SANCTUARY

chapter 16

"Wake up, Ahyoung."

"Fuck off, give me five more minutes," I groaned, my head was throbbing from the alcohol intake last night. "I don't see the sun, it doesn't count as morning yet."

"I am the sun." he chuckled. "Your personal sun giving you daily sunshine."

"Doesn't count," I answered and covered my face with the blanket.

"You asked for it," Haechan nonchalantly hummed as I heard the sound of curtains opening, then the blanket that covered me was off of me in a second. "There's the sun you like and want. Now get up, I woke up early to make hangover soup. It's going to get cold if you don't eat it now."

"Fine, give me a second," I gave in and sat up, blankly gazing at the wall.

"Cute."

My head turned to Haechan who had his arms folded, staring at me.

"What are you pondering about?" Haechan blurted out.

"I'm thinking whether I should punch you or not for opening the curtains," I stood up, then standing in front of him. "But then again, you cooked for me so you get a pass."

"My cooking is top tier," he boasted. "Better than Jaemin's."

"Let's see, I guess," I muttered. "Let's eat then go explore the place."

"I thought you went everywhere yesterday," Haechan said as he sat down on the chair, eating his hangover soup.

"I just want to explore the place with you. Is there anything wrong with that?"

"No, I like it."

⌨

"Do you like vinyl records a lot?" I asked Haechan who was scanning through some at a store. I decided to explore the places I haven't gone to. Coincidentally, Haechan took interest in a store, so we stopped over. "I don't listen to them. Maybe because a turntable is expensive. Seems pretty cool though."

"Get an vinyl record you like, let's play it when we get to Seoul," Haechan replied. "I have one but it's in the storage. I'll teach you how to use them. I'm not sure if you'll like my taste, so get one that you like. My gift to you."

"A gift for what?" I questioned.

"Not all gifts need reasons to be given," he answered. "I just feel like it. Someone engrossed in something I like as well. Gives me small happiness, you know?"

I saw his honest and genuine look on his face as he said it. He was relishing this moment with all his heart. I didn't want to kill it, so I looked for something. I commenced debating over Conan Gray's Kid Krow or Ed Sheeran's Divide.

"You like slow songs? Sad ones?" Haechan appeared from behind me. "Interesting."

"These are just songs I listen to most of the time. There are others that I do listen to, but not enough for me to buy a vinyl record," I answered. I looked at Haechan's hand to see the Divide vinyl record. "I'll get the one by Conan Gray. I don't have to debate over it now."