On the other side of town, there was a man running down the street— breathless —as if the Grim Reaper was chasing him with the intention to take his soul. But there was no one following him in this case... He was just running late for work... so, so late.
He hated to be late for his new job, the same job he refused to join three months ago.
Lee Felix is a struggling college student with three jobs— You heard right. He has three jobs, and the sad thing is that they are not even enough for him to live a comfortable life.
Between the rent for his apartment, the bills, and his college tuition, the money is never enough.
He is barely meeting as it is, no matter how hard he works or how many extra hours of overtime he puts in. It was never enough.
"You should join me at Fantasy Mates," Felix's best friend said three months ago when they were eating ramen noodles, cuddled up on Felix's living room couch.
The room was being lighted with candles because— of course —Felix didn't have enough money to pay for his electric bill this month and they cut it off. He had now to wait for his next paycheck to get it paid and reinstated.
"Hell no," was the short, dismissive answer Felix gave him back. He himself has to be on the brink of death before he could even consider working there. And he is not about to die. He is slowly drowning but not dead yet.
Jeongin sighed, "But hyung. You have no electricity. You are up to the neck with debt almost drowning. I can assure you that you will be free of those bills by the end of the year,"
Felix is a very religious man. There is no chance in hell that he would do what Jeongin was doing.
It's not like he is not surviving, right?
He is okay.
Not everyone can afford to pay their bill on time, all the time, right?
He is barely scraping by with the money he is making but he is still alive, and he is thankful for it. He might not have a lot but his pantry is filled with those cups of instant noodles.
The same noodles he has started to hate because it is all he can afford to eat before he starves to death— Who can blame him? They are cheap and that is all he can afford at the moment.
"Anyway, having running water is more important than having the luxuries of electricity. I have candles, just like people did before electricity was invented," Felix says pointing at the single candle stick that was slowly burning in front of them.
Jeongin sighs, "Are these candles going to keep you warm tonight?"
"Not really, but I have blankets, lots of them," Felix quips back, trying to keep a positive mindset. But just thinking about it made the corner of his lips turn into a slight frown.
"For fucks sake, Lix. You are going to freeze to death! You stubborn little bitch,"
Felix hummed, "So, your solution is for me to join you at Fantasy Mates and become a man whore?"
Jeongin's lips form a tight line as he nods, "Yes. It is simple enough. I mean, it worked for me/ Why wouldn't it work for you? You know very well where I was a year ago, and look at me now. I have my own apartment, food, my bills are paid every month on time, and I even own a car,"
Dropping the chopsticks from his hold to rub his chin with his index finger, Felix hummed again, "Let me think about it for a second. Hmmm... eat ramen noodles or become a hoe? Should I just rip the Band-Aid and say yes or— Um— No... I am good, thank you very much," he then smiled and sighed before his eyes trailed to his lap where the cup of noodles was sitting at.
He was so done... he is so disappointed in himself for being this pathetic.
"Just hear me out," Jeongin said, putting his hands up defensively, "Is not that bad, hyung." he paused, looking at Felix's teary eyes, "Yes, it can be tiring but it is good money. Yes, we have some weirdos as regulars, but they are nice to us— they always give me huge tips also and spoil us. We are like their sugar babies..."
Tips... that is what Felix needs right now.
He loves when he gets tips at work, but the biggest bill he has gotten has been ten thousand won— which is not even enough for a hot meal.
Felix looks down at his trembling hands and whispers, "I know that you are doing well, and I am happy for you... But this isn't what I would like to do with my life," he pauses to take a breath, "I can't do it... Not with me being, you know,"
"Not with you being what?"
"I have never had a boyfriend, Innie. You know that!" Felix spits back, thinking that it is obvious what he is trying to get with it.
Shaking his head Jeongin whispers back, "You can try it first. No one is going to blame you if you back out,"
Felix sucks air through his teeth, "No, Innie. I am not letting a weirdo— as you called them just minutes ago— pop my fucking cherry,"
Jeongin burst into a fit of laughter when he addressed his virginity as a cherry. It was really funny... "If you'd like I can volunteer to help you with that!" he adds while trying to breathe between chuckles.
With a loud gasp, Felix looks to his best fucking friend and says, "No. I can't believe you just say that. Did you just suggest for me to give you my virginity? For me to let you fuck me?"
"I mean. You know me and I don't think I am weird. So, why not?" Jeongin reached his arms to grab him and his hands land on Felix's stomach, while Felix squirms like a worm, trying to get away from his grasp. "Oh, C'mon, Lixie. Come back to me, honey-boo... I will be gentle with you. I promise,"
"Get away from me you fucker," Felix screams, "I don't want you to be my first— not even in my fucking nightmares!"
Jeongin gasps, faking being hurt by his words, "Don't you love me anymore?" he asks, "I thought you loved me!"
"I do love you fucking weirdo. But... no. Just no! Get away from me!"
