Chapter Text
Felix worked at the supermarket in his town. It was a small place where he always saw the same customers. Most of them were lovely, but every now and then, some of them weren't.
And today was one of those days. People were really getting on his nerves. He was tired, and saying the same things over and over again—“hello,” “that’ll be…,” “have a good day”—was driving him crazy. Nothing could make the time pass faster, not even the little games he usually invented to distract himself. Nothing.
Except maybe the tall young stranger with long brown hair.
Felix had noticed him near the fruit aisle. He had never seen him before, but he instantly caught his attention.
“Card, please.”
Felix blinked. He hadn’t realized the lady in front of him was holding out her credit card, waiting.
“Oh—sorry ! Here you go.”
He handed her the receipt, then quickly looked around to see if the man was still there. He wasn’t. With a small sigh, Felix went back to his work.
He was lost in thought when a voice made him look up immediately. And there he was—the boy from earlier.
“Hello.” the stranger said with a smile.
“Hello.” Felix answered, a bit stiff.
That was all. Just a goodbye as the young man left, smiling again. But Felix thought he was beautiful. Strangely enough, the rest of the afternoon didn’t feel so long when he had a beautiful stranger in his mind.
The next time Felix saw him, the boy was buying a whole bag of drinks and snacks—obviously for a party.
“Umm… I guess you can easily tell where I’m going tonight !” the boy said.
Both of them laughed.
“Yeah, that one’s pretty easy to guess !” Felix replied.
That was it. The boy paid, and Felix surprised himself by speaking again.
“Have fun tonight !”
“I will ! Thanks.”
He waved before heading out of the supermarket.
After that, Felix saw him several times, but their conversations never went beyond the usual small talk. Felix never knew what to say without sounding awkward. This man intrigued him. There was also this nagging feeling—like he had seen him somewhere before, but couldn’t remember where.
One day, Felix was exhausted. He hadn’t slept much because of a school assignment—thanks, school. He wanted to go home so badly, but he still had three hours left of work. To make matters worse, a customer was yelling at him. He sighed, worn out.
“Who do you think you are, asking me that ? The police ?”
“Please, sir, it’s just the procedure.”
“I refuse ! You’re all incompetent here !”
Felix clenched his jaw, ready to answer back—not in the nicest way—because this man had truly gotten on his nerves. But before he could, a familiar voice cut through.
“Are you hiding something ?”
“Mind your own business.”
“Not when you talk to him like that. Call the manager if you want, but they’ll tell you the same thing.”
The man muttered something under his breath, showed his bag, and finally left, not without giving Felix a sharp look.
“God, I hate people like that. Do you get customers like him often ?”
“Thankfully, not really.” Felix replied with a chuckle.
The boy smiled.
“Thank you… um…”
“Hyunjin ! My name’s Hwang Hyunjin.”
“I’m Lee Felix.”
“Nice to finally meet you.”
They shook hands. The warmth of Hyunjin’s hand lingered, and Felix found himself wishing he didn’t have to let go.
From Hyunjin’s perspective, the size difference between their hands was… cute.
“Are you working tomorrow ?”
“Unfortunately, yes. The afternoon.”
“Oh, sorry for you.” Hyunjin chuckled. “But hey, tomorrow’s a new day !”
Cringe, Hyunjin thought immediately. Why did I say that ?
But he quickly forgot his embarrassment when Felix laughed, freckles crinkling at the corners of his smile.
“I guess so.” Felix said.
“Yeah, um… I might come tomorrow. I mean—I’ll probably need to buy something I forgot today.”
“Alright. Come to my checkout, then !”
“I always do.” Hyunjin answered with a smile.
And just like that, it was decided. He would come see Felix… and buy something while he was at it.
Felix liked the way Hyunjin said his name. With a smile, he said goodbye. As Hyunjin left through the doors, Felix shook his head to snap back to reality. He still had work to do. No time for distractions.
It was almost the end of his shift. He was tired and a little disappointed—Hyunjin had said he’d come, but hadn’t.
Doesn’t matter, Felix told himself. I’ll see him another day.
He was so focused on his screen that he greeted each customer without even looking at them.
“Tiring day ?”
That voice made him look up instantly.
“Hyunjin ! Sorry, I didn’t see you !”
“Don’t worry. How are you feeling ?”
