♡︎|28

chapter twenty-eight—✧♡︎✧—

Felix licked the last crumbs of cookie off his fingers, leaning against the counter while Hyunjin lounged across from him.

"That was, like, our most successful baking session yet," Felix said proudly.

Hyunjin scoffed. "Successful? My kitchen looks like a war zone."

Felix smirked. "Casualties were made, sacrifices accepted, but we came out victorious with good cookies."

Hyunjin rolled his eyes. "You just like an excuse to make a mess."

Felix beamed. "Correct."

Hyunjin shook his head, fighting a smile. Then, he glanced at the clock on the wall and blinked. "Wait, when did it get so late?"

Felix followed his gaze, eyes widening slightly. "Damn, it's almost ten. I should probably head home before my mum starts thinking I've been kidnapped."

Hyunjin snorted. "She'd probably blame me."

Felix grabbed his hoodie from the couch and slipped it on. "Obviously."

Hyunjin followed him to the front door, watching as Felix tugged on his shoes. It was their usual routine—Hyunjin waiting by the door, Felix stalling by tying and untying his laces before finally stepping outside.

Felix opened the door, ready to leave—

And froze.

Standing right there, in the dim porch light, was Haeri.

Felix barely had time to process the absolute thunderstorm brewing on her face before she locked eyes with him and glared.

"Oh," she spat, arms crossing tightly. "Of course you're here."

Felix blinked, entirely uninterested in whatever this was about to be. "I was just leaving," he said casually, stepping past her before she could get another word in.

Hyunjin, meanwhile, was not prepared for this. "Haeri—"

She stormed inside, slamming the door behind her. "So let me guess," she started, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You totally forgot to text me back because you were too busy clinging to Felix, right?"

Hyunjin frowned, his earlier soft mood immediately shifting. "I told you, we were just hanging out—"

"Oh, just hanging out?" she scoffed. "Like you always are? Like every second of every day?"

Hyunjin clenched his jaw, already feeling his patience slip. "Haeri, you know Felix is my best friend—"

She laughed sharply. "Yeah? Because it really looks like you'd rather be dating him than me."

That one hit Hyunjin in the chest, but before he could even process it, Haeri was already on the attack again.

"You act like I'm crazy, but I'm not," she snapped. "I see the way you look at him. How you always run to him first. How you drop everything for him. It's like I don't even matter to you—"

"That's not true," Hyunjin shot back, frustrated. "You do matter to me—"

"Not like he does," she cut in, voice sharp.

Hyunjin opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

Haeri exhaled harshly. "I can't compete with him. I shouldn't have to."

Silence stretched between them, heavy and suffocating.

Then, Haeri scoffed bitterly. "Whatever. Have fun with your precious Felix. I hope he's worth it. We're over."

And then, before Hyunjin could say anything, she turned on her heel and stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

Hyunjin stood there, staring at the door Haeri had just slammed shut.

His heart was racing. His hands were clenched into fists. His mind was flooded with a thousand different thoughts, but none of them made sense.

She was gone. Just like that. Everything they had built—thrown away in minutes.

Because of Felix.

Because she thought he loved Felix.

And the worst part? He didn't even know if she was wrong.

The thought made his stomach twist painfully. He felt sick.

Hyunjin turned sharply and stormed into the kitchen, his body moving on autopilot. He yanked the fridge open, eyes immediately landing on the bottles of soju.

Fuck it.

He grabbed it, twisting the cap off and taking a deep gulp. The alcohol burned down his throat, but he welcomed it. He took another swig. Then another.

Maybe if he drank enough, the thoughts would stop.

Maybe if he got drunk enough, the ache in his chest would go away.

Maybe if he blacked out, he wouldn't have to deal with the fact that Haeri wasn't his girlfriend anymore. That he was single.

That she had left because he couldn't stop thinking about Felix.

Hyunjin downed the entire bottle in record time, barely stopping to breathe. His head was already starting to feel fuzzy, but he didn't care. He needed to go. Sitting in this house, alone with his thoughts, wasn't an option.

Before he could think twice, he grabbed his phone and stumbled toward the door, slipping on his shoes messily.

Felix. He needed to be with Felix.

His feet carried him across the street faster than his brain could process. By the time he was knocking on Felix's door, the alcohol was really kicking in.

Felix opened the door, eyebrows raising immediately. "Damn, that was fast—" He cut himself off as he really looked at Hyunjin. "Are you—why do you look like that?"

Hyunjin blinked. "Like what?" His words were already slightly slurred.

Felix's eyes narrowed. "Are you drunk?"

"No."

Felix crossed his arms. "Hyunjin."

Hyunjin sighed dramatically and leaned against the doorframe, grinning lazily. "Okay. Maybe."

Felix groaned, rubbing his temples. "Oh my god. You reek of soju. What the hell—"

"Can I come in?" Hyunjin interrupted, completely ignoring Felix's concern. He didn't want to talk about anything. He just wanted to be here.

Felix hesitated but eventually sighed, stepping aside. "Fine. But if you puke, I'm kicking you out."

Hyunjin giggled. "You wouldn't."

Felix rolled his eyes and shut the door behind him. "Try me."

For a while, Hyunjin acted completely normal—well, as normal as drunk Hyunjin could be. He flopped onto Felix's bed, made himself comfortable, and started rambling about the stupidest things, as if nothing had happened.

Felix, though skeptical, just let him talk. Maybe Hyunjin had a rough day and just needed to let loose. Maybe it wasn't that deep.

But then, after about fifteen minutes, the soju really kicked in.

And that's when things got weird.