[D11] FIRST CLASS FLIGHTS (1/2)
Prompt Code: D11
Title: First Class Flights
Rating: pg14
Side pairings (if any): mentions of baekhyun/chanyeol
Word Count: 11.1k
Warnings: cheesy lines
Summary: Kyungsoo is not sure if every flight is a nightmare or something he anticipates.
AN: Thank you so much mods^3 for being extra patient and understanding throughout the fest! I've been writing this for nearly two months and I had no idea on how to keep the story going so I really did think I wouldn't be able to make it before reveals. But *drum rolls* here it is! Enjoy reading!
"Meeting adjourned."
Kyungsoo heavily lifts himself up from his seat to shake hands with Wu Yi Fan, the chairman of their new furnishing company partner. The presentations earlier had been remarkable; Kyungsoo could say himself thus earning Do International and the entire group a successful deal with a huge company.
"I'm looking forward to working with you Mr. Wu, If you'd like to stay longer we can get you a suite at the hotel." Kyungsoo lifts his lips up in smile and the chairman beams gratefully, shaking his head.
"As much as I'd like to Mr. Do but I still have more meetings to attend to back home." Yifan declines politely as he drapes his black wool coat over broad shoulders. The chairman's secretary assists him with his belongings before they both bow in Kyungsoo's direction. "Thank you for having us here. It was an honor."
Kyungsoo slightly bows his head back in return. "Have a safe trip back to China, Mr. Wu."
As the two men leave, Kyungsoo plops down on the seat at the end of the table before saving whatever document was shown on the laptop and clicking it shut. Now that he was all alone, he slouches his back against the soft leather and closes his eyes.
A lot of people believe that being CEO was an absolutely easy job. With a highly respectable position on top you have all the power to let other people under the palm of your hand do all the work, and leaving you to do whatever else you desire. And that was beyond the truth. Besides, people always say comments like these anyway so Kyungsoo didn’t let it fully come across his nerves.
At the early age of 25, his father had decided to hand the position as CEO down to his only son. And surely operating a chain of hotels all over Asia under his sleeve had become a massive responsibility for Kyungsoo. Making the final major decisions, he shoulders responsibility for their successes and failures, operations, strategy, all down to sales.
Kyungsoo had started learning from his teenage years, coming along with his father during meetings and trips gave him further ideas on what this line of business was like. It took him a lot of hard work, sacrifices, and becoming CEO of Do International made everything all worth it.
Baekhyun was running when Kyungsoo opens his eyes and he watches his PA struggle through the glass walls of the conference room.
"I'm sorry for taking a long time, Sir. One of the elevators broke down so I um-had to wait in line." Baekhyun squeaks and bows a complete 90 degree angle, stapled documents clutched tightly against his chest.
"It's alright Baekhyun," Kyungsoo waves his hand in dismissal. "And it's okay to call me by my name now, I've heard enough misters for today." Even before he was appointed as CEO, Kyungsoo already had Baekhyun as his personal assistant. But up until now he still has to constantly remind said PA to reduce the formalities with him when it was only the two of them.
Baekhyun nods sheepishly as Kyungsoo sits up a little straighter. "What's my agenda for the afternoon?"
"You have lunch with Mr. Park Chanyeol at one," Baekhyun says as he swipes through the CEO's schedule on his tablet. "You're clear for the rest of the afternoon and then you have to be at the airport by seven o'clock."
"I thought Chanyeol cancelled yesterday?" Kyungsoo asks, turning his chair to face his PA.
"Ah, he called again this morning to confirm. He said he's already reserved a table."
Kyungsoo stands to button his suit up and collect his belongings on the table while Baekhyun quickly piles up all the papers scattered. "Should I get Mr. Jung to drive for you today?" his PA asks.
"No, I’ll drive. And please pick up my luggage at home, you can get Mr. Jung to drive for you." Kyungsoo says as paces out of the room and Baekhyun scurries hurriedly behind him, following the CEO's pace until they were walking side by side but keeping a fair distance between them.
