Title: 18 hours was all it took

Pairing: Chen/Suho

Genre: Romance

Word count: 3.9K words.

Summary: 18 hours was all it took for Kim Junmyeon to fall in love.

A/N: I swear reading this fic again is like looking at a drawing you did in playschool - CRINGE!!!! Haha. I wrote this around the same time as my first ever EXO fic and back then it was all about Suchen for me. I don't think its terribly written but it's just so cheesy that urgh I'm getting goosebumps. So yeah. I hope you understand, this was one of my pioneer EXO fics and yeah. Posting this took so long. Sigh. But here it is ^^

Kim Junmyeon had no intention to try to act like he wasn’t pissed.

Because he damn hell was.

“Could my life get any worse?!” He practically yelled at the blond lady behind the counter, who flinched and tried her best not to break down into a messy wreck.

“I…I’m sorry s-sir, umm I can a-arrange a s-s-separate f-flight for y-you…”

Junmyeon brushed his coat and blinked, suddenly calm. “Now why didn’t you say so earlier.”

The blonde visibly relaxed. “Alright sir, the alternate flight is to China, then from there you transfer to Korea, adding a total of 3 hour 45 minutes to your journey…”

“WHAT THE HELL?!?!?!?!?!?!”

-

No one would be happy if their flight was cancelled last minute, and no other non-stop flight available until the next morning. And definitely won’t be if the next available flight added 4 hours to your travelling time. AND a transfer.

Junmyeon slammed his briefcase heavily on the seat next to him and huffed really loudly, clearly a sign for people to stay away if you want your life carefree and bruise-free but most importantly if you want your life at all.

So he wasn’t very happy when he heard someone clearing his throat and gently nudging the briefcase off the chair beside him. In any case, he was enraged.

“WHAT?!” A hoarse growl emitted from his throat. Junmyeon’s previously shut eyes flew open and glared at the bold guy who was trying to invade his angry bubble, his personal space.

The man looked young, lips curved in a kitty-like smirk, eyes bright and sparkly, and he had a lean face with an attractive jawline. Judging from the man’s casual hoodie attire, he seemed to be a traveller, a tourist.

Junmyeon hated tourists. So he knew immediately that he hated this guy.

“I want to sit.” The man replied in perfect, albeit slightly accented English.

“Go sit somewhere else.” Junmyeon rolled his eyes and looked elsewhere.

The man didn’t budge. “I want to sit.” He repeated in a strangely calm voice, as if he wasn’t conversing with a ticking bomb of a man in front of him, ready to erupt any moment.

Junmyeon wasn’t one to give up, but people were starting to pass snide comments about this selfish guy and snobby businessman and stuff like that and it drove Junmyeon crazy. So he dragged the briefcase off his seat and patted the chair, meant to be a welcoming gesture if not for the unnecessary force he used.

The row of plastic chairs rocked a little as the man sat down. Fine, he won this time, he thought, but only this time. Junmyeon never let people win more than once.

After a short moment of silence, Junmyeon heard a flip sound and the man beside him answered a phone call.

“Hello… Umma, yup I’m coming home now, the flight got cancelled and the alternative flight has a transfer so I would be late, you guys don’t have to wait for me if I don’t return by dinner time, okay? … Mmm, I got it. I love you umma, bye!!”

Junmyeon’s interest was slightly piqued. This guy is Korean too. Somehow finding a fellow Korean in New York, a foreign country, was slightly comforting. But only slightly.

Because that man had decided that he was bored to bits, so he opened his mouth to speak.

“Nice day. Where are you going, businessman? I’m heading to Seoul, back home. I miss home, I have been in New York for a month now attending…”

“Do you mind?” Junmyeon spoke in Korean, catching the man by surprise. “I’m trying to sleep and I do not fancy a crazy cat-smile guy yapping into my ear like a possessed puppy.”

“Oh, you’d prefer a crazy cat-smile girl, then?” The man swapped back to Korean, with a hint of a chuckle in his voice.

“That’s beside the point. Anyway shut up, I’m currently trying to calm myself from the anger of having to travel another 4 bloody hours and my boss is expecting me at his office the moment I get back and I’d be late and I might lose some brownie points and may not be the employee of month and…-”

“-Looks who’s yapping now.” The man retorted in that same amused voice.

Junmyeon turned to glare at the cocky man beside him, but he had nuzzled his head into his backpack and shut his eyes, a smile playing on his lips.

