Osaka Japan

“Ladies and gentleman this is your captain speaking. Flight 277 from Osaka, Japan to Incheon, South Korea will be departing shortly-” The pilot’s voice was deep and pleasant over the intercom, relaxed with the rehearsed words.

I looked up as a flight attendant walked by. She gave me a polite smile as she checked the bag compartment above my head. I returned it a bit awkwardly, noting her gaze slide to my phone.

“-please take a moment to make sure all your carry-on luggage is tucked away securely in the overhead compartment and all your electronic devices are turned off until we reach flying altitude.” I switched to airplane mode, sliding the device into my pocket.

Just as I suspected these three days went by way too fast. Ri On was a bit teary eyed at the airport, but unlike our dad (who was too close to water works) he flat out refused the idea that he was getting emotional. Like past visits, the process of saying goodbye to my family was more funny (and slightly aggravating) than it was sad. To the very last second Ri On would be demanding a list of Korean snacks he started making up during the ride here. Dad would give one of his bone crushing bear hugs that’d be nice but too painful to stand for more than a minute (but they always lasted for at least 5). And Umma was the one to peel them off me and herd me in the right direction so I made it to my flight. The only time I’d seen her cry was during my arrivals, but the most it’d be was a stray few tears. The happy kind, after a couple months of not seeing each other face to face. I felt them rise sometimes too, but as I got older it happened less often.

“Adjust your seats to the upright position and fasten your seatbelts. Thank you for flying with us.”

I leaned back on my head rest, closing my eyes. The roar of the plane’s engine was loud; I chewed the bubble gum Ri On gave me, working the flavor out so my ears wouldn’t pop. I had texted Ha ri the time of my arrival before I’d got on the plane, hopefully today would be the day she’d be there before me.

Then again if she show’s up with dinner I’d be okay if she was early or late.

What the hell am I going to do at school tomorrow though...

I’d had all this time to think and relax, and all I’d done was the latter. Then I’d dreamt that lovely little scenario.

Dad used to tell me that dreams were just reflections of people’s subconscious thoughts. If I tried to reason through it that way I could only turn crimson.

It doesn’t make sense that way. I’m not their fan; thinking about the power they have as kingkas almost makes them intimidating. The Sehun in that dream wasn’t real, but those eyes-

“Miss?”

I blinked open my eyes, realizing my face had unconsciously scrunched in a cringe. The flight attendant was back, a packaged blanket in her hands.

“U-uh, yes?” I stuttered out in korean, instantly forgetting my basic travel japanese.

“Here you go, I noticed one was missing for your seat earlier.” She explained with a smile, switching to Korean effortlessly. I accepted it with a small thank you, suddenly feeling 10 years younger. My wallflower traits had a lot to do with it.

Even as a legal adult I’ll probably still be mistaken for a minor flying alone. Wonderful.

She walked to her station at the back of the plane and I slouched in my seat. Next time I was dragging Ha ri with me just so I wouldn’t have to talk to adults. I wondered how the last three days went by for the kingkas, and whether or not they actually noticed my absence.

Well they have no choice; I just had to say yes to being their partner for history.

The thought triggered a squeeze of guilt. Mr. Im was not a generous marker so it would’ve been better to start the project as soon as possible. I had google searched a couple things on my phone over the trip here, but I was far from having anything solid to contribute. Would Sehun and Kai already have started researching by themselves?

Kingkas were supposed to be just as accomplished as queenkas. In my opinion the latter group was the one often being measured, assessed, and praised, because it was often the fans of Exo (or the really self conceited in general) that wanted the status of Queenka. I couldn’t picture Kai as the branic type, and Yukiko had already confirmed his player label. Were Sehun and Lay different from that? As kingkas it was technically possible, likely even. The thought pressed against my chest, uncomfortable.

Within a couple minutes the plane was in motion, slowly pulling away from the dock and onto the runway. A few stray people put up their tabletops and straightened their chairs at the feeling of the plane’s movement. A man held an open can of soda in both hands, as if not to let its contents spill. I relaxed into the comfy padding of my seat, closing my eyes.

The engine’s roar escalated as we accelerated, making it impossible to be heard unless someone was willing to shout. I could feel myself slowly being pressed back, my armrests vibrating. I waited for the stomach-plunging sensation that would come from lift off. As if my gut was being pulled past the line of my spine, and my body lifting despite the will of gravity.

When it finally came the years of experience on planes quelled the urge to squeal. Without opening my eyes I could already tell the plane was at a steep angle, soaring up thousands of feet in the span of minutes. It was equal parts thrilling as it was terrifying.

