All Aboard.

“Good day, everyone! This is your captain speaking, on behalf of all the staff of Seoul Airlines, thank you for flying with us. Enjoy your stay in Seoul!” The PA system reserved for the captain broadcasts through the Boeing 614 plane of Seoul Airlines, welcoming them home.

All the passengers and crew aboard the flight applauds after that announcement, applauding for their safe landing and applauding for another successful flight for their captain, Park Chanyeol.

Park Chanyeol, at the age of twenty five is considered one of the top bachelors in Korea, add to that his fame as a talented captain, and a pretty handsome face to boot. Some may have, count almost all of them, swooned at the deep voice of the captain. His height towers everyone with his more than six foot size, garnering him more and more fans, especially after being dubbed as a lookalike of some famous idol, or another.

Everyone slowly gathers their things once the ‘fasten seatbelt’ lights have been turned off. A frenzy of excitement engulfs the aircraft, chatters erupting from the passengers happily disembarking the plane after a fourteen hour flight from New York.

A flight that is also Byun Baekhyun’s first flight in the airline company and, unfortunately, one that contains an old flame. The normally joyful and chatty flight attendant is somehow forcing all of his smiles since they found out who would be flying the plane. Which rarely happens considering how Baekhyun seems to be the child of the sun, all sunshine and happiness personified. So, as the good best friend that he is, Sehun eyes him confusingly, promising to ask him after finishing their jobs.

It is unknown to Sehun that just hearing the name Park Chanyeol invokes a lot of feelings in Baekhyun, good and bad. They did meet a year after their love story ended, a year after Baekhyun moved to New York, leaving memories and maybe huge chunks - if not all - of his heart, too.

Because five years later and Baekhyun still is - maybe, probably - in love with the tall captain, that coincidentally is the one flying his flight home. Reminding him of how, once upon a time, Baekhyun called the captain his home.

Once the crew is done checking that the aircraft has no more passengers left, and that everything is in order with the machine, they all - together with the captain and his first officer - slowly make their way to Incheon airport.

Baekhyun, especially, hurrying his steps in order to not cross paths with Chanyeol. Although he knows they share the same flight, they still haven’t made contact with each other, only a brief wave when they managed to exchange eye contact - one that made his heart beat madly, too.

His efforts were for naught, however, when a body suddenly blocks his way, stopping his escape.

“Byun Baekhyun? How many years has it been?” A deep voice asks him, giving him no choice but to look up and see the handsome face he missed so much.

“Oh… hey, Chanyeol? Didn’t know you’re… here.” Baekhyun finishes lamely, feeling dumb with his response - well, at least he didn’t stutter… much. And he hates himself much more for wondering if the other is single, still.

“We should catch up soon, okay? It’s been years!” Chanyeol says, catching his attention once again. “Can I get your number, then?”

Baekhyun’s about to answer, to say that he still hasn’t gotten himself one since he just arrived home, too when a hand suddenly lands on his shoulder. “Hyung!!” Sehun probably didn’t notice he’s talking to somebody and just kept on talking how they should go to their apartment soon, get started on their moving and all that while still on his phone. How can one not notice someone as tall as Chanyeol, Baekhyun wonders.

He doesn’t want to hope but did Chanyeol’s face suddenly seem off after the appearance of the younger? No, Baekhyun, he’s probably already moved on…, unlike you. “I don’t have a number yet, but I can ask for yours and just text you?” The smaller finally offers, trying to dissipate whatever atmosphere managed to surround them.

Realizing he unintentionally imposed on their conversation, Sehun flusteredly bows and apologizes to the captain which was just answered with a nod and a little smile. After giving his number, Chanyeol excuses himself, expression unreadable. The tall blonde in return looks at Baekhyun, wordlessly asking what was that about.

“Later. Let’s talk about it later.” Is the answer before Baekhyun removes the hand on his shoulder and makes his way out of the airport. Never mind his aching heart.

Turbulence.

