Eleven hours. It’s not fun sitting in the same exact spot for eleven hours. There’s virtually no leg room, and the seat doesn’t recline nearly as much as desired. When you put down the tray table in front of you, you have even less room than you did before. I’d never flown first-class, but I imagined it would make flights so much more tolerable. The seats are more cushioned, there’s more leg room, you can recline farther back, and you even have cup holders. Pus you get served food and drinks first. I’m pretty sure the pillows are a lot fluffier, too.

                About an hour ago, I was already starting to feel restless. I had propped the pillow up against the window and closed my eyes. I hadn’t necessarily felt tired at the time, but sleeping would make the time travel faster. The man seated next to Byunghun had almost immediately covered his ears with fancy noise-canceling headphones, fashioned his neck with a black fleece neck-pillow and closed his eyes. I was glad he did so, because it meant Byunghun and I could talk and laugh freely without bothering him.

                I felt my heavy eyelids flutter, slowly sliding down. After spending so much time trying to sleep, I was actually starting to feel tired. Suddenly I felt a jab at my side, which abruptly woke me from my half-slumber.

                “Look, there’s the ocean!” Byunghun cried excitedly, pointing out the window with a huge smile on his face. There was a tiny break in the thick clouds we were caught in, and a sliver of the ocean could be seen.

                I blinked tiredly. “Byunghun, I’m half asleep,” I moaned, re-adjusting my pillow.

                “I’m sorry,” he giggled, a y but innocent smirk on his face. He leaned towards me and took my pillow into his hands. He propped it up on his shoulder. “Would this be more comfortable?”

                Tiredly, I cracked a smile. I nodded and nestled onto the pillow on Byunghun’s shoulder.

                “Hey Kirin?” he said after a moment.

                “Hm?”

                “You better not drool on me.”

                Eyes still closed, I elbowed him where no male wants to be elbowed.

                “OHHH!” he practically shouted, doubling over. I burst out laughing, as if I had suddenly acquired all the energy in the world.

                “I’m sorry, babe,” I laughed loudly, leaning onto him and rubbing his back.

                “God! Do you WANT us to have kids someday?!” Byunghun exclaimed louder than necessary.

                “Thought you’d never ask,” I muttered slyly.

                He groaned again. After a few more seconds of in pain, he straightened himself back up, cleared his throat, and settled back into his seat. “I think I’ve recovered,” he said finally, his face bright red. “Nice aim.”

                “Thank you,” I beamed, still giggling.

                “Kirin!” I heard someone hiss a few rows ahead me.

                I craned my neck up to see who it was. My parents were only a few rows ahead of me. Sure enough, my mom was looking back at me sternly. “You two have to quiet down!”

                 “Sorry,” I hissed back before ducking my head down.

                “Busted,” Byunghun giggled.

                 “Only because you screamed.”

                 “You elbowed me!”

                “You deserved it.”

                “I hate you.”

                “Right back at you.”

                “I don’t know why I agreed to come.”

                “I don’t know why I asked you to come.”

                “I wanna go home.”

                “You are going home.”

                “I don’t live there anymore, dummy.”

                “There’s no need to call me names.”

                “Dummy.”

                “I hate you.”

                “Wanna make out?”

                I slapped his thigh. “Later.”

                I watched Byunghun throw his head back and laugh his dorky laughter. Out of the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of the ocean out the window. The clouds had slowly begun to thin out to reveal the Pacific Ocean directly below us. I gazed dreamily at the blue waves that reflected the bright sunlight. I couldn’t wait until I was lounging on a beach towel, gazing at those waves right before my eyes. I longed to fee the California sun and wind on my face and smell the salt water. Paradise. But Paradise was nine hours away.

                Seven rows behind us were Jonghyun and Min Neul. Min Neul sat in the aisle seat and Jonghyun sat in the middle seat. There was a young-looking female beside Min Neul. She had short, dark hair pushed back with a striped headband. Min Neul guessed she was her mine and her sister’s age, but she wasn’t sure. She and Min Neul had made brief eye contact and smiled at each other when they first sat down in their seats. Min Neul hadn’t made an effort to talk to the girl yet; she was surprised she hadn’t recognized Changjo or any of the other Teen Top members.

                The girl smiled at Min Neul and Min Neul smiled back. “So,” the girl began suddenly. “My name’s Sunyoung.”

                “I’m Min Neul,” Min Neul answered with a smile. She lightly touched Jonghyun’s arm. “And this is my boyfriend, Jonghyun.”

                 Jonghyun smiled a bright smile. “Hi, nice to meet you,” he said in his usual deep voice.