After a while I thought I heard something, like a sharp intake of breath. Then there was a large thud. Like something colliding into solid metal.

What?

I opened my eyes. We were still angled skyward, but now nearly everyone in the plane was alert and looking towards the left side windows. I caught the gaze of the person sitting in the seat across the aisle from me. It was a man, maybe in his 20s. The look of surprise on his face matched my own. His lips moved, I couldn’t hear but I saw the words they formed:

“What was that?”

I turned to my left, opening the window blind. An endless curtain of pale gray was racing by, masking the sun and the baby blue sky in tinted shade. The shadow drifted along inside the cabin; instead of being bathed in sunlight many faces were darkened. Some stared at the windows with their mouths agape; others faced the cockpit, as if waiting for some sort of explanation. I could just catch the sounds of uneasy voices around me. A faint cuss, more gasps, or just silent looks of shock, horror beginning to slowly creep in. An ice cold feeling poured into my stomach, chilling my arms and making my heart speed erratically.

An alarm bell began to sound over the intercom, sharp and warning. I sat up in my seat despite the pull of gravity, my hands at a death grip on my arm rest.

Seoul, South Korea

“She really didn’t come.” Kai’s voice was a quiet murmur inside Sehun’s mind. The final bell chimed from the loudspeaker, signalling the end of classes. People were up and milling about, shuffling out the doors and out of the school. Sehun gave no response to the latter, just staring straight, five rows ahead to an empty desk. Your desk.

“Sehun.” Kai said, this time a little more pointedly. Again he only received silence, as if he hadn’t been heard in the first place. Of course that wasn’t possible; telepathy always worked in infuriatingly perfect clarity.

“Ignoring me isn’t going to solve anything.”

Sehun was well aware of this fact. Ignoring his pack brother wasn’t going to do anything helpful, if anything it had caused him unexpected trouble; people had been questioning his more distant character all day. But what could he do? His poker face had broken into something even frigid than the monotone ice prince.

Standing from his chair, Sehun approached the second row. To a particular brunette with glasses. Nana was already turned by the time he reached her.

“Do you know why Lena-ah has been missing?” He murmured. It crossed his mind just how stoic his tone seemed, as if he was concealing anger. He wasn’t angry.

“No I don’t.” Nana blinked, adjusting her glasses. If she noticed she didn’t give any visible signs. “She did explain to me a couple days ago that she’d be absent.”

Within a matter of moments Kai was right there with them, smoothly budding into the conversation.

“Did Lena-ah say why?” He asked.

Nana regarded him with the same analyzing look she’d given Sehun, as if she was trying to read into his inquiry. “She didn’t give me any particulars. If you have her cell phone number you could call her and ask.” She rose from her chair, slinging her bookbag over her shoulder. “See you both tomorrow.” And she was lost within the mass of people inside the corridor. Nana’s choice of wording left them on a particularly sour note.

“If she’s not back by Monday I might actually kill you.” Sehun said through his teeth. To anyone else it look like a simple exhale of breath.

“Get in line. Lay’s been giving me dagger eyes since this morning.” Kai responded dryly.

Sehun brushed passed “He didn’t glare at you.”

“No, but he did at his food, his backpack, his shoes. All of that was indirectly meant for me.”

Maybe it was. Sehun wasn’t about to make him feel better. Kai took the silence he received without making a remark. He understood why his two pack brothers were worried. It wasn’t as if he didn’t feel the same gut wrenching unease. Day by day it kicked up a notch, so each time he had to shove the feeling down a little harder.

He wasn’t going to regret the forehead kiss though.

The urge to do it had come on a whim; he was just as surprised as you when he pulled away. A burst of energy hit him from the contact, like the adrenaline. His mind had blanked perfectly, and he completely forgot to keep his expression in check. All he could think about was your heartbeat in his ears, how human it was compared to the consistent thuds of his own. As quick as the moment had come it’d been lost, and now he could very well be the reason you were gone. Even still he could turn the moment over in his mind without real regret. If Sehun picked up on that he knew he might actually be punched, so Kai wasn’t going to let him. He knew to anyone else he seemed fine, the same old usual kingka. And it was going to stay that way, right until you came to school again.

“How’s it going Kai?” A voice boomed amidst the conversation of the room. I knew the owner before I turned around, an automatic grin coming on my face.

“Not bad. What’s up Jae Hwa-ah.” I responded. The energy shifted subtly, centering around the two of us. A class clown and a kingka.  

“Nothing much. It’s raining. It’s a Monday morning, everyone looks mildly dejected. Just the regular high school experience.” Jae Hwa made a sweeping gesture. The weather behind the windows was dreary, the rain by no means light. Someone threw a crumpled paper ball at his head.

