Felix didn’t stop smiling for the rest of the day.

He tried to. Really.

There were moments like walking back into the building, sitting down at the long conference table, flipping open his laptop; where he pressed his lips together and forced his expression into something more neutral, something that matched the tone of the room. The feeling kept slipping through.

Every time his phone buzzed, his heart jumped before he could stop it. Even when it wasn’t Hyunjin. Even when it was just another reminder, another email, another expectation waiting for him.

Meetings blurred together the way they always did; voices overlapping, numbers stacking on top of each other, conversations that required his attention but never really earned it. Felix nodded when he was supposed to, spoke when his name was mentioned, smiled at the right moments like he’d been taught. But his mind wasn’t there.

It kept drifting somewhere warmer. Softer. To a bar with dim lighting and quiet laughter. To a voice that didn’t expect anything from him except an answer. To the black orbs that looked at Felix like a person. Like Felix wasn’t just another obligation.

By the time the last meeting ended, Felix felt like he’d been holding his breath all day. He exhaled the second he stepped outside. The air felt different. Lighter somehow, even though nothing had really changed. The building still loomed behind him, tall and suffocating in the way it always was. The building always felt like a zoo; all of the men, the zoo keepers and him the animal waiting for them to give him an action to perform. His phone still buzzed in his pocket. His schedule for tomorrow was already full. But now there was something to look forward to.

Something that belonged only to him. Something only he knew about and that thought alone gave him goosebumps all over his body.

Felix pulled his phone out again, opening his messages with Hyunjin. The conversation was still there, unchanged. He kept looking at it thinking that if he blinked it would disappear and it would have all been in his head. But as he reread the words on the screen it became that more permanent in his brain. For once he didn’t have a meeting or a performance for his father. This felt different.

It felt like a beginning.

He stared at Hyunjin’s last message for a second, a small smile pulling at the corner of his mouth again despite himself. Then he started typing. He couldn’t help but feel a huge pressure because this conversation he felt was super important. Not in the way his parents talked about things that were important. Not in contracts or meetings or expectations.

In a way that felt more dangerous.

More real.

The next evening came faster than Felix expected.

All day, everything felt sharper somehow. Brighter. Louder. Even the meetings he usually drifted through felt harder to sit still in, like his body knew he had somewhere else to be. Somewhere he actually wanted to be. If anyone noticed his restlessness no one said anything, although no one would dare say anything to Felix especially in front of his father. It seemed his father scared a lot more people other than Felix.

By the time he got home, the apartment felt smaller than usual. The cameras still sat in their corners, quiet and unmoving, but Felix noticed them more tonight.

Not just because he was afraid of his father. Because for the first time, he had something worth hiding.

He moved through his routine carefully; changing clothes, checking his phone, rereading Hyunjin’s messages more times than he would ever admit. He tried on two different outfits before settling on something simple, something that didn’t feel like the version of himself his parents expected.

 He went with a plain shimmering black button down with one of the buttons undone. The shirt was tucked into tight black ripped jeans that he knew made his ass stick out more than necessary. He didn’t want to make it seem like he was trying too hard, mainly because this was supposed to be a lowkey dinner. Felix wanted to look his best for it though. His makeup was a simple natural look; a simple silvery eyeshadow swept his eyes and a thin layer of shimmery silver eyeliner made his eyes pop more. He added a simple silver necklace and rings and looked at himself in the mirror and, deciding he looked good enough, left his room.

 When he finally stepped outside, the air felt different again. Lighter. Like the world had shifted just slightly off its axis. Felix slid into his car, fingers tightening around the steering wheel for a moment before he started the engine. He had never been more nervous in his life. But something about that nervousness made Felix feel alive. 

This wasn’t a meeting. It wasn’t an obligation. It wasn’t something planned out for him weeks in advance. It was just dinner. But as he pulled away from the building, Felix couldn’t shake the feeling that this small, simple choice was going to change something.

There was something careful in the way Felix typed, like every word had been considered, weighed, almost second-guessed before being sent. It wasn’t polished like the conversations Hyunjin was used to navigating. It was… real. It was human. 

