Chapter 8
“D-do you want a cigarette?”
Assistant Manager Park, apparently feeling the pressure, hesitantly held one out to me.
He was usually stingy even about giving away a single stick, so the fact that he was offering one so readily meant he must have been feeling seriously guilty.
“No, I’ve got my own.”
I pulled out a cigarette and put it in my mouth, and he hurriedly brought a lighter over.
“Between people from the same intake, what’s the big deal—”
I waved him off and lit it myself.
“Hoo.”
I took a few quiet drags without saying anything.
By the time the long cigarette had burned halfway down, Assistant Manager Park finally spoke up.
“I’m sorry.”
He folded his hands together like he really meant it. “I got excited talking to Manager Han and just spilled everything, one thing after another. I said it and immediately thought, oh no.”
“I figured that’s what happened.”
We’d joined the company at the same time, so I knew Park’s personality well.
I also knew he hadn’t meant any harm, nor had he been nursing some hidden agenda.
“I’ll buy you a meal later.”
“You’re going to smooth this over with food?”
“I’ll buy drinks too. Something proper. Okay?”
“No need.”
I grinned and put a hand on his shoulder.
“You’re coming too.”
“...What?”
His pupils shook hard.
“I can’t speak Chinese.”
“It’s fine. You can figure it out as you go.”
“...”
Park’s body jolted.
“Th-that’s basically just being an ideas slave.”
“Yep. That’s exactly what you’re there for.”
“No, wait...”
“Coworker love, national love. We’re going together.”
“...Ah.”
“Don’t worry. Even if you try to back out, I’m recommending you tomorrow.”
“Seriously?”
“Yep.”
“Haa...”
Like he had accepted his fate, Park let the cigarette slip from his mouth.
Seeing his expression, a satisfied smile rose on my face.
***
Incheon International Airport, Terminal 1.
Even though it was early morning on a weekday, the place was packed with people.
“Wait, seriously?”
Park’s eyes went wide in surprise.
“Is this your first time going abroad?”
“The way you put it makes me embarrassed.”
“Ah, that’s not what I meant. Sorry.”
“It’s fine.”
Even while I’d been in college, I never once managed the usual overseas trip or language program.
I’d been too busy working part-time jobs, since I couldn’t rely on my parents for support.
While everyone else took a quick trip to Japan at least once, I spent my time tutoring.
Maybe that was why.
Even the ticket made my heart pound.
[Incheon - Shanghai]
Seat: 32A
Class: Economy.
When I was little, I thought business-class tickets were just for people going on company trips.
Turns out they were for executives at the very least.
For ordinary salaried workers like us, just being able to earn personal miles in economy was something to be grateful for.
Unlike me, Park seemed familiar with airports and guided me along naturally.
“We’ve got plenty of time, so let’s go into the lounge.”
“Can economy passengers get in?”
“Yeah. You just have to pay...”
He gave me a thumbs-up, as if to say not to worry.
“I’ve got a credit card that lets me bring in one guest for free.”
“Nice.”
We filled our stomachs decently in the lounge.
Judging from the group chat, Manager Han Su-a and the others were one by one going through departure procedures too.
“There’s Junior Kim over there.”
Park pointed out the window with his fork.
She was heading around the next corner with a duty-free shopping bag in one hand.
“Wow, she bought something expensive. I heard she shorted Bitcoin recently. Looks like she made a lot.”
“Aren’t you sick of that damn coin talk?”
“Hey, we all come to work to earn money for coins. If you’re sick of anything, it’s the company you’re sick of, not the coins.”
“Ugh.”
I was about ready to get calluses on my ears.
“Anyway, what kind of assignment is this time?”
“They haven’t told us exactly yet. Seems like the client is the railway bureau.”
“The railway bureau... like Korea’s Korail?”
“Right.”
I couldn’t even begin to guess what kind of ad they were asking for.
Since they’d requested it from an overseas company, it probably wasn’t going to be something as simple as a media advertisement.