“It’s too early in the morning for this.” A voice said, earning a rise of laughter from the room.

“Yah! Which one of you idiots did that?!” Jae Hwa turned, waving a finger between his group of friends. No doubt one was the culprit. “Don’t let me catch you!” A couple raised their hands in mock defense.

I sat up against the empty desk table, staring outside.

Seven days...and still nothing.

“What about Mr. Ice Prince?” Jae Hwa turned back to me, lowering his voice.

“Tell him I died.” A voice immediately cut in, monotone. As expected the passing weekend had pitched Sehun’s mood into a darker gloom than the one outside.

“Who knows? Maybe he has a fear of rain.” I said aloud lightly. “Drag your dead body here and tell him yourself.” Internally my tone was curt.

“Good to know you’re reliable.” His said sarcastically. He didn’t speak again but I could still sense him faintly, tuned into my conversation. Physically he was in the school’s cafeteria, taking his sweet time grabbing snacks he was never going to share with me. Maybe he was keeping an eye out in case Lena showed up, I wouldn’t be surprised.

“He isn’t the only one.” Jae Hwa muttered, a hand going to his hair, as if checking that the styling held. Besides queenkas and kingkas he was the only other person who got away with dyeing it. Compared to the dull black close trims or bowl cuts many male students had, Jae Hwa stood out with a long sweeping mid part the color of polished copper. On anyone else it would have been ridiculous.

He gestured to the empty desk beside me, brows raised. “What about Lena-ah?”

“I don’t know.” I could already tell little wheels were turning in his head, trying to read in where there wasn’t much to find. “Why so curious?” I asked.

“I’m not,” He matched my tone “I was just asking.” Which meant he wanted to know, and there was no telling where exactly that information could go. My smile was easy and my face relaxed; he wasn’t going to be finding anything noteworthy from me. “I thought I saw her outside though.” He continued after a moment, mouth twisted in a slight frown. As if concerned.

“Really?” I asked lightly.

“Well there aren’t many people that wear our uniform and have hair that’s a mane.” He emphasized.

“It’s not a mane.”

“Why are you so focused on her hair length.” Sehun decided to interrupt. His sarcastic humor was gone. He wasn’t the only one present.

“Lena’s here?” Lay asked, merging into the conversation.

“Let’s agree to disagree on that one.” Jae Hwa said, waving the matter away. “Anyways I’m pretty sure it was her. I was on the bus when it passed by. I don’t get why she didn’t get on at the stop, she didn’t even have an umbrella.”

I looked outside, the gloom of the weather obvious “She’d be drenched by now.”

“And late. That’d be a first.” He looked to the row behind us. Nana was into a book, the spine half the size of her palm. Her demeanor screamed ‘do not disturb’. Jae Hwa knocked on her desk “I don’t think Lena’ll match the record of Miss. Perfect Attendance over here.”

There was a slight pause. She raised her head, adjusting her glasses. “I guess you’re referring to me.”

“Well I don’t mean your seatmate.”

She glanced at the empty desk beside her. “I’m not one for imaginary friends. If it’s something you believe in then, by all means go ahead. I won’t judge you.” Jae Hwa stared at her. The surrounding rows resounded in chuckles.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Are you sure? The way you put it was literal.”

“I was being sarcastic.”

“Then I must’ve missed the joke. My bad.” She conceded, returning to her book. Jae Hwa narrowed his eyes, turning away with a hmph. His demeanor was that of an annoyed child, much to the delight of the people around us.

“Kai.” Sehun’s voice was like a pulse, pressing against my temples “Ask.” Both him and Lay were there, silent presences in my head. I looked down at her desk for a moment..

“He’s said enough.” I tried to ignore the feeling in my chest. It sparked just from his words, a spark of adrenaline. “She might show up today. Should we make sure?”

“Are you suggesting we shouldn’t?” Sehun caught onto my tone.

“No, it’s just that we can’t all waltz out there and make a scene.” I paused, as if mulling the thought over “Wait. Actually we could just all go, relieving all our anxiety in the simplest way possible. Then again someone did decision that doing something like that would technically be making a scene-”

“Really Kai?” Lay spoke up. I could hear the sigh, making me grin.

“Just saying.”

The energy was still there, a solid weight against my chest. Pushing. Urging for me to move.

Tick, Tock. Tick, Tock. The clock was hidden within the swell of noise so finding it took time, but it was the greatest constant I had.

I was going to wait. Calmly, normally. Like I said I would.

~~~