Stay ~ A Stray Kids Fanfic

Felix

Felix's POV

"Catch it Hyunjin!"

     The teacher tweets his whistle. I throw a punch into the air victoriously. Hyunjin chucks it back to the pitcher, his blonde hair wild and wet against his face. He shows me a quick wave as I return to my spot in outfield.

     "One more out, Mei. Get 'em out!" A student hollers to the pitcher. Mei whips her long ponytail to the side, her stare cold and stern. Her hands grip the kickball, everyone from the field and dugout waiting in anticipation for her pitch.

     I squat and ready myself. A drop of sweat trickles down my neck, adding to the blotch on my back. I had discarded my jacket awhile ago.

     Swiping a hand across my forehead, I'm still as she draws her hand back and releases it in a clean roll. Atari, from the home plate, perfects his stance as the ball inches closer and closer.

     When the kick happens, I blink at the wrong time. Suddenly, everyone is yelling at me to catch it. My eyes shoot up, but all I see is the blazing sun. My arms are wide open and I'm stumbling backwards, praying I can win us this out.

     "You got this, Felix!"

     A burst of impact hits my chest and I'm lying on my back with the ball in my arms. Everyone's cheering and running over to me. Hyunjin is the first to make it to me, in which he pulls me up and into a hug.

     "That was incredible!" He says amidst the cheering. People are surrounding us, clapping me on the back before bragging to the other team. My focus stays on Hyunjin and his wide smile that softens his eyes and makes sight a blessing.

     "Thank you, hyung," I reply breathlessly. We walk side by side back towards the dugout. People are now hurrying to the line at the water fountain, a quick stop before going back to the school.

     "Say," I start, "you wanna meet up with the others and go to the roof or something?"

     "Sounds great. I'll text the others. I bet they're getting done right now." With his head bent over his phone, he shoots everyone a text as we pass the track. The dodgeball court is just ending as well. From the looks of it, Minho and Jia's team won.

     I crane my neck around in search for them. Students flock around us in an antsy remark to go back inside. Taking one more step, I find myself colliding with Hyunjin's back.

     "Hey, what's up?" His eyes are focused on the direction of the backside of the bleachers. I follow his gaze, more students winding around us as we stay put in the center of the lot. With the last peers filing out, I see Minho hurrying towards us.

     His breathing is heavy as he greets us. "Hey, you guys."

     "How was the game?" I reply, nudging Hyunjin forward. The blonde hastily obliges, his stare lowering back to his screen. 'What's up with him?'

     I step over a patch of grass sprouting from the cracked cement. "It was good. We won and— yeah." It was short and sweet, nothing mentioning Jia who was now joining another group of girls behind us.

     "Say how did Jia play—"

     "Oh, look, there's Seungmin and Jeongin," says Hyunjin, pointing to a group of boys. He stalks up front in a hurry, leaving Minho and I to hang back.

Our pace slows with our breathing. We join with the others who begin their own telling of the games. Standing beside Jeongin, however, I notice a small delay in his thoughts, as if his preoccupied mind was filled with something unwanted.