Toy Boy | Chanlix

Shadow of reality

The afternoon sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the campus as students began to trickle out of the school. Chan's mind was still reeling from the events of lunch, Felix's cold warning playing on repeat in his head. He knew he couldn't afford to get distracted—he had a project to work on, and Felix was counting on him. But the weight of that unknown message gnawed at him, leaving a pit in his stomach.

With a deep breath, Chan pushed the thoughts aside and made his way to the library. The massive wooden doors creaked open, and he stepped into the cool, quiet space. Rows of bookshelves lined the walls, and the faint scent of old paper hung in the air. The library was mostly empty, save for a few scattered students hunched over their work.

As he walked through the aisles, Chan spotted Felix sitting at a table near the back, his head bent over a stack of notes. The sight was somewhat surprising—Felix looked so focused, so absorbed in his work. It was a stark contrast to the aloof, untouchable image he projected around others.

Chan approached the table cautiously, unsure how Felix would react to him now that they were alone.

"Hey," Chan greeted, trying to sound casual as he slid into the seat across from Felix.

Felix glanced up, his expression neutral, but there was no trace of the tension that had been there earlier. "Hey. Ready to get started?"

"Yeah, let's do this," Chan replied, pulling out his notebook and laptop.

For a while, they worked in silence, the only sounds being the clicking of keyboards and the rustling of paper. Chan found himself glancing at Felix occasionally, still trying to piece together the puzzle of who Felix really was. He had expected this meeting to be awkward, but instead, it was... peaceful, in a way. Felix seemed calm, almost at ease, as if the project provided a welcome distraction from whatever else was going on in his life.

After nearly an hour of work, Chan decided to break the silence. "You're really good at this," he said, genuinely impressed by how organized and thorough Felix's notes were.

Felix looked up, a hint of surprise in his eyes. "Thanks. I try to stay on top of things."

"I didn't expect you to be so... meticulous," Chan admitted, hoping his words didn't come off as insulting.

Felix chuckled softly, a sound that was more genuine than Chan had ever heard from him before. "People usually don't. But just because I don't show it doesn't mean I don't care about my work."

"Yeah, I get that," Chan said, nodding. "I think people sometimes assume things about us just because of how we act on the outside."

Felix's gaze flicked to Chan's, his eyes searching for something. "Like what?"

"Like..." Chan hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "Like how you come off as distant, but you're actually really hardworking. Or how some people think I'm just this carefree guy because I smile a lot, but there's more to it."

Felix seemed to consider this for a moment before nodding slightly. "It's easier to keep people at a distance. Makes it harder for them to hurt you."

Chan heard the unspoken weight behind Felix's words, and he wondered just how much Felix had been through to make him so guarded. He wanted to ask, to dig deeper, but something told him that now wasn't the time.

Instead, he decided to keep things light. "Well, it's a good thing we're paired up for this project. I'm pretty sure I'd be lost without your notes."

Felix smirked, a glint of humor in his eyes. "You're not that bad, Chan. Besides, you've got the ideas. I'm just organizing them."