Darling, Sweetheart.

Chapter 5: Confrontation

The campus settled into a hushed twilight after the exhilarating football match. Students dispersed, leaving pockets of quiet and solitude as evening approached. In one secluded corner of the campus, Felix lingered near the cheerleading practice area, gathering his belongings and exchanging final words with Jisung and the rest of the squad.

Unbeknownst to Felix, the rival football team's captain had been watching from a distance, his ego bruised and determination steeled after their earlier encounter. With a calculated swagger, he approached Felix under the guise of offering congratulations.

"Hey there, cheerleader," the rival captain drawled, his voice carrying an unsettling edge as he blocked Felix's path. "Impressive moves out there today. Shame you're wasting all that talent on the sidelines."

Felix eyed him warily, sensing the shift in the captain's demeanor. "Thanks," he replied cautiously, inching to the side to create space between them. "If that's all, I've got to go."

The rival captain's smirk widened into a predatory grin, his posture growing more imposing. "Come on, sweetheart," he cajoled, reaching out to grab Felix's arm with a grip that was far from friendly. "Don't be so quick to leave. We both know you enjoyed the attention earlier. Why not give us a chance?"

Alarm bells rang in Felix's mind as he attempted to pull away, his heart racing with a mix of fear and anger. "Let go of me," he demanded, his voice shaking slightly despite his efforts to sound defiant.

Before the situation could escalate further, a commanding voice cut through the tense atmosphere like a knife. "Let him go."

Both Felix and the rival captain turned to see Hyunjin striding towards them with purpose, his expression dark and dangerous. His hands were clenched into fists at his sides, his eyes blazing with a protective fire that sent a chill down the rival captain's spine.

The rival captain released Felix's arm with a scoff, his bravado faltering in the face of Hyunjin's silent threat. "Mind your own business, quarterback," he retorted, attempting to save face as he backed away slowly. "This doesn't concern you."

Hyunjin's voice was cold and lethal. "Everything concerning Felix concerns me," he stated firmly, his gaze never leaving the rival captain's retreating form. "If I ever see you near him again, you'll regret it."

With that ominous warning hanging in the air, the rival captain hurried off, leaving Felix and Hyunjin alone in the gathering dusk. Felix's hands trembled slightly as he turned to face Hyunjin, his eyes wide with a mixture of relief and lingering fear.

"Hyunjin," Felix began, his voice trembling with unspoken emotions. "I... I didn't know what to do. He wouldn't let go..."

Hyunjin closed the distance between them in two quick strides, enveloping Felix in a protective embrace. "Shh," he murmured soothingly, his arms a comforting anchor around Felix's trembling form. "You're safe now. I've got you."

Felix buried his face in Hyunjin's chest, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he clung to Hyunjin like a lifeline. In that moment, all pretenses and barriers fell away, leaving only the raw truth of their shared connection-a connection forged through adversity and the unyielding promise of protection.

As they stood together in the fading light, their hearts beating in sync with the quiet cadence of the evening, Felix knew that Hyunjin was more than just the campus heartthrob and star quarterback. He was a guardian, a protector-a man who would go to any lengths to keep Felix safe.

And Hyunjin, for his part, vowed silently to protect Felix from any threat, whether it be from rival captains or the shadows of his own complicated world.