Deep End | Hyunlix

34

Felix clenched his jaw, frustrated with himself. He had come so far in his career by being meticulous, by never letting emotions cloud his judgment. Yet, every time Hyunjin crossed his mind, he felt his resolve waver. Something about that man unnerved him, not in the way suspects or criminals usually did, but in the way that made him question his instincts.

Felix sighed, running a hand through his hair. Hyunjin, the mysterious, magnetic man he had spent the night with, still felt like a mystery. And now, there were pieces of the puzzle that didn't quite fit. Why would someone like him even cross paths with me? He asked himself.

He shook his head, trying to push the doubt aside. But the unease persisted, lingering like a shadow. Hyunjin was so polished, so composed, even when asleep, he had seemed almost otherworldly, his sharp features softened by the glow of morning light. That image, frozen in Felix's mind, only made the guilt dig deeper.
Felix hadn't said goodbye. Hadn't even left a note.

Hyunjin had been fast asleep, his breathing steady, his body relaxed in a way that he couldn't bring himself to disturb. He had stood at the edge of the bed for what felt like forever, watching the rise and fall of the older's chest, debating whether he should stay. But in the end, he didn't.

Felix had grabbed his things in silence, his every step careful not to wake Hyunjin. The moment he crossed the threshold of the room, closing the door quietly behind him, an overwhelming sense of regret had gripped him.

Felix told himself it was the right thing to do. The night they'd shared had been... unexpected. Intense. But it was a distraction, one he couldn't afford, not with the Snake Eye Clan breathing down his neck. Hyunjin deserved better than a fleeting connection with someone who couldn't offer more. And Felix well, he didn't have time to figure out what any of it meant.
But even now, hours later, he couldn't stop thinking about it. About Hyunjin. About how he had left without even giving the man a choice to say goodbye.

The logical part of Felix's brain tried to reason it out. Maybe Hyunjin was just someone passing through his life, a fleeting connection born from a night of chaos and poor judgment. But that same logic, the sharp instincts that had kept him alive in countless dangerous situations told him there was something more. Something he couldn't see yet.

He leaned back in his chair, staring at the blank ceiling of his office. The Snake Eye Clan was his priority. They were the threat he had to neutralize, the puzzle he had to solve. But no matter how hard he tried to shift his focus, Hyunjin's shadow lingered, taunting him.

What if Hyunjin isn't just a distraction? The thought crept in, unwelcome but persistent. What if he's connected to all of this?

Felix exhaled sharply, standing up and pacing the small space of his office. He didn't have time for this. He couldn't afford to let personal thoughts cloud his judgment, not when the mission was on the line.

"Focus," he muttered to himself, his voice low and firm. "You have a job to do. Everything else is secondary."

But as he stood there, alone with his thoughts, the battle in his mind raged on. The rational part of him screamed that it was over, that he should move on. Yet the gnawing curiosity, the unanswered questions, refused to let go.

Felix glanced at his phone on the desk, the screen dark and unassuming. The urge to text Hyunjin tugged at him, a small, reckless temptation he had been resisting all day.

Felix sat back down, glaring at the phone as though it were the source of his turmoil. Don't do it, he told himself. It would only complicate things further, and the last thing he needed was more complications.

Minutes passed, his internal war dragging on until his resolve finally cracked. Against his better judgment, he grabbed the phone and opened the messaging app. His fingers hesitated over the keyboard, his chest tightening as doubt clawed at him.

Finally, he typed out a simple message:

Hey, it's Felix. I just wanted to make sure you're okay. Thanks for... everything.

He stared at the words, debating whether to delete them, but before he could think too much, he hit send.

The message delivered. And then nothing.

Felix leaned back, his phone still in his hand as the minutes ticked by. The silence felt deafening, the empty screen mocking him. He told himself not to care, that it didn't matter whether Hyunjin replied or not.

But as the hours stretched on and his phone remained silent, Felix couldn't help the sinking feeling in his chest. He had reached out, crossed a line he told himself he wouldn't. And now, he was left with nothing but questions, doubts, and a guilt that he couldn't shake.

He put the phone down and pushed himself back into work, but even as he buried himself in files and reports, the absence of Hyunjin's reply lingered. It wasn't just disappointment, though that gnawed at him too, it was the growing certainty that Hyunjin was more than he seemed. And that Felix had left him behind far too quickly.

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892 words