Spread Your Wings and Soar
Hospital Director Do Gi-cheol and Center Director Yun No-nam stood side by side with Neurosurgery Section Chief Kim Chang-mu, addressing Lee Gyeong-eun.
"Madam President. How are you feeling? Is there any discomfort anywhere?"
"If anything feels off, please call me anytime. I'll handle it personally."
Lee Gyeong-eun, recovered enough now to sit upright, leaned against the bed and smiled as she spoke.
"Thank you. Thanks to you, Director, and the Center Director, I feel much better. Especially Dr. Kim Chang-mu here—he treated me so well that I can sit up and talk like this."
At her thanks, Kim Chang-mu shook his head.
"Thanks to me? Not at all. I simply did what I had to do."
Director Do Gi-cheol shot a meaningful glance at Kim Chang-mu, who had clamped his mouth shut after the denial. Now that the subject had come up, it was a signal to raise the matter of hospital subsidies.
But Kim Chang-mu, ignoring the look, said something entirely different.
"Your recovery is every bit as positive as the surgical outcome. Starting tomorrow, it would be good to get up once every two hours and take walks for exercise."
"Then when can I be discharged?"
"It's a little early to talk about discharge yet... but it won't take long."
As he hedged, Lee Gyeong-eun pressed for a precise date.
"Can I leave next week?"
"Next week will be difficult."
"Then the week after? Can I be discharged the week after next?"
"That, too..."
Looking awkward, Kim Chang-mu glanced sideways at Kim Seong-ho, silently pleading for help.
Kim Seong-ho, who had been standing by the bed merely listening, smiled at the look and soothed the impatient Lee Gyeong-eun.
"Gyeong-eun. Let's take it step by step. We've only just started walks, so talking about discharge already feels far too soon."
Lee Gyeong-eun pouted at Kim Seong-ho's words that it was still early.
From her expression, Do Gi-cheol realized he could not bring up the hospital subsidy. Nothing soured a mood worse than talking money to someone already feeling low. Swallowing his regret, he left the room with Center Director Yun and Dr. Kim. There was no point lingering if he could not even mention the subsidy.
Lee Gyeong-eun stared at the door after they had gone and pouted.
"I don't want to stay in bed so long."
"Is there something urgent?"
Kim Seong-ho asked as he smoothed the folded edge of her blanket.
She looked at him with a serious expression.
"Yes. There is something urgent."
"Really? What is it?"
"That coffee franchise. We planned to open it early next month."
"You mean the star-shaped coffee franchise?"
Kim Seong-ho looked slightly surprised. It had not been long since he had given her the hint, yet she was already preparing to open—that astonished him.
Looking dejected, Lee Gyeong-eun nodded.
"Yes, that one. I wanted to surprise you when it opened... but that plan's ruined now."
"I'm still surprised."
Kim Seong-ho brought a chair over and sat beside her.
"You've already verified everything and moved all the way to opening?"
"When I checked, the deposit was already paid. If we launch within the year the contract extends, so we finalized it without trouble and decided to open the first store. After watching how the first one does, we'll decide how many more to open."
"Where are you opening the first one?"
He asked with interest, wondering whether she would follow the same path to success the star-shaped franchise had taken in his past life.
Talking business seemed to lift her spirits; her voice brightened.
"Since it's a foreign brand made famous through overseas media, I thought targeting young people first would be best. So for the initial launch, we're planning stores around university areas."
"University areas? Which ones..."
"My alma mater, the women's university. Planning to open there."
She spoke excitedly, sitting up straighter as she grew more animated.
"Female students are more sensitive to trends. They've been exposed a lot through American dramas and movies, so they already know the coffee brand we're launching. That's why I want to focus on women's universities. It's easier to target people who already know and admire it than those who know nothing."
Wanting his confirmation, she finished and watched his expression. Kim Seong-ho, who had only listened, broke into a wide smile.
"Amazing."
He gave a thumbs-up.
"That's an excellent idea."
"Really?"
"Yes. Outstanding judgment."
He smiled at her, who looked briefly tense.
"The analysis is excellent. And your execution is just as good. When is the opening again?"
"Next month."
"Next month..."
He nodded.
"Right in the peak of summer."
"Exactly."
She said happily, delighted he had understood why she had chosen August without her saying so.
"When it's hot, iced coffee sells better, and it's the best time for word-of-mouth, so even though school's on break I set the opening then. What do you think?"
There had been various opinions when setting the date. From early August at the hottest, to June when the heat begins, or December like in America so people could walk around with warm coffee. Among them the strongest had been that, since it was a university area, it would be better to open during the semester. August was vacation, and foot traffic dropped then. But Lee Gyeong-eun had rejected June, December, and mid-semester alike.
"Actually, several opinions came up. But I opposed June as not enough prep time and December as too late. Of the options, August and September were best, and I picked August. Even during break, the fashion street in front of my alma mater is famous, so foot traffic stays high. In September the heat eases, so you get less help from the weather."
