To turn the blades of a stopped propeller edge on the airflow in order to reduce drag or wind resistance.

* * *

December 9th, 0400Z (1200LCL)
Aircraft registration: Airbus A320 | RP-C9918
Departure: RPVE | Godofredo P. Ramos Airport, Caticlan, Philippines
Arrival: RPLP | Legazpi Principal, Albay, Philippines
Flight route: RPVE – KLO5A – KLO – TR15 – ROX – W6A – MCT – W8 – MASBA – MASB4W - RPLP
(RPVE – KLO5A – KLO – MUCAN – ROX – ATRIA – CADIZ – PARAO – ASTUR – MCT – TUBUR – BATAY – MASBA – MASB4W – RPLP)

All thanks to Elian's words to everyone else, the issue had been dropped off. After all, there is no clear evidence that we spent the night together—no matter how weirdly that may mean—but just the notice that Capt. Geronimo Aclan had seen Elian leaving my room and nothing more. No one had seen him enter in at the dead of the nights, nor even tried reaching out for him last night to ensure that he was in his room. And if ever someone did, it is too easy to just brush the subject of that he had passed out; only awakening from a hangover, searched for some tea that he apparently had used me to be part of the excuse that he asked, leading for Capt. Aclan's discovery, and that was it.

However, despite a clear explanation as that, I know that there remain some doubts. But it stops me from being bombarded with further questions about it; and just as easily, whatever budding scandal is drop right away.

Even though that is the case, it had been quite a little awkward between me and Elian. It isn't anything to cause quite for eyebrows to raise another time about the oddity of our interaction, only addressing it to be a normal one between us. However, I am still yet to thank and apologize him for the trouble; in fear that someone will be hearing that there might be something more about the case.

And, after a day, I am yet to properly speak with him concerning that matter.

It will be easy, I know, if I'll just be direct in addressing the issue about what really is his treatment concerning how he sees me as a person. If he'll be so direct to say that he is interested of me, and I to him; then it will be easier to move through the plot-holes that we're in a mutual understanding as we try to work it out. But with a man such as Elian Basa, who often diverts the issue once I am drawing closer to that form of conversation... it is a little hassle to handle. If César Basa in my dreams can easily be honest with the dream version of me, then it's definitely too different concerning this man in reality.

Our flight today is another ferry flight. That after ensuring the necessary cameras installed in the cockpit, I dwindle myself through the vacant seats possible for me to occupy. After all, with my poor sleeping habit for the past few days, and with how tiring yesterday had been with the exploration of the island with everyone else while keeping the charade of my and Elian being acquaintances to cover up the truth of what happened the night prior... the view of the white and fluffy clouds is like a trademark of feeling a little lightheaded. Addition to what I've known from my previous dream and the unexplainable actions that Elian had done... especially that kiss... I can't help but catch my head hurting in search of explanations that are very much more of assumptions and nothing else.

In the end, with the smooth ride and the vision of clouds lulling me, I manage to catch another dreamless snooze. I know that it hadn't been too long as even that nap didn't feel like an empowering one when I wake up, despite me being able to do so for the past thirty minutes. I am awakened by the ding in the cabin with the seatbelt lights switching on, as if I have any troubles concerning it as I've kept my seatbelt all the while being seated.

However, something that I didn't recognize that had been added to my belongings right now is the presence of a familiar coat covering my frame. And I can swear that I almost curse loudly upon recognizing it to be the same one that Elian had lent me back then when we're in Davao and I've returned to him when we're in Cebu. Now, it is back to me.

There is no doubt that it is his. Because the coat itself, despite the laundry from back then, smells definitely like him when he'd been sleeping too closely next to me a day ago. Aside from the reek of alcohol and cigarette that time, that comforting smell of soap, mint and sandalwood—one that is exactly like that of César—is definitely his.

