Airports were crowded. Airports were noisy. Airports were stuffy. Airports were chaotic.

Airports were tiring, Zhoumi concluded as he adjusted his sunglasses uselessly. Of  course, he never visited airports without a good reason (mainly traveling, as one often does), but it still did not mean he had to like it. In fact, he detested every time he had to move through an airport.

It was not like he hated flying or traveling – he actually quite enjoyed both of them. But the temporary stay at the airport was so ridiculously drawn out, boring, annoying and Zhoumi could come up with a million of different things to spend his time doing.

Maybe just a few hundred thousand things, actually, considering his company.

His travel company to Seoul today was, as so many times before, Lau Henry, a beloved dongsaeng of his. Henry was his best friend; the Chinese-Canadian worked together a lot, and frequently hung out whenever they were off stage as well. Despite their differences, they really made a perfect match.

Except for certain occasions where the differences became too big to embrace or ignore. Such as when they were in airports.

Henry was very mature for his age, but he rarely acted like an adult – or at least, that was what Zhoumi thought as he watched the ridiculous, and frankly, quite annoying excitement the younger displayed as they made their way through the airport.

Despite being known idols, they only brought two bodyguards, though Zhoumi preferred to keep his face hidden with sunglasses as well. And that had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that they were gorgeous, and Zhoumi’s sleeping face from the flight was horrible. Not that it mattered much; their faces were not as well-known to the regular passerby in Seoul as they were in China, and they did not really make an outstanding duo, to be honest.

Except when Henry decided something was entertaining. Which was roughly 68,3 % of the time.

Honestly, Zhoumi could not fathom how Henry found the annoying airports so entertaining. Of course, it was completely in the younger’s nature to be amused by every other thing around, but Zhoumi still found himself growing ever so slightly annoyed at the prospect.

Slightly.

After finally getting off the plane, they stalked along with the rest of the passengers to the baggage reception area. Zhoumi walked briskly and quietly, while Henry struggled to keep up with his long strides and still take in what exciting things he could see. Granted, it was not much; basically just the commercials at the walls, advertising whatever new mobile phones or local attractions someone decided people might be interested in.

Zhoumi was not amused.

Particularly since the trip to Seoul was not really a special thing for the two of them; they ventured there more often than at least Zhoumi would have liked, and every time, it was still the same; annoying airport, annoying people at the airport, annoying commercials at the airport. Annoying  him.

Henry did not seem to mind his silent companion’s mood, though he wished Zhoumi would at least walk a bit slower. He knew perfectly well how little Zhoumi liked the airports, but he was as baffled by this ridiculous dislike as Zhoumi was by Henry’s excitement. So naturally, the curious younger boy kept his thoughts more or less to himself, much like Zhoumi did (though it was more or less Zhoumi’s default mood to be rather quiet). Except when he found something he really wanted to comment upon.

“Look, gege, the zoo! We haven’t gone there yet, maybe we can go there? Donghae-gege always says how it’s so great!”

“I never knew they sold Apple products in vending machines?”

“Oh, Zhoumi-gege, what’s that man over there doing? Does he need help undressing from that kind policeman?”

“I think that sign is upside down. What’s wrong with that, seriously?”

“I don’t understand that poster. Does it say ‘sausages not too long’, or did I read wrong? My Korean is not the best…”

“It’s actually a great feat to be able to create a corridor so long, and so friggin’ exactly the same all the friggin’ way, don’t you think, gege?”

“I’m hungry. Why isn’t there a café or food stall or anything around here?”

“I think I forgot my sock on the plane.”

No one should ever dare say Henry was as attentive as a child. In fact, Zhoumi thought grimly, he observed far too much, and only understood what he wanted to understand. Weirdly enough, but at least he did not expect Zhoumi to explain anything to him. Luckily for the older at the moment.

Get me out of here before I snap at Henry.

He was quite used to the kid – and he loved him, after all, that was not the problem. The problem was the damn airport. It was making him insane. And Henry was actually right, the long corridor to their target area was, in fact, ridiculously long.

Finally, they turned a corner (their local, rented bodyguards trailing discreetly behind them) and saw the luggage belts. Zhoumi sighed in slight relief, but knew they probably still had to wait for a bit; these kind of things tended to work against him, after all.

He hated being grumpy.

While Henry skipped enthusiastically towards the belt matching their airport in China, Zhoumi trailed behind at a comfortable pace. A few glances were cast towards Henry, but no one paid the young man much attention in the end (save for a small group of teenage girls giggling, probably because he was too cute). Zhoumi was practically as ignored by the crowd as they were ignored by him.

