The sunrise was a breathtaking display of radiant colors. Bright streaks of red, pink, and orange slowly overcame the dark blue and purple of the twilight sky. The sky resembled a prism; all the colors blended perfectly into each other. The sun itself was just peeking out of the horizon, and its brilliant rays already shined brightly and began to warm the air. The big yellowish orange egg rose from above the sea, it was a perfect art. Jinhwan marveled at the glistening reflection of the sun on the ocean and a thrilling feeling of awe swept over him.

He had always been a fan of sunrise, probably because it meant something special to him. Looking back, Jinhwan was only ten years old, basically a boy who knew nothing about life with the layers of innocence wrapped around him. He was tiny, really small in size but that merely added on to his adorable features.

Flashback:

“Hanbinnie! Look it is so pretty!” Jinhwan cheered as he watched the same huge yellowish orange egg rose from above the sea. The same view was magnificent even ten years back, and that was when Jinhwan really fell in love with sunrises. He smiled as he watched the sun slowly rise, at a pace that made it too mysterious that Jinhwan just cannot take his eyes off it.

“Jinannie! Do you like it that much?” The taller boy next to Jinhwan probed, as he watched how happy and thrilled the smaller-sized boy was. Jinhwan nodded happily in respond, before turning his head over to face Hanbin.

“I am your hyung!”

“But you have allowed me to drop those honorifics!” Hanbin protested as he looked away from Jinhwan’s eyes. They were too innocent, and they carried the aura that was so magnetic, seemingly forcing you to never look away the moment they met yours. But somehow, Hanbin always love how Jinhwan looked at him, it was like Hanbin was the only person on earth.

“Yes, I did,” Jinhwan chuckled before wrapping his tiny hands around the younger boy. His head barely reaching Hanbin’s ears but it was perfect to lie on the shoulders. The age never really mattered, because Hanbin was always the protector between the two. It could be because Jinhwan deserves it for the older boy was just way to innocent for this world; or it could have been because Hanbin likes to be the one who display masculinity between the two; or maybe, just maybe, Hanbin was doing what his heart was saying.

Protect Jinhwan at all cost.

“Why do you like sunrise this much?”

“Because it is stunning, and it symbolizes a new beginning!” The older boy lifted his head and looked at Hanbin from a new angle he always liked. Hanbin was everything beyond perfection. Those eyes, that nose, that lip, but it was essentially Hanbin’s heart that he was fond of. The younger boy was nothing different from a child as well. He liked how Hanbin played with him, be it running around on the beach, singing, dancing, or even running down the streets to each other’s house and getting reprimanded by the parents when they come home in a mess.

“So the sunrise is your favourite?” Hanbin asked as he looked into that shiny pair of eyes that has been looking at him since forever. He smiled, still waiting for Jinhwan’s reply although the shorter boy went into deep thoughts.

“Jinannie?”

“No, my favourite is the person who brought me to watch my first sunrise!” Jinhwan exclaimed happily as Hanbin gave a victorious smirk.

“Ahhh… you just indirectly confessed to me Jinannie,” Hanbin teased as he cutely ruffled Jinhwan’s hair. The older boy shyly looked away as he wondered why was his heart thumping in such an uncoordinated manner. Why does it feel like his cheeks were slightly hotter than usual and why is it that Jinhwan felt so light-headed, as though he was in some paradise? However, what really mattered then was that they were both really happy.

“Jinannie! I only bring my favourite to watch sunrise,” Hanbin whispered softly with a smile, as they both turned their gaze to the enormous ball in the spacious sky. Eyes fixated on the sun, but that moment, the heartbeats had never been this in sync. Hanbin thought his heart was at his throat, but nothing really felt more perfect than that moment.

End of flashback.

“I just wish I knew where exactly in the states you went to Hanbinnie…” Jinhwan muttered as he tightened the grip on the pendent of his necklace.

“Jinhwan ah…” A lady in her forties walked over as she saw how Jinhwan was thinking about the past once again. It was his daily habit to watch every sunrise, but reminiscing on the past with Hanbin occurred to him ever naturally, like human instinct.