-

Junmyeon stowed his briefcase in the upper compartment and settled down in his business class seat, grumbling about the fact that even though they did make a flight rearrangement for him, why couldn’t they upgrade his class to first-class or something.

“Pssh that’s childish.”

A voice piped up from beside him, and Junmyeon glanced up, not bothering to hide his frustration when he realized it was the man again, standing and watching him with that dumb cheeky smile. Apparently Junmyeon had been voicing out his thoughts again.

“What do you want? Stop pestering me.” He replied rudely with a huff, and the man poked his shoulder roughly.

“I wouldn’t bother myself to pester you, sir. And could you excuse me a bit, I’m sitting right there by the window.”

Junmyeon’s eyes widened. This crazy yapping cat-smile cocky dude was to be my flight partner for the next 13 hours?!

Just my luck.

-

“You could talk to me, at least.”

“No.”

“Come on, would you prefer an obese middle-aged ahjumma with bad breath and body odour?”

“That wouldn’t be half as bad as a crazy yapping cat-smile cocky dude like you.”

The man groaned. “I have a name. Its Kim Jongdae.” He extended a hand, which Junmyeon pointedly ignored. “What’s yours?” He appeared unfazed at the businessman’s lack of friendliness.

“Junmyeon.”

“Good you responded. So Junmyeon where are you off to?”

Oh god, Junmyeon moaned and pressed the aeroplane pillow on his face. This is sure going to be one hell long of a journey.

-

Junmyeon was never so glad to see food in his life. Aeroplane food, for that matter. At last, something to stuff into that crazy yapping cat-smile – that Kim Jongdae’s – mouth so he wouldn’t keep talking and asking questions.

Anyway, from that short hour-long exchange that they had, Junmyeon did find out a lot about Jongdae. Like how he wasn’t a tourist as Junmyeon had expected, how he was a budding architect and had come to New York for a month-long internship, how he was 23 years old, two years younger than himself, how he had clinched his architecture university scholarship from a design competition and had several companies wanting to rope him in already. That’s pretty impressive, Junmyeon admitted to himself, but of course would rather die than voice that out.

Then Jongdae had forced information out of Junmyeon, how he was a businessman (duh) and he was a deal negotiator for international collaborations for his company. He had stressed how important he was in his company, being the charismatic outspoken person he was, and he was slightly put off when Jongdae simply chuckled, mumbling about who’s the cocky one actually.

Food was simple, Junmyeon was used to eating plane food so he wasn’t impressed, but Jongdae had his eyes as wide as saucers as they placed the food in front of him.

“Whoa!! The layout of the food is outstanding!” Jongdae whipped out his phone to snap of shot of it, and Junmyeon couldn’t help but roll his eyes at his childishness. Indeed an architect, he thought.

After the meal, Jongdae seemed to be pretty knocked out, and he snuggled up in his seat for his nap, while Junmyeon switched on the television and watched some news reports.

-

“Mmm… Don’t go.”

Junmyeon turned to his flight mate, who was still in a slumber. What did he just say?

“Mmfm I’m sorry… It’s my fault sorry…” Jongdae shifted in his sleep uncomfortably, his lips pressed into a thin line and his brow furrowed.

“…Jongdae?”

“Sorry for not telling you, sorry…” Suddenly his head landed square on Junmyeon, his nose rubbing along his collarbone, still murmuring in his sleep.

Junmyeon felt a jolt of electricity run through his body, and quickly pushed the man aside roughly. Did this dude just pass an electric current through me? Junmyeon thought with a shudder.

The shove caused the younger man to sit up and blink sleepily.

“What?” He glared at Junmyeon with a small pout, as if he hadn’t done anything and was a completely innocent party.

Junmyeon begged to differ.

“You were sleep-talking and it was incredibly annoying. And you electrocuted me. Please refrain from unleashing whatever superpower you have on me, I don’t appreciate it.” Not waiting for Jongdae’s reply, Junmyeon fitted his earphones back on his head and continue to watch the news reports.

-

It wasn’t another 2 hours before Junmyeon heard the whimpers again.

“I hate you… How could you do this to me… You f-f-f-”

Junmyeon sat up from his cosy sleeping position in alarm. Was he going to curse, now?

But the word just dissolved back into his lips and Jongdae resumed his sleep, oblivious to the weird and maybe slightly concerned looks that Junmyeon was giving him.

