Come with me…. Airplane…. Love…

 

The world is still moving in slow motion as she snaps out of the memory only to shortly be into another. The beeping sound seems distant but close. She stares blankly down, her vision getting blurred slightly as she hears a click and then the sensation of being brushed upon, moved roughly. Voices seem to fill her ears but fade quickly as she gets into another memory that starts to play in front of her eyes.

 

Throughout High School, things had subtly changed for the best friends. They had grown closer in their times together but distant when separate. Yixing had gained popularity as he aged and turned into a fine young gentleman and although AeRin grew up well her shyness played a key factor in her popularity. She tended to stick to herself or with Yixing when she felt she could. Spending time together at school proved to be difficult. Some of the girls made an effort to make AeRin feel out casted and thus she learned quickly to keep her distance from her friend as soon as her foot stepped upon the school grounds.

 

Despite the distance that had happened, they were still close. The airplanes were still sent to each other frequently and when things got tough they would go to the field and release their worries with an airplane flying into the distance. The memory focused slightly on a specific day. It was the day before graduation and the friends were spending time at the field, watching the sunset. The boy would steal glances to look at his friend who was lying next to him, letting a smile cross his lips. The girl would stare at the colors that graced the sky, oblivious to his actions. They remained silent until she spoke up.

 

“Yixing… in all our years of high school. With all those girls who fawn over you. Why haven’t you ever dated one of them?” She was afraid to look over at her friend. But why? Why couldn’t she turn to look at her friend? Why was she afraid to even hear his answer? AeRin knew she was being silly. But how was she to fix it? Sighing slightly she took all the courage she could muster up to just glance over at him but was stunned when she saw Yixing looking right back at her.

 

“Because AeRin…” Almost instinctively AeRin shot up and laughed nervously.

 

“Its fine, you don’t have to answer Yixng. I’m being silly. I mean you were busy with school so of course that’s why you didn’t choose to go out with any of those gi-“

 

“AeRin, I didn’t go out with them because I liked someone else. I just don’t think the girl is interested in me I guess.” He sighed and sat up, fixing his hair slightly.

 

“A girl who doesn’t like you?” AeRin laughs softly. “Is that even possible?” She looks over at her friend briefly before looking away. “I guess it is possible… but still...”

 

“What about you?”

 

“About me, what?”

 

“Why haven’t you dated anyone?” Yixing never questioned his friend in her love life. He didn’t want to hear about the guy she liked. He didn’t want her to like anyone but him. So why ask now? Was it because the possibility of them not seeing each other after tomorrow was there? What was it that drew him to ask now? He watched as his friends cheeks flushed. Subconsciously his hand lifted to touch her cheek, a small smile formed on his face. The girl’s eyes looked over shyly at her friend.

 

“B-because… I don’t really like anyone…” Yixing’s eyes casted down to the ground, his hand fell to the ground. He didn’t know what was worse. No answer, or another guy’s name. As long as he could remember he had liked the girl who lived next door. The girl he would pass notes to in the form of paper airplanes. The girl who’s smile was brighter than the moon on the darkest of nights.

 

Silence lingered.

 

Thoughts consumed them.

 

A light breeze played along their skin.

 

Then, paper ruffling.

 

Silence again.

 

The boy spoke up first.

 

“I… have something I need to show you.” His eyes slowly rose to match the girl who now looked at him. Her head tilted cutely. “Tomorrow”

 

“What do you have to show me?”

 

He smiled. “Something that you know, but don’t know.” His friend’s brows furrowed, pouted and her cheeks tinted pink. A habit she habit she had when frustrated or annoyed. He loved it though but he didn’t like knowing that she was upset with him. Chuckling, he reached over to hug his friend briefly, perhaps even letting it linger longer than it should have before pulling away.

 

“Tomorrow, graduation, stick around for me. Okay?”

 

The girl nodded, the tinge of pink had escalated into a blush that got hidden by the setting sun.

 

“Tomorrow, graduation, stick around for you. Got it.”

 

The night ends. The friends separate.

 

Tomorrow comes. Graduation day.

 

The ceremony isn’t anything lavish but appropriate. The girls are all wearing white as they guys all wear black.

 

The memory fades away. The real world showing. Flashes of lights. Colors. Gasping. Music.

No.

Beeping.

Voices. Cheering.

No.

Screams.

Despair? Happiness?

 

“AeRin!”

She’s back into the memory. The ceremony has ended, she hugs her mother and sister and tells them she’ll meet them at home, she’s waiting for her friend. They nod, and she waits.

 

Waits for her friend with the bright eyes and cheerful smile. His dimple the she always found charming but never had the guts to tell him. Her hearts races, she closes her eyes for a second to calm herself only to open them to a sight she wasn’t expecting.

 

Mixed feelings.

Tears b.

She bites her lip.

 

“Something that you know, but don’t know.”

 

Her eyes couldn’t help but stare at her friend, the one she relies on. The one who makes her smile.

 

Kissing a girl.

 

She turned away and started to head off, her eyes watery and her ears muffled as everything seems to move slowly. Why was she so upset? Why does her heart hurt?

 

Is this… love?

 

“Is love so easy to crash?”

 

She picks up her pace, wipes a stray tear and makes her way for home deciding that she won’t open her window tonight. Or, that’s what she thought before someone grabs her hand and pulls her aside. Looking up she sees the face of the person who caused the tears. Her friend, Zhang Yixing, with a worried expression plaguing his face. Slowly she feels his hand brushing off her tears.

“What’s wrong AeRin?”

 

She breathes in before shaking her head. “Nothing. Go back to your girl” And it hits him. She saw. She saw him with that girl.

 

“That’s not ‘my girl’.” He sighed. He was afraid of this, but the only thing that could save him is what he intended to show her. “It’s a girl who confessed to me and took liberty in stealing a kiss. A kiss I would have wanted to give to someone else.” He reached for his trouser pocket and pulls out a small paper airplane. The girl’s eyes look down and linger on it.

 

“Something that you know, but don’t know.”

 

She looks at it and tilts her head as he hands it to her. “I want to show you what I wrote.” He speaks up tentatively. Afraid, maybe, of her answer when she reads it.

 

AeRin looks at him nervously before nodding and opens the airplane slowly, instantly searching for the date and makes the connection to the day. The day her mom had told her that her father was leaving them. Tilting her head as she reads over everything and moves her eyes to where her friend wrote.

 

I think it’s time I tell her. Maybe it’s a little early but we’ve been friends for a while and I always thought she was pretty. She’s amazing. I find myself wanting to be around her more. So what I want to tell her today is.

AeRin, I think I like you.

 

Mixed feelings.

Tears b.

She smiles.

 

Maybe love doesn’t have to crash, maybe it can land safely depending on who’s flying the plane. She looks up at Yixing who once again moves to wipe her tears away. Maybe if he flew the plane called Love, it could land safely.

 

He leans in closer to her, leaving a soft kiss on her forehead. “There’s only one thing that has changed since I wrote that.” He looks at her in the eyes. “It’s not ‘I think’.” He pauses, maybe for dramatic effect. Maybe it’s because he’s never said these words before. “I know I love you AeRin.”

 

He moves in.

Lips touch.

Blood rushes.

Love.

 

The beeping becomes more frequent as she’s pulled away. Her vision blurs more, dims out for a second.

 

The thing with flying is that unpredictable things can happen.