Felix had always been quiet, more of an observer than a speaker. He preferred listening to the world rather than trying to make sense of it with words. But with Hyunjin, words were never needed.
It started in middle school, back when they were just kids who didn’t yet understand what love was. One afternoon, Felix turned his head in class and caught Hyunjin staring. Not in a way that was weird or uncomfortable—no, there was something soft about it. Hyunjin’s brown eyes held something deeper, something Felix couldn't name at the time.
And then, something strange happened.
For a fleeting second, Felix swore he heard something, though no one had spoken. A whisper, not in his ears but in his heart. "may i love you, pelase?"
His breath hitched, but he didn’t turn away. Instead, he blinked—just once, slow and steady.
And somehow, that felt like saying yes.
From then on, they didn’t need words. During morning assemblies, across crowded hallways, from opposite ends of the cafeteria—they only needed a glance. A second, maybe two, but in those moments, it felt like eternity. They’d perfected the art of speaking in silence, the language of two souls who understood each other without the need for letters or sounds.
A quick flick of Hyunjin’s eyes to the window: bored? want to escape?
Felix’s tiny smirk in response: meet me after class
The slight narrowing of Felix’s gaze when Hyunjin walked in late, out of breath: you overslept again, didn't you?
Hyunjin’s sheepish grin in return: yeah... don't be mad
It was simple. It was effortless. It was everything.
And yet, no one else seemed to notice. Their friends joked about how “eye contact” was overrated, how people exaggerated its importance. But if that were true, then why did Felix feel his heart stutter every time Hyunjin’s eyes met his in a crowded room? Why did one look from Hyunjin give him more comfort than a thousand words ever could?
One evening, years later, as they sat on a rooftop overlooking the city, Felix turned to find Hyunjin already watching him. The setting sun bathed his face in gold, his eyes reflecting the sky like something celestial.
And just like all those years ago, Felix heard it again—unspoken but loud as ever.
"may i love you, please?"
He blinked once.
And Hyunjin smiled.
_
