Wishlist [txtzy#1]

Wishlist-31(turbulence)

Chaeryeong tried to calm her breathing, her eyes fixed on the window as she listened to the hum of conversation around her. The business class cabin was filling quickly, but the tension in the air was impossible to ignore. The seat beside her was now occupied by Taehyun, and the weight of his presence made her heart pound in her chest.

She chanced a glance at him. He looked calm—too calm. His sharp features betrayed none of the emotions she knew he was capable of. He leaned back in his seat, arms crossed, his gaze fixed ahead as if she weren't sitting just inches away.

Meanwhile, Jisung had taken a seat across the aisle, his demeanor still casual, but his jaw slightly clenched. It was clear he hadn't appreciated Taehyun's behavior, but for Chaeryeong's sake, he let it go.

The flight attendants began moving through the aisle, preparing for takeoff, but the air between Chaeryeong and Taehyun felt heavier than the cabin pressure.

"Are you going to pretend I don't exist the whole time?" Taehyun's voice was low, but his words cut through the silence like a knife.

Chaeryeong's head snapped toward him. "What?" she whispered, startled by his sudden question.

Taehyun turned to face her, his gaze piercing. "You heard me," he said, his tone clipped.

"I... I'm not pretending anything," Chaeryeong stammered, her fingers twisting nervously in her lap.

"Really?" he asked, leaning slightly closer. "Because it sure seems like you've been avoiding me. Don't think I haven't noticed."

Chaeryeong opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. How could she explain? The memories of their past—both beautiful and painful—kept her up at night. Seeing him again wasn't just hard; it was agonizing.

"Look," she finally managed, her voice trembling, "I'm not trying to make things difficult, okay? Let's just... let's get through this show without any issues."

Taehyun scoffed lightly, his expression unreadable. "Without issues? That's rich coming from you."

The bitterness in his voice stung, and Chaeryeong felt her chest tighten. She turned away, focusing on the clouds outside the window. Why did he always have to push her buttons?

Across the aisle, NingNing and Shuhua exchanged curious glances. They had caught bits and pieces of the conversation and could feel the tension.

"Do they... know each other?" NingNing whispered to Shuhua, tilting her head toward Chaeryeong and Taehyun.

Shuhua nodded knowingly. "It's complicated, I think."

Jay, sitting nearby, smirked as he leaned closer to them. "Complicated is an understatement," he said under his breath, clearly entertained by the drama unfolding before them.

"Should we do something?" NingNing asked, concerned.

Shuhua shook her head. "Not yet. Let's see how this plays out."

As the plane began to taxi down the runway, Chaeryeong closed her eyes, hoping to block out everything. But even with her eyes shut, she couldn't escape the memories. Bali. Their first trip together. The laughter they shared, the quiet moments on the beach, the way he had looked at her under the moonlight—it all came rushing back.

And now, here they were, sitting side by side like strangers.

Taehyun noticed her tense posture and let out a quiet sigh. Despite his frustration, he couldn't deny that seeing her again stirred something deep inside him. He'd spent so long trying to forget her, but the moment she came into view at the airport, every wall he'd built came crashing down.

"Chaeryeong," he said softly, his voice losing its edge.

She hesitated but eventually turned to face him. Her eyes were wide, searching his for answers he wasn't sure he could give.

"Let's just... keep things professional," he said finally, his tone softer than before. "For the cameras, at least."

Chaeryeong nodded slowly, relief and sadness washing over her at the same time. "Okay," she whispered.

But as they both turned away, they couldn't shake the feeling that "professional" would be much harder to maintain than they were willing to admit.

Meanwhile, in the back of the plane, the producers were already buzzing with excitement.

"Did you see the tension between those two?" one of them whispered to another, glancing toward Chaeryeong and Taehyun.

"It's perfect," the other replied, grinning. "This show is going to be a hit."

A few hours into the flight, the plane hit sudden turbulence, shaking violently enough to make the seatbelt signs flash back on. The cabin was filled with the faint murmurs of worried passengers and the occasional gasp. Chaeryeong gripped the armrests tightly, her knuckles turning white.

Turbulence. Of all things, this was her worst fear when flying.

Instinctively, her hand shot out, grabbing Taehyun's arm for support. The realization hit her almost immediately, and her eyes widened. She quickly withdrew her hand as if his arm were burning hot.

"I'm sorry," she muttered, her voice shaky, refusing to meet his gaze.

Taehyun glanced down at her trembling hands. He could see the fear in her eyes, even if she was trying hard to hide it. Without a word, he reached over, gently taking her hand in his. He placed it back on his arm, giving her a steady, reassuring look.

"It's okay," he said softly. "You can hold on if it makes you feel better."

His calm voice and the warmth of his words melted some of the tension in her chest. Hesitantly, she nodded, her fingers clutching his arm once more.

The turbulence eventually subsided, and the plane steadied, but Chaeryeong kept her grip for a moment longer before releasing it. She looked at him briefly, her cheeks tinged with pink.

"Thank you," she said quietly, her voice almost drowned out by the hum of the plane.

Taehyun gave a small nod, his expression unreadable, but his heart was far from calm.

Chaeryeong had finally relaxed enough to fall asleep, her head leaning slightly against the back of the seat. The even rise and fall of her breathing indicated she was in a deep slumber.

Taehyun glanced over at her, his gaze softening. She looked peaceful, her usual guarded expression replaced by vulnerability. He hadn't seen her like this in so long, and it stirred something deep within him—something he had been trying to bury.

He had missed her. More than he cared to admit, even to himself.

Right now, she was sitting beside him, close enough that he could feel the faint warmth of her presence, yet the emotional distance between them felt vast and unbridgeable.

Taehyun leaned back in his seat, running a hand through his hair as he let out a silent sigh. Memories of their past flooded his mind—how they used to talk for hours, laugh over silly things, and share dreams of their future. Back then, he had thought nothing could come between them.

But here they were. Strangers sharing the same space, held together by circumstances and an unresolved history.

A slight movement caught his attention. Chaeryeong shifted in her sleep, her head tilting slightly toward him. For a moment, he debated whether to move her head to rest more comfortably against the headrest, but instead, he simply watched.

"Why does it have to be like this?" he thought to himself.

For now, though, all he could do was sit quietly beside her, caught between the weight of their past and the uncertainty of their future.