Chapter 150
The following evening, after finishing every last schedule at the Cannes Film Festival, we packed our bags to return to Korea.
After the closing ceremony, there had been a press conference that lasted late into the night, followed by a nonstop series of media interviews from early morning.
Director Song and the rest of us were completely exhausted.
But as we packed our bags to finally go home, everyone felt lighter and happier than ever.
We traveled from Cannes to Nice, then from Nice to Paris.
And at last, we boarded our flight to Korea.
CEO Han Taesung and Film Team Leader Ju Hanyoung had suddenly picked up additional business meetings and were scheduled to head to England the next day, so we parted ways with them in France.
The moment I boarded the flight to Korea, I collapsed into my seat.
I slept for almost fourteen hours without waking even once.
The relief that everything was finally over, combined with all the tension and stress that had built up over the past few weeks, hit me all at once.
I practically passed out.
“Hey, CEO Min.”
“Kibaek, wake up.”
“We’re almost there. Come on, wake up.”
Not long before landing at Incheon Airport, Cha Seungjoon shook me awake.
“My God...”
I blinked groggily.
“We’re already in Korea?”
Cha Seungjoon smirked.
“You were sleeping so still that I thought you’d worked yourself to death.”
“Did you get any sleep, hyung?”
“Actually, I couldn’t sleep.”
He glanced around.
“From what I saw, everyone except me was completely unconscious.”
I stared blankly out the window at Incheon Airport in the distance.
“Do you think many people came to the airport?”
“Who knows?”
Cha Seungjoon shrugged.
“It’s almost nine at night. How many people could’ve come?”
“Probably a few reporters.”
The plane landed at Incheon Airport.
After getting off, we passed through immigration and headed to baggage claim to retrieve our luggage.
While waiting, I turned off airplane mode on my phone.
The moment I did, message notifications began sounding one after another as though they had been waiting for me.
[Team Leader Min, contact me immediately when you arrive at the airport. - Kang Jooyoung]
[CEO Min, there are more people at the airport than we expected. Before you come out through the arrivals gate... no, call me as soon as you get off the plane. - Kim Eunkyung]
[Team Leader Min, haven’t you arrived in Korea yet? Call me as soon as you do. Your first interview absolutely has to go to me! - Goo Yangmo]
There were countless other messages as well.
But I was too busy preparing to leave the airport, so I focused on collecting my luggage first.
“Director, what about the trophy?”
I had already told Song Jaehyun to keep the trophy out of his checked luggage because I expected the reporters would want photographs of him holding it.
“Ah, Jungin has it.”
“Good.”
Just then, Baek Seonghan hurried over.
“CEO Min, I just spoke to Executive Director Kim.”
“Apparently there are way more reporters outside than expected.”
“Ah, I saw her message too.”
“I thought there wouldn’t be many because it’s so late.”
“She arranged vehicles for us and came to the airport herself.”
“So we can just use those to leave.”
I looked at him in surprise.
“Executive Director Kim came here herself?”
For some reason, hearing that Kim Eunkyung had personally come to pick us up made me feel almost guilty.
“I think Lee Hyunwoo came with her.”
“Oh, perfect.”
Cha Seungjoon gave a thumbs-up.
“I was too tired to take the airport bus anyway.”
Baek Seonghan continued.
“Executive Director Kim said not to go out through the arrivals gate yet.”
“She wants everyone to wait here until she calls again.”
Woo Jungin smiled.
“I would’ve been a little disappointed if there was no one waiting outside.”
“At least it sounds like there are some people.”
Just then, Baek Seonghan’s phone rang.
He quickly answered it and looked toward us.
“She says we can come out now.”
“Really?”
I immediately turned toward the actors.
“Hwayoung, is everyone ready?”
Stylist Jo Hwayoung, who had accompanied the actors to Cannes, finished adjusting Han Seokgu’s clothes one last time.
“Yes.”
“We’re ready.”
“All right.”
I nodded.
“Then shall we go?”
Cha Seungjoon and Baek Seonghan took the lead.
Director Song Jaehyun and the actors followed behind them.
The rest of the staff and I brought up the rear.
Then the doors to the arrivals hall opened.
And the moment we stepped outside...
We froze.
W-What the hell is this?
Cha Seungjoon actually took a step backward in shock.
The arrivals hall was completely packed.
There had to be several hundred reporters and fans waiting for us.
Then someone shouted,
“Director Song Jaehyun! He’s over there!”
Every eye filling the arrivals hall immediately turned toward Song Jaehyun and the rest of us.
A deafening roar erupted.
At the same time, camera flashes began firing nonstop.
“Director Song! Over here! Please look this way!”
“Director Song, congratulations on winning the Palme d’Or!”
“Actors, could you come in together beside Director Song?”
“Director, please give us a brief comment about winning the Palme d’Or!”
Reporters thrust microphones toward him and bombarded him with questions.
Ha... I didn’t think it would be this bad.
Kim Eunkyung’s message had made me expect a decent crowd.
But I honestly hadn’t imagined this many people.
While we hesitated, too stunned to move out of the arrivals area, several men in black suits suddenly appeared and surrounded the actors and our group.
Then Han Seokgu’s agency manager approached through the security personnel.
“Ah, we arranged for these guards to be waiting in advance.”
“Thank you.”
Han Seokgu, Na Sungjoon, and Yoo Seolhee seemed far more accustomed to situations like this.
They calmly guided Song Jaehyun forward.
“Director, smile.”
Song Jaehyun desperately tried to hide his bewilderment and waved toward the crowd.
Han Seokgu and Na Sungjoon also waved with relaxed smiles, responding to the fans’ cheers.
With the help of airport security and the private guards, we held a brief photo session and gave a short interview near one side of the arrivals hall.
The rest of us watched quietly from a corner away from the interview area.
Then I spotted Kim Eunkyung and planning-team member Lee Hyunwoo making their way rapidly through the crowd toward us.
