First Glance [Minsung]

Chapter 10

[Flashback]

"Can we walk slowly?"

Felix furrows his eyebrows at the request. Thinking Hyunjin wants to have some deep conversation, he eventually nods. "Sure."

Hyunjin licks his dry lips and without thinking too much, he clutches his big hand on Felix's left arm, making the latter stop on his track.

"There's something I want to tell you."

"Go ahead." He responds after turning around, so they're facing each other at the moment. He cannot help but notice the nervousness radiating from his best friend.

"I won't say it twice so..." He clears his throat.

It's Felix's turn to feel nervous now. "It can't be."

"Please listen to me carefully."

His eyes go wide at the statement. Panic starts to show on his freckled face. "Please don't."

"I like you. I've been feeling this way since our first year. I'm trying not to- y'know- because we're friends. But I can't help it. This feeling... It keeps growing." He puffs an air. "I'm not asking you to be my boyfriend. I just want you to know how I feel about you. And I think that this is the right moment for me to say this."

Felix follows Hyunjin's hand movements that take out a box from his school bag, making the nonexistent lump in his throat feels as if it gets bigger and bigger.

"I'm not trying to pressure you. But please, can you accept this, Fel-"

"No." He turns down the offer immediately. "And I'm sorry. I can't accept your feelings too."

The stern look in Felix's eyes finally meets his best friend's teary eyes. He knows he was so heartless just now, probably should have tuned down the words he let out. Then again, how a proper rejection should sound? School doesn't teach him that.

"Is it because of Jisung?"

"Huh?"

"You rejected me just now." Hyunjin clenches his jaw. "Is it because of Jisung?"

Felix cannot help but feel infuriated by the question. "So you've known all along?!"

"It's hard not to notice." He whispers, hoping Felix won't hear it because he realizes how unfair and cruel he is for doing that to Jisung. "But it doesn't matter now, does it? He has Minho hyung-"

"So this is what you mean by the right moment to confess?!" Felix looks at Hyunjin in disbelief. "You're the worst!"