Chapter 6

'Wow', Mai thought in awe, gazing around the airport.

After a half hour drive, they had parked the cars in the long term car park, filled the trollies with both their luggage and the carefully packed equipment, and were currently rolling them through one of the many airport entrances.

"Ugh", Bou-san grunted, having been made to take both Ayako and Masako's many cases of luggage, the bags overflowing from the trolley.

"Why do you need all this crap? We're going for a week!" he grumbled.

"Stop complaining!" Ayako snapped back like whiplash, walking ahead of him.

Mai watched in amusement, her singular duffle bag on her shoulder, while Yasu snickered under his breath. They rarely acted like a genuine couple; things had not really changed from when they first met.

Finally reaching the check in area, Naru and Lin walked ahead to one of the airlines while the rest of the team followed. After handing numerous documents over to the stewardess before placing the collection of bags on the belt, as well as the personal luggage, the team, except for Naru and Lin, moved away to allow them some privacy.

After this was complete, Naru turned towards everyone else and began handing out the tickets one by one.

Having given everyone else their tickets, Naru finally turned to Mai, handing her a ticket.

"Don't lose it", he said to her, refusing to let go of the ticket when she grasped it.

Mai refused to dignify that with a response, snatching the ticket from his hand before trotting after Bou-san, who was talking excitedly about getting some food.

After getting through security with little trouble, except for Ayako refusing to remove her boots to be scanned ("Don't you know they're Valentino? Valentino!"), Bou-san dragged Mai to a café that was near their gate, happily gazing at the menu. Immediately seeing what she wanted, Mai approached the counter.

"Hi there, what can I get you?" a smiling man asked at the cash register.

"Hello, could I have one of the blueberry muffins and a small Earl Grey tea please?" Mai asked pleasantly, already salivating at the thought of breakfast.

"Sure thing," the man replied happily, turning around to prepare her order. After he was done, he turned back around, handing her the order.

"Here you go," he said with a wide smile, placing the items on the counter

Mai started to hand over correct change before the cashier put his hand up to stop her, leaning forward on the counter.

"Oh, it's on the house", he said in response to her confused look.

"Huh?" Mai murmured confused, not quite following.

"Well, for a pr-", he started before trailing off, looking at something behind her.

Already having a hunch to what he was looking at, Mai looked over her shoulder to see her boss glaring at the barista, standing close behind her. Giving Naru a bland look, she turned back around to the barista.

"Ignore him. What were you saying?" she said.

"Er. Um. No-nothing", he stammered out, eyes still locked with Naru's.

Feeling Naru move behind her, in the corner of her eye she watched Naru's hand come forward and place cash on the counter, before placing that hand lightly on her waist.

"Make that two teas", she felt him rumble against her back, not budging.

Rolling her eyes, Mai shifted away from Naru before walking away to where the group was sitting down at the gate.

'Free food', Mai hummed in her head.

Sitting down and nibbling at her muffin and sipping at her tea, Mai's eyes drifted to the large floor to ceiling windows that allowed passengers to watch the planes. Feeling more than seeing Yasu sit beside her and lean his head against hers as she observed the planes, Mai waited until they could board.

Finally making it onto the plane and finding her seat, Mai sat down at her window seat while placing her handbag under the seat in front of hers, she noticed everyone else was in scattered locations around her. Gazing out of her little window into the morning bustle of the airport, Mai nearly missed someone sitting next to her. Turning her head, Mai felt an exasperated sigh leave her as she realized who it was staring right back at her.

Deciding to just ignore him, Mai turned and gazed back out the window as the plane was prepared for departure, before noticing Yasu trying to poke his head between the seat and the window, as he was sitting directly in front of her. Observing him as he struggled, Mai chuckled before flicking him in the head repeatedly despite his protests, until he finally pulled his head away, whining the whole time.

"Maiiii," Yasu whined with a pout, "Why would you do that?"

Shrugging nonchalantly, Mai turned to look back the window, slapping Yasu every time he tried to reach onto her side of the seat, ignoring the gaze she could feel burning into the side of her head.

Hearing clicking of numerous seat belts click together as the flight attendants began preparing to give the safety demonstration, Mai looked down at the device, trying to figure out how it worked. No amount of clinking and clacking would work. The damn thing just wouldn't fit together! Just as she was about to just tie the damn thing together, Mai saw two pale hands reach out, brushing hers aside, to click the belt halves together, tightening it with the strap 'til it was snug around her hips.

Feeling a blush dust her cheeks at her stupidity, Mai looked up at Naru, noting the amused look on his face, murmuring a reluctant "thank you", and looked out the window again.

Finally, after all the necessary checks were complete, the cheerful pilot informed everyone that they were about to take off and to please listen to the safety video and enjoy the flight before the plane started rolling slowly down the runway.

Mai listening intently to the safety check, never having heard it before, and looked towards where the stewardess was using the little hand movements to gesture towards the emergency exit. After this was done, the plane began its ascent into the air.

Beside her, Naru pulled out a book, though it looked to be a purely non-fictional journal of some sort, and crossed his ankle over his knee before he promptly put his arm onto the armrest, consequently brushing hers off at the same time.

Growling under her breath, Mai retaliated by putting her arm back onto the armrest, aiming to push his off, yet his arm wouldn't budge, no matter how hard she pushed. Spying the smirk curving Naru's lips, Mai sighed in frustration, turning towards her window to entertain herself for the next hour, the length of Naru's forearm warming hers throughout the flight.