Chapter 10: Something He Shouldn't Have Seen

He saw it.

Just for a second—but it happened.

Felix’s eyes weren’t green anymore. Not really. They were gold. Bright, sharp, unnatural gold, like someone had lit a match behind his pupils.

And then… gone.

Kelvin didn’t say a word.

He didn’t even blink.

Because what the hell was that?

He stood still, letting Felix shove past him. He could feel the heat in the air where their fight had almost started—Felix’s anger was a flame, but it never got out of control. Not quite. Not yet, maybe.

Marie followed him, shooting Kelvin an unreadable look over her shoulder.

Then the door shut behind them.

And Kelvin just… stood there.

Alone.

For someone who prided himself on thinking clearly, this moment was hell.

He wasn’t religious. Never had been. His parents tried church for a few years when he was a kid, but he remembered more about the snacks afterward than the sermons. He didn’t believe in monsters or curses or shamans or... whatever the hell that glow could be.

He believed in people.

Mostly.

He believed in things that made sense. Rules. Patterns. Truths that didn’t need magic to exist.

But that?

That was something else entirely.

What if he’s sick?

The thought hit hard. That was the logical answer, right? A rare illness, some side effect, maybe stress or a condition Felix was hiding. Yeah. That had to be it.

Kelvin ran a hand through his hair and exhaled slowly.

He didn’t like Felix.

That part was still true.

The guy was dramatic, exhausting, bratty, stubborn—

But also...

Fragile.

And lately, sad in a way Kelvin couldn’t explain. Like he was always one emotion away from cracking.

Kelvin had always told himself he argued with Felix because he was annoying. Because he was chaos. Because someone had to keep the group balanced.

But now, standing there, stomach still turning over that glow, he realized something else:

He argued with Felix to reach him.

And now? He just wanted to know if he was okay.

---

Felix didn’t speak on the way back to meet with the others.

Marie didn’t either. But he felt her glance at him a few times, like she was checking for signs of emotional combustion.

They reached the others after a few minutes.

Rika had arrived and was already sorting something out with their media team. The rest of Rune were gathered near the van, still buzzing with leftover energy from Marie’s vlog games.

“You good?” Rika asked casually, eyes flicking to Felix’s face.

He gave a short nod. “All good.”

But his eyes briefly scanned for Kelvin.

Nowhere in sight.

“We’re saying bye to the chaos witch now?” Grey asked, popping a gummy in his mouth.

“Don’t call me that unless you want a callout video,” Marie said sweetly, pulling him into a dramatic hug.

Zach was next. “So like... who are you, really?” he asked. “You and Felix act like exes.”

Marie smirked. “I’ll tell you guys eventually. I promise.”

Mitchell narrowed his eyes. “That sounds exactly like a person with a scandal would say.”

Marie winked, but Felix barely heard the banter.

He kept glancing toward the building, wondering why Kelvin hadn’t come back yet.

And why it made him... nervous.

Felix kept a casual distance from the others as they buzzed around Marie like she was their favorite new toy.

He didn’t want to make it obvious.

Didn’t want to seem like he cared.

But... where the hell was Kelvin?

It wasn’t that deep. Really. He was probably just brooding in a corner somewhere, with his little "I'm above drama" energy and perfect shirt cuffs.

Still—he should’ve come back. Kelvin never skipped the group ride. Never broke the routine. Never left without saying anything.

He doesn’t even work at the company's studio most of the time, Felix thought, arms crossed. He works from the dorm. Always has.

So... why didn’t he come back with them?

He tried not to overthink it, but his legs moved on their own.

Felix quietly stepped away from the others and walked toward Rika, who was reviewing something with her tablet. Her assistant, Qifei hovered nearby, but she noticed Felix and gave a small nod.

“Hey,” he said, keeping his voice light. “Where’s our favorite control freak?”

Rika blinked, confused. Then smirked. “Kelvin?”

Felix shrugged like it was whatever. “Who else?”

She chuckled. “Oh, he drove back earlier. Said he was going home.”

