Teachers pet | Hyunlix

Chapter 1

Felix stared at his reflection, the soft light from his bedroom window illuminating the small freckle on his left cheek, the one Yeonjun used to trace with his thumb when they were tangled together in bed. His long, blonde hair fell over his shoulders, brushing against the smooth fabric of his school uniform. It had grown out over the summer, now long enough to almost touch the small of his back. Felix had always liked his hair, how it framed his face and softened the sharpness of his jawline. But today, as he stared into the mirror, his reflection felt foreign.

He ran his fingers through his hair, but his eyes kept catching on the details of his own face, searching for something he couldn't quite identify. The same heart-shaped lips, the same doe-brown eyes, framed by lashes so long they almost brushed his cheeks when he blinked. But the Felix staring back at him was different from the one he had been a year ago.

Breaking up with Yeonjun had changed him. He had been so infatuated, so completely taken by Yeonjun's charisma, the way he could command a room, how his smile seemed to light up everything around him. At first, it felt like a dream—Yeonjun, the older boy, confident and charming, had noticed him, out of all the others.

Felix had thought it was love. They had started dating not long after his 16th birthday, and for a while, everything had been perfect. Yeonjun would text him sweet messages in the middle of the night, take him on dates to hidden spots around the city where they could be alone, and whisper things that made Felix's heart race. But over time, the excitement had faded, replaced with a cold indifference that Felix hadn't been prepared for.

By the end, Yeonjun had only wanted him for one thing. Their meetups had become predictable—Yeonjun's flirtatious texts followed by a rushed, physical encounter, leaving Felix feeling used and empty. He had tried to talk to Yeonjun about it, but every time, he was met with the same dismissive response: "Don't be dramatic, Lix. You're overthinking it."

Felix had cried so many nights after those words, curling up in bed, clutching his phone and waiting for a message that never came. Yeonjun had stopped caring about anything other than what he could get from Felix physically, and it hurt more than Felix wanted to admit.

In August, he finally ended things. The decision had been agonizing, like ripping a part of himself away, but he knew he deserved better. Even now, weeks later, the wounds were still raw, and the thought of seeing Yeonjun around school again made his stomach twist in knots.

A soft chime from his phone broke through his thoughts. Felix blinked and grabbed his phone from the dresser. Jisung had texted him: "Dude, get ready. You HAVE to see the new teacher."

Felix frowned, typing back quickly: "What's the big deal? New teachers aren't that interesting."

Jisung replied almost instantly, "Trust me, this one's different. He's... well, you'll see."

Felix's lips twitched into a small smile. Jisung had a flair for exaggeration, but his excitement was contagious. He grabbed his bag, slinging it over his shoulder and heading out the door.

The air was crisp as Felix made his way to school, the early autumn breeze brushing against his skin. He tried to push Yeonjun out of his mind, telling himself today was a fresh start, a chance to move on from all the pain of last year. But the nagging weight in his chest wouldn't leave.

Jisung was waiting for him by the gate, practically bouncing on his heels. "There you are! You ready?"

Felix raised an eyebrow. "For... what, exactly?"

Jisung grinned mischievously. "You'll see."

As they walked through the familiar halls of their school, Felix's mind wandered. He wasn't ready for another year of pretending everything was fine when it wasn't. But at least he had his friends. Jisung had been his rock through the whole breakup, and Minjeong and Jeongin had been there for him too. He wasn't alone, even if it sometimes felt like the loneliness of his breakup with Yeonjun would never fully fade.