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⇒ Lonely St., Seoul, South Korea
4:45pm

"Felix."

"Hi," Felix waved, light and with a warm, ever so reassuring smile on his face, sort of bashful, but still confident. "Good late afternoon," he chuckled, "are you all packed up? Ready to go? I didn't want to come too late, especially knowing you probably wouldn't want to walk at night with her to an unfamiliar place..."

"You're so considerate, Felix," Chan tucked both hands into the deep pockets of his coat, rocking on his heels, and inhaling with closed eyes to better take in the fall-seasoned fragrance of the coming evening.

A new flavor, of some sort, lingered in the air. It was rather peculiar and most likely only a fragment of his imagination to inject more meaning into his luck on that date, but Chan favored it. And that's what mattered. "I have everything ready, thank you. We have a dog, so I'd leave the tent behind... but I have everything."

"Your dog doesn't bite, right?" Felix arched his brows jokingly, a bit concerned, looking past Chan and cooing at the sight of the little girl; dressed cutely in her yellow dress, playing with the dominantly black dog before the tent.

A soft pout puckered her lips, from what Felix could observe, and his empathetic heart hurt at the realization that she had to say goodbye to her best friend solely due to his generosity. "And I- I'm sorry that you all have to leave him... or her. I would love to take all of you but--"

"Felix, what you are doing is already more than enough," Chan reached to touch Felix's left shoulder but declined midway. He gazed down at his hand and nipped at his lip, regretting the attempted gesture before returning it to his pocket.

He did not think that he deserved to touch Felix, in any way. Conversing with his selfless soul in such a casual manner seemed illegal enough, to Chan's conscience, as was. "And I cannot thank you enough for doing this-- for-- for doing this."

"Don't fret about it, Chan," Felix smiled, stealing the opportunity to rest his own hand on Chan's shoulder, squeezing it gently, promising that it was okay for them to communicate with such brotherly gestures when Chan flinched; frightened. "I want to be your friend, alright? Don't feel like you are indebted to me or anything like that. This is all from my heart, and I'm just doing what I can to help you back on your feet... for her."

Folding his lips inward, trying not to cry, Chan nodded, turning on his heels and motioning Felix to follow toward the tent. "Ben, Felix is good. So be good," he commanded when the dog began to growl as Felix walked up to Bella, shaking a bit himself, but trusting Chan so much as to believe against the dog's will to attack.

"Daddy, who is that?" Bella asked timidly, padding her way behind her father and hugging the height achieved up to his upper thigh when Felix stooped down before her, not fully fancying the idea of a stranger, yet finding Felix somewhat likable at first glance.

From his admirably distributed freckles to the dreaminess which lingered in the base of his voice when he greeted, to his blond hair; straight and not too long, much like that of her late mother. His slim arms that looked like they'd give the absolute best cuddles next to her father's--

"This is Felix," Chan mumbled, ruffling her hair and guiding her to his front to say hello, "he's the person I said is going to help us. He's a good person, so don't be scared. He's going to give us a warmer place to stay."

"Hello- hi Mr.Felix," Bella looked up to Felix when he stood up, her round cheeks puffed out, hiding away the one dimple passed down from her father. She held both hands behind her back, eyes glossed with tears due to her growing, innocent anxiety. "When we- when we go with you, will we be able to come back and check on Bennie? And feed him? Please?"

"Of course, sweetheart," Felix hummed, struggling against the urge to pinch Bella's cheek and kiss her face all over, in fear of her father's objection. "You and your daddy still have all your freedom. You'll just have a comfier place to sleep now, yeah?"

Smiling softly at the wholesome interaction, Chan took up the greyish rucksack from beside the tent, groaning exasperatedly, and then petting the head of an alert Ben.

"We're gonna come see you tomorrow, Bennie," he kissed above the animal's nose when said pet stood on his hinds, forelegs leaned against Chan's thigh while he whimpered, sensing the loneliness of the night though it was not yet seen.