Kyungsoo walks with confidence in his steps, nodding briefly at the office employees who greet him as he saunters past the cubicles. They stop before an elevator and Kyungsoo presses the down button. It takes a few seconds before the doors slide open with a click and they step in. Luckily it was empty, and as soon as the doors close after him, Kyungsoo's shoulders drop as he leans wearily against the elevator railings.
Baekhyun glances at him in concern but keeps his lips zipped up. After being by Kyungsoo's side for quite a long time, he eventually learns to leave the CEO with the silence and peace of mind he needed from all the pressure he takes in from work.
Do Kyungsoo was an upright person. He may look stoic and stiff, yet his employees admire him and even his board members were satisfied with how he worked and operated the business.
"Baekhyun," Kyungsoo says and the PA's head flashes up in attention. "Do you want to come and eat lunch with us? I think Chanyeol would want to say hi."
Baekhyun lowers his gaze, cheeks flushing in color. "T-That won't be necessary."
"You sure?" Kyungsoo asks again and Baekhyun nods his head affirmatively.
The elevator doors open on the floor to the CEO's office and Kyungsoo steps out, putting a hand on Baekhyun's path to stop his PA from following him.
Baekhyun looks at him, half surprised and half scared. Kyungsoo laughs softly. "I’ll be down by the basement in 10. You can take your break while I’m gone, I'll be back here in the office after lunch."
"Will you need anything else?"
Kyungsoo shakes his head and Baekhyun hesitantly steps back inside the elevator before giving the CEO one last bow as the metal doors close behind him.
As soon as Kyungsoo enters the restaurant, he looks up and easily finds Chanyeol waving at him from a more secluded area like a sore thumb. He makes his way through a group of people in suits before reaching Chanyeol, sitting across him and crossing his legs under the glass table.
Park Chanyeol, president of one of Do International's huge partners and one of Kyungsoo's closest friends, undeniably had the hots for a certain PA.
Chanyeol looks over his shoulder, eyes squinting. "Isn't Baekhyun coming with you?"
Kyungsoo gestures to one of the waitresses before she approaches with a bottle of white wine, gently pouring an enough amount of liquid on their glasses. "I asked him but he didn't want to. You know you should stop making me attend these ridiculous--" he makes quotation marks in the air, “-lunch meetings. Call him like the man you are and ask him out properly without having to use me."
"I did call him, thrice to be exact."
"Right, to tell him we have lunch together, cancelling it, and then re-cancelling it." Kyungsoo snorts in disbelief and Chanyeol runs a hand through his maroon-red hair anxiously.
Chanyeol had been thinking of ways to see Baekhyun which eventually lead him to the idea of arranging pretend-meetings with the CEO. As his personal assistant, Baekhyun was expected to always be by Kyungsoo's side so normally he thought there was a much higher chance that this idea was going to succeed.
Their meals arrive shortly; chunks of braised beef with mashed potatoes and broccoli on the side.
"I heard you're scheduled to Shanghai tomorrow," Chanyeol says as he lifts a fork into his mouth. "Did something happen?"
Kyungsoo hums lightly. "Everything's good, actually. I just have to personally check on the Shanghai branch and meet with the new manager myself. I'll be staying over for maybe less than three nights and then come back to Korea as soon as everything’s finished."
"Is Baekhyun coming with you?" Chanyeol questions hopelessly.
Kyungsoo nods his head as he washes away the taste of red meat on his tongue with the wine. "Yeah, we're leaving tonight. You do know you're always welcome to stop by the office anytime right?"
"My parents are on a retreat at Vietnam so my schedule's kind of packed as of this week." Chanyeol half-groans, frustrated, "And trust me it wasn't easy to clear out two hours for lunch today."
"If it makes you feel any better I caught Baekhyun staring at something on his computer screen-which if I’m not mistaken is a photo of you from the opening in Guangzhou last month." Kyungsoo chuckles meekly at the thought and Chanyeol pauses halfway from bringing a napkin to wipe the stain on his lips.
"Really?" He blurts out incredulously, eyes widened.
"Don't tell him though," Kyungsoo grins. "Guess he was too absorbed that he didn't even notice that I was standing right in front of him."
Chanyeol whistles in amusement as he pulls the knot of his tie downwards. "Wow it's amazing how that alone can make my day a hundred times better."