Felix tilted his head. “So, back to the dorm?”

Rika looked up. “No. I mean home home. His parents’ place.”

Something in Felix’s stomach sank. Just slightly. But enough.

“…Oh.”

That was all he said.

Then, recovering quickly, he forced a smirk. “Guess that means we’ll have some peace and quiet for once.”

Rika rolled her eyes. “Really? You'd be fine without him?”

“Maybe,” Felix said, brushing imaginary lint off his jacket. “Or not really, if he’d stop acting like we all need to salute him every time we enter a room.”

Rika laughed and shook her head, clearly amused.

She waved over to Qifei and called out to the rest of Rune. “Alright boys, let’s wrap it up. The van's waiting.”

They all shuffled toward the vans, still bugging Marie with questions about her “secret connection” to Felix. Marie, as usual, dodged and deflected with perfectly timed charm.

Felix followed behind them all, slipping on his sunglasses even though the sun was almost gone.

But even the tinted lenses couldn’t hide the truth:

He didn’t like that Kelvin left.

---

[Later That Night]

The moonlight cast long shadows across his wall, the city humming outside like a quiet reminder that life was still moving—even if he wasn’t.

Felix lay in bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling. His arms were tucked behind his head. His playlist had long since stopped. He hadn’t even realized.

He hadn’t shifted. Hadn’t glitched.

But his thoughts were restless.

And one person kept interrupting them.

Kelvin.

Not just the tension. Not just the arguments. Not just the way he always found a way to crawl under Felix’s skin like a splinter.

It was the handholding.

It had lasted so long.

And yet... he hadn’t shifted. Not once.

That moment of calm—it had felt like someone pressed pause on the curse inside him. Like the shift button was gone.

Why?

Why did Kelvin—out of all people—feel like a pressure valve instead of a trigger? One that is unpredictable.

Why did his absence today make Felix’s chest feel weirdly... hollow? Am I missing him?

Felix rolled over and buried his face in his pillow.

“Ewwww...nope. Not going there,” he muttered.

But the question didn’t leave.

And neither did Kelvin.

The silence also wasn’t helping.

Felix had spent the last thirty minutes pretending he was calm, but all he’d really done was lie in bed, blink at the ceiling, and chew his inner cheek like it owed him money.

So he gave up.

He threw off the covers, shoved his headphones over his ears, and pulled up the group’s most recent dance routine. The beat dropped like a heartbeat—heavy and sharp—and his body moved on instinct.

Step, turn, pop, lock—his body knew it better than his brain did.

Dancing made it quiet. Mostly.

Until it didn’t.

Because halfway through the chorus, his foot dragged slightly, off rhythm. He spun, landed crooked—and suddenly, the memory smacked him in the face.

"Relax, Kel."

He skidded to a stop, ripped his headphones off, and buried his face in his hands.

“Oh my god. I called him Kel.”

He groaned out loud and dropped onto the edge of his bed like the floor had disappeared under him.

“Why did I say that?” he muttered, dragging his palms down his face. “What is wrong with me?”

The cringe was palpable. His insides twisted.

But then…

He remembered the way Kelvin kept messing up the routine that morning. Like, really messing it up. That stiff, robotic upper body? The sheer concentration on his face while Felix tried not to burst out laughing?

It was hilarious.

Felix snorted.

Then fully laughed.

Like, really laughed—head back, shoulders shaking. It only lasted a moment, but it cracked something open.

That was the lightest he’d felt all day.

He fell back onto his bed again, staring at the ceiling, a little out of breath from laughing. The room was quiet again—but this time, it wasn’t oppressive. Just... still.

He closed his eyes.

Maybe tomorrow, things will make sense again.

Then his phone lit up.

Buzzing softly.

He squinted at the screen.

Incoming call: Kelvin.

Felix froze.

His heart kicked into overdrive. Not from panic. Not quite. But it wasn’t peace either.

It was something else entirely.

He stared at the screen, thumb hovering over the accept button.

Why is he calling me?