Chapter 26: A Journey to North Africa and Dreaming

"Are you nervous about flying, Lun-hoo? Would you like to hold onto Noona's arm?"

Seeing that Cha Lun-hoo was unusually quiet today, Suzy assumed he might have a fear of flying or perhaps some anxiety about traveling abroad for the first time. To her, this seemed perfectly normal, so she teased him to lighten the mood.

"I’ve risked a life that’s faced down the President; do you really think I’d be nervous about sitting on a plane? You must be joking! Besides, we were born only a few months apart. Didn't we agree to speak to each other in plain language?"

This woman had been trying to force him to call her "Noona" to satisfy her own twisted psychological whims, but he had never entertained such an unreasonable demand. While their age gap was indeed negligible enough to bypass the honorific, he was far too stubborn to give in.

"You and that Hwang Ye-ji seem quite close. Have you already learned how to flirt with female trainees in the short time you’ve been at JYP? This won't do! I’m leaving, and here I am, corrupting the juniors."

The cost of his business-class ticket had been paid out of his beautiful employer’s own pocket. The exorbitant price made his heart ache—it was almost as expensive as his own car. She had made him sit behind her to avoid gossip, though this "no buried treasure here" act was truly unconvincing.

He was, after all, a rather renowned hero and soldier. Although the Blue House had yet to solidify any specific policies for him, his future prospects were clearly bright. Following a female actress around like this was bound to invite speculation about things that couldn't be easily explained.

"Stop spouting nonsense. I just heard a familiar dialect and felt a sense of kinship. You wouldn't understand that kind of local bond."

Cha Lun-hoo, of course, refused to admit to things that didn't exist. Her accusations were a blatant insult, and he couldn't be bothered to respond. He turned his face away toward the cabin window. In the dead of night, there was nothing to see but the fading lights of the ground below.

Seeing the man’s haughty expression, Suzy wasn't annoyed. Instead, she chuckled. This young man, who had just done something that shocked the entire nation, still displayed reactions appropriate for his age under her teasing.

His convincingly handsome face had sparked massive interest among netizens after the *Seoul Sports* documentary aired. South Korea was one of the most appearance-conscious nations in the world; the combination of a young, handsome man and a heroic aura had captured countless girls' hearts, and a substantial fanbase had already sprouted online.

"Your fans are still scolding me! They say I’m 'buying the dip' while you’re down on your luck. It’s hilarious. Honestly, you’re the one getting the bargain by being linked in a scandal with a celebrity like me!"

Hearing Suzy's words, Cha Lun-hoo nodded thoughtfully. The explosive reach of this incident was undoubtedly tied to his status as Suzy’s rumored boyfriend. When current events were spiced up with celebrity gossip, the public interest grew exponentially.

"Regardless, thank you. Ever since I met you, my luck seems to have improved quite a bit."

Suzy didn't respond to his words, but from the back seat, Cha Lun-hoo caught a glimpse of her mouth curling up toward her ears. She really was a kind-hearted woman. The cabin air conditioning was set low, and the manager brought a blanket for the actress to cover herself. It was going to be a very long journey, requiring two transfers to reach the North African city.

Departing from Incheon International Airport, they first had to fly to Dubai, transfer, then head to the famous Spanish city of Barcelona, and finally take another connecting flight to reach the port city by the Strait of Gibraltar.

The filming would last a long time, and the time difference meant Cha Lun-hoo would have to adjust his communication schedule with those close to him. Suzy had promised that if he had any family emergencies, she would buy him a ticket to return home immediately.

Even for Suzy, who frequently traveled abroad and was used to life in the sky, this was an exceptionally long haul. She pulled on her eye mask early to get some rest. Cha Lun-hoo, however, was inexperienced and couldn't sleep, instead replying sporadically to messages from Se-jeong.

This location shoot was a massive investment, with a reported budget of 23 billion won. The cost of airfare and hotels for the crew alone was astronomical. Such a massive injection of capital made Se-jeong envious; she usually only received low-budget dramas, and landing a lead role in even those was no easy feat.

As for Reporter Chen, he had scoured a pile of materials regarding the Veterans Association. He had expected a shallow pond with too many turtles, but it turned out the waters were much deeper than that.

Seniority and rank were strictly enforced in the military. Even after retirement, these old men were determined to keep their influence alive. Beyond managing companies with trillions in assets, the association also held an annual government subsidy of nearly 20 billion won.

Since the turn of the millennium, all six chairmen had held the rank of General. This included Park Se-jik, who succeeded Jang Se-dong as the Director of the Agency for National Security Planning during the Fifth Republic, as well as several others who had served as Ministers of Defense or Chiefs of Staff.

What was truly baffling, however, was another organization under the association called the "Star Friends Society." You wouldn't know until you looked, and once you did, your jaw would drop.

This small but powerful subsidiary was a "no-go zone" he absolutely had to avoid. In terms of organizational structure, the chairman and all four vice-chairmen were four-star Generals. Lieutenant Generals and Major Generals were a dime a dozen; if you only had one star on your shoulder, you couldn't even greet people properly—you had to stand at attention and shout "Loyalty!"

The remnants of General Chun’s old guard left a profound influence here. Powerful military figures like Kim Jin-young, Lee Jong-gu, and Ko Myung-seung had all served as chairmen of this "club" after retiring.

The current chairman’s political spectrum, however, was deeply confusing. Having retired as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and served as the head of the Korea Land and Housing Corporation, he had led cooperation efforts with the Kaesong Industrial Complex in the North, making him closely tied to President DJ.

Yet, bewilderingly, he hadn't even graduated from the military academy. As a top student from Korea University, he entered the military and encountered mentors who were all extreme hardliners. As a subordinate to the former Agency for National Security Planning Director Jang Se-dong, he rose through the ranks under his wing. He was even the first to be promoted to Major General under the "ability over position" philosophy of the "White Horse Emperor." Even after retirement, he managed to play both sides of the fence, a skill that earned him a grudging respect.

As Reporter Chen had said, the more than 10 million members were the association’s greatest asset, and the over 200 city/county chapters and 3,000 township associations represented a massive grassroots organization. But these men were so old—was there really an opening for a young man like him?

Lost in thought, sleep finally began to overtake Cha Lun-hoo. Outside the window, the night was pitch black, as if all light had been swallowed whole. Watching the person he was meant to protect curled up in the seat ahead of him, sleeping soundly like a little pig, he couldn't help but smile. It seemed even a goddess couldn't maintain a perfect image while asleep.

The manager offered him an eye mask, but he politely declined. He had developed excellent sleeping habits in the military and didn't worry about insomnia. In fact, he had a rare dream: he found himself in front of a microphone, facing a sea of people that left him feeling overwhelmed.

"Speak up! This is your campaign rally for parliament, and this is my hometown of Gwangju. Don't you dare embarrass me!"

Suzy was urging him on anxiously, but she looked much older—she could easily pass for someone in her thirties. Had time been fast-forwarded? And why was he running for office while she was here, dressed so formally? Where were they? And what was the deal with the Gwangju Memorial Monument behind them?