ᖴ.ᖇ.I.ᗴ.ᑎ.ᗪ.Տ ? || 𝑙𝑒𝑒 𝑓𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑥 𝑓𝑓

Season 2 Part 1 (Maybe Not)

Later, one sunny afternoon, Rachel and Felix met up at their usual spot in the park near her house.

Rachel outfit

Felix outfit

Rachel adjusted her ponytail nervously, glancing at Felix, who was looking out at the trees, sitting on the bench with Rachel. She had been thinking a lot about their recent conversation and knew she needed to clear the air once more.

"Felix," she began softly, breaking the silence.

He turned to her, his warm smile putting her at ease. "Yeah?"

She hesitated for a moment but then gathered her courage. "I've been thinking about you know... everything we talked about the other night."

Felix's smile faltered slightly, his heart racing as he waited for her to continue.

"I don't want things to change too quickly," Rachel admitted, her voice steady but kind. "I still value our friendship so much, and I don't want to lose what we have. Do you think... we could just stay best friends for a while? Until we figure things out? I don wanna make things... a-akward.."

Felix stared at her, processing her words. A part of him was disappointed-he had hoped they could explore what was growing between them. But he also understood her reasoning. Rachel's friendship meant the world to him too, and the last thing he wanted was to pressure her.

"Y-yeah sure," he said after a moment, his voice quiet but sincere. "I get it. Best friends it is."

Rachel studied his face, noticing the slight hesitation in his response. "Are you s-sure? I don't want you to feel like I'm pushing you away... im not rejecting you... i just need to think."

Felix shook his head quickly. "No, Rachy, it's not that. I just... I guess I'm scared things might feel weird between us. But if this is what you need, then I'm okay with it."

Rachel smiled, relief washing over her. "Thank you, Felix. I just think we need to take our time. I don't want to lose you."

"You won't lose me," Felix promised, his voice firm. "No matter what."

They sat in silence for a few moments, the sound of birds chirping in the distance filling the space between them. Rachel felt a weight lift off her shoulders, and when she glanced at Felix, she could see the faint hint of his usual playfulness returning.

"So," Felix said, breaking the tension, "does this mean I still get to make fun of you for being terrible at Genshin Impact?"

Rachel gasped, shoving his arm playfully. "Excuse me? You're the one who's terrible at it! I'm just too nice to say it."

Felix laughed, the sound making Rachel's heart feel lighter. "Sure, sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night."

The teasing continued, and soon they were back to their usual dynamic, the awkwardness melting away. Rachel felt grateful that Felix was willing to give her the space she needed. Deep down, she knew that their friendship was strong enough to weather anything.

---

Over the next few weeks, Rachel and Felix settled back into their normal routine. They hung out with their group of friends, attended classes together, and spent hours talking about everything and nothing. But there was a subtle shift in how Felix looked at her, a softness in his gaze that Rachel couldn't quite ignore.

One day, while studying in the university library, Jennie and Rosé cornered Rachel.

"Okay, spill," Jennie said, pulling out a chair beside her. "What's going on with you and Felix?"

Rachel blinked, startled. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, don't play dumb," Rosé said, sitting across from her with a smirk. "We can tell something's different."

Rachel sighed, closing her textbook. "We talked about everything, and we decided to stay best friends. At least for now happy ?."

Jennie raised an eyebrow. "For now?"

"y-yeah i mean..I just... I'm not ready to think of us as anything more," Rachel admitted. "Felix agreed, but I can tell he's still... I don't know, holding back."

Rosé reached across the table, giving Rachel's hand a reassuring squeeze. "You're figuring it out in your own time, and that's okay. Felix is a patient guy. He cares about you."

"i know," Rachel said softly. "And I care about him too. I just don't want to rush into something and risk ruining everything."

Jennie leaned back in her chair, studying Rachel. "Well, if anyone can make it work, it's you two. Just promise us one thing."

"What's that?" Rachel asked.

"Don't overthink it," Jennie said with a grin. "Sometimes, the best things happen when you least expect them."

Rachel smiled, feeling comforted by her friends' support.

---

Meanwhile, Felix tried his best to respect Rachel's wishes. He focused on their friendship, burying his feelings deep down and throwing himself into his studies and hangouts with his guy friends. But no matter how much he tried, he couldn't stop his heart from skipping a beat whenever Rachel smiled at him or said his name.

One evening, as Felix walked home after a group project meeting, Chris, one of his closest friends, fell into step beside him.

"You've been quiet lately," Chris said casually. "Something on your mind?"

Felix hesitated, unsure whether to confide in him. "Nope why ?"

Chris tapped his back softly, " You know you could tell me, anyyything rightt."

But eventually, he sighed and said, "It's Rachel."

Chris raised his eyebrow. "What about her?"

"I told her how I feel," Felix admitted. "But she wants to stay best friends...... for now."

Chris nodded thoughtfully. "And how do you feel about that?"

"I get it," Felix said. "B-but it's hard. I-i can't stop feeling the way I do, n-no matter.. no matter how much I try."

Chris clapped a hand on Felix's shoulder. "Look, man, if Rachel is the one, then it'll work out eventually. Just keep being there for her. Don't force it."

Felix smiled faintly. "Yeah. I guess you're right."

Then Chris immedietly hugged Felix. "Just find the right time bro", whispered Chris.

Felix chuckled. "Sure mate... thnks"

Later, As they walked under the soft glow of the streetlights, Felix couldn't help but wonder what the future held. For now, he was content being Rachel's best friend, even if his heart longed for more.