My first instinct is to immediately look around the cabin. I am not the only one who've dared to be out of business class to take comfort in the vacancy of the economy class. However, as if we are all angry with one another, we take rows of our own and ensure to be far away from each other. Despite me unsure of how come I take possession of the coat, knowing that the only way is for Elian himself to lend it to me another time by doing the job on his own... I flush once more about him truly doing so. And someone had seen him doing it; that is sure to spark questions another time about his apparent concern and affection to me.

However, I can't help but to smile as I draw the coat closer to me as his scent seeps through my senses. It is strange to be this happy for something of a strange action, and yet, I am. I wonder if it has to do with how he diverts the attention away from me, and also with the kiss... Does that even mean something at all, or his drunkenness lead to that weird impulse?

"I certainly was on the right mind and had a clear memory of what happened," he said as his parting words before we're back to square one... or perhaps, just a step back before that very incident.

How weird it is to imagine that this reality of mine is becoming a stranger of itself for me?

* * *

Just to avoid any further misinterpretations, I am quick to properly fold Elian's coat and am thankful that my backpack has enough space to squeeze it through countless others. Of course, even when I recover the cameras from the cockpit and meet the man himself, I can't just say anything about it... and neither did he. At least, not in the presence of others who he surely knows by now are having a very different vision of us and will try to fill in their minds with assumptions for gossips and rumors.

So, by evening, when all of us had settled back in our rooms after a dinner at the First Colonial Grill with a well-documented promotional shoot of the city's specialties with anything chili, I decide to return the coat. Neatly folded in my arms and remembering his words to me back then that there is no need for it to be washed, I breathe in heavily before taking the courage to knock on his hotel room.

There is no apparent response from him after knocking for about a minute or two. I even look on my watch to be assured that it is not yet rather too late for anyone to be out, but with all of us returning just roughly fifteen minutes ago... Is it really possible that he had gone away afterwards?

"Good evening po, ma'am. How can I help you?" a young man, dressed as a hotel attendant, inquires with a smile. He comes from the other corner of the floor, and definitely notices me in question regarding my presence right here.

"Ah! Sorry to ask this of you, pero... napansin niyo po ba kung lumabas sa kanyang kwarto 'yong naka-stay dito? May ibibigay lang sana ako sa kanya," I answer, threading the question carefully.

"Siya po ba, ma'am, 'yong matangkad na matipunong lalaki? 'Yong nakasuot ng puting polo at itim na pantalon?"

Hmm... Sa tingin ko hindi ganyan kaiski ang magiging description ko kung tatanungin ako tungkol sa kanya, pero since naalala ko na 'yon nga rin ang damit ni Elian noong kumain kanina ng dinner...

"Yes" I reply. "Siya nga yata 'yon. Or rather, mukhang pareho nga tayo ng tinutukoy."

He chuckles lightly at that. "Siguro po, ma'am. But, regarding him po, coincidentally, pinakiusapan niya nga rin po ako kung pwede siyang pumunta sa rooftop. Madami-dami rin siyang dalang mga papeles at libro... siguro mas nais niyang doon magbasa. Though, either way, I think the man you're looking for po, ma'am, ay siyang 'yong nasa rooftop."

After thanking the hotel attendant and receiving instructions on how to make it to the rooftop, we separate ways then. Though I am still unsure if the man he had seen is definitely Elian, I trust that there is no other person who will be having the same attire as him within the hotel for today. Hence, as I trail my way to the rooftop, I keep my fingers crossed that it is him and not just be disappointed to return to my room and wonder what else to do with his coat for another time.

Thank God that it is indeed Elian. Upon making it out in the open air of the hotel's rooftop, with an incredible view of the city and the clear dark sky from where the view of the Mayon Volcano blends too well, there is no doubt that the man seated on the floor, in the middle of the rooftop itself, is the man of my intent. He still has his back on me, and with how his physical figure resembles that of César, it had been quite easy to be sure to identify him even from all countless angles.

As the hotel attendant mentions earlier to me, he is really in the middle of the papers and books he had brought with him. Often times, I wonder what is behind those trolleys that pilots bring with them during domestic flights. That aside from their clothes and other things, they have a so-called flight bag that is not just filled with the usual gear of headphones, reflector vest, iPad and clip-boarded documents; but there are definitely books and maps and others along with the bunch.

