Jae Ho summoned Ji Soo early in the morning. Seeing Jae Ho’s unusually serious face, she felt tense, thinking something was up.

“Hmm, Miss Han Ji Soo, which route did ACS Airlines recently launch?”

It was an abrupt question, but Ji Soo wasn’t flustered. She had been keeping up with ACS Airlines’ company newsletter and news letters daily. This was a piece of cake for her.

“The route to New Delhi, India!”

She answered confidently with a fully alert posture.

“I see. So you do have the basics down. The reason I called for you today, Ji Soo…”

Ji Soo gulped, her eyes quite serious.

“I was thinking of specially taking you on a business trip. And it’s an overseas trip.”

“Really? I would love that, Manager Hwang!”

“I’m glad you like it. Though honestly, it doesn’t make sense to give an contract employee an overseas business trip experience. But I’m suggesting this specially, very specially, to give you a good experience, Miss Han Ji Soo.”

“Thank you, Manager Hwang. I’ll work hard.”

“Where do you think we’re going?”

“Well… LA? Dubai? Or Tokyo?”

Jae Ho shook his head side to side while waving his index finger.

“I gave you a hint earlier. New Delhi. That’s where we’re going.”

It was a given that Jae Ho would accompany Joo Hyuk on the trip. He wanted to take one more support staff, but when he mentioned New Delhi, everyone made excuses with disgusted looks.

Manager Yoon Joo Won said his child was too young, Assistant Manager Gu Chang Hyun said Indian water doesn’t agree with him. Team Leader Jin Sang Hee said her boyfriend was strongly opposed to overseas trips so it would be difficult. As for Employee Oh Na Yeon, she lacked guts and energy to begin with, so Jae Ho didn’t even consider her as he would have to take care of her.

So in the end, Ji Soo was chosen as the New Delhi trip partner.

“New Delhi sounds wonderful! Manager Hwang! I will work hard to assist you in supporting Executive Director Min!”

At Ji Soo’s resounding voice, Jae Ho tilted his head with an awkward smile.

“New Delhi… You do know what kind of place that is, right?”

“Yes! Of course. I’ve seen it often on travel documentaries. It’s a city I’ve always wanted to visit.”

“Ah, I see. A very positive attitude. Make a trip checklist right away and have me confirm it, as the trip is next week.”

“Yes! Manager Hwang.”

As Ji Soo was about to turn around with a bright smile, she paused as if remembering something.

“By the way, Manager Hwang, why was this New Delhi trip decided so abruptly?”

She had heard that overseas trips are usually decided months in advance. The thought that a trip being planned a week prior was rare crossed her mind.

“Ah… about that. The new New Delhi branch head who was supposed to take office was shot and killed. A new branch head was urgently recruited, so the Executive Director is going to encourage him and also for the celebration of the new route launch.”

“Sh-shot and killed?”

“You know we have to wear bulletproof vests in India, right?”

“Really? I’ve never worn a bulletproof vest before, but…”

Do we really have to risk our lives to that extent…?

Ji Soo’s mouth gradually fell open wider. Seeing that, Jae Ho burst into laughter, clapping his hands.

“Just kidding!”

“Oh…”

“What are you doing? Hurry up and get to work.”

“Ah, yes. I’ll go and quickly make the checklist first.”

Though an ominous feeling crept up from somewhere, Ji Soo soon shook off all her thoughts.

It was her first overseas business trip since joining ACS Airlines. And as a new contract employee at that. It was only natural that excitement outweighed fear.

***

A week later, Ji Soo accompanied them on the New Delhi trip as planned. New Delhi in August was hot, but it also rained like crazy every day. It felt like walking through water.

‘The problem isn’t bullets, but the rain.’

Ji Soo slightly peeled off her sticky blouse and looked at Joo Hyuk standing on the podium.

It wasn’t because he was her boss, but Joo Hyuk was in a league of his own. He was the tallest among the group, with model-like proportions. On top of that, his looks could make any actor feel small. He was the epitome of having it all.

After the bathtub incident, Ji Soo had been going through a painful time. Images of Joo Hyuk wearing nothing but a thin layer kept popping up in her mind.

It was agonizing to think such thoughts about her boss, but her heart kept pounding unusually whenever their eyes met or when he called her name in his baritone voice. Ji Soo’s cheeks would naturally flush pink. Earlier, when her eyes met Joo Hyuk’s, she reflexively dabbed her cheek with the back of her hand.

She thought she needed to get a hold of herself, but it was out of her control. It was a truly strange physical change.

Standing next to Ji Soo and also looking at Joo Hyuk, Jae Ho narrowed his eyes with a “hmm” sound.

“Doesn’t his face look a bit… red?”

“What? No? Not at all? Not at all!”

Like a thief getting caught red-handed, she hastily denied it.

“Is it the lighting? His face looks more flushed than usual.”

Ah… he was talking about Executive Director Min.

Now that he mentioned it, Jae Ho seemed to be right. She hadn’t been able to properly look at his face as it was too hard to even make eye contact. But Joo Hyuk’s face seemed to have a redder hue than usual.

“Could he be feeling unwell?”

