𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬. [𝗛𝘆𝘂𝗻𝗹𝗶𝘅 𝗙𝗙]

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 9

[6 YEARS AGO, 2017]

(6 years ago it means Hyunjin is 16 and Felix is 15)

Hyunjin's POV:-

"Are you ready to go?" My Mom asked me as she grabbed her purse.
"Yeah, Mom," I replied, feeling a bit uneasy.
My dad stepped in, warning me, "We're already giving you one warning if you do ANYTHING to embarrass us, you'll have to face the consequences. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Dad, I get it." I responded with a knot in my stomach.

Our family was going to the Lee's house today, which had hosted a party to celebrate their children Felix and his older sister's first ranks in their school. Felix and I went to the same school, he was my friend, but honestly, I didn't like him that much. He wasn't a bad guy; instead, he behaved like an angel, which is kind, but I just couldn't help but hate him for that very reason.

As we got into the car, our driver started the engine.
My dad looked at me as he said, "You know if you could've done better, we could've been the ones hosting the party instead."
He continued, "Aren't you tired of always getting that damn second rank? It always feels like he's miles ahead of you. What's even the point of trying, when you'll always be second best to him?"

The weight of my father's words became unbearable. It felt like something was squeezing my throat and I couldn't even breathe properly. Everything felt like it was happening in slow motion, yet I couldn't move. I kept my eyes locked on the window, feeling like I could start weeping at any moment.

After what felt like an eternity in the car, we finally reached the Lee's mansion. It was gigantic, with a couple of bodyguards standing outside. As we stepped inside, we were greeted by Mr. and Mrs. Lee, both dressed in ethnic attire.

I greeted everyone with a fake smile, but still, I didn't want to get into any unnecessary conversation or stir up drama. "Honey, you can go spend time with your friend until the adults complete their conversation," my mom said, as she gave me the bouquet to give to Felix reverting to her fake personality after we had arrived at the party. I knew I couldn't refuse her when we were out, or there would be consequences.

"Felix is in his room upstairs." Mrs Lee said as she smiled at me.
I nodded and thanked her as I made my way to his room.

As I made my way up the stairs, my curiosity was piqued by the faint sound of sobs coming from the second floor. I couldn't help but investigate, so I quietly made my way to the door of a nearby room and peeked inside.

There, I saw Felix, dressed in a stunning navy suit. The suit hugged his frail frame perfectly, and the dark shade of the fabric exuded a sense of sophistication. However, the elegance of his attire was overshadowed by the heart-wrenching sight before me. Felix was hunched over his bed, his face buried in his hands as tears streamed down his cheeks.

Despite the darkness of the room, I could see that he was writing on a piece of paper, which was now smeared with his tears. His sobs grew louder and more intense with each passing moment, punctuated only by the sound of his pen scratching furiously across the page. I couldn't make out the words on the paper, as the ink had run together in places, creating a blurry mess.

As I witnessed him shedding tears, a pang of sympathy tugged at my heartstrings. However, the constant disappointment etched on my parents' faces every time they looked at me because of him made me feel revengeful towards him. It was as if he deserved every bit of pain he was going through.

I cautiously walked into his room, I noticed him hastily wiping away his tears with his sleeves. Despite the evident pain he was experiencing, he managed to flash a smile and greet me, "Hey Hyunjin." I made my way towards his bed, took a seat, kept the bouquet behind me and attempted to comfort him. "Hi Felix," I said softly, "I know it's not easy to share what's been bothering you. But, come here let me clean your face." I motioned him to come and stand between my legs.