Arena Chapter 58:
Chapter 58 Copenhagen (Part 1)
I received contact from chairman Park Jin-seong to get to Gimpo airport by 11 am .
Thanks to that I have some time left over in my morning and I take Hyun-ji to school .
“Oppa!”
As soon as I stop the car and drop her off, there’s a girl that opens my passenger door and sits herself down in its seat .
With long black hair and impressionable double eyelids, a happy 23-yeahr old college student (in American age, this is 22 . )
It’s the girl that I started dating yesterday, Yoo Min-Jeong .
“You’re going to Denmark today, right? Aww, what will I do, I won’t be able to see you for a while?”
Seeing the adorable Min-Jeong, I am reminded of the sweet time we had last night and my heart is happy .
“I see you’re both just getting along so well!”
Finding all this ridiculous, Hyun-ji looked at us, at her wit’s end . Whether she stares or not, Min-Jeong brazenly sticks herself closer to me . Hyun-ji looks like she’s about to rage .
“I don’t know when I’ll be back . When I get back, I’ll call you first . ”
“You won’t go cheat or anything?”
“Of course not . I don’t even have the skills to do that . ”
“Okay, you can’t get all excited that you’re in Europe and go have a fling with some blonde, okay?”
“Don’t worry, I don’t like blondes . ”
“Then?”
Instead of an answer, I stroke back Min-Jeong’s hair . Min-Jeong smiled and got even closer to me .
“You’ll be late for class, bitch!”
Maybe it hurt her eyes to see us, because Hyun-ji is annoyed to the max . But instead, Min-Jeong just closes the door . Then she opens her window and speaks .
“I’m going to skip morning classes, sub in for me!”
“What?”
“Please and thank you, sister-in-law! Okay, oppa, let’s go! Hurry, hurry!”
I do as I’m told and start the car . I can see Hyun-ji throwing a fit through my rear view mirror . Min-Jeong is giggling next to me . I laugh too .
“Oppa, what should we do?”
I take out my smartphone and check the time . It’s not 9am .
“Did you eat breakfast?”
“No . I have lectures starting at 9 am and I woke up late today . ”
“Then let’s go eat something tasty . Know anywhere good?”
“There’s a pasta shop in front of school . ”
“Okay, we’ll go there . ”
We go to the shopping district in front of the school and park on the street and get out .
The gaze of passing students rests on me as I get out of the driver seat . It is the power of the Porsche Cayenne . It’s not a flashy sports car, but still, it’s rare to see in front of a college .
Min-Jeong quickly got out of the car and stands right next to me .
It’s an action like she’s marking me as hers .
The passing students look super annoyed by it . The poor students that have received mental damage early in the morning move on by at a faster pace .
“Keep doing that and you’ll be an outcast . ”
“Doesn’t matter . I’m graduating soon anyway . ”
She’s so bright like she’s on drugs and her good mood rubs off on me and makes me feel good too .
We eat together when Min-Jeong suddenly grabbed my wrist and speaks .
“Oppa, do you not have a watch?”
“Yeah . ”
“A working man should have a wrist watch . ”
“Really? I guess I should buy one . ”
Actually, I have a beat up digital watch I used in the army at home . They were being sold for $10 in front of the army base but I don’t wear them because I don’t like how it looks .
“Oppa, can I get you one as a present?”
“It’s okay . Since I’m going abroad, I’ll get one at an airport shop . ”
I have a million dollars in my bank . There’s no need to use an almost-graduated college girl’s budget .
“How expensive are you going to get?”
“Hmm, I don’t know . I have enough money so I’ll take a big bite and get a good one . ”
“Give me a figure . I’ll pick it out for you!”
“You will?”
“Yeah, I’ll search online and pick a few and message the options to you . ”
“Hmm, well . ”
“No?”
Min-Jeong makes a cute expression . Her eyes are dewy like the eyes of a bunny rabbit . I have no doubt that she knows her double eyelids are beautiful .
