Cinnamon Summer [EDITING]

Chapter 6

Hyunsik's POV

"Hyung!" Ilhoon waves at me as I entered the bar that we are supposed to meet. This time unlikely of him, he wore a simple white tee with light grey hoodie. Maybe he wants to disguise but people could notice him right way. Obviously he can't hide his handsome figure.

"Sorry. I'm late." I apologize as I sat beside him.

"It's okay. I also got here last 5 minutes ago." Ilhoon already ordered the drink. I could say it is either whiskey or gold rush. I like to drink but nothing ever make me go thirsty than the way he takes a sip of the amber coloured drink in the diamond shaped glass. So, I clear my throat and order the bartender the old-fashioned.

"Classic." Ilhoon said when he saw me ordering the old-fashioned cocktail. I just laughed it through. I can't believe I become close to the person that I wanted to know last three years ago.

"gold rush?" I asked looking at the drink in the glass which he held.

"Yes." He answered and he started to talk about the trip-thing which I don't want to go. From what he said, the trip is about 1 week.

"Ilhoon ah." I wanted to tell him that I don't want to go.

"Ne, hyung." He looked at me and all my unwillingness is gone. "Nothing." I smiled at him and kept drinking the cocktail until I heard him sigh.

"Have you been in love, hyung?" Ilhoon suddenly asked him. Love. The only topic that I do not want to discuss about because I know nothing about love. I have never loved a person before.

"No." I answered shortly.

"Really? I thought you already has someone to love." He said. Someone to love. There is always one question on my mind whenever I saw couple. Why do they find someone to love? I mean, isn't loving yourself enough?

"No, I don't. Why? Do you love someone?" I do not want to ask that question. Somewhere inside my mind does not want to know the answer, too. But I asked.

"That...I don't know." He smiled but I could see some sorrow in it. "Well, I met a girl when I was 17. And we have been dating since then. You know, I did everything that I supposed to as a boyfriend." So, you have a girlfriend. Ilhoon started to talk about his relationship.

"I never miss to give her flowers on her birthdays and I met her parents because she wanted me to. And I don't cheat, you know. But I ... I don't know where I went wrong. Our relationship is sinking now." He sounded so bitter. Seeing him breathing heavily and drinking several whiskey shots, unknowingly breaks my heart. I wanted to say something that could make him cheer up but this mouth could not bring out a word.

"I'm sorry, hyung. I have been nagging a lot." Ilhoon make a fake laugh and tried to get up but he falls back eventually. But I managed to hold him back so that he did not fall on to the ground.

"I think you should go home, Ilhoon ah." I told him.

"NO! I'm fine, hyung."

"Maybe you should sit here until you are actually fine." I make him sit down again. There are minutes of silent passes by but it is not awkward at all. I really wanted to accompany him. However, that silent is disturbed as Ilhoon called me.

"Hyung!"

"Yea?"

"Can you, please come to Japan with me?" he sounded so desperate. And his voice cracking at the end also cracks my heart. Shit why are you doing this to me, Jung Ilhoon?

"I..." I honestly still don't want to go to Japan. But he made me want to go with him.

"She said she is going to be engaged." Ilhoon said. "I heard about it last a few weeks ago after the rehearsal when we were at the karaoke. And she said she wants to meet me before she gets engaged."

"and so, you are going there because of her?" I get tensed. I don't like him going there because of a girl who breaks his heart. "If that's the case, then I can't go. I can't go there with you and watch you suffering because of who breaks your heart, Ilhoon ah. Don't you have friends in Japan?"

Ilhoon nodded his head.

"That's good then. You go there alone and met her with your friends." I know I sounded savage but I can't help him this time. That girl breaks his heart!

"But hyung." His voice cracks again. That crack in your voice is very sorrowful. Please stop, Jung Ilhoon. "You are my friend in Korea. My first friend." Friend? Did he just say FRIEND? It shocks me for a while but to come and think of it, yeah... we are friends.

"I honestly don't have courage to go back there." He said. "I need someone to go there with me. Please hyung, can you come with me?"

His eyes are teary... I hate tears. Please no tears. There are so many things I hate about humans but if I have to choose two, it would be that how humans are made of emotions and how easily we can cry. It might be impossible to say this but it has been three years since I last cried.

"God why are you crying?" I asked. He fakes a chuckle and deny wiping off his tears. I took a deep breath and said "Fine, I'll go with you."

I really don't want to go but I don't want to neglect the feeling that someone needs me.

Ilhoon seems happy now. Well, this time the laughter and chuckles are not fake.

"Thank you hyung!"

--

It is the D-day. The show just finished an hour ago. Everything went well. Ilhoon did it very professionally and I am sure everyone likes it.

"Hyung!" Peniel called me while I am looking at the pictures.

"Yes?"

"Sungjae is searching for you. I heard CEO wants to see us."

"Really? Okay." I come along with Peniel to the hall where the show has just been held. Just as I thought, CEO wants to see to thank us. He did not say any future information but he surely wants me to have a contract as their permanent photographer, which I clearly don't want to do.

"I am sorry, sir. I cannot accept the offer." I rejected. And he offered me another job again. This time is for the next photoshoot in coming two weeks.

"Hyunsik shi, I really like your work and I want to work with you. So maybe just one photoshoot might not bother you, I hope." Whatever the CEO said, the time is the matter here. In coming two weeks. That's the time that I'll be in Japan. That means if I take this job, I have to cancel the trip.

"I will contact you tonight, sir."

I will contact you tonight, that's what I said but it is 7 pm now and I haven't made my decision yet. This job is not very important for me but I should take it. The CEO, Sungjae, Minhyuk, Peniel, those four who I have to work with is close with me and there is no disadvantage to take this job. But there is Ilhoon, the one I recently become so close with, the one who gets my attention with different charms, the one that brings the unfamiliar side of me.

I thought I have been weighing pros and cons of taking the job but what I am actually doing is that I have been thinking whether I should leave Ilhoon or not.

Job or Japan. Job or Japan... Dammit! Normally, I would totally choose Job but I have no idea why Japan thing is inside my mind. Job or Japan...or ... Job or Ilhoon? Job, yeah. Hyunsik! You should choose Job. But Ilhoon. He said he needs me. No, just choose job. Yeah, all you need to do is pick your phone and call the secretary of CEO.

I actually thought I choose to take the offer since I make a call.

"Hello?"

"Hi, this is Im Hyunsik. I wanted to inform you about the job that you offered this afternoon."

And I heard the person on the other got excited. Just say that I accept the offer. Just do it.

"I am sorry. I don't think I can." Shit. What the fuck did I just do? I keep telling myself to accept the offer. But what I did is I turned it down. How great, now you miss the opportunity.

But I... I choose Ilhoon over job. Nothing ever come first before my job but now, Ilhoon was who I choose.

Why are you doing this to me, Jung Ilhoon?