Chapter Text
Its midday. The airport is quite busy. Pilots and flight attendants check-in and make their way towards their aircraft as passengers say goodbye while some are reunited with loved ones—nothing too out of the ordinary.
“Hey, Yuri, I just got passed security. I should arrive by evening…
I already told you, you don't need to pick me up since I’ll be arriving later and you have plans…
Yes, I’ll make sure to text you every time I move…”
Yor Briar works at City Hall and is coming back home from a business trip. This time around, it was a solo trip. Her superiors had her travel abroad to look around at local shops and specialties that they could bring back home, especially since a new shopping center was planned to be built. She loved her job, but lately she’s been taking every opportunity they gave her to travel. No single reason could be given as to why she started doing this, but she did feel that it gave her work more meaning. Once she found her gate, she grabbed a seat and decided to get a head start on her report.
—
“Sir, I’m so sorry that we couldn’t get you an earlier flight today. The changes were last minute, and this was the best that we could do. No chartered flights were able to take on the request, and I know this will shift your schedule tomorrow,” said a man talking to the person next to him as they were walking toward their gate. “It is still in first class, but the lounge is closed early due to the maintenance problem…”
“Robert, it’s okay; for the fifth time already,” said the other man as he stopped to talk. “You’re doing the best you can in this situation, it’s okay.”
“but sir…”
“take a break.” The man said as he looked around. “Grab us some coffee while I find us a seat.”
As Robert left, Loid began to look for a seat to wait for his time to board. Loid Forger is the only son of the CEO of an airline. In time, he would take over the business. Once he finished college, he started to work for the company, but the traditional way. He wanted to work his way up instead of relying on his connections to be at the top. It’s been a few years since he began working, but he was still able to impress his superiors despite his family ties.
—
After writing a quick draft of her report, Yor thought it would be a good time to take a break. She closed her laptop and decided to take in the scene playing out in front of her. Other passengers are walking back and forth looking for their gate or just getting up and moving around. She turned to look out the window to watch the planes take off and land. She’s been in airports more often lately and is finding it relaxing to watch planes.
She turned to look the other way and noticed a man sitting across from her in a different section of seats. He was dressed neatly in a suit, but somehow still looked relaxed. This man was reading something off of his phone, so she couldn’t get a good look at him, but she thought “he seems to be handsome.”
As soon as she finished that thought, the man looked up as if he heard his name. Wow, he is handsome. The man then took his luggage and followed the voice that had called him. “Oh well, it was nice seeing him, a short-lived airport crush.”
—
Yor had grabbed herself a quick meal since she had some time before they called for boarding. With time winding down, she decided to make sure she had all her things and packed up her laptop. When everything had been taken care of, she heard the flight attendants call her section, signaling that it would soon be her turn to line up to board the plane.
“Excuse me, I think you dropped this.” A man’s voice behind her said.
She turned around, and it was the man who was sitting in front of her earlier. “Oh.” She took her luggage tag from his hand. “Thank you. This tag keeps coming off. I keep forgetting to buy a new one.” The man didn’t say anything, just nodded and smiled slightly as if he was waiting for something more to be said.
Before Yor could say another word, he turned towards the direction in which his name was called. She was a bit stunned that he was in front of her. She didn’t hear his name.
“I’m sorry, but I have to go now. I hope you have a safe flight.” “You too,” is all that Yor had managed to get out before he left.
While waiting for her turn to board the plane, the attendants announced that first-class passengers were now allowed to board the plane. The man that Yor had talked to earlier had walked passed by her, he was now boarding. He is on the same flight as her.
She looked at him. She swore they made eye contact and she couldn’t help but notice that man giving her a subtle smile. “I’m sure he did that to be polite,” she thought.
“I knew this airport crush was too good to be true. I’m in economy, he’s in first class.”
—
“Sir, are you alright?” Robert asked.
Loid was staring out the window in a slight daze. “Huh?”
“I asked if you are okay.”
“I am, why? Also, drop the formalities, we aren’t at work or anything where you need to address me like that.”
“It’s just, you seem out of it,” Robert said as he relaxed into his seat. “Is it that girl we saw at the airport?”
Loid sat up in shock, “You saw her too?!?” He couldn’t believe it, because he just thought that girl was just part of his imagination even after he talked to her.
“yeah, I saw her.” Robert shifted, “why, do you know her?”
“no,” Loid said as he sat back in his seat feeling defeated. “I know she’s on this flight too since I saw that she was waiting to board. But I doubt that I’ll see her again.”
Robert was thinking of an answer to give his friend. “You picked up her luggage tag. Did you happen to see the name written on it?”
“yeah.” Loid turned to look out the window. “Yor Briar.”
—
Back in Berlint, Loid had de-boarded the plane but decided to wait before going to the car that was waiting for him.
He was waiting for her.