“I’m fine… well, kind of tired.” Felix admitted when he saw Hyunjin’s eyebrows furrow. “Honestly, I just want to leave. You ?”
“I’m good ! The supermarket closes soon, right ?”
“Yeah, 7:30 pm.”
“Oh, so less than 30 minutes left !”
“Yeah, but I still need fifteen minutes after that to close my checkout and clean up. Then I’m free.” He sighed in relief.
Hearing this, Hyunjin hesitated. He thought of something, then quickly dismissed the idea.
“You’ve got this !” Hyunjin encouraged him. “Oh, and I wanted to come earlier, but it was impossible.”
“Don’t worry, Hyunjin. You didn’t have to. But you came—and that’s really nice of you.”
The smile on Felix’s face made Hyunjin’s chest tighten a little. Almost without thinking, he asked:
“Do you go straight home after this ?”
“What ? Um, yeah. Why ?”
“I know it’s sudden, but… would you like to grab a coffee ? Or something else—coffee at night might not be the best idea. We could…”
“Yes !”
“Mmh ?”
“I said yes. I’d love to.” Felix’s enthusiasm made Hyunjin blink.
“Really ?”
“Absolutely.”
“Oh… that’s great ! Do you want me to wait outside for you ?”
“No, it’s too cold. You can stay here.”
“Are you sure ?”
“One hundred percent. Look—there are chairs over there. The store’s almost closed anyway.”
“Thanks !”
For the next few minutes, they kept stealing glances when the other wasn’t looking. Sometimes their eyes met, only for both to quickly look away.
Why am I acting like this ? Felix wondered. Okay, maybe he’s attractive and nice… but that’s it. Nothing more.
When the store finally closed, Hyunjin waited outside, scrolling through his phone, until Felix’s voice called out.
“I’m here !”
Hyunjin looked up to see Felix rushing toward him.
“Your nose is completely red. I should’ve been faster.” Felix said, a worried expression on his face.
“It’s fine, Felix. No pressure.”
“Still, let’s hurry before we catch a cold !”
“Alright, lead the way.”
They walked to a small café nearby.
“I didn’t know this place.” Felix said.
“It’s my favorite. I come here whenever I need some peace—to study or just relax.”
Inside, they stood in line. Felix glanced around, but his eyes always came back to Hyunjin, who was frowning slightly at the menu. His profile was… beautiful.
“What do you want ?”
Felix didn’t answer at first. He had been staring.
“Felix ?”
“Sorry—what did you say ?”
“Your order. What do you want ?” Hyunjin chuckled.
“Oh, I haven’t chosen yet. What do you recommend ?”
“If you like hot chocolate, try this one.” Hyunjin pointed at the menu. “It’s my favorite—trust me, it’s so good.”
“Alright, I’ll take that.”
“I’ll take the same. And maybe… this cake ? It looks amazing. What do you think ?”
“You should get it. It looks delicious.”
“Yeah… maybe you’re right.”
When their turn came, Hyunjin ordered confidently :
“Two hot chocolates with extra cream, and two cheesecakes, please.”
Felix’s eyes widened.
“Hyunjin—”
But Hyunjin ignored him and paid.
“Hey, I can pay !” Felix protested, but Hyunjin gently pushed his hand away.
“No way. I invited you.”
“You’re stubborn.”
Hyunjin only smiled in response, heading for a quiet corner table.
As they sat down, Felix gave him a grateful smile.
“You really didn’t have to pay.” he said softly. “But… thank you. I appreciate it a lot.”
“My pleasure.” Hyunjin replied.
Felix tilted his head, smirking a little.
“Now I owe you.”
“Next time ?” Hyunjin asked before he could stop himself.
Felix’s brows lifted.
“Oh ? So you’re already planning a next time ?” he teased.
Hyunjin froze, ears turning red.
“Um… only if you want.”
“Of course.” Felix answered without hesitation.
The relief on Hyunjin’s face made Felix laugh quietly into his drink. They both took a sip of their hot chocolate, letting the silence settle—not awkward, but heavy in a strangely comfortable way.
After a moment, Hyunjin leaned forward.
“So… Felix isn’t a common name in Korea, is it ?”
“It’s not.” Felix admitted. “I was born in Australia. I moved here almost two years ago.”
“Oh really ? That’s so cool. I noticed your accent, but I couldn’t place where it was from.”
