The next morning arrived far earlier than anyone wanted.
Before sunrise, the mansion was already awake.
Staff members hurried through the halls carrying the last few suitcases. The sound of rolling luggage echoed across the polished floors while the kitchen bustled with activity, preparing a light breakfast for everyone before they left.
Outside...
A large black luxury van waited in the driveway, its engine humming quietly against the cold morning air.
The back doors were already open.
Inside, every suitcase had been neatly arranged.
Large ones.
Carry-ons.
Travel backpacks.
Even the shopping bags from yesterday had been unpacked and everything had been folded properly into the luggage.
Ha-Joon had personally checked every suitcase the night before.
Thermal shirts.
Heavy coats.
Sweaters.
Scarves.
Beanies.
Gloves.
Waterproof boots.
Travel documents.
Everything was exactly where it should be.
Nothing was forgotten.
Nothing was left behind.
The front door opened.
Min-Hyuk walked out first with a dramatic yawn.
His hands were shoved inside the pockets of his thick black winter jacket while a gray scarf hung loosely around his neck.
He stretched until his back cracked. "I already miss my bed."
Seo-Yeon followed behind him carrying two coffee cups. "You've been awake for nine minutes."
"I miss it anyway."
She handed him one of the coffees. "There."
He smiled immediately. "I love you."
"I know."
The next person outside was Yoo-Na.
She looked like she was preparing for Antarctica.
A fluffy white beanie.
An oversized cream coat.
A ridiculously long scarf wrapped around her neck three times.
She pointed accusingly at Ji-Ah as soon as she stepped outside. "If Canada isn't cold... I'm suing someone."
Ji-Ah laughed. "You've never even been there."
"I've seen videos."
"Videos exaggerate."
"They showed snow."
"It snows."
"They showed people smiling in snow."
"They do."
"They're lying."
Ji-Ah stepped outside carrying only her small backpack.
She paused on the front steps.
The morning breeze immediately brushed strands of her brown hair across her face.
She smiled. She liked cold mornings.
Unlike Yoo-Na...
Who was already complaining before even leaving Korea.
She looked down at herself.
The cream oversized sweater Ha-Joon had chosen yesterday fit perfectly beneath her long padded coat.
Dark jeans.
Warm boots.
Cream scarf.
Brown gloves tucked inside one pocket.
She quietly smiled.
He really did choose the right size...
Hea-In walked out next wearing an elegant beige wool coat that somehow looked expensive without trying.
Min-Ji followed shortly after.
Her white coat matched perfectly with her black boots, her hair falling neatly over one shoulder.
She looked every bit like the fiancée of Kim Ha-Joon.
Mrs. Kang smiled proudly. "My daughter looks beautiful."
Min-Ji smiled softly. "Thank you, Mother."
Finally...
Ha-Joon appeared.
Ji-Ah looked up automatically. "..."
She blinked once.
He wasn't wearing one of his expensive suits.
Instead...
Dark blue jeans.
White sneakers.
A charcoal knit sweater.
A simple black jacket.
His hair wasn't perfectly styled today either.
It fell naturally over his forehead, making him look several years younger.
Less like Chairman Kim Ha-Joon.
More like...
Just...
Ha-Joon.
Ji-Ah couldn't stop herself. "...You look different."
Ha-Joon looked at her. "Different?"
"You look..." She tilted her head thoughtfully. "...Human."
Silence.
Min-Hyuk burst into laughter.
"I've been trying to tell him that for years!"
Seo-Yeon hid her smile behind her coffee.
Ha-Joon simply looked at Ji-Ah. "I was human yesterday."
"Were you?"
"..."
"You looked like a walking business meeting."
"I'll remember that."
"You should."
A tiny smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Barely there.
But enough for Ji-Ah to notice.
Lee finished placing the final suitcase inside the van.
He closed the luggage compartment. "Everything is loaded, sir."
Choi checked a small list in his hands.
"Passports? Checked. Tickets?"
"Checked."
"Medicine?"
"Checked."
Ha-Joon nodded. "Let's leave."
The drive toward Incheon International Airport was peaceful.
Morning traffic had only just begun.
The city slowly woke around them.
Office workers hurried across crosswalks.
Buses filled with students.
Coffee shops opening their doors.
Seoul gradually disappeared behind them.
Inside the van...
The atmosphere was much livelier.
Yoo-Na had somehow opened a family-sized bag of chips before seven in the morning.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Min-Hyuk slowly reached over without looking.
She slapped his hand. "Buy your own."
"We're in a moving vehicle."
"Exactly."
"I can't."
"Skill issue."
He looked offended. "I've never been rejected this early."
Seo-Yeon quietly opened her own backpack.
She handed him a cereal bar. "There."
He accepted it dramatically. "My angel."
"You say that every morning."
"I mean it every morning."
Ji-Ah sat beside the window.
She rested her chin against her hand as buildings slipped past outside.
Every now and then...
She quietly looked toward the back.
Ha-Joon sat across from Min-Ji.
They weren't talking much.
Sometimes she'd ask him something. "Did you bring your laptop?"
"Yes."
"The presentation?"