To add up on the pile of stress he was suffering from by simply being present at the airport, it was extra stuffed nowadays, because of the Christmas season, and, for some sort of reason, half-heartedly decorated accordingly. Zhoumi scrunched up his nose in dislike. It was disturbing, after all. Not that he had anything he should say, he was here because of the Christmas as well. Oddly enough.

Which reminded him, he needed to call his driver. He was not too keen on trying to flag a taxi at the crowded airport, after all, and public transport was out of the question. His bag was quite big.

As he pulled out his phone, he finally reached the belt Henry was currently bouncing around excitedly, waiting for their luggage. Zhoumi did not feel like pointing out that the luggage had not even started coming yet.

Turning the device on, Zhoumi quickly found the contact he was searching for, and pressed the call. Again, he was annoyed by the noisy environment. Made it impossible to have proper conversations, both at a phone and face to face.

After only a couple of rings, a familiar voice replied.

“Hello?”

“Gege, it’s Zhoumi.” The Chinese could not stop a smile from forming on his face. Annoyance at the airport forgotten, he realized with a pang just how much he missed the guys. “We landed a few minutes ago, and are currently waiting for our luggage. Henry is also having his daily exercise, but nevermind him.”

“I won’t,” the person at the other end said in perfect Chinese, chuckling slightly. “You just let him have his fun, right?”

“Never anything less,” Zhoumi replied, eyeing Henry fondly as he stalked back and forth near the belt. “He forgot his violin, though. Have you got a spare one?”

“Not in the dorm, but I’m sure our manager will be able to pick up something.” There was a slight pause. “Any particular reason? I’m sure Henry – “

“No, he’d just miss it, I know him,” Zhoumi quickly replied. He could practically hear the older’s smile through the phone.

“I’m glad you take care of him,” a new, much lighter voice spoke up in broken Chinese, a bit quietly, as if in the background. The original speaker laughed at him.

“Is that Leeteuk-gege?” Zhoumi raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah, he wanted to come,” the fluent Chinese on the other line said. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“Of course we don’t mind, Hankyung-gege,” Zhoumi replied easily. “I actually suspected he would. Hi, Leeteuk-sshi.”

“Hi, Zhoumi-ah!”

“Anyways,” Hankyung interrupted. “As I was about to say, we’re at the airport now as well. We’re at the parking lot, but I don’t feel particularly interested in going out at the moment, though we’ll make sure to be at the exit when you’re coming. Where are you now, exactly?”

“The luggage belts,” Zhoumi said, eyeing the still empty belt. “Though there’s still no luggage here. I find it to be highly conspicuous.”

“I bet you do,” Hankyung laughed again. “Well, anyways, keep an eye on Henry, will you? Yes, you will. See you in a bit!”

“See you!” He hung up and stuffed the phone back in his pocket. Locating the younger boy making his way towards him, Zhoumi simply stayed put. Henry looked like he might have been done exploring the hall, and had calmed down enough to have a civil conversation with his best friend. He was still smiling at the older, though, as he stopped right next to him and looked up into the sunglasses. He wanted to take them off, but knew it was best not to.

“Who were you talking to?” He asked lightly.

“Hankyung-gege,” Zhoumi replied, looking down at Henry. “He’s waiting outside in his car, along with Leeteuk-gege.”

“He didn’t bring Heechul-gege, then?” Henry chuckled, well aware of the relationship between the older Chinese and Super Junior’s resident diva. “What a surprise.”

“They’re not that inseparable,” Zhoumi cracked a slight smile. “At least I hope not, for gege’s sake. That man is a nightmare. How he keeps it up is beyond me.”

“True,” Henry agreed, gazing back towards the luggage belt. “It’ll be fun seeing them all again, though. I’ve missed them a lot!”

“Me too,” Zhoumi nodded, putting an arm around Henry’s shoulder as he spoke. “I’m glad Leeteuk-gege invited us. But surely, Christmas? Really, what a random time.”

“It’s not, actually,” Henry protested, his voice still kind. “Don’t you read the letters Donghae-gege sends us every year? Christmas seems like a lot of fun, and a perfect time to be together!”

“Don’t you start, too!” Zhoumi groaned, leaning down to tickle Henry’s ribs lightly. A couple of other travelers looked at them weirdly, but the tall Chinese found he did not care. They were just random annoying people at the airport, after all. Speaking of airport, the luggage just then started making its way around the belt. Finally.

