×Jay's pov×

The hum of the plane engine was a constant companion as Jay settled into his seat, the world shrinking beneath him.

It was already eleven o'clock in the morning, and he found himself on the phone with Jake, the familiar warmth of their friendship a comforting presence in the sterile environment of the aircraft.

"Dude, can you believe it? I'm actually on my way!"

Jay exclaimed, a grin spreading across his face as he imagined Sunghoon's reaction after seeing him.

"He's gonna be so shocked and happy to see me. I can't wait to see his face."

"I told you he'd be over the moon."

Jake chuckled, his voice filled with a friendly amusement. If you asked any of them, they'd tell you the same. Sunghoon loved Jay more than anyone.

"We're all really excited, it's going to be epic. We've got everything planned out, and Sunghoon's got no clue. It's gonna be a blast."

Jay couldn't help but smile at the thought of the surprised look on Sunghoon's face. It was going to be perfect.

"Speaking of epic, how's Felix hyung treating you?"

Jay asked, a hint of playful concern laced into his words. He knew the dynamic between Jake and Felix could be a little... complicated.

"He's fine."

Jake replied, though his voice lacked its usual cheerful ring,something that Jay noticed immediately.

"He's...been a bit possessive lately, I guess. But I am not dating him, and I like it like that, being single."

"Possessive?"

"Yeah, I know, it's weird."

Jake admitted, his voice tinged with a hint of confusion. As if he couldn't find the reason why Felix was like that.

"It's a bit overwhelming, actually. I don't really know what's going on."

"Maybe he's just... worried about you?"

Jay offered, trying to provide some comforting words. He knew that he couldn't let Felix's and Jake's friendship get ruined.

"Or maybe he's just really into you and doesn't know how to express it appropriately. But why would he be posessive if you two are not even going out?"

At Jay's words, Jake seemed to hesitate. His response was a flustered stammer, and then a sudden silence. Jay raised an eyebrow.

"Jake?"

"I...I don't know. It's a lot to process. I'm not used to anyone being so...intense."

Jay was about to delve deeper into the situation, trying to piece together the dynamics of Jake and Felix's interaction, when Jake's voice suddenly became distant.

"Oh shoot, Jungwon's calling. I gotta take this. Talk to you later, take care!"

And just like that, the line went dead. Jay was left alone with his thoughts, the hum of the plane a monotonous backdrop to his slight confusion.

He was bored, the inflight entertainment wasn't appealing, and Sunghoon was undoubtedly asleep. He had no one to call, no one to talk to.

He felt a slight pang of loneliness, but then, a bright spot appeared in his screen. A message from Sunoo.

"Hyung, are you there? Can you call me?"

Without hesitation, Jay dialed the number. Sunoo picked up almost immediately, his voice bursting with a mixture of excitement and anticipation.

"Hyung! You're finally on your way!"

Sunoo exclaimed, and Ni-ki's deep voice chimed in from the background, startling Jay a little.

"Hyung! We can't wait for you to get here!"

"We're so excited for Sunghoon hyung's birthday. It's going to be epic."

Sunoo continued, his voice brimming with energy. Jay felt warmth flood his chest at their enthusiasm.

"We're going to go out tomorrow morning and get everything we need - decorations, cake, everything!"

"I can't wait to be there, guys. I can't believe it's only twelve more hours until I get to see everyone."

"Twelve hours is too long."

Ni-ki whined playfully, and Jay chuckled, looking outside the window to check where he was.

"But try to sleep, hyung! We'll be waiting for you."

"I will, I will. Yeah... but I just can't wait to see you all. Especially Sunghoon."

He knew the time would pass, one way or another, and that anticipation, however agonizing, was just part of the excitement.

"Why'd you want me to call, Sunoo?"

Jay asked, a gentle curiosity lacing his tone. The anticipation of seeing Sunghoon and the others was a warm current flowing through him, but he also wanted to know the reason behind Sunoo's sudden message.

"We were just wondering, hyung."

Sunoo replied, his voice tinged with a hint of uncertainty, as Jay raised an eyebrow.

"The house is really big, and we were thinking... maybe we should invite more people?"

Jay paused, considering the implications. Heeseung, as much as he loved being surrounded by people, could sometimes feel overwhelmed in larger social settings, especially when the others gravitated towards Sunghoon and the close-knit core group.

"I don't know, Sunoo. I'm not sure if Heeseung hyung would be comfortable with a lot more people. He loves being around everyone, but... you know how it can be sometimes. With everyone else being so close, he might feel a little left out."

"Yeah. We didn't really think about that. We were just excited about the house being so spacious."

Sunoo agreed, a thoughtful silence falling between them. Jay smiled, happy that Sunoo wanted to make this a big party.

"It's okay. Let's just keep it as it is. It'll be perfect with just us."

"Yeah, hyung. We all feel a bit weird adding more people, so we are fine with the way it is."

"Ni-ki's right. And we can always have another party later. Maybe when Heeseung hyung is feeling more up for it."

"Right. Besides, it's Sunghoon hyung's birthday, not a huge party."

A moment of silence followed, filled only with the soft murmurs of the other members in the background before Jay spoke again, a different thought swirling in his mind.

"Speaking of Sunghoon, I wish I had planned something bigger for him. You know, like a meeting with Kim Taehyung or something. He's Sunghoon's idol, it would've been amazing."

A sigh escaped Ni-ki, tinged with a hint of resignation, and Jay could hear Sunoo giggling.

"Hyung, you know how hard it is to get a member of BTS to meet someone. Plus, it would be ridiculously expensive."

"I don't care about the money, Ni-ki."

Jay said firmly, his voice laced with a quiet intensity. He could picture Sunghoon's face - the wide-eyed astonishment, the shy smile, the overwhelming joy that would flood his features.

It would have been priceless, an unforgettable memory etched into Sunghoon's heart.

"If it would've made Sunghoon happy, I would have paid anything. Anything at all."

"We're all planning a lot of things for him. Besides you coming all the way from America is already the best gift he could ask for. We know he will be the happiest seeing you."

Jay knew Sunoo was right, that Sunghoon wouldn't mind. He knew the love and the effort his friends were putting into making it special. Still, the thought of the potential happiness he could have brought Sunghoon lingered.

"I just... I wish I could have done more. The only thing I'm doing is... Travelling."

Jay confessed, a slight vulnerability creeping into his voice. Sunghoon was the reason he flew across the world, the reason his heart felt so full with anticipation. He wanted to make this birthday truly unforgettable for him.

"You're already doing more than enough, hyung. Don't forget whose idea was all this. And, just being there is enough for Sunghoon. We're all excited for you to come. We all love you and him, hyung. He loves you the most, you know that, right?"

Jay felt a warmth spread through him, a comforting embrace of friendship and love. He knew Sunoo and Ni-ki were right.

It wasn't about the extravagant gestures, the expensive surprises. It was about being present, about sharing the joy and the love. And that was something he could undoubtedly do.

"Thanks, Sunoo. You're right."

Sunoo's cheerful laughter filled the line, echoing Jay's own anticipation. The world outside the plane window continued its relentless blur, but within the confines of that phone call, a sense of belonging and warmth bloomed.

He had a purpose, a reason to land, a reason to celebrate. And that was all that truly mattered.

He hung up, a smile settling on his face. Twelve hours. Twelve hours until he could see Sunghoon, until he could share the joy of friendship, the warmth of their love, and the comforting promise of a future filled with shared laughter and cherished memories.