"Finished."
"What about tomorrow's meeting?"
"It's already scheduled."
Simple conversations.
Nothing special.
Professional.
Comfortable.
At one point...
Min-Ji noticed a small thread hanging from Ha-Joon's sleeve.
"Wait."
She reached over naturally.
"You've got something."
Ha-Joon glanced down.
She carefully brushed it away. "There."
"...Thank you."
"No problem."
Ji-Ah looked away again.
They're engaged...
Of course she'd do things like that.
Nearly an hour later...
The van finally entered the airport.
Towering glass walls reflected the pale morning sunlight.
Airplanes lined the runways beyond enormous windows.
Travelers filled every entrance.
Some laughing.
Some rushing.
Some already exhausted.
Yoo-Na looked around nervously. "...This place is enormous."
Min-Hyuk grinned. "Try not to get lost."
"I'm more worried about you."
Check-in took a while.
There were passports to verify.
Luggage to weigh.
Security checks.
Boarding passes.
Immigration.
By the time they finally reached their departure gate...
Ji-Ah let herself fall into one of the waiting chairs. "I'm tired."
Ha-Joon looked at her. "We haven't even boarded."
"I know."
"I'm preparing."
"For what?"
"The next level of tired."
A boarding announcement echoed through the terminal.
Their flight from Seoul to Vancouver had begun boarding.
Ji-Ah looked at the information screen.
Flight Time: Approximately 10 hours.
She stared at it. "...Ten hours?"
Yoo-Na slowly lowered the bottle of water she was drinking.
"..."
"...Ten?"
Min-Hyuk nodded. "We're flying across the Pacific Ocean."
Yoo-Na looked personally betrayed. "I thought maybe... ...five?"
Seo-Yeon smiled. "You thought wrong."
"I don't even sit still for one movie."
Ji-Ah gently patted her shoulder. "You'll survive."
"I won't."
"You probably will."
"I'll become one with the airplane."
Eventually...
Everyone boarded.
The cabin felt surprisingly warm compared to the cold outside.
Flight attendants welcomed each passenger with bright smiles.
People stored their luggage overhead.
Children pointed excitedly out the windows.
Someone was already asleep before takeoff.
Their seats had all been assigned beforehand.
Min-Hyuk naturally sat beside Seo-Yeon.
He immediately claimed the window seat.
"I called it."
"You didn't."
"I thought it."
"That doesn't count."
"It should."
Yoo-Na ended up beside Hea-In.
She looked at the seating arrangement.
Then at Hea-In.
Then back at the boarding pass.
"...Fate hates me."
Hea-In sighed.
"We're only sitting together."
"I know."
"...Still."
Ji-Ah had a window seat by herself a few rows ahead.
She actually didn't mind.
She loved window seats.
Watching clouds always made her calm.
Behind her...
Ha-Joon sat beside Min-Ji.
He placed his laptop bag beneath the seat before fastening his seatbelt.
Min-Ji quietly settled beside him.
Everything was peaceful.
Normal.
The engines gradually grew louder.
The plane began moving.
Slowly at first...
Then faster.
Until finally—
The ground disappeared beneath them.
Seoul became smaller and smaller until the city was hidden beneath a blanket of white clouds.
About an hour into the flight...
Breakfast had been served.
Most passengers had begun settling into the long journey.
Some watched movies.
Others read books.
Many had already fallen asleep.
Ji-Ah looked out the window for a long time.
Clouds stretched endlessly beneath the aircraft like an ocean made of cotton.
Beautiful.
Quiet.
Peaceful.
Eventually...
She turned around.
Mostly because Yoo-Na had dropped another packet of crackers and was apologizing dramatically to the flight attendant.
Her eyes drifted a little farther back.
Toward Ha-Joon.
He was asleep.
Or...
Almost asleep.
His arms were folded loosely across his chest.
His head rested lightly against the seat.
His eyes remained closed.
Min-Ji had fallen asleep too.
At some point...
Her head had slowly leaned sideways until it rested comfortably against his shoulder.
Ha-Joon hadn't moved.
Perhaps he hadn't even noticed.
Or perhaps he had...
And simply chose not to wake her.
The sight lingered in Ji-Ah's eyes for a few seconds.
She quietly turned back toward the window.
Her fingers absentmindedly traced the edge of the blanket covering her lap.
They're engaged...
It's normal.
She's his fiancée.
Anyone would probably do that.
She tried convincing herself.
But...
Something inside her still felt...
Strange.
Not angry.
Not exactly sad.
Just...
Uncomfortable.
She frowned slightly.
Why does it bother me?
She's not doing anything wrong.
If anything... she's being affectionate.
Her gaze returned to the endless clouds outside.
Maybe...
Maybe I'm just not used to seeing him like that.
She let out a slow breath.
Then shook her head lightly.
"You're thinking too much, Park Ji-Ah," she whispered to herself.
A flight attendant passed by with a warm smile.
"Would you like anything to drink?"
Ji-Ah looked up, smiled politely, and nodded.
"Just some water, please."
Anything...
To distract herself from the strange little feeling quietly growing somewhere she couldn't quite explain.