PIXELATED | Lee Felix

Chapter 21

Both of them then continue to run their errand, with Felix getting fruits for Hyunjin as usual. But this time, he decides to buy an additional treat; brownies. 

"I hope he likes it," Felix says as he taps his card over the scanner to pay for the brownies.

"Who hates brownies, honestly?" Eugene asks, amused to see her neighbour buying 1 big portion which can literally last for days. "Though... do you think he'll get sick from constantly eating it? Since you buy that much..."

"I doubt. He snacks a lot in general, so he should be fine." He chuckles, placing the brownies with care into the shopping bag along with the fruits. "Anyways, let's go."

"Wait." Eugene stops the male when she sees a florist just a couple of stores away from them. "Give me 5 to 10 minutes, will you?" She taps on his shoulders quickly before running in the direction. Felix is left confused for a moment, but the girl soon returns—just under 10 minutes. 

She has a bouquet in her hands with a small piece of paper—supposedly a short letter—right on top of it. 

"Ooh. What did you get there?" Felix looks at the white flowers. Eugene gives a quick look at them before facing Felix, "They're Carnations." 

"Carnations... huh. Is there a specific reason why you chose them?" The male inches closer to get a better look at the fresh bouquet. 

"White Carnations in particular is just to wish good luck to someone. I feel like your friend really needed that." She chuckles softly, and that makes him follow after. "You don't even know my friend... I can't believe you're bringing such a thoughtful gift, that is very nice of you." These words that came out of Felix's mouth were all sincere—he really is, amazed at just how kind-hearted and thoughtful his neighbour is. 

It is to the extent of writing a short letter for Hyunjin too.

"Why do you go this far for someone that you don't even know though?" He questions out of curiosity. 

"Well... A bit of extra luck from Carnations wouldn't be too bad, right? So that he'll not suffer from extreme incidents next time." When Felix hears this, his heart feels warm and fuzzy as he unconsciously touches his chest with one of his palms.

She really is... thoughtful. He felt like his heart melted, but he tried not to show it too much. 

"Also." She continues, "I think that was so unfair for you to shoulder all the blame. I never thought it was your fault, Felix. Sure, you insisted on the practice, but there's no way you could've predicted the prop or stage failure, could you? Pretty sure the ones who started the rumours out of malice wouldn't even expect it. So please take it easy, alright?" Her tone turns softer when she speaks the last sentence.

Hearing her thoughts makes him drop his palm from his chest, and he suddenly feels like tearing up again. It's so weird that his neighbour seems to always say the words that he wanted to hear the most. All, the time.

The male turns his head to face the floor, his vision slowly getting blurry from the tears forming in his eyes. His finger reaches to wipe some of the tears, as he tries his best not to let his emotions overflow in front of his neighbour. Despite his face being pixelated, he still cannot find the courage to show himself to his neighbour at all.

Felix doesn't know how to even describe this feeling; Comfort? Happiness? Relief? Whatever it is, it's something good that Felix has been longing to feel. It's funny how he used to keep a good distance away from her, but now, he feels safe and comforted by Eugene's presence.

I... want to stay by her side. Felix admits in his mind, his face slowly turning to an expression of realisation; Eugene is truly someone, whom he wants to be together with. Someone that he wants to make memories with. Someone that he wants to hold hands with and go through whatever life is going to throw at the both of them.

But am I allowed to feel this way? After the way I treated her in the past? The guilt in his heart hasn't fully dissolved despite them both, already having closure. Felix believes that his neighbour deserves someone who has accepted and treated her right since the beginning.

At the same time, however, Felix can't help but feel happy and warm when he thinks about her. His world would suddenly become more colourful; even if grey clouds came to fill his day with gloom, Eugene effortlessly cleared his dark skies with her words and care.

"Felix?" Eugene's soft voice comes on, "Are you okay?"

Felix chuckles a little as he clears all of the remaining tears in his eyes. Maybe it's okay to feel this way. He ponders a bit before looking up to reply to Eugene, but the male is greeted with something that he didn't expect.

There, stands Eugene, whose face is finally crystal clear in his view.

Those doe, grey eyes from her contact lenses, her soft makeup and blush on her cheeks, her high nose bridge, her rose-tinted lips. When Chris says that Eugene is objectively attractive, Felix seems to understand what he means now.

Felix used to think that her presence and her personality is enough. And that he doesn't need to know what's behind that pixelated face, as long as she is still the Eugene Park that he knows. But today, he realised that he was wrong. 

Eugene is, beautiful in and out. Felix thought, his cheeks getting a little red from the surprise, yet still found himself smiling really wide at the person in front of him.

"Hey. If you keep on staring at me like that, I might get the wrong idea, you know?" Eugene jokes, but Felix only smiles softly.

"I don't mind that."

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Author's Note: Hello everyone! :D Here's the weekend update! OWOWOWOW FELIX FINALLY REALISES HIS FEELINGS FOR HER HAHA OMG I WAS FANGIRLING WHEN I WROTE THIS LOL

I tried to put myself in his shoes, imagining how it would be if I were to suddenly realise my feelings for someone--I mean, I'm probably not the best at conveying emotions in words but I hope this chapter was okay :'D

Have a wonderful weekend!

- Howley.