Across the World - NCT Chenle

Chapter 29

A chorus of, "Rae! Wake up!" echoes throughout the room, accompanied by a loud banging. Rolling over, I groan. Honestly, I can't help it. It's too early. "If you don't reply in ten seconds, I'm coming in there and you and I both know that you won't enjoy that very much." My uncle continues.

I simply slam my head into my pillow, snuggling further into my bedding as the door swims open. "Why?!?!" I demand, my uncle bursting in.

"Because it's 3AM and we need to get moving within the next hour. Shower, dress, double check everything and then we're out of here." he states, switching on the light just to fully ensure I wake up.

Once he finally leaves, I drag myself out of the room and proceed to follow his instructions. In fact, for someone so tired, I'm surprisingly efficient, wheeling my suitcase down the corridors and into the foyer 15 minutes early. So early that I allow myself some breakfast. Why not when you have enough time?

I put myself in my normal place on top of the kitchen island, pouring a bowl of cereal which I scoff down in five minutes. Jeno and Jaemin find me shortly after, not having showered by the looks of there bed hair. Upon closer inspection, they appear to only have just gotten up.

Yet my uncle woke me up an hour ago. So much for family benefits.

Still huffing, I join the others as we load our things into the back of the vans before eventually getting underway. Our flight is at 8 but, considering there's 21 of us to get through security (only Instructor Wu stayed at home), my uncle insists on arriving early. I guess I can't blame him but that doesn't explain the need to book such early flights.

The morning passes quickly however, a mix between sleep and traipsing through an airport in a half-awakened state. As soon as we board the flight it's as though my energy kicks in.

Wide eyed, I can't sleep. No. In 10 hours, I'll be in Seoul. In 24 hours, I'll have taken my first step towards debut with my dance live streamed across the globe. In 48 hours, my first tv show will be broadcast. Another step. In 72 hours, I'll have a fan base and a group of supporters. I'll be an official SMRookie. I will be doing something I've learnt to love from this day till the end of my life.

So no, with those realisations, I cannot sleep. It seems like an impossible dream and yet it's become my reality.
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I believe that after a ten hour flight, I've managed to thoroughly annoy the rest of the members of NCT. What with traveling business class, we had an entire section to ourselves, all 21 of us, and due to my lack of sleeping, I was rather hyper.

Between the regular switching seats, constant chatter, various snacks and insistence of watching tv, I think I have worn them down. It was almost as though they were child minders on a rota, watching over me like it was their duty. I suppose, to an extent, it was.

"Yah, Yukhei, Kun, Chenle, Renjun and Rae - wait, where the hell is Rae?"

I step out from behind the row of plants, having been enjoying a quick selfie session in private. Pushing my determination to document this entire journey aside, I respond with a gleeful, "Here." as all eyes swivel to me. Their patience is certainly wearing thin.

An exacerbated sigh escapes my uncles lips before he proceeds to order us around, sending the aforementioned members towards the international arrivals while the others join the domestic queue. We chatter and joke, a comparatively young bunch as opposed to having my Uncle and the other adults nagging the whole way through border control. Rather, we have Kun for that.

It takes 40 minutes for us to get through border control, finding the other members waiting with the rest of our luggage in the arrivals lounge. I guess they have the advantage in that respect - quicker border control.