This didn’t feel like a normal planning job.
“No idea. We’ll know when we get there.”
“Exactly. Don’t worry about it already, just treat it like a trip and enjoy yourself.”
“I guess I should.”
***
Shanghai Airport.
We lined up for immigration.
Park nudged me with his elbow. “Assistant Manager Kang. Looks like there’s some kind of problem over there.”
Following the direction of his finger, I saw Junior Kim being cornered by a customs officer and flustered out of her mind.
“Next, please.”
“Oh, crap, that’s me.”
Park hurriedly looked away and started his own entry inspection.
But my eyes were still on Junior Kim.
From the looks of it, she was so flustered she’d broken out in a cold sweat.
This won’t do.
I couldn’t just stand by and watch, so I stepped out of the line and went over to her.
“Um, I don’t know. I can’t speak Chinese. Sorry.”
She kept speaking in English, but the customs officer was...
“真是让人窒息! 烦死了!” TL/N: This is exhausting! I'm so done!
He kept snapping back in Chinese, barking at her nonstop.
And the meaning didn’t sound pleasant either.
That means something like, This is suffocating. You’re pissing me off to death!
Clearly, she’d run into the wrong person.
(Hello. May I ask what the problem is?)
“A-Assistant Manager?”
Junior Kim’s eyes went round like she’d seen a savior.
“What, you’re Chinese?”
The customs officer frowned and shot back in Chinese.
“I’m Korean, but I can speak Chinese.”
I answered calmly.
“Is there a problem? I can interpret for you.”
“Just keep walking. You’re not even with her.”
“She’s a coworker. We’re on the same team, so we go together.”
The customs officer’s face tightened as though his mood had soured.
And yet he still wouldn’t explain what the problem was.
He only muttered under his breath, just loud enough to hear, “No manners at all, no manners...”
Wait a second. Is he seriously... asking for money?
I’d only ever seen it online, and I never thought I’d run into it in real life.
There was something I learned for situations like this.
I deliberately raised my voice so the people around us could hear.
“Are you asking us to bring you a gift or something?”
“Wh-what...!”
Hit squarely in the weak spot, he flew into a rage instead.
“I’m just checking because I need to verify something.”
He hurriedly smacked Junior Kim’s bag shut and shoved it aside.
“It’s done. Move along!”
“Really? Thank you.”
We said xiexie, picked up the luggage, and passed through the gate.
“That’s insane...”
Junior Kim looked at me with sparkling eyes.
“Thank you, Assistant Manager. I really didn’t understand a single word, so I was completely panicking. You saved me.”
“No problem. The problem was that guy.”
They keep doing it because Koreans are too polite and put up with it.
Tsk. Those guys needed to get a taste of their own medicine once in a while if they wanted to learn.
“Assistant Manager, I’ll buy you coffee!”
“Sounds good. Since we’re in China, make it milk tea.”
I smiled and waved her on.
“Come on, let’s hurry. The team’s waiting.”
When we came out beyond the gate, the rest of the team was waiting for us with worried faces.
“What happened?”
“Well...”
After hearing the whole story, the team burst out laughing.
“They really gave you the full initiation treatment.”
“You had it rough, Junior Kim.”
“I really did get saved by Assistant Manager Kang. If it weren’t for him, I would’ve been stuck there for hours. I wish someone would explain this stuff somewhere, you know? Share some information, at least.”
“Exactly. If it weren’t for Assistant Manager Kang, would they have taken her bag?”
“Right. Or she might’ve had to pay them...”
Her words trailed off. “Wow, that’s even worse than I imagined.”
Manager Han Su-a clapped her hands once and gathered everyone’s attention.
“All right, Junior Kim’s had enough excitement for one day. We’re short on time, so let’s hurry and drop our bags at the hotel before we move on.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
***
“...Unbelievable.”
I didn’t know if it was the Chinese themselves who were the problem.
Or if this was just how things were there.
Either way, we’d gotten off to a rough start.
