Shining Star//Dimming Light (VOL.2) (Felix X SKZ ONE-SHOTS)

Let Me Help You (HwaLix)

"You should put on more makeup if you don't want the others to call you ugly."

"You've gained weight again, it's unsightly."

"Your face is really greasy; you shouldn't eat food so late at night."

Frankly, Felix tuned out most of them – but it didn't make them hurt any less. So, most of his mornings could be summarized with Seonghwa tormenting him about his appearance, and Felix holding back his tears and frustrations as best as he could because he knew none of the others would believe him if he tried telling them, or they'd just tell him off for "blowing things out of proportions".

But his mornings weren't the only time Seonghwa came after him.

He'd find Felix in class, or in the kitchen, or in the library. Whenever Felix thought he could finally be alone, Seonghwa somehow found him and came to disturb his peace – and when Felix sometimes lost it and snapped at him, all the older would do was call him an attention whore and go find one of the other guys to complain about how awful Felix was to him, and how much it saddened him that Felix hated him so much.

The friends Felix had made when he first moved into the dorm were growing distant. The bonds he cherished so deeply were fraying. His grades were falling, he barely paid attention in class, and he rarely ate with the others anymore because he could always feel Seonghwa's judging stare digging holes into him and it always stole his appetite.

And then, as if things couldn't get any worse...

"What- what do you mean, you're switching rooms?"

Minho shrugged as he finished packing his last bag. "Seonghwa asked me to switch since you'll be working on an important project for dance class together and he didn't want to disturb Hongjoong when he came back late."

"But- but he's not—you can't—"

"Don't be mean to him, Lix-ah. I like you, but he's my best friend – if you keep on causing him trouble, I won't be playing so nice anymore," warned the older.

Felix lowered his eyes at the floor, his throat stinging and his eyes filled with tears. He didn't say another word as Minho picked up his things and left with a casual "goodbye", unaware that he'd just doomed the freckled to even greater torments. It's not like Felix could just go and ask one of the other boys to switch with him, because then he'd only look like the bad guy again.

This is so messed up...

.

"Here, Felix. We haven't been at it for long, but you obviously need a break."

Another jab. Not the first, not the last. Felix tried his best to ignore it as he sulkily accepted the water bottle Seonghwa was handing him. The red-haired man heaved out a sigh at Felix's expression.

"You shouldn't frown. It makes you look even worse than usual."

"Are you done?" snapped Felix.

"You should learn to accept criticism, Felix. I know you don't care much for your grades, but I don't want to fail because you couldn't be bothered to put in the effort."

The freckled boy shut his mouth at that, already knowing he was fighting a losing battle. If he pissed Seonghwa off too much, then the older would only go complain to Minho, and then there was no saying what his ex-roommate would do. He gulped down some more water, his nose scrunching up as a slightly bitter aftertaste clung to the very back of his throat.

"What's in this?"

"Vitamins. You obviously need them if I want you to be able to keep up."

Felix clicked his tongue, but didn't reply anything, and he put the half-empty bottle of water on the floor before getting up again. They had been practicing for their project for two hours already and, as tired as he was, he refused to give up before Seonghwa called it a day – he refused to show the older any weakness.