The men made their way across the campus, which was eerily empty, the usual hustle and bustle replaced by the stillness of the holiday break. Most students had gone home, leaving the grounds desolate. As they walked, they took a different route from Benji's earlier run. Instead of heading right toward the park, they veered left, revealing a side of the campus yet seen. The university had a distinctly 1600s look, with most of the buildings constructed from gray stone, giving the place a gothic aesthetic. Some structures, like the main library they passed, resembled cathedrals with their towering spires and intricate stonework. The campus was surrounded by nature, but in the heart of winter, the trees stood bare, their branches skeletal against the cold sky.

The quiet was palpable, creating an atmosphere that was both eerie and serene—a strange calm that made everything feel unreal as if the world was holding its breath. The silence was almost comforting, yet tinged with a sense of melancholy.

They eventually passed through the archway of the faculty building, leading to the university's front entrance. There, a luxury black SUV waited for them, its polished surface gleaming under the dim winter light. Peter approached the vehicle, and as he did, the driver lowered the window to greet them.

"Peter?" the man asked as he leaned out of the car window. He looked to be in his 40s, with a rugged and burly appearance. His wavy hair fell to his neck, streaked with gray, and a full beard framed his face. He wore a black button-down shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, revealing muscular arms that hinted at years of hard work.

"Yup, that's us," Peter confirmed. The driver unlocked the doors and trunk before stepping out of the car to assist with their luggage.

Driver:

Steven was the first to approach the trunk with his suitcase, but before he could lift it in, the man stopped him, taking the bag from his hands and placing it in the trunk himself.

"Leave the luggage to me; don't worry about it," the driver instructed, gesturing for them to get into the car. The men complied, climbing into the back seat as the driver continued to load their bags.

Once he finished with the luggage, the driver walked to the passenger side door and opened it. "If you guys want more space, I don't mind one of you sitting up here with me," he offered.

"I'll take you up on that offer—better than sitting next to Steven for an hour," Benji said, climbing out of the back seat and moving to the front. The driver closed the door behind Benji and circled around to the driver's side.

"Is it me, or is this guy weird?" Steven asked in a low voice once the door was closed.

"I'd say he's just old school. My family's driver was the same way," Benji responded.

"Weird flex, but still."

"Don't judge so quickly, Tao. Benji's probably right," Peter chimed in, his tone mildly scolding.

Before Steven could fire back, the driver re-entered the car, buckling his seatbelt as he pulled away from the university entrance.

"So just to confirm, I'm taking you guys to the airport, correct?" the man asked, glancing at Peter through the rearview mirror.

"Yes, sir," Peter nodded.

"No need to be so formal, I don't bite," the driver chuckled.

"Yeah, Peter," Steven added with a snicker.

Peter responded by lightly swatting Steven on the head. "What should I call you, then?"

"My name's Franklin, but just call me Frank," the driver replied.

"Will do," Peter responded, a bit awkwardly.

"So, where are you guys headed? Boys' trip?" Frank asked, making a left turn.

"We're going to Japan!" Steven blurted out before Peter could answer.

"Yeah, my friend invited us out—well, technically only me—but I decided to invite these two along since one wanted to go, and the other is obsessed with Japan," Peter explained.

"Ah, I see. A friend invited you out on Christmas, huh? Seems to me your friend—she might've just wanted to spend some quality time with you alone. Or he—I don't discriminate," Frank teased with a wink through the rearview mirror.

Peter froze for a moment, and an awkward silence filled the car for a few seconds.

"Cat got your tongue?" Frank asked, clearly amused.

"I—uh, it's a he, firstly, and no, it's not like that. It's just been a while since we've seen each other, and this was the soonest I could visit," Peter stammered, his words tripping over each other.

"Denial is a river in Egypt!" Steven teased, causing Peter to blush.

"Shut it," Peter muttered, putting Steven in a playful chokehold.

"What's your deal?" Frank asked Benji, who sat quietly in the front seat, while Steven and Peter wrestled in the back.

"Got invited, said sure. I'm the one who's obsessed with Japan," Benji responded flatly.

"Not much of a talker, I see," Frank noted.

"Not very social, and I'd rather not talk about the reason with a stranger. No offense," Benji added.

"None taken. I respect that," Frank replied before turning his attention back to the commotion in the back seat.

