Over the next two weeks, Chan began to watch over Felix. Not in a possessive or overbearing way; in fact he was sure Felix never even saw him. He was just watching in the shadows; lurking, waiting, for something, anything to happen that would suspect the feeling growing stronger in his gut. Something wasn’t sitting right. The way Felix had abruptly uprooted himself when he planted himself into Hyunjin’s life left a bad taste in his mouth. He was determined watching his movements would prove something, even if that something was that he didn’t want Hyunjin, although Chan didn’t think that was the case.

Felix’s routine was the same every day and night, never wavering or wondering from it. He would walk to a tall building, he walked home, and that was it. He didn’t have anyone over. He didn’t visit anyone or even interact with anyone. He even had his groceries delivered so he didn’t have to interact with people. Chan was even more curious now. 

Chan saw the upscale and state of the art security system all around the house. It looked normal on the outside to regular onlookers, but Chan knew what to recognize. The place was lined with security. Cameras. Reinforced entry points. A system far beyond what any normal person would need. Chan leaned back in his car, eyes fixed on the property. That’s not normal. This is odd for a normal person to have this much security… Chan thought to himself, struggling to find a reason why Felix felt the need to surround himself with cameras and security. Was he part of a different group? No, he would have heard about it or would have recognized him, but he didn’t. The only thing that Felix seemed to do is go to his house and this tall building that Chan assumed was his work. 

Chan decided one day to follow Felix to the building he spent hours at. Chan immediately realized what the building was and got even more confused. He calls Hyunjin, who picks up after the second ring.

“Hey, Chan. Any updates yet?”

“Not really…but…”

Hyunjin stiffened slightly.

“But what Chan?”

“Didn’t you say Felix’s family was well off and he didn’t work?”

“Yeah. He didn’t go into much detail, just that his family was well off and told him not to work while he was here. Why? Is something going on?”

“I’m not sure yet. I’ll see what’s going on and we can have a catch up meeting tonight, okay?”

“Yeah…sounds good. Be safe Chan.”

“See you soon, Hyunjin.”

Chan hung up the phone and glanced around. Sure enough, right on time, Felix was strolling on the street heading into the building Chan was parked in front of. The second he saw the name of the building, his confusion deepened.

Lee Loans.

Chan’s grip tightened slightly on the steering wheel, his confusion becoming more prominent by the second. That… doesn’t make sense. Chan wasn’t sure why, but he couldn’t shake the feeling something wasn’t adding up. Was Felix having money problems? Was he in debt to people? He didn’t think so, considering the house he was living in and the limited amount of information he had given Hyunjin. What are you doing here Felix? 

Chan stayed there until the sun had begun to set. Long enough for the sun to dip low and shadows to stretch across the pavement. He saw the familiar blonde walk out and his breath hitched. Felix looked like hell, disheveled and distant. Felix looked…wrecked. His hair was messy, tangled like he’d been running his hands through it over and over. His clothes sat wrong on his body; wrinkled, slightly askew, like they’d been handled too roughly or too many times. The look on his face made Chan’s stomach drop.

Empty.

His eyes were glassy, unfocused, like he wasn’t fully there. Like whatever had been inside him earlier…had been drained out. The light that he used to see in his face extinguished.

“What the hell…” Chan muttered under his breath. Chan had to do a double take. What in the fuck made Felix look like that? Sure people got upset if they had money issues, but Felix looked like a kicked puppy. Like someone had taken the life out of him and extinguished it. What are they doing to you in there? Chan had to find out sooner rather than later to protect Felix.

Later that night, after Felix had gone home and went straight to sleep, Chan drove back to his house where Hyunjin was waiting for him to report back what he found so far. Even though it wasn’t much, it was very suspicious. Normal people broke away from routines, had friends over, interacted with the world in some way even if it was small. Or they would have a hobby such as reading or watching tv. But the living room stayed dark and Felix would just sit back on his couch and stare at nothing for hours until he moved to his bedroom and went to sleep. He moved like a zombie, his body conscious, but his mind was anything but. 

As soon as Chan opened the door to his home he found Hyunjin pacing a hole into his carpet. 

“I’m gonna make you pay for more carpet if you make a hole. It’s brand new too!” 

“Yah! It’s not my fault you were being all cryptic earlier and had me stressing all day!” Hyunjin throws up his hands dramatically as if to emphasize his point further. 

“ You're right, I'm sorry I did that. I knew I shouldn’t have called, but I needed to confirm something.” 

“Like what?” 

“Well, remember when I asked about his financial situation?” 

Hyunjin nods.

“Well his routine is insane. He wakes up at the same time, he leaves his house, goes to this building, leaves at the same time every night, then goes home. He doesn’t go to the store. He doesn’t talk to anyone on the street, if anything he flinches away from them.” Chan looked at Hyunjin’s face full of concern and curiosity.

“The building he goes to every day is Lee Loans.”

“Wait…what? That doesn’t make any sense. Why would he be going there everyday? He doesn’t even work…”

Chan sighs.

“That’s not even the weirdest part,” he continues, “when he leaves his house, he’s dressed to the nines. Sharp suit, hair nicely tucked away, clean and calm. Every day when he walks out…” he pauses, reconsidering telling Hyunjin for fear of him doing something stupid and reckless. 

“What Chan? What does he look like? And before you even say anything, no I won’t do anything rash or stupid so you can tell me.” 

Chan pinches in between his eyebrows and explains, “He looks like a wreck. His hair is disheveled and in knots. His clothes are out of place, things sticking out of random places and sometimes…” 

“Sometimes what? Chan you better tell me or I swear-“ 

“He sometimes walks out with a limp that…I don’t remember him having before he went in there…” 

Hyunjin felt his world spin as he felt his legs turning to jelly and collapsed beneath him. Chan ran over to him and helped him sit on the chair beside him. 

“I can’t be too sure though, but I have a suggestion…” 

“I’m listening.” Or well as much as he could, considering Chan was telling him that Felix might be in danger. 

“I saw they had the now hiring signs up. What if we sent in one of our own as a spy? To see what, if anything, is really going on behind the walls of that business.” 

“Who do you suggest?” 

“Someone Felix doesn’t know or recognize…what about Jeongin? He’s been undercover before. Plus we know he’s loyal and we know he will do everything in his power to get the dirt on them. If they are hiding something, Jeongin will know about it.” 

Hyunjin thinks for a second and Jeongin’s face flashes through his mind. He was unremarkable in the best way. He knew how to blend in and not get caught. He also had a way of getting people to open up and spill their secrets without him lifting a finger. 

“Alright. Should we inform the other of what’s happening?” 

“I think we should hold off.” Chan said. “The less people that know the better. If any of them ask questions, just say he’s on a mission or have them come to me. I don’t want to put anyone in more danger than necessary.” 

“Yeah, it makes sense. Can you call him? Tell him to meet us here so we can explain the situation?” 

“On it, Hyunjin.”