And now, after lying down some huge papers, flattening it on the floor and securing it with heavy books on the sides to keep it from being blown by the wind, Elian then stands up. The small lights on the railings and that of the flooring edge lights cast him in a soft glow; until I realize that he has a handy flashlight with him right now, switched on as it focuses on whatever he had placed on the floor.

Finding him being surrounded by documents and books like this remind me all at once of César from my most recent dream. It is very evident this time that there is really no other way to differentiate Elian and César except for the fact that they are from two completely different eras and their relationship with me.

"Anong ginagawa mo rito, Rookie?" Elian suddenly asks me, cutting through the chase before I do so. He has his hands on his hips as he stares down on the laid papers on the floor.

I draw closer to him and when he is about at arm's length, I offer his coat back. "Kumakatok ako sa hotel room mo tapos nasabihan ako ng isang hotel attendant na baka ikaw daw 'yong nandito sa rooftop. Ibabalik ko kasi itong coat mo. Hindi ko nga alam paano ito napapunta sa akin noong lipad."

He scoffs. "Baka naglakad kaya napapunta sa iyo."

Minsan talaga ang sarap lang sakalin din ni Elian sa lahat-lahat ng mga ginagawa at pinagsasabi niya.

"Suotin mo muna 'yan kung nagbabalak kang manatili ng matagal dito. Malamig-lamig na ang simoy ng hangin ngayon," he adds.

"Malamang. Sixteen days na lang kaya Pasko na," I counter and return in cradling his coat in my arms as he shows no sign of taking it from me. I am still debating whether I'll be spending more than ten minutes here with him like this; so, for now, I am just to hold on with it. I then shift my eyes away from him and to where he is looking at, realizing then that the papers he had placed on the floor is a huge map of the Philippines.

The map isn't just one unfolded one. It consists of three individually huge ones, connected to where the Northern Luzon meets with Central Luzon, and that of the northern outline of Mindanao to the rest of the island itself. And it is a strange one. Not that I am unaccustomed of as it is grid with numbers written on each box, aside from coordinates of longitudes and latitudes. There are also a variety of polygons with notes written inside, too; and other symbols that visibly shows the Philippines' topography than its roads and streets. On the very bottom of the chart showing majority of the Mindanao island are the words "Operational Navigation Chart" with an additional subtitle that is definitely the scale of the map itself: "1:1,000,000". Looking at it much closely, when I end up kneeling right next to it, I realize that this isn't my first time seeing such a map.

"World Aeronautical Chart of the Philippines. Scaled from a million," Elian suddenly explains before crouching low. He is standing on top of the lowest map, barefooted.

As some sort of instinct, I search for the presence of his footwear, and find nothing. Pumunta siya rito ng nakapaa lang talaga?

"Paniguradong nakikita mo ito sa office," he adds. "Every floor has a copy of this."

"Marunong ka gumamit nito?" I ask.

"Of course. It is basic knowledge for student pilots. Nowadays, being part of the airlines, madalas hindi na nagagamit as we fly above 18,000 feet, wherein lahat is based sa instruments and other high altitude enroute charts. However, maganda rin malaman kung saan nagsimula ang lahat. And in any event na maligaw or what..." He takes some sort of a thick and transparent ruler with an attached movable circular plate on the center, and places the item on one part of the chart. "This is a plotter. Since this is a WAC chart, kailangan ko gamitin itong sides bearing the notice that it is for WAC or the inner measurement. Kung sectional charts naman, which are scaled from five hundred thousand, then the other side of the ruler naman. This circular plate is then rotated with north pointing to the top then showing the degrees needed to track from one point to another. Afterwards—"

"W-Wait." I stop him and raise a hand. "Hindi ako pumunta rito para turuan mo ako about that. At sasakit lang ang ulo ko, lalo na't hindi ko rin naman kakailanganin."

