If it was just the press, Luke wouldn't have cared much.
Even if he ditched them today, it wouldn't be a big deal.
He'd seen the itinerary from Samsung Group—there was a press conference tomorrow where he could give them their scoop. No way the media would hold a grudge over that.
After all, it was Samsung's call to skip the reporters today. If they had beef, they could take it up with them.
What really got Luke's attention—and made him decide to turn the car around—was the fans.
When he heard that a bunch of fans had made the trip to the airport just to greet him, he couldn't just blow them off.
Didn't matter what country they were from—these were people who genuinely admired him, traveling dozens of miles just for a glimpse.
Letting them leave disappointed? That'd weigh on Luke's conscience.
"I said, turn the car around," Luke repeated.
"But Director Lee is waiting for you," the middle-aged man said, hesitating. His job depended on keeping Lee Boo-jin happy, and he wasn't about to risk that.
"No worries, I'll explain it to her. She won't blame you. Just do what I say," Luke said, taking the heat off him.
"Alright! Driver, turn around!"
Hearing Luke's assurance, the man didn't hesitate anymore.
"Also, I need a favor. Set up a quick impromptu fan meet-and-greet," Luke added.
"Absolutely, you're the VIP. Whatever you need, just say the word, and I'll make it happen!" the man replied.
He instructed the driver to head back to the airport while pulling out his phone to call Lee Boo-jin, giving her a quick rundown of the situation.
…
…
At the airport's arrivals gate, the reporters and fans were getting restless.
All the passengers from the flight had cleared out, but still no sign of Luke.
The crowd started buzzing:
"What's going on with Luke? Why hasn't he shown up?" a reporter grumbled.
"I took a sick day from work just to see him. Don't tell me I wasted my time!" a middle-aged guy in a suit said.
"I took two buses and spent over three hours getting here. No way I'm this unlucky, right?" a college-aged kid chimed in.
"I ate instant noodles for days and burned through months of allowance to get him this gift. I at least deserve a chance to give it to him, don't I?" a teenage girl said, her voice cracking with emotion.
"I just wanted to see him in person. A signature would be a bonus. If I miss him today, who knows if I'll ever get another shot," an elderly man with white hair said softly.
"Daddy, are we not gonna see Luke today?" a little girl, YoonA, asked her dad quietly. He could only pat her head in response.
H.O.T.'s Kangta stayed silent, but the disappointment on his face said it all.
Just as the crowd was getting antsy, a Samsung Group staffer in uniform jogged in from outside.
He held a megaphone and shouted, "Attention, everyone here for Luke!"
All eyes snapped to him, staring so intensely it made him a little uneasy.
The next second, a flood of voices drowned him out.
"You got news on Luke?"
"Where is he? Tell us!"
"We want to see Luke! Speak!"
"Calm down, let him talk!"
Some level-headed folks in the crowd stepped in to keep things orderly, and the chaos settled down.
"Media friends, please move to the left. Luke has a busy schedule today and can't do interviews," the staffer said.
"What? That's not fair!"
"So we waited for nothing?"
"No story means I'm out of a job. You gonna cover that?"
The reporters erupted in frustration.
"There'll be a dedicated press conference with Luke tomorrow. He'll sit down and answer all your questions in detail.
Isn't that better than a rushed chat here?
If you want to attend tomorrow's event, head to the left to sign in and grab your passes," the staffer continued.
He knew better than to strong-arm the press.
Shut them down, but toss in a carrot—like tomorrow's press passes—and the issue would likely sort itself out.
Sure enough, the reporters swarmed to the left side of the terminal, where Samsung staff were registering them and handing out passes.
That left just the fans in the arrivals area.
"Fans, please follow me to the right hall," the Samsung staffer said. "Luke's waiting for you there. He's grateful you made the trip to welcome him."
Samsung had already coordinated with the airport to secure an exhibition hall.
The fans, thrilled to hear Luke was ready to meet them, eagerly followed the staffer.
The once-crowded arrivals gate cleared out in a flash.
Meanwhile, another Samsung staffer quietly approached an SBS reporter in the media crowd, whispering, "Keep it low-key and come with me."
"What's up?" The SBS reporter was in line for tomorrow's pass but quickly followed.
"Luke's fan meet-and-greet needs a reporter to cover it. He asked me to pick someone, and I chose you," the staffer said.
The reporter's face lit up. "Man, thank you so much! This is an exclusive!"
Fumbling in his pocket, he pulled out a few red envelopes and handed them to the staffer. "I won't say much, but take these as a thank-you!"
The staffer smiled and pocketed them.
The envelopes had corporate logos—clearly "gifts" from companies hoping for favorable coverage.
Normally, people beg reporters for coverage, slipping them cash to say nice things.
But with Luke? Not only did he not offer a dime, the reporter getting the scoop was the one paying the staffer.
That's just how Luke rolled.
Over at the exhibition hall, the fans poured in and immediately spotted Luke on the stage.
"Luke! It's really him! I'm seeing him in the flesh!"
"Pfft, 'in the flesh'? You mean in person! Watch your words!"
"He's so hot! Way better-looking than on the big screen!"
"Who says Asians can't outshine white guys? Look at Luke!"
"It's not just his looks. With his screen presence, he'd be a star even if he looked like Yoo Jae-suk!"
"Yoo Jae-suk? Bad example. Kang Ho-dong's more like it."
"Hey, don't diss Luke! He's got skills, but being this good-looking doesn't hurt. I stan a total package."
"Stop pushing, don't shove!"
As seven or eight hundred fans flooded in, the hall was packed to the brim.