“So, dummy, how did it go?” Kyungsoo asks him when he arrives back to his apartment, sometimes he regrets giving the shorter a copy of the keys to his apartment. Nevertheless, Chanyeol expected this to happen after having sent all those messages to his best friend - most of it of him panicking.

“Nothing. I didn’t know what to expect, really. Of course, he’d moved on already…., I’m the only idiot not able to.” He finishes, childishly pouting,, at which Kyungsoo just rolls his eyes.

“I did tell you, lots of times in the past five years, to move on so nothing of this is my fault.” Maybe it’s a cold reply, but then he’s also handing him a bowl of kimchi spaghetti. “How did it feel - seeing him again?”

“I was happy, of course, I don’t even care how this person broke my heart all those years ago, but then…”

“Then, what?” Kyungsoo asks.

“.. then I saw him with another guy, who I think is his boyfriend, and I feel much more like an idiot.”

-

Baekhyun remembers the time when Chanyeol was just a student, excited and nervous for his lessons. How all his worries were shared with him. And how he promised he would never leave Chanyeol, promising to be with him, until he had to break it off for the sake of his family.

Five years later, he’s happy and amazed by how confident and successful a pilot Chanyeol has become. He’s very proud and a little bit sad, wishing he was there to share their journey together.

“You’re telling me Captain Park was the ex you couldn’t move on from?” Sehun questions in disbelief. “Wow, hyung, you kind of missed a jackpot there.”

Baekhyun scoffs and takes another swig of his beer. As if he doesn’t already know about that. “I know, maknae, stop making me feel worse than I already do. You’re supposed to console me!!!” He whines after.

“Right…, hyung.” Sehun rolls his eyes at his childishness. “So, when are you going to call him, then?”

“Call who?” Comes the nonchalant answer.

“Chanyeol, you know you want to.”

...well, as much as he would love to, a tiny part of Baekhyun couldn’t. He is a coward after all, he ran away five years ago and he’s running away once again.

Ride the wind.

The next time they see each other is during one of their flights, this time just to Japan. They exchanged friendly greetings, ignoring the underlying tension and the unanswered question of “why didn’t you contact me?”, from the taller. Baekhyun wishes his fate would stop playing with his heart like this.

It is also clear to Chanyeol how Baekhyun is avoiding him, making sure to not meet his eyes and having excuses every time he tried to talk to him while on standby at the airport. He just wanted to talk to him, but he wouldn’t like to impose on the other.

Wanting to be able to at least be friends with Baekhyun again, Chanyeol thought of a solution that, although he knows isn’t ideal and would make his friend kill him, is the only thing he can think of doing right now.

And so when they landed in Japan and after his usual announcement of their safe arrival, he adds

“Also, I would like to give a shout out to Do Kyungsoo who’s sitting in 34B - hello, babe.” Nevermind the fact that he would never date Kyungsoo even if he’s the last person on earth, and that the other isn’t even present on the flight.

You can call Chanyeol stupid, because he is.

Those who knew the captain made sounds of disappointment, but still clapped their hands in congratulations. Baekhyun wishes he could do the same too, despite of how those words broke the remaining intact pieces of his heart.

Sehun, on the other hand, clearly remembers no Kyungsoo in the passenger list of the flight.

-

“Hey, Baekhyun, wanna come out for drinks tonight? A lot of the crew is meeting up with the office here.” Chanyeol offers once they’re all gathering their things and preparing to get to their hotels. “Just tell it to your boyfriend, yeah?” He adds before immediately leaving, not waiting for an answer from a very confused Baekhyun. What boyfriend is he talking about?

Still, Baekhyun went to the gathering with Sehun in tow. Drinks and food were abundant that night, the manager of their Japan office treating them all. Baekhyun is torn between feeling happy or disappointed seeing Chanyeol but never getting the chance to talk to him, as he was busy with laughing, arms around the shoulders of his companion while drinking.

After an hour, Baekhyun excuses himself to the hotel. Putting thoughts of ex-boyfriends, y, hot and handsome ex-boyfriends, who are taken and not available to the back of his mind.

Fly with me.