"Well, damn. If you say that I am a weirdo, I believe it then," Jeongin says before laughing again.
The two friends laughed together at Felix's expense.
What else could he do but to laugh?
Cry?
No, he has done that too much lately... He has no tears left to shed.
After finishing up their cup of noodles, they stood from the couch and walked side by side to the little kitchen. Jeongin helped him clean up their mess and when Felix tried to wash the chopsticks— to his surprise— the water had been turned off too.
Not even a drop was coming out of the kitchen sink faucet, it didn't matter how many times he tried to open and close the handle.
"Well, fuck me," Felix hisses.
"What is it?" Jeongin says, walking closer to where Felix stands in front of the sink and looking down, "You have no running water?"
Felix turns around to look at him— his lips trembling as he shakes his head from side to side. He wasn't even able to form words with his mouth with how tight the knot in his throat became, letting him know that the impending tears were about to come out.
Jeongin sighed and then opened his arms to hug his friend. The hug that opened the floodgates for the dam of tears Felix was trying so hard to keep inside.
"You are okay, Lix. Come on. I will help you pack your bags," Jeongin says, pulling him to his bedroom, "You are staying with me until you get paid. I want to make sure that everything is back up and well here before I can let you stay alone,"
Felix sobs, "No. It is okay. I am fine here. It is not the first time it has happened to me,"
"The hell you are. You are coming with me, like it or not," he paused and let go of Felix so he could follow him.
"B- But..."
"But nothing. Where is your suitcase?" Jeongin demands.
Felix pointed to his closet before he leaned his weight to the back of his bedroom door— sliding down until he was sitting on the floor, he then hugged his knees and resumed with his sobbing session.
That night was the first time he felt about to give up on everything.
He wanted out.
He was done.
But he was also grateful to have Jeongin in his life.
If it wasn't for him what else was he supposed to do? His next paycheck was not due to be paid until Friday and it was barely Monday.
"Thank you," Felix says, his voice barely above a whisper.
.
..
.
When Friday came and he got paid, he cried even more. The money wasn't even enough to cover one of the bills, and to make matters worse they had laid him off his position.
"Thank you for working with us, Mr. Lee. But we don't need you anymore," they said before handing him his very last paycheck for the work he had done that week.
That was it... the edge... he was so close to falling into the abyss.
"They did what?" Jeongin screams into the phone.
"They fired me,"
Jeongin hisses, feeling how hot his blood is becoming as it pumps through his veins with nothing more than anger. How dare they hurt his Lixie?
"What the fuck! What was the reason they gave you for it?" he hisses.
"They just said that my position was seasonal and that they don't need me anymore," Felix sighs, "It is okay. I am fine,"
"How can you say that? How can you think that you are fine, Lix? That was supposed to cover your bills," Jeongin stops talking as soon as he hears a loud choked-out sob coming from the other end of the phone, "Lix. you should just move in with me. Let me help you with that at least. That way you don't have to worry about the money for your rent and just focus on your career,"
Felix sighs, "Can we talk about it when you are done with classes,"
"No! Go straight to my apartment. I am on my way,"
"But—" Felix started to say but was interrupted when Jeongin ended the call with a hiss, "Okay then,"
He looked at his phone and sighed before he pushed it back into his pocket. He then started to walk his way back to Jeongin's apartment complex. His tears mixed up with the pouring rain landing on him but he didn't care a little bit for it.
He just walked and walked with his head down until he reached his destination. Walking up the stairs and down the hallway— his head a jumbled mess— he made the biggest decision of his life.
Pulling the keys from his back pocket he opened the door to Jeongin's apartment, closed the door behind him, and took off his soaked clothes before he walked into the bathroom to take a hot shower.
"Lix? Are you here yet?" Felix heard from the other side of the door.
"Yeah. I'm taking a shower. Be right out,"
"Okay,"
Felix hurried and got dressed before he opened the door to a wide eyed Jeongin.
"Are you ok—" Jeongin starts to say but Felix cuts him short.
"Can you help me get into Fantasy Mates?"
"Um— yeah? Of course, I can," Jeongin pauses, "Are you sure you want to do that?"
"Do I have any other options?" Felix smiles, "I am sure. Just call them and let them know I am joining the company,"
"Okay..." Jeongin says pulling his phone out from his back pocket, "If it makes you feel better. I think you are doing what is best for you at the moment. This doesn't mean that you have to work there permanently. It is just until you think you need to or until you finish your degree,"
.
..
.
And that is the reason why Felix is now running down the street to his job. He has been living with Jeongin for over two months and this is the only way out of it.
It took some time to get hired— over a month to be more precise and he hated each minute of those days.
They also asked for a bunch of health screenings for sexually transmitted diseases and another bunch of bullshit that cost a lot of money— money that he borrowed from Jeongin with the promise to pay him back as soon as he gets his first client.
He loves his best friend, but sharing a bed was not on the list for him anymore. There is no way he can deal with Jeongin cuddling him to sleep while he drools all over him for more than a month.
