Sunrise at Midnight | Iljae

Chapter 2 - Aimless Wondering

Ilhoon hears the soft chirping of the birds outside as he opens his heavy eyelids. A whisper of sunlight filters through the tired boy's curtains as the sun begins to happily rise from her peaceful slumber. He rubs his bloodshot eyes. It's been a long night... Again.

Looking at the time, Ilhoon decides to get out of bed and get ready. It has since stopped raining and is now only lightly spitting. It's good to escape this claustrophobic apartment and get some cool fresh air. He thinks to himself.

Morning Ilhoon has always been a rational Ilhoon, that's what a whole night of nonstop thinking can do to a person.

The boy's previous aching limbs feel slightly numb after the hot shower, but he doesn't mind. The heat somehow makes Ilhoon feel much more awake and energised- even if he hadn't shut off at all that night.

Ilhoon looks at himself in the mirror and analyses his features- the first time he's done that in a while. Water drips down his long, unkempt hair, while his bloodshot eyes have dark bags underneath them. His slightly skinnier frame doesn't help him much either.

He looks a mess.

Welp, at least I look the part.

The boy sighs once again and gets dressed in warm clothes. It's still freezing outside and it'll probably rain again; so he grabs his raincoat that was carelessly thrown onto the kitchen counter last night.

Last night.

Maybe if I actually went to sleep, the memory of last night would have miraculously disappeared. Ilhoon laughs darkly as he shivers in the cold breeze outside.

The boy aimlessly walks around the empty streets with his hands in his pockets, breathing out swirls of fog in the cold air as he slowly strolls around. Ilhoon likes waking up and going outside this early in the morning because it's always pretty quiet and deserted. If he ever did see someone roaming the streets at this time, they were probably drunk and trying to find their way back home. It was a nice change from the crowded and busy streets of Seoul, the silence feeling like he wasn't even in the usually loud and crazy city.

This is probably about the right time to just relax and think- but Ilhoon is all spent thinking, so he simply hums an unknown song into the otherwise soundless air as his senses slowly become more alive. It's nice, Ilhoon thinks to himself, the cold air numbing his overworked mind. He's content.

The boy continues walking along the cobblestone; unsure of his final destination. He lifts his head for the first time since walking outside and gazes at all of the closed shops that he's passing by.

A small shop; slightly hidden from first glance, catches Ilhoon's attention. It's the only shop that has its lights on, becoming a beacon for the otherwise dark, secluded street that he was now walking along. Curious, he walks closer to it. The sign on the door says that the shop is closed, but the lights are on, and there is someone clearly inside.

Ilhoon slowly opens the shop's door, a soft chime emitting throughout the small store, announcing his appearance.

The person in the store- which Ilhoon now realises is a boy, looks up from the book that he's reading and looks at Ilhoon with slight shock.

"O-oh sorry sir, we are currently closed." The boy with brown hair says.

"Why are you in here so early if the shop is closed?" Ilhoon asks as he walks over to the other boy who he now assumes works here.

"I-um- because I wanted to, and I can!" The brown haired boy suddenly snaps. Nerves making its way through his forced anger. "So why are you here mister; when the sign in front of the shop clearly says that we are closed!?

Ilhoon, shocked by his sudden outburst, puts his hands up in mock surrender.

"So-rry, I was just curious about why the lights were on and why somebody was in here; when the sign in front of the shop clearly says you are closed." Ilhoon sarcastically retorts, ridiculing what the other boy said earlier.

The boy's eyes visibly narrow at the smirking boy in front of him.

"GET OUT! GET OUT! I ALREADY TOLD YOU WE ARE CLOSED, LEAVE THE PREMISES IMMEDIATELY!"

Ilhoon laughs at the boy's flushed and fuming face, deciding to say one more thing before he leaves the store.

"Alright, whatever you say... Sungjae."

To say that the face the boy at the counter made was priceless, was an understatement. Ilhoon left that shop in one of the highest moods he's ever felt in a long time, while the shop boy- Sungjae- was left alone seeing red, cursing the bold blue name tag that resides on his chest.

...

And they've met...

Don't worry I know what you may be thinking. The story is not going too fast. Trust me.

lol I've got a lot planned 😋

Word count: 838