They passed an escalator and walked through a spacious passage twice. As they went further, the number of people decreased. At the end of the bustling hallway, airport staff dressed in neat suits greeted them with courteous smiles.
“CEO Seo, the pre-boarding service is ready. You can depart immediately.”
“Oh, thank you, Team Leader. You’ve always been helpful.”
Seo Seung-hyun politely thanked the airport staff, and the team leader smiled in return.
“You’re welcome. Please proceed to the double doors right away.”
After passing through the metal detector between the two doors and opening one door, the departure gate appeared in front of them. Two pre-boarding staff members followed, but Seo Seung-hyun quickly sent them away. The young CEO was a welcomed customer by the airport pre-boarding staff. It was rare to encounter a young VIP who didn’t show off or act arrogantly.
Seo Seung-hyun’s A380 flight had already boarded the economy class passengers. Accompanied by the pre-boarding staff and Jang Young-hee, Seo Seung-hyun walked down the first-class aisle. The flight attendants politely welcomed the only first-class passenger on this flight.
Seo Seung-hyun lightly placed his hand on Jang Young-hee’s shoulder and whispered in a barely audible voice.
“When we arrive in Toronto, don’t contact me, just wait. I’ll check the boarding time at Pearson.”
Jang Young-hee simply bowed his head in response.
With a playful tone, Seo Seung-hyun tapped his shoulder a couple of times and looked down at Lee Young-jin with a bright smile.
“Listen to Young-hee.”
Lee Young-jin hesitated for a moment before nodding his head. Seo Seung-hyun gently tapped his cheek with his index finger, causing him to look up instinctively. Their eyes briefly met, and Seo Seung-hyun chuckled softly.
Then, he turned away without any hesitation.
His firm steps passed through the first access point, and his broad back disappeared beyond the aisle. Lee Young-jin, who had been quietly observing from the side, turned his gaze away as Jang Young-hee called him.
“Young-jin, sir.”
The expressionless face of the head of the secretary’s office looked down at him.
“We still have about two hours until our departure time, so we have some time to spare. Would you like to do some shopping?”
His voice was low and without intonation, but his manner was extremely polite. He treated Lee Young-jin not as a temporary employee or a coworker, but with the respect reserved for a boss’s lover or family member. Feeling awkward in the presence of such formality, Lee Young-jin looked at him briefly and then shook his head.
“Then let’s take a rest in the lounge.”
Jang Young-hee gestured to him briefly and walked ahead.
The first-class lounge was spacious and quiet.
Jang Young-hee occupied one of the large seats and immediately took out his laptop from the stiff leather bag he was carrying. Lee Young-jin quietly sat across from him and observed. He seemed busy. Within thirty minutes, he received three phone calls, answering two and ignoring one. The notification of new messages constantly appeared on his phone screen.
After an hour passed, Jang Young-hee glanced up from his laptop screen and looked at Lee Young-jin.
“Aren’t you hungry? Would you like something to eat?”
“No, thank you. And what about Chief Jang?”
Lee Young-jin somehow found it difficult to speak.
Unlike when they first met under quite extreme circumstances with Seo Seung-hyun, who was rather relaxed, this time, after spending several days in Shanghai, his words didn’t come out as easily.
“I’m fine. Shall I bring something for you then?”
With those words, Jang Young-hee started to get up from his seat. Lee Young-jin quickly stopped him.
“No, it’s okay. I’ll get something for myself.”
Though he wasn’t particularly hungry due to the upcoming flight, he impulsively stood up.
In the pantry, several types of wine and brandy bottles were placed, and on the other side, inside the refrigerator, he could see beer and other beverages. The aroma of food wafted through the air, and everything looked freshly made and warm. Lee Young-jin grabbed a carbonated drink and hesitated for a moment in front of the counter where bread and chocolates were placed. In the end, he grabbed a plate and put five pieces of chocolate on it.
The chocolate, despite being incredibly smooth and sweet, felt tasteless compared to the chocolate Seo Seung-hyun had thrown at him instead of breakfast that morning. Lee Young-jin recalled the taste of the chocolate he had eaten in the morning. As he unwrapped the packaging with unrecognizable Chinese characters and Japanese writing, the delightful aroma of rich chocolate filled the air. Under the thin chocolate shell, layers of moist pie and cream were stacked together, crispy and crunchy puff pastry with a strong buttery fragrance, a sweet chocolate bar generously spread with green tea spread, a velvety dark chocolate covered in abundant cocoa powder, a soft chocolate truffle sandwiched between layers of cookies, and a rich chocolate filling in between.
After eating the third chocolate, Lee Young-jin put it down.
The sound of Jang Young-hee’s thick fingertips rhythmically tapping on the laptop keyboard mixed with the occasional quiet footsteps of passersby. Outside the 30-meter-high glass wall, a Boeing Triple Seven’s massive fuselage moved slowly along the taxiway toward the parking area.
Jang Young-hee closed his laptop and stood up.
“Well, it’s about time. Let’s go.”
Lee Young-jin nodded quietly.
The path from the first-class lounge to the dedicated boarding gate was quiet. Compared to the numerous obstacles he had faced just two weeks ago at Incheon Airport, when he took a flight to Shanghai (endless check-in queues, baggage screening, long and tedious waiting times, and overwhelming crowds), this place felt like a completely different world.
The inside of the plane was also tranquil.
All the seats were empty.
“Please have a seat anywhere.”
Jang Young-hee spoke in a dry tone as he gestured for Lee Young-jin to sit.
Lee Young-jin didn’t quite understand the situation and hesitated for a moment. Jang Young-hee urged him again, “Please, have a seat wherever you feel comfortable.”
“But, the seat numbers on the boarding pass…”
Jang Young-hee, with a stern face that showed no trace of a smile, took out eight first-class boarding passes from his passport case and showed them to Lee Young-jin. Eight seats in first class, and eight boarding passes. Jang Young-hee then casually tucked them back into his coat pocket.
The manager who was escorting them wore a bright smile without even the slightest crack.
Jang Young-hee took a seat in the middle section, and as all the seats were partitioned off like capsules, it seemed like it wouldn’t make much difference where Lee Young-jin sat. He chose a seat on the opposite side of the aisle, a row ahead of Jang Young-hee.
The manager and two other flight attendants approached them to explain something. Lee Young-jin couldn’t understand much, and since Jang Young-hee was already familiar with the details, they both half-listened to the flight attendants’ friendly explanations.
Soon, Jang Young-hee politely requested something from the manager in his usual unyielding but courteous manner, “We have some work to do, so unless it’s an emergency or until we call for you, you don’t need to come over here. Just serve the meals when it’s time.”
The manager readily accepted his request. Escorting a VIP who had reserved all the seats in first class for a 13-hour long-haul flight didn’t seem necessary at all. The manager was rather grateful that he didn’t have to be so attentive. With a bright smile, he replied to Jang Young-hee’s request.
“Of course. If you need anything, please feel free to call us anytime.”
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