DYEH 21

Chapter 21

Seohui wore a gentle smile, putting her at ease. Had her strategy worked? A look of relief crossed Suar’s face.

“I lost my luggage. My wallet, passport, and phone were all in my bag…”
“Oh my, how did that happen?”

Seohui responded with a sympathetic tone. It was one of the best ways to gain the trust of someone flustered.

“I’m sorry, but could you help me?”

Of course. That was why she had come here early in the morning.

Seohui nodded, hiding her true intentions.

“Would it be better to contact the embassy first? Where are you from?”

Suar’s expression, which had been cautious just moments ago, changed. She was in a vulnerable position, asking for help, and this was a foreign country. Naturally, she couldn’t let her guard down.

But by chance, the person she met not only offered help but suggested a solution before she could even think of it. Perhaps this could become a valuable connection, maybe even a good friend.

“Amadan. I’m from Amadan.”
“Then let’s go to the Amadan embassy. I think we can drive there in my car.”

Seohui guided her to the parking lot where the car was waiting. Once inside, they headed straight for Seoul.

Though there were some traffic jams along the way, the roads weren’t as bad as expected, and there was plenty of time to talk.

“I didn’t get to introduce myself properly. Thank you for helping me. I’m Suar from Amadan.”
“I’m Han Seohui. If my name’s hard to pronounce, you can just call me Hui.”
“Hui, thank you so much. Earlier, I was really in a panic.”

She turned out to be brighter than expected. Perhaps because her tension had eased, and she sensed things would be resolved smoothly, Suar continued chatting endlessly.

After they got off at the airport and checked the map briefly, she recounted how losing her luggage had ruined the start of her trip, and then quickly added how meeting a kind person like Seohui had lifted her spirits.

Realizing she had been talking non-stop, Suar gave an awkward laugh and apologized.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I think I’ve only been talking about myself.”
“It’s okay.”
“Why are you at the airport? I hope I’m not causing you any trouble…”

Seohui smiled and shared the prepared answer, a believable reason.

“I was supposed to meet a friend from the U.S., but I got the dates mixed up.”
“Oh, so it was a wasted trip?”

Of course not. The real purpose had been to meet Suar all along.

“Not wasted at all. Now you’re getting help, right?”

Seohui’s smile made Suar smile in return.

‘She seems like a really nice person.’

Suar glanced at Seohui, her eyes bright. She looked serious, focused on driving straight ahead. Her kind face and gentle voice offering help were notable, but an interesting detail was that, despite her youthful appearance, she had a surprisingly mature demeanor.

‘I think I’ve met a very interesting person. It didn’t start smoothly, but this might turn into a fun journey.’

“It was like a stroke of luck for me. Maybe it was divine intervention. That got me thinking—how can I repay you?”
“Repay me? Oh, it’s not that grand.”
“My parents always said that when someone helps you, you should repay them many times over. So whatever you want, just ask. I’ll make sure to grant one thing you wish for.”

Suar’s confident words made Seohui smile inwardly. Things were going exactly as she wanted. She didn’t plan to actually ask Suar to use her family’s construction company; she would let Suar offer it first.

Grandfather, you’ll need to prepare a hefty incentive.

Seohui happily pressed the accelerator.

Luckily, everything proceeded smoothly. After entering Seoul and heading toward the embassy, they got a call.

It was from the taxi driver who had mistakenly taken her luggage. He apologized profusely and promised to deliver it to them.

Skipping a potentially troublesome process, Suar was able to retrieve her luggage, bag, and phone completely intact.

“Where’s your reserved accommodation?”
“Um, just a moment…”

Her expression darkened instantly as she checked her phone.

Seohui wondered if something else had gone wrong, and Suar awkwardly spoke up.

“There’s a bit of a problem with that too. How can a trip be so eventful?”

She went on, explaining that although she had confirmed the reservation, the accommodation was unexpectedly canceled.

This wasn’t part of the plan. While it was inconvenient for Suar, it wasn’t bad for Seohui—it was an opportunity to solidify her advantage.

“If there’s a hotel nearby, can you drop me off there?”
“If it’s not too much trouble…”
“…?”
“Would you like to come to my house?”
“Your house?”

Suar blinked, unsure if it was acceptable. Seohui casually reassured her.

“I have a few extra rooms at home.”

After a brief moment of hesitation, Suar didn’t refuse. She felt it would be impolite to decline someone offering help.

“If you’re okay with it, I’d be really grateful.”

Their destination quickly changed. Soon, Seohui’s car entered a street lined with grand mansions.

Stopping in front of a red-brick house resembling a fortress, Suar’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Shall we go in?”

Without waiting, Suar crossed the garden. The well-kept garden led to a brick house matching the color of the walls. It was more like a mansion than a house.

“Hui, are you rich?”

Seohui smiled at the surprised question.

“Not me, my grandfather.”

Inside, Suar met an elderly gentleman with white hair. She greeted him without hesitation, used to encountering this type of person.

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Suar from Amadan.”
“Welcome. Guests of our Seohui are always welcome.”

The gentleman, Han, smiled kindly, showing no sign of suspicion despite her unfamiliar appearance. Suar thought he resembled Seohui, perhaps inheriting his character.

“We’ll talk during the meal.”

After the greeting, she was shown to a guest room on the second floor. The neat room was nicer than some one-star hotels.

“Unpack your things and come down. Let’s eat together.”

Left alone, Suar checked her phone. After reading a few messages, she made a call.

“Yes, I’ve arrived safely. There were a few minor issues, but nothing serious. Work won’t be affected.”

Although she had told Seohui this was a trip, her real reason for coming to Korea was work. She was overseeing an important project connecting the southern free trade zone and northern region of Amadan. Travel between the two regions was currently inconvenient, requiring either sea travel or a 100 km detour.

It was a crucial project for the country’s future. Once completed, travel would be faster, and tourists would flock to see the 50 km-long bridge. Being responsible for such a project carried a lot of weight.

She had flown without hesitation upon learning Korea could complete such a project quickly and safely.

“I’ll start contacting potential companies once the candidates are finalized and report progress along the way.”

The call ended quickly. Meeting such a capable person gave her a good feeling.

Suar took out a notebook from her suitcase, filled with names and addresses of buildings constructed by major Korean construction companies.

“From tomorrow, it’s going to be busy.”

For today, she planned to spend a little more time with those who had invited her. Going downstairs, the aroma of food greeted her.

Though unfamiliar, it was appetizing. She cautiously walked toward the dining room.

A large table was filled with colorful dishes, with Seohui and Han already seated.

“Come, sit here.”

Seohui pulled out the chair next to her. Suar bowed slightly in gratitude.

“Thank you for inviting me.”

The three shared a warm and friendly meal.