“Yeah, I still struggle a lot with Korean.” Felix said, scratching the back of his neck.
Hyunjin shook his head quickly.
“Don’t worry, you sound great. That’s not what I meant.”
Felix gave him a reassuring smile.
“I know.”
“…But I could help you, if you wanted ?” Hyunjin added, a little unsure.
Felix looked up, genuinely surprised.
“Really ? Of course !”
There was a pause. Hyunjin hesitated, then asked carefully:
“I don’t want to sound nosy, but… why did you move here ?”
Felix chuckled.
“Because I have a dream. It sounds cliché, but I want to be a dancer. Coming here was the only way.”
Hyunjin’s eyes lit up.
“For real ?”
The sudden enthusiasm in his voice made Felix blink. Hyunjin quickly backtracked.
“Sorry! It’s just… we have the same goal.”
“You want to be a dancer too ?”
“Yes ! I’m at a specialized school.”
“Which one ?” Felix asked curiously.“K’arts.”
Felix’s jaw dropped.
“No way…”
“What ? Don’t tell me you’re there too.”
“Of course I am !”
They stared at each other, dumbfounded, before bursting out laughing.
“This is insane !” Hyunjin said, grinning. “What are the chances ?”
“It’s kind of funny, though.” Felix replied, shaking his head.
Hyunjin leaned against the back of his chair, still smiling.
“How have we never met before ?”
“Maybe because it’s my first year. What about you ?”
“My second.” Hyunjin said. “Guess that explains it. Still… not even once in the hallways ?”
“Then it’s a mystery.” Felix said. His lips curled into a small smile. “But from now on, I hope we’ll see each other more often.”
“We have to.” Hyunjin agreed immediately. “Once you notice someone, you start seeing them everywhere. That’s how it works.”
Felix chuckled, staring down at the foam on his drink to hide his grin. I hope so too, he thought.
“I bet you’re really good at dancing,” Felix said after a moment. “I mean, you wouldn’t be at K’arts otherwise.”
“I just do my best.” Hyunjin said modestly. Then he tilted his head. “But you must be amazing too. It’s not easy to get accepted.”
“Oh, it wasn’t easy at all.” Felix said, laughing at the memory of his audition.
As Felix spoke, his hands moved animatedly, tracing little shapes in the air as if he were dancing even while sitting down. Hyunjin found himself watching them, noticing how light and expressive they were—delicate but strong. Hands made to dance, he thought, before forcing his eyes back up to Felix’s face.
Hyunjin raised an eyebrow, smirking.
“Mind sharing the story ?”
Felix’s cheeks warmed.
“Well… it was a disaster, honestly.”
Hyunjin leaned closer, curious.
“Oh, now you have to tell me.”
“I got so nervous during the audition that I tripped right at the beginning.” Felix admitted with a laugh.
Hyunjin’s eyes widened before he burst out laughing too.
“No way ! And they still let you in ?”
“Guess they saw something in me despite the clumsy start.” Felix said with a shrug, though his smile was shy.
For a second, Hyunjin just looked at him. Cute, he thought. The freckles, the laugh, the way Felix’s eyes crinkled when he smiled—it was unfair.
They kept talking and laughing, going from one story to another, without caring about time. It wasn’t until the barista cleared their throat politely that they both looked up.
“Sorry, but we’re closing now.” the man said gently.
Felix blinked, startled.
“Oh—what time is it ?”
Hyunjin pulled out his phone and nearly dropped it.
“Almost midnight ?! You’re kidding.”
Felix’s eyes widened too.
“No way… I didn’t even realize.”
Hyunjin shook his head in disbelief.
“We’ve been here for hours. And you’re working tomorrow, aren’t you ?”
“Yeah, unfortunately.” Felix said with a sheepish smile. “But don’t worry. I had cheesecake, that’s enough for dinner. And I would’ve said something if I wanted to leave earlier.”
“You sure you won’t be too tired ?” Hyunjin asked, brows furrowing.
“I’m used to going to bed late. I’ll survive.” Felix reassured him with a grin.
“…Okay. If you say so.”
There was a beat of silence before Felix added quietly, almost shy :
“I had a really great evening, Hyunjin. Thank you.”
Hyunjin froze for a second, then felt his cheeks grow warm. Why this reaction ?
“It’s nothing. I—I liked it too.”
They stepped out of the café, the night air cool against their skin. The streets were quieter now, glowing softly under the yellow streetlights.
