The next morning
Three friends woke up as they had to board the plane to go to Barcelona. They didn’t get much sleep as they slept late and had to wake up early but thought to cover the sleep during the two-hours journey from Amsterdam to Barcelona.
Jake and Lu Lijun waited for Noah to come out of the room, and Jake signaled Lu Lijun to call him.
Lu Lijun knocked on the door, "Noah, make it faster."
The door opened, and Noah came out of the room with his bag wearing sunglasses and talked nothing as he didn’t look like he was not in a talking mood.
Lu Lijun and Jake looked at each other as if asking what’s wrong with him and followed him out of the suite. On the way to the airport, Noah didn’t say a word as he sat on the front passenger seat and focused on the road while Jake and Lu Lijun, who sat on the back passenger seat, could only worry about it.
When they waited to board the plane at the airport, Jake finally asked, "Are you angry, Noah?"
"Noah didn’t look at him, "Why would I be?"
"Then why are you wearing glasses and not talking to us?" Jake asked.
"My eyes hurt from looking at a few things, and my throat hurts on talking about useless things," came the sarcastic reply from Noah but Jake preferred to be calm.
"Are you upset because I didn’t tell you?" Jake asked.
"Don’t give yourself that much importance. Nothing matters to me now."
Jake and Lu Lijun could see he was really upset this time, and if they poke him much, it was the possibility that he would leave them right at the moment, which they didn’t want.
They board the plane. Jake and Lu Lijun sat in the chairs opposite each other, and when they thought Noah would sit in the chair, Noah stepped ahead towards the couch in the plane and lay on it.
Jake pulled out his cellphone and signaled Lu Lijun to get his phone out too. Both connected it to the wifi, and the next moment Jake typed the message that Lu Lijun received.
"What should I do?"
"You should have told him."
"How can I? Don’t you know what might happen?"
"Something unexpected might happen."
"I doubt."
"Or are you not sure about yourself?"
With this message from Lu Lijun, Jake looked at him and in confusion.
"I don’t want to lose anyone."
"You might not."
"I think it’s too late now."
Just then, the flight attendant came to them with breakfast, and they signaled to pass Noah’s food where he was sleeping. Noah continued sleeping and didn’t touch the food.
Soon they reached Barcelona and went to the suite booked for them. Keeping the bags in the suite and freshening as they sat in the living room, Noah still silent, Jake instructed them where they would go.
Just then, Noah’s cell phone rang, and he excused himself.
Hearing it, both friends looked at Noah in surprise. Jake mumbled to Lu Lijun, "Is he going to China next week?"
"Looks like it," Lu Lijun replied.
"But... isn’t it too early? He didn’t say he will leave so soon."
"Hmm!"
"Ask him," Jake instructed, and Lu Lijun nodded.
They heard Noah giving a few more instructions to the person and ended up saying, "No return flight," and cut the call as he was ready to go out with his friends.
Looking at the other two who didn’t move from their places, Noah asked, "Aren’t we going out?"
Not answering him, Lu Lijun asked, "Are you leaving for China the week?"
"Hmm, the next day of my exam," Noah replied casually, ignoring how surprised his friends looked.
"Why did you plan it so suddenly?" Lu Lijun asked.
"It’s not sudden. I already told you I am going, and after my exam is over, I can’t waste time here," Noah replied, "Let’s go now." Instructing, he stepped towards the door, but Jake called him.
"Noah!"
He stopped and looked at him, "Hmm!"
"Is it because of me?"
Noah sighed, "I told you don’t give so much importance to yourself. I have my things to do. Now let’s go as I can’t wait to see hot girls here."
With the last statement from him, the other two felt relieved as Noah sounded like himself, and they went out to explore the city.
"We will spend an entire day and night here and will leave for Santorini early morning. It will take three and a half hours to reach there." Jake informed them, and they were ready to have fun.
The three visited all the tourist spots and even visited the famous soccer stadium where they played soccer, refreshing their high school days. Till then, Noah turned into his usual self and had fun too.
They spent time on the beach, and as it turned dark, they decided to spend some time in the famous pub. Jake and Noah were silent as usual, while Noah didn’t forget to have fun in his way as pubs were his most liked place.
A pretty girl who observed Noah for some time came to him. They chatted casually as they moved along with the music. The girl seemed to like Noah’s funny and easy-going nature as she enjoyed being with him.
"He got what he wanted," Jake commented as he signaled Lu Lijun to look at him.
"Are you jealous?" Lu Lijun asked as he smiled teasingly.
Jake exclaimed, "My ass, that idiot just shows off as we two don’t have girls beside us."
"You can easily get one if you want."
"Not interested."
"Then, get a man." Lu Lijun teased again.
Noah gave him narrowed eyes look, "Yeah, are you willing to?"
Lu Lijun chuckled, "I am, but you might not."
Jake passed him a cold glare, "Your mouth loves to play with words. Will sew it one day."
"Even then, it won’t stop telling the truth."
Frowning, Jake looked at the wristwatch, "We need to leave or won’t be able to get sleep before leaving."
"Hmm!" Lu Lijun agreed.
Just as these two stood up and looked for Noah, he was not around.