Ch 104
Became a swordsmanship instructor at the academy
Chapter 104
Is it because it's a place where you either depart for or return from a journey?
Airports always seem to have a charm and romance that makes people excited.
"Teacher Kang, what are you doing? Aren't you going?"
"Yes, I'm coming."
Actually, when you think about it realistically, it's not just a romantic and charming place.
The duty-free shops are cheap, but the food is damn expensive, and there are quite a few people making noise.
Most of all, Incheon Airport here is too far from Seoul.
I had told the principal that I wanted to go even if I had to pay my own expenses, but since they got all the consent forms, they officially included me in the preliminary survey team, so I got to go on a free trip with school expenses.
Of course, considering the chicken and pizza money I spent on the kids during supplementary classes when I said I'd come here, it's definitely not free and is actually a loss...
Since it's already a loss, I should have added some of my own money to take a flight from Gimpo to Haneda.
That would have saved more time.
Since it's going on school expenses, they probably booked the cheapest option, so we inevitably have to go from Incheon to Narita.
The seats are economy too.
Of course, it doesn't take long to get to Japan, and Narita Airport isn't that bad either.
In my previous life, since I was a broke third-rate writer, I always took the 1,000 yen bus, but I know there's something like a subway that takes about 40 minutes to get to downtown Tokyo if you pay a bit more.
Well, now I can just call a taxi from the airport to the hotel without any problem.
"Teacher Kang, is that one bag all your luggage?"
"It's a 2-night, 3-day trip, so this one should be enough."
I just brought a carry-on with clothes, but the two teachers I'm traveling with brought large suitcases.
"Then when we come back, can you take that as carry-on and send some luggage under Teacher Kang's name? My wife asked me to buy a lot of things. I'm planning to buy another suitcase locally."
"Yes. That's fine."
After checking in our luggage and getting our boarding passes, when I looked toward the departure area, it was packed with people even though it was morning, probably because it's Friday.
There's still over an hour left until departure time, but it looks like it'll take longer than expected.
"There are really a lot of people."
"It's Friday."
"Teacher Kang, do you speak some Japanese? Didn't you say you go to a foreign language academy every weekend?"
"It's a Chinese language academy."
"Ah, was it Chinese?"
"Well, since Japan also uses Chinese characters, the meanings should be similar..."
"Teacher Kang actually has something he can't do. I still have JLPT Level 3."
"Ah, yes. That's impressive. Then when we get there, we can just rely on Teacher Park."
"Huh? Well, it has been a while... But still, I'll probably remember as we go along."
"I don't have a certificate either, but I've been to Japan a lot, so I can handle light conversation. Just trust us."
"It's really reassuring to have you two here."
When I give them some compliments, both of them shrug their shoulders, and I can't help but want to laugh.
Actually, I also lived in Japan for a year on a working holiday in my previous life, so I can speak Japanese fairly well.
But that's only in my previous life. Kang Shin-hyeok has never been to Japan.
Besides, if I say I can do it, since I'm the youngest, I might end up having to handle everything.
"So Teacher Kang doesn't know Japanese at all?"
"Ah, well... Just what everyone knows..."
"Then do you know what they say when a married couple wants to have many children together?"
He suddenly asks, so I can't think of it.
"I don't really know. Do you know, Teacher Jung?"
"I only know general conversation, so I'm not sure either."
"Kosho yoro kazoku onegaishimasu."
"PUHAHA! What's that? Really, Teacher Park's sense of humor is something to acknowledge. Many family members?"
I'm forcibly holding back from showing a serious expression, while Teacher Jung completely burst out laughing.
These middle-aged men really...
Our kids probably felt this way when I occasionally made dad jokes... It's quite a mirror therapy.
Well, still, seeing that I don't laugh at this kind of joke shows I'm not completely a middle-aged man yet, so that's comforting.
"Teacher Kang doesn't laugh, so you really don't know Japanese at all."
"Ah, yes."
It's probably better to pretend I don't know at all.
More than that, the line doesn't seem to be getting shorter.
