perfect actors|| hyunlix ❀

Chapter 22

felix's pov:

we kept socializing with others. we talked a lot more than I expected. RaOn and we turned into us, RaOn, and JiYul because we had more things in common than I thought.

After a while though, we went our own ways. Hyunjin was off to another corner after hugging me goodbye to which the other coupled awed.

a while later

The atmosphere was warm and relaxed, the kind of energy that made you want to linger in the moment. After the last game, everyone was spread out, chatting and laughing, the competitive tension long gone. I floated between conversations easily, sharing a laugh with Wonyoung and Jinah over some joke and then moving to talk to Minjun about his upcoming business venture.

It felt nice. Comfortable. Like I belonged here, even though this wasn't my usual crowd. I caught a glimpse of Hyunjin across the room, standing next to Raejin and Onji. His laugh carried over the hum of voices, soft but distinct, and something about the sight made my chest feel a little strange like it was filling with too much air.

"Hey, Felix," Wonyoung called, pulling me back to the present. "We're thinking of starting a small get-together outside the games. You in?"

"Depends," I said, grinning. "Will there be food?"

"Obviously," Jinah added with a laugh.

I nodded. "Count me in, then."

Before we could even think about it, Yuri clapped her hands and gathered everyone to the center of the room. "Alright, everyone, it's time for the final game of the day: 'Who Knows Better?' Simple rules—you answer questions about your partner. Wrong answers have consequences."

The group broke into cheers and teasing as we all settled into our places. Hyunjin found his way over to me, his smile soft as he sat beside me.

"You ready for this?" he asked, his tone light.

"I don't know," I replied, half-smiling back. "Are you?"

He tilted his head, thinking. "I think I'll surprise you."

His words were simple, but the way he said them, with that quiet confidence, left me feeling...off-kilter. Not bad, exactly. Just unsettled in a way I couldn't quite place.

The game began, and the questions started easily enough: favorite color, favorite dish, most annoying habit. We got a few right, trading small glances whenever one of us guessed correctly, but we definitely missed some.

When Yuri asked, "What's Hyunjin's favorite childhood movie?" I blurted, "The Lion King!"

Hyunjin turned to me with an amused look. "Toy Story, Felix. How do you not know this?"

I shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "At least it's Disney-related."

When it was his turn to guess one of mine, he hesitated on the question about my favorite nighttime routine.

"You leave the lights on?" he guessed.

"Not just lights," I corrected, raising an eyebrow. "A nightlight. How do you not know this?"

He laughed softly, the sound settling in my chest. "I'll try harder next time."

Eventually, the game ended. We didn't win, but we also didn't lose, and that felt like a victory in itself. Yuri dismissed us with a cheerful reminder to rest up for tomorrow.

Back in our room, the mood was quieter but just as easy. I settled at the desk by the window, pulling out my sketchpad. Designing always helped me focus—it kept my hands busy and my mind from wandering too far. Hyunjin was on the couch, his laptop balanced on his legs as he typed something.

The only sounds were the scratch of my pencil and the soft tapping of keys.

"You're really good at that," Hyunjin said suddenly, his voice cutting through the stillness.

I glanced up, startled. "At what?"

"Designing," he said, his eyes still on his screen. "You always look so focused when you're working. It's impressive."

The comment was so casual, but it left me momentarily speechless. "Thanks," I managed after a pause, my chest doing that weird thing again.

The quiet stretched on after that, but it wasn't uncomfortable. If anything, it felt...nice. I found myself stealing glances at him—at the way his brows furrowed in concentration, the way he bit his lip when he was thinking. It was distracting in a way that made my sketches come slower.

"Hungry?" Hyunjin asked after a while, stretching his arms over his head.

"Yeah," I said, setting my pencil down. "I could eat."

"Let's go out," he said, standing and grabbing his coat.

I blinked at him. "Out? Like, now?"

He nodded, pulling his arms through the sleeves. "Yeah. It's not that late."

It wasn't, but the suggestion caught me off guard. Spending time with him outside of all this—the games, the cameras, the expectations—felt strange. Good, maybe.

"Alright," I said, grabbing my jacket.

The city at night was a different world. Lights flickered to life, and the streets buzzed with energy. We wandered through a market first, stopping at a food stand to grab skewers of something spicy.

"You're gonna love this," Hyunjin said as he handed me one.

He was right. The flavors exploded on my tongue, and I found myself nodding in approval.

"Not bad," I said.

"Not bad?" He raised an eyebrow. "It's amazing."

I laughed, and the sound surprised even me.

We moved from stall to stall, occasionally stopping to browse or chat with a vendor. At one point, we found a small boutique filled with hats and scarves.

"Try this one," Hyunjin said, holding up a wide-brimmed hat.

"No way," I said, but he was already placing it on my head.

He stepped back, smiling. "Looks good."

"You're ridiculous," I said, but I couldn't help the grin that spread across my face.

We ended up at a fountain in a nearby park, sitting on the edge as the cool air wrapped around us. The city lights reflected in the water, casting soft patterns that seemed to shimmer with the stars above.

Hyunjin leaned back, his gaze fixed on the sky. "It's nice, isn't it?"

I looked at him, the soft glow of the lights highlighting his profile. "Yeah. It is."

The silence between us wasn't heavy—it was full of something unspoken, something I couldn't name.

"Ready to head back?" he asked after a while.

I nodded, standing and brushing off my pants. As we walked back to the hotel, side by side, I couldn't help but wonder if I was starting to understand him a little better—or maybe, just starting to see him differently.