Episode 34. Evening Primrose (2)
Upon arriving at Incheon Airport, Kang Dae-oh exchanged brief greetings with the executives and staff who would accompany him on his two-week business trip.
Among them were Executive Director Yoo In-seok and Lee Seo-jun.
Executive Director Yoo, that’s understandable.
“Seo-jun, why do you insist on coming?”
Since he’s responsible for the main branch, it would be good if Lee Seo-jun accompanied them if possible.
When developing new menus and using new coffee beans, Lee Seo-jun is the one who can most directly and immediately observe how customers react.
That’s why Lee Seo-jun usually attended executive meetings as well.
As they were pioneering new distribution channels and planning to develop new menus never before attempted, it would be beneficial to have even one more person like Lee Seo-jun accompany them, but…
“It’s going to be very tough.”
Despite Kang Dae-oh’s warning, Lee Seo-jun showed confidence.
“I’ve never traveled abroad before. So, I plan to stick close to you, CEO, and go overseas on this trip.”
“But don’t literally stick to me. People might look at us strangely.”
Moreover, Kang Dae-oh doesn’t have such preferences.
If he had those preferences, he wouldn’t have met his wife and had three children.
Lee Seo-jun reassured Kang Dae-oh, saying he was just joking.
Meanwhile. Executive Director Yoo In-seok, who had been quietly listening to their conversation while waiting, let out a short cough.
“We are going there to work, not to play.”
“Of course, I know, Executive Director-nim. I’ll work hard there, so just tell me what to do.”
Lee Seo-jun made this small request to Executive Director Yoo In-seok with an enthusiastic expression.
Since the plane tickets and hotel were already booked, there was no way to send Lee Seo-jun back to the main branch.
In that case, it was better to just take him along.
And Lee Seo-jun was also as serious about coffee as Kang Dae-oh, so it was expected that he would offer good opinions on tasting the coffee beans.
After checking their luggage, they moved towards the gate where their plane would depart.
During their walk, Executive Director Yoo In-seok briefly summarized their journey to Ethiopia.
“We will stop at a layover point. From there, if you transfer planes, you will arrive directly in Addis Ababa.”
At the mention of Addis Ababa, Lee Seo-jun pretended to know.
“That’s it, right? The airport in Ethiopia.”
“You know it well, Seo-jun-ssi.”
“My first overseas trip… no, I mean. It’s my first time going abroad for work, so I should know at least this much.”
He hastily changed his words midway, fearing he might get scolded by Executive Director Yoo In-seok again.
Kang Dae-oh swallowed a laugh inwardly, watching Lee Seo-jun.
Though he might seem a bit light-hearted,
the difference with or without Lee Seo-jun was significant.
Since he was a mood-maker, taking him along might turn the two-week arduous journey into a trip, just as he said.
Showing their tickets to the flight attendant, they boarded the plane one by one.
Coincidentally, Lee Seo-jun took the seat next to Kang Dae-oh.
Kang Dae-oh spoke to Lee Seo-jun in advance.
“It’ll take a long time to get there, so feel free to sleep if you’re sleepy.”
“Yes, I understand. But I have someone I need to contact before that. Is it okay if I make a quick call?”
Kang Dae-oh nodded with an expression that showed he didn’t mind much.
Because once the plane took off, he wouldn’t be able to make calls even if he wanted to.
If there was something that needed to be handled right away, it was better to resolve it to some extent over the phone now.
“Is it urgent?”
“It’s not urgent. My friend is opening a flower shop today, but I don’t think I can attend because of this business trip. So, I was going to call her. To say I’m sorry I can’t make it and that I’ll buy her something delicious later.”
“Isn’t it better to go and boost her sales than to buy her something delicious?”
“I’d like to, but a single man living alone hardly needs fresh flowers, does he?”
“True.”
It was strangely persuasive.
Having successfully gained Kang Dae-oh’s understanding, Lee Seo-jun immediately called his friend.
“Oh, Seol-hye. I’m sorry I can’t go. Instead, I’ll buy you something delicious later. Huh? Ah… really? Alright. I’ll do that.”
Watching Lee Seo-jun hang up the phone with an awkward expression, Kang Dae-oh briefly asked, ‘Why?’
He wondered if the conversation hadn’t gone well.
Lee Seo-jun let out a hollow laugh and said,
“My friend said the same thing as you, CEO. She told me not to think about buying her something delicious, but to stop by her flower shop later and buy a few flowers.”
Kang Dae-oh chuckled, following him.
“See? I told you so, didn’t I?”
Indeed. A self-employed person understands another self-employed person’s heart best.
In accordance with the filming schedule for ‘Our Home’s Gardener,’ Kang Yebin moved to the set with her manager, Park Yi-song, who she had worked with for a long time.
Manager Park Yi-song turned the steering wheel to the left and asked,
“You said next week is the wrap-up, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“So… you’ll go to the set twice this week, and then just one more time for the final shoot next week, and it’ll be over. How does it feel to complete another project?”
