Sunrise at Midnight | Iljae

Chapter 20 - Conflicted

The soft sound of nature's morning alarm trickles through the window. It is morning, and the chirping birds outside are the cause of Ilhoon's fluttering eyes and slow sighs as he breaks away from his sleepy state. There's a slightly familiar feeling of warmth that washes over him, except, this time- unlike last time- he welcomes it gladly as he pushes closer to the body lying next to him.

Let's just blame it on the cold, he thinks- even though a larger part of him knows just how false this statement is. He's just gotten to his bearings, and he can already feel the warm rays of sunshine blanket his face- the warmest day of winter this year.

"Um, Ilhoon?"

The boy in question just grunts in answer, squishing his face further into the younger's side.

"You good there, bro?"

Ilhoon merely laughs, "You need to learn to shut up. You ruined a perfectly great moment."

The very annoying sound of Sungjae snorting slaps at Ilhoon's ears as he is being rudely pushed to the opposite side of the bed. Earning an equally annoying whine from the boy.

"You're such a baby."

"Rude. I'm older than you."

"Won't believe it until you show me real documents."

"Get out of my bed Sungjae."

"Is this how you treat all one night stands Ilhoon? No wonder you're always moody, never getting any with that attitu-"

With a perfectly calculated kick to the hip, Ilhoon sends Sungjae flying to the floor- not a shred of remorse as he hears a cry of pain from the other.

"Leave this premises immediately. My sex life has absolutely nothing to do with you."

"You mean lack thereof."

"Sungjae!"

"Come on, let's go out for breakfast- I'm hungry and you're a terrible host."

"Ugh, can't you just go home? I'm done seeing your ugly face in my house."

"What you talking 'bout boy? You love me."

"Maybe."

"What?"

"What?"

"So, uh- breakfast?"

...

The door chimes, announcing the entrance of the two boys as they enter the familiar walls of the café. They make themselves at home by finding their own table and promptly taking their seats, earning a couple strange looks from the customers nearby.

"I'm so sick of this place. I'm here enough as it is."

"Yeah, but free food Ilhoon! You can't pass that up."

"Do you really think Eunkwang will give us special treatment? He'd probably make us pay a Best Friend Fee."

"That's true. But if you go jump behind the counter and make it yourself, he won't find out."

"You'll get me arrested."

"It's not a hard choice to make. You either pay a fortune for a simple coffee- or- you get arrested, but at least you get it for free."

Ilhoon scrunches his face in bewilderment and tries to shake off a laugh, "I've got a good doctor that you may want to pay a little visit sometime. Your logic is far from normal."

The other boy in question rolls his eyes as he gets up from his seat and walks up to the counter. When Sungjae walks back, he hides a smug smile with an obviously forced neutral expression. Ilhoon can't actually tell whether he looks really guilty, or really, really happy.