"Don't cry, Bennie," Bella teared up, running toward her best friend for the biggest, longest hug, sobbing near his neck and in turn urging a tear out of Felix's own eye. "Don't cry, Bennie. Don't cry. I will leave you with my plushie," she leaned back and wiped her face, taking the teddy bear from the worn-out, boxy mattress inside of the tent to place in Ben's mouth, trusting that he'd be careful with it. "I love you, and I will see you tomorrow with lots and lots of food."

Swedging in opposition to his own breakdown, Chan looked away, fingers scratching against his palm to aid his outward look of bravery and manliness. Of toughness and the skill to refrain from mushy emotion in a time a such, according to the expectations of masculinity from society.

"Let's go, Bella," he took the child's hand, faking a small smile for Felix whilst he wiped some tears from her puffy face. "And don't follow, Ben. Stay, and guard. We will see you tomorrow."

-

⇒ Miroh Apartments
5:05pm

"It's small I'm so--"

"Felix, stop apologizing," Chan walked into the studio apartment after the blond, admiring how clean and well-kept the place was, and shivering at the new warmth plus the homey smell as he entered, Bella following studiously behind. "Your home is beautiful, and I'm more than honored to be able to spend a few nights here. And you paint? Are those your paintings?"

Chan's jaw dropped as he strolled up to Felix's wall, holding four paintings of different sizes, each one signed with the signature L.Y.F, as well as the date, confirming Chan's assumption. But one of them, in particular, captured the bulk of his interest, amongst the other beauties.

A noisy background filled whatever spaces were left unoccupied by the primary scene; a man and a woman seated on a train; her head on his shoulder whilst his eyes were stuck on the running land out the window. A smile of contentment lifted either of their cheeks, highlighting a dimple of specifics on the man's; both of them.

Chan cocked his head to the side, gulping, letting down the too-heavy bag from his shoulder, and forgetting about everything and everyone for the moment.

He looked at the woman in the picture. Narrowed his eyes to observe her better. Peered into the detail of her crimson cheeks, blonde and straight hair, with a yellowish highlight that proved to be far too distinct for his sane mind to let that piece of art pass by as a mere coincidence.

"Isabella," he whispered, throat dry, mindlessly reaching to touch the varnished canvas. Chan frowned, chin quivering, knees weakening.

Had he met Felix before?

"Felix," he called, finally drawing back to reality, to an extent. He looked behind, and then to the side, cocking his head at the sight of Bella laying on the couch, clearly comfortable, with a laptop before her. She giggled and squealed when Felix pressed play on the screen, starting up a cartoon that enticed more songs of joy from the child at just the introduction.

"Felix," Chan called again, anxiety increasing when the younger responded, at last, and strolled up to his side. "Have we-- you paint?" He gulped, looking at the picture again, "How long have you been painting?"

"Years," Felix shrugged, anticipating where that meeting was heading.

He smiled as things finally started making sense. It'd been ages since he painted the scene in question. But never would have Felix thought that he would meet that man again, leaving him curious as to the whereabouts of the woman.

"Ever since I was a child. And then I moved here to pursue my studies. My parents were supportive, thankfully. I plan on living here even after I graduate in a few months, so I'd move into a larger apartment and try to establish myself."

"Where did you-- where did you get the inspiration for this painting?" Chan asked with a quaver in his voice, breaths eighty and distant, hoping that Felix would not take note of the odd change in his demeanor. "It gives me this feeling of... nostalgia... so I'm just curious..."

"Close to six years ago... when I was seventeen. I was just moving to Korea," Felix sighed, shoulders rolling as he smiled at the memory. "I had to do two extra years to familiarize myself with the language, so I came here early. And there was this couple on the train before I got to the airport. They were cute, so I painted them... I wanted to give it to them, but they got off before I could finish."

"Hm..."

"I think it was you."

