Wonderstruck ✓

Chapter 9

They took off at ten a.m. Bangkok time, and the trip to America takes around twenty two hours so Gun estimated their arrival in America around early in the morning. He was comfortable sitting on his chair, his lunch laid out in front of him but he was too occupied with the view on the window. He could perfectly see everything from up there. He had traveled a lot before and this wasn't the first time he took a plane to go somewhere but it was the first time nobody was trying to approach him or looking at him weirdly. He was enjoying his own personal space and some peace that he rarely has these days.

His manager, Mook, was somewhere on the plane too, probably taking a nap because she mentioned that she woke up way too early than her usual routine. The Salud Magazine staff took a separate ride, flying earlier than Off and Gun. They needed to prepare a lot of things and Gun was pretty sure that while he was enjoying his ride in Off's private plane, the staff had arrived in America already.

Tay passed by him, carrying a glass of red wine. He smiled at the superstar when he saw him.

"Gun, hi!" Tay greeted him enthusiastically and took a seat across Gun. "You haven't touched your food yet. Don't you like it? We could tell-"

"No, no, I'm fine," Gun assured Tay. "I'm just too busy looking at the view. It's really pretty when you look at the city from here."

"Yeah, it sure is," Tay said, not even bothering to glance at the window. He took a sip on his wine and gazed carefully at Gun.

Gun could feel Tay's eyes on his, and although he was completely innocent, he chose not to meet his eyes and continued to stare at the world below.

"Gun," Tay called out. "I do have a question."

"Mhm?" Gun said, trying to act as if he wasn't interested. He was, and that's the problem. He could sense danger and being curious isn't safe.

"Why did you lie to everyone when you were asked about the viral photo of you and Off?" Tay asked.

Gun lost interest in the building and slowly turned his head at the curious face of Off's friend. "I didn't lie," he said each word slowly to Tay. "We already knew each other before that little incident in America."

"What?" Tay's eyebrows furrowed. "I know all of Off's friends. I never saw you before, Gun."

"Well, maybe you don't know all of Off's friends then," Gun boldly replied. He knew that Tay could be trusted, but he also knew that what happened four years ago wasn't anyone's concern other than his and Off. Tay doesn't have to know. It was even more than enough that Gun's friends and manager know.

"He's right," Off said out of nowhere, carrying his own glass of wine and eyeing Tay. The latter sighed and raised his hands in defense. "You don't know every single person in my life, Tay," Off added.

"Alright," Tay said. "I was just asking, just plain curiosity getting through me."

Off raised his eyebrows at him. He was looking down at his friend with pure threat, and Tay shot Gun an apologetic smile and shuffled away, muttering loudly how annoying and defensive Off sounded.

Off growled before taking a seat across Gun, replacing Tay's place. "Sorry for that," Off said and placed his glass down on the mini table. "He's a big gossip guy, and he's just concerned."

"I know," Gun said and looked back to where the rest of the people on the plane were. He needed to know if the coast was clear before saying the rest of his words. "I'm sorry, Off. For dragging you into this mess. For carelessly blurting out the words 'We're friends' on national TV."

Off chuckled. "You're seriously apologizing to me now that we're halfway through this project? You had a lot of chances to apologize before this, you know."