"Excellent choice."
She beamed at his words. If this were not a hospital and she had not just undergone surgery, she looked ready to leap straight into his arms.
Kim Seong-ho smiled at her and thought, Gyeong-eun's abilities seem even better than I thought.
Without any hint from him, she had brought over the successful marketing from the past. She managed Ilhyeon Hotel and Ilhyeon Department Store simultaneously without struggle. And now this excellent judgment—he felt both joy and surprise.
Then she dropped something even more surprising.
"After opening the coffee franchise next month, I was thinking of focusing more on the duty-free shops."
"Duty-free?"
He looked at her in surprise. He had never imagined the words "duty-free" coming from her lips.
"Incheon International Airport opens in three years. The bidding for duty-free business rights is in full swing right now. I thought we should snag that and try it."
Right. That was it.
It was not unknown to him. He had classified it as something they must secure. But amid the flood of events, he had completely forgotten what he needed to seize. And she had brought it up.
"Even with the country reeling as if it might collapse and the exchange rate hitting two thousand won, travelers haven't decreased—they've increased. Once Incheon Airport opens in this situation, both outbound and inbound travelers will grow, right?"
"That's right."
He agreed, and she continued cheerfully.
"So I'm planning to dive into the duty-free business properly. And combining duty-free with the hotel should create even better synergy. What do you think?"
"That sounds excellent too."
She grew more excited.
"I feel like this might be the opportunity. Amid market chaos, chances emerge, and only those who seize them can advance to the next stage."
She raised a hand and clenched the air.
"I want to seize this chance. That way I can live up to the expectations of you, who pushed me this far."
Still clenching the air, she gazed at him staring quietly back. Seeing him silent, she asked with a flicker of worry.
"Is what I'm thinking... wrong, and that's why you're not saying anything?"
"No."
He quickly shook his head.
"Your eye for the market is so outstanding... I was just too surprised to speak."
"Really? Does what I'm thinking look okay?"
"More than okay."
He looked at her with renewed eyes.
"It's outstanding. More than anyone I know. Even more than me."
"Oh my. Heeheehee. Saying that makes my face burn. How could I be better than you, Seong-ho? I'm just happy if I don't look lacking to others."
Hearing her, Kim Seong-ho gazed at her.
Ah. Because she was the youngest daughter.
He thought her constant self-effacement came from being the youngest. When she first entered society, her brothers already held positions at Ilhyeon. Even if she showed ability, she would look inferior to them, and as the youngest daughter she was not even given the chance. So no one had known she possessed this capability. Even he had not known, and he was astonished.
"I'll back you fully."
He was curious how far her abilities went.
"I'll support you from behind with Ilhyeon Hotel and Ilhyeon Department Store. So try whatever you want to try, Gyeong-eun. And trust me."
"Seong-ho..."
She looked at him with moved eyes. Praise alone for what she wanted to do was enough to be grateful, but believing in her and offering support made her heart swell. Remembering that neither her parents nor any family member had ever believed in her this much, her eyes even reddened.
"I really think I married well."
She sniffled and smiled.
"Because I made the most reliable ally. Thank you, Seong-ho."
"No need to thank me. I'm the one more grateful."
He took her hand.
"From now on, I'll make sure you can fully display your abilities, so put on your wings and soar."
"Seong-ho."
As her eyes reddened and tears threatened to fall, a knock sounded.
Knock knock knock.
She hurriedly wiped her eyes, and he turned.
"Come in."
Creak.
At his words the door slowly opened. And in walked someone completely opposite to Lee Gyeong-eun.
"You're all better."
As if displeased, Lee Jeong-eun said to Lee Gyeong-eun.
"No need to come anymore."
"Yeah, right. No need to come more."
"Anyway, you're lucky. How were you exactly at the hospital then?"
"I know. I do have some luck."
Even at Lee Jeong-eun's snide remarks, Lee Gyeong-eun played along with a smile. Apparently finding no fun in Gyeong-eun always agreeing, Jeong-eun stood.
"I'll go."
"Yeah. Don't go far."
Jeong-eun nodded and gave a subtle look to Cha Yeong-su, who rose to follow. Then she turned to Kim Seong-ho.
"No need to come out."
"Still, I should see you off."
Rising to escort them, he said to Gyeong-eun in the bed.
"Can you wait even without me?"
"What am I, a kid? Just take big sister and brother-in-law and come back."
She waved him off, saying it was fine. He smiled lightly at her and said to Jeong-eun.
"Shall we go?"
"No. I'll go alone, so talk with this guy a bit."
"Pardon?"
She said she would go alone and told him to talk with Cha Yeong-su. He looked puzzled at Cha Yeong-su, who wore an awkward expression and could not meet his gaze properly.