Last Flight Home

002: Shanghai

The minute Alex stepped on board the airplane, he started regretting his decision.

When he found the plane ticket to Shanghai, he had gotten so excited that he dashed straight to the airport. The flight was in less than three hours and he was in such rush to catch it that he didn't even have time to head back home to pack his own clothes, so he had to make do with whatever the original Lee Daehyun had packed in his luggage. He felt slightly guilty getting through immigrations with someone else's passport, but since he looked like the person in the passport photo and had the fingerprints to match, he cleared customs without a hitch. Still felt weird though, breaking the law like this.

It was only when the air stewardess welcomed him on board with a plastic smile that he suddenly remembered that he had a phobia for flying. But it was too late. The aircraft door had shut behind him.

Alex gulped, his heartbeat starting to race within his chest.

What if the plane crashes? What if the engines explode? What if there's a hijacker on board! What if the pilot has a heart attack! What if I die before I get to see Eunri again?

All the horrific scenarios kept running through his mind in an endless loop.

"Excuse me sir, do you need help finding your seat?" A beaming air steward with slick gelled hair came over to offer assistance.

"Uhh..." Alex fumbled for his ticket and handed it to the other man with trembling hands.

"Oh! Welcome on board Mr Lee! The first class cabin is this way." The air steward's smile ramped up two notches as he gestured towards the left.

First class?

Judging from the classy apartment in Gangnam and the expensive-looking everything in the house, he had figured that Lee Daehyun was pretty well-to-do, but he didn't realise he was quite this loaded. A first class seat on an airplane could cost as much as six month's rent on his own dingy squatting hole. He followed the steward to the first class cabin, where all the seats were spacious and luxurious compared to economy class where they packed passengers like sardines and doled out convenience store orange juice.

He sat down in his seat and immediately buckled his seat belt, grabbing hold of both armrests just in case.

"Sir, would you like a drink?" the steward asked. "We have red and white wine or champagne. It might help calm the nerves."

He nodded. "I'll have a glass of everything please."

When the steward returned with the three glasses, he immediately downed them all at once.

Maybe if I drink enough alcohol I'll sleep through the entire flight. Assuming it doesn't crash halfway.

To his relief, the effect of the alcohol was almost immediate. Quality made such a difference. His eyelids began to feel heavy within a minute and he was fast asleep within five. The plane hadn't even taken off yet.

An hour into the flight, Alex was rudely awakened by a sudden rumbling of the aircraft. His body jerked to the side and his eyes flew open. Thankfully his seat belt was still securely fastened, else he might have tumbled out of his seat. The wine glass of the passenger across the aisle was rattling dangerously on the tray table.

The PA system crackled to life.

"Dear passengers, this is the captain speaking. We are currently flying through a turbulent patch. We should clear the turbulence very shortly, so please do not be alarmed. In the meantime, please return to your seats and fasten your seatbelts until the seatbelt sign is switched off. Thank you."