“They’re suddenly pushing the meeting back to tomorrow?”
“That’s what they told us.”
Manager Han Su-a rubbed her forehead, looking just as stunned.
“Something came up internally, so they said they’ll see us at lunch tomorrow.”
We’d suddenly gained free time, but there wasn’t really anything to prepare.
We’d already finished the research in Korea.
The team members all exchanged glances with one another.
If you were a workaholic, this kind of situation would probably be a headache, but from the perspective of someone like me, who just worked a normal company job, it was actually welcome news.
Sure enough...
“Then...”
Park asked with an eager expression.
“Does that mean we have free time today?”
Even Manager Han let out a dry laugh, but she wasn’t the sort to keep people pinned down for no reason.
“Yes, go ahead.”
“Yay!”
“Nice!”
“Haha, now that’s how you do it. We’ve barely arrived and we’re already in clover.”
It was currently noon.
Getting off work at this hour was already nice enough, but more importantly...
We’re overseas.
Which meant we could enjoy ourselves fully until tonight like this was a real trip abroad.
“Assistant Manager Kang.”
Park gestured as if he’d been waiting for this moment.
“Want to go get some lamb skewers and a Tsingtao?”
“This time of day?”
“Who’s going to complain now that we’re abroad?”
“...Fair enough.”
We were already sent out as a task force, so it wasn’t like anyone would be calling from the office anyway.
“Should we go for it...?”
***
“Hahhh...”
“This is great!”
Just being overseas was one thing, but when you washed down Chinese mainland lamb skewers, thickly coated in cumin, with a cold Tsingtao beer, there was no other word for it but paradise.
And because it was broad daylight, it felt even better.
“So this is why everyone goes on overseas trips...”
We’d come out on a business trip and only found ourselves with one free day, and it was this fun.
I could only imagine how happy you’d be if you planned a three-night, four-day trip and spent the whole time eating good food, drinking, and wandering around.
Maybe I should actually take an overseas trip next vacation.
With the side jobs already earning me a decent amount on the side, I wasn’t exactly scrambling to save money like I used to.
“Another drink?”
“Sounds good.”
Clink.
The beer glasses knocked together brightly in the air.
One drink became two, and before long time had started moving quickly.
It might have been around 2 p.m.
The pleasant buzz already rising through me put me in a great mood.
“Assistant Manager Kang. Where to for round two?”
“Round two?”
“You’re not going?”
“Of course I am.”
It was a rare day off, and we were overseas, too. There was no way I was stopping here.
I stood up and patted my belly, which had risen from all the lamb skewers.
“How about Chinese mala tang?”
“Oh, that’s good too.”
We had to taste the local flavor at least once.
Round two was mala tang with sorghum liquor.
Round three was a karaoke room to burn off the food and sing our lungs out for a few songs.
And for round four, we moved to a street-side tent bar and had chicken feet with more beer.
“Ah, this is killer.”
“At this rate, won’t we be too wrecked to work tomorrow?”
“Hey, it’s only 7 p.m. right now.”
“Already?”
“This is the greatness of daytime drinking.”
By this hour, even if we went home and slept soundly, it’d still be enough.
“This is too much fun.”
It was getting to the point where just having fun and passing through was almost disappointing.
I’d like to leave a record of this somehow.
I’d already taken photos, but I wanted to preserve it even more vividly than that.
Then, at that moment.
Ding.
A new notification appeared.
The Echo of the Keyboard
The Echo of the Keyboard
Rank: C
Passive Effect: When writing about firsthand experiences on your own site, readability and reach increase dramatically.
This talent can be upgraded.
“This is what shows up right now?”
I felt like I’d sobered up in an instant.
I focused my eyes and read the skill line by line.
This is definitely something related to writing...
Especially since it specifically said “one’s own site,” it didn’t seem to include things like public novels or screenplays.
Probably not newspaper editorials or criticism, either.
If I can connect this to my side job...
Only one possibility came to mind.
“No matter how I look at it, this sounds like a blog.”
---