“Can you believe we stayed until midnight ?” Felix said, shaking his head.
“Not really.” Hyunjin admitted with a laugh. “Time just… flew.”
They walked side by side, not rushing, the silence between them oddly comfortable.
At the bus stop, Hyunjin tilted his head.
“Where do you get off ?”
“The next one. You ?”
“Same.” He chuckled. “Funny how we never saw each other before—except in that supermarket.”
“Guess fate wanted to wait.” Felix said, teasing lightly.
He cleared his throat, embarrassed at how cheesy it sounded coming from him, but Hyunjin only smiled. They both stepped onto the bus, sitting close enough that their shoulders almost brushed when the bus swayed. Neither moved away.
“Do you live in the dorms ?” Hyunjin asked after a moment.
“Yeah, I didn’t really have a choice. My parents are in Australia, and the dorms don’t cost too much. What about you ?”
“I still live with my parents. It’s not far from school.”
“Mm, you’re lucky. No rent, and you still get to see them.”
Hyunjin gave a small smile.
“Sometimes I wish I had my own place, though. A little privacy. They can be… a lot.”
Felix nodded knowingly.
“That’s valid.”
They kept talking in low voices, almost forgetting the other people on the bus, until it came to a stop.
“Oh—that’s our stop.” Felix said, standing.
They both got off, the cool night air hitting them again. For a second, neither moved.
Hyunjin rubbed the back of his neck nervously.
“Um… Felix ?”
“Yeah ?”
“Maybe I should get your number. You know—if we want to hang out again.”
Felix’s lips curved into a smile.
“Yeah, you’re right. Here.”
Hyunjin handed him his phone. As Felix typed in his number, their hands brushed. Hyunjin glanced down—the size difference made Felix’s hand look small against his.
Felix gave him his phone back with a little grin.
“So… see you soon ?”
Huyjin smiled, a little too wide.
“See you, Felix.”
They waved before heading in opposite directions, both of them smiling like idiots the whole way home.
The next morning, Felix woke up earlier than usual, still smiling to himself as the memories of the night replayed in his head. He hadn’t expected to spend hours in a café with Hyunjin, or that it would feel so easy—like they’d known each other for much longer than a day.
At work, the supermarket felt less dull. For once, Felix didn’t mind repeating “hello,” “that’ll be…,” “have a good day.” His thoughts kept drifting back to Hyunjin—his laugh, his smile, the way he said his name like it was something special even if they knew each other for such a short time.
Hyunjin, meanwhile, hadn’t planned to think so much about it but he caught himself checking his phone more than once, almost hoping for a message. He frowned at himself. Why am I waiting for him to text first ? He shook his head and focused on the day ahead.
They didn’t see each other until late afternoon, when Felix was finishing his shift. Just like before, Hyunjin showed up at his checkout.
“Back again ?” Felix asked, a teasing smile tugging at his lips.
“Of course. Where else would I go ?” Hyunjin answered casually, though he hadn’t really needed anything he bought.
Felix scanned the items and bagged them, their hands brushing briefly when Hyunjin reached for the bag. Neither of them commented on it, but both felt the warmth linger.
“So,” Hyunjin said, clearing his throat, “are you free after work ?”
Felix blinked.
“Um… yeah, I think so.”
“Good. Then maybe we can grab something to eat this time ? Since last night we basically skipped dinner.”
Felix chuckled.
“True. You really want to feed me, don’t you ?”
Hyunjin smirked.
“Someone has to make sure you survive your shifts.”
Felix shook his head, hiding a smile as he handed him the receipt.
“Alright. Give me twenty minutes to close everything here.”
“I’ll wait.”
And that’s how they ended their afternoon. In the same coffee with the same hot chocolate and cheesecake but this time they didn’t forget to order something else with a more nourishing effect.
The next time Felix saw Hyunjin, it wasn’t at the supermarket. It was at school.
He had just left one of his classes when he heard a familiar voice calling out.
“Felix !”
He turned and saw Hyunjin waving, walking toward him with two boys by his side. Felix’s stomach did a small flip—he hadn’t expected to see him here so soon.
“Hey.” Felix said, smiling.
Hyunjin stopped in front of him, a little out of breath.
“I didn’t think I’d run into you already.”
“Me neither.” Felix admitted. “How are you ?”
