Chapter 69

Chapter 69Special Research: Venice Entropy(1)

At 3:30 in the morning, near his homes intersection, Jeong-woo stood, waving his hand towards the modest sedan that had just arrived. The car came to a stop, and he climbed into the passenger seat, nodding respectfully.

I apologize for contacting you out of the blue, doctor Moon

Its alright, I wasnt sleeping.

Jeong-woo shifted his gaze to Doctor Moon, who had started driving, with his passport and bag in his lap. She appeared to have just come from the hospital, wearing a white gown.

As Doctor Moon turned the car, she spoke.

There are documents in the back seat.

Turning around Jeong-woo saw an envelope and picked it up.

Ive reserved the fastest flight for you. Its a direct flight to Rome, and from there, youll go to Venice. Since youll arrive at night, itll be more convenient to take a night train than Italys domestic flights.

Jeong-woo expressed his gratitude to her for not only assisting him immediatly but also making the reservation right there, because of Cheon Seung-guks request.

Thank you. I wouldnt have been able to handle this smoothly if I had prepared it myself.

I had a rough idea when I asked for Mr. Jeong-woos phone number. Feel free to ask for help like this anytime. Its in the terms.

Jeong-woo paused. He never expected this much help. He thought he should read the terms thoroughly at some point.

Is this how Dr. Cheon usually assign tasks?

In response to this question, Doctor Moon laughed lightly and increased the speed.

He has a talent for surprising people.

And its for a trip to Venice. Quite a different scale.

On a road where vehicles were scarcely passing due to the early morning hour, they were heading to Incheon Airport.

Jeong-woo felt a slight excitement, knowing that the familiar Seoul skyline outside the window would soon transform into a sight he had only seen in videos and photos somewhere in Europe.

I still cant believe it.

He searched on his phone for how to enable roaming and downloaded apps suitable for using abroad. In the meantime, they passed through Incheon Airports tollgate and arrived at Yeongjong Island.

Five minutes later, Doctor Moon stopped in front of Gate 7 at Incheon Airport.

We have a little over three hours, so ticketing should be relaxed.

Okay.

Exchange currency moderately and use your card. Famous tourist destinations are no different from Seoul. Theyll overcharge you. Since this flight is an Italian route, immigration might ask a few more questions. How long youll stay and where youre going. Be prepared to answer in English.

Got it.

Listening to Doctor Moons advice, which sounded like she was worried about something precious, Jeong-woo continued to nod before getting out of the car.

And one more thing.

The passenger seat window opened, and Doctor Moon spoke again.

Even if you end up doing something unexpected, stay calm. Hes not asking you to do something wrong.

Her final advice was meaningful.

Im off. See you when I get back.

With a face mixed with anxiety and anticipation, Jeong-woo shook hands with Doctor Moon and entered the gate.

The departure process was completed in no time.

In a dazed state from lack of sleep, Jeong-woo waited at the departure gate and then boarded the plane, surrounded by passengers conversing in Italian.

Alitalia Flight AZ 759.

Looking at the ticket information that indicated a flight duration of 12 hours and 5 minutes, Jeong-woo followed the guidance of foreign flight attendants and took his seat near the wing.

Late February. It wasnt the peak tourist season, so there were plenty of vacant seats, and Koreans were hardly noticeable.

Shortly after, Korean broadcasting followed the Italian announcements.

-Ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for choosing Alitalia Airlines. Now, for your safety

The announcement continued with instructions to fasten seatbelts and turn off mobile phones. Jeong-woo took out his phone from his pocket. There were several messages, with the most recent one from Doctor Moon.

The message conveyed that her vacation request had been approved. Typically, after completing a long-term project, he would receive over a week of vacation, but this time, having completed Audreys project, he had received a three-day holiday and had already used it.

After spending a whole month, the reward is disappearing like this.

Amidst the restless night, Jeong-woo also received a message from Yoon Yi-seol.

[The Paris performance is over. Once we finish shooting the cover for the album, I can go to the clinic this Saturday. How about you, Mr. Jeong-woo?]

