Restart / Changlix

Part 29

Felix was at home, deep in thought. Everything in his life seemed to have changed, or at least he felt that he had changed a lot. He had an hour before his date with Mark, and he couldn't shake the feeling of confusion. He picked up his phone and called his mom.

"Mom, hi," Felix said.

"Hello, sweetheart, how are you?" his mom answered.

Felix had always been grateful for the strong bond he shared with his parents. They were relatively young when they had him, which had helped them understand each other on a deeper level. Their love, trust, and mutual respect for one another were unwavering.

When Felix was ten years old, their family made the big move from Australia to Korea due to his parents' business needs. The transition was challenging, as they had to adapt to a new country, culture, and language. However, this difficult time served to strengthen their family ties even further. They stood by each other through thick and thin, always lending a helping hand and providing emotional support whenever needed.

"I'm confused. I need some advice," Felix admitted.

"What's bothering you, love?" his mom asked.

"Do you like Mark, right?" Felix inquired.

"Are you kidding? Of course I like him. He's perfect, and I'm excited about the possibility of our families uniting. He's so sweet, and I'm proud that you found such a nice man," his mom gushed.

"Mom..." Felix felt as if he were trapped. Mark was indeed perfect, and they seemed like a great match on paper.

"But do you know why I like him the most?" his mom asked.

"Why?" Felix replied, curious.

"Because you like him. That's the most important thing for me. If you don't like him and you're not happy with him, then nothing else matters. I want you to be happy," she said.

Felix, tears welling up in his eyes, admitted, "I don't like him. I mean, he's cool, but I just don't feel anything."

"Then you should tell him. He will understand, and you'll be free. Don't push yourself, love," his mom advised.

"Thanks, Mom. I love you," Felix said, grateful for her support.

"I love you too. Please text me when you break up with Mark. I'll call his mom and sort things out," she reassured him.

They talked a bit and before ending the call, Felix asked, "Mom, what if I like somebody who isn't like Mark?"

"What do you mean?" she questioned.

Felix elaborated, "What if it's a person from a poor family, who doesn't have money or connections, and whose future career is unpredictable?"

"I don't know why you'd need money and connections. You already have them," his mom replied. "Your father and I don't care. It's your life and your choice. We'll support you, as long as they're a good person. Is he good?"

"Yes," Felix confirmed.

"Does he like you?" she asked.

"No," Felix admitted.

Confused, his mom asked, "No?"

"I treated him really badly for years, and now we're kind of friends, just because we have common friends. It'll take me a long time to win him over, and I don't know if I'll ever be able to do that or not," Felix explained.

"Felix Yongbok Lee, why did you treat someone so badly for years? I raised you better!" his mom scolded.

"I'm sorry. I think I've always liked him, but I thought he was out of my league and that I couldn't like him. I think I just tried to get his attention in the wrong way," Felix confessed.

His mom softened. "I'm still mad at you, but that's funny. My extremely beautiful, popular, and rich son is breaking up with his equally beautiful, popular, and rich boyfriend because of a poor guy who my son bullied for years, and now he's going to take a long time to win him over. It sounds like a Korean drama, and I'm waiting for the next episode! Please call me more often."

Felix couldn't help but laugh. "Did I say that I love you?"

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When Mark arrived, Felix was ready. He got into Mark's car and said, "Wait, don't drive. Can we talk a bit?"

Mark agreed, "Yes, sure."

Felix took a deep breath and began, "Mark, listen, I really like you. You're perfect. You're sweet, nice, and reliable. Our families are head over heels about our relationship, and I've seen some articles about us. Everybody thinks we're perfect together, and I can agree with them on every point."

Mark nodded, listening carefully.

Felix continued, "Oh God, this is so hard to say. Mark, there are so many reasons why we should be together, but I don't have the main one. I don't romantically like you. I like you as a friend, and I respect you a lot, but I don't have those feelings for you. I'm sorry."

Mark seemed overwhelmed, "Are you breaking up with me?"

Felix hesitated, "Yes, I'm sorry."

Mark admitted, "Nobody has ever left me before. This is a new experience."

Felix smiled sadly, "I'm sorry."

Mark sighed, "You don't have to be sorry. That's okay. I don't have strong feelings for you either, but I thought that was fine. I never told you, but I broke up with my last boyfriend because he cheated on me. I loved him so much. And when I met you, I saw that you would never do that. You have a kind of loyalty vibe, and I thought it would work. Maybe I just didn't want to be hurt again."

Felix said, "I didn't know. I'm sorry. But I'm happy that you don't have feelings for me either. That's a relief. Maybe we could be friends?"

Mark responded, "Hey, not so fast, speedy. You just broke up with me."

Felix smiled sheepishly.

Mark continued, "I'm not angry at you, but I need some time. I'll message you when I'm ready to be friends."

Felix nodded, "Thank you, Mark."