Hi Readers, 

I am finally back with an update for this fic. I took so long because I felt nothing much was happening in this chapter. 

But I added a bit more in tonight so that it isn't as boring as it was before. 

All the memories are in italics. 

I have most of the next chapter already written up. I will hopefully post it as soon as I finish it. 

Until then, happy reading. 

Thanks to all my readers and subscribers. 

Yoona steps up to the noticeboard in the corner of the office of SMtown – the headquarters for Sm airways. She unpins the excess posters and memos of events that have already gone by, to clear the view for a special message she has left since a year ago.

Notice

Dearest crew members:

I am in search of a music box.

It is a wooden square music box.

It opens up as a mirror and has a ballerina figurine dancing on it.

I am sorry I cannot recall the name of the tune.

But on the underside of the music box, there is a scratch on the bottom right corner.

If you happen to come across it on your travels, please contact 13908182

I will be forever grateful.

Kindest regards, Miss I

The notice is handwritten on a piece of treasured calligraphy paper. It pleads the help of any colleagues who come across a small wooden music box during any of their trips around the world. She left no particular description except that and the fact that it has a scratch on the underside of it. Her friends have already reminded her that it would help if she wrote the name of the tune too. However, she never got to know the name. She was too young when she received this gift from her parents.  Despite knowing that the chances are slim, Yoona still holds onto the hope that someone would find it although there is no name of a tune for she never got to know it by name.

Yoona never left her name on the notice to Sooyoung’s advice and the rest of her friends agreed. With Yoona’s popularity among the guys in the company, if she left her name, she may get a dozen hoax calls a day. Throughout the year there have been 3 colleagues who have tried, but they were never the right music box. Yet, she hopefully keeps the message up there, believing that one day she will find it.

It takes her moment to notice the newly posted notice on the board. It conveys the message that for the next roster, the company will be trialling online rostering where all rosters and accounts can be accessed through the company portal. The message board which is already heavily in use will be the main form of communication. This decision is a result of the recent increase in demand to change rosters. If there are any reasons which you would like a change, unless organised beforehand formal written letter is required to make such changes.

Before Yoona takes in the information quietly. She is joined by another of her best friends, Taeyeon. She also reads the notice

“That might be a good thing” she says, without removing her eyes from the notice.  

“Why so?” Yoona asks curiously.

“Everyone has been trying to pester the administration team to change the rosters so that they can be with the new senior first officer, I’ve heard from Ara that the admin team are complaining. So it should be better now.”

“I don’t see anything worth changing a roster for.” Yoona mutters. The words slip out as an impulse that beats her mind.

“Sorry what did you say?” Taeyeon asks not hearing what Yoona said. Yoona grins sheepishly and freezes while she searches for an appropriate response. She gasps when something more important hits her.

“Wait…does that mean you won’t know everybody elses’ roster?”

“only the people who share the roster.” Taeyeon looks over at Yoona who is deep in thought.

“that’d make it harder to change right?”

 “yes it would. Not that there are many problems between staff that that has to happen.” Taeyeon says happily.

“There is now…” she mumbles. She thinks to herself ‘If I end up on the same route as him, how am I supposed to change it?’ Yoona panics to herself until Taeyeon’s comment pulls her out of her reverie.

“Still waiting for someone to find the music box?” Taeyeon points at Yoona’s notice.

“Yes.”

“It’s nice to have your parent’s gift of love as a blessing Yoona, but I believe you’ll probably be just as fine without it.”

“Not only that unnie,” Yoona says sadly. “I was hoping it’d bring me some luck in finding my mother.”

“Still no luck with your aunt’s address in Japan?”

“Not since she has moved last year.”

“that’s no good.” Taeyeon bites her lips and watches Yoona carefully for any sign of sadness. But Yoona is accustomed to this feeling of helplessness that it seems she can live with it. But she knows she just will not be able to. She smiles sadly and her tiny friend pulls her into a warm hug. “We’ll keep trying” the elder says comfortingly while caressing Yoona’s back.  

“Thank you unnie.”

“You’ll find her. One day.”

“Yes, one day. Hopefully sooner than later.”

Sunny comes along and joins the group discussion.

“Oh that should be good for the admin department, and we won’t have to come in to check rosters anymore.” She comments as soon as she reads the notice. Shifting her gaze to the unique piece of paper on the side, she studies it once again, even after reading it so many times.

“Yoona, I’ve always thought. How can people know what they are looking for when they only have that little description?”

“I guess, they’ll…”

“know when they see it.” Taeyeon finishes off for Yoona. “Our Yoona is a true believer of fate remember?”

“Right, sorry.”

Sunny bites her lip and shoots Taeyeon a concerned look. But she does not say anything more

****

Changmin stares at the handwritten message on the notice board. He rereads the sentence ‘I’m sorry I forgot the name of the tune’. And there is a gentle smile that form on his lips as he recollects a particular memory back in Japan with a particular girl – one that comes across his mind here and now- a girl named Im Yoona.

