Zephyr | Lee Felix

Chapter 14

TUESDAY, WEEK 5

Hyunjin sits at his desk, emptily staring at the papers for what feels like the hundredth time that night, the feeling of frustration and stress building inside him.

Despite the hours he has already spent working on the assignment, he hasn't made any real progress.

Art block's the worst. Hyunjin leans back in his chair, running a hand through his dishevelled hair. The clock on the wall ticks loudly in the quiet room, each passing second adding to his anxiety.

He closes his eyes, taking a deep breath to clear his mind and find inspiration. But all he can feel is the piling pressure to finish the assignment.

Hyunjin stands up from his chair, letting out a frustrated sigh. This isn't working. Maybe it's time for a break. He glances at the clock on the wall, noticing it's already late. The constant ticking of the clock only adds to his stress and anxiety. Looking back at the mess of blueprints and sketches on his desk, he decides that a change of scenery might do him some good.

The male grabs his jacket and keys from the table, quickly slips on his sandals, and heads towards the door. He locks his studio apartment unit behind him, then walks down the hallway to the elevator down the hall.

The moment he heads outside of his building, the cool breeze immediately hits his face, sending a shiver throughout his body despite already having a jacket wrapped around him. Though, the cool night air is refreshing after being cooped up in his studio apartment, and it helps to clear his mind a bit.

As he approaches the bright lights of the convenience store, he can make out the faint sound of the heater and the soft whir of the refrigeration unit inside. Hyunjin walks towards the tea section, scanning the rows of tea boxes.

"Chamomile... chamomile..." He mutters to himself quietly, his gaze darting from one box to another. Each box is unique in its way, with colourful labels and intriguing descriptions, but he's not quite satisfied with any of them.

Ah. Here it is. Hyunjin's face lights up as he spots the box of chamomile tea he's been searching for. His hand reaches out to grab that one last box, but just as he does so, another hand appears from the side and grabs it first. Startled, Hyunjin glances over to see his new neighbour standing beside him, holding the same box of tea.

"Oh? Hyunjin." Eugene's voice calls out, her calming smile plastered on her lips as usual, "Are you aiming for this box as well?"

Hyunjin, a little caught off guard, looks at her standing next to him. He's surprised to see her, but at the same time, realizes that they're bound to meet at some point since they live in the same apartment complex.

She's wearing a casual hoodie layered over a flowing dress, an effortless combination that somehow manages to look both comfy and stylish. The soft light in the convenience store casts a gentle glow on her features, highlighting her warm smile.

He glances at her, taking in her casual, comfortable appearance in her hoodie layered over her flowing dress, looking effortlessly comfortable yet stylish, which is so contrast to his dishevelled, stressed state.

"No, no, it's fine." He replies, trying to distract himself from staring. It feels weird—so weird since he barely does this to girls.

"Hm? Are you sure?" She asks, her face showing a tiny bit of scepticism. "I saw you reaching for this box..."

"I... uh." Hyunjin looks away awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, I was considering it. But you can have it."

He glances at her again, taking in her casual yet stylish appearance. There's something effortless and comfortable about her style that he finds appealing.