Fermata - / ferˈmaːta / to stay, or stop ; also known as a hold, pause

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“So… you’ll be driving my flight?” Naeun asked excitedly. 

He nodded. “My schedule said Tuesday to Milan so it should be the same one.”

Her eyes crinkled and her lips widened into a grin. She can finally have a taste of flying on the same flight with him, to discover the world with him. 

As she packed her luggage and files on Monday night, she heard a slight buzz. She glanced at her phone on the desk, then found her lips curling into a smile. 

-- Naeun-ah, see you in Milan.

…….

Walking through the aisle to their seats, Hayoung asked. “Unnie, so your handsome neighbour is the pilot for our flight?” 

Naeun nodded, placing her luggage on the overhead compartment. 

“Does that mean we can hear his voice over the broadcast?” 

Naeun nodded again, as she sat comfortably on her seat. 

“Does that also mean that he might give us a kiss landing?” Hayoung wondered.

Naeun chuckled, as she clicked on the monitor in front of her. 

“To be honest, I don’t mind a kiss landing but I would prefer him giving you a kiss. ” Hayoung snickered. Naeun rolled her eyes and slapped Hayoung’s shoulder as her cheeks tinted in red. 

With the aircraft door slammed close and flight attendants moving around for final checks, she glanced through the tiny glass at the grey lumps on the sky. Crystal clear droplets dripped on the glass, soaking the ground and creating patterns on her window. She glanced at the curtain of water, as it shivered and wobbled through the whooshing winds. Hopefully… Milan will have a better weather… she thought.

A familiar, warm voice rang in her ears, as she turned away from the window, with a glint in her eyes.

“Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. My name is Taemin Lee, the captain of your flight. On behalf of SM airline, it is my pleasure to welcome you aboard flight SX718 with service from Seoul to Milan…” 

Naeun listened carefully, paying attention to every word he said, while Hayoung couldn’t stop giving her looks. 

He added. “For the next 14 hours or so, take a good rest… perhaps… listen to some piano music.” She felt her smile widen into a grin. 

“Enjoy your flight.” He said, ending the announcement. 

Naeun went on flights many times. There were times when she travelled with her parents, times when she travelled with her friends, and times when she travelled for work, like now, to Milan. But this time, she felt different. For the first time in her life, she is in a plane with an important person, who’s in the cabinet, directing and controlling her flight, her destination and her life. She knew how much he loves his job and she trusts him to bring her safely, to Milan. 

Oppa, see you in Milan. She repeated in her mind. 

She surged up into the air with him, wobbling through the stormy clouds, until they reached a height where clouds turn to white blankets beneath her. 

After binge watching 3 movies, drawing sketches on her ipad and eating two meals, she glanced outside the glass, as light was replaced by darkness, with lingering white smoke surrounding them. The cabin’s lights dimmed and her eyelids drooped as she drifted to dreamland, something she wouldn’t have done before he cured her insomnia. 

She didn’t know how long it has been, but amongst unconsciousness, she felt someone shaking her arm. 

She forced her heavy eyelids open to Hayoung’s frantic voice. She rubbed her eyes and said drowsily. “Hayoung-ah, what’s wrong?” 

“Unnie…” She said nervously, with a tint of fear in her voice. “Do you hear anything?” Hayoung circled her finger around the cabin. Naeun patted herself awake, sat upright, then listened carefully. 

A slight rattle and whining noise buzzed through the cabin. 

“Unnie… look outside.” Hayoung pointed to the window. 

Darkness was replaced by sharp light again. Amongst the white lumps, Naeun peeked and saw the giant metal wheel that turned rapidly. It was turning, but something looked wrong. She glanced at the engine carefully, realising that it produced the loud wheezing noise.

She frowned and turned back to the interior of the plane and saw puzzled passengers around her. She caught a glimpse of the flight attendants, whom reassured the patients with a gentle smile.

Hayoung glanced at her. “Unnie… what is going on? Why is the engine…” She drifted off.

Naeun shook her head with a smile. “Don’t worry, I think its just a small technical error. ”

Watching Hayoung’s pursed lips, Naeun said. “Hayoung-ah. Don’t worry. We’ll be safe.” She repeated, with determination in her eyes. “He’ll keep us safe.”

As if reading her thoughts, she heard his voice across the broadcast. “This is the captain speaking. We will start our descent into Milan shortly…”

.......

36 minutes from landing. Cockpit.

38,000 feet.

A small red light blinked desperately on the monitor. The flight computer shouted mechanically.

Taemin glanced at the monitor. 

Engine one. Stall.

“Captain, engine one is on stall.” His officer, Taeyong said.

Taemin glanced at the monitor again, with narrowed eyes and pursed lips. To protect the engine from further damage, he tuned the engine to idle — keeping it the lowest possible power while keeping it running.

With one engine down, they can only rely on the other one. He glanced at the blue sky, then breathe out slowly. He practiced a single-engine approached many times on the stimulator, plus the aircraft is certified to land on one engine. 

“No worries, we still have engine two. ” He nodded to Taeyong, confirming that the aircraft is under control.

Despite this, he alerted the air traffic control for preparation. 

“Calling control.” 

“Yes, control sp