Sunrise at Midnight | Iljae

Chapter 13 - Holding Hands and Heavy Bags

"So what do you want to eat?" Ilhoon asks Sungjae as they walk side by side into the shopping centre.

"I don't mind, whatever you want is good to me."

"Alright then, how about we just get some noodles?"

"Ok, cool."

The two boys walk inside of a cute little restaurant, it's just past lunchtime so it's still quite busy inside.

"Hey, look, isn't that Eunkwang and Minhyuk hyung?" Sungjae nudges Ilhoon as he points to two figures sitting down and eating just a little way from them.

"Yeah, it is. Do you want to sit with them? I'll order something for the both of us, okay?"

"Thanks, hyung!" Sungjae says excitedly as he goes over to the other two sitting on the table.

Hyung? That's odd. Sungjae has never used honorifics before.

Ilhoon smiles and shakes his head at the change of behaviour, before going up to order food for the both of them.

"Ilhoon! It's so nice to see you again, I haven't seen you since Changsub's house! How have you been?" The familiar redhead smiles up at him.

"Hyung! It's been a while, but I've been good, thanks."

"So what are you doing here with Sungjae? You two seem to have gotten on quite well from the last time I saw you guys. Weren't you just at each other's throats?" Eunkwang laughs as he looks confusedly between the two boys in front of him.

Sungjae's face is beet red as he looks down at his lap, remembering everything that has happened to them since meeting each other. The kisses, the fights, the banter, and last nights cuddle. Not to mention this morning- whatever that was. He was not in a million years going to share any of that, he still has absolutely no idea what he even is to the shorter boy. But as he turns his head to look at Ilhoon, he expresses nothing but a small smile and a distinct glint in his eyes that nobody but himself could decipher. Was he thinking about this morning, the kisses?

"I don't know, Eunkwang hyung. I guess we just got closer." Ilhoon makes eye contact with the flushed boy next to him, winks, and then turns back to his hyungs.

Minhyuk watches on with his eyebrows furrowed, what in the world is going on with them? He thinks to himself, making a mental note to talk to Eunkwang about it. Last time I saw them they looked pissed to just be in each other's presence.

"So what about you two, how have you guys been?"

"Yeah, we've been great! We just came here to buy a present for Changsub, his birthday is on Sunday."

"Oh my god, that's right! I totally forgot his birthday is coming up. He didn't mention doing anything, is he going to have a party?" Sungjae asks as he takes a bite of the food they ordered.

"I think he's going to have a party on Friday. Ilhoon are you going to come too?"

"Ugh, I guess I can tag along with Sungjae?" He replies as more of a question than an answer. Turning his head to the smiling boy beside him.

"Yeah, definitely! We'll be there!"

The four of them talk and laugh as they eat their lunch, Sungjae and Ilhoon's bodies somehow get closer and closer as time goes on. Now shoulder to shoulder, the two oblivious boys in front of them fail to notice as Ilhoon's hand comes to rest on the other boy's knee. Sungjae looks up from eating his food, Eunkwang's story lost in his mind as he turns his head to the boy beside him who was trying -and failing- to hold in his smile.