"Some sort of a general knowledge?" he inquires.

Grabe ka naman mag-categorized ng something about aviation to be part of the general knowledge...

"Technical masyado ito for me," I admit with a heavy sigh. "And not only in that matter, alam kong mahirap magpiloto for you to return back to studies as this."

"Well, aside from the fact that I am taking this chance to review previous notes, too, para sa recurrency ko next month... I am also planning to reinstate an old type rating kaya ginagawa ko rin itong some sort of navigation log."

I blink. "Type rating?"

He raises an eyebrow. "Ikaw na ang nagsabi na mahirap magpiloto. Aside from the recurrency, type ratings are the optimal. Hindi naman katulad ang license namin sa driver's license na porket may driver's license ka ay pwede ka na magmaneho ng isang sedan o SUV. Sa amin, hindi porket na nagmamaneho ka ng isang Toyota na sedan ay pwede ka na magmaneho rin ng Mitsubishi na sedan o Toyota na SUV o ano pa mang brand or uri ng sasakyan iyan. So, after almost three years, I am planning to reinstate my old type rating sa Stearman." He shrugs his shoulders. "Well, just an additional and for recreational flying, if ever."

"I think I get it... After all, since nakapasok ako as a PR of an airliner, na-realize ko na hindi lang talaga pera ang pagpipiloto."

"Yeah. It is more than just brains and passion. It takes blood, tears and sweat to be one."

"I know."

An awkward silence follows the end of my words, and when he finally sits back on the chart, I do so, too. And then, after a minute or two, he suddenly speaks, "Rookie, I see you."

This is once again a little out of the blue, causing me to turn to him and realize that we are apparently way too close with one another. And that he is staring at me intently. The question of what he means by that lingers once more at the tip of my tongue. But, this time, I hold my tongue, knowing that I'll not be receiving any answer like from that of before.

Yet, he adds, "I see you, (Y/N), when you think that no one does."

* * *

A/N: Vote, comment and share! Whatever you do means a lot to me, and I am really wishing for some feedback!

A few list of notes to share!
1. World Aeronautical Chart or WAC, as explained by Elian, has a ratio of 1:1,000,000. Like any aeronautical charts, it highlights runways, airports and airfields, altitudes of the topography, restricted and protected areas or no-fly zone areas, and even radio navigation instruments. When I say that it is big... it is indeed, big. Below is my copy of the first chart of the three-charts for the Philippine's WAC.
2. Sectional Chart is like a WAC but has a ratio of 1:500,000.
3. Plotter is an instrument used to compute distances and headings or bearings to follow from one waypoint to another on the charts. With this, one can prepare for a dead reckoning type of navigation as explained from the previous chapter and on the following note.
4. Navigation log is some sort of a guide for pilots with listed waypoints, estimated minutes between, bearings or headings to follow, and even landmarks not to be lost. Along with a flight computer, one can easily know an estimate time of arrival on the next waypoint or destination, and even apply the right wind correction in order not to deviate from one's course.
5. What's with 18,000 feet and above? If one is flying 18,000 feet and above, then they're flying in a Class A airspace. Yes, there are categories of airspaces, and Class A is the only airspace which isn't depicted in charts and all flights are flown under Instrument Flight Rules or IFR. With that being said, every flight 18,000 feet and above are based on charts, and ground and in-flight instruments along with instructions from the ATC. Elian also mentioned that they follow high-altitude ways on the skies or the so-called jetways than randomly fly based on landmarks visible from the ground, because... do you think you'll still be able to see such ground references from that high above? And I don't want to explain anything more technical about the usage of GPS and radio navigation aids, and about how it works at all because that will definitely bore all of you...

Chapter title: Feather. Not because of the feather you are all aware of, but the feather in aviation as explained earlier on. There are some propellers that could be adjusted to maximize the use of airflow for greater lift, lesser drag, and lesser fuel consumption. Just as how it is in the given chapter, both the Reader and Elian's perspective are finally or slowly aligning with one another. The only question by now is how far are they willing to understand one another?

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