Almost ten hours later... The soft chime echoed gently through the cabin.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We have begun our descent into Vancouver. The local time is..."
The announcement continued in English before being repeated in Korean. One by one, passengers slowly woke from their naps.
Window shades lifted. Seatbelts clicked. People stretched their stiff backs and rubbed sleepy eyes. The airplane had been their entire world for nearly half a day.
Now... Land was finally visible beneath the clouds.
Ji-Ah stirred first. She frowned slightly in her sleep before slowly opening one eye.
For a few seconds... She couldn't remember where she was.
Everything felt warm. Comfortable.
Something soft supported the side of her head.
Then... Her eyes drifted sideways. She froze. Her head was resting on Ha-Joon's shoulder. Her eyes widened so much she nearly stopped breathing.
...No. No no no no no.
How long have I been like this?
Very carefully... Painfully carefully... She lifted her head.
Ha-Joon opened his eyes at almost the exact same moment.
He looked at her calmly. "Good morning."
She stared. "...Morning?"
"You slept for almost six hours."
"...SIX?"
Her whisper came out much louder than she intended.
A businessman across the aisle glanced over.
Ji-Ah immediately covered her own mouth. "Oh no..."
Ha-Joon looked amused. "You needed it."
"I used your shoulder for six hours?"
"You did."
"...Why didn't you wake me?"
"You looked tired."
She slowly covered her face with both hands. "I'm resigning."
"You can't."
"My dignity already did."
"It'll recover."
"It won't."
He reached for the bottle of water in the seat pocket and handed it to her. "Drink."
She accepted it quietly. "...Thank you."
After taking a few sips, she looked at him again. "...Does your shoulder hurt?"
"A little."
Her eyes grew round again. "...A little?"
"It'll live."
She looked genuinely guilty. "...I'm sorry."
"You've apologized three times in the last minute."
"I'll make it four."
"You don't have to."
She lowered her gaze.
"...Still..."
He only shook his head once. "It wasn't a problem."
Behind them... Min-Ji had watched the entire exchange without saying a word.
Her expression remained pleasant. Composed.
Even when her fingers tightened around the armrest.
Even when she saw Ha-Joon speaking more gently than usual.
Even when Ji-Ah smiled in relief.
She simply looked away.
A little longer...
Just a little longer.
The aircraft continued descending.
Clouds slowly parted.
Ji-Ah eagerly leaned toward the window. "...Ha-Joon."
"Hm?"
"I can see it!"
He looked outside too.
Far below...
The city stretched beautifully along the coastline.
Towering glass buildings shimmered beneath the afternoon sun.
Deep blue water surrounded parts of the city.
Long bridges connected neighborhoods.
Snow-covered mountains stood proudly in the distance like silent guardians watching over Vancouver.
The forests looked endless.
Green.
Peaceful.
Beautiful.
Ji-Ah pressed both hands against the window. "...It's..."
She searched for the right word. "...Huge."
Ha-Joon nodded. "Welcome to Vancouver."
Her eyes sparkled. "It looks like a movie."
The plane gently touched the runway.
A small bump.
Then another.
The engines roared in reverse before gradually slowing.
Passengers around the cabin quietly applauded.
Someone laughed.
Children cheered.
The long journey... Was finally over.
Once the aircraft reached the gate, everyone stood almost immediately.
Overhead compartments opened all around them. Suitcases. Backpacks. Coats. People shuffled impatiently into the aisle.
Min-Hyuk stretched dramatically. "My spine..."
Seo-Yeon laughed. "It still exists."
"Barely."
Yoo-Na looked completely exhausted. "I've forgotten how to walk."
Hea-In adjusted her coat. "You've been sitting."
"Exactly."
"My legs retired."
Ji-Ah carefully slipped on her coat.
The moment she stood...
She wobbled.
Ha-Joon immediately steadied her elbow. "Careful."
She laughed awkwardly. "My legs."
"They'll adjust."
"I hope so."
After everyone had collected their luggage...
They slowly made their way through the airport.
Vancouver International Airport was bright and surprisingly calm.
Massive windows filled the terminal with natural light.
Signs appeared in both English and French.
Travelers from every corner of the world moved through the arrival hall.
Some reunited with family.
Others hurried toward taxis.
The smell of fresh coffee drifted from nearby cafés.
Ji-Ah turned her head every few seconds. "So many languages..."
Yoo-Na pointed dramatically. "That man just spoke three languages in one sentence."
"I think it was two."
"It felt like seven."
Immigration took some time. Passports were checked. Questions were answered. Fingerprints scanned. Everything went smoothly.
Eventually... One by one... They stepped through the final automatic doors. The cool Canadian air greeted them immediately.
Ji-Ah stopped walking. A breeze gently lifted the loose strands of her brown hair.
It was colder than Seoul. Not freezing... But crisp. Fresh.
The kind of air that made every breath feel cleaner.
She inhaled deeply.
"...It smells different than seoul. It looks different too,"
Min-Hyuk sniffed the air too.
"I smell..." He paused dramatically. "...Money."
Seo-Yeon looked at him. "You smelled the airport parking lot."
"I stand by my statement."
A row of black luxury SUVs waited outside.
Two men in dark suits stood beside them. The moment they spotted Ha-Joon...
They bowed respectfully. "Welcome, Director Kim."
Ha-Joon returned the greeting with a polite nod. "Thank you."
One of the men stepped forward. "I'm David. I'll be assisting your group during your stay."
The other smiled warmly. "And I'm Marcus."
Lee and Choi immediately greeted them as though they already knew each other.
Professional nods. Brief handshakes. Everything efficient.
David gestured toward the vehicles. "Your hotel has been prepared."
Ji-Ah looked around curiously. "...We're staying in a hotel?"
Ha-Joon glanced at her. "For now."
"For now?"
He nodded. "Our company owns a residence here."
Min-Hyuk smiled. "But Mother insisted we stay in the hotel for the first two nights."
"Why?"
"So we can rest before work begins."
Yoo-Na immediately raised one hand.
"I support your mother."
The luggage was quickly loaded into the SUVs.
This time... The seating arrangements changed.
Ha-Joon entered the first vehicle with Min-Ji, Lee sitting in the front passenger seat while David drove.
The second SUV carried Min-Hyuk, Seo-Yeon, Yoo-Na, Hea-In, Ji-Ah, Choi, and Marcus.
As the convoy pulled away from the airport...
Ji-Ah rested her head lightly against the window again.
Outside... Everything looked new. Wide roads lined with towering evergreen trees. Neatly painted houses. Cyclists riding along dedicated bike lanes.
People walking dogs despite the cool weather.
In the distance...
The mountains remained visible, their snow-covered peaks glowing beneath the afternoon sun.
Yoo-Na stared out her own window. "...It's actually pretty."
Ji-Ah smiled. "I told you it was pretty, I've made researches."
Yoo-Na folded her arms. "Don't get used to being right Mrs. Right."
Everyone laughed softly. Even Choi smiled to himself from the front seat.
Behind the windshield, the city stretched farther and farther ahead.
For everyone else, it was the beginning of a business trip.
For Ji-Ah... It felt like she had stepped into an entirely different world.
She had no idea that somewhere within this beautiful city...
Min-Ji was already thinking several moves ahead, quietly weaving the next thread of her plan while Vancouver welcomed them with clear skies and cold autum air.