"How much more if you did actually see him in flesh today." Kyungsoo points out innocently and Chanyeol huffs at him before they shift their attention back to eating.
"By the way how's Jongin doing?" Chanyeol asks in between scoops of his chocolate tart. "We should go get drinks together again sometime."
Captain Kim Jongin was pilot of Kyungsoo's private jet. In his position, riding commercial aircrafts even in first class was a complete hassle. There could be possible delays, difficulties, and most importantly having to manage a dozen hotels all over different islands often required air travel.
Kyungsoo stiffens, familiar features suddenly flashing through his vision like a movie in fast forward. "Jongin," he says rather quietly, upset at how suddenly anxious he was. "I haven't been really travelling much lately so he's probably flying commercial aircrafts. Besides, I think it was a month ago before I last used the jet and the last time we um, talked."
"Don't you often see each other? I thought you guys were pretty close."
Looking from another person's side of view, it may seem to be interpreted like that but there was a much different story if one were to be on Kyungsoo's shoes.
"Not really," he answers with a strained smile and Chanyeol thankfully leaves it at that.
As soon as Kyungsoo boarded the jet with his PA, he had felt an uneasy sensation boiling up on the pit of his stomach. It was a mixture of both anxiety and anticipation, quite a nonsensical emotion to Kyungsoo.
Baekhyun was seated across him, mobile phone clinging in between his shoulder blade and right ear as he busily made calls to fix the final arrangements of the CEO’s itinerary once they land.
It doesn’t take long before they were finally hovering above the clouds. Papers were strewn across Kyungsoo’s table as he read through e-mails on his laptop, one hand lazily pressed against his nape to press on the tight knots.
Looking through the small windows, the sky was painted a midnight blue and the cities below could no longer be spotted yet there was a hazy glow of pale yellow lights seen from above.
Kyungsoo felt drained and his body was starting to wear out as the night went on. He had grabbed a bottle of alcohol and a small glass from the mini bar on the jet earlier and it was the only thing that accompanied him from completely falling asleep.
Even his PA couldn’t help it, Baekhyun sleeping awkwardly on the side against the wall with his jaw hanging loosely.
Kyungsoo was occupied in reading when he had felt a sudden pressure on his forehead. He jolts up in surprise, rapidly blinking his eyes up to see the obstruction in front of him.
“Jong-Captain Kim,” he says slowly and said pilot was pressing his thumb gently against the middle of Kyungsoo’s eyebrows, drawing small circular motions.
Jongin was smiling down at him. “Stop frowning or you’ll start getting wrinkles.”
Kyungsoo mutters something under his breath and no matter how soothing it felt he ducks his head to avoid Jongin’s touch, struggling to keep his self-composure up.
The pilot chuckles, tucking his hand back to the side.
“Don’t you have something else more important to do?” Kyungsoo questions sharply when Jongin doesn’t budge. He looked like he had no intention of scampering away back to the cockpit where he was supposed to be in control of the plane.
“Isn’t that why I’m here?” Jongin quips with a suggestive smirk and Kyungsoo’s pale cheeks tint a brighter shade of red, a little darker than what it would look usually look like whenever Jongin was around.
Shifting awkwardly on his seat and trying not to make himself look so vulnerable, Kyungsoo clears his throat loudly and focuses his eyes back on the tablet.
Jongin grins as he scoots up beside him, inching his face closer to Kyungsoo’s, “Should I begin, love?” he drawls.
Hot breath ghosted over his neck and Kyungsoo slightly shivers on his seat, paling visibly like a blank piece of paper. Jongin smelled of mint and undeniable thrill and it made Kyungsoo’s heart clench.
Jongin was very forward with him, cheeky even and made uncertain moves unseemly for their affiliation as ‘aquaintances'. Kyungsoo was typically an unmoving block of emotions around certain people he was uncomfortable with but it confused him how that certainly wasn’t the case with Jongin. He could switch pilots anytime in one blink of an eye, but after considering it for so many times he still couldn’t bring himself to.
“I’m busy, Jongin.” Kyungsoo mumbles, eyes focusing on anything but the pilot.
