Connected

Set it Up

When I opened my eyes the next morning, Felix was sitting on the coffee table looking back at me.

He smiled and waved. "Your phone has gone off like 5 times."

I grunted and closed my eyes. Felix poked my forehead, "Felix!" I rubbed my forehead.

Felix held my phone out to me. "It literally just went off again. Answer it please." He got off the table, "I'm making pancakes. Chocolate chips or blueberries?"

I unlocked the phone. "Chocolate. Obviously."

Hyunjin poked his head out of his room toweling his hair dry. I pointed to the kitchen, "Making breakfast."

He nodded and walked into the kitchen. I watched as the shirtless Hyunjin went into the kitchen and disappeared around the corner. I smiled when I heard Felix drop something into the sink.

My attention shifted back to the messages on my phone.

'Lunch tomorrow?'

'12?'

'I'm bringing a gift.'

'See you then.'

I texted back, 'can't wait' and hit the send button.

I leaned off the couch a bit and could just make out Felix's ears from here. They were bright red.

"Am I able to enter the kitchen, or should I go hide somewhere?" The small bit of Felix I could see disappeared and Hyunjin came back out of the kitchen. The towel was now hanging over his shoulders, he winked at me and then closed the door to his room.

I pushed the covers back and sat up. "Need some help in there Lixie?"

He didn't respond, so I slowly walked around the wall to the kitchen. Felix was white knuckling the counter, his face and ears were red. "Dang. Are you ok?"

He took a deep breath and unclenched the counter but his hands were still shaking. "He kissed me." His voice was barely above a whisper.

My jaw dropped, "Oh my god! Felix! That's amazing!"

"H.. He just came in and... Arms around and... Mouth." His fingers traced his own lips.

"So," I drew out, "I guess, I'm making the pancakes?"

15 minutes later all Felix could muster was enough to put the chocolate chips, blueberries, or both into the pancakes after I poured the batter into the pan.

I hopped up onto the counter next to the stove and waggled my eyebrows at Felix.

"Don't say anything." His face began to turn pink again.

"You know he is going to leave his room again eventually."

His eyes glanced over to Hyunjin's room. "Yeah, I know."

I grabbed the plate of finished pancakes on my left and handed the plate to Felix. "Why don't you ask him if he wants any."

"I don't know if my legs will carry me that far." He hid his face in his hands.

"Lixie, you are just asking him about breakfast. It's not like he's going to pull you into his room and throw you on his bed or anything crazy like that." I set the plate back on the counter and tore a piece off a pancake.

"Well, not any more," Hyunjin commented from the doorway.

I jumped down from the counter and flipped the pancakes in the pan. Then I turned the stovetop off. "I'm gonna get going."

Felix grabbed onto my wrist, "Wait."

I could see Hyunjin smile at him. "I'm not going to jump you again." He ran a hand through his hair pushing himself off the wall. "I just got a little ahead of myself."

I removed Felix's hand from my wrist. "It's ok Lixie. You guys talk. I have a plant that is in desperate need of water back home anyway."

Felix crossed his arms. "You have no plants. I've seen your apartment. You barely have anything."

I passed Hyunjin on my way out of the kitchen and gave him a little thumbs up. "Yeah, no, it's brand new. Like a couple days old."

I slid my shoes on, "It should need water by now, right?"

Both boys were staring at me now as I slid on my jacket. Felix looked more like he wanted to scold me and Hyunjin looked more thankful.

"Anyway, this was great." I put my other arm in the jacket. "Hyunjin, when was your time again?"

"Thursday, 7:48." He reached for Felix's hand slightly behind him and winked at me again.

"Sweet. I will see you both in a few days then." I opened the front door then poked my head back a bit. "Lixie, call me later." He nodded.

I smiled back at them and closed the door behind me. The smile dropped immediately once I made it outside though. Standing in front of the building was Lee Know. "Enjoying playing games?"

I walked up to him and crossed my arms. "I thought we were meeting tomorrow. What gives?"

He linked his arm through mine. "We are. I'm actually here for a social call if you could believe it."

My eyebrow raised in a question and he laughed, "just making sure things are ready for tomorrow. When we have to be more business-like."

"I'm not backing out, if that's what you're asking."

He shook his head and began walking, "Not what I was asking. More like a message that needed to be passed on; or two."

My breath caught in my chest, "Oh."

He continued walking, ignoring my silence. "They are both fine."

I exhaled, "Good."

"They wanted me to tell you that they miss you and are proud of what you are about to do."

I nodded my head, "I'm doing it for them, after all. They deserve to live in a world where all of the information is free for all."

"I agree. I think that is something that every person has the right to decide for themselves."

We continued walking, and soon we stood in front of my small apartment. "Coming up?"

Lee Know shook his head, "I have to get ready for the hand off tomorrow and for Thursday."

"Right."

He let go of my arm, "Tomorrow at our favorite place then."

I nodded, "See you then." He watched me walk back up to my apartment and stood there until the door closed behind me. I watched him from the peephole. He smiled then turned and walked away.

I sighed and slid down against the door. I didn't regret how things would play out, but I definitely was a bit scared about everything. I had never done anything so dangerous, and I was putting others in danger just by involving them in the small way that I was.

I shook my head and took my phone out of my pocket. I began swiping through the pictures that I had taken with Felix and Hyunjin over the past several months. We hadn't known each other for long, but they had both made me feel so welcome when we first met.

I felt a tear fall down my cheek and I swiped it away. Then I hit the delete all button and watched as it all went away. I blinked a couple times, to clear my eyes and looked up at the ceiling.

"No innocents."