THE GIFTED | STRAY KIDS ✔

34

Hyunjin, or at least the imposter posing as Hyunjin, had a mere smile on his face, as per Felix's account. What struck Felix as unusual was the stark difference in Hyunjin's appearance. His hair wasn't blonde; it was jet black and cut shorter. It still hung just below his ears, slicked back in the same manner as Hyunjin typically wore it.

"This isn't funny," Felix asserted.

"I'm aware," replied the villain. "I wasn't making a joke."

"How... how is this even possible?" Felix's denial persisted. "Is this your gift? Can you shape-shift into people or something?"

"No, Felix," clarified the imposter. It seemed he aimed to maintain composure for both of them. "You already know what my ability is."

"Mind-reading is Hyunjin's gift," Felix countered. "Not yours. Whoever you are or claim to be."

"Alright," the fake Hyunjin took a deep breath. "Can I reveal something known only to Hyunjin? Would you believe me then?"

Felix fell silent, pondering the implausibility. There were a few secrets about Felix that only Hyunjin possessed. Those villains couldn't have accessed that information.

Taking Felix's silence as consent, the imposter continued, "You lost your parents at a young age, and your sister was taken away. You've been an orphan since then."

Felix's eyes widened, though he still seemed unconvinced.

"Anyone could have unearthed that information if they dived deep enough into my history," Felix argued.

The fake Hyunjin sighed.

"Your sister's name," he said, immediately capturing Felix's interest. "I know it."

"That's impossible," Felix insisted. "Even Hyunjin doesn't know it. I haven't told him."

"It's Olivia, isn't it?"

Felix gasped. Olivia's name was never in any official records; there was no way he could have known. Only her Korean name was documented when she was taken away.

"How... how did you know?" Felix asked, stunned.

"I know everything about you, Lix," the imposter said. "I've mentioned this before, haven't I? How could I not know things about the man I love?"

"Stop- Stop it!" Felix exclaimed. "Don't... don't say that. You're not... you're not my Hyunjin. "

"But it's true, Felix," he continued. "I am your Hyunjin, just... not from this timeline."

"What- what do you mean?"

"I'm Hyunjin from the future."

Silence filled the room; tension hung heavy in the air. Felix remained frozen, grappling with the concept of time travel. This man was Hyunjin, but from the future? The implications were staggering.