Jongin titters. “Let me help you with that,” he says before taking a hold of Kyungsoo’s tablet, purposely letting their hands touch, and turning the device over. “I think it would be more convenient if you read this way.”
Kyungsoo blushes in embarrassment as the aircraft’s amps crackle, following a soft beeping sound and then the voice of First Officer Kim Minseok, co-pilot. Saved by the bell.
“Captain Kim we’re landing in 5.”
Sighing in dismay, Jongin forcefully brings himself up to stand on his feet. Timing was a total jerk; just as he was about to get steamy with Kyungsoo. Using his thumb and index finger, Jongin tips Kyungsoo’s chin and offers the latter a placid smile. “Guess I’ll just see you around then.”
Kyungsoo finds himself nodding.
CEO Do makes an effort of keeping himself awake through the continuous duration of the meeting with his Chinese partners and supervisors.
He tries to cope up with the words (don’t blame him for bad Mandarin skills) but he was only able to make out the basic words frequently used in the office and congregations. It was a good thing Baekhyun was beside him to help with the explanation of a few diagrams he could hardly recognize.
Kyungsoo was absentmindedly tapping his shoes under the table, eyes wandering through the transparent walls until it settles on Jongin who was appealingly walking across the lobby.
He was wearing ripped jeans, a navy blue sweatshirt, and a pair of white Converse sneakers; a big variation to the uniform he always wore when flying. It was quite a new picture for Kyungsoo and it surely was rare to find the pilot randomly lurking around. Kyungsoo somehow couldn’t take his eyes off the attractive male.
Jongin seemed to have sensed someone looking at him before he turns his head to the right and locks gazes with Kyungsoo. The CEO flushes and immediately rips his gaze away, looking back up in front where someone was discussing some kind of graph on sales or something.
The weather in Shanghai was searing and without doubt it wasn’t helping with his racing pulse.
Right after the meeting Kyungsoo acknowledges all the familiar faces before making a beeline to his hotel room on the tenth floor.
He removes his shoes, shrugs off his blazer, and tosses his necktie on one of the small couches before groggily crawling under the sheets. His eyes were droopy and the smooth expanse of cotton under him was like heaven that it immediately brought him to slumber.
“Please bring all the copies to the boardroom and tell Mr. Zhang that the original file has to be approved beforehand.” Kyungsoo instructs and Baekhyun nods understandingly.
He had unintentionally overslept for the rest of the afternoon and possibly would have continued until late the evening if it weren’t for Baekhyun who woke him up with a knock on his door and coming in with folders in his arms. What’s new? Work had always been chasing after him.
“Should I order anything for dinner?”
Kyungsoo had already changed his business suit into something more casual and comfortable. “I’m going to be checking around the building so I’ll just stop by the restaurant downstairs,” he says as he pushes his leg back to tie his shoelaces. “Thank you Baekhyun, you’ve worked hard today. You can go back to your room and rest.”
His PA beams in glee, bowing his head before leaving the room with a little bounce on his steps. Kyungsoo follows a little later on after sorting his luggage, closing the door and shoving the key card inside his back pocket.
The hotel staff greets him as he walks past the lobby and check in counters, making sure everyone was doing their work and everything was in control.
It was already 9 P.M. when Kyungsoo rides the elevator down to the hotel restaurant. The place was a little empty and there were only about seven tables occupied. He sits down on a two person table beside the windows where he got a full view of the city skyline from above.
A waitress approaches him with a menu in her hands and she almost trips on her way upon recognizing the CEO. Thank heavens she was Korean and that he didn’t have to struggle communicating in Mandarin. Kyungsoo states his orders right away without having to look at the menu anymore and the waitress nods quietly before shuffling back inside the kitchen doors.
He was busy appreciating the picturesque view of the cityscape outside when someone slips into the seat opposite him.
“Hi,” Jongin grins handsomely, and it was that boyish smile that always made Kyungsoo’s heart perform backflips nonstop in the air. He was slightly leaning forward, hands neatly folded above the table.
There were a small number of people whose eyes were trained on them but it wasn’t like Kyungsoo cared at all. Seeing you together with your pilot was a rather normal thing, right?
