Idol [Lee Felix of Stray Kids]

53. Real Life

"AiDi!" Hyunjin called out suddenly, his voice laden with urgency.

AiDi didn't look back. Instead, he took a hesitant step forward, clearly attempting to distance himself even further.

"Can we... can we talk?" Hyunjin asked, stepping closer, but that only seemed to deepen AiDi's resolve to avoid him.

"No, we can't," AiDi answered bitterly, his tone cold and clipped. "You had your chance to talk, and you chose to push me away."

"AiDi, please—"

"AiDi?" Hana piped up, her tone protective as she nodded toward Hyunjin. "If you don't want to talk to him right now, that's okay. I'm here for you."

The energy in the room shifted again, now thick with unspoken words and unresolved feelings. Hyunjin felt the weight of AiDi's disappointment cutting through him like a knife. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, desperately trying to think of a way to mend what he felt was already broken.

"I didn't mean to hurt you," Hyunjin finally said, his voice softer now, laden with apologies that hung unspoken. "I just thought I needed—"

"Space? You always want space!" AiDi shot back, his voice trembling with emotion as he took another step backward, creating even more distance. "And yet, when you pull away, it makes me feel like I'm not worth holding onto! What are you so afraid of?"

"AiDi, it's not about you. It's about me and what I'm feeling," Hyunjin said, frustration lacing his words. The situation he created felt monumental and utterly confusing. "You don't understand what it's like to be me right now."

"Then explain it! Tell me what's going on with you!" AiDi's eyes blazed with hurt, reflecting the conflicting emotions growing inside him. He wanted to understand, to reach out, but his heart felt raw from what had just transpired.

"I can't..." Hyunjin admitted quietly, running a hand through his hair as he tried to collect his thoughts. "I just need a little time to figure it all out."

"A little time?" AiDi scoffed, unable to keep the bitterness from his voice. "You have no idea how much you're hurting me right now. You don't get to treat me like I'm just someone you can put on hold."

"No! I'm not doing that! Just... if you could give me a chance to breathe?" The raw vulnerability in Hyunjin's voice pulled at AiDi, but he felt too hurt to respond.

"Breathe?" AiDi echoed, his eyes narrowing in disbelief. "You're asking me to ignore what just happened? To forget about the fact that you kissed me? You've hurt me enough, Hyunjin!"

Hana watched, helplessly torn between her brother and the feelings brewing between the two young men. Charlie stirred in her stroller, oblivious to the tension, which amplified Hana's desire to protect AiDi. "Let's just take a step back for a moment—"

"No!" AiDi interjected, his frustration bubbling over. "He wants space? Fine! I'll give him space. He doesn't get to treat me like this and expect me to just stand here and accept it!"

"I never meant to make you feel worthless!" Hyunjin's voice cracked, and the pain he was feeling rushed forward like an avalanche. "You mean so much to me!"

"But you're pushing me away," AiDi whispered, his voice breaking. He turned back to Hana, who wrapped her arms around him, offering him the solace he craved. "I can't do this anymore."

"I'm sorry if I'm confused," Hyunjin admitted, stepping forward once more, desperation evident in his eyes. "I don't want to lose you. Just don't walk away from me like this."

AiDi met his gaze, the hurt in his eyes unmistakable. "But you asked for space, Hyunjin. And I'll give it to you. Maybe it's what you need."

With that, AiDi turned away, leaving Hyunjin standing rooted to the spot, a wave of guilt crashing down around him like corrosive acid. Time felt warped; the echoes of the crowd faded into an unbearable silence as he watched AiDi walk away.