"So, that's his name, Daesung. How lovely."

Jiyong looked thoughtful as he tried the name on his lips.

"Yes, much like Jiyong, a lovely and fitting name for the pretty and feisty you."

The elder teased, causing a light blush to dust across Jiyong's cheeks.

There was silence. And it grew thicker. Things suddenly became awkward between them.

"Come, take a walk with me. It's only noon now, we have the whole day for you to get acquainted with my past."

***

He took Jiyong's hand and intertwined their fingers.

They alighted the bus right in front of a twenty-four hour convenience store.

It puzzled Jiyong, since this was a stop away from where they would usually alight if they were going to Club Se7en. Since it was still early afternoon, they couldn't be going there. Right?

Seunghyun stood rooted at the spot, looking at the cashier through the full length glass windows. But it wasn't the cashier he saw, it was another person, a person whom he missed every single day.

His hand clasped around Jiyong's tightly seeking for strength as he braved himself to reveal the full story that only he knew. His mind travelled back in time and his voice spoke of it.

"I have told you before I worked as an underground rapper at Club Se7en. I had ran out of cigarettes that night when I first met him. It must have been around eleven and I alighted here…"

~~~

"A pack of Marlborough gold please."

The cashier who was stocking up cigarettes had his back towards the counter jerked as the sudden baritone voice boomed behind him. He turned around to face his customer and lets out an embarrassed chuckle.

"There." The cashier's voice soft and husky. "Where are you heading at this time of the night? Hardly anyone turns up here after dark."

Seunghyun handed him the money and pocketed the cigarettes.

"Work." Seunghyun was a man of few words, he was not one to respond to small talks with strangers. However, this guy was something else. Though Seunghyun had given him only one word answers, he continued chatting away, all the while smiling with an occasional laugh. Usually people stopped talking to him at this point. Even stranger still, he doesn't feel annoyed with the ceaseless chatter. But time is ticking.

"I have to go."

"Won't you come back and chat with me? I'm alone and it gets awfully boring. Hardly any customers come by at this time."

Seunghyun nodded but gave no promise.

But he went back that night.

And the nights after.

Each time, he learned something new about the male.

His name is Kang Daesung.

He is two years younger than Seunghyun.

He doesn't use the social media.

He loves singing.

And he loves making people smile.

Like how he makes Seunghyun smiles.

Like now.

"Choi Seunghyun, just call me Seunghyun. I'm a rapper at Club Se7en. If I'm not performing, I tend to the bar."

Daesung looked genuinely excited, like a puppy with a new toy.

"Really? Really really? I don't go clubbing, it's just not my scene. However, I do want to experience it once. Without the rowdy crowd though. It's impossible, I guess."

A sad expression replaced the previous one, and now he looks like a sad puppy when he said that. How does one walk away from a sad puppy?

So Seunghyun ventured to ask, "When is your rest day?"

~~~

"He sounds cute. Adorable even, and it makes it hard for me."

"Why is that?"

"Because he makes me dislike myself."

"Don't. You are two different people." He brushed the back of his hand against Jiyong's cheek almost lovingly. "Come, enough of here. Are you hungry? I know a place where we can have our lunch."

~~~

Monday came around and since the club was closed on Mondays, Seunghyun borrowed the place from his older brother slash boss, Choi Dongwook.

"Make sure you clean up any mess." Was the only instruction that Dongwook gave.

He took extra care to dress up himself, never mind that Daesung is a male. Unlike his usual tardy self, he reached the meeting point half an hour before the appointed 8pm. His nerves were jittery as he waited for the younger male and he thought of all sorts of things he should say to him.

However, when Daesung arrived, he was speechless. All he could come up with was a simple "hi". He had forgotten what he had practiced when he saw Daesung. The ensemble of black tee and ripped jeans he was wearing hugged his body like a second skin, it clung onto his muscular arms and legs and especially the curve of his . He looked good.

More than good, actually.

"Hi, Seunghyun. Want to have dinner first? I know a place which serves good food."

Daesung brought him to a road side stall serving topokki and assortment of side dishes. It became a place they frequented in the future.

~~~

"Full?" Seunghyun asked.

"Extremely. You seemed friendly with the owner."

"I am. We used to eat here often and I still come here sometimes."

"Oh." Was all Jiyong could come up with. After all, he was the one who wanted to know.

