Fortunately, Monica didn't tease me further and looked out the window.
After driving in silence for a while, Monica spoke up.
"We're almost done setting up the factory, Ban."
"That's right."
"Not much time left now."
"The day your dream becomes a reality."
Monica smiled at me as I spoke.
"You're coming with me, right?"
"That's why I'm here. Of course, I'll be with you."
"Thank you, Nan."
"I'm getting paid for this. What do you mean? You're not planning to skip payment, are you?"
"What? Haha!"
"I have a lot of dependents. Now even the company staff. If a family man goes on a business trip abroad, he should bring back loads of gifts and earn a lot of money."
"Haha!! Don't worry, I'll take good care of you, haha!"
**
It took over five hours just to get on a plane at the airport. The village is so remote that it takes a lot of time to get to the airport. Once the factory starts operating, we'll probably run trucks regularly to carry goods to the airport.
Arriving at the airport and boarding the plane, Monica said,
"We're thinking of setting up the logistics warehouse in Hong Kong."
"Oh, why?"
"There are quite a few brands that have their logistics warehouses there. It covers all of Asia. Of course, we plan to have one in Italy too, to cover Europe."
"What about the Americas?"
"I'm looking into warehouses in Mexico."
"That must be expensive."
"That's what I've been saving for all these years."
"I suppose."
MG Electronics came here for the same reason. It must have been a tough decision for a designer who used to make clothes to switch to designing electronic products, but she has done everything to achieve her dream. Such a person deserves success.
It takes about an hour and 45 minutes to get from Crotone's Sant'Anna Airport to Milan's Orio al Serio Airport. It's a short distance, so I slept a little and woke up to find we had arrived.
After spending three weeks in a quiet neighborhood, arriving in a bustling city makes me miss the countryside again. Other travelers seem desperate to get to Milan, but I guess I prefer the countryside to this city.
Meeting the driver we hired in Milan, Monica said as she got into the car.
"Let's go straight to the store."
"Where's our accommodation?"
"A hotel nearby."
"Ah, a hotel."
"Don't you like it? It's a nice hotel."
"No, it's not that I don't like it."
I frown at the thought of leaving a place where I can sit by the window at night, listening to the crickets and looking at the moon, and waking up in the morning to the quiet chirping of birds, only to live in a dry hotel.
Maybe it's because I've never been to a hotel?
I used to go to a hotel every day when I was working on Min-young's theater ceiling painting, but I never actually stayed there. Having never stayed in a hotel in my life, I struggled to shake off an inexplicable aversion.
'It's because I've never been there. Once I go, I'll probably like it.'
Of course, it's better than home, isn't it?
We'll see when we get there.
After driving away from the airport and arriving in front of the store, we looked around the site where workers were doing electrical work.
Monica, wearing a mask due to the dusty air filled with coal dust from the electrical work piercing the floors and ceilings, pointed around and said.
"The electrical and bathroom works will be finished by today. Tomorrow, we'll start the office interior work on the second floor."
"When can I start working?"
"You can start working in the first-floor store from tomorrow. How will you prepare the materials?"
"Is there an art store nearby?"
"Yes, just a short walk from this alley."
"Tell me the location, and I'll prepare it myself."
"We can do it for you."
"I prefer to pick and choose myself."
"Then, you'll start from tomorrow?"
"That's the plan."
I'm measuring the workspace with a tape measure. Monica quietly watches me and then asks.
"But Ban."
"Yes?"
"You said you hadn't thought about the store design yet, right? Are you starting to work on the design tomorrow? Then you can do it at the hotel."
I smiled and shook my head.
"No, I've already finished conceptualizing."
"Really?"
I stood up from my kneeling position for measuring and said.
"I'm going to start painting right away."
Monica looks at me with a slightly surprised expression.
"But you said yesterday that you hadn't thought about the design."
"Ha ha."
Monica sends a doubtful glance but then suddenly bursts into laughter.
"I see! You got some inspiration last night, right? Artists are such beings."
Monica clapped her hands lightly, thinking it was obvious.
I quietly shook my head.
"No."
Monica stopped clapping.
"Not? Then how?"
I stood in the center of the space, only painted white, and looked around the store with a slight smile.
"Someone once said that an artist is not one who receives inspiration, but one who gives it."
"What?"
I licked my lips while looking at the many pedestrians walking outside the store window.
"Those people out there. I will paint pictures that will inspire all those many people."
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