‘Makes me wonder . How much do I say?’
Tens of thousands of dollars wouldn’t be a burden at all . But if I name a number that high she might faint and find it strange . But I have all this money and I don’t want a cheap one either…
“$5000?” (USD)
“Really?”
“Yeah, I’ll wear it forever so I should go big . ”
“Am I picking out something that will be wrapped on your wrist forever?”
“Exactly . So you have to pick well . ”
“Hehe, just leave it to me . ”
Shopping is definitely for girls, because Min-Jeong’s eyes glow with determination .
We finished our meal and drink some coffee at the café next door and chit chat about this and that . Min-Jeong has an endless list of things to talk about and she never stops talking .
It’s time for us to part so we get in the car and I take her back to school when Min-Jeong suddenly says,
“Oppa, tell me one wish of yours . ”
“A wish?”
“Whatever it is, I’ll grant one wish . ”
“You really, mean, like, whatever?”
“Yes, in the spirit of wishing you a good trip . Threes also the meaning of not having you cheat while you’re over there . ”
“Psh, cheating . Anyway, a wish…”
Wish .
She’ll grant it no matter what it is .
A bunch of dirty thoughts dance across my mind . Due to Min-Jeong’s provocative stare, even more lustful thoughts abound . And we are right in front of the school which means her efficiency apartment is right nearby .
‘No, no, I shouldn’t . ’
I control my desperate urges . We had relations on the day we decided to date . The pace is already fast enough and if we do it again here, I feel like I’ll be pushing too much with Min-Jeong .
“Give me a kiss . ”
“Pft, scaredy-cat . ”
That upsets me .
“Should I change my wish now then?”
“You can’t . ”
Min-Jeong giggled as she approaches me for a kiss . We meet our lips together and share a breath and affectionately caress each other’s tongues . My body warms up and Min-Jeong and I both, with a little disappointment, part .
“I’m going to head back to class now . I think Hyun-ji’s going to be mad . ”
“Okay, I’ll see you when I get back . ”
“Let’s chat on video chats . ”
“Okay . ”
Min-Jeong goes into her school and I head back home . I changed my clothes and grab my Boston bag stuffed with my things and head in the direction of Gimpo airport .
***
Speaking of, Gimpo airport is in a full ruckus .
“Chairman, what is your reason for going abroad to Denmark?”
“Are you planning on returning to work?”
“Is it true you have a health problem?”
“Chairman!”
“Chairman! An answer, please…!”
The reporters are bustling like a swarm of ants with a flurry of questions . The flash goes off from all different directions, all aimed at chairman Park Jin-seong’s face .
The guards blocked off the reporters that keep swarming in like bees and forge a path .
With the path that they barely carved out, chairman Park Jin-seong calmly walked through . Next to him is the 3rd office secretary Lee Jung-shik and me too .
Being next to chairman Park Jin-seong, my face will probably end up in the papers too .
‘Mom, I think I’ll be on the 9 o’clock news . ’
Like it’ll only be on the news .
At this rate, my face will be on the front pages of newspapers .
When I get on chairman Park Jin-seong’s personal use Boeing 737, I don’t even have the time to take in the grand interior that I can’t even believe is the inside of a plane, before I collapse into the nearest chair .
I sat on a sofa in front of a coffee table and lean my body back .
The first attack of reporters I’ve ever experienced in my life was a shock .
They were questions for chairman Park Jin-seong, but just by standing next to him, I was more nervous . I feel as if I was group lynched .
‘He’s lived his life being subjected to this kind of thing . ’
I admire chairman Park Jin-seong for having held a straight face, without changing, in front of all those reporters .
I was briefly able to experience what a huge pressure it is to have any interest from others .
Chairman Park Jin-seong looks exhausted from it too .
He sat on the sofa across from me and extended his hand to me .
