Come with me…. Airplane…. Love…

The world is still moving in slow motion as he snaps out of the memory only to shortly be into another. The beeping sound seems distant but close. He stares blankly downwards, his vision getting blurred slightly as he hears a click and then the sensation of being brushed upon, moved roughly. Voices seem to fill his ears but fades quickly as he gets into another memory that starts to play in front of his 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 Luhan grew up to be a fine young gentleman as well, his shyness played a key factor in his popularity. He tended to stick to himself or with Yixing when he felt he could. Spending time together at school proved to be difficult. Some of the girls who had fancied his friend made an effort to make Luhan feel out casted and thus he learned quickly to keep his distance from the younger boy as soon as his 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 younger boy would steal glances to look at his friend who was lying next to him, letting a smile cross his lips. The older boy would stare at the colors that graced the sky, oblivious to his actions. They remained silent until he 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?” He was afraid to look over at his friend. But why? Why couldn’t he turn to look at his close friend? Why was he afraid to even hear his answer? Luhan knew he was being silly. But how was he supposed to fix it? Sighing slightly he took all the courage he could muster up to just glance over at him but was stunned when he saw Yixing looking right back at him.

“Because Luhan…” Almost instinctively Luhan 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-“

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

“A girl who doesn’t like you?” Luhan laughs softly. “Is that even possible?” He 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 about his love life. He didn’t want to hear about the person he liked. He didn’t want Luhan 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 the older boy’s cheek, a small smile formed on his face. The boy’s eyes looked over shyly at Yixing now.

“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 person’s name. As long as he could remember he had liked the boy who lived next door. The boy he would pass notes to in the form of paper airplanes. The boy who’s smile was brighter than the moon on the darkest of nights. Despite all those girls who liked him, he only liked this one boy.

Silence lingered.

Thoughts consumed them.

A light breeze played along their skin.

Then, paper ruffling.

Silence again.

The younger boy spoke up first.

“I… have something I need to show you.” His eyes slowly rose to match the boy’s who now looked at him. His 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, his mouth pouted and his cheeks tinted pink. A habit he habit she had when frustrated or annoyed. He loved it though but he didn’t like knowing that he 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 older boy 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?

“Luhan!”

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

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

Mixed feelings.

Tears b.

He bites his lip.

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

His eyes couldn’t help but stare at his friend, the one he relies on. The one who makes him smile.

Kissing a girl.

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

Is this… love? Surely it couldn’t be.

“Is love so easy to crash?”

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

“What’s wrong Luhan?”

Luhan breathes in before shaking his head. “Nothing. Go back to your girl” And it hits him. Luhan saw. He 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 the older boy. “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 older boy’s eyes look down and linger on it.

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

He looks at it and tilts his head as the younger boy hands it to him. “I want to show you what I wrote.” Yixing speaks up tentatively. Afraid, maybe, of the older boy’s answer when he reads it.

Luhan 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 his mom had told him that his father was leaving them. Tilting his head as he reads over everything and moves his eyes to where his friend wrote.

I think it’s time I tell him. Maybe it’s a little early but we’ve been friends for a while. I know it’s not exactly “normal” maybe… but it feels right. I always thought he was amazing. I find myself wanting to be around him more. So what I want to tell him today is.

Luhan, I think I like you.

Mixed feelings.

Tears b.

He smiles.

Maybe love doesn’t have to crash, maybe it can land safely depending on who’s flying the plane. He looks up at Yixing who once again moves to wipe his tears away. Maybe if this boy in front of him flew the plane called Love, it could land safely.

Yixing leans in closer to the older boy, leaving a soft kiss on his forehead. “There’s only one thing that has changed since I wrote that.” He looks his friend 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 Luhan.”

He moves in.

Lips touch.

Blood rushes.

Love.

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

The thing with flying is that unpredictable things can happen.