“Fine, fine!” Henry tried to escape from the tickling, but ended up just giving Zhoumi a hug to still his arms. “I’ll go find the luggage, then, since you appreciate me so little!”

“You do that,” Zhoumi smiled, adjusting his sunglasses again as the younger made his way out of their embrace with a mock pout on his lips, steps determined towards the belt.

And again, Zhoumi was left waiting. And waiting. And then waiting some more.

Henry appeared to grow even more impatient than he did, tapping his foot slightly and crossing and uncrossing his arms, fidgeting a bit and looking around the area without any real interest. Every time a bag would make its way around, he would stare at it hopefully, but there was always someone else’s. It made Zhoumi roll his eyes behind the sunglasses. He, on the other hand, had perched himself on a bench nearby, legs and arms crossed as he took in the scene in boredom.

After a few minutes of this, though, his impatience got the better of him, and he went over to the belt to search for his own luggage. He stared and stared, but his bags never showed up. It annoyed him.

Damn, he was grumpy today.

“Hey, gege!” Henry’s voice from behind him suddenly appeared, alerting Zhoumi of his presence. He blinked. He had not even noticed Henry collecting the bag at his feet and moving from his position on the other side of the belt.

“I got my bag! Please, hurry up!”

“Henry, please, it’s not my fault the crew decided to leave my bag to the last,” Zhoumi snorted. “You’re lucky enough to find yours relatively quick.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Henry brushed him off. “It’ll be here anytime, I bet!”

“Good thing you’re optimistic when you were complaining barely twenty-eight seconds ago,” Zhoumi remarked dryly. Henry shrugged.

“One of us gotta be,” he explained, though it really did not make any sense to Zhoumi.

“Whatever you say, Henry.”

“Yes, I’m – by the way, isn’t that your bag?” He pointed to a deep purple bag, considerably larger than most of the others, and Zhoumi reached for it immediately. Muttering his thanks, they finally started their new trek; towards the exit of the building and to the parking lot.

Henry flung his blue, white and brown duffelbag easily over his shoulder, while Zhoumi unlocked the wheels on his sturdy bag and unleashed the handle. Together, they made their way towards the reception hall, dodging confused people and tight spots while trying to make sense of the signs. Eventually, they found yet another hallway that luckily lead them to the entrance hall.

Although Zhoumi felt his mood drop with every second they spent at the annoying airport (that still did not cease to bug him), he was glad that they were soon out, and on their way to the Super Junior dorms, to meet all of the other members and celebrate Christmas with them.

Christmas was not big in China, at least not for him and his family, but he knew Henry had a far better relationship with it; apparently, Canadians were quite fond of the tradition as well. And after all, Zhoumi would not disappoint Henry, and he could most certainly not decline an opportunity to spend a holiday with the rest of Super Junior. He rarely saw the members outside of Super Junior M, but even their interactions were scarce at this point. Not that he blamed them; the main group was very busy with their comeback at the moment, so he and Henry just wished them the best of luck while they went on with their own business back in China.

Though in reality, they missed them a lot.

Brushing the thoughts aside, as they were going to meet soon anyways, he and Henry finally located the exit and made their way through the crowds to proceed out the huge glass door.

They had not noticed while they were inside (mainly because they were too busy trying to figure a way of getting out), but they saw as soon as they got out. It was very unexpected, but at least Zhoumi understood now why Hankyung had said he did not want to go outside right now. It was a rare sight, especially to the Chinese, but naturally, Henry wasted no time in expressing his joy at the sight, making Zhoumi smile in joy as well, and take off his sunglasses.

“It’s snowing!!”

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Okay, so I failed yesterday - this is not my favourite chapter, that's tomorrow. xD Whenever I try to make a plan for this story, I end up messing it up myself. OH WELL. This one is dedicated to Henry, who wrote on his Twitter on December 17th; "It's snowing!!" Yes, he did. Cutesy Henry.

I'm sorry if Zhoumi came off like a random in this one, but he hates airports. Hurrdurr. Or rather, I do, and needed to express it. And Zhoumi/Henry contrasts are adorable. <3

Which reminds me, no, I did not make them a couple in this story, and I actually don't plan to, either; I'll just have them do some hardcore bromancing, or whatever, because they are cute. Yes they are. 

And I'm so glad people responded positively on including them in the fic! O.o And Shinri, god dammit. They need their share of love, after all. D: I'll still get back to you buggers, I thought I'd have the time today, but apparently not. x( However! TOMORROW!! Don't hate me, please, I appreciate your love. :) <3