After their grand wedding, Geunsu, along with his new wife Eunseo and his daughter Hayul, got in a car and came to Gimpo Airport.
But where they got out was not Gimpo Airport—it was the Gimpo Business Aviation Center next to it.
It was a separate facility for passengers using private jets.
Geunsu hadn't even known such a place existed.
"From here, I will escort you."
The moment the car stopped, an employee came over, opened the door, politely greeted them, and spoke.
Geunsu had merely gotten out of the car, but employees appeared from somewhere, took the luggage out of the trunk, and looked after his wife and Hayul.
They followed the man.
After a simple security procedure, they were right at the boarding gate.
It hadn't even been five minutes since they got out of the car, but they could board immediately.
When they went to the boarding gate, Alex hyung-nim's private jet was visible.
It was a real private jet.
He had only seen one on TV. This was the first time seeing one in person.
The massive, majestic fuselage was gleaming.
The smooth fuselage boasted an overwhelming presence under the sunlight.
It was cool.
It was astonishing.
A gasp of admiration mixed with a hollow laugh escaped Geunsu in surprise.
His wife and Hayul also couldn't close their gaping mouths in amazement.
"Please board this way. I hope you have a pleasant trip."
Following the guidance, they boarded the private jet.
The moment they stepped inside, their mouths dropped open once again.
The interior of the private jet was closer to someone's office? Or a home, rather than an airplane.
A plush carpet,
a soft leather sofa placed instead of narrow seats,
and a sturdy-looking table that wouldn't even shake.
Inside, a separate room had also been prepared.
There, a comfortable-looking bed had been prepared.
Geunsu was surprised, but Hayul seemed to find it even more fascinating.
Before Geunsu could stop her, she jumped onto the sofa.
The soft sofa gently embraced Hayul.
While they were blankly looking around the plane, a woman in uniform approached.
"I am I Na-yeon, the flight attendant who will be serving Jeong Geunsu and An Eunseo. It is an honor to serve you. If you would please take your seats, we will take off immediately."
"Yes."
He answered in a daze and sat down.
The moment they sat down and fastened their seatbelts, the private jet began to move.
Geunsu had been abroad a few times, so he knew well how abnormal this was.
To take a regular flight, you have to arrive early, get your ticket issued, check your baggage, go through security screening and departure inspection, wait there for a long time, board when the gate opens, wait until everyone is aboard, make announcements because of late passengers, and even after confirming everyone is aboard, wait a long time for the departure order of other planes before taking off...
Here, they just fastened their seatbelts and left immediately.
It was instantaneous.
Once the private jet reached a certain altitude, the attendant asked about the in-flight meal.
"Would you like a meal? We have steak, lobster, grilled salmon, pasta, bibimbap, ramyeon, and more, prepared by a first-class chef."
"Want to eat?"
Geunsu asked Eunseo.
Eunseo shook her head.
Perhaps because the tension from the wedding still hadn't worn off, neither of them felt like eating.
"Shall we have a glass of wine?"
"Yes. Let's do that."
"My stomach is too full... May I ask for some wine?"
Geunsu asked politely.
"Of course. We will prepare it right away."
Shortly after, wine was poured into a luxurious glass.
"It is a Chateau Petrus 2014 vintage."
The flight attendant explained, but Geunsu didn't hear her.
All he felt was that this situation was abnormal.
The flight attendant prepared orange juice for Hayul.
He drank his wine while looking out the window.
He was savoring the joy that the private jet provided.
He thought, so this is what a private jet is like.
Such was Geunsu's thought: if he ever made a lot of money later, he ought to consider a private jet at least once.
That was how charming the private jet was.
"We will be landing shortly. Please fasten your seatbelts."
It felt like they hadn't even been airborne long, but they were already arriving.
He felt slightly disappointed.
If he had known the private jet was like this, he would have said they were going to Europe or America—somewhere with a longer flight time—instead of China.
Whether the private jet knew Geunsu's feelings or not, it landed at Beijing Capital Airport.
"It was an honor to serve you. I will see you again when you return to Korea in a week. I hope you have a pleasant trip."
The private jet stopped, and the door opened.
As the door opened and Geunsu and Eunseo stood before the stairs, music could be heard.
Looking straight ahead, a guard of honor was playing welcome music.
He looked around.
Wondering if there was someone else.
He looked around, wondering if some famous person had arrived at the same time.
But there was no one around.
