The might before the flight, Bora's apartment looked like a unicorn had exploded.
Pink LED strips ran along the walls, casting a warm glow over a wide-open Hello Kitty suitcase. Clothes, shoes, and makeup lay scattered across the floor like she was packing for both a runway and a survival reality show.
She twirled a pair of sparkly six-inch stilettos in her hand.
"These heels are so high, I might ascend to the gods… or twist my ankle and land on Taehyun. Either way, romance."
The heels landed in the suitcase with a dramatic thud.
She moved to her vanity, scooping up a mountain of makeup palettes…one for every emotion she planned to fake. Lipsticks clattered into the case as she spoke to herself.
"This one's for 'Oops, I dropped my files near Junho.' This one's 'Help me, Taehyun-ssi, I'm cold.' And this one… full clown mode for the gala. Let them say I'm extra. I'll outshine the chandelier."
The glittery makeup pouch was zipped with a flourish, followed by a bracelet set clearly labeled Couple Edition. She smirked as she tossed it in.
"These'll accidentally match with whichever man stands too close. People will talk. People will scream. People will say… 'Is she dating both?'"
She laughed like a Bond villain in pink slippers before pulling out a red sequin dress with an open back and feather cuffs.
"Emergency slay."
The suitcase bulged, seams straining. Bora climbed on top, bouncing up and down in a desperate attempt to zip it. The zipper gasped and gave up immediately, launching her feather boa into the air like a snake escaping prison.
She rolled off the suitcase dramatically, hair flopping into her face like a fallen K-pop idol. Her eyes flicked to the pink duffle bag in the corner.
"Should I… pack another bag? Just for essentials?"
She placed her manicure kit onto a satin cloth as though handling a sacred artifact.
"My manicure set is an important task. This isn't just nail art… this is diplomacy."
In her head, triumphant music swelled.
The next morning, the international airport bustled with travelers. Announcements echoed overhead, the air filled with the sound of rolling suitcases. Seri and Taehyun stood together, their luggage neat and minimal, dressed in sleek travel coats.
"Should I be worried about what you've got up your sleeve for Kyoto?" Taehyun asked with an easy smile.
"If I told you all the steps," Seri replied without looking at him, "it wouldn't be a secret mission, would it?"
"Can' argue with that." He leaned closer, lowering his voice. "Anyway… I've brought my own mission to Kyoto too."
Her brows lifted slightly. "Wait,you too? You have something going on there?"
He held her gaze for a beat longer than necessary, something unspoken hanging between them until a voice broke in.
"I didn't know being early was a competition now."
Junho approached with Daejin just behind him, his expression calm but edged. His eyes shifted from Taehyun to Seri.
"I thought I was on time. But looks like I'm late to… whatever this is."
Seri straightened, sensing the tension. Taehyun only smiled like he was enjoying the game. "Just some light pre-flight conversation, Director Kang," he said.
"Must've been fascinating," Junho murmured, gaze flicking to Seri.
Before she could respond, Bora's voice cut through the terminal.
"Hey, you all! Wait for your fashion icon!"
She strutted toward them with a giant Hello Kitty suitcase on one side, a bright pink carry-on on the other, and a mini makeup bag dangling from her arm like a trophy. Daejin trailed behind, clearly pretending not to be associated with her.
"Are we headed to Kyoto… or prepping for World War Four?" Taehyun asked, smirking.
"She packed enough to redecorate an entire apartment," Daejin said under his breath. "At this rate, she's moving to Kyoto for five years."
"These are survival essentials," Bora declared proudly. "Heels, curlers, and personality."
Seri's gaze dropped to the overstuffed luggage. "Is there a missile launcher in there? Because that bag looks ready to declare war."
Bora gasped, then flipped her hair. "Excuse me, Miss PR…this is called preparation. You never know when you'll need an outfit change… or three."
"Or a backup wardrobe in case of a meteor strike," Daejin added with a smirk.
"Better hope she doesn't ask you to carry her 'emergency glam bag,'" Taehyun said to Seri. "That thing has its own gravity."
Their laughter died quickly when the sharp click of heels echoed through the hall. The group turned.
Han Hanna approached with the calm precision of a woman who knew her effect on a room. Oversized sunglasses framed her face, a designer trench coat flowing as she rolled a sleek black carry-on. She pulled off her glasses slowly, her eyes locking onto Junho.
"Oh? I'm not too late… am I?"
Seri froze. Bora's small bag slipped from her hand. Taehyun's brow arched with interest.
"Perfect," Daejin muttered with a grin. "Now the drama's complete, we've got the full cast."
Junho said nothing. But his eyes… they held recognition.
