[word count : 1200] [post] [image] [music]

jongin glanced at his watch as he ran through the airport crowd. he knew that he will not be able to make it for his connecting flight, but he is someone who does not allow himself to admit defeat without trying his best.

his flight for the first leg of his trip, was delayed due to bad weather. originally he had three hours of layover time, but now it seems that he was running for a race he will never win.

as he approached the gate hurriedly, he looked up to the monitor screen and saw the words in red - “gate closed” - yet he made a dash for it, only to be stopped by the staff on duty.

“i missed my flight, you are sorry but you cannot check me in and you will inform me to proceed to the transfer counter to arrange for the next flight out. right?”

the staff on duty was caught off-guard but nodded in agreement to what he just said. if there was one thing consistent in jongin’s life, it is that this was not the first time he had missed his flight.

he headed towards the transfer counters and managed to settle his next flight out quickly, but it will be another three hours of waiting. he decided to head straight to the boarding room, to get some work done while waiting.

he settled himself in one of the comfortable corner seats in the room, where he was able to charge his handphone and immediately started on the report he was working on. in times like these, he prefers solitude and privacy.

“hi. sorry to disturb but will it be okay if i charge my phone after you charge yours? i need to listen to music for some distraction when the flight is taking off or landing so if you …”

jongin could no longer hear clearly what the wide-eyed guy was saying, because he was closely listening to that voice. there was something soothing and calming about the voice, which was quite low but each word was pronounced clearly, without haste.

“no worries about it. you can use it now, if you want to” jongin replied and flashed his megawatt smile, out of courtesy.

“thank you. im d.o, as in letter dee and letter oh. but friends usually call me do, as in do … re mi fa sol la ti … do. nice to meet you”

jongin giggled at the unique introduction and he find himself reaching his hand out for a handshake. as always, he does not like to disclose his real name with strangers or new friends.

“you can call me kai, as in letter kay aye eye. but friends usually call me kim, as in kimbap kimchi … kim. nice to meet you too”

they both chuckled as they shared a firm introductory handshake. their conversation flowed quite easily after that, as the two men, now seating facing each other, spoke about weather changes, airport facilities, current obsession, favourite movies etc.

jongin did not realise that time had passed by so quickly, until the announcement to invite passengers to start boarding the plane. it was surprisingly easy to talk to this stranger he met, who is actually an aspiring singer, invited to a beach wedding.

for the first time, he did not mind at all if he was seated beside someone who makes easy conversations and makes him feel relaxed. but that will not be happening since his seat is in business class while d.o’s is in economy.

although the call for business class passengers was already announced, jongin decided to continue waiting so that they can board together.

“what is your flight fear, kai? you seem pretty relaxed so i assume you have none?” d.o asked him while they were queueing to board.

jongin was not used to having proper, deep conversations with an airport stranger/seat companion. usually he stops at three sentences and maybe, some polite small talk if needed.

on most work trips, he prefers to be left alone, choosing to sleep until he arrives at the destination. he recalls not having any particular flight anxieties - except maybe that one time when he had to sit beside his boss, causing him much distress.

“well my hands shake very badly during take-offs and landings. you listen to music to distract yourself, while i just keep hitting myself on my knees to keep calm” was what jongin replied.

“oh wait! here, take this with you - it helps if your hands are squeezing soft balls when you get nervous” d.o said as he retrieved a stress ball from the side pockets of his backpack.

jongin suddenly laughed out loud, shocking d.o and those around them and in between breaths said “you want me squeezing soft balls, eh? hahahahahha! that sounds very wrong” and they both laughed even louder.

“well it was good meeting you, kai. thank you for the conversation and laughter. see you when i see you again” as d.o extended his hand for a handshake.

“the feeling is mutual, d.o. so thank you too” as he pulled their hands closer and they ended up in a quick hug.

then they went on their separate directions from the flight galley area to their respective seats.

————————-

kyungsoo settled in his seat quickly, fastening his seat belt tight the moment he sat. so far, the seat next to him is still empty but passengers were still streaming in.

as usual, he plugged in his earphones and put his music playlist on shuffle mode. he adjusted the volume to be loud enough to drown the sounds of roaring engines and then as he breathed in and out rhythmically, he closed his eyes and relaxes his body.

“…. do you ever think when you’re all alone
all that we can be, where this thing can go?
am i crazy or falling in love?
is it real or just another crush …”

as the song played softly in his ears, his mind wandered to thoughts of the man he just met earlier - kai. he was initially shy to approach him when he needed to charge his handphone but now, he was glad that he did.

he wished they had more time to talk and maybe, get to know each other better. he saw an empty ring finger which means no marriage arrangement. but he did not have the guts to ask if he had anyone special or maybe, he did not want to know.

there was just something about kai, that he found rather attractive and when he laughed, he looked even better. he let himself wonder if kai was interested in women, men or both.

suddenly he felt the presence of someone sitting beside him, interrupting his thoughts. and then a tap on his arms. when he opened his eyes, it was kai.

“hi, i am jongin. i want to return your stress ball. also i lied when i said my hands shake during take-offs or landing. but my hands get cold easily so i think my hands need warmth”

“hi, im kyungsoo. i think i like you and i think your hands need mine"