Drifting Apart

Chapter 1: Realization

Tik tok.

Ilhoon stares anxiously at the ticking clock. It was 3:45.

He's five minutes late.

To distract himself, Ilhoon pulls out his music sheets. After a two year hiatus from music, he developed a newfound interest for it. Once he finished studying the sheets, he then gets up to order just the usual, two green apple smoothies.

It was a nice spring day. The cherry blossom trees were blooming, the sun was out, and the air was cool. It was a day that felt like nothing could go wrong.

A good day. Ilhoon really needed one of those.

Tik tok.

It was 4:15 when a young man runs in grinning apologetically. Just in time too, Ilhoon was ready to smash the clock. He hands one of the smoothies to the young man, who gulps it down quickly.

"Sungjae, you're 35 minutes late," Ilhoon sighs.

"Yeah, I know. Sorry." Sungjae simply states.

Sungjae seemed to have an annoyed look on his face, but it was gone as fast as it had come.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Sungjae asks.

Ilhoon stares at Sungjae.

"Is it wrong to want to hang out with you?" Ilhoon asks.

Sungjae scoffs and drinks the rest of his smoothie. Ilhoon watches as he gets up and throws his trash away.

"If it's nothing important, then I'm leaving. I have some plans," Sungjae says as he prepares to leave. Shocked, Ilhoon grabs Sungjae's wrist as he turns to leave.

"What do you mean leave? You just got here!" Ilhoon exclaimed.

"Sorry man, but I really gotta go. I promised some friends I'd meet up with them. Maybe next time?" Sungjae smiles and Ilhoon lets go with a bewildered look on his face. He watches Sungjae run out of the cafe and towards wherever he was going.

After Sungjae vanished from sight, Ilhoon sighed for the hundredth time and stared at the spot where Sungjae sat. Strangely, he felt empty. Ilhoon had a feeling there wouldn't be any good days for awhile.