[around one year ago in Japan]

Sitting quietly under the serene comfort of the empty sakura trees, on a bench facing the quiet stream, Changmin follows Yoona’s suggest to close his eyes for a moment and admire the beauty of their surroundings. Even though the cherry blossoms were yet to bloom, he enjoys the company of his newfound acquaintance.  

He slowly opens his eyes and looks towards Yoona who was now humming a faint tune, breaking the silence.

It is as if she feels him staring, and she opens her eyes, looking sideways to find his gaze. She immediately looks down bashfully.

“I’m sorry.”
“why are you sorry?”

 “I just thought of this tune.”

“what’s it called?” he asks curiously.

“I forgot the name of it…” she smiles sheepishly and bites her lip. Changmin chuckles amusedly and teasingly.  “I actually never got to know the name of it. I only knew the tune from when I was young.”

 Changmin nods quietly in thought. Then he pauses – as he realises something.

“You know something I never got to know?”

 “what?” She frowns curiously.

“Your name.” he says, looking directly at her with a charming smile.

“Im Yoona. My name is Yoona” she eases into a smile of her own. She catches him repeating her name silently under his breath. “yours?”

He faces forward to look at the stream before answering.

“Changmin. Shim Changmin.”  He lets her absorb that information before turning to her and teasing.

“you won’t forget that right?” he smirks.

“Ah geez!” she lifts her hand and slaps him playfully. “I have a good memory alright? It’s just I never got to know the name of that particular tune!”

“alright, alright.” And he snickers again, earning another slap on his arm.

[present – SM airways headquarters]

Kyuhyun catches Changmin staring blankly at the message on the noticeboard. He looks curiously from Changmin to the noticeboard and back.

“what’s wrong?” he asks, breaking Changmin out of his reverie.

“nothing.” Changmin replies quite promptly. “it’s just…” he looks up at the message again. “I just thought of someone.”

Kyuhyun is a little concerned he is thinking of Yeonhee despite his claims that he has let her go almost a year ago. But he decides to evade such thoughts.  

“who? A beauty?” Kyuhyun.

Changmin turns to the curious Kyuhyun and gives him a smug look.  

“He introduce me!”

****

“why do you drink sakura tea unnie?” Seohyun asks one day in between writing down her thoughts in her planner.

 “It looks pretty doesn’t it?” Yoona asks softly.

Just before Seohyun can respond, Taeyeon cuts in.

“that stuff tastes gross” Taeyeon says, remembering the time she first tried it

One particular day Taeyeon finds Yoona strangely staring at the poster on the café wall - newly added to their selection of beverages, it is a picture of cherry blossom petals floating in a tea cup.

"That looks pretty."

"yeah it does doesn't it?" Yoona says almost absentmindedly. She says to the cashier. "I'll just take one of those then.

Taeyeon waits and watches as Yoona has yet to take a sip from her beverage. Perhaps she is waiting for it to cool down she thinks. 

"Yoona can I take a sip of your tea?" Taeyeon asks, curiously picking it up after permission. "it must be very sweet" she adds before taking her first (regretful) sip. “Bleh” she sticks out her tongue.

“what’s wrong unnie?”  

"It's sour and almost salty!" She says in a funny voice as she scrunches up her face.

Yoona just smiles.

"it's not as nice as it looks." Yoona comments. She pauses– her thoughts lingering on a memory in Japan -  before continuing "but I like it."

 Taeyeon shoots a curious frown at her friend who makes no further comment.

“Don’t get tricked by the looks of it.” Taeyeon warns, seriously making Yoona chuckle.

“though it looks pretty and delicate, it actually tastes quite sour and salty – something unexpected and which you are supposed to avoid. But overtime you get used to it.” Yoona says with a hint of amusement at Taeyeon’s exaggerated expressions. She shrugs at the end with a half-hearted smile.

“Why not just go for persimmon vinegar or pear flower tea if you like that type of drink?”

“It has a special meaning and it’s a constant reminder.” Of my expectations and self-restraint.

***

A week passes by like a breeze without the two bumping into each other – much to Yoona’s delight. It is also time for the new roster to be released – and for the first time ever, they are released through their company’s online portal so that it is more private and thus harder to request for exchange of shifts.

Yoona was in the middle of spitting her toothpaste when an over-excited Yuri unnie opens the bathroom door without even a slightest knock. With a foamy beard around , she stares wide-eyed at her unnie and manages to ask

“Yes?”  

“We’re flying together to Sydney for the next three months!”

“Yes!”

Yoona goes and hugs Yuri with her toothbrush between her teeth. They jump up and down together and Yuri takes the chance to reveal the rest of the staff.

 “Our in flight service manager (ISM) would be Lena and we also have Seohyun, Suho, Sunday and Bomi, luckily It’s just one fan girl”

“Wait.” Yoona removes herself from the embrace. She rushes to the sink to spit and rinse when she asks cautiously “what is that supposed to mean””

“only one fan girl is flying among the crew so that we don’t have to worry too much.”

“Hold up, slow down. Why would you say that?”

“Changmin will be flying with us.”