It’s been a few months since Baekhyun and Chanyeol had been on the same flight, with the former being assigned more on domestic flights, the latter - internationally. Suffice to say, nobody bothered to contact the other, with both of them thinking that it probably isn’t the right thing to do. Both are just left with so many what ifs, what could’ve beens and I should’ve done this and that.

Sometimes, a little push is just what is needed for actors to act on their feelings. A force to set everything into motion.

It’s another fourteen hour flight back to New York and Baekhyun and Sehun had just finished offering all the passengers food and drinks when the seatbelt sign suddenly flashed on, with the captain’s voice reverberating through the plane,

“This is your captain speaking, we are currently experiencing some turbulence, passengers and crew, please, go back to your seats.”

The crew hurried to their designated seats immediately, Baekhyun, this being his first time to experience this, was internally panicking. Thoughts of, “What if he dies without ever having the chance of telling Chanyeol how he still loves him?” going over and over inside his mind.

The plane shakes, the sky outside gets darker, some passengers woke up from their naps while some were still dozing off, seemingly unaffected. Sehun, who is sitting beside him, takes his hand and gives him a reassuring smile. “It’s going to be okay, hyung, breathe.”

When everything was already okay, he and Sehun stood up immediately to check on their passengers, although his knees were still wobbly. Baekhyun was busy checking on their passengers, if they need anything when a hand suddenly tugged him and pulled him to a private area on the plane.

Shocked and confused, Baekhyun wasn’t able to process what is happening until a warm pair of lips suddenly touched his. Eyes wide, he stares as the familiar face of Chanyeol comes into view. Unknowingly, he kisses back too, feeling the adrenaline of the earlier situation seep out of his system.

“Wha-what are you doing?” Baekhyun asks, after they separate, feeling heat creep up to his cheeks. Trying to avoid the other’s stare, but couldn’t with him holding his face softly yet strong. “Chanyeol…?” He says once again, when he got no response.

“I love you.” Chanyeol blurts out, thumbs slowly Baekhyun’s face. “I know this is probably weird, but what happened earlier got me scared, so I’m…. I love you. I had to say it.” Baekhyun’s heart beat so fast, eyes tearing up, he coughs and finally, meets the other’s eyes.

“You… mean that?” Baekhyun asks meekly. “Aren’t you dating someone…” Chanyeol chuckles at the hesitant tone.

“No, I’m not, Baekhyun-ah.”

“But…, before you-”

“Ah, that, that was just me being stupid. That wasn’t real.” Chanyeol says, before giving the shorter another peck. Soft, fast but nevertheless sweet and full of love.

“I…. I love you too.” Baekhyun whispers, before hiding himself in the other’s chest. Hand feeling Chanyeol’s fast beating heart. “I’m sorry.” He whispers.

“Hmmm… Why did you say sorry?”

“For what I did in the past…” Chanyeol laughs softly at this. “It’s in the past, Baek. Are you not dating anyone right now?”

“No one, Yeol.” Baekhyun says, pushing back and making sure he’s looking at Chanyeol’s eyes when he says. “It’s always been you… even for the past five years.”

“How about you..?”

“It’s also always been you, Baek.” Chanyeol answers, kissing his forehead. “Yours, always.”

“Baek-!” Sehun calls out, walking in on the two hugging. “Ummm…, I’ll just come back later.” He says then goes back the way he came from.

Chanyeol laughs when Baekhyun, out of embarrassment, hides his way on his chest once again, whining like the overgrown puppy that he actually is.

Extra:

Sehun and Kyungsoo watches disinterestedly as their best friends act all couply in front of them. This is why it isn’t a good idea to share breakfast with a newly reunited couple, Kyungsoo thinks. They’re so sickeningly sweet, it’s almost disgusting to a perpetually allergic-to-human-emotions Do Kyungsoo. Good thing, Baekhyun’s best friend seems to be on the same boat as him, not to mention hot and, well, handsome.

So when Sehun whispers, “Do you wanna get out of here?”

Kyungsoo agrees immediately. Not even bothering saying goodbye to the couple busy feeding each other pancakes, they wouldn’t notice anyway.  

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