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⇛ Hero's Soup
7:20am

"Do you want us to wait for you?" Hyunjin questioned before Felix got out of the vehicle, smiling softly when the boy nodded. "Alright, no problem."

"Thanks," Felix mumbled as he nervously climbed out of the car, smiling hopefully at his friends before walking in. It was still prior to opening hours, but Felix was more than sure that Chan would be present at work at least a few hours before.

He took a deep breath before pushing past the unlocked, glass entrance, arching a brow when no one came to alert when the door chimed as an indication. "C-Chan?" He spoke softly, hesitantly strolling up to the counter.

Felix froze up, arching a brow at the subtle grunts and swears emitting from the far back of the room, flinching when the noises only grew noticeably louder.

"Hello?" He mumbled, hesitantly strolling to the back of the counter, standing to the entrance of the 'employees only' section. He stood in an unsettled state of mind, observing how those sounds were growing deeper and shakier.

Felix was sort of scared to look further, but curiosity mixed with rising anxiety urged him to continue the examination. His overconsumption of movies and serial killer documentaries had to be one of the main influencers of those thoughts flooding his mind; 'what if somebody was hurting Chan or another person back there?'

But hold on... people don't moan when they're in pain-

Felix froze up, heart shattering and sinking to his stomach, eyes stinging from the sudden cold air that hit them in their widened state while they formed tears of their own. His words got stuck in his throat, lips only staying parted, head shaking reflexively. He couldn't think straight. His mind was clouded with the irreversible image of some girl sucking off the boy he unwillingly held so dear to his heart.

His legs moved on their own, carrying him swiftly out of the café, tears streaming down his cheeks as he ignored the faded, broken calls of the addict. "Felix," Chan had shouted, pushing Sana to the side when she tried to obstruct his steps to the door. "Felix wait. Let us- I can explain. Let's talk this out."

Felix only sobbed harder when he entered the vehicle, Seungmin making his way to the backseat to console the older. Both he and Hyunjin sent threatening glares through the window as they observed that man who was responsible for so much of Felix's tears up close for the first time.

They sucked their teeth before driving off, minds automatically figuring out the reason for their friend's sobbing. It was obvious through the entire appearance of the addict as he panted aimlessly on the sidewalk, tears flowing while he watched the car speed off- belt unbuckled, zipper hanging loosely, hair disheveled- but not more than that of the girl who stood stagnantly to the center of the building, a worried yet proud look plastered on her face.

-

"Don't cry, Felix. Don't cry. He's not worth it, okay?" Seungmin sighed, he himself shedding a tear of empathy for the male curled up in his arms. "He doesn't deserve your tears, Lixie. You're more than that. He's sick, so that's what he does. Just, keep your distance from him."

"I- I know he has a problem," Felix hiccupped, coughing from the impact of his own sobs. "But seeing it up close... especially when he said I was helping him. Was that a lie too, Min? Or is she his girlfriend?"

"Fuck that and fuck him," Seungmin smiled softly, petting the other's cheek. "Be glad that your eyes are now open to who he really is. Be glad that he wasn't able to trick you into his trap like other men and women, okay? You two have never done anything except hug, and that time he kissed your cheek. So you have no mark that makes you his. It's easy for you to go your own way."

"You're probably right," Felix sniffled, sitting up when he felt the car come to a stop. "Thank you guys, for being there for me in times like these. I- I promise I'll be okay," he wiped his face with his fists before collecting a piece of tissue from his bag. Blowing his nose, he continued. "I'll cheer up soon. Today is a good day. I'll be surrounded by good people and activities," he smiled softly, eyes lighting up from the thought. "Are you guys going to be there?"

"Nah," Hyunjin sighed, looking out the window. "We're more Jeongin's friends than Minho's, so we don't want to make things awkward. Besides, it's not like we were invited so that in itself would make them both question our presence."

"Oh," Felix sniffled, shrugging. "Well, um... I guess I'll see you both later. Thanks again for dropping me off today. It means a lot, honestly."

"Felix stop taking like you met us last month," Seungmin teased, nudging the other, earning a chuckle from his boyfriend in the driver's seat. "You're the reason that we don't drop you off everyday. Just go in and help calm Minho's nerves okay?"

"Yeah yeah, okay," Felix smiled, placing his bag to his side as he got out. "Have a good day."