                The girl cocked her head to the side and giggled. “I’m sorry, you just look really familiar to me. Have we ever met?”

                Jonghyun dropped his head and giggled a little bit. “Maybe you’ve seen me before,” he said. He pulled down his hood so Sunyoung could take a better look at him.

                Sunyoung’s eyes squinted as she gazed at Jonghyun, trying to figure out why he looked so familiar. Min Neul was silently growing frustrated. “He’s Changjo from the band Teen Top,” she informed Sunyoung proudly.

                Sunyoung’s eyes widened. “Oh!” Her hands flew to . “Oh, I knew I’d seen you before!”

                Changjo chuckled deeply as he bowed his head. “Hello, I’m Teen Top’s Dance Boy Changjo!”

                Min Neul loved when he said that. She loved they way he pronounced “Dance Boy” in English. It heightened her excitement to hear him speak English some more in the next two months. Maybe they could even practice together. After all, they had already learned to French kiss. Maybe they could English kiss too…

                Sunyoung giggled and bowed slightly. “I’m so sorry, I don’t listen to Teen Top very much. I’m more of an Epik High fan. But I know you sing that one song…'Don’t Spray Perfume,’ right?”

                Changjo and Min Neul nodded at the same time. “Don’t spray perfume,” Changjo sang while gripping the top of his sweatshirt as if it was a collar.

                Sunyoung clapped. “So, if you don’t mind me asking, why are you headed to Los Angeles?”

                Changjo shrugged. “Vacation. Hopefully to learn some English, too.”

                “Ah, that’s great!” Sunyoung responded, nodding her head. Min Neul was surprised at how calm she was being. She obiously wasn't an Angel. Min Neul decided this was probably a good thing, because if this girl had been a rabid Changjo fan, she probably would have gotten into a catfight.

                Sunyoung’s eyes locked onto Min Neul. “And you’re really his girlfriend?”

                Min Neul couldn’t help but sit up a little straighter. She tossed her glossy dark hair over her shoulder. “Why yes, I am.”

                Sunyoung smiled warmly. “It’s nice to know idols can have girlfriends without receiving hate from fans. Good for you.”

                “Thanks.” Min Neul was beaming. She glanced at Jonghyun, who squeezed her hand in his.

                “So is the rest of Teen Top on this plane?” Sunyoung asked, craning her neck up to see over the seat in front of her.

                “Yes, they’re all here,” Min Neul answered, peering over the seat before her. “L.Joe’s around here somewhere. You won’t be able to see him though, because he’s too short.”

                Sunyoung laughed. She smiled cordially at the couple beside her. “Well, I hope you have fun in California. I hear it’s a really fun place, especially if you like the beach.”

                “Oh, we will,” Min Neul said, eyeing Jonghyun out of the corner of her eye. “We definitely will.”

                Five rows ahead of Min Neul and Jonghyun sat Chanhee, all by himself. Smack in the middle of row 19, seat F. Chanhee had plopped himself down in his seat before anyone else in his row had gotten there. He had sat back and waited patiently for someone to claim the seats around him. The entire time he sat alone, he wondered just who his temporary neighbors would be. Would they recognize him? Probably, given his recognizably good looks. After running his fingers through his hair one last time, he had looked up to find two figures standing at the end of his row. Chanhee’s jaw nearly hit the floor.

                Two girls had been standing there. But not just any girls; two identical twin girls. Both the girls had heads of long, dark, glossy curls that framed their small, round faces. Both had small turned-up noses, pouty lips and double eyelids. Both wore super short, tailored shorts and pastel colored tank-tops with ruffles at the top. They had large bags swung over their thin shoulders and tickets clutched in their manicured hands.

                Chanhee felt his breath catch in his throat. Would these girls be sitting beside him? After clearing his throat, he cracked a pearly white smile dazzling enough to blind someone. “Can I help you ladies?” he had said in the best suave voice he possibly could.

                The girl in the lavender tank top had glanced down at her ticket as a smile blossomed on her doll-like face. “I’m in seat 19E, and my sister is in seat 19G,” she said daintily.

                Chanhee sat back in his seat—his seat, not Byunghun’s. How jealous Byunghun will be when he finds out he gave up a seat in between some smoking hot twins, Chanhee thought. “Well then welcome to row 19, ladies,” he had replied, eyeing the girls. They giggled as they scooted into the aisle. Chanhee had tried to pull in his legs as much as he could to give the girl in the pastel pink top space to scoot over him. Momentarily, he had enjoyed having her so close to him. She smelled sweet like a bouquet of flowers.

                The twins had looked at each other and giggled softly as they buckled themselves in.

                “Would you rather sit next to each other?” Chanhee had raised an eyebrow. “I’d gladly trade seats with one of you ladies.”