It was a guard of honor for the Geunsu couple.
He thought, no way.
No way—a guard of honor for the Geunsu couple?
Perplexed, he went down the few stairs.
Below the stairs, a man was waiting.
"Are you Jeong Geunsu?"
"Yes. That's correct."
A man greeted Jeong Geunsu in fluent Korean.
"It is an honor to meet you. I am Li Wei, Deputy Director of the Beijing Tourism Bureau. I have come to assist you with your sightseeing in China. If there is anything you need, please tell me and I will take care of it immediately."
"Yes."
"Then shall we move to the hotel first? We have prepared the hotel."
"Understood."
When Li Wei gestured, three Maybachs entered in a line.
The Maybachs slowly stopped before Geunsu.
As soon as they got in the cars, they left the airport immediately without a separate immigration inspection.
He was bewildered.
Geunsu asked Li Wei.
"Excuse me... we haven't gone through immigration."
"Ah. We have taken care of that. We couldn't possibly inconvenience you."
Li Wei answered with a smile.
The Maybach was comfortable, but Geunsu was a bit uncomfortable.
He wondered if this was right.
He wondered if they had mistaken him for a different Jeong Geunsu.
Police motorcycles ridden by public security officers attached themselves to the front and back of the Maybachs.
They began escorting Geunsu's vehicle.
The public security officers stopped the traffic signals.
They held all the signals before the vehicles passed.
As the cars passed, the public security officers saluted the vehicles.
It was a courtesy reserved only for the highest-ranking state guests.
By now, he was beginning to feel scared rather than pleased.
He worried that they had really mistaken him for someone else.
Honestly, the private jet had crossed the line quite a bit too, but he could somewhat understand it.
Because if you have money, you can buy a private jet.
He could just think that Inbae hyung-nim had earned a lot of money.
But this was a slightly different problem.
When they landed at the airport, a guard of honor came out.
Someone came from the Beijing Tourism Bureau saying they would provide a guide.
Immigration inspection at the airport was also skipped.
Public security officers stopped the signals and provided an escort.
These were things unimaginable in the world Geunsu had lived in.
Even now, it didn't feel real.
Just who was Alex hyung close to in China to be able to do all this?
Who could it be to do this for them?
At this level, it was certain they were no ordinary person.
Who could it be?
He was curious.
He agonized over it, but no one came to mind.
In the meantime, the Maybach arrived at the hotel.
The hotel was a five-star hotel that preserved the feeling of Beijing's traditional houses, the hutong.
All rooms were configured as separate houses, each with an independent garden.
His mouth dropped open at the hotel's luxury.
Every single prop and objet was sumptuous.
"This is the accommodation we have prepared. If it is not to your liking, we will change it to a different hotel."
"No. It is more than enough."
"Then please rest. I will come to escort you in the evening."
"...No, you really don't have to..."
"I will leave an errand runner. You may have that person take care of trivial matters."
"No, there's no need to go that far..."
But Li Wei didn't even listen to Geunsu's words.
It felt as if he only wanted to lay out everything he had prepared.
"Then I will escort you to the best malatang restaurant in Beijing this evening. Until then."
Li Wei bowed politely and disappeared.
Left behind, Geunsu felt beyond surprise and bewilderment—he felt shock and even fear.
He couldn't believe this situation.
If he told this story at a drinking party when he returned, everyone would obviously laugh at him.
"I went to China on a private jet, and the moment I got off, there was a guard of honor standing in review formation."
"Maybachs were waiting right there. When I got in, public security officers escorted us."
"A guide came from the Tourism Bureau."
If Eunseo and Hayul hadn't been by his side, he would have looked like a complete liar.
Even at this very moment, he couldn't believe the situation.
And with that, the question that kept coming to mind.
Just what does Inbae hyung-nim do in China to be able to arrange all this?
Or rather, who is he close to that makes this possible?
This isn't something money can buy.
It's something impossible without immense power.
Inbae hyung-nim had said he knew someone.
He had said that if they just went, everything would be taken care of, but he had never imagined it would be to this extent.
It truly felt like he had become a state guest.
Geunsu hurriedly picked up his phone and called Alex.
Inbae hyung-nim, who couldn't imagine what was happening here, answered the phone in a calm voice.
- Yeah. Did you arrive?
"Yes. I arrived safely thanks to you, hyung-nim."