“And I’m feeling great. You ?”
“Perfectly fine.”
The boys continued to speak when the brown-haired boy interrupted what was happening.
“Umm Hyunjin ? Can I know his name and can I tell mine ? You know, make proper presentations ?”
“Guys, this is Lee Felix.” Hyunjin added.
Felix nodded to them, his own smile a little shy.
“Nice to meet you.”
Jisung tilted his head, curiosity written all over his face.
“So you’re the Felix Hyunjin keeps talking about.”
He couldn’t finish his sentence because Hyunjin was slapping his head and the other boy crushed his foot.
Hyunjin froze.
“Jisung !”
“What ? Seriously ? You do !” Jisung laughed. “You’ve been going on about this ‘supermarket guy’ for days—”
“Shut up.” Hyunjin muttered, his ears turning pink.
Felix blinked, caught off guard.
“Supermarket guy ?” he repeated, fighting back a laugh.
“Don’t listen to him.” Hyunjin said quickly, glaring at Jisung who was already cackling.
The younger boy, calmer, stepped in.
“Ignore him, Felix. Jisung exaggerates everything. Anyway, I'm Jeongin.”
Still, Felix couldn’t help but notice the way Hyunjin avoided his eyes, scratching the back of his neck. For some reason, it made Felix’s smile widen. And Jisung. Oh Jisung will no longer appear on Hyunjin’s best friend list. He would make sure of that.
After Jisung and Jeongin left, Felix and Hyunjin stayed behind in the hallway. For a moment, neither of them spoke.
“So…” Felix started, scratching the back of his head, “you really told them about me ?”
Hyunjin’s eyes widened.
“No ! I mean—well, maybe I mentioned you once or twice.”
Felix raised an eyebrow, amused.
“Once or twice ?”
Hyunjin sighed, giving up.
“Fine. More than once. But only because they kept asking why I was suddenly going to the supermarket so often.”
Felix laughed, the sound light and warm.
“I see. That makes sense.”
Hyunjin glanced at him, a little embarrassed but relieved to see Felix wasn’t upset. In fact, he looked… happy.
“Anyway,” Hyunjin said quickly, trying to change the subject, “do you have class right now ?”
“No, I’m done for today.” Felix replied. “You ?”
“Same. I was just going to grab something to eat with Jisung and Jeongin, but…” He hesitated for a second. “If you’re free, maybe you could join us ?”
Felix blinked in surprise.
“Me ?”
“Yeah, why not ? They liked you already.”
Felix thought about it for a second, then smiled.
“Alright. Sure.”
Hyunjin grinned, a little too brightly.
“Great. They’ll be happy.”
As they started walking together, Felix glanced at Hyunjin’s side profile. There was something about seeing him here, in a different setting than the supermarket, that made everything feel more real.
Felix was rushing through the hallway, his backpack bouncing against his shoulder. His alarm hadn’t rung— or maybe he had just slept through it. Either way, he was late, and panic showed on his face. He weaved quickly between students, his steps echoing against the floor.
“Ouch !”
He had bumped into someone.
“Oh, sorry ! I didn’t see you—Felix ?”
Felix lifted his head, strands of blond hair falling into his freckled face. When he recognized the boy in front of him, he let out a small laugh despite his hurry.
“Damn… Hyunjin, I’m so sorry ! I was practically running because I’m late and I didn’t look where I was going and—oh my god, I’m really late ! See you later !”
“See you…later.” Hyunjin replied, but his voice was lost in the hallway. Felix was already halfway down the corridor, his figure blending into the moving crowd.
Hyunjin sighed, shaking his head with a faint smile. But when he looked down, something shiny on the floor caught his eye. A necklace. He bent to pick it up and turned it in his hand.
It was Felix’s— a delicate silver chain with a ring dangling at the end. The metal glinted under the fluorescent lights, and Hyunjin felt a strange warmth at the thought of returning it. He held it carefully, as if it were more precious than it looked, and slipped it into his pocket.
“Wait, Felix !!” he tried, raising his voice.
But it was too late. The blond boy had already vanished into the crowd. Hyunjin’s lips curved into a small smile as he stared at the necklace one last time before walking toward the exit, the chain still pressing lightly against his palm.
In the afternoon, they crossed paths again. Hyunjin spotted blond hair in the middle of the crowd and somehow, without even thinking, he knew it was Felix.