“We should check as soon as he comes down.”

Up until leaving for the New Delhi trip, just watching him juggle his packed schedule was overwhelming. How hard it must have been for him to also take on this sudden trip. She couldn’t take her eyes off Joo Hyuk’s face out of concern.

As soon as Joo Hyuk stepped off the podium, Jae Ho rushed over to him. Seeing his face up close, Ji Soo was certain. Joo Hyuk was suffering from a high fever right now.

It was hot and humid, and he was wearing a three-piece suit on top of that. He must be so stuffy.

“Executive Director Min, I think it would be best to cancel the lunch plans and get a medical examination.”

At Jae Ho’s worried suggestion,

“I flew all the way here to get a hospital exam? No need. I just have a slight fever with no other symptoms. Let’s not disrupt the schedule unnecessarily.”

“But still, Executive Director Min…”

“Manager Hwang and Miss Han Ji Soo, go to the hotel to change and rest before going to eat. I need to do a video call with headquarters.”

“Yes, Executive Director Min.”

When a sick person says they’re fine, moreover when it’s your direct superior suggesting that, Jae Ho couldn’t strongly push his opinion any further.

“Ah! Miss Ji Soo, you brought emergency medicine properly, right? If you have fever reducers or painkillers, take them out.”

“What? At that time, Manager Hwang clearly…”

While preparing for the New Delhi trip, Ji Soo personally made the trip checklist. She referenced the internet and discreetly asked Team Leader Jin Sang Hee. Sang Hee advised that it would be good to pack emergency medicine just in case. But when Jae Ho checked the checklist, he said sternly,

‘Why are you bringing so much unnecessary medicine? Hospitals and pharmacies are everywhere. Besides, I’ve never seen Executive Director Min get sick even once in the 5 years since he was a senior manager until now.’

‘Still, wouldn’t it be okay to at least pack cold and flu medicine just in case?’

‘If it’s something you personally need, Miss Han Ji Soo, then pack it.’

In the end, she revised her plan to bring a whole first-aid kit and only brought a few medicines she needed. They weren’t even newly bought, but ones she brought from home, so the quantities weren’t ample either.

“So did you pack them or not?”

“Painkillers! I have them.”

She immediately rummaged through her handbag, took out the painkillers, and handed them to Jae Ho. After checking the ingredients, Jae Ho urgently followed after Joo Hyuk.

“Executive Director Min, Executive Director Min! Still, taking just one painkiller… I thought it would be okay. It’s a medicine that also has fever-reducing effects.”

After brief contemplation, Joo Hyuk seemed to think taking one painkiller wasn’t a bad idea and swallowed a pill without water. Jae Ho sighed in relief.

***

After finishing all the day’s schedule and returning to the accommodation, Joo Hyuk realized his physical condition was very abnormal. In fact, his whole body had been in painful agony since the morning, and he felt like he could lose consciousness at any moment from the high fever. But he endured it over and over, hating the idea of his condition disrupting the schedule after coming all this way.

‘I suppose getting a doctor’s examination now would be fine.’

With that thought, Joo Hyuk instructed Jae Ho to call a doctor. But the doctor who said he would come within an hour still hadn’t even contacted them after well over two hours had passed.

“Oh man, did he get into an accident on the way or what? Why isn’t he coming? You should get examined quickly and go to sleep.”

Jae Ho was constantly on his cell phone in front of Joo Hyuk’s room. He had already called the visiting doctor several times but to no avail. Joo Hyuk’s condition looked worse than during the day at a glance, making him more anxious.

“What about… the emergency room?”

Ji Soo asked with a worried look next to Jae Ho.

“It’s not that I haven’t thought about it, but if we unnecessarily go to the ER here, there’s a high chance Executive Director Min will only suffer.”

The medical staff likely wouldn’t see it as an urgent situation, so the wait would be long. In that case, Joo Hyuk would probably end up suffering, spending time in the ER for nothing.

“The medicine Miss Ji Soo gave earlier doesn’t seem to be having much effect either. If this were Korea, getting an IV and a shot at times like this would make him recover quickly.”

Jae Ho let out deep sighs one after another. He regretted not just letting Ji Soo pack the first-aid kit when she said she would. It was too late for regrets now.

“Manager Hwang, speaking of IV, I just thought of something. What about giving him an electrolyte drink with a vitamin pill? I think he might have dehydration symptoms too from sweating a lot today.”

“Yes, that’s a good idea.”

“Then I’ll go out and buy plenty of electrolyte drinks, vitamins, and fever reducers.”

“You don’t need me to go with you…?”

“Of course! I’ll be back soon.”

Jae Ho had a relieved expression.

***

Ji Soo stood at the hotel entrance, looking at the sky with a helpless gaze. It was like someone was pouring a basin of water into a house with no ceiling. It was quite dark, probably because it was past 8 PM. Though the hotel was in an affluent area, goosebumps rose on her forearms from an eerie feeling for some reason.

‘This isn’t the time to be standing around blankly like this. Executive Director Min must be in so much pain.’

Ji Soo pressed her lips firmly together and stepped out the door with resolve.