"Did some accident happen up front? Why isn't it moving?"
"Will we be able to catch the plane today at this rate?"
"It's moving little by little, so if we wait, our turn will come eventually."
"Teacher Kang, you're an S Rank Hunter, don't you have some kind of free pass privilege?"
"What? No, it's not like the airport is a school cafeteria, what kind of free pass privilege would there be?"
"Really none? You're an honorable director of the Hunter Association."
"Oh my, why are you doing this? You're making me embarrassed. I haven't heard of any such privileges. If there were such things, wouldn't they have let us through already?"
When I went to London for the WHCU competition last time, there didn't seem to be anything like that...
Of course, I wasn't an S Rank Hunter at the time, but the Vice Principal and Kim Dae-chan were with me too.
"You never know."
It's not completely unreasonable, since the line wasn't as long then, so we might have just gone through.
"You're wearing sunglasses so they might not have recognized you. There's a staff member right in front. Go ask them."
I don't like waiting either, but if I ask and there's nothing, it'll be quite awkward...
"Are you worried it'll be embarrassing if they say no? Teacher Kang, asking about something you don't know isn't shameful. Being afraid to ask because you fear embarrassment and living without knowing is what's shameful."
I don't think that saying applies in this situation...
"Right. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Let's get some benefit from being a director."
In the end, unable to resist the pressure from both teachers, I agreed and took out my phone.
"Why the phone?"
"It would be more accurate to ask the secretariat than asking a staff member."
"Oh, as expected of a director. Go ahead and call."
I told them to stop teasing and called the secretariat.
—This is the Hunter Association secretariat. How may I help you?
"This is Kang Shin-hyeok."
—Yes, Director Kang. What can I do for you?
"Well, um... I'm at the airport right now and the departure line is quite long, so I was wondering if there are any benefits? Like diplomats who pass through without procedures..."
I feel a bit embarrassed asking this.
—Of course there are.
Of course there are?
"Really? Then what should I do?"
Do I just tell the staff that I'm Kang Shin-hyeok?
—Didn't the airline guide you when you checked in?
"They didn't say anything..."
—Even foreign airlines apply this for departures from Korea, so that's strange... Ah, you didn't make the reservation directly, did you?
"Yes. The plane ticket was booked by the school. Do the benefits only apply if you book directly?"
—Not necessarily, but when you book directly, the airline is supposed to provide guidance.
"I see. Then how do I apply the benefits..."
—You just need to show your passport to the airport staff at the departure gate, but this is strange. Director Kang is so famous that they should have guided you just by looking at your face.
"I'm wearing sunglasses right now, so they probably didn't recognize me. Thank you for the answer."
—Not at all. Helping directors is our job. Then have a pleasant trip... Ah, since you said the school booked the ticket, it must be a business trip. Have a safe trip.
"Ah, yes. Thank you."
The secretariat staff are really kind.
"Teacher Kang, is there something?"
"Yes. They said there is."
"What did I tell you? I knew there would be something like that."
"Ooh, as expected of Director Kang."
Both of them have bright expressions on their faces.
"Then I'll go and come back."
"Alright."
Having confirmed with the secretariat, I approached the staff member with peace of mind.
"Sir over there, you can't cut in line. Please return to your place."
"I'm not trying to cut in line, but I found out that I don't need procedures... Here."
As I spoke, I handed over my passport and thought I should show my face too, so I slightly lowered my sunglasses so only the staff could see.
"What do you... K-Kang Shin-hyeok Hunter?"
"Yes. Can I go straight through?"
"Of course. It's crowded here, so please go that way. You can use the diplomatic passage."
Oh, it's a complete free pass just like the secretariat said.
"Um, I have companions."
"Companions? Are they family?"
"Not family, but work colleagues..."
"I'm sorry, but if they're not immediate family, it's difficult for them to pass through together."
"Ah... I see."
"What would you like to do?"
"Then wait a moment. Let me go to my companions."
I returned to where the two teachers were.
"Teacher Kang just needs to follow along, right?"
