’ll keep everything clean and tidy."
His attitude didn’t inspire much confidence, but since it was the day of his long-term business trip across the Pacific to the U.S., there was no point in starting a fight and ruining the mood.
Eventually, his wife gave up on nagging and went back to checking the luggage, making sure nothing had been left out.
After closing the suitcase, zipping it up, and rolling it over to the apartment’s entrance, she saw Choi Ho-geun coming out of the bedroom, now dressed and ready.
"Are you sure just one suitcase will be enough? It’s supposed to be a month-long trip, and you said it might even be extended depending on the situation."
While his wife looked worried, Choi Ho-geun answered casually.
"It’s not like I’m moving there. This will be more than enough."
Although Choi Ho-geun insisted it was enough, to his wife, the luggage still seemed too small, and the thought kept bothering her.
In fact, she had originally bought another large suitcase of the same size, but after Ho-geun complained that it was too much, she had no choice but to cut the amount in half—which only made her more concerned.
"How about packing a few more comfortable clothes, underwear, and socks? I think we can squeeze them into the gaps."
"This is plenty. And if I really need something, I can just buy it over there."
"Or maybe some gochujang and kimchi, just in case you don't like the food?"
"If we bring that kind of stuff and it gets flagged at customs, it’ll just be a hassle. Best to leave it out."
Watching his wife trying to fit in just one more thing, he couldn’t help but think she really might keep packing until the suitcase burst.
"I'm sorry you have to spend the year-end alone with the kids because of this trip."
Trying to shift the mood, Choi Ho-geun quickly changed the subject. His wife wrinkled her nose slightly.
"It’s not like you’re going off on vacation. You’re going to the U.S. for work—there’s nothing we can do."
"Yeah, you're right. Can’t be helped. It’s all the company’s doing."
Truthfully, the thought of getting away from home and finally enjoying some personal time almost made him smile—but he just barely managed to hold it back.
Instead, he put on a face full of guilt, drooping his eyebrows as he said,
"I’ll bring back some gifts. If there’s anything you need, just say the word."
"What gifts? Just come back safely and in one piece. That’s all I want."
"Even something expensive is fine—don’t be shy, just tell me."
At that, his wife glanced over at him and hesitantly said,
"Now that you mention it… the moms in our building keep talking about some kind of skincare in a brown bottle. They say it’s really good…"
"Brown bottle?"
"I'm not saying you absolutely have to get it, but... they say it helps with wrinkles and makes your skin firmer. And if you buy it duty-free, it’s cheaper than at the department store."
Seeing the sparkle in his wife’s eyes, Choi Ho-geun instinctively knew—if he forgot to buy it, he’d be hearing about it for a long, long time.
Like any seasoned husband, he sensed it without needing to be told. He gave an awkward smile and nodded.
"If it’s that good, of course I’ll get it. You said it’s the brown bottle, right?"
"Oh, come on. If it’s too expensive, you don’t have to. The brand name is Estée Lauder—you’ll find it at the airport duty-free or any department store. And if possible, get the largest size, okay? It’s more economical, even if it costs a bit more."
Seeing her speak so fluently—as if she’d been preparing this speech in advance—without even trying to hide her excitement, Choi Ho-geun chuckled to himself.
‘I knew it. Good thing I didn’t ignore her. I’d be in serious trouble if I came home without it.’
As she reminded him to be sure to collect any free gifts or samples they might offer, Ho-geun asked,
"Aside from your skincare stuff, is there anything else you want me to bring back?"
"Oh, right. Don’t forget what the kids asked for yesterday. You absolutely have to get those too."
"The Barbie doll set and the Walkman, right?"
"Exactly. They’re so excited. Even this morning before school, they begged me to remind you again."
Thinking of his two bunny-like sons and daughter, Ho-geun smiled.
"Tell them I won’t forget. I’ll bring everything back, so they just have to wait a little."
Then, glancing at the clock on the wall, he stood up.
"It’s about time I head out."
"You said you’re meeting the team at the airport, right?"
"Yeah."
Ho-geun nodded as he slipped on the coat hanging over the back of the sofa.
Just as his wife was brushing off his coat shoulders and walking with him to the door to see him off, she suddenly looked as if she’d remembered something important.
"Wait. You packed your passport and visa, right?"
"Of course."
He replied confidently and slipped his hand into his inner coat pocket—only to feel... nothing. His expression instantly shifted to one of panic.
"...Huh?"
His wife’s eyes widened in alarm.
"It’s not there?"
“It has to be here… I know I put it in…”
Feeling around his chest pocket, Choi Ho-geun suddenly gasped and bolted toward the master bedroom.
“Oh no! I meant to keep it safe, so I left it in the drawer… and totally forgot to take it out!”
Watching her flustered husband dash away, his wife placed her hands on her hips and shook her head in disbelief.
“And this is exactly why I can’t stop worrying—he’s like a kid by the water’s edge.”
She let out a long sigh.
* * *
Gimpo International Airport, International Terminal
After getting out of the taxi, Choi Ho-geun dragged his large suitcase into the bustling lobby and looked around to find his team.
“Manager Choi!”
Hearing a familiar voice, he turned to his left and saw Jung Hwan-yeop and the rest of the staff already gathered.
“Wow, you’re all early.”
Smiling, Choi Ho-geun walked over with his suitcase in tow. Hwan-yeop, looking more animated than usual, grinned mischievously and teased him.
“Sir, you're the last to arrive. Dead last.”
“Oh, come on. You finally found something to nitpick, huh? Try showing up this early to work for once.”
Clicking his tongue, Ho-geun lightly pointed a finger at Hwan-yeop’s face.
“And what’s with those sunglasses?”
“Ahem. What do you think?”
Hwan-yeop shrugged and pushed the shades up his nose with a smirk.
