♡︎|32

chapter thirty-two—✧♡︎✧—

The dreaded day had arrived.

Valentine's Day.

The halls of the school were absolutely infested with couples. Every corner Hyunjin turned, there was some sickeningly sweet display of affection—people holding hands, passing heart-shaped chocolates, writing love notes, and making the grossest googly eyes at each other.

It was hell.

And the worst part?

It was his first Valentine's Day single in two years.

Hyunjin groaned as he reached his locker, slamming his forehead against it dramatically.

"Wow," came a too familiar voice beside him. "You look like you just got hit by a truck."

Hyunjin didn't even lift his head. "I wish I got hit by a truck."

Felix snorted. "Why? What's wrong?"

Hyunjin turned to look at him, only to immediately regret it.

Because Felix was standing there, glowing.

He had a pastel pink sweater on, oversized sleeves covering his hands, with a tiny embroidered heart near the collar. His purple hair, which Hyunjin had dyed for him himself, practically shimmered under the hallway lights. His freckles dusted across his cheeks, and his lips were slightly pink, probably from the cherry-flavored lip balm he always used.

He looked like a literal Valentine's Day card.

Hyunjin stared at him.

Felix tilted his head. "What?"

"Nothing," Hyunjin muttered, shaking himself out of whatever that was.

Felix leaned against the lockers, munching on a heart-shaped lollipop. "Sooo... what are we doing tonight?"

Hyunjin blinked. "What?"

Felix rolled his eyes. "It's Valentine's Day, idiot. You're single. I'm single. We should do something fun."

Hyunjin frowned. "But... don't you have that singles' party with Jisung and Seungmin?"

Felix made a face. "Yeah, but I don't really feel like going anymore."

"Why not?"

Felix shrugged. "Dunno. Just doesn't seem fun."

Hyunjin hesitated. "...So you wanna hang out? With me?"

Felix smiled, nudging Hyunjin's arm playfully. "Of course. Who else would I spend Valentine's Day with?"

Hyunjin definitely didn't blush at that.

Definitely not.

Felix grinned. "Come on, we should skip class."

Hyunjin choked. "What?!"

Felix shrugged, biting down on his lollipop. "It's Valentine's Day. A holiday. And it's not like we'll be able to concentrate anyway, with all these couples making out in the hallways."

Hyunjin narrowed his eyes. "You just wanna leave school early."

Felix smirked. "Duh."

Hyunjin sighed.

And then, before he could even process what he was doing, he grabbed Felix's wrist and started walking toward the exit.

Felix gasped. "Oh my God, are we actually doing this?!"

Hyunjin grinned. "Let's get the hell out of here."

—

The February air was crisp, but the sun was out, making the chill a little more bearable as Hyunjin and Felix wandered aimlessly through town.

The streets were filled with Valentine's Day decorations—red and pink banners, heart-shaped balloons tied to lampposts, flower shops displaying extravagant rose bouquets. Couples walked hand in hand, sharing lattes, taking cute pictures together.

Hyunjin did his best to ignore all of it.

Felix, on the other hand, was completely unfazed, happily munching on a pack of strawberry Pocky he'd picked up from a convenience store. He didn't seem to have a single care in the world.

"Where are we even going?" Hyunjin asked as they strolled past a coffee shop, stuffing his hands into his coat pockets.

Felix shrugged, grinning. "Dunno. But isn't that the fun part?"

Hyunjin rolled his eyes. "You dragged me out of school with no plan?"

"Hey, you're the one who grabbed my wrist," Felix teased, wiggling his eyebrows.

Hyunjin groaned. "Shut up."

They walked for a while longer, talking about everything and nothing. The streets started getting quieter as they moved toward the outskirts of town, away from all the Valentine's Day chaos.

Felix suddenly gasped. "Oh my God!"

Hyunjin jumped. "What? What happened?"

Felix pointed dramatically.

Hyunjin followed his gaze and blinked.

A playground.

An empty playground, sitting in the middle of a small park, the slides and swings glistening under the winter sun.

Felix turned to him, eyes wide with excitement. "Hyune. We have to go."

Hyunjin furrowed his brows. "Are you five?"

Felix didn't answer. Instead, he grabbed Hyunjin's sleeve and ran.

"Felix—Felix, what the hell?!"

But Felix was already dragging him across the grass, practically bouncing with excitement.

The second they reached the playground, Felix immediately bolted toward the swings.

Hyunjin scoffed, trudging after him.

Felix ignored him, plopping himself onto one of the swings. "Push me."

Hyunjin gave him a look. "Excuse me?"

Felix kicked his legs. "Push me! C'mon, you owe me for skipping class with me."

Hyunjin rolled his eyes and gave him a gentle push.

Felix swung forward with a happy sigh, tilting his head back as the wind rushed through his hair. "I love swings."

Hyunjin smirked, pushing harder. "You're acting like a child."

Felix only giggled again, kicking his legs to go even higher.

Hyunjin's heart did something weird.

He quickly ignored it.

After a few minutes, Felix finally let his swing slow down, dragging his feet against the ground to stop himself. Then, out of nowhere, he turned to Hyunjin with a mischievous grin.

"Bet I can beat you on the monkey bars."

Hyunjin scoffed. "You? With those tiny arms?"

Felix gasped, offended. "My arms are strong, okay? Have you seen my biceps?"

Hyunjin snorted. "What biceps?"

Felix shoved him playfully before running off. "Meet me at the bars, coward!"

Hyunjin just sighed, shaking his head. "This is so dumb."

But when Felix turned to him with that bright, radiant smile—Hyunjin still followed.