“So you’re going on the school trip to Guam, huh?” Kai remarks in Advanced Calculus. Since our Calculus teacher pairs students up to work on tests based on grades, Kai and I are always in a group together. Today, we have to take a partner test.

As usual, we’re going to get a 100 on this.

I’ve noticed that Calculus is the only class where Kai is relatively tame. Maybe it’s because none of his annoying friends are in this class, but I think it’s because he likes math. I’ve seen him get so into a set of problems that he didn’t hear the teacher calling his name. Despite myself I found it a little cute. Kai may try to act too cool for school, but he’s a true geek at heart.

“Yes, I am.” I reply stiffly. I expect Kai to bring up the fact that his dad’s paying for my trip, and how I’m too poor to go on my own. But surprisingly, he merely nods.

“Good. It’ll be fun.”

“I thought you didn’t want me to go.”

“I never said that. I just said you wouldn’t be able to go.”

I roll my eyes. “If it makes you feel better, I’m not going there to have fun. I’ll be working the whole time.”

Kai raises his eyebrows. “Why? Isn’t the whole point of a school trip to let loose and have fun?”

“The only way I’m able to go to Guam is because Kim Biotech is funding me for a research project.” I loop a strand of hair around my finger uncomfortably. Kai's family is paying for my entire trip. He’s probably getting a kick out of that.

“That doesn’t mean you won’t be able to have a little bit of downtime.” Kai grabs my pencil and corrects a problem that I solved incorrectly. “Sojin, the limit should be -2, not -1.”

“Thanks.” I hand him my eraser. “Do question 16, I wasn’t sure about that one. And yeah, whatever.”

The day of our departure comes around, and to my embarrassment, my entire biomedical team comes to see me off at the airport.

“Don’t forget to eat a lot! I don’t want you to get hungry!” Dr. Ahn exclaims, pinching my cheeks.

“Baekhyun! Get over here!” Dr. Byun calls, and I look up in shock. Baekhyun’s the son of Dr. Byun?

“What, dad?” Baekhyun grumbles, stomping over to us. He looks at me and crinkles his nose. “Why is she here?”

Dr. Byun pats me on the back. “This is Park Sojin, Baekie. She works with me in the labs. You two know each other, right?”

“I don’t know,” Baekhyun grumbles.

“Well, take good care of Sojin, okay? I want her to have fun on this trip!”

“Wow, Dad, you come to say bye to me just so you can tell me to take care of her? Wow! WOW!” Baekhyun yells, a miffed expression on his face.

“Maybe if you were more like her I would say bye to you!” Dr. Byun shouts.

“I hate you!”

“You’re an idiot!”

“You !”

“Dr. Byun, you’re causing a commotion.” Dr. Hwang rolls her eyes, and then grabs me by the shoulders. “Okay, Sojin, did you pack the y swimsuit I bought you?”

“What? No!” My face reddens.

“Yeah, no way.” Dr. Zhang says firmly. “Only I can see Sojin in a swimsu-oof!”

“They’re like your parents,” Amber says in awe, slowly shaking her head.

“They’re kinda cute,” Chanyeol smiles.

“Yeah,” I beam. “I love my team.”

“We are now boarding all passengers flying first-class to Guam,” a smooth voice announces over the loudspeaker. “All passengers flying first-class to Guam.”

“Don’t forget to have fun!” Dr. Ahn calls.

“Good luck on your project!” Dr. Zhang waves goodbye.

“I’ll see you when I get back!” I run over and hug each of them before scurrying back to the boarding area.

“Let’s see... row 1, row 2, row 3!” I stow away my carry-on in the overhead compartment and slide into the window seat. Krystal, Sulli, Amber, Luna, Victoria, and Chanyeol unfortunately have seats several rows away from mine. I wonder who’ll be sitting in the seat next to me-

“Well, well. Look who it is.” Kai smirks down at me. “Just my luck.”

My jaw clenches. Of all the people I could’ve gotten stuck with on a 5 hour flight, it had to be him. Typical.

“This is going to be such a fun flight. Don’t you agree, Sojin?” Kai sneers.

Over the course of the next hour, he proceeds to stretch out his entire body so he’s taking up all my space, loudly flirt with a flight attendant, and steal my snacks. When I take out my physics homework, he scans the paper and then points out every tiny little mistake I’ve done.

Thankfully, Kai eventually mellows down. We both sit in tired silence, until I recline my seat all the way back and doze off. First-class sure is nice...

I sleepily blink open my eyes. The cabin is dark, the low hum of the airplane engine the only sound in the air. It must be about 9; 2 hours after I nodded off to sleep. My entire body feels toasty and comfortable.

Something- someone- burrows their face in my hair. softly, I snuggle deeper into the soft mass on which my head is resting on. Ah, bliss. This feels nicer than my bed at home.

And then my eyes shoot open.

Wait a minute. I’m not at home. I’m on an airplane. Sitting next to-

“Kai,” I breathe. “Oh, .”

His arms are wrapped around me, holding me to his firm chest, while mine are slung around his waist. It’s his face that’s in my hair, gently breathing in and out.

“Kai. Get up.” I shake vigorously.

“Good morning, Sojin,” he murmurs in a husky voice, and slides his head down from my hair to the crook of my neck instead.

A strange sensation skitters in my stomach. “You idiot!” I hiss, my face burning. “Get off of me!”

“Wha- Sojin?” Kai groggily looks down at me with half-lidded eyes. In an instant he’s realized the position that we’re in, and springs away from me. “Whoa. Sorry. Wait... how did this even happen?”

“I have no idea,” I snap. Does my face have to feel so hot? “It’s not solely your fault. I’m sorry, too.” I did have my arms around his lower body. Wait, no, that sounds way too erted!

“Hey Sojin?” Kai asks tiredly.

“What?”

“Can we just sleep like that for a little bit more?”

I look at him, horrified. “No!”