"What?" Chan's breath hitched, and he looked sideways sharply, down at Felix, not surprised but still... quite surprised. "You- you can't just say that so casually," he drowned a chuckle, glancing back at Bella, "What do you mean... me?"

"I," Felix bit his lip, abashed all of a sudden, "I didn't realize that it was you at first since it's been so long. But the more you came to the center, the more I noticed the resemblance. And then I remembered that day, I carried my small paint set to keep me calm since it was my first time traveling alone," he chuckled, nervous, "and I wanted to paint a random person..."

"Damn," Chan smiled, small, eyes narrowed cutely with the action. "I'm... flattered. And I remember that day... one of the happiest days of my life," he teared up, grateful for the picture, "Thank you for painting us... and thank you, for everything. Our meeting really was fate then..."

"It was," Felix breathed in. "Where is she?" He asked unconsciously, regretting the impulsive inquiry directly after. "S-sorry," he stammered, looking down, "you don't have to share your personal life with me. I didn't think that question through."

"It's alright," Chan lied, feigning nonchalance. His chest ached with the background, although unintentionally stirred. And just at the thought of having to hurl all of that churned heartache up in the form of coherent words; he couldn't. So he shook his head, sighing and turning around, idle.

"Uhm... is it okay if Bella and I take a shower? Cold is fine-- anything is better than the public bathroom. They don't even have a standing pipe over there that works well," he scratched his nape. "I'd bathe Bella and then allow her to finish washing her cartoon while I--"

"You don't have to explain everything, Chan," Felix reassured, nodding and walking over to the side of his bed for two clean bath towels and other necessities; new toothbrushes, considering that they'd been using the same ones for a while, as well as a shaving stick that he assumed that Chan would be too embarrassed to ask for.

"There are clean rags in the bathroom, and the heater is already on," he pointed to the closed door, watching as Chan went to disturb Bella from her entertainment, kissing her cheek, "so you can help yourself. I'd start preparing dinner still."

"Thank you, Felix."

-

"Would you like to help me prepare dinner?" Felix asked Chan, watching as the latter packed his used clothes into his bag. He wore a black T-shirt, one among the three that he owned for the time being, as well as the pair of sweatpants that always meant more to him than any other piece of clothing in his possession; too much so to sell-- a present from his lost love."I could use a little help in the kitchen."

Excusably jumpy at the request, Chan agreed, strolling barefoot toward Felix and smiling some when the cutting board was pushed toward him, herbs for seasoning, a few heads of garlic, and onion occupying its surface.

"I'm extra, I know," Felix snickered, "but I like cooking. And what's a good meal without more than enough seasoning?"

"You remind me of her," Chan giggled absentmindedly, shocked by his own careless ability to reference his deceased loved one so casually. But it felt good, a few seconds after. So not even to his own self, he could protest in demurral. And upon fully grasping the concept of the subtle relief which surfaced after his comment, Chan could not help but give in to the itch of his tongue to tell more whilst he performed his task.

"That day that you saw us on the train," he began, chopping a cleaned carrot, "we were leaving the country. We eloped, actually..."

"Oh?"

"Yeah," he sighed, "her family didn't want her to marry me, and mine-- well they didn't care, really. But I wanted to be happy with my Izzie, you know? So we decided to elope together, to Korea... which is why I don't have any family around that Bella can live with while I get myself back up on my feet."

Felix stayed silent, rinsing some pasta underneath the running pipe whilst Chan ranted, figuring that the older man truly needed that release. A confidant, willing to listen for the larger fraction of the duration of their conversation.

"So when we moved here, everything was alright. Struggled a little at first, but we both had our education, so we could work. A few months later, we had Bella," Chan smiled, accomplished, glancing back at the child on the sofa, lost in her animated fantasy. "Izzie was scared at first, but I reassured her that all would be fine... and all was fine. Bella was growing, and then we got Ben when she was about two..."

"Aw..."