Maybe it isn’t my business, Junmyeon thought, curling back up next to Jongdae’s sleeping form. But he couldn’t deny that he was slightly curious. Maybe more than slightly.

-

When Junmyeon awoke about an one and a half hours later, Jongdae was wide awake and deeply engaged in a game of battleship with some other opponent from the same plane.

“Heck!! This person is sooooo good!! Never missed at all!!” Jongdae whined, pouting childishly and pointing at the screen which displayed 4 and a half out of his 5 ships sunk. “I’ve only sunk 2!!”

Junmyeon heard a soft chuckle from directly behind them, and without even turning he knew who Jongdae’s opponent was. And why Jongdae was losing so badly.

“I suggest you change opponents, Jongdae.” Junmyeon said with a snort. “You opponent apparently has an unfair advantage.”

Jongdae turned to him with wide eyes. “What?”

Then both of them heard a loud “TCH” from behind, and they turned their heads simultaneously to find a rather upset brunette lady seated directly behind them, and glaring at Junmyeon.

“You just busted me!! I hate you!” She snarled at him, throwing down the console.

Jongdae and Junmyeon exchanged a glance, and burst into laughter.

-

Junmyeon had to admit that this crazy yapping cat-smile – this Jongdae – dude was quite fun to be with. They spent the next hour playing battleship with each other, making it a strict rule not to peep at each other’s screens, but it proved futile when Jongdae not-so-secretly started to lean over to ‘get that dirt out of Junmyeon’s shoulder’ or to ‘check if the hot girl on the next aisle was revealing her thighs again’ that Junmyeon figured he couldn’t help but cheat openly as well. Soon it became a game of, Who can sink the opponent’s ship faster, and even though the point of the game was ruined, Junmyeon still found it fun.

This laughing ball of energy was definitely making his mood slide up the meter.

After three matches, Jongdae threw the console at Junmyeon. “You’re no fun.” He stuck a tongue out and proceeded to stand up and squeeze his way out.

“Where are you going?”

“Toilet, sir. Do I need your permission for that?” He replied with his signature catty smile that he somehow knew irritated the hell out of Junmyeon.

Junmyeon smacked his thigh in mock irritation. “I don’t really appreciate that though. Just go.” Jongdae laughed and sauntered off with a grin.

Once he disappeared between the curtains, Junmyeon let his smile drop as he remembered the nightmares that plagued the younger man earlier. He wanted very much to ask the man, but it felt like a rather sensitive issue… Junmyeon sighed. Since when was I so nosy about other people’s lives, anyway.

The remaining hours consisted of Jongdae talking about some cute puppy-dog that his neighbour back in New York had, or his favourite food in New York (“I swear burgers, any kind of burgers, are just food !”) or showing Junmyeon his fabulous and delicately drawn building sketches. Or Jongdae trying to learning Japanese using the mini TV screen on the seat in front of him. Or Jongdae trying to wriggle the numbness out of his legs but being too lazy to stand up and walk about.

Junmyeon didn’t really do much, to be honest. He just tried to relax and sleep without watching Jongdae’s silly antics. Nope he was definitely not watching Jongdae’s silly antics. He was sleeping.

-

But it was during the last hour of the flight to China when Junmyeon couldn’t hold it in anymore.

“Jongdae…”

The man set aside his novel and slowly slipped off his nerdy glasses, aware of the hesitant tone in the older man’s voice. “Yes?”

Junmyeon coughed. Jongdae staring at him, without the glasses, was definitely harder than when he kept it on.

“Could I ask you something?”

Jongdae rolled his eyes. “Just shoot. Not like we’re strangers.”

Junmyeon wanted to point out that they WERE technically strangers, but decided against it. “You were talking in your sleep earlier.”

“Uh, what did I say?” Jongdae questioned, his forehead creasing.

“About someone… you hated… and…”

The change of expression in Jongdae’s face was impossible to ignore. His eyes suddenly glassed over in a click, as if someone shut off its expression. Jongdae averted his gaze and leaned back on the seat, ignoring the question.

“Jongdae…?”

The younger man didn’t answer, he just buried his head in the blankets and took deep breaths. Junmyeon was stricken. What have I done?

And if he hadn’t been staring so hard at the man, he would’ve missed the slight tremble in his shoulders. He was crying.

