Losing Game • Lee Felix

{eight}

Sunday, Two Weeks Later
I hadn't seen him in three weeks.
He said he would be back, but when?
So as I sat ready to board my flight, a message rang in from Mirae.

"I'm in the airport looking for you. Where are you?"
It read.

I hastily messaged her back telling her I was at the terminal, and within ten minutes she had found me.
"So.. I have a gift for you!" She smiled, passing me a box.
I raised an eyebrow at her. "Now just what is this?"
Mirae grinned. "Open it."

I opened the small box, tilting my head.
"What is this?"
"It's tickets to Stray Kids' meet and greet in Sydney! I told you, I think you'll like them! I can't make it because of work, so I want you to go. Tell Bang Chan I say hi." She said, before she glanced at the open gate. "You better not miss your flight."

"Mirae thank you but I-" I started, but she was already gone.
Well, that stumped my plans.

I arrived in Sydney a few hours later, my parents welcoming me into their arms happily.
"How has Seoul treated you? You're getting thin, are you eating well?" My mother asked, bombarding me with questions all the way to the car.
"I'm fine Mum, really. I'm just reeling from everything in the past." I smiled slightly, as I jumped into the backseat, my Dad pulling into the drivers seat, as he started driving before my Mum could click her seatbelt in.

She cursed under her breath at him, something along the lines of 'men I swear', before she turned to face me.

"How long are you here for?"

"A week. It's all I could book off of work." I said, as her smile grew even brighter.
"Ah we can do so much!" She smiled, giggling like a teenager as she unlocked her phone, showing me photos of our household cat.

"She had surgery while you were away, so she looks a little, different." My Dad said, as he pulled up outside our house.
"Mum told me. She's missing her front leg, I know. She's still my Kiko though." I said, grabbing my bags hurriedly to rush inside.

Kiko was our household cat, whom I had named 'Kiko' when I was a small child.
I was learning Japanese in school around that time, and according to my stuck-up teacher, it meant 'hope', so I thought it was a pretty name.
This year Kiko was turning 10, and I had missed out three years of her life at the very least.

So I searched for her straight away, and she came running to me, rubbing against my ankles, purring affectionately.

After all the reuniting with my house and pets, we all sat around the couch, my parents intently listening to everything I had to say.

"Wait, wait, so you befriended some stranger from an arcade?" My mum asked, and I realised exactly what she was thinking.
"Mum he wasn't a stranger, he used to train with me." I added briefly, biting at the inside of my mouth.

Just tell her the truth.
But I suppose if we do, she'll go all mother mode and tell us to never talk to him again.

"Oh really? What's his name?" She enquired, eyes raking over my face.
She was reading me.

"Chan." I said, mentally kicking myself.
It was the first name I could think of, saying Mirae asked me to speak to this Bang Chan for her.

"Also, I have this meet and greet thing with this kpop group.. Stray Kids... like here, this week." I explained slowly.
"When?" My Dad asked.
"Like, on Wednesday." I said.

My mother sighed. "Oh well, that's alright. I still have six other days to smother you."

It felt so good to be home for once, without the stress of everything on my back.

For once I wasn't thinking about him.

Tuesday
My Mum and I had gone out for ice cream, as she said it's what we did when I were little.
Although, of course, I wasn't very little anymore.

As I sat on the bench waiting for her to come back, my phone started buzzing.
I pulled it out quickly, answering.
"Hello- sorry, hello." I answered, noticing the phone call was from South Korea.

"Hello, Miss L/N, I'm calling to inform you we have accepted your audition. We would like to welcome you to our trainee programme as soon as possible, to debut in the future, in either one of our new forming girl groups, or solo. How soon can we expect you in?" A lady asked, whom I assumed was a desk worker.
I felt my heart pound in my ears.
Was this really happening?

"Anytime after this week I will be available." I explained.
"Great! We will see you next Wednesday then, yes? Our company head will speak to you about your training, and any steps forward. Thank you for choosing JYP Entertainment." She said, as she hung up.

My Mum noticed my smile, as she came over.

"What's got you all smiley, dear?"

"I got accepted into a company! Mum, I think it's happening!" I smiled, letting out a little scream.
She just smiled, passing me my ice cream.
When I took it, she ruffled my hair.

"I knew you could do it baby."

Wednesday
I still couldn't get over the similarity between my Sunshine and the member of Stray Kids.
He was called Felix. I had been doing my research.

Last night I had crammed everything I could, learning as much as I could about the group and the members.
Saying I was meeting them, I ought to know something.

So as I stood outside the building surrounded by screaming teens, I stepped in, hoping it was all an odd coincidence.

Just because someone sounds, looks, and practically acts the same, doesn't mean they're the same person.

Right?