He needed his privacy— He likes to have time for himself— by himself. It was either he moves out or they get a bigger apartment, where they each could have their own rooms.
As soon as Felix arrived at the building, he made his way inside and bowed in front of his supervisor, "Good morning, Sir! I am so sorry that I am five minutes late," he said trying to catch his breath from all the running.
Minho looks up from his laptop and smiles, "Hello Felix. It is okay. I myself was late to work too, so, don't worry too much about it. How are you today?"
"I'm okay," he heaves, "As good as I can be. How are you, sir?"
"Hey. I thought I was clear when I told you not to call me sir. I am just a couple of years older than you. You can either call me hyung or Minho," he says, and Felix nods with a smile.
"I'm sorry, hyung. I won't do it again,"
Minho smiles "Good," and gestures at Felix to follow him to his office, "Come with me, Felix. I have something I want to ask you," Felix hums and follows behind him...
Minho walked ahead of the younger— his heart racing and his hands were clammy because he didn't know what to expect after their conversation.
He is not close with Felix— yet— and after listening to what Jeongin told him about the younger being in a low place, because of everything that happened in the past.
He also mentioned how Felix was extremely sensitive and could cry at anything at the moment because of his bad luck... Anyway... the thing is that Minho doesn't know how to approach Felix. He doesn't know how to bring begin to explain what he needs him for.
He is a hundred percent sure that Hyunjin was going to be too bold of a client for Felix. And with him being the very first client ever for Felix in this line of work, might make him want to tap out of their time together— or worse lose Hyunjin as a client— and that scares him.
He is one of their best clients and that is why he is trying his best to accommodate his needs today.
Hyunjin's career is the only thing he takes very seriously and there is no way in hell that someone could come in between him and it. That is the reason for his demanding non-disclosure agreement.
As soon as the two males reached the end of the hallway, Minho opened the door and stepped aside for Felix to walk into the room.
"Make yourself comfortable," Minho says, then watches how Felix walks past him before he pulls the chair and plops himself down on it in front of his desk.
Minho let out the breath he was unknowingly holding, and closed the door, locking it right after so no one could interfere with their conversation.
Minho walks around his wooden desk, which is covered in stacks of papers and empty coffee cups, before he reaches out his arm to grab his desk chair, "Would you like some coffee?" he asks, then looks at him when his question goes unanswered.
Felix is sitting in front of him... his lips quivering— as if he was about to cry— and his eyes wide open, trained on him.
"Felix?" he asks again... making the younger flinch on the spot and start to fiddle with the hem of his shirt.
"Did I break any rules? Am I in any kind of trouble?" Felix began to ramble... shooting questions up and down, without giving Minho enough time to say a word in between his questioning.
"I know I am the newbie here. I am also aware that I might not be as good as the other employees. But I promise. I promise I will do my best, hyung," Felix sobs, "Please. I need this job. I can't lose it, please,"
Minho opens his mouth to speak, his eyes tightly shut as he waves his arms around, "N-not-" but has no time again when a loud gasp is heard in the room.
"Oh my god. You are firing me aren't you?" Felix exclaims as he brings his hand to his chest and starts to ugly cry his eyeballs out.
Minho sighs as he watches how the other melts into a puddle of tears and snot. Tears are streaming out of his eyes and down his rosy dotted cheeks like a flowing river.
But Felix kept his eyes trained on him the entire time— as if he was waiting for an answer— His gaze didn't waver, not even for a second— and more now that he did not need to blink because his tears were keeping his honey pools moistened— as he waits for a confirmation for his suspicions.
Minho does not know what to do in a situation like this one... This is a first for him.
'Felix is not going to be able to handle Hyunjin. What the fuck am I going to do now?' he asks himself, as he tries to find a way to go around the subject, so he could make Felix feel better... But he also has the nagging in his head that asks for him to do better with the raven. He doesn't want to let Hyunjin down... but he has no one other than Felix to take care of him.
"Fuck it," Minho whispers under his breath before he slams his hand on the wooden desk so hard that the wave sends a bunch of pens and cups flying across the room.
"Can you just shut the fuck up and let me speak?" Minho snaps, "You are not being fired!"
"I am not?" Felix asks between sniffles.
"NO! You are not. Now, go to the bathroom and clean yourself up then come back to me. This is important and I need you to be alert for what I am about to tell you," Felix nods and bows down before he exits the room.
Was he too harsh on the younger?
Maybe.
But maybe, just maybe that is what he needed?
A stern approach to calm him up?
Maybe he is just used to only being called into offices and it always ends up with him getting fired?
Maybe, just maybe he is scared to go through it again and at his lowest point?
"Fuck," Minho slaps himself for being an idiot... He didn't mean to snap at him like that. He feels back and wants to apologize for it as soon as Felix comes back.
Yes. That could make things better, right?
*Not edited...
Have a good day my darlings. I am going back to writing on another book... Next update for this book will be next week! <3