“Felix !” he called out.
The boy turned his head, scanning around until his eyes landed on him. A smile spread across his face as he excused himself from his friend and walked over.
“Hi Hyunjin ! You good ?”
“Yeah, I’m good. You ? Were you on time this morning ?”
“Yes ! Sorry about earlier. I would have loved to talk, but I really couldn’t.”
“Don’t worry.” Hyunjin said, resting a hand lightly on his shoulder. “Actually… you lost this.”
He pulled the necklace from his pocket and held it out.
“Oh thank God ! I thought I'd never see it again.”
Felix’s relief was obvious as he took it back. Their fingers brushed for a second, enough to make Hyunjin’s heart skip.
“That’s a beautiful necklace.” Hyunjin said softly.
“Thanks ! It’s from my brother.” “You have a brother ? I didn’t know !” Hyunjin asked, tilting his head.
“I mean… he’s not my real brother, he’s acting like one so I consider him family. His name is Christopher—Chan, in Korean.”
“Does he live here ?”
“No, he’s in Australia right now. I kinda miss him, not gonna lie.”
Felix smiled softly at the thought.
“Anyway ! Do you have class right now ?” Felix asked, trying to change the subject.
“I just finished. Do you have something in mind ?” Hyunjin smirked. “Coffee ?”
“I’m in !”
They left the school together and walked side by side toward the same coffee shop they had visited before. The familiar little place on the corner felt warm as they pushed open the door, the smell of chocolate and coffee greeting them instantly.
Days went by, and Felix and Hyunjin slowly grew closer.
That Friday, Hyunjin had a party to attend. He’d asked his friend Minho if he could bring someone along.
“Of course you can.” Minho had said.
So Hyunjin stopped by the supermarket where Felix was working.
“That’s really kind of you and your friend,” Felix said with an apologetic smile, “but I already have plans. Sorry.”
“That’s fine, next time then ?”
“Yeah, of course.”
That night, Hyunjin found himself at Minho’s house, wishing Felix were there with him. It was a small gathering : Minho, Jisung, Jeongin, Changbin, and one quiet boy he didn’t really know—Seungmin. He remembered seeing him with Felix before. Even if Seungmin didn’t talk much, he seemed kind. Jeongin was already deep in conversation with him, both speaking as if no one else in the room existed.
“Hey man, how are you ?”
Hyunjin half-heard Minho greeting someone at the door but didn’t pay attention. He was too busy arguing with Jisung.
“Man, Demon Slayer ! You have to admit it’s one of the best !” Jisung said, almost shouting.
“I’m not saying it isn’t, but if we’re talking about—”
“Guys.” Minho’s voice cut through the noise.
Everyone turned their heads.
“This is Yongbok.”
Hyunjin froze. Standing there was Felix. Or Yongbok. His eyes widened in disbelief, and Felix looked just as surprised.
“Felix ?”
“Hey, Hyunjin.”
“Wait, do you two know each other ?” Minho asked.
“Yes, we met a few weeks ago.” Hyunjin answered quickly.
“Your Korean name is Yongbok ?” Jisung asked, staring.
Oh no. Hyunjin had almost forgotten about him.
“Uh… yeah. It is,” Felix admitted, not sounding very confident.
Minho grabbed his arm with a grin.
“Come on, let me introduce you to these weirdos.”
Felix smiled politely and followed him.
“Let’s skip Hyunjin—he’s already a drama queen you know.”
“Hey !” Hyunjin shouted, but Minho ignored him. Felix couldn’t help laughing.
“Then you probably know these two—Jisung and Jeongin, they’re basically glued together. This is Changbin, and you already know Seungmin.”
Felix greeted everyone warmly, and it was clear he fit in right away. After a moment, he drifted back toward Hyunjin.
“If I had known your ‘plans’ were to come here, I wouldn’t have asked you so awkwardly.” Hyunjin said with a smile.
“And I would have never guessed you’d be here either. Guess it’s fate again.”
“Guess it is.”
Hyunjin looked away, suddenly shy.
“So… Yongbok, huh ?”
“Yeah. That’s my Korean name.”
“I didn’t know.”
“I never told you.”
“Why not ?”
“I’m not a big fan of it.”
“So Felix, then ?”
“Yeah. I prefer Felix.”
“Then Felix it is. Just like I’ve always called you.”