                “Oh, no, this is fine,” the girl in pink had said quickly.

                Her sister nodded her head in agreement. “As long as you don’t mind sitting between us.”

                Chanhee had let out a little scoff. “I don’t mind at all,” he had said suavely. “I don’t mind one bit.”

                Since then, two other people had claimed the last two seats left in the row. One was an older woman with wiry gray hair and the other a business man who was tapping away at his iPad nonstop. He silently prayed a quick thank-you to the heavenly match-maker in the sky that he had been blessed enough to sit between these two girls.

                Chanhee had waited patiently to see if the recognized him; how could they not? He had been the star of their last music video, after all. Didn’t they know about Teen Top?

                “So, uh,” Chanhee said suddenly. “Do you girls…recognize me at all?”

                The girl in lavender, who was named Minsook, wrinkled her small nose. “Excuse me?”

                “You don’t recognize my face? My voice?” Chanhee asked. He turned to the other twin, the one in pink, named Jisook.

                Jisook cocked her head to the side. “Do you go to our school?”

                Chanhee felt his shoulders droop. “No, I don’t. You don’t know who I am? I’m Lee Chanhee. Does that help?”

                “Lee Chanhee,” Minsook repeated, biting her glossed lip as she thought. Eventually she shook her head. “Sorry, that name doesn’t sound familiar.”

                “I’m Chunji,” Chanhee stated flatly. “You know, from Teen Top!”

                “Chunji?” Jisook repeated. She scrunched her nose up. “You’re not Chunji.”

                “Yes I am,” Chanhee insisted. “I’m really Chunji!”

                “You don’t look like Chunji,” Minsook replied.

                Chanhee was growing impatient. “How do I not look like him? I am him!”

                Jisook and Minsook exchanged skeptical glances. “I’ll admit I’ve only seen Teen Top once,” Jisook spoke up, “but I really don’t think you look like Chunji.”

                “Chunji’s eyes are a little different, right?” Minsook asked her sister, who nodded in agreement.

                Chanhee was baffled; utterly baffled. “What? I told you, I am Chunji!”

                Jisook rolled her eyes. She looked annoyed. “Look, stop pretending, alright? We both know you’re not Chunji so just stop it already.”

                “Are you kidding me?” Chunji said defensively. “I can’t believe you don’t recognize me! Teen Top’s extremely popular! You honestly think I’m lying?”

                Minsook let out a frustrated sigh. “We know you’re lying, alright? Give it up already.”

                “Yeah, because if you really were Chunji, I’d have a few words to say to you about Teen Top’s new song,” Jisook replied, running her fingers through her glossy curls.

                Chunji crossed his arms, feeling his blood start to boil. “Alright. Since I’m apparently not Chunji, why don’t you tell me what you think of Teen Top’s new song.”

                Jisook rolled her eyes. “Well first of all, it’s about cheating. They’re singing about how they’re cheating on their girlfriends with older women. That’s a terrible thing to sing about,” she scoffed.

                Chunji’s jaw dropped. “It’s just a song! Teen Top didn’t write it!”

                “Yeah, but they’re still singing it,” Minsook replied. She crossed her arms across her chest. “I personally think it’s disgusting.”

                “There are way better ways to get noticed in the k-pop industry,” Jisook added.

                “Oh is that so?” Chunji asked. “Please, tell me more.”

                Jisook narrowed her eyebrows. “Well first of all, maybe the members should start going to the gym—or not starving themselves. They’re all so tiny and skinny, like girls. And they all need to lay off on the makeup.”

                “And get some better stylists,” Minsook added. “That one member always has his hair dyed some weird color. And he looks like a poodle when it’s curly.”

                “They could use some talent, too," Jisook added under her breathe.

                Chunji was livid. “Okay, I can tolerate the criticism on the song, but when you criticize my bandmates and best friends, that’s where I get angry.” He glared at Jisook. “C.A.P and Changjo have great bodies, actually. And we all work out and none of us starve ourselves. And newsflash, we’re not the only idols who wear makeup.” He turned to Minsook. “That one member with weird hair? That happens to be L.Joe, my best friend you’re talking about. Don’t like his curly hair? Fine, whatever. But you best not insult him one more time, or any of the other members for that matter. We’re all talented. We all work our asses off to make our dream of being a top idol group come true. You’re got a lot of nerve bashing Teen Top to my face like that, because regardless of what you think, I am Power Voice Chunji, and I’m proud of to be a member of Teen Top.”

                Jisook and Minsook burst out laughing. Their heads were thrown back and their hands clutching their stomachs.

