Deep End | Hyunlix

3

Felix parked his car in a quiet, dimly lit lot across the street from the warehouse. The area was mostly industrial, with little foot traffic at this hour, which suited him perfectly. He had come to scope out the place ahead of tomorrow's mission. With so little information on the seller, Felix knew he needed to be thorough, especially when it came to potential risks.

The first stop was the small café a few blocks away from the warehouse, the perfect spot to survey the surrounding area without drawing attention to himself. The bell above the café door chimed as he walked in, and Felix immediately felt the warmth of the place wash over him. The café was cozy, with plants covering the shelves and sunlight filtering through the windows. In one of the window sills, a lazy cat lounged, adding a touch of charm to the already inviting space. Felix couldn't help but smile at how quaint it all was. This place is adorable. I'd definitely come here under different circumstances.

The barista behind the counter greeted him with a friendly smile. "Hello, how can we help you today?"

"Uh, I'll take whatever you recommend. Iced, please," Felix said, glancing at the menu for a moment before looking back at the worker.

The worker's eyes widened slightly as he took in Felix's deep voice, which didn't quite match his delicate, innocent face. "S-sure. And what's the name?"

"Felix," he replied, pulling out cash and handing it over to the barista.

"It'll be right up," the worker said, smiling warmly as he moved to prepare the drink.

As Felix waited, he heard the bell ring again, signaling the entrance of another customer. Felix turned, expecting to see another regular, but was immediately struck by the sight of a man who could only be described as unbelievably good-looking. He was dressed in an immaculate black tailored suit, his black hair sleeked back in a way that made it clear he cared about his appearance. The sharp lines of his face, the confident air he carried everything about him screamed sophisticated elegance.

Holy shit, Felix thought, caught staring. He was so mesmerized by the stranger's presence that he didn't realize their eyes met until it was too late. The man's piercing light blue eyes locked onto his, and Felix felt his heart skip a beat. He quickly looked away, his face flushed with heat, as he tried to avoid staring. His eyes are so beautiful, Felix thought, still feeling the warmth on his cheeks.

The stranger smirked at Felix, as if amused by his reaction, before walking past him and up to the counter. Felix couldn't help but sneak another glance at the man's back, his tall frame and well-fitted suit making him look like he had just stepped out of a high-end magazine.

Focus, Felix. You're here to scope out the area, not drool over a stranger. Felix mentally scolded himself, trying to refocus. He was here for a reason, after all.

"Hyunjin, what can I get for you today?" The barista, Kai, called to the man in the suit.

Hyunjin, Felix thought. That's a nice name.

Hyunjin responded casually, "Hey, my usual is fine." He reached into his pocket, pulling out money and handing it to Kai.

"On the house," Kai said with a flirty grin.

"Thanks," Hyunjin replied smoothly, flashing him a lazy smile before turning around. His eyes immediately found Felix again, and Felix felt a strange flutter in his chest as Hyunjin cocked his head, studying him. Felix quickly averted his gaze and pretended to check his phone, feeling the heat rise in his face.

"What happened to your forehead and eye?" Hyunjin's voice was soft and curious, as if he genuinely wanted to know.

Felix touched the bandage on his forehead, feeling awkward under the attention. "Oh, umm, I ran into something," he said, trying to downplay the injury.

Hyunjin raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "You must've hit it pretty hard. Looks like it hurts."

Felix forced a nervous laugh. "Yeah, it wasn't too bad though..."

Kai called out from behind the counter, "Felix, your order is ready."

"Oh, thank you," Felix said, grateful for the interruption as he quickly took his drink from the counter.

"Of course. Enjoy!" Kai replied with a bright smile.

Felix turned to leave, but before he could step out the door, he heard Hyunjin's voice again. "See you around."

Felix paused, surprised at the simple farewell. He turned and nodded, his cheeks still warm. "Yeah, see you..." he mumbled, then quickly exited the café, feeling Hyunjin's gaze linger on him.

Well, that was interesting. Felix shook his head, trying to regain his focus. Okay, focus back on why you're here. He climbed into his car and drove toward the warehouse, the encounter with Hyunjin still playing in his mind, but he pushed those thoughts aside for now. There was work to do.

As Felix circled the warehouse, he took note of all the exits, checking for cameras and vantage points that might give him an advantage tomorrow night. He drove around to the back of the building, parked his car in a hidden spot, and quietly slipped out, careful to stay unnoticed. His phone vibrated in his pocket, but he ignored it for now he had a job to do.

The warehouse was quiet, but Felix knew better than to assume it was empty. He pulled out his camera and began snapping pictures of key areas: potential hiding spots, blind spots, and anything that could help during the operation. As he moved deeper into the building, the sound of voices caught his attention. Felix froze, instinctively ducking behind a stack of boxes.

"We need to make sure that everything goes smoothly for tomorrow evening," one of the voices said. "There's a chance the boss will be here."

"Yes," the second voice responded, "we need to ensure no hiccups. It's a very important client. If things run smoothly, they'll be a long-time customer."

Their footsteps faded as they moved away from Felix's hiding spot. He waited a few more moments, making sure the coast was clear before slipping out of his hiding place. Felix hurried back to his car and dialed Chan's number.

"Hello?" Chan answered quickly.

"Hey, it's me. Get everyone together and meet at the company. I have some new developments on tomorrow's mission," Felix said, his mind racing with the new information.

"Got it. We'll see you soon," Chan replied.

Felix hung up the phone and drove back to the company, his thoughts not entirely on the mission anymore. Despite his focus on the task at hand, his mind kept drifting back to the striking man he'd met at the café.

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1128 words