3 + 10

Thirty minutes before 10am, I was already sitting in Gate 16 of the Incheon airport after going through security and screening. I kept an eye out for Luhan or Jessica. Hopefully Luhan would come first or else Jessica would question why we didn’t arrive at the same time if we lived together. I was entertaining myself by pushing my luggage back and forth between my feet for a long time, watching as other groups of families and tourists filed in and took seats. Something glistened on my finger. Glancing at the ring, I had almost forgotten I was still wearing it. Was it odd that I had gotten used to it that it almost seemed... just there?

A stranger took the seat beside mine.  “You were here early?”

I stared at the man who was wearing a grey hoodie with BWCW written across his chest in white. He looked a lot like Luhan except that the fringe of his hair wasn’t slicked back neatly but rather kept wavy and in his eyes. I looked to my other side, figuring he was speaking to someone else—though there was no one around.

I had to ask, “Who are you?”

He gave me a look like I was growing a third eye. “Your fake fiancé. Who else?”

“Oh my god.” I just had to turn my whole body to face him and take it all in. “I don’t think I’ve seen you in anything but a business suit. Except that one company picnic, but you were still wearing a blazer.”

“I remember that picnic.” Luhan snorted. “Everyone else was wearing a t-shirt and shorts and I showed up like there was going to be a meeting at the park.”

“What part of casual wear did you not understand?”

“I wasn’t wearing a tie that time!” he exclaimed.

I mentally slapped my face. “Putting your weird issues aside, is that your hair when you’re not working?”

“Yeah.” Luhan flipped his bangs from his eyes. “Like it?”

“You look like you’re in highschool.” But I liked it.

He frowned at me. “Thank you.” Luhan sat up to glance around the airport. “Where’s Jessica?”

“I don’t know, but—” My eyes landed on a couple that acted like they had escaped and managed to sneak away into Korea together, because as soon as they had stepped through the crowd that had just landed, her boyfriend picked her off the ground her spun her around in a circle. “Urgh, I hate when people carry me though.”

“Huh?” Luhan followed my line of sight. “Why not?”

“I panic whenever my feet aren’t touching the ground.”

He side-eyed me with a grin and suddenly chuckled too darkly for my liking. “Should I do that to you then? We’re getting married anyway and its romantic or whatever,” Luhan teased.

I leaned away from him automatically. “No. Don’t you dare. I will elbow you straight in the eye.”

“You can’t just tell me you hate it when people carry you and not expect me to do it.” Luhan stood and made an attempt to yank me up by my hand.

I would have kicked him several times and tried to ignore the crowd that could have begun to stare, but I was wearing a dress. I was starting to think dresses were made to benefit men more than women. “Stop, I’m not kidding!” I shrieked.

“I’m here!” Jessica appeared to our left and presented herself with her arms in the air like she thought she was Beyoncé or something.

I gave up trying to attack Luhan and stood beside him, smiling like nothing had happened. “Hooray!” I faked enthusiasm. I was conscious of the fact that Luhan’s hand had eventually slid past my wrist and intertwined with mine, fingers lacing together oddly. It felt so weird and scripted, just feeling the warmth of his hand against my own. Hell, I haven’t even held Jongin’s hand yet.  

A voice in the intercom called for small children and those who needed special assistance to board first.

“I made it in time. Great.” Jessica adjusted her shoulder bag. “Let’s get ready.”

The plane to Jeju was a small one. Each side of the aisle had two seats and the whole craft had two bathrooms. Luhan and I had tickets for the seats 9A and 9B. Jessica sat on the other side of the aisle from us at 9D. An old man that sat in 9C separated her from Luhan and I. I was honestly glad about that and happy to see she didn’t pick a fight with the eighty-something year old man for a seat closer to us.

Luhan poked my arm after he had hoisted both our bags to the top compartments. “Can you sit next to the window? I don’t like looking out.”

“Why should I?” I was going to claim the window seat before he could anyway, but I wanted to pester him.

“The flight is an hour and ten minutes. I promise not to annoy you at all for that long.” Luhan clasped his hands together to his chest, looking genuinely sincere. “Please?”

I paused, pretending to think about it while I shut the compartment firmly. “Fine, I’ll sit there.” I squeezed into the tight space before plopping myself down next to the window and staring out into the runway.

Flight attendants wearing a blue and white uniform stood in the aisle to demonstrate the safety procedures while another voice said instructions through the intercom. Not long after that, the plane was ready to take off and soon, we were in the air and several meters off the ground.  

“Hey Luhan.” I pointed outside the window. “I see the clouds!”

“Stop that. I’m not looking.” Luhan distracted himself by pulling out his iPod from his pocket.

I frowned at him. He was acting like the moment he turned his head, I was going to surprise him with a slap, though I just really wan