“Pretty cool, right? I look just like Chow Yun-fat in A Better Tomorrow, don’t I?”
“Chow Yun-fat, my ass. Who wears sunglasses indoors? That’s embarrassing. Take them off, now.”
But despite the scolding, Hwan-yeop stood his ground confidently.
“Come on, sir. Don’t you watch movies? Americans wear sunglasses like they’re part of the uniform.”
“They’re American. You’re Korean.”
“Well, starting today, I’ve decided to become an honorary American citizen.”
“What a lunatic…”
Holding his forehead like he was developing a headache, Choi Ho-geun groaned.
“Just thinking about spending the next month stuck with this guy day and night is giving me a migraine.”
At that, team members Hong Jae-hee and Yoo Seok-hyun exchanged looks and chuckled.
“You two are always like this—even outside the office.”
“Can’t tell if you hate each other or get along too well.”
As always, another round of bickering with Jung. After the laughter died down, Choi Ho-geun raised his voice to address the group.
“Alright, everyone. You’ve all got your passports and visas, right? Nothing missing?”
“Yes.”
“Of course.”
Hong Jae-hee and Yoo Seok-hyun answered in unison, and Jung Hwan-yeop pulled his passport out from the inside pocket of his coat.
“I was so worried I’d forget it, I slept hugging it last night.”
Seeing him grin like a child, Choi Ho-geun clicked his tongue and frowned.
“Honestly, I kind of wish you had forgotten it.”
“Oof, harsh! You're really gonna leave me behind?”
As Hwan-yeop cried out in mock betrayal, Choi Ho-geun didn’t even bother to hide the hopeful look on his face and simply gave a silent, deliberate nod.
Watching the two bicker like kids again, Hong Jae-hee sighed and stepped in.
“Manager Choi, do you even know what flight we’re taking?”
“Not really. I just heard we needed to be at Gimpo Airport by one o’clock. That’s it.”
Hong Jae-hee frowned in concern.
“But we need the flight number and departure time to check in our luggage…”
“And before that, we need to get our tickets issued. With this many people, who knows how long the line is gonna be.”
The concern was real—if they didn’t get things moving soon, they could miss the flight entirely.
Surrounded by the rush of travelers, their group stood out—large suitcases in hand, but with no clue what to do next.
Finally, Choi Ho-geun stepped forward, realizing they couldn’t just stand around.
“Let me call the executive office. Hold tight for a second.”
As he turned to look for a payphone, someone suddenly approached them.
“Good. You’ve all arrived on time.”
Turning around, Choi Ho-geun recognized the speaker—it was Han Ji-sung, the assistant to Seok-won, dressed in a sharp gray coat.
Relief washed over Choi Ho-geun’s face—he’d been stressing about which flight they were even supposed to be on.
Han Ji-sung gave a polite nod, then scanned their group and luggage with a practiced eye.
“Is that all the baggage?”
“We were waiting to check in, but we didn’t even know what flight we’re on.”
As always, Jung Hwan-yeop jumped in first, speaking quickly.
Han Ji-sung gave a knowing smile.
“I figured as much, which is why I’m here. Everyone, please follow me.”
With that, he turned and began walking briskly. Choi Ho-geun and the others grabbed their things and trailed after him.
Hong Jae-hee, the only woman in the group, had somehow managed to bring not one but two massive suitcases—each nearly her size. Yoo Seok-hyun kindly offered to pull one of them for her.
As they crossed the wide, crowded terminal, following Han Ji-sung, Jae-hee couldn’t help but notice that they were passing right by all the airline check-in counters without stopping. She tilted her head, confused.
“Um, Assistant Manager Han? Don’t we need to check in at one of those desks?”
Glancing over at the long lines stretching from the counters, Han Ji-sung replied casually.
“Normally, yes. But not for us.”
“Huh?”
“You’ll see when we get there.”
With a faint, mysterious smile on his lips, Han Ji-sung continued walking forward.
Not just Hong Jae-hee—everyone in the group wore equally puzzled expressions. But for now, they simply followed him.
After clearing immigration, the group entered the departure hall, only to be guided out to the tarmac where the wide expanse of the runway stretched before them.
“Uh… what?”
“Is this really the right place?”
“Feels like we just walked right out of the airport or something…”
As they stood there, clearly confused, Han Ji-sung pointed toward a waiting minibus.
“Here we are. Please get on this bus.”
They loaded their luggage and climbed aboard. But as the bus began driving across the tarmac itself, Jung Hwan-yeop couldn’t hold back his confusion any longer.
“Uh, Assistant Manager Han? Where exactly are we going right now?”
“I told you—we’re heading to your plane.”
“Wait, what? Where are all the other passengers?”
Hong Jae-hee chimed in, eyebrows raised in disbelief. Han Ji-sung just smiled.
“There aren’t any other passengers.”
“...?”
Everyone turned to look at him, their faces a mix of confusion and disbelief.
Just as Choi Ho-geun opened his mouth to ask something, Han Ji-sung lifted his hand and pointed out the left window.
“There it is—the plane we’ll be taking.”
At once, the group turned to look.
“Whoa…”
Painted in a sleek two-tone of Norton Blue and Crystal White, a beautiful, streamlined aircraft stood parked on the tarmac.
Eyes wide with awe, Hong Jae-hee gasped.
“We… we’re flying that?”
Jung Hwan-yeop stammered, his voice rising with excitement. Han Ji-seong responded calmly, as if this were nothing new.
“Yes. That’s President Seok-won’s private jet. It’ll take you all to the U.S.”
Even someone with no knowledge of aircraft could tell—it was an incredibly expensive, top-tier business jet. Hearing it was Seok-won’s personal plane hit them like a thunderclap.
And the fact that they would soon be boarding it?
It was almost too much to take in.
