𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐈𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐁𝐎𝐘 || 𝐇𝐘𝐔𝐍𝐋𝐈𝐗

Chapter 1

                                                                                                 
Tress -McCafferty
───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰*.:｡✧*.｡:｡*.｡✱ ───

It's been two weeks since my father's funeral. I've barely left my room, locked away in this space where the outside world feels like a distant memory. Facing my friends, or even my own mother, seems impossible. I don't have the strength for it, not when it feels like everything's slipping through my fingers.

But my mother, God, she's been so strong. She's been my anchor in all this, even though I can see the toll it's taking on her. Every day, she brings me food, makes sure I shower, makes sure I'm still here. I don't know how she does it, holding it together when I can barely stand to face another day. I'm grateful, but the guilt gnaws at me.

"Felix, baby," I hear her gentle knock on the door, followed by the creak of it opening slightly. "I brought you some lunch."

"I'm not hungry, but thanks," I say, still curled up in bed, facing the wall. My voice is barely more than a whisper.

There's a pause before she steps in a little further. "You need to eat something, Lixie. It's already four in the afternoon," she says softly, trying to coax me.

"I'm really not hungry, Mom." I finally turn to face her, forcing a smile that I hope reassures her, even though I know she can see right through me.

She gives me a small nod, her face tired but still full of love. "Okay, Lixie. I'll leave it here, just in case." She sets the plate on my desk and lingers for a second longer than usual, her eyes heavy with concern.

"Okay..." I mumble, watching her leave.

As soon as the door clicks shut, the floodgates open. Tears spill out before I can stop them, and I bury my face in my hands. She looks even worse than I do, her hair's greasy, and the bags under her eyes are deeper than ever. And yet, she's still here, still doing everything she can to make sure I'm okay, when I know she's barely holding herself together.

"Come on, Felix. Get it together," I mutter to myself, slapping my palms against my cheeks to stop the tears. I take a shaky breath and get up from the bed, making my way to the desk. I'm not hungry, but I know I need to at least try.

Just as I reach the desk, my phone dings from across the room. I stop, hesitating. There's a part of me that wants to ignore it like I've been doing for days. But I know who it'll be.

With a sigh, I pick it up and unlock it. The notifications flood the screen, most of them from Jisung and Changbin, both asking how I'm holding up, telling me they're here if I need anything. The words blur together, and for a moment, I just stare at them, feeling the weight of everything.

                     The Three Musketeers 🤪
That group chat name never fails to make me cringe now, it's stuck around since middle school, and somehow feels even more awkward with everything going on.

jiji
lixie we heard what happened how are you holding up?

Binnie
yeah lix, how is everything? yk we are here if you need to talk.

Binnie
hey lix we miss u pls respond so we know everything is okay

jiji
yeah lixie if you don't respond we're gonna come to your house 😾

Binnie
We wanna know if you're okay, seriously lix.
 

        Lix
hey guys.