Kang Yebin closed her script for a moment to join her manager unnie’s conversation and replied,
“It’s a pity.”
“Really? I thought you’d be happy since you’ve overcome a big challenge.”
“The regret of ‘I could have done better’ remains so strong that I probably won’t feel that way.”
Kang Yebin was by far among the youngest of all the main and supporting actors appearing in the drama.
Despite that, her mindset alone seemed better than that of most veteran actors.
Of course, she had never voiced these thoughts on set, as there were too many ears listening.
To that extent, Kang Yebin’s acting skills and mindset as an actress, which she was in charge of, were exceptionally outstanding and mature.
Perhaps thanks to this,
actors who had worked with Kang Yebin in dramas or films all praised her without exception.
“What will you do after the drama filming is over?”
“I plan to slowly decide which project to appear in next while reviewing scripts.”
“You’re going straight into filming without a break?”
“Yes.”
“Isn’t it better to rest a bit?”
Kang Yebin fully understood why Park Yi-song said this.
Since debuting as an actress, Kang Yebin had never rested for more than half a year at any point.
She constantly yearned to stand before the camera and act.
Wouldn’t she collapse like this? As her manager, it was natural to be worried.
However, Kang Yebin’s stubbornness remained.
“I’ve painfully realized that there are works that I won’t be able to encounter if not for this time.”
Watching works she hadn’t appeared in, or those that came out before she debuted as an actress, Kang Yebin constantly thought:
If she were given the chance to go back in time as she is now,
she would want to appear in almost all the impressive works she had seen.
There was also her fan’s heart,
but it was also because she believed that by acting with them, there would definitely be things to learn as an actress.
And to this day, Kang Yebin’s intentions had been precisely accurate.
Therefore, Kang Yebin believed that her method of continuously working was still valid.
But at the same time, she also felt an inexpressible emptiness.
What was the true nature of this emptiness?
Unfortunately, Kang Yebin couldn’t know right away.
At the point where her conversation with Park Yi-song ended, Kang Yebin tried to focus on her script again.
But then.
“……?”
What was unconsciously held in her hand was not her script, but her smartphone.
“Why did I pick this up…?”
“Huh? Is there a problem?”
Taking advantage of the traffic light, Park Yi-song turned her head towards the back seat where Kang Yebin was sitting and asked.
Then Kang Yebin shook her head and said,
“It’s nothing.”
“Really? If anything is bothering you, tell me anytime.”
“Yes, unnie.”
Kang Yebin put her smartphone down beside her and picked up her script again.
She had no idea why she had done such a thing.
Had she tried to contact someone?
She herself was curious.
Immediately upon arriving in Ethiopia, Kang Dae-oh and his group postponed hotel check-in and headed straight to inspect the coffee beans.
Inside the rattling car.
Every time they drove on the unpaved road, their bottoms repeatedly lifted from and then settled back onto the seats.
Lee Seo-jun, who was in the seat next to Kang Dae-oh, already had a bad expression.
“I don’t even get seasick… I never thought I’d get car sick… Ugh!”
Kang Dae-oh patted Lee Seo-jun’s back and said,
“Just bear with it a little longer. The guide said it’s not far.”
“How much is that ‘not far’…?”
“30 minutes?”
“That’s not ‘not far’!!! ……Ugh!”
Kang Dae-oh wore a wry smile, watching Lee Seo-jun continue to gag.
“That’s what happens when you suddenly get angry. Fix your gaze out the window. Don’t look at nearby things, look as far as you can. Look over there. How beautiful is that vast plain stretching out?”
A natural landscape, difficult to see in mountainous Korea, unfolded majestically before their eyes.
Kang Dae-oh had initially thought he was simply there for work,
but as he drove and looked at the scenery outside, he felt a little like he was on vacation, just as Lee Seo-jun had said.
The problem was that Lee Seo-jun, who had said it, was currently experiencing motion sickness hell.
Executive Director Yoo In-seok, who was in the front with the guide, remained perfectly fine, just like Kang Dae-oh, even in the shaking car.
“According to the advance team that arrived earlier, it’s better not to have high expectations.”
“Why?”
“The bean quality itself is good, but the travel distance and means of transportation might be difficult. It’s also far from the airport. And I heard there are some issues with the farm owner. Should I say he lacks professionalism…? They said he doesn’t seem to manage the beans well. I also heard it vaguely, so I don’t know the details, but it would be best for you to check it out in person.”
You can’t get full on the first spoonful.
Kang Dae-oh had already abandoned the idea of finishing everything in one go before even coming here.
It’s like moving. The more legwork you do, the better it is.
“Oh, right. CEO-nim. How would you like to handle meals? We do have a restaurant reserved, but.”
“Then let’s eat there. No need to bother looking for another place.”
“Yes, I understand.”
When the topic of meals came up, Kang Dae-oh naturally thought of his family.
It hadn’t even been a full day since he came on this overseas business trip,
‘This is trouble.’
He already missed his family.