“Eomma?” Jinhwan looked up slowly as he lifted the corners of his lips.

“Shall we head home now? You haven’t eaten anything this morning,” his mother asked as she caringly wrapped that thick leather jacket around her son.

“Eomma, you can go back first. I am too full for breakfast now, perhaps it was yesterday’s dinner,” Jinhwan laughed as he urged his mother to make her way back. He wasn’t in a bad mood, because this guy never had mood swings. Perhaps, today was just one of those days when memories of the past kept flooding his mind, as he couldn’t help but to raise the question that he had been living with for the past ten years.

“Are you sure? The beach is going to get crowded later and it might be inconvenient.”

“I can take care of myself. Please do not worry. After all, the ten years of experience with the wheelchair had gained me enough skills to manoeuvre around even on this rough patch of sand!” Jinhwan assured with a tint of joke, trying his utmost ability to put his mom’s mind at ease. After all, this boy was too familiar with this rough patch of sand. It was area where Jinhwan frequent the most, it was his favourite, and it was because he first stepped on here with his favourite. Jinhwan did miss him, like how he misses everything that they’ve once shared.

“You can decorate absence however you want, but you’re still going to feel what’s missing.”

----------

Flashback:

The beach was ever populated, with kids running about and Jinhwan and Hanbin was clearly of no exception. The waves pounded against the rock as it created a beautiful beat that was melodic to the ears. The seagulls were everywhere and the bird chirpings of the birds added a new element that made the melody more pleasing to the ears. The blue sky and the blue sea, they seemed to have blended perfectly into one that you can barely distinct the skyline.

“Jinannie! Quick!” Little Hanbin shouted from afar as he ran ahead of the shorter boy. Perhaps it was his shorter legs, but Jinhwan was indeed having a hard time catching up with Hanbin. However, it was in a flash of the light that he seemed to lose sight of Hanbin as he ran upon a patch of sand. Maybe, you could say that it was the most beautiful part of this beach that he had ever seen. The sand castle stood tall, like it was almost tall enough for him to walk through the supposedly entrance of the castle. Every detail was beautifully carved like a real construction, including the windows. Jinhwan was definitely in awe, as his eyes looked around the area, hoping to see Hanbin around. And those innocent gazes later fixed on the banner of the castle, stating ‘Jinannie’.

“Hanbinne?” he called out, as Hanbin came out, holding a box that was neatly wrapped with a beautiful red ribbon on it.

Shyly, the taller boy shoves the gift into the arms of the petite boy as he whispered Merry Christmas. Jinhwan gladly took it but in just seconds, he realized that it was still a week away from Christmas and didn’t this gift came a little too early?

“Like now? But didn’t you promise me that we will come here and celebrate on Christmas itself?” Jinhwan asked as he childishly shook the box to guess what is inside.

“Yah, don’t! You can only open it tonight okay!” Hanbin hoped as he grabbed the older’s shoulders, seemingly begging or instructing, even he doesn’t know. Jinhwan carefully nodded with a smile as he went on to talk.

“So, what’s all this about? Are you not going to celebrate Christmas with me?” Jinhwan pouted slightly. He wasn’t a bit at ease, because he was afraid that he couldn’t spend Christmas together with Hanbin.

“Are you really not?” Jinhwan asked again as Hanbin didn’t answer his first question earlier on.

“Ani, pabo! Of course I will,” Hanbin smiled as he ruffled the older boy’s hair due to the height convenience. Jinhwan could only return a ‘hey’ but felt relived by the fact that their Christmas plan wasn’t disrupted at least. For the whole of his life, there hasn’t been one Christmas without Hanbin after all.

“What is this?”

“Your Christmas gift!” Hanbin replied happily as he led Jinhwan to the mini Christmas tree he had placed in his enormous sand castle. All the shorter boy could say was ‘wow’ as his mouth remained opened. Hanbin chuckled at this sight, as he was grateful to see that Jinhwan did appreciate and like this surprise.

“Gomaw