                “Whatever,” Jisook replied, brushing Chunji’s explosion off her bony shoulder.

                “If I didn’t already dislike Teen Top, I certainly dislike them now,” Minsook added. She glared at Chunji. “I heard Chunji wasn’t very nice, and now I know that’s the truth.”

                Chunji instantly felt his heart sank. He honestly hadn’t meant to yell at the girls like that. He was just completely baffled that they accused him of lying and then proceeded to badmouth his band in front of him like that. His heart felt heavy with regret and despair, both in the girls and himself. He just gave Teen Top a terrible name and guaranteed himself two anti-fans. He wanted to bury his face in his hands and cry, but he knew that wouldn’t fix anything. He simply sighed, and fished out his iPod from his pocket.

                “I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that,” he said softly. “I’m sorry. Don’t hate Teen Top just because of what I just did.” He sadly stuffed his headphones into his ears and his iPod. “I hope you give Teen Top another chance.” The second after he let out a deep sigh, the opening beats of Teen Top’s “Tell Me Why” drowned out the world around him.

                Five rows behind sulking Chanhee, in seats 24I and 24J, were Changhyun and Daniel. Changhyun had traded his 24H seat to a mother so she could sit with her the rest of her family. He had wanted the window seat, but when he and Daniel had first arrived at their row, a bony, elderly man had already claimed that seat. Changhyun couldn’t tell if he had scowled or smiled at them when he first saw them. They had bowed a polite greeting to him anyway.

                Changhyun had began playing a video game on his PSP and Daniel had been watching. Changhyun could had never made it this far into the game before, and either had Daniel. Usually, if Byunghun spotted them playing a video game, he’d come up and bug them about what they were playing and how long they’ve been playing for. Daniel wasn’t sure if he was curious, or if he just liked being annoying. Luckily for them, Byunghun was rows ahead of them. He and Changhyun were free to play whatever game they wanted for as long as they wanted.

                Suddenly, Daniel could feel the old man’s eyes on him. He felt compelled to turn his head and offer a friendly smile.

                “You oughta get a haircut, young man,” the old man said in a shaky voice.

                Daniel was a bit startled. “Excuse me?” he politely asked.

                The feeble ahjussi squinted as he eyed Niel’s head. “No boy your age should have hair that long. You look like a girl.”

                Changhyun had to clamp his hand over his mouth to keep himself from laughing. He bit his tongue and turned the other way, shaking in his seat.

                Daniel wasn’t sure how to respond. He reached up to touch his long, wavy hair. “Oh. Uh, you see, I’m a singer, so, um, my company is in charge of my hair.”

                The ahjussi was still squinting. “Oh, I see,” he said weakly, “you’re one of those Pretty Boys.”

                Daniel let out a nervous chuckle. “Uh, why yes I am.” He saw Changhyun shaking with inaudible laughter beside him.

                The elderly man let out a tired scoff. “Just as I suspected. You all think you’re hotshots because of your long hair and skinny bodies and puffy lips.” He leaned forward and set his beady eyes on Changhyun. “Now what’s the matter with your friend?”

                Changhyun couldn’t contain himself anymore; he burst out laughing controllably.

                Daniel elbowed him in the ribs in an attempt to shut him up. “Oh, uh, he’s just laughing, sir,” Daniel answered over the obnoxious laughter radiating beside him. Changhyun was gasping for breath, tears gathering in the corners of his dark eyes.

                “Yah,” Daniel hissed. “Shut up!”

                “I’m sorry,” Changhyun hiccupped. “But that ahjussi thinks you look like a girl!”

                “I do not look like a girl,” Daniel insisted.

                “Your hair is pretty long,” Changhyun giggled.

                Daniel stuck his tongue out. “Doesn’t mean I look like a girl.”

                “Does too.”

                “Does not!”

                “Does too!”

                Daniel pointed at the PSP in Chnghyun’s hands. “Aw, play your game!”

                Changhyun averted his eyes back to his game and started playing again. Daniel began watched him again, and the ahjussi managed to somehow fall asleep. Changhyun let a few more seconds of silence pass before he his lips curled into a playful smile and he muttered, “I still think you look like a girl.”

                The banter between the two most playful members of Teen Top could no doubt be heard from rows away. Three rows back, in seats 27D and 27E, sat Minsoo and Hyerin respectively. The rest of the middle section was occupied by an American business man, a young boy and his mother. The man seated in front of Hyerin had reclined his seat as far back as it could go, which pushed her tray table uncomfortably close to her. She watched as the cup of Coke she ordered from the stewardess’s drink cart shook slowly. The pilot had come into the intercom and apologized for the turbulence over half an hour ago, but he said it wasn’t expected to be rough for much longer. The combination of the bumpy ride, the tray tablet invading her personal space, and the laughter coming from three rows ahead (which she swore was coming from Daniel and Changhyun) was enough to drive her insane. She couldn’t imagine this torture enduring for another nine hours or so. She couldn’t even move, and not just because of the tray table—slumped onto her shoulder was Minsoo.

