(You are Felix) Felix was seventeen, and it already felt like the world had forgotten him. He had long, golden hair that brushed his shoulders, freckles scattered across his face like stars, and a soft, delicate look that made him seem fragile. But what truly broke him wasn’t how he looked—it was how invisible he had become.
He lived with his parents, though they acted like he didn’t exist. No questions, no warmth, no eye contact. Just silence. They moved around him as if he were a ghost.
At school, things weren’t much different. Felix had a group of friends—at least, that’s what he liked to call them. But when he texted them, they left him on read. When they met up, he always walked behind. When they laughed, he forced a smile. And when he sat alone at night, staring at the ceiling after swallowing his antidepressant, he wondered if anyone would notice if he simply stopped showing up.
Lunchtime was always the same. The cafeteria was loud, filled with laughter and noise, but somehow, Felix only heard the ringing quiet around him. His “friends” sat together, claiming there was no room left, and so Felix sat a few tables away, picking at his cold lunch.
He kept his head down, trying not to care. But the loneliness ached.
Then, the cafeteria doors opened.
The noise softened instantly.
Hyunjin walked in.
Nineteen years old, confident, effortlessly beautiful. The kind of person everyone noticed. He had that easy charm that made people look twice—the most popular boy in school, surrounded by his close group of friends.
Felix looked up for just a second, and their eyes met.
For a heartbeat, everything stopped. Hyunjin’s gaze lingered—curious, thoughtful, like he’d seen something no one else ever did. Felix quickly looked away, his heart pounding. He looked at me, he thought. And even though it shouldn’t have mattered, it did.
Hyunjin walked with his friends toward their usual spot. Someone joked, “You sitting with us today?” But Hyunjin didn’t answer. His eyes flicked again toward Felix—alone, small, silent.
Then, without saying a word, he changed direction and started walking toward Felix’s table.
The cafeteria went quiet. Conversations stopped mid-sentence.
Felix froze. “W–what are you doing?” he asked softly, barely audible.
Hyunjin gave him a small, calm smile. “I was wondering the same thing,” he said, sitting down across from him. “Why are you sitting alone?”
Felix blinked, confused. “Because… there’s no space,” he whispered, glancing at the table full of people who used to call him a friend.
Hyunjin tilted his head slightly, his voice gentle. “Looks like there’s plenty of space here.”
Felix didn’t know what to say. No one ever sat with him—not by choice, not like this. The cafeteria buzz slowly returned, but now every eye was on them.
Hyunjin didn’t seem to care. He leaned back, opening his drink. “I’ve seen you before,” he said casually. “You’re always quiet.”
Felix nodded slightly, staring at his tray. “People don’t really like when I talk.”
Hyunjin’s expression softened. “Then maybe they’ve just been talking to the wrong people.”
Felix looked up, meeting Hyunjin’s eyes again. There was something there—warmth, maybe, or curiosity. Whatever it was, it made his chest ache in a way that felt both terrifying and comforting.
For the first time in a long time, Felix didn’t feel completely invisible.