"Alright, boys, stop fighting in my back seat," Frank tapped the middle console to get their attention. "Since you're going to Japan, let me tell you a story about the time I went."

"You've been to Japan before? What are the chances?" Steven replied, intrigued.

"Son, I've been traveling since you were just a twinkle in your daddy's eye," Frank laughed.

The car ride lasted about an hour, with the men lucky enough to avoid traffic due to their early departure from the university. During the trip, Steven and Peter kept the conversation lively with Frank, even managing to get Benji to join in occasionally when something caught his interest. By 7:30, the car finally pulled into the departure section of the airport. The scene outside was bustling, with taxis and cars lined up, and the airport's mostly glass exterior allowed them a clear view inside, where a long check-in line was already forming.

"Alright, guys, we're here," Frank announced, putting the car in park and undoing his seatbelt. "Looks like you've got a line waiting for you. Good luck," he added, glancing at the crowd inside.

Frank popped the trunk, and the men exited the car.

"Nah, don't worry about that. We've got it covered—we've got Precheck," Peter responded confidently.

"Ooo, how fancy. When I flew, it was as cheap as could be," Frank chuckled, helping the men retrieve their luggage from the trunk.

"Thanks to Benji here, we're flying first class and everything," Peter gloated.

"Don't gloat using my wealth, asshole," Benji shot back.

"Ah, I see. You're the one footing the bill, huh? Shame on you guys for letting him pay for it all," Frank said, shaking his head with a grin.

"Not willingly—we offered, but he wanted to treat us. Use some of Daddy's money," Peter defended.

"Interesting. So you're rich—son of anybody I'd know?" Frank asked, raising an eyebrow.

"If I tell you, I can't tip you," Benji quipped as Frank handed him his luggage.

"Eh, who cares about your parents anyway? You are who you are, despite who your family is. Never forget that," Frank laughed, giving Benji a friendly tap on the shoulder. "Well then, I bid you guys farewell. Enjoy your trip—it was a pleasure being your driver," he said, shaking each of their hands.

"Same to you. Really enjoyed the stories and the banter—definitely five stars," Peter smiled.

"Yeah, you're funny, old man," Steven chuckled, only to be lightly smacked by Benji.

"It was a pleasure. Wish you the best, Frank," Benji said with a smile before dragging Steven toward the entrance as he rubbed his head.

Peter hung back for a moment. "Sorry for any rudeness during the ride—they didn't mean any harm," he explained.

Frank laughed. "Nah, don't worry about it, son. It was fun. Not many customers talk back—I don't mind. The little one was rowdy for sure, but he reminds me of my nephew. Have a safe trip, and don't have too much fun with your 'friend,'" he added with a wink, making Peter roll his eyes before he caught up with Benji and Steven at the entrance of the airport.

Once inside, the men made their way to the baggage counter, located to the left of the entrance, where they dropped off their luggage. With that task out of the way, they headed to the security check area, breezing past the line thanks to Precheck. As they passed by, Steven couldn't resist pointing and silently laughing at the people still waiting, earning a middle finger from a dad standing in the middle of the line with his family.

When they reached the front of the line, they went through the security check with minimal hassle. After clearing it, they proceeded towards the gates. The airport was brightly lit, though many of the shops remained closed at this early hour. Still, a variety of stores—food, souvenirs, clothing, beauty, restaurants, and fast food—lined the walls. The men decided to take a seat in the center of the terminal, finding a few open chairs.

"So, what's the plan from here?" Steven asked, glancing at Benji and Peter.

"Up to you guys. We could shop, head up to the first-class lounge, or wait near our gate since our plane boards in an hour," Benji offered.

"How far is the lounge?" Peter asked.

"Good question, shouldn't be too far though, I reckon," Benji replied.

"Let's just head there then. It would be me and Steven's first time experiencing luxury," Peter joked.

"Mine too, actually. I'm not used to flying commercial—we usually just take my father's private jet," Benji added nonchalantly.

"Jesus, Benji, you are on a roll today with the casual flexing. Fuck me," Steven commented, shaking his head.

"Let's just get moving," Benji sighed, rolling his eyes.

The men began making their way toward the first-class lounge. When they finally arrived and stepped inside, it wasn't as grand as they had imagined, but it was a peaceful haven compared to the rest of the airport. The lounge was nearly empty, with a breakfast buffet and a personal bar available. The seating was plush and comfortable, a far cry from the standard-issue chairs scattered around the gate areas.