-

⇛ M&J Psychology Clinic
7:45am

Yes, Felix seemed strong, unshaken and unbothered, and it appeared as if the morning's encounter had little to no effect on the secretary... but it was on the inside that Felix felt all of the pain and betrayal. It was on the inside that the explicit scene kept replaying endlessly in his head. The echoes of Chan's pleas for him to stay and talk were ringing tauntingly through both his ears, and Felix was desperately fighting every urge to cry as he walked into that clinic with the widest smile on his face.

"Look, I'm going to make sure that he doesn't leave his office at all this morning," Minho spoke shakily, wiping his sweaty palms against his jeans. "Um... You informed the patients, right? Jeongin will be there soon to get some decorations up. Uh... I feel like I'm missing something."

"Sir. Don't be so anxious," Felix smiled reassuringly, hesitant to rest a hand on his superior's shoulder supportively. "Everything is going to work out fine, okay? All you have to do is ensure that he doesn't leave his office. We'll take care of the rest."

"Thank you Felix," Minho sighed, unthinkingly wrapping his arms tightly around the younger, Felix chuckling from surprise before hugging back. "Well, I think I'll go in now. Just- yeah I'll be out again soon."

"Yes doctor," Felix nodded, walking over to his seat. He was now alone temporarily; no patients, and both doctors were on their own agenda. He just sat behind that desk, staring out blankly at the empty waiting area, not blinking in fear that more tears would follow after the one that had escaped. After that morning encounter, the last thing that Felix needed was to be left alone to sulk in his own faults and heart break, yet there he was.

"He's not worth it," the boy mumbled to himself, sitting up to power on the desktop. "I mean he is... but he's not."

-

⇛ Hero's Soup
7:50am

"Sana leave me the fuck alone," Chan spat, hands gripping his hair as he leaned over the counter. "Just leave me alone. We won't be doing this again, so don't even mention it to me."

"You're acting like it's my fault your boyfriend caught you," Sana scoffed, wringing a soaked cloth over the sink before walking over to clean the counter. "Maybe things would've turned out differently if you knew how to keep your dick in your pants," she taunted, glaring at the other.

"Fuck you and fuck it," Chan leaned off, growling as he walked out front to the female. "You know damn well that he's not my boyfriend. And don't insult me as if you weren't the one swallowing my fucking cum all week. My situation is different and you don't know anything about it so don't say any fucking thing about me or my life, Sana. What happened today is never to happen again, or be mentioned to anybody." Chan was yelling at that point, only calming when the girl flinched from the force and fury in his tone. "I'm sorry, for getting on like that, but I mean it. Now to make it up to me, cover my shift at 1pm. I have to make something right."

"Gosh, okay," Sana pouted slightly, refocusing on the counter. "I'm sorry, I guess. So yeah whatever. I'll cover for you."

"Thank you," Chan smiled softly, sighing. "Thank you very, very much."

-

12:50pm

"Why isn't he here today?" Changbin arched a brow as he leaned over the counter, wondering whether or not Chan had quit his job because of their confrontation earlier that week. "He quit or something?"

"No, actually," Sana gulped, realizing that if she had to tell Changbin why her co-worker had left, she'd have to mention their oral affair. "He had something to do. Something about making it right... so he asked me to cover for him."

"Wait, is it because of the argument you told me they had on Monday?"

Thankful for the save that Changbin had innocently ranted, Sana nodded repetitively, letting out a breath of relief she didn't even know she was holding in. "Oh yeah. I think it has to do with that. Yep, definitely that."

"Hm," Changbin hummed, looking up to lock a mischievous gaze with the female. "I think I know where he went."

"Okay?"

"Okay? You're talking like you don't expect me to go dig for myself. It's Felix we're talking about here," he shook his head, face palming. "You of all people should know how much I loved that boy."

"Correction. How much you wanted that boy to fuck you," Sana laughed as she teased the other, rolling her eyes playfully when Changbin scoffed and pinched her arm. "But whatever. Go do your thing."

"Yeah," Changbin sighed. "I may or may not come by again later though."

"Alright. But don't forget, my shift ends at four," Sana replied before spreading a fake smile for incoming customers, flashing a light wave to Changbin as the boy walked away to the exit. "Hello, welcome Hero's Soup. What can I get you?"