Bora's eyes went wide, completely ignoring Hanna's face and locking on the pale pink leather in her hand.
"Omo… is that the new limited-edition cherry blossom clutch?" she asked, trailing the bag with hungry eyes.
"Yes, it is," Hanna replied smoothly, her tone sweet but knowing.
Seri's spine straightened almost imperceptibly, as if her body reacted before her mind did.
Taehyun's smirk was faint but deliberate.
"Didn't expect you to show up here. Guess my idea about you covering the media in Japan wasn't such a bad suggestion after all."
"Thank you for letting me join the team, Junho." Hanna's gaze slid toward him, her smile polished to perfection. "I'm thrilled to add a little spice to my work." Her eyes flicked briefly to Seri, the sweetness in her voice laced with something sharper. "Hope I'm not making anyone uncomfortable… Seri?"
"I'm comfortable with anything," Seri said evenly. "For now."
Daejin clapped once, cutting through the air. "Alright, lovebirds and bag collectors ,shall we go now?"
Junho's tone was calm but carried the weight of command. "Let's move. We have a flight to catch."
The group rolled their luggage toward the departure gate, the air between them carrying the faint hum of restrained smiles and simmering undercurrents. The trip to Kyoto had officially begun.
A moment later, the scene shifted.
Kyoto's cool air greeted them as the airport's sliding doors slid open. The hum of travelers surrounded them, luggage wheels clicking against polished tiles. Outside the glass, the city waited under a pale winter sun.
Near the front of the arrivals crowd, a sharply dressed man stood with a polished stillness that made him stand out. He wore a tailored navy suit, rimless glasses, and carried a sign in clean black letters:
LEE TAEHYUN – HYUNMYEONG GROUP
He wore a tailored navy suit, rimless glasses, and a bow so precise it might have been rehearsed. But his eyes — sharp and measuring — told a different story.
Daejin nudged Taehyun. "Mr. Lee… looks like someone from your local branch."
Taehyun didn't take his eyes off the man. "…He's not just logistics."
Bora leaned toward Seri, whispering, "Omo… why does he look like a villain from a spy movie?"
Junho's gaze shifted between the two men, clocking the subtle change in Taehyun's posture. Calm on the surface, but there was alertness in the way he moved.
Before Taehyun could approach, Seri stepped forward. "You're here to receive Mr. Lee Taehyun, from Hyunmyeong Group?"
"Yes, ma'am," the man said in crisp Korean. "Sakamoto Hiro, Kyoto liaison for Hyunmyeong Japan. Assigned to coordinate transportation, accommodations, and security."
"Security?" Junho asked, his tone even.
"Kyoto has been under discreet surveillance since the project leaked overseas," Sakamoto replied. "Hyunmyeong requested enhanced precaution due to recent movements."
Seri studied him. "And you're the one assigned to keep an eye on us?"
"To assist and protect," he said without blinking. "And to report."
Taehyun smirked. "Comforting."
Bora whispered to Daejin, "Do spa trips come with surveillance teams?"
Sakamoto stepped forward and gestured for them to follow, his gloved hand motioning toward the sleek black van waiting at the curb. Seri's gaze lingered on that hand for a beat before she looked away. Something about him was wrong but she let it pass. For now.
They were almost at the van when Bora suddenly clutched her stomach. "Wait…if I don't go now, I'll embarrass South Korea on Japanese soil."
"I could use a touch-up too," Hanna added, fixing her sunglasses.
"Make it quick," Junho said, glancing at his watch
Seri's gaze lingered on her phone before she slid it into her coat pocket. She straightened, smoothing the front of her jacket, her tone even but leaving no room for question. "I'll freshen up too. Just a quick splash."
"You looked fine five seconds ago," Taehyun remarked.
She gave him a look over her shoulder. "Don't worry. I won't disappear."
There was something in that glance that lingered, a quiet signal beneath her casual tone. Taehyun caught it immediately, his fingers brushing the case holding his comm earpiece. He didn't put it on, not yet… but his posture shifted, alert.
Junho's eyes tracked Seri as she walked away, his expression unreadable, though the faint tightening of his jaw betrayed a question he didn't voice.
In the restroom, Hanna touched up her lips with the care of a beauty commercial, while Bora emerged from a stall, wrestling with her skirt. "Ugh, my curls died somewhere over the East China Sea."
Her gaze fell back on Hanna's clutch. "If you ever get bored of that bag… sell it to me. I'll give it a good home. Or trade it for my heart."
"You'd sell your heart for a handbag?" Hanna asked dryly.
"For that bag? My heart, my soul, and maybe Daejin's apartment," Bora said without hesitation.