"Wow, it's so much quieter in here. No babies crying, no echoes of conversations passing by," Peter commented, visibly relieved.

"Yeah, you hear that, Steven? Quiet, so keep your mouth shut," Benji teased.

Steven flipped him off. "Imma go check out the buffet 'cause I'm starving," he said, wandering off.

"I'll go with him, make sure he doesn't embarrass us. You wanna find a place to sit, Benji? I'll get you a plate," Peter suggested.

"Yeah, I'll be over in that corner," Benji replied, pointing towards a table near the window. Peter nodded and followed Steven to the buffet, leaving Benji to claim their spot.

Benji made his way over to the table and sat down, feeling his phone buzz in his pocket. When he checked it, a notification from the airline flashed across the screen— their flight had been delayed by an hour. He groaned in frustration, sinking back into his seat.

Meanwhile, at the buffet, Steven was being his usual gluttonous self, piling his plate high with bacon, sausage, eggs, pancakes, French toast, and waffles. The mound of food was so excessive that one of the staff members had to intervene.

"Sir, you don't have to pile the plate so high; you can come back for more when you're done," she said kindly, making Steven's eyes light up with delight. Peter just shook his head at the sight.

"You heard the lady, Tao. Go sit down with Benji," Peter instructed, watching as Steven scurried off with his mountain of food in hand.

Before Peter served himself and Benji, he took a moment to tip their driver. He sent Frank the full $100 that Benji had given him as extra tip money back at the dorm, rating him five stars. For good measure, he even added a comment: "Benji's that rich," with a laughing emoji. Satisfied, Peter put his phone away and returned to the buffet, loading up two plates with food, with the help of an employee since both his hands were full. He brought the plates over to the table and set them down, then went back to grab drinks for the three of them. Finally, Peter sat down, ready to eat.

"I've got some good news and some bad news, guys," Benji announced, glancing at Steven, who was still scarfing down his food.

"Steven, breathe. The food isn't going anywhere, you animal," Benji quipped, catching Peter's attention.

"What's the bad news?" Peter asked, already bracing himself.

"Our flight got delayed," Benji replied, earning a groan from Peter.

"And the good news?"

"We get to enjoy the first-class lounge a little longer," Benji said with a nervous laugh, which only made Peter groan louder.

"Should've expected this," Peter muttered, clearly annoyed. "It's fine. I'll just let Ren know we're going to be late." He took a deep breath to calm himself.

"Damn, do you know how long?" Steven asked, still chewing.

"Firstly, that's disgusting. Don't talk with food in your mouth. Secondly, it says 30 minutes," Benji answered, glancing at his phone.

"Right, 30 minutes until it becomes an hour, then two, and three," Peter grumbled, rolling his eyes as he started typing on his phone.

"I'll keep you updated," Benji assured him.

Peter opened his contact for Ren and quickly typed a message: "Hey Ren, we're gonna be late. I'll keep you updated, but our flight got delayed, so at least an hour late. Sorry for the trouble," adding an eye-roll emoji at the end.

Ren's reply came swiftly. "No worries, it's not your fault," Ren sent back with a smiley face. "But yeah, keep me updated so I know when to expect you."

"No problem," Peter sent before putting his phone away.

Meanwhile, as Frank drove back from the airport, his phone buzzed with a notification. When he checked it, he saw that Peter had tipped him. His eyes widened in surprise at the $100 tip. "God damn!" Frank exclaimed, shocked since the ride had only cost the men about $100 in total.

He then read Peter's comment, "Touche," he said with a grin, putting his phone down and continuing his drive down the highway.

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End of Chapter 2

Hey, Chapter 2 is done WOOO! Of course, I had to put a delay, it wouldn't be the airport without something going wrong am I right lol 

Anyway hope you guys enjoyed Frank, I enjoyed writing him he's reminiscent of another one of my characters in a different story lol.

 I ALSO GOT THE BANNER YAYYY,  even a little Chibi PNG For him, Also have some for the gang as well which I'll show off right now. :D

Steven:

Peter:

Benji:

Hope you guys enjoy these Chibi versions of the boys! Also hope you enjoyed the Chapter!

As always hope you had or have a great day!

BYE!! <3

Word count: 2523

Next Update: 8/31/24