Come to think of it, I havent seen Yi-seol in a while.

In just one day out of a month, and that too briefly at the clinic. Jeong-woo replied to Yoon Yi-seols message.

[I have a work trip-like thing, so Im on my way to Venice right now. If it gets extended there, I might not make it on Saturday. Im currently on the plane. Ill contact you later.]

Sir, could you please turn off your mobile phone?

The only Korean flight attendant approached Jeong-woo as she passed by.

Oh, Im sorry.

Jeong-woo pressed the end button and showed it to the flight attendant, who nodded with a friendly smile and continued down the aisle.

Just before the screen went dark, it seemed like a message was about to arrive, but it turned off before he could read it.

The seatbelt sign blinked, and Jeong-woo leaned back in his seat.

At last, were departing.

The plane ascended into the skies above Incheon Airport.

Feeling the sensation of floating, he admired the sky and clouds outside the window for a moment. Then, overwhelmed by fatigue, he rested his head on the seat and soon drifted off to sleep.

Han Jeong-woo Rome, Leonardo da Vinci International Airport.

The sight of Romes night skyline outside the window made Jeong-woos heart start to flutter. Even though the aircrafts air hadnt changed, it felt as if a chemistry of excitement had been sprayed into his chest.

The planes distinct vibrations and deep noises intensified, and soon the wheels touched down on the runway.

Ah, that was tiresome.

Enduring 12 hours in cramped seats took more of a toll on his stamina than he had thought.

He retrieved his bag from the overhead compartment and, as he disembarked the plane, was greeted warmly by an Italian flight attendant waiting at the entrance.

Buon Giorno, Italia!

Buon Giorno? Was that a greeting like hello?

Jeong-woo nodded with a smile.

As soon as they disembarked, signs directed them towards immigration. Unfamiliar surroundings and unfamiliar faces passed by from all sides.

Following sporadic English instructions and universal symbols, he eventually reached a long queue at immigration.

After a while of standing there, the awkward feeling of being alone in the midst of unfamiliar Europe started to settle in.

He yawned but didnt expect the line to shorten.

It wasnt until he had a strong desire to get out of there as soon as possible, rather than the excitement of arriving in Italy, that he finally reached the immigration officer.

Hi, he said, handing over his passport.

tourism?

Han Jeong-woo Venice, Santa Lucia Station

The train that departed from Rome made repeated stops throughout the night, winding its way through several cities in central Italy.

Jeong-woo, struggling with the fatigue of the flight and the issue of jet lag, tossed and turned in his semi-conscious state. He woke up when he saw the dawn breaking outside the window.

After a quick wash in the communal washroom, he returned to find the train conductor offering a tray with coffee and croissants.

G-Grazie.

He thanked in Italian, and the conductor smiled. Since he was in a 4-person compartment, the tray contained four cups of coffee and four pieces of bread.

Ive cut down on caffeine, but I guess Ill need it today, given the weather.

As the tray was placed on the table between them, the aroma of strong coffee began to fill the air, gradually waking up the other passengers.

About 20 minutes passed as they savored the soft bread and looked outside. The outside scenery started becoming more distinct.

Wow.

The world outside was entirely unfamiliar.

A railway extending over the turbulent blue waters of the Adriatic Sea, elegant Gothic buildings rising gradually beyond the horizon all of this captivated Jeong-woos gaze in an instant.

This is a foreign country.

The realization hit him strongly. Everything, from the salty smell carried through the window to the views, felt different. Before he knew it, the train had arrived at its final destination, Santa Lucia.

As Jeong-woo walked out of the station into the bustling square, he encountered fellow travelers and water buses that carried them.

The transportation means in this city constructed over the sea consisted solely of boats. There were canals in every nook and cranny. Although he had looked up information beforehand, seeing the city in person left him in awe.

As Jeong-woo was absorbed in taking in his first impressions of Venice, he noticed a young woman not far away, gazing beyond the square, seemingly lost in thought.

Huh?