Kyungsoo acknowledges his presence, smiling back and leaning back against the chair with his arms crossed loosely. “Hi. It’s pretty unusual to see you out of your room.”
“Yeah,” Jongin stares at him expressively, “I heard the moon was shining twice as much tonight and I guess they were right, I could see the silver glow in your eyes.”
Kyungsoo’s cheeks redden deeply at the remark, mouth going dry and he hates it how Jongin has the control to make him feel different kinds of things.
The same waitress routinely comes up to their table, saving Kyungsoo from sputtering words out of his mouth. She turns to Jongin’s direction and hands him over the menu.
“Oh, I’ll just get similar to what Mr. Do is having,” he says politely.
“Also add three cans of cold beer please,” Kyungsoo says promptly and the waitress bows before leaving. He sends a doubtful look in Jongin’s direction. “I’m uncertain we have the same taste in food.”
“Nah, I trust your sense of taste.” Jongin shrugs. “But Kyungsoo three cans of alcohol, don’t you think it’s a little too much?”
“Why not? It keeps my mind off the unnecessary things,” he says with a trace of indication in his voice.
“Youch,” Jongin fakes a frown but laughs it off with a weak budge on Kyungsoo’s foot. The CEO scowls at him but Jongin simply offers a cheeky smile.
They haven’t eaten a meal together in a long time and luckily everything was miraculously comfortable. They ate in silence, a piano piece playing on the background and it came quite a surprise to Kyungsoo that Jongin was deliciously eating his impromptu serving of vegetable soup.
It was getting late and the people were starting to disperse and retire to their bedrooms, leaving them both as the only customers left.
Clicking the tab of his beer open, Kyungsoo downs half of the cold liquid in one gulp. Jongin watches him worriedly as Kyungsoo slides an unopened can across the table and into the taller male's hands.
Jongin halfheartedly accepts it so that leaves the CEO with only two cans to finish. Hopefully he doesn't order more.
"You know you've been drinking a lot lately."
Kyungsoo nods slowly, "Mm,” he admits, “like I said, it keeps me occupied for a little while. But don’t worry I know my limits so I don’t really get drunk."
"Just so you know if you have anything you want to talk about or if you want to get something off your chest, you can talk to me. I'm quite a good listener." Jongin says sincerely and Kyungsoo was starting to feel lightheaded, which was odd because it was only his first can of beer.
"Thanks," he mumbles bashfully, "I'll take note of that."
Truly there was something about Jongin’s presence that comforted Kyungsoo and made him feel reassured. It undeniably takes out all the bad sentiments that filled up his mind even if sometimes the thought of his pilot caused him restlessness when travelling in air. Jongin definitely was full of surprises.
“Personally I think I’m a better companion than just measly bottles of alcohol.” Jongin grins confidently like a Cheshire cat, “I guarantee I can keep you awake all night long.”
Kyungsoo rolls his eyes before making a face, “Prove it then,” he confidently challenges. It takes him a heartbeat or two to grasp his own words, face turning pale as it sinks into his thoughts. If he could dig a hole on the ground right now, he would.
His eyes meet Jongin’s who was looking stunned but the latter was quick to recover. Jongin whistles, “I’d love to.”
Kyungsoo was drowning in a massive humiliating tsunami called shame.
With a silly smile playing on his face, Jongin walks Kyungsoo back to his room. The taller male couldn’t help himself from grinning so much while Kyungsoo keeps his head down in misery, still embarrassed and regretful of his recklessness.
Kyungsoo was taken out of his thoughts when he felt a hand gently take hold of his arm, gently pulling him to a stop. He looks down at Jongin’s hand clamped on his wrist.
“This is your room right?” Jongin asks as he looks at the numbers fixed on the door.
“Y-Yeah.” Kyungsoo yanks himself out of his head as he pulls his card out, hovering it above the scanner before the door opens with a beep. “Thanks Jongin, it was nice of you to bring me here.”
“No worries.” Jongin says as he shoves his hands into his jeans pockets.
Kyungsoo steps in but before closing the door, he looks back at the pilot curiously. “By the way how’d you know this was my room?”