"You're going through the diplomatic passage?"
Both of them had very expectant looks, so I feel sorry.
"They said non-immediate family members can't pass through."
"Ah, really?"
"Can't be helped. Then we have no choice but to wait together."
"All together?"
"Hey, Teacher Kang... Are you going to go first alone without loyalty?"
"Teacher Park too, would Teacher Kang abandon us?"
"There's no need for everyone to suffer together. I'll go first and wait."
"T-Teacher Kang?"
"No... Teacher Kang!"
If I hadn't known, I would have waited together too, but now that I know, I have no choice.
***
"UGH, riding the bus for five hours is killing me. I don't usually get motion sick, but I feel like the ramen I ate earlier is coming back up."
"I told you to drink moderately yesterday."
"Wasn't yesterday the last night? You have to enjoy when you can."
It's already been 3 days since we came to Japan.
True to being a preliminary survey for a school trip, the schedule is arranged according to the school trip itinerary.
The school trip is a total of 4 nights and 5 days, and the preliminary survey is 2 nights and 3 days, so it's not exactly the same, but we still have to visit as many places as possible, so the schedule is quite tight.
Of course, most places we just stop by and take a few photos, so it wasn't that hectic.
But today the schedule is really tight.
We have to go from Tokyo to Nagoya, which is over 300 kilometers away, where the Black Temple is located.
Actually, if we take the bullet train, it takes less than 2 hours to arrive.
But even with group discounts, the bullet train is so expensive that, probably for budget reasons, the school trip is scheduled to travel by bus.
Expensive is expensive, and we have a short schedule too... I wanted to just take the bullet train, but we can't.
After all, we came for a school trip survey.
So we came out early in the morning and took the bus.
The plan is to try riding it first, and if it's tolerable, we'll just take the bus, but if it's really unbearable, we'll change to bullet train or airplane... Do we really need to try this to know?
"They say Nagoya is a place they go to every year anyway, shouldn't they exclude places like this from preliminary surveys?"
"Who says no? The kids will probably hate it too. What do you think, Teacher Kang?"
Teacher Park asked with a fed-up expression, and honestly, five and a half hours on a bus is tough for me too.
During the school trip, they rent a chartered bus, so it reduces the time by about an hour, but that's still four hours.
Even if it costs a bit more, I'd rather take a plane or bullet train.
If that's not possible, I'm thinking of just putting at least the kids in my class on the bullet train.
Absolutely not the bus.
"It is a bit far."
"Not a bit, it's a whole five and a half hours. Why do we go there every time... They say there's not much to see either."
"Why? It's because of the Vice Principal. He includes it in the schedule every year to brag about his achievements."
"I heard that rumor too, but was the rumor true?"
"The Black Temple isn't a place just anyone can enter. The Japanese government has set it as a restricted area under special management. When we get there, you'll see, but there are tons of CCTVs and they're all soldiers. The security is so tight that even Japanese people can't enter casually."
"Really? How is such a place in the school trip schedule..."
"The Vice Principal was active in conquering the Black Temple and received portal shares from the Japanese government. With the Vice Principal's consent, anyone can go. When we went two years ago, there was even a statue of the Vice Principal at the entrance."
"So the rumor was true."
"That's right. But two years ago, it only took three hours from Osaka..."
"Hey, how about we rock-paper-scissors and only one person goes? The rest can rest near the airport."
"Oh, that's a really good idea. We don't all need to go. Teacher Kang agrees too, right?"
Both of them seem really reluctant to go.
"Then should I just go alone?"
"Oh, Teacher Kang... Would you do that for us?"
"Wow! Teacher Kang is the best!"
In the original work, Lee Ji-sung and Kim Do-hyun obtained an opportunity even though they were with numerous students and teachers, so going with two people wouldn't be a big problem.
But it's more comfortable alone.
The teachers said they'd hold onto the luggage, so I left it with them and caught a taxi as soon as we arrived in Nagoya.
After driving for about 20 minutes, a very large portal entrance came into view straight ahead.