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by rOrOrOr_27

by rOrOrOr_27

Guill was adjusting the cuffs of his pilot uniform, his fingers tapping impatiently against the crisp white fabric. He loved his job—the thrill of taking to the skies, the view from the cockpit, the sense of responsibility for every life on board—but today, his thoughts were elsewhere. His phone vibrated in his pocket, and he quickly fished it out, glancing at the name that popped up: Nick.

*Si Nick? Aba, 'di ito madalas tumawag ah*, Guill thought as he swiped to answer.

"Guill! Nakuha ko na yung singsing na pina-customize ko!" Nick's voice exploded through the speaker, his excitement practically tangible even over the phone. "Ready na ako. Panigurado masusurprise si Maloi kasi sobrang unexpected nito!"

Guill barely caught what Nick was saying amidst the cacophony of airport sounds—the chatter of passengers boarding, the dull whirr of engines revving up. His hand instinctively reached for his cap, holding it down as a gust of wind tried to knock it off his head.

"Ano? Hindi kita marinig, bro! Itext mo na lang sa akin. I'm getting ready for a flight!" Guill yelled into the phone, but even then, he wasn't sure if Nick had heard him. The line was filled with static, the buzz of airport machinery drowning out his voice.

"Sige," Nick's voice crackled through, sounding a little deflated but still carrying the trace of excitement.

Guill hung up, letting out a breathy chuckle as he tucked the phone back into his jacket pocket. *Nick is really about to propose to Maloi*. It seemed surreal. His best friend, the guy who could never sit still in high school and always seemed to trip over his own two feet when it came to relationships, was finally ready to settle down. Guill felt a wave of pride and happiness for Nick—but it was also a bittersweet reminder that things were changing fast.

He adjusted his cap and walked toward the gate where the rest of the crew was waiting. The anticipation of Nick's proposal made him grin. *Unexpected talaga yun para kay Maloi. Knowing Nick, sobrang galing nun na nakatago sa isang simple act lang*. He could already picture Maloi's shocked expression—her eyes wide, her hands flying to her mouth, probably speechless for once. *Sobrang in-love na in-love na 'yan kay Nick*, Guill thought with a smile.

He boarded the plane and greeted the other crew members with the usual pleasantries, though his mind remained half-distracted by thoughts of Nick's upcoming proposal. He settled into the cockpit, running through the pre-flight checks with a focused efficiency that came naturally after years of practice. His co-pilot, Captain Sarmiento, glanced over at him, eyebrows raised.

"Something on your mind, Guill?" Captain Sarmiento asked, his voice carrying a note of amusement.

Guill chuckled and shook his head. "Ah, wala, sir. Kaibigan ko kasi magpo-propose na. Sobrang excited."

The captain grinned. "Ah, love life. Mahirap mag-focus kapag ganyan, 'no?"

"Naks, hindi naman, sir," Guill replied, but even he knew he wasn't entirely present. His mind kept drifting back to Nick and Maloi. He thought about how different their lives had become since high school—he, the quiet one who was always buried in his books, and Nick, the life of every party, always making people laugh.

The flight was scheduled to take them back to Manila from Singapore, a route Guill had flown dozens of times. Everything seemed routine as they taxied to the runway, engines roaring softly in the background. Guill settled into his seat, glancing over at the control panels and confirming all systems were normal.

But just as the plane reached cruising altitude, something shifted. The aircraft shuddered—subtle at first, but then more violent. Guill's hands tightened on the yoke as he exchanged a glance with Captain Sarmiento. The cockpit alarms began to beep erratically, filling the air with tension.

"Sir, we're losing pressure," Guill said, his voice steady despite the rising unease in his chest.

"Check the gauges," Captain Sarmiento barked, flipping switches and scanning the control panel with sharp eyes.

Guill quickly ran through the systems, but the readings were clear. Something was wrong—seriously wrong. He felt the pit in his stomach grow as the plane jolted again, the passengers undoubtedly feeling the turbulence now.

"Flight attendants, please prepare for turbulence," the captain's voice came over the intercom, calm but firm. "We are experiencing technical difficulties."

Guill's heart raced as he followed procedure, going through the emergency protocols he'd rehearsed a thousand times but hoped he'd never have to use. He could hear the muffled gasps and murmurs from the cabin behind him, the low hum of fear beginning to ripple through the passengers.

"We're going to have to divert to Terminal 1," Captain Sarmiento said grimly, turning to Guill. "It's going to be a rough one."

Guill nodded, his mind laser-focused now, blocking out the noise, the fear, the uncertainty. His fingers danced over the controls, communicating with the air traffic control tower as they began their emergency descent.

Suddenly, Guill's phone buzzed in his pocket, pulling him briefly back to reality. *Nick*. He must've texted. Guill's heart clenched as he thought about how he still hadn't properly congratulated his best friend. The excitement he'd felt earlier had been replaced by a deep, gnawing anxiety. He pushed the thought away, focusing on the task at hand.

Captain Sarmiento's voice broke through the haze. "Ready, Guill?"

Guill gripped the yoke tighter and nodded, his heart pounding. He could see the runway in the distance, but everything felt surreal—the ground was coming up fast, too fast.

"MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAY-DAY! THIS IS FLIGHT BV-065! WE ARE ABOUT TO EMERGENCY LAND AT NAIA T1 RUNWAY. I REPEAT, MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAY-DAY! WE ARE ABOUT TO EMERGENCY LAND AT NAIA T1 RUNWAY!"