Yoona freezes, wide-eyed.

“Don’t tell me you’re a fan girl too Yoona.”

Yoona physically steps back at arm’s length.

“Nope.” Yoona says defiantly and stares straight into Yuri’s eyes with all seriousness.

“You’re not thinking of backing out on me are you?” Yuri says in horror – the side of Yoona’s lips twitch a little. She releases a nervous laugh.

“of course not…” Yoona says meekly with a wry smile.  

“why does it seem like you have something against him?

“What other awesome pilot crew do we have?” But Yoona averts the question as quickly as it had come. Yuri narrows her eyes suspiciously for a moment.

“Captain Ahn (Kangta), Jonghyun and Kyuhyun oppa”

“Looks like it’s a bad idea to ask Sooyoung unnie to swap then…” Yoona mumbles.

“What did you say Yoona?” Yuri turns curiously to Yoona after lacing her arm through hers.  

“Oh… Sooyoung unnie won’t have to complain to us every time she comes back.”

“It’s funny how they've been rostered on most the shifts together. I wonder how they upset the rostering system to deserve that.” Yuri wonders aloud, making Yoona burst in laughter.

****

“Do you boys have any plans after signing off?” Yunho, their captain asks, standing up after picking up his briefcase. He is the first to duck out of the cockpit.

“No, just heading back to the crash pad” Siwon says casually, stretching his arms as soon as he too gets out of the cockpit.  

“Which thankfully is a building owned by you Mr Choi” Changmin cheekily pokes fun at his wealthy co-pilot.

Siwon turns around and makes a funny face “ehhhh”

The crash pad they are referring to is actually an apartment complex located closer to the airports since the airports are located close to the outskirts of Seoul. To save travel time, the staff or crew often find places for rent nearer to the airport. They usually live there closer to nights of their flight. The building complex owned by Siwon is mostly rented out to the staff of SM airways, to closer friends of his at a courtesy price. 

“What? It’s true” Changmin says, in response to Siwon mocking an elbowing action into his stomach.

“Changmin’s right. You can own this whole company if you wanted to.” Yunho joins in.

“Hyung, you too?” Siwon asks disbelievingly. Yunho their senior has always been so strict and proper.  

“All jokes aside,” Changmin says after a round of laughter, “I’m meeting up with Kyu and Minho for drinks down at the lounge. Any of you interested?”

“Nah, Boa and I are having dinner with her parents.” Yunho says in his straightforward style.

“Married life.” Changmin sighs, feigning sympathy and looks over at Yunho who shoots him a defensive look.

“what? I’m happy.”

“Nobody is stopping you from being happy.” Changmin jokes, then turns to Siwon quizzically.

“Nah, although I don’t have a wife to go home to…” Siwon says and sneaks a sideways look at their captain. Changmin smirks and shakes his head. “I’m not too in the mood for it. But thanks” 

“Changmin, when did you convert this one?” Yunho asks feining a serious tone. “it is only you, Kyuhyun and Minho that have the guts to have a go at me.”

“Hey, don’t look at me. I’m the one who hasn’t been here for quite a while.”

“Yeah, Yesung and Eunhyuk sometimes have a dig at you too hyung.”

“Looks like you’re losing respect hyung.” Changmin feigns another sympathetic tone. Giving Yunho’s pride a second blow. Changmin and Siwon give each other a fist bump behind their senior.

****

Changmin logs into their company portal, he navigates effortlessly to find his new schedule for the upcoming three months. But once he clicks it, to find the accompanying staff, his initial excitement is overcome by a hesitation after reading a particular name.

A punch on his arm takes him right out of his reverie.

“Heyyy, looks like you found out.” Kyuhyun says pointing at his own name below Changmin’s on the roster list.

Changmin looks up, shrugs and smirks. He takes out a fist for Kyuhyun to bump.

A passing pilot in their uniform turns around in his tracks to drop a comment to them.

“Looks like you two have checked your rosters too. I’m going to have a hell of a hard time with you two devils on my crew.” They realise that it is none other than their old trainer, Chilhyun hyung(or Kangta as their CEO liked to call him). He had trained their class of pilots (now mostly senior first officers) along with a few more veteran captains.  He was well acquainted with the misadventures and mischief of the two most notorious cadets of that class – the last before he refused any requests for him to train. “What have I done wrong in my past life to deserve this?”

“Hey hyung, we’ve changed” Kyuhyun says feigning innocence.

Changmin chuckles and shakes his head.

 “Changmin probably yes, but you Kyuhyun? Not in a million years.” Kangta gets the last go at them before casually waving with the flight plan in his hand and turns.  

With the horror still etched on his face, Kyuhyun turns around to find Changmin’s smug look.

“You little S***” he cusses at his best mate and shoves him on the arm. But despite the surface of jokes passed around. What Changmin had gone through since his cadet days until now he may as well be deemed as a different person. But Changmin is a stubborn one and Kyu hopes that his best mate has changed in regards to the detrimental experiences he has gone through. Though he suspects there is still part of that stubbornness left in him.