Their smiles softened, almost forgetting the noise of the party around them.
A couple of hours later, Hyunjin headed to the kitchen to grab another bottle of alcohol and some mixers.
“Let me help you.”
Hyunjin jumped at the sudden deep voice behind him.
“Felix ! You scared me !”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to.”
“It’s fine.” Hyunjin chuckled, a little embarrassed at his own reaction.
“Need a hand ?”
“Yes, please. We have to bring these bottles to the living room.”
“Okay, let me take this one.”
“Wait ! First, we need to put some ice cubes in this bowl.”
“Got it.”
They worked side by side, pouring ice into the container and gathering the bottles. Hyunjin followed Felix back toward the living room, his eyes lingering for a moment on the boy’s profile. Under the soft light of the kitchen, Felix looked even more striking—focused, calm, with that faint curve of a smile he often wore.
Hyunjin quickly looked away before anyone noticed.
“Finally !”
Jisung’s loud voice echoed through the room as Hyunjin returned with the bottles. Hyunjin rolled his eyes, walking toward him before sitting down.
“You really can’t talk like everyone else, huh ?”
But instead of an answer, Jisung leaned closer and practically screamed in his ear. Hyunjin winced, covering his ears.
“I’m going to sit next to someone else before you make me deaf.”
“You’ll come back soon, darling.” Jisung teased.
“Yeah, yeah, we’ll see.”
Hyunjin glanced around the room and caught Felix watching him. Their eyes met for a second before Felix patted the empty spot beside him. Hyunjin didn’t hesitate—he crossed the room and sat down next to him.
“Look, Jisungie, I found someone better !” Hyunjin said dramatically, throwing an arm around Felix’s shoulders.
Felix laughed, shaking his head at their antics.
“You two are unbelievable. How long have you known each other ?” Felix asked.
“Jisung and I met when we were fourteen. It didn’t start well, you know.”
“Really ?”
“Yeah. We couldn’t stand each other. We were always fighting about nothing—it was just an excuse to annoy one another.” Hyunjin smirked at the memory.
“If you didn’t like him, why didn’t you just ignore him ?”
“Let’s just say I didn’t have a choice. We were part of the same group of friends, and two of them happened to be best friends. So I was stuck with him.”
Felix smiled at the story.
“Funny to see you now. I would never have guessed you had that kind of history with Jisung.”
“Yeah, enemies to best friends !” Hyunjin said proudly. “No, enemies to lovers !” Jisung shouted from across the room.
“Never !” Hyunjin shot back immediately.
Jisung gave him a playful punch on the arm.
“Hey, Jisung !” Hyunjin yelled, laughing despite himself.
“You said you don’t love me !”
“I never said that ! I just said never to be your lover.”
“That’s literally the same thing.”
“Come here.” Hyunjin said with a grin, opening his arms. Jisung didn’t hesitate and leaned in.
“Now gimme a kiss.”
“Forget it.” He pushed his face away, laughing.
Felix couldn’t stop smiling at the scene. Their energy reminded him of the bond he shared with Chris. For now, though, he just wanted to enjoy the moment. Surrounded by Hyunjin and his friends, he
felt comfortable—maybe more than he had in a long time.
Felix took a sip of his drink but immediately made a face of disgust.
“Ughhh…”
“Woah, doesn’t look great.” Hyunjin said.
“More alcohol than fruit juice.” Felix muttered, sticking out his tongue.
“Can I try ?”
Felix handed him the glass. Hyunjin took a cautious sip, then coughed right after.
“Okay—yes. Definitely too much. Do you want to forget tonight or what ?” he said between coughs.
“Easy there.” Felix laughed, patting his back gently.
“I’m fine, I just wasn’t prepared.” Hyunjin cleared his throat.
“You’re delicate.” Felix teased, smirking.
“Excuse me ? You couldn’t drink it either !” Hyunjin shot back, pretending to be offended—but the little smile tugging at his lips gave him away.
“At least I didn’t cough.”
“You bastard !”
Hyunjin laughed and, without thinking, grabbed Felix by the wrists, holding him prisoner.
“Take back what you said !”
“Come on, Felix !”
Felix twisted out of his grip—Hyunjin had no idea how—and suddenly pinned his arms instead. Their faces ended up dangerously close.
“I got you, Hyunjin.” Felix said triumphantly.