He leaned back slightly, phone still in his hand, letting the message sit for a moment longer than necessary. There wasn’t any real reason to hesitate. It was a simple question. Dinner. And yet, Hyunjin couldn’t stop the nerves from building in his chest. This was a completely new sensation for him, considering what he does for work besides the bar. For the first time, Hyunjin felt nervous. 

Hyunjin wasn’t used to things that didn’t come with an expectation attached. Most conversations he had led somewhere specific; an outcome, a decision, something that needed to be handled. This was just Felix, asking if Hyunjin wanted to spend time with him. He let out a quiet breath and typed his response, something light, something easy. Something that wouldn’t give away the slight tension sitting just under his ribs.

Because he did want to go. Even though he knew what his real job entailed. He knows what’s at stake and he knows he cannot let Felix get involved. Hyunjin had almost said no. Not because he didn’t want to spend time with the blonde, but because he did. If the people he worked against figured out Felix had any interaction with him, Felix could get hurt. And Hyunjin would stop at nothing to protect the slim blonde. He would burn the world down if it meant Felix would be safe from harm…even if the harm was Hyunjin.

After he sent the message, he didn’t put his phone down right away. He watched the screen, waiting in a way he didn’t usually allow himself to.

Felix replied quickly. Of course he did.

Hyunjin smiled faintly at the enthusiasm bleeding through the text, even without hearing Felix’s voice. It was… different. Unfiltered in a way most people weren’t with him.

Most people held something back. Felix didn’t seem to know how.

The conversation moved easily after that. Back and forth, light teasing, small moments of honesty slipping in between. Hyunjin didn’t have to think about what to say as much as he expected to.

That was new.

He wasn’t performing. He was just… talking.

By the time they settled on a time, Hyunjin found himself staring at the last message a little longer than necessary.

Hyunjin-cute bartender 

See you tomorrow! I can’t wait! 😊

Something simple. And yet, it lingered.

The next day followed the same structure as always.

Hyunjin woke late, moved through his routine without rushing, answered the messages that needed answers and ignored the ones that didn’t. There were places he had to be; conversations that required his presence, even if they didn’t require much from him beyond that. He handled them the same way he always did. With poise and control he had over his entire life.

Efficient. Detached. Done.

But there was a subtle shift he couldn’t quite ignore. Time moved slower.

Or maybe he was just more aware of it.

He checked his phone more than usual. Not constantly, not enough for anyone to notice, but enough that he noticed it himself. Enough that he could feel the subtle change in his behavior. 

By the time evening approached, Hyunjin was already ready.

That, more than anything, felt unfamiliar. As the time approached he became more and more anxious about how tonight would go. Yes he would have protection close just in case something would happen, but the location Felix picked was in his protection zone, which made him relax more. He was more anxious about talking with Felix. As much as he wanted to relax and let his guard down, he knows what happens the second people like him do that. He cannot let himself do that. But he decides he can have one night, even if it will hurt even more saying goodbye.

Hyunjin goes for a simple black fitted shirt that defines his arm muscles just right to where if he flexes slightly you will definitely see it. That shirt is tucked into simple black jeans hugging his thighs perfectly. He also applies his dark combat boots and he swoops his hair into a half up half down ponytail. The styling is simple, but it makes Hyunjin’s sharp jawline stand out more and it makes sure that his eyes can’t hide behind his hair. He knew that was a nervous habit he’s had since he was a kid; an attempt to make himself smaller and disappear.

He stood in his apartment for a moment, looking around like he was trying to find something out of place. Everything was exactly where it should be. Clean. Quiet. Controlled.

Nothing had changed. And yet, something felt different.

Hyunjin picked up his phone, glancing at the message thread again before locking the screen and slipping it into his pocket.

It was just dinner. It was just Felix. He could do this.

As he stepped out into the evening air, closing the door behind him, Hyunjin couldn’t quite shake the feeling that this wasn’t going to stay simple for very long.