"Yeah... but then later down the line, I thought about starting my own business. We were stable enough for it, and we even bought a small house... I used it as collateral to take a loan to start up because of the expected profits and all; everything was okay. Everything made sense, and things were going as planned... but then Izzie got sick."

Chan stopped talking for a minute or two, perhaps collecting himself. His jaw clenched, fingers tensed, and Felix shivered at the observation of a thick vein lining down his temple. His hands sped up whilst he diced a tomato, troubled.

Yet Chan went on.

"She got cancer; doesn't have preference between the young and old. But shit does know how to ruin lives, doesn't it?" He sniffled, Felix worried, "It got worse... until Izzie couldn't work anymore. I myself could hardly balance my business and Bella alone, plus having to take care of my wife, you know? The medicine that would have been able to help her got recalled last minute, and hospital bills kept rising. I kept- I kept reassuring Bella that everything would be alright... but nothing was."

"Chan..."

"I- I couldn't keep paying the loan with my salary alone, and- and so they took the house. I still had debt, so I had to sell the car-- had to sell everything. Having to reassure Bella, day by day, that her mother would be fine," a tear escaped, and his chest ached, "And then on the- on the last day..."

"I remember Bella was in her arms on the hospital bed. And I knew- I knew the fight was over. But I couldn't let Isabella die with Bella in her arms while Bella was only five. I couldn't- I couldn't bare the outcome, you know? That would haunt her forever, and I couldn't put her through that. So I told her to go outside with a nurse, and that her mum would be okay."

Felix noticed a cold tear run down his own cheek, and he wiped it away quickly, blinking back a flood, while Chan continued; hands moving concerningly fast with the knife.

"I promised Bella that her mother would be okay, knowing damn well that nothing would be... and that day... I remember... Isabella just told me to never give up hope, even though I already did... Told me to never let go of hope for fortuity, even though I never even believed in that, but keep saying it because she said it, and it gives Bella comfort. And then we kissed, but by the time I opened my eyes again... she couldn't."

Felix coughed and sniffled, unable to hold his tears back when Chan stopped cutting abruptly to turn away, back facing Felix, crying into his elbow as the other hand hugged his torso. He tried to muffle the sobs, praying that Bella would do anything but avert her attention from the cartoon. And he shook when Felix's hand met his back, rubbing it ever so soothingly.

Whispering reassuring words near his ear while bringing a napkin to his face, crying with him.

Proudly claiming the throne of the first person to ever empathize with Chan in such a manner. To ever see that side of Chan in years. To ever be there for Bang Chan, without seeking something, whether materialistic or otherwise, in return.

"I'm sorry that you had to go through all of that," Felix wiped his face into his shirt, hugging Chan properly when the elder set his arm down. And Chan hugged back with absolutely no hesitance. So tightly, with his face buried into the crook of Felix's neck, breathing heavily.

A more than needed, appropriate embrace.

Basking in the comfort and warmth of one of the very few altruistic people who still roamed the diverse streets of Seoul.

"Thank you, Felix," he sniffled, blowing his nose and unwillingly attracting the attention of Bella due to the small space. His heart melted at the immediate look of concern lifting her face; eyes wide at her father's red and puffy ones, his dry lips, and runny nose.

"Daddy," she scurried toward the adults, pulling at Chan's arm so that he could lean down for easy reach to his face, "why are you crying? I don't like daddy sad. And Mr.Felix," she frowned, tearing up too, "Why are you crying too?"

"Don't worry your little head, princess," Chan picked her up, kissing his baby's cheek, "Daddy and Mr.Felix are fine, okay? Just watch your cartoons, and then we will bring you nice food, yeah?"

"Are you sure?"

"One hundred percent, pumpkin."

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[A/N]
Sorry I died. These exams are messing with me fr
Not very edited sorry :")

Questions [Optional]
1. What do you think about the painting?

2. Thoughts on Chan's backstory? Do you feel for him?

3. What do you think about Felix's personality now?

4. Do you think that it was fate that Chan and Felix met again,

5. Thoughts on the story?