game over | lee felix | ✔

37

We walk over the school grounds, searching for a quiet spot to talk and where hopefully, Jangmi won't be able to find us after escaping from Minho and Changbin, if she even manages to. I've got my mind set on a hidden spot behind the trash containers around the corner of the gym building that's attached to the science building. No one else goes there -which is fully understandable, who would want to spend their lunch break at the school's trash dump?

During the entire walk, our fingers remain intertwined. Not even once does Felix try to free his hand from mine. Not even once does the idea of letting go occur to me. Apparently, we are both content with it so we keep it like that, walking there in silence.

The silence feels weird, unnatural. Unspoken words linger in the air, I can almost hear them. It's just not the right time to voice them out loud yet and the tensed silence only continues.

As we reach the spot, I slide between the two largest containers to reach the empty spot behind them. Felix follows right behind me and with great aversion, I finally let go of his hand. The boy stands there for a bit, looking as awkward and tensed as I'm feeling.

To give himself a way to act, he casually leans against the brick wall of the PE building, looking at me full of expectations, a hint of a skeptical look in his eyes. "So, what did you want to talk about? Your innocence?"

I give the boy an exasperated smile, a tiny little bit done with the attitude he keeps giving me. I get it now, Felix, I really do. Jangmi brainwashed you and stuff but that doesn't give you the right to act like a brat.

"Felix, stop being so salty and just hear me out for once," I scoff, fighting the urge to roll my eyes at him. The warm feeling I had before, when our hands were linked together, disappears rapidly as the reality hits me. Yep, this is definitely still Felix.

"In fact, I have nothing to say yet," I continue, digging my phone out of my pocket. "I have something for you to listen to first because I know I won't have your full attention if I don't bring this to the surface."

"You're not going to like this and I guess you're free to do whatever you want after hearing this."

Without wasting any time, I hit the play button of the recording on my phone, smiling bitterly as the conversation between me and Jangmi sounds from my speakers. This recording can either fix everything or break him even more. I don't know what's it going to be and I don't know what I'm going to do after this.

Maybe what I'm doing is considered brash and stupid. Maybe it'll only do more damage in the end. But this entire game can't drag on any longer. It's been long enough and it needs to stop.

"That's Jangmi," the orange-haired boy comments, frowning slightly.

Must be hard to hear that sneer coming out of your oh-so-sweet girlfriend's mouth.

The recording continues and just listening to it is enough to make my blood boil with anger again. Yet, I don't show it. I solely focus on Felix, who's frown only deepens at the first mention of Soojae's confession.

"We know everything, Jangmi. The video, the money thing, about the screenshots and the lies you told Felix to separate him from Minho and me. We know you don't give two shits about him and I'm not going to let you use my best friend like that," my voice comes out of the speaker and Felix' brown eyes meet mine, widening with every word that he hears.

He suddenly looks scared, his eyes trailing off and focusing on the bricks of the wall behind me. The recording mercilessly continues, spilling the truth to the boy who finally listens. His eyes are filled with uncertainty and anxious anticipation.