“Whew, I am exhausted . Give me one of those . ”
It is obvious what ‘one of those’ things chairman Park Jin-seong is referring to .
“Yes . ”
I make a flame of life and hand it to him . Chairman Park Jin-seong swallowed the flame in one gulp and it must give him a surge of energy because he smiled happily .
“This is why I didn’t ask for it when I saw you this morning . It’s more dramatic to eat it after the bustle . ”
“Haha…”
“Ugh, I am so thirsty . Go bring something to drink . ”
As soon as chairman Park Jin-seong flicked his finger, a stewardess quickly fetches him some orange juice .
She’s maybe late 20’s?
With a tidy appearance and cute impression, the stewardess asked me .
“Can I get you anything to drink?”
“Yes, coffee please . ”
“What kind of coffee should I get you?”
“An iced Americano . ”
“Okay, please wait one moment . ”
The stewardess quickly got me an iced Americano . I am moved by this experience as I drink my coffee .
‘How could the inside of a plane be this comfortable . ’
Before I came, I searched for ‘Jinseong Group chairman private jet’ online .
‘It said there are sleeping quarters and an office obviously and even a gym . ’
I really want to take a look around .
But more importantly than that, I should change into more comfortable clothes . The suit I am wearing right now is indeed uncomfortable .
“Chairman, is it okay if I change?”
“Do what you want . But…”
Chairman Park Jin-seong looks me up and down .
“Why are you wearing such a cheap suit? You’ve got loads of money now . ”
“I don’t really have an interest in clothes . ”
“You don’t have a watch on your wrist, your hairstyle is that, you’re a young guy, why not care about how you look?”
“Is it that weird?”
Receiving this scolding, I scratched my head .
Chairman Park Jin-seong spoke .
“You are going to meet people for official business . Do you want to look unimportant to these people?”
“Um, no . ”
“Not only that but you are only a 3rd turn examinee so to them, you will look all the more pitiful, so if you look like you do now, that will only make it worse . When we get to Copenhagen, go shopping first . ”
“Okay, I will . ”
“Also, you can’t speak English?”
“No…”
“Ugh!”
Chairman Park Jin-seong grabbed the back of his neck .
“Oh goodness, sometimes when I see you, I get angry . When I was your age, I lived and worked so hard…!”
“I’m sorry . Please calm down . ”
“You are as the saying goes, disease giving, cure giving . ”
Chairman Park Jin-seong once again flicked his fingers and called over the stewardess .
“Yes?”
The stewardess from before approached .
“Young lady, what is your name?”
“It is Lee Soo-hyun, chairman . ”
“Take this fellow shopping in Copenhagen . Starting with hairstyle, from head to toe, fix him up, got it?”
Stewardess Lee Soo-hyun looks me up and down .
In embarrassment, I hang my head low . Perhaps Lee Soo-hyun finds me doing this to be funny because she smiles and says .
“Understood, chairman . ”
Having been pegged as a fool, I mumbled to myself in my head and changed into more comfortable clothes . Jeans and a t shirt, a cardigan, a blazer, and sneakers is what I changed into and he must not like it very much because chairman Park Jin-seong tsk tsks his tongue .
‘Oh like you dress all that well… damn, that watch looks nice . ’
I looked at his shiny wristwatch and am back to admiring him .
***
After about 12 hours in flight, we arrive at the Copenhagen airport . Current time zone time is 4 in the afternoon .
Chairman Park Jin-seong moved separately so he ccould be seen for foreign business reasons .
I was left alone at the airport like a missing child and I felt anxious when stewardess Lee soo-hyun came to **** me .
“Come this way . ”
“Okay . ”
I tagged along behind Lee Soo-hyun like a baby chick .
Lee Soo-hyun took me outside the airport and we got into a cab . The middle aged taxi driver and her conversation, I understood none of it .
I looked out the window as we rode in the taxi and I blankly stared at the strange landscape and the strange people .
Copenhagen .
My first step onto European soil .