Swiss Stakes

Leaving on a (First-Class) Jet Plane

Airport lounges were a necessary evil for red-eye flights, especially those that would come after a marathon of meetings with barely enough time to go home to pick up luggage. How she wished the lounges were as good as those at Terminal 2, but that was not where her plane was departing. She had determined, from experience, that the window seat overlooking the concourse was the best one to escape attention and eat her late dinner in peace. Never mind that it was not a plush couch which she wanted right then.

At least she had Mr. Hong to thank for the sandwiches during their afternoon meeting.

As Yoon Se-ri waited for her tea to be delivered, she pulled out her phone to see what she had missed. There was a text message, 2 missed calls-not from the office, they knew better than to send her missives after she left the building.

Her mother: 'Please call me when you can.'

The time on her watch was half an hour before midnight, she supposed her mother was still awake by then. The call was picked up by the second ring.

"Se-ri ya."

"Eomma, I just saw your message."

"Are you at the airport now?"

"Yes, I'm having a snack." A salad that Se-ri was probably not going to touch after two bites. Her tea cup arrived by then. Se-ri smiled briefly at the young waitress before picking her fork to shift a couple of lettuce leaves. "I got the package by the way, I'll be sure to pass it on. It's a belt, right?"

"Yes," Her mother smirked at the other line, "You could easily tell."

"The box gave it away." Just the thought of bringing a present from her mother compelled her to a wide grin. "I'm sure he'll like it."

"That would be nice. Se-ri ya...there is something you should know."

"Yes?" At the concourse window, an airport guide robot rolled by, leading a couple of elderly passengers to their gate. "Is something wrong?"

In her life, Se-ri had long accepted there were many things that could go wildly off the mark, it was just a matter of how dangerous it was and how she could live with it. From her mother, who called just as when she was about to take-off, there were two things on top of her head: her father's health or Se-hyeong and his wife.

"Se-joon and Hye-ji, they are going to Switzerland."

"Oppa and..." Se-ri blinked in confusion. "What do you mean? Are they leaving right now?"

"I think they are on your flight."

"What?" Se-ri froze on her seat, suddenly finding herself vulnerable and exposed in the lounge. Her eldest brother and sister-in-law were going to Switzerland??

And though she hated to ask, the question had to be raised, "Are they going for the scholarship?"

"Yes. They said they would attend the events..."

Se-ri scoffed, "That's ridiculous. When did they suddenly care? They don't enjoy music and were happy to have someone else and myself to oversee the scholarship. Why would they want to be involved all the sudden?" And more to the point, why didn't she know about it? Se-ri was convinced that Se-joon and Hye-ji were perfectly content as good-willing benefactors by signature and the praises they reaped by extension. They needed not fly all the way there to show their enthusiasm. That would be a waste of their time.

This was bad.

"I'm not sure, I only received the call from Hye-ji asking if you already left and she mentioned they would be going as well and they'll probably see you."

"Tch..." Se-ri clenched her teeth, "Did they say if they are staying in all of two weeks?"

"No, but be prepared anyway. They will probably lose interest very quickly..."