“I saw Baekhyun come in here earlier this afternoon. And also mine’s three doors next to yours.”
“Oh, that’s good to know. Have a good night’s rest then.”
Jongin raises an arm up to pat Kyungsoo’s cheek affectionately. “Sleep well, love. And don’t dream of me too much.”
Kyungsoo laughs softly before shutting the door close. His voice was faint but Jongin still hears him clearly from outside.
“I assure you I won’t, I’m not particularly fond of nightmares.”
Kyungsoo had decided to fly back to Seoul as soon as the last meeting with their Chinese partners finished. Even Chairman Wu Yifan had participated in the assembly and kindly helped introduce him to a few people he didn’t recognize.
“Sure, I’ll see you when I get there.” Kyungsoo speaks with Chanyeol through the phone. He was already settled inside the jet yet the aircraft was still on land and the crew was still preparing the necessary procedures for flight.
“Just leave the papers with Jongdae-yes, the front desk outside my office. I’ll make sure to cover them up this afternoon. And no, I’m not telling Jongin he’s probably gonna be busy…” Kyungsoo trails off when he sees said pilot walk out of the cockpit, already dressed in complete uniform.
“I’ll call you when I get-I’m hanging up now Chanyeol I’ll see you later okay?” he taps the red button on the screen before looking up.
“We’re taking off in fifteen minutes, just making sure everything’s in place.” Jongin scans the area before smiling down at him. “Has your PA boarded yet?”
“Yeah he’s in the uh, lavatory.” Kyungsoo replies uneasily.
Jongin takes off his cap, ruffling his hair before placing it on Kyungsoo’s head. “Don’t lose this okay?” a smile spreads across his face, “I’ll be looking for it the next time we see each other.”
Kyungsoo looks up at him with wide curious eyes and when they hear a distant sound of footsteps behind the cabin, Jongin gives him one last grin before walking back to the cockpit without a word.
As soon as they reach Seoul, Kyungsoo heads straight home to take a shower and change his wrinkled clothes before driving straight away to the company building.
He had an afternoon schedule for a contract signing with another international company that Baekhyun had arranged for the past month and was too important that he didn’t want to reschedule the whole thing.
After patching things up successfully and ending with a couple of pictures by the press, Kyungsoo treads back to his office groggily. He sits back on the chair behind his desk and gives the floor’s front desk a call.
“Yes, Mr. Do?” It was Jongdae who answered.
“Yeah, uh, has Baekhyun returned yet?”
“Not yet sir, but he just called a few minutes ago and said he’s already on his way. Did you need anything?”
“No, no, I can get it myself, thank you.” Sighing heavily, Kyungsoo puts the phone down before unbuttoning the front buttons of his blazer, peeling it off his torso and hanging it behind the chair.
He walks out of his office and heads to the office pantry to make himself a cup of coffee or something. It was almost empty, except for Jongin who was looking at him, seated on one of the stools and sipping on a cup of-what.
“I thought you were leaving today?” Kyungsoo asks skeptically.
“I am,” Jongin shrugs nonchalantly, “but my flight to Milan’s still tonight. I was hoping to tell you before I leave though.”
If Kyungsoo didn’t need to use the jet, Captain Kim Jongin would be flying with different airline companies along with First Officer Kim Minseok. But besides that it was only them who were allocated to fly the CEO’s private jet.
Kyungsoo finds one bag of cinnamon tea on one of the cupboards before deliberately sinking it on a cup of hot water. Just as he was about to sit with Jongin, Baekhyun appears behind the door.
“I apologize for interrupting Mr. Do but the Vice-Chair would like to speak with you before he leaves.”
Disappointment flicker in Kyugsoo’s eyes as he puts his cup back on the counter before tugging his necktie back up firmly to look presentable.
“I’ll be right back,” he tells Jongin but the latter shakes his head in reassurance.
“It’s fine, there’s no need to,” the taller male gives him a small smile, tugging at Kyungsoo’s heartstrings. “I’ll see you soon?” Jongin takes Kyungsoo’s hand and places a bottle of orange juice between his small palm.
Kyungsoo looks down at their hands touching before nodding his head and smiling back, “Mhm, see you soon.”
Part 2