chance - bangchan » book one ✓

{4}

Haeun climbed her way up the stairs leading to the rooftop of the school bento box in one hand and her phone in the other. The rooftop had always been her and Felix's little hideout where they eat lunch. Back when they had started high school, Felix often got pestered by the girls in their year and that is how the rooftop became their go-to lunch spot. 

She opened the door with her foot, which was literally just her attempting to kick down the handle while balancing on her other foot, and immediately spotted Felix sat cross legged in the corner  of the rooftop. His lunch had been untouched and sat in front of him, as he had waited for Haeun to arrive before eating. Felix wore a shy smile as he stared at his food, deep in thought.

Haeun hastily sat next to Felix, bumping into him softly and earning his attention.

"Oh hey! I didn't see you come in." Felix grinned and started to unravel his sandwich from the cling film. 

"I'm stealthy, what can I say." Felix gave her a look and she sighed in playful sadness. "Okay, I don't think it was that." 

The pair shared a glance before laughing softly to themselves and indulged in their meals. There was a comfortable silence between them as they quietly ate their lunch. 

"What's up, Lix? You're not normally THIS quiet." She emphasized and placed her chopsticks back in her bento next to her phone. 

Felix sighed, his posture hunching as he did. "I'm just so confused, Hae..." He trailed, placing his head in his hands.

Haeun frowned in concern and turned her whole body to directly face Felix; her tone was laced with concern. "What happened?" 

"Well I'm getting mixed signals from this person." Felix lifted his head and leaned fully on the fence behind them. "This guy- who bearing in mind I've never really talked to- has suddenly started paying attention to me and giving this- this smile to me every time we pass each other. Like he even went out of his way today to be at my locker and have a conversation with me? And you know how many girls- whoever hang around there. I'm just so..." Felix groaned and let out an exhausted sigh and ran a hand through his hair.

"Who is he?" Haeun was the only one to know of Felix's sexuality. For the last couple of years, Haeun remembered the night Felix broke down to her about everything. He was terrified because of how people would see him and he didn't want to bring that burden to his families reputation. Hearing that for the first down broke Haeun, seeing him in that state when she was used to the sunny boy whose smile practically made the world brighter. 

"Hwang Hyunjin... he's in the year above." Felix muttered after a brief moment of hesitation, his ears turned a tint of pink and he hid his head in his hands in embarrassment. Wait.

"Wait like- huh. Like long black hair Hyunjin?" She couldn't believe it.

"Uh," He paused, "yeah, do you know literally any other Hyunjin in this school?" 

When he heard no reply, Felix continued. " Haeun, I don't know what to do! He's so handsome and like I've never felt this way before..."

Haeun sat in silence, processing what Felix had just said. The Hwang Hyunjin? If anything she only got a sick feeling in her gut. Hwang Hyunjin was in a group with her brother.

"Felix you have to be careful- you know that Hyunjin is in the same crowd as Minho, right?"

Felix stared at her, his lips pursed, in a way he felt lectured. "Well  he seems nice, Haeun." 

She didn't know much about who Minho hanged around with but judging by the way he distanced himself as soon as he got involved with them, alarm bells were ringing in Haeun's brain.

"If I were you, I wouldn't act on it straight away. I'd simply wait until he makes the first move." As much as Haeun wanted to tell Felix not to befriend or be involved with Hyunjin, it wasn't her place to tell him what he can and can't do. She noticed the way he looked when Felix spoke of Hyunjin, but at the same time, she was terrified he would use or hurt him. 

She reached over and placed Felix's hands into hers, looking directly into his eyes with a sad smile. It was a habit she picked up from her Mom. " I'm not really the best at voicing my emotions but I trust your judgement. If you think Hyunjin is worth getting close to, I won't stop you from doing so. Just remember what happened to Minho, I don't want to lose you too." 

Felix sighed and reassuringly squeezed her hands. "Hae you won't lose me, the second I get any bad vibe from Hyunjin- I will back away completely. I promise." Felix smiled and embraced Haeun, the feeling of warmth spreading a smile on the older girls face. 

"I trust you."