                Hyerin was convinced that even if Minsoo was lying on a bed of rusty nails in two-hundred degree weather with sirens blaring deafeningly loud in his ears, Minsoo could still sleep. He could sleep anywhere, anytime, under any condition. The turbulence obviously wasn’t enough to wake him, and either did the giggling and screaming. As much as Hyerin wanted to reach her hands up and tie her hair up off the back of her neck, she didn’t want to move. She didn’t want to wake Minsoo; he looked like an angel, tender and soft, when he was asleep. What a contrast to the seemingly hard, cold exterior he usually had.

                Suddenly, the plane hit a rough spot. The entire plane shook left and right, sending the cup of Coke on Hyerin’s tray table flying. She tried to reach out and stable it in time, but it knocked against her hand and tipped itself over, spilling onto both Hyerin’s lap and Minsoo’s lap.

                Minsoo woke up right away. He grunted sleepily as he pushed himself up, attempting to rapidly blink away his tired vision.

                “Oh my God!” Hyerin gushed, staring down at their soaking wet laps. She immediately reached up to press the button for flight attendant service. “Minsoo, I’m so sorry!”

                “It’s okay,” Minsoo said tiredly, his voice still groggy from his sleep. He blinked and rubbed his eyes.

                A flight attendant came marching down the aisle and appeared right beside Minsoo at that moment. “Can I help you?” she asked.

                “Can we get some napkins please?” Hyerin asked.

                “Of course,” the raven-haired flight attendant replied, glancing down at the mess. She turned her back and disappeared down the aisle. When she returned, she had a wad full of napkins in her hands. She handed them to Hyerin and Minsoo, and they thanked her. Hyerin started buffing the tray table, which was sticky with soda.

                “I’m sorry I fell asleep on you,” Minsoo chuckled as he watched the napkin in his hand soak up the excess soda. “Was I squishing you? I’m heavy,” he chuckled.

                Hyerin shook her head. “No, I didn’t mind it.” She glanced at Minsoo and cracked a smile. “Actually, it was pretty cute.”

                Minsoo smiled adorably and shrugged modestly. “I can fall asleep anywhere, anytime. And I’m a really heavy sleeper, too.”

                “Sorry I woke you up,” Hyerin responded. She ditched the used napkins on the tray table, which had been wiped clean. Her shirt and leggings were still wet, as well as Minsoo’s sweatpants.

                Minsoo shrugged again. “Don’t worry about it. It wasn’t your fault. This flight is pretty bumpy.”

                “You got that right,” Hyerin muttered. “I can’t wait for it to be over.”

                “Only about, what, nine more hours?”

                Hyerin groaned. “Great. Nine more hours of sitting on a bumpy plane in the middle of the aisle.” She pinched her leggings. “And on top of that, now I’m sticky.”

                “I’m guessing you’re not a frequent flyer,” Minsoo chuckled.

                Hyerin blushed and shook her head. “How could you tell?”

                Minsoo laughed. His dark eyes smiled and his lips parted to reveal pearly white teeth. Minsoo had a beautiful, wide smile. It wasn’t often he smiled widely; maybe he thought it didn’t match his charismatic image. Hyerin loved when he did, though. His smile lit up his entire perfectly chiseled face. “Anything I can do to make the flight more comfortable for you?”

                Just his sweetness already made the flight more enjoyable. Hyerin felt a smile spread across her lips. “Anything. Just take my mind off this flight.”

                “Okay,” Minsoo said in response. He slowly leaned closer to Hyerin until their faces were inches away. Ever so slowly, he closed his eyes and placed a soft kiss on Hyerin’s lips. Whatever stress Hyerin had been feeling was slowly fading, like the clouds around the plane.

                Mid-kiss, the pilot came onto the intercom once again. “Ladies and gentleman, this is your pilot once again, and I’d just like to inform you that we’re out of the clouds now, and we should be smooth sailing from here on out.”

                Minsoo took his lips off Hyerin’s, but his face was still inches away from her’s. “How’s the flight now?” he asked in a low, breathy voice.

                “Better,” said Hyerin, feeling slightly dizzy with pleasure. “Much, much better.”

- - - - - -

Ah, this chapter is one of my favorites hehe. They're almost in California! :D

Oh, and, Happy Korean Lunar New Year to you all! ♥