I'm Also A We // Hyunlix

The New Normal

NOW

F E L I X

Chung-hee curses a second time, hanging up with a huff and letting the phone fall into his jacket pocket. He smirks apologetically when he looks back and catches Felix, Hyunjin, and Changbin staring back, maybe the others too but they're behind Felix in the van so he doesn't fully know.

"Anything wrong?" Changbin asks and doesn't quite manage to sound as casual as he probably wanted to sound.

"Baekhyun-hyung quit apparently. He was supposed to meet us at the airport." Chung-hee sounds more angry than confused. "Would have loved a bit more heads up."

"Oh," Hyunjin says, and Felix notices him reaching for Changbin's hand and squeezing it, and he wonders for whose comfort that gesture was meant to be.

They had filled Hyunjin in two days ago, with words spoken but also with memories and feelings shared through their connection, and Hyunjin had gone through all the emotions, every single one evident on his face. Even though Felix couldn't feel any of them through a connection he almost thought he could just by looking at him.

"Ugh, how annoying," Chung-hee groans and doesn't seem to pick up on the tense silence behind him.

When they'd arrived at the airport and it was clear that Baekhyun wasn't showing up, the rest of the staff had seemed confused, and the members had carefully played along. It was surreal how everything had played out so normally otherwise.

"They're not gonna do anything to us in front of the cameras," Minho had mumbled and squeezed Seungmin's thigh, right before the door of the car was opened and Felix and the members from his dorm stepped outside at Incheon airport to a thunderstorm of shouts and camera flashes.

Two concerts in Singapore are in front of them, and they were lining up to show off their airport outfits and to wave to the press. Par for the course. Felix is not the only one who's uneasy about the lack of reaction from the company, from anyone, after breaking Hyunjin out of the hospital.

No squat cars, police, or unmarked vans parking close to the dorms. No made-up passport issues when they landed. As if nothing even happened.

The other thing that is not normal is the bitter silence in the car. Jisung is right behind him, and from what Felix can glance is that he's leaning against the window, beanie pulled low into his face, his arms crossed over his chest like he's trying to shield himself. Minho sits next to him, his face betraying no emotion, but hovering close to Jisung like they haven't done in months. Felix is not sure how things are between them after the revelation in the hospital and the fight after but he knows that Chan and him are still not talking, and it already goes on for longer than normal.

Usually, their fights never last long, but things have not been normal for a long time now.

o

"Alright, we're all sharing tonight," Chan announces once they've reached the hotel, waving the key cards in the air. "Who's rooming with whom?"

Minho is the first to take one of the cards from Chan. "Iyen-ah is coming with me."

Felix doesn't miss the grateful expression on Jeongin's face and there's that guilt again, piercing hotly through him. But he gets it. Minho has been the quiet, calming presence to Felix's jumbled thoughts so many times, that he understands that Jeongin is seeking that calmness now. Felix also doesn't miss the flicker of irritation on Jisung's face.

Then Chan holds out a keycard to Felix and Hyunjin. "I'd feel safer if you'd room together."

There it is again. That sting in Felix's side. He's happy to have an excuse to spend more time with Hyunjin, that they're grouped together now.