But Hyunjin didn’t answer. For a moment, all he could notice were the freckles scattered across Felix’s face. They were beautiful, and there were more of them than he had realized.
Hyunjin finally shook himself back to reality.
“Okay, okay—you’re stronger than me.”
Felix let go, and the sudden absence of his touch left Hyunjin oddly disappointed.
“Then let’s just agree we’re both weak when it comes to alcohol.” Felix said with a playful grin.
“Deal.”
Hyunjin couldn’t tear his eyes away from him. Why now ? Why so suddenly ?
“I didn’t know you were this strong.” Hyunjin muttered.
“Fuck you, Hyunjin.” Felix replied with a smirk hiding at the corner of his lips.
“No, no—that’s not what I meant ! I just… I don’t know, you—”
“I’m kidding, Jinnie.” Felix interrupted, placing a hand lightly on his thigh.
“Oh… right. Okay.” Hyunjin’s voice faltered, his cheeks heating up.
He had been called Jinnie countless times before—by friends, by Jisung—but hearing Felix say it was different. It stirred something in him he couldn’t quite explain.
Time passed, and Felix began to feel tired.
“I think I’m going to head out.” he said, rubbing his eyes.
“Really ?” Hyunjin asked, a little disappointed.
“Yes. It’s already 2:45 a.m.”
“Wow, I didn’t even realize… Do you want me to walk with you?”
“No, don’t worry. It’s not far from here. Stay and enjoy the party with your friends.”
“It really doesn’t bother me, you know.”
“It’s okay, Hyunjin.” Felix reassured him with a smile. “I’ll text you when I’m home.”
“Alright… but don’t forget ! And call me if you need anything.” Hyunjin said, pointing a finger at him.
“I promise.” Felix chuckled, gently pushing his finger away before pulling him into a hug.
Hyunjin froze for a second, caught off guard, before wrapping his arms around Felix and squeezing him softly.
“I’m glad you came tonight.” he murmured.
“Yeah, me too. It was really nice—thanks to you and your friends.”
“You’re welcome anytime.”
Felix waved at the others, who all shouted their goodbyes, then stepped outside. At the door, he turned back one last time to wave at Hyunjin. Hyunjin lifted his hand in return, trying not to show how reluctant he felt to let him go.
The next day, Hyunjin woke up at 2:37 p.m. with a pounding headache. He groaned, pressing his hand to his forehead. Right—he had drunk way too much. He should have stopped earlier, but after Felix had left, his thoughts wouldn’t quiet down, so he’d drowned them with more drinks.
The alcohol hadn’t lasted, though. Now, in the heavy silence of his room, the same thoughts crept back.
Felix’s face.
His freckles.
The way one of his eyes closed slightly when he laughed.
That smile that lingered in Hyunjin’s head far too long.
Hyunjin shook his head and buried his face in the pillow.
“Stop. What’s wrong with me ?” he muttered.
He didn’t want to think about it. He didn’t want to put a name to that feeling—it was easier to ignore it. Safer. Whenever something felt unknown, Hyunjin’s instinct was to push it away, to pretend it wasn’t there.
So that’s what he did. He got up, splashed cold water on his face, and told himself it was just exhaustion, just the hangover talking. Nothing more.
But deep down, he knew Felix was still there, at the edge of his thoughts.
And for Felix, he finally called Chan to give him some updates. They had a lot to catch up on.
“Hyung !”
“Lixie! How are you doing ?”
“I’m good ! Actually… a lot has happened.”
“Oh ? Tell me everything.”
So Felix did. He talked about school, his assignments, and especially about the new people he had met. Minho who took him under his wings, loud Jisung, quiet Jeongin, and Seungmin who seemed serious but kind and evil at the same time. Chan listened in silence, smiling at the way Felix described each of them with so much details, like he had known them for years already.
“And there’s Hyunjin…” Felix’s voice softened just a little when he said the name.
“Mhm, Hyunjin ?”
“Yeah. He’s… different. I don’t know how to explain it, but he feels special. I can talk to him easily, like I’ve known him forever.”
Chan chuckled.
“Sounds like you’re settling in just fine, Lixie.”
“I guess I am.” Felix said with a small smile, even if Chan couldn’t see it.
They stayed on the phone for a while longer, laughing and teasing each other the way they always did. When they finally hung up, Felix felt lighter, like home didn’t feel so far away anymore.