- Good. Have fun, eat lots of delicious food, and come back. It'd be nice if you gave Hayul a little brother too. Keke.
"But hyung-nim."
- Yeah.
"May I ask you something?"
- Yeah. Ask.
"Just who do you know in China to get this kind of protocol? I was really surprised."
- Kekeke. I have a tsundere hyung-nim. He's a very shy hyung-nim, so just pretend you don't know. Just enjoy it. That's enough.
"Thank you so much. I think this will truly be a once-in-a-lifetime honeymoon."
Geunsu expressed his gratitude repeatedly into the phone.
Thanks to Inbae hyung-nim, the family of three had made memories they would never forget for a lifetime.
Although he was grateful for the incredible things Inbae hyung-nim had done,
he was so thankful for him caring like this.
His loyalty to the Daehun Faction and Inbae had already maxed out, but he added one more to it.
******
"Boss, may I ask how long you plan to stay in Korea?"
"I don't know. But I think I'll be here for quite a while yet. Is it uncomfortable? If it's uncomfortable, you can go back first. Korea is safe, and the Daehun Faction is here too, so I think it'll be fine."
Even after Geunsu's wedding ended, I showed no signs of returning, so Allen, who was in charge of security, came to ask.
He asked when I was planning to return to the Philippines.
But I had to take care of Triad business too,
and above all, I was comfortable in Korea.
I wanted to stay a little longer.
Unlike me, Allen and the Obsidian Unit might find life in Korea uncomfortable.
Naturally.
I had been uncomfortable when I first went to the Philippines.
This cold would be unfamiliar to the Obsidian Unit.
So I told them to go back first.
Unlike the Philippines, Korea is safe.
The possibility of something happening is very low.
And though it's a bit embarrassing to say, I am fucking good at fighting.
It had been a long time since I was discharged, but I hadn't stopped exercising.
Even now, I exercise every day and spar.
There isn't anyone who has beaten me one-on-one yet.
On top of that, I have weapons in my inventory.
Quite a lot of them, in fact.
So I think I am safe myself.
Honestly, it's pretty laughable that a guy like me even has a security team attached to him.
Who the hell am I to have a security team following me around?
I wouldn't have any problems at all even without a security team.
But the world's thoughts and mine are always slightly different.
"It's not uncomfortable."
"It's not uncomfortable?"
"That's not it. If you are thinking of staying a bit longer, I was wondering if you might move your residence."
"My residence?"
Since returning to Korea, I had been staying at the house Daehun had given me as a gift before.
To be exact, I was staying in the house next to Daehun's.
But telling me to move my residence?
"If you stay here, it is a bit difficult for us to provide security. Too many people come and go in an apartment, and the movement lines are complicated. If you plan to stay in Korea for a long time, I was wondering if you might move to a place that is safer and more convenient for security."
Allen cautiously made the suggestion.
He had a point.
If I didn't have security at all, that would be one thing.
I can't make the Obsidian Unit uncomfortable while receiving security.
Nor had I set a date for returning to the Philippines.
I will be coming to Korea often in the future too, and if I stay here each time, the Obsidian Unit will also feel inconvenienced in their security duties.
It seemed better to buy a house that would be livable for everyone and easy to guard.
It wasn’t that I’d made this mistake out of carelessness.
I had worked as a bodyguard myself, though not for long.
In my own way, I had been trying to be considerate of the Obsidian Unit by deliberately pretending not to pay attention to them.
A bodyguard should exist like a shadow, or like air.
The more I noticed their presence and acted like I knew they were there, the more uncomfortable they became.
They would have to hide in even darker places.
So I lived pretending not to see even when I did, pretending not to know even when I knew.
I tried not to pay attention as much as possible.
But this time, I really had missed something.
This wasn’t a matter of consideration, but a structural problem.
And to be honest.
I’d always felt sorry to Daehoon because I’d never actually lived in the house he’d given me as a gift.
Daehoon had gifted me a house and had continued to maintain it for me.
But I had never even been there.
That had been weighing on my mind.
So this time, I had been determined to stay here no matter what.
It was simply a promise I’d made to myself.
Though I hadn’t expected that promise to come back to me like this.
“Sorry. I didn’t think of that.”
“No, sir. You may continue staying here. I was merely offering one suggestion.”
When I apologized, Allen seemed even more apologetic instead.
But this was something we were better off moving for.
Since it had come up, we might as well look into it right away.
