Forever in our mind || Hyunlix

A Flicker of light

The fluorescent lights overhead buzzed faintly as Felix sat slumped in the hospital chair, exhaustion radiating from every part of him. He hadn't slept properly in days, afraid that if he closed his eyes, Hyunjin would slip further away. He couldn't bear that—not when Hyunjin was right there, yet unreachable, like a distant star.

Felix held Hyunjin's hand as if it were a lifeline, tracing absent patterns across his cool skin. The doctors said progress, if it came at all, would be slow—weeks, months, years. Felix had prepared himself for the worst: that Hyunjin might never come back to him in the way he hoped.

Hyunjin's soft, uneven breaths filled the room, and Felix leaned in closer, as he always did, whispering stories from their past. "Remember when we went to the beach that one summer? You said the water was too cold, but you still ran in just to chase the seagulls."

He smiled weakly at the memory, even though Hyunjin's expression remained blank. This was what it meant to hold on to love—even when love felt one-sided, when it seemed like the person you knew was gone.

Just as Felix was about to speak again, Hyunjin's fingers twitched—so subtle Felix almost thought he'd imagined it. His breath caught in his throat, and he squeezed Hyunjin's hand gently.

"Hyunjin?" he whispered, heart hammering in his chest. "Can you hear me?"

Hyunjin's eyelids fluttered weakly, his brow furrowing. It wasn't the first time he'd stirred, but something about this moment felt different—like a spark trying to catch flame.

Then, in a voice so hoarse and faint it was barely there, Hyunjin whispered, "The stars..."

Felix's heart stopped. His eyes widened as he leaned in closer. "What?"

"The stars... you said..." Hyunjin's words came out slow, slurred, like he was dragging them from some distant, broken corner of his mind. His eyelids flickered open, glassy and confused, but somewhere beneath the haze, Felix saw something real.

"You said... they were pretty," Hyunjin whispered. His lips trembled as though the effort to remember was overwhelming.

Felix's throat tightened painfully, emotions surging like a tidal wave. He remembered. Not everything, not fully—but this tiny fragment, this sliver of their shared past, was enough to fill Felix's heart with hope.

"Yes," Felix whispered, his voice cracking. "I said they were pretty, but not as pretty as you."

A ghost of a smile—so faint it was almost imperceptible—tugged at the corner of Hyunjin's mouth. His eyes glazed over again, exhaustion pulling him back under, but that fleeting moment was all Felix needed.

"Hyunjin," Felix whispered, tears streaming freely down his face now. "You're still in there. I know you are."

Hyunjin's eyelids drooped, and his body relaxed once more. But something was different this time—that tiny flicker of recognition had shifted the weight in Felix's chest, just slightly.

Felix kissed the back of Hyunjin's hand, his heart lighter than it had been in days. "I'll keep reminding you. I'll tell you everything, every little memory."

He stroked Hyunjin's hair, his voice soft but filled with quiet determination. "We'll find the pieces, Hyun. Even if we have to pick them up one by one. We'll get you back."

And for the first time in what felt like forever, Felix believed it.