"Let's go to the club."

~~~

"So, this is how a club looks like!" The excited puppy exclaimed.

"Yep, sans the crowd and the blasting music." Seunghyun chuckled. Daesung cuteness was infectious.

Seunghyun peformed on stage with the insistence of the younger. He made up silly raps, made up silly dances, making the younger laugh heartily.

"You're so cool." The younger complimented. "And good looking too."

"Why, thank you." Seunghyun grinned and bowed like he would to a royalty. "And now it's your turn to take over the stage."

Although Daesung resisted, Seunghyun dragged him onto the stage. He took the microphone, breathed in nervously and looked at his audient.

The moment Daesung started singing, Seunghyun was blown away. He became sure that angels existed. The spotlights illuminated Daesung perfectly and he was glad he brought the younger here. The surround system filled the empty club with the angelic voice. He could listen to that voice forever. He knew he was falling.

He was falling hard and fast.

"Make me a drink." Came the next request from Daesung.

And he did.

He skillfully measured out each liquid, pouring them into the shaker and added ice. Daesung was mesmerized by how he moved with ease and grace. After shaking, Seunghyun poured the cocktail into two glasses, handing one to the younger.

If one can capture a ray of sunshine in a glass, that would be it. The glass was filled with rich yellow and sparkly bits of gold. Daesung took a sip and the taste was refreshing, sweet and bright.

"How was it? I used Yellow Chartreuse, lemon juice, peach schnapps, apple schnapps and gold flakes." He explained his new drink to Daesung, waiting anxiously for his review.

"It's amazing! What's the name of this drink?"

"You name it. I made this for you, Daesung. You were the inspiration for this cocktail. I wanted to capture the essence that is Kang Daesung in a glass." Seunghyun leaned over and crossed his arms on the bar counter.

"Hmm…" Daesung took another sip, savoring the cocktail. "I'm flattered. Let's call it the Midnight Sun. You know, since people usually drink at the club at night."

"Midnight Sun. It's a good name." Seunghyun nodded thoughtfully.

Suddenly, a pair of lips landed on his cheek. "Thank you, Seunghyun, for everything." Daesung spoke softly.

When Daesung pulled back, they stared at each other and for that moment, time stopped just for them. Neither knowing who moved first, their lips met.

It was sloppy but perfect nonetheless.

"That was my first kiss."

"Really?"

Daesung nodded, face flushing furiously. "I've never dated before. I should have told you this before, but I didn't."

Daesung told of his own suffering, how he lived in a world of darkness, he should never be exposed to sunlight, no matter how minimal. Even at night, he still needs to put on sunblock.

Of how he suffered from a rare skin condition, xerodema pigmentosum.

He could be killed by the sun.

"Most people shunned away from me because I have to wear clothing which covers all of my body and a vicer to cover my face should I go out during the day. They were afraid that whatever I have is going to infect them. It's not going to." Daesung looked at Seunghyun, his face already falling apart with disappointment. "So, it's fine if you want to forget about what happened just now."

Seunghyun shook his head and smiled at the younger. "If I don't want to forget, will you date me?"

~~~

Alone in the club with Seunghyun, since it was in the afternoon, Jiyong sat at the bar counter holding a glass of Midnight Sun as he tried to imagined what had happened at this very spot.

This person, a beautiful soul, so tortured. Isn't too unfair? And it was unfair to him too, the way Seunghyun's heart was captured, leaving little space for him.

"Daesung always said that if he could survive all these nightmares that life had thrown at him, then he would not fear that death will end all of them." Seunghyun lit up a cigarette and inhaled deeply, fighting the emotions that were almost overwhelming him.

Jiyong reached out to take the elder's hand in his. His own tears threatening to spill as he listened to their story.

"He truly wanted to make people happy but behind his smile, he hid his loneliness, his despair, knowing that he might not live long enough to accomplish his dreams." Seunghyun said, taking deep drags off his cigarette. Even though Daesung had already been gone for four years, it still kills him each time he recalls. "And then I decided that I would kick as many things off his bucket list as possible."

Seunghyun gave the smaller hand in his a squeeze. He really did love Jiyong.

Just in a different way.

The love he held for Daesung was absolute.

I know a bit about liqueurs, but I have no idea about that drink that I described.