Deep End | Hyunlix

42

With practiced ease, Felix slipped deeper into the crowd, his senses heightened as he approached the VIP section. His badge wouldn't get him anywhere here, this club was a kingdom ruled by people like Changbin, protected from law enforcement by layers of corruption and power. But Felix had worked long enough in the field to know that money talked.

He approached a bouncer standing near the entrance, slipping a folded hundred into his palm. "VIP section," he said coolly, his voice laced with authority.

The bouncer barely blinked, slipping the money into his pocket before stepping aside. "Go ahead," he grunted, not sparing Felix a second glance.

The air in the VIP area was thick, saturated with the scent of aged whiskey, expensive cigars, and the faintest hint of sweat. The pulsing music seemed distant here, muffled by the thick, velvet walls that separated business deals and whispered threats from the chaotic dance floors. This was a place where deals were made in shadows, where alliances were born and buried in the blink of an eye. Felix could almost taste the danger in the air.

Felix kept his posture relaxed, his movements smooth as he approached the lounge where Hyunjin sat. He could feel Hyunjin's gaze on him long before he reached the table, a steady pressure that seemed to pull at him from across the room. There was something in the way Hyunjin watched him, a subtle recognition, a flicker of surprise. Felix hadn't expected it.

When he finally stood before them, Hyunjin tilted his head slightly, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips as he set his drink down.

"Well," Hyunjin drawled, his voice soft yet deliberate. "Didn't expect to see you here, Felix."

Felix's gut tightened, but he masked the flicker of emotion. Liar, he thought.

"Didn't expect to see you here either," Felix replied, sliding into the empty seat across from Hyunjin, ignoring Changbin for the moment. His voice was calm, but his heart was racing. He could feel the tension hanging between them like an invisible string, pulling tighter the longer he stayed.

Hyunjin smirked, leaning back in his seat, casual but with an edge of challenge in his demeanor. "Really? Because you seem to have found me rather quickly."

Felix's jaw tightened. "I have my ways."

Changbin's eyes widened the moment he recognized Felix. His grip on his drink tightened ever so slightly, but he quickly masked his surprise with a smile, leaning back in his chair. His mind, however, was already racing, wondering what Felix was doing here and why Hyunjin was looking so... unfazed.

"So," Changbin mused, glancing between the two of them, clearly sensing the sudden spike in tension, "who's your friend, Hyunjin?"

Felix shot Hyunjin a cold look, his words coming out deceptively calm. "Yeah, Hyunjin. Why don't you introduce me?"

Hyunjin's fingers drummed against his glass, his expression unreadable for a moment. Felix could almost hear his thoughts shifting, weighing how much to reveal. Finally, Hyunjin's lips curved into a slow, deliberate smile, though there was something sharp about the glint in his eyes.

"This?" Hyunjin said, leaning slightly forward and casting a glance at Felix, his smirk widening. "This is no one important."

Felix's stomach twisted, a sudden flare of heat and anger sparking deep in his chest. No one important?
The words hit him like a slap. Hyunjin had looked him in the eye and dismissed him as if he were nothing. Felix's hands curled into fists beneath the table, but he exhaled slowly, trying to control the heat that rose in his chest.

Alright, Hyunjin. If that's how you want to play it, fine.Felix forced his expression to remain neutral, but his voice was firm when he spoke again. "And you like to pretend you don't care when you do."

A flicker of something crossed Hyunjin's face, too quick for anyone else to notice, but Felix caught it. For just a second, Hyunjin's facade slipped, a crack in his cool, collected demeanor.

I'm getting to him, Felix thought, feeling a flicker of satisfaction deep in his gut.

Changbin exhaled through his nose, clearly unimpressed with the exchange. "Look," he said, his voice sliding from casual to sharp. "Unless you're here for business, I suggest you..."

"I'm here for him," Felix interrupted, his voice cutting through Changbin's words like a knife. It wasn't just a statement, it was a challenge. A declaration.

For a split second, Felix's expression flickered, something raw slipping through before he caught himself and masked it with something colder. But that brief moment didn't escape Changbin. His gaze shifted between Felix and Hyunjin, narrowing in on the undercurrent of something personal, something deeper than just business.

Felix wasn't here for answers about the Snake Eye Clan. He wasn't here to investigate. He was here for Hyunjin.

Hyunjin's lips parted slightly, the first real sign of surprise Felix had seen from him all night. The shock didn't last long, but Felix caught it, he could see it in the way Hyunjin's eyes widened for just a split second, before he regained control, setting his glass down with deliberate care.

"Brave of you," Hyunjin murmured, his voice low, but the amusement had shifted, something darker settling into his gaze. "But I don't recall inviting you."

Felix leaned in, close enough that only Hyunjin could hear him. His voice dropped to a whisper, but it was filled with intent. "That's never stopped me before."

Hyunjin inhaled sharply, and Felix could feel the change, the subtle shift in the air. It was like a crack in the armor, something exposed for just a moment before it was quickly sealed away. The space between them seemed to collapse, everything else fading away until it was just the two of them locked in a tense standoff.

For a brief moment, Hyunjin looked at him, his lips parting, something unspoken in the air between them. Then, just as quickly, he leaned back again, his mask sliding back into place, the smirk returning.

"You should leave," Hyunjin said, his voice low but still carrying an edge of authority.

Felix smiled, tilting his head slightly. "Not until you tell me what the hell you're doing here."

Hyunjin exhaled through his nose, shaking his head slightly, amusement still dancing in his eyes, though it was tinged with something darker now. "And if I don't?"

Felix shrugged. "Then I'll just have to stay."

Hyunjin studied him for a moment, his gaze searching, weighing something beneath the surface. The tension between them was palpable, almost suffocating in its intensity.

Changbin's unease deepened. If Felix was here for information, that was one thing. But if there was something personal between them, something more, then this was dangerous. For all of them.

Hyunjin was many things, but sentimental wasn't one of them. Or at least, he shouldn't be. But here he was, smirking like he had all the power in the world, like Felix's presence was nothing more than an inconvenience. Changbin wasn't so sure.

Hyunjin was playing with fire.

And Felix? Felix looked like he was ready to burn the whole place down just to get answers.

After a long, almost uncomfortable pause, Hyunjin stood. Felix followed suit immediately, his gaze locked onto Hyunjin as he moved.

Hyunjin turned to Changbin. "I'll be back," he said, his tone dismissive but still calm.

Changbin frowned, uncertainty flashing in his eyes for just a moment before he masked it with a curt nod. "Hyunjin..."

Hyunjin's gaze flicked to him, sharp and unwavering. "It's fine."

Felix didn't miss the hesitation in Changbin's expression. He knew the game was changing.

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