Long, flowing hair that reached down to her back, lips that appeared even redder against her sun-kissed white skin, and a warm-looking knit cardigan. She was a captivating young lady who seemed to command attention no matter where she went. It was Yoon Yi-seol.

She carried a small bag on her back and held a booklet in her hand, scrutinizing something intently.

Yi-seol.

At Jeong-woos call as he approached, Yoon Yi-seol turned her head abruptly.

Wow

Yoon Yi-seol couldnt help but exclaim when she saw Jeong-woo.

Its fascinating to see it like this in a foreign country.

I was thinking the same thing.

Amidst the exotic backdrop, Jeong-woo couldnt help but think of a scene from a European-set movie. Was the actress in those scenes more beautiful than usual because of her natural beauty or the ambiance?

Mr. Jeong-woo, did you see it? Riding a train on the sea?

I did.

Jeong-woo couldnt help but smile as he watched Yoon Yi-seols cheerful laughter amidst the crowd of fellow travelers from different countries. Then, he suddenly regained his composure.

I actually have to meet someone first. If you have something to do, you can go ahead, and we can meet later

No!

Yoon Yi-seols abrupt response surprised Jeong-woo.

Wasnt there a shoot scheduled here today?

Well, yes. But its not urgent. I came a bit earlier than the staff.

After answering like this, Yoon Yi-seol buried her face in a travel brochure called Lets Go Italy and mumbled to herself, Where should I explore?

Ill make a quick phone call.

After getting Yoon Yi-seols understanding, Jeong-woo raised his phone and dialed Cheon Seung-guks number.

Ding.

This time, the call was answered promptly.

-Han Jeong-woo?

Yes, Doctor. Ive just arrived at Santa Lucia Station.

A sound like a yawn could be heard, and then Cheon Seung-guk spoke.

-Why did you arrive so early? Isnt it around 8 AM there now?

Well, yes. I was afraid I might be late, so I just took the earliest train available to sync with the appointment time.

-There seems to be more to this story.

Laughter emanated from the other end of the phone.

-Itll take me about 4 hours. Ill be resting at the lab during that time.

The lab?

-Yeah, its my private research lab. It might be hard to find. Its an old neighborhood, and the address system is a mess compared to Korea. Do you speak Italian?

Me?

Could he possibly speak it? In response to Jeong-woos question, Cheon Seung-guk asked, sounding a bit surprised.

-Have you not taken AF-12? I didnt think Id have to explain this roughly; you should too Ah, I see. You must have set the sudden neural shock precaution.

A neural shock precaution?

It was all too unclear what he was talking about.

-Anything related to language can sensitively affect the brains neural pathways. When you go to the lab, there should be active agents.

Jeong-woo grinned at Yoon Yi-seol, who was looking at him curiously, then covered his mouth and asked in a hushed tone.

An agent that makes Italian possible?

-More precisely, its a molecular switch that activates existing language knowledge. Youll need to make some combinations since the G-protein stored there is quite old. Youll receive the address. Once you arrive safely, contact me.

By the way, Doctor, can I bring a friend with me to the lab?

Jeong-woo looked at Yoon Yi-seol, who was engrossed in the travel brochure.

-Did you come with Dr. Moon by any chance?

No way.

-Do as you wish.

After ending the call, Jeong-woo shook his head. No matter how much he had taken the medicine to acquire abilities similar to Cheon Seung-guks, he couldnt quite grasp the concept of activating language.

Ill figure it out when I get there.

Jeong-woo turned to Yoon Yi-seol and asked.

Do you want to go directly to the place I need to visit? You dont have to wait for the staff, right?

Its fine. They might be late. While were here, we can catch up on the checklist weve fallen behind on.

In Venice?

Well, why not? Theres no one we know here, and its quite free-spirited.

Her laughter filled the air as usual. In a place like this, Jeong-woo felt like they could quickly become friends despite their usually reserved relationship. It was the European magic that had found them since they were intoxicated by the air of Venice.

And so, Jeong-woo took his first step in the city above the sea, unexpectedly accompanied by a fellow traveler.