SKZ x ATZ Oneshots

Hyunlix - Robber

Overview:

✎ Storyline: The saddest goodbyes are the ones that are never expressed.

✎ TW: Mention of depression

✎ Words: 3325

✎ Author: Rony

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Pov. Felix Yongbok Lee

It was just before closing time when I was wandering between the shelves in a bookstore, looking for a touch of inspiration for my interdisciplinary thesis.

Why was I even bothering instead of letting an KI do the work for me? Perhaps because something inside me was resisting taking the easy route, probably my conscience.

Suddenly, my eyes fell on a book that stood out from the other works and inevitably drew me into its familiar nostalgic spell:

"I want to die, but I want to eat tteokbokki".

It was as if the book had been waiting for me to discover it.

This piece of literature was a Korean best-seller and told the story of Baek Sehee, who visits a psychiatrist because of her depression. During the consultations, she learns to recognize and change her negative behavior patterns. The book is a mixture of memoir and self-help and offers comfort in difficult times.

I picked up the book carefully before I was flooded with memories of someone who had once been part of my life - my ex-boyfriend Hwang Hyunjin. Well, we had never officially broken up. But the fact that he had slipped out of my life without a word of goodbye left a bitter aftertaste that still haunted me.

A little overwhelmed, I exhaled and put the book back down. It suddenly felt so heavy, the thought of him wasn't easy. Just yesterday I turned around in a crowd of people because I thought I heard his voice. But it was just faded, and I'm afraid I'm starting to forget what his voice sounded like.

Sighing, I shook my head and wanted to make my way to the exit. My thoughts were caught between the lines of this book and the memories of Hyunjin when suddenly a figure caught my attention.

"Is that...?" I whispered, and my heart began to beat wildly. A mixture of confusion, longing, and a hint of fear gripped me.

Was this possible? Was he really standing here, just a few meters away from me?

"Hyunjin?" came quietly from my mouth. Just saying his name was terribly strange and so unreal. I was crazy, it was probably the side effects of all the studying.

But I kinda was sure it was Hyunjin when I looked at this person. Even behind the black medical mask and the loose dark grey hoodie with baggy jeans, I recognized him immediately.

It was the way he stood, a mixture of confidence and slight hesitation. And then his eyes. I recognized them from anywhere, especially with that little black mole. And of course, I couldn't miss that one finger that was slightly splayed because he had broken it once. That could only be Hyunjin.

Devastated, I watched as he picked up a book and carefully looked around.

Was he here for a visit? How long had he been back? How long would he stay?

Questions upon questions, but they quickly became secondary when I saw Hyunjin suddenly put the book in his backpack and slowly turn around. As if it was the most normal thing in the world.

Wait a minute, was Hyunjin stealing? Why did he do that?

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw an older man, probably the cashier, walking towards Hyunjin. "HEY, YOU!" he shouted, causing Hyunjin to look up, startled. Before I knew it, he had grabbed him by the wrist.