“Allen, look into a decent house. A place where we won’t be uncomfortable. Somewhere easy to guard, and with convenient routes of movement.”
“Understood.”
“But there’s one condition.”
“Please tell me.”
“First of all, the guard quarters where you all stay have to be bigger than the place I stay in. No exceptions. Or buy several separate places. Got it? That’s my only condition.”
“…Understood.”
Housing prices in Seoul were high, and it was hard to secure multiple homes.
I said it in advance because I was worried they’d halfheartedly find something, get only my house as a large one, and then split themselves up here and there.
Honestly, I wouldn’t mind living in a gosiwon that smelled of people.
The Obsidian Unit would be uncomfortable with that, though.
“If you find a good property, make sure you tell Anna before buying it. Don’t just buy it for no reason and get scolded later.”
“Yes. Anna means documentation. I’ll make sure the documentation is solid.”
“I’m always grateful to you all.”
I hadn’t had a chance to say it, so I told Allen now.
“You don’t need to say that. Rather, we are always grateful to you, sir.”
Allen bowed.
I had once given the Obsidian Unit an exceptionally large incentive because I was grateful to them.
But the Obsidian Unit had donated all of that money to Unity Town.
They said they had no need for money themselves.
I didn’t know what to do with these guys.
I didn’t know how to express my gratitude.
*******
National Intelligence Service.
“Who attended the Daehoon Faction wedding?”
“I did.”
Assistant Manager Hwang Onyu answered.
“What about the Triads’ movements? Was there anything that caught your attention?”
“None of the Triad members attended.”
Assistant Manager Hwang Onyu, who had attended Jeong Geunsu’s wedding, spoke.
“Really? Even so, keep checking from now on. We have intel that the Triads are entering the country. Make sure you keep a close eye on them.”
“Understood.”
“Then we’ll end today’s meeting here.”
After the meeting ended, everyone left, but Assistant Manager Hwang Onyu stayed behind and called out to the team leader.
“Um, Team Leader.”
“What is it?”
“There was one unusual detail.”
“An unusual detail?”
“That… you remember Gong Inbae, the man we met when we went to the Philippines to look for Shin Junggi last time, don’t you?”
“Gong Inbae? That son of a bitch?”
“Yes.”
“What about that bastard?”
“When I went to Jeong Geunsu’s wedding this time, Gong Inbae was there.”
“Oh-ho…”
Park Dojin wore an unreadable expression.
Team Leader Park Dojin still had not forgotten what had happened in the Philippines.
Whenever he thought of that time, his body trembled with rage.
It had been truly humiliating.
Shin Junggi had stolen national secrets and gone into hiding.
To find that Shin Junggi, they had believed a single tip and gone all the way to the Philippines without a plan.
When they were at a loss there, unable to find Shin Junggi.
They met Gong Inbae and succeeded in tracking Shin Junggi.
It had seemed as if Shin Junggi was within their grasp.
It had seemed as if they were about to complete a mission everyone had said was impossible.
But when they were told to pay a ransom and take him, they had no choice but to give up, with Shin Junggi right in front of their eyes.
They could not pay the enormous sum of ten million dollars to bring Shin Junggi back.
They reported it to their superiors, but the result was a refusal.
After that, they let go of the task of capturing Shin Junggi.
Officially, the operation to arrest Shin Junggi was still ongoing, but there were no personnel, no resources, and no funds allocated to it.
The operation existed only on paper.
Thanks to that, Team Leader Park Dojin had been forced to taste humiliating disgrace.
He had become a laughingstock within the National Intelligence Service.
If he had never figured out Shin Junggi’s whereabouts at all, things would not have turned out like this.
If he hadn’t known where Shin Junggi was, he would have simply returned in dejection.
But Shin Junggi, whom he thought he had all but captured, had slipped away.
It felt as if something had been given to him and then snatched back.
It felt filthy.
He needed someone to resent.
That person was Gong Inbae.
If not for Gong Inbae, there would have been no reason for this problem to arise.
If not for Gong Inbae, he would never have been able to find Shin Junggi, so there would have been no reason for Park Dojin to taste humiliation.
So it was Gong Inbae’s fault.
Park Dojin truly thought so.
That was why he thought he had to make Gong Inbae suffer at least that level of humiliation.
At the very least, he had to return the disgrace he had suffered to Gong Inbae.
“Start marking Gong Inbae.”
Team Leader Park Dojin gave the order with a vile smile.