-

The moment the plane landed, Jongdae finally lifted his face from the blanket. He had a terrible-looking expression and Junmyeon was immediately plagued with guilt. “Jongdae, I’m sorry please listen…”

The younger man simply ignored him and grabbed his bag, walking off without a single backward glance.

Junmyeon was crushed. Not only did I not find out a single thing to satiate my burning curiosity, I have just made him hate me, too. Yeah Kim Junmyeon, just go burn in hell now. You’re the most heart-less clue-less ridicu-less guy. Oh its ridiculous. But whatever.

Jongdae, I can’t just let him be like that. I have clearly upsetted him, I need to go make up for it. Oh damn.

I don’t want to let it go, just like that.

-

There was 2 hours before the next plane departed. Junmyeon had two hours to find Kim Jongdae. That would’ve been easy, if not for the fact that the Beijing airport was scarily huge.

“Kim Jongdae Kim freaking Jong freaking Dae where are you?” He muttered, scanning the crowds for a familiar mop of hazel-brown hair. Oh come on, you’ve been stuck with that crazy yapping cat-smile dude for 14 hours and now you can’t find him?!

One hour had passed, and Junmyeon collapsed on a bench with his briefcase, panting heavily. He was hungry and thirsty and extremely worn-out, but he didn’t know where to search anymore.

“Screw this,” he murmured, messing his sweaty bangs up roughly and burying his face in his hands.

After what felt like hours, Junmyeon felt a slight nudge in his shoulder. He looked up, mentally cursing himself for ruining his outfit and turned him from a smart businessman into a drunk-looking madman.

It was Jongdae, holding a packet of apple juice and a burger.

“Bet you haven’t eaten.” He mumbled, and pushed the food in his hands. Then he sat down beside Junmyeon and stared at his hands.

The set up was exactly the same as 15 hours ago at the New York airport, but this time the silence that hung around them was heavy.

“Sorry.” Junmyeon bit into his burger, not knowing what else to say.

“It’s fine. My bad for running away.”

“You’re not angry anymore?”

“Nope.”

Then another awkward silence hung around them. Junmyeon’s throat got too dry that he struggled to swallow down the burger. Jongdae nudged the apple drink at him.

“I won’t force you to say anything,” Junmyeon managed, after downing the burger and the drink with hurried gulps. “We’re kind of still strangers anyway.”

Jongdae didn’t respond immediately, but finally he replied, “My best friend ditched me.”

“What?” Junmyeon was astonished at the sudden confession, and leaned forward to prove that he was listening.

“He spat and hissed and mocked me. My best friend.”

Junmyeon felt a rage burn inside of him. How could anyone do that to their best friend?! That’s heartless!!

Jongdae looked downcast. “He found out I was different.”

Junmyeon hesitated. He wanted to ask, but at the same time didn’t want to make his friend run away again. Yes. His friend. They aren’t strangers anymore... right?

At that sudden realization, Junmyeon felt his skin prickle and a tingling sensation spread through his body. What, am I electrocuting myself, now? Jongdae isn’t even touching me!!

Jongdae smiled wistfully. “I like guys.”

Then he stood up and walked away.

Possibly out of Junmyeon’s life forever, too.

Junmyeon blinked. What did he just say? Wait. DID HE SAY HE WAS GAY?!

-

Junmyeon didn’t know what to feel, how to react, to the startling confession by the crazy yapping cat-smile dude. In fact, he just continued to stare into space until he realised he had 5 minutes to get to the departure hall, and he grabbed his briefcase and sprinted like a lunatic all the way there.

Screw the messy suit, screw the scruffy hair, screw his horrendous face. He was definitely not going to miss this flight.

Junmyeon didn’t see Jongdae anywhere in the cabin. Even though the flight was barely 2 hours, Junmyeon had went to the toilet roughly four times to scan the crowd in the plane, but not once did he find the familiar brown head among the sea of passengers.

So, the flight to Korea was not one relaxing flight for Junmyeon, not at all.

When the plane landed, Junmyeon purposefully fled out of the plane at lightning speed and stood by the entrance, examining every single face as they got out of the business class section of the plane… Oh crap. Business class. Jongdae could’ve taken the economy class.

Realizing his grave mistake, Junmyeon quickly hurried to the luggage pick up point and scanned the crowd once again.

He’s got to be here, somewhere…

-

It was futile.

Junmyeon slumped back onto a bench near the airport exit, trying to catch his breath. This Jongdae really has no idea how much he has made me run about today, he swore to himself, rubbing his tired ankles.