Robert had left to make sure the car was there. After what seemed like forever, people who were sitting in economy class were starting to make their way off the plane, and before long, he could see her.
Loid didn’t want to look too eager, but he was going to make an opportunity to talk to Yor at least one more time. All that is left to think about is “How do I approach her?”
—
Although the flight was short, it could have been shorter. Instead of sleeping, Yor decided to do some work. She thought that finishing up her report would allow her to rest and sleep once she got home. With all her things packed up, she got out to grab her bag from the overhead compartment and waited for her turn to de-board the plane.
Time felt like it was passing by slowly, but she didn’t mind. She just wanted to be in bed. It wasn’t even that late yet.
Now, Yor wasn’t paying much attention to her surroundings, but as soon as she arrived at the gate to make her way to the exit, she saw a familiar face. She was taken aback, “Luggage tag?” She said as she pointed to him.
Yor didn’t know his name, but she remembered that this was for sure the guy who picked up her luggage tag for her before they departed.
“you mean, your luggage tag, right?” Loid said with a nervous laugh.
“you’re right,” Yor replied with the same laugh as she was shaking her head in embarrassment.
A moment of awkwardness hung between them, but Loid broke it before she let a word out.
“I’m Loid by the way.” He extended his hand out as he introduced himself.
Yor took his hand to accept the handshake. “Yor.”
“So, what are you still doing here?” she finally asked. “There has to be a good reason to why you’re waiting at an empty gate when I’m sure there is something better to do.”
“I waited for you.” Said Loid accompanied by a sweet smile.
“but why?”
“to introduce myself and to also learn your name.”
Yor smiled in a way to hide the shock after hearing that he was there for her. “You’re crazy.” She said as she began to walk off, but he caught up with her to walk beside her.
Loid could barely keep himself contained, and he could tell that Yor didn’t mind him being there, especially since there were bits of conversation being made between them. “I know that I don’t know her, but this is nice.”
—
Once outside of the airport, Loid gestured to Robert not to approach him yet. Yor began to start calling for a taxi.
“Nobody’s here to pick you up?” Loid asked.
“My brother had offered, but I told him not to. He has plans with some of his friends. It’s been a while since they saw each other. I didn’t want to take time away from them; even if he told me he’d rather be late.”
Loid had to think quickly as a taxi was coming into view. “I can drive you where you need to go.” He blurted out without thinking.
“What? No. You’ve been too kind to me already. With the luggage tag.. walking with me.” Yor was searching for any excuse she could use. “And we barely know each other. We’re just strangers.”
Loid subtle pouted before straightening back up. “No, I insist. Think of it as what you owe me for picking up your luggage tag.” He said with a sly smile. “Besides, we’re not strangers,” he continued. “Once we learned each other’s name, the term stranger no longer applies to us.”
Yor couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Really? Using the luggage tag as an excuse? But a free ride would let her save a bit of money…
“I won’t kidnap you, I promise,” Loid said but realized that sounded weirder out loud than in his head. “Since it’s getting late, it’s better than waiting alone out here.” He quickly changed the subject.
He was right; she knew it. “I guess there is nothing wrong with taking up an offer from a new friend.”
“Okay,” Yor said confidently. “Only if you’re sure it’s okay with you.”
“Not a problem!” Loid took her luggage in his other hand. “The car is this way.” He tilted his head in the direction of where the car was waiting with Robert next to it.
Loid had gone ahead to put their luggage in the car. Robert had opened the trunk, “I can’t drive you home, Loid,” he said quietly.
“oh? Did something happen?”
“While waiting for you, I got a call and need to take care of something at the office.”
“This late? Would you like me to drop you off? Yor is coming with us, though.”
“Yor…?” Robert shook his head, he can ask Loid about who that is later. “Anyways, no need to. I can call a cab instead.”
“It no trouble Ro-“
“It’s fine,” Robert assured. He was going to say more but could hear someone coming up to them. He turned around and saw a beautiful woman. “Is that…”
“Ah, Yor,” Loid said, which confirmed Robert’s thoughts. “Ready to go?” Yor just nodded in response. Robert turned towards Loid and saw a type of smile he hadn’t seen on his friend.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Robert.” Loid opened the passenger door for his new friend.
“Yes, sir. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Robert had stepped back up on the sideway and bowed slightly as he said goodbye.
While getting into the car, Yor did find this exchange to be a bit odd. She thought they were friends, but no…? Loid had closed her door and walked around to get into the driver’s seat.
“We’ll be off now, Robert.” Loid turned the key in the ignition starting the car. “And you’re not in the office, you don’t have to call me sir, for now.” He winked at his colleague and began to drive off.
Robert had watched the car drive off. Although he only saw Loid and Yor briefly interact, he already knew that something was different. He couldn’t help but think, “What has gotten Loid to act like this? He never acted like this because of a girl before.”