And then, from the corner of his eye, a familiar figure walked past.

Heck, Junmyeon didn’t care about his luggage or his briefcase anymore. He leapt to his feet and dove into the crowd, grabbing firmly onto the arm of the surprised man, and yanked him out of the mess of people.

“Jun..- my lug-”

“Shut up and come with me.”

Junmyeon just kept running, as far as he could from the mess of crowds, finally stumbling upon the handicapped toilet at the far end of the exit hall. He shoved Jongdae in the cubicle and slammed the door shut, locking it and turning to lean his back on the door, closing his eyes.

He was exhausted to the bone.

Jongdae seemed to notice that. “Sir…” He began in a cocky tone.

“Don’t call me that.” He huffed, ignoring the way his blood rushed to his cheeks at the way the younger man was addressing him.

Jongdae was silent for a while, and Junmyeon opened his eyes to see Jongdae folding a piece of toilet paper silently and seriously. He looked adorably cute doing that…

What?! Cute?

“Why did you bring me here?” He asked suddenly.

“I… You… Look. You don’t just walk away like that from your friend, right?”

“Friend?” Jongdae cocked his head and looked so surprised that Junmyeon wanted to squish him.

What?! Squish?

“Am I not?” Junmyeon realised suddenly that they were in a small enclosed room… alone.

“After what I said I was, you’re still willing to be my friend?”

“W-why not?” Junmyeon wondered why his airways were getting narrower. He loosened his tie to let himself breathe better.

“I’m GAY!” He threw his hands up in despair.

“So what?”

Jongdae was clearly at a loss of words. He opened and closed his mouth several times, but all that whooshed out with air.

“So… nothing.”

Junmyeon laughed nervously. “Then don’t run away. It’s not right.”

What?! Right?

Junmyeon found himself closing in to Jongdae, the younger man sensing something off, and he backed himself onto the wall with a yelp.

“Then… what’s right?” Jongdae managed to whisper, as Junmyeon’s lips hovered dangerously close to his. The younger man looked up carefully, and his long eyelashes showed a hint of tears. “Don’t you feel uncomfortable around me?” His voice cracked a little, and it sounded awfully strained.

Uncomfortable?! Hell yes Junmyeon was VERY uncomfortable now. Something in his head yelled, YOUR BOSS IS WAITING DUMB GUY. BROWNIE POINTS BROWNIE POINTS…

But suddenly he realised he didn’t care. All he wanted to do was ease the uncomfortable feeling in his chest.

So he leaned closer and their noses brushed, causing Jongdae to stiffen.

A bazillion electric currents zapped through his body and up and down his spine, and he pulled away in shock, sweat coating his forehead.

“Y-you never told me you could e-electrocute p-people.”

“WHAT?!” Jongdae gave him an incredulous look.

Then a small smile played across his lips. The cat smile, that Junmyeon no longer found annoying, more like endearing. Jongdae closed the distance between their lips this time, a light fleeting touch as he pulled Junmyeon closer towards his chest, and Junmyeon savoured the warmth and the sweetness of it all.

“I don’t electrocute people, silly.” Jongdae murmured, leaning his forehead on the older man’s own, the cheeky grin back on his face.

Junmyeon was never so glad to see a smile in his life. A crazy kittenish smile, that he once felt like smacking it off the face of the person who made it. Now he wanted to sew it permanently onto Jongdae’s face.

“Then e-explain y-yourself.” He managed.

Jongdae casually brushed his lips on Junmyeon’s again, and immediately the sizzle was back.

“You’re attracted to me, idiot.”

“A-attracted?”

Jongdae laughed, cute giggles that made Junmyeon’s knees severely weaken. “I think I like you too. Even though I’m gay, I don’t just like anyone, by the way. You just seemed a little different from the rest.”

Junmyeon couldn’t help but smile at that. So I mean something to Jongdae too. He couldn’t quite fathom why this felt so right, having Jongdae in his arms and giggling and kissing him. He felt like he could never get sick of this, ever.

“Oh right, Junmyeon don’t you need to get to your offi- ”

Junmyeon shut him off with a kiss. He didn’t really care about work anymore. Not when he legitimately thought he had found the other half in his life.

Even though they never knew the other existed a mere 18 hours ago.

18 hours was all it took for Junmyeon to fall in love. 18 hours was all he needed, actually.

A/N: I'm so sorry for the cheesiness and the absurdness of it all. :P