Venetian Mask - Hyunlix (ENG)

Twenty-Eight

Drake - Hold On, We're Going Home
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Felix was there, in front of the room, the meeting place, on time. The young man had never been as punctual as he was that day. He waited outside the door, which seemed to be closed. After two minutes, he decided to press the handle to see if the room would be open, which it was. As soon as he entered the room, the blond looked around for the appointment. But as he entered the room, all his memories came flooding back. True, the blond hadn't made the connection, but in the end he remembered more about this room than he'd thought. The fact that, at the start of his search, this room had been a kind of reward that had helped him, but that it had taken him a week to finally access it. He remembers that evening, the windows open, early sunset, a light breeze blowing into the famous archive room. The surprise of seeing the composition of the room, the light changing the colors of the room and the works. The canvas he'd been looking for, hidden in a corner of the room, and which he'd been by a total stranger at the time. He couldn't forget it. And finally, this person who was waiting to help him and answer his questions, just as he had done up until now. Yes, it was this person who was also waiting for him that day. As she entered the room, Jinnie was waiting for her.

He was in the same place in the room as last time, but this time he wasn't arranging paintings, he was simply waiting for the blond. His usual big smile greeted Felix. The blond slowly approached the tall man, mask and photo in hand, to check his identity. Then, when he was close enough to the tall man, he reached out to grab the object and place it on his face. This was the signal for Felix to check with the photo. But even without it, he recognized the stranger in the mask. The tall man's smile alone had validated him. The blond had never concentrated on that part, but now that he'd realized it, it seemed obvious to him. But looking at the photo supported this thought with the smile on the image.

Felix's eyes began to sparkle, he was blown away, he'd finally found the owner, the person in front of him was, and not forgetting that Jinnie looked really gorgeous with the accessory on her face. The pressure had also come down enormously in connection with this. Then he began:

"So, Kitten, how does this mask suit me?

- Perfectly! replied the blond, still lost in thought, his eyes sparkling.

Jinnie blushed slightly at this answer. He hadn't expected it.

- What's more, you really look like the person in the photo!

- What photo? asked the taller boy, intrigued.

Felix showed him the image in question. Hyunjin was surprised to discover his presence in a photo he'd never seen before.

- It's logical, because it's me! Look, I'm as tall as him, and there's my mask on his face.

- I knew you were the mask guy! says Félix.

- I knew it too.

- So why did it take so long," said the almost desperate blond.

- On my side, because I wanted to keep you guessing, and on yours, because you didn't make any effort.

- What are you talking about?

- Didn't you make the connection between me and the person to whom the mask belonged with all the clues you had?

- How do you know about the clues? Seungmin?

- Yes.

- So he was in on it too?!

- Yes, but only since the party at Yeonjun's house.

- Okok, how long have you known?

- It seems like a week before we met here. That reminds you, doesn't it?

- Yes, of course, it was a long time ago now.

A blank moment followed. In fact, she had a lot of questions on her mind:

- And so it was you who painted the canvas? And why didn't you tell me when you knew?

Why did you only give me your nickname? Why did you contact Seungmin too? Wh...

- Whoa, whoa, easy, breathe. And to answer your questions, yes I am the painter, the famous H.H in reference to my initials.

- So your first name is Hyunjin?

- Yes, it is!

- It's strange because we've known each other for a while, but learning your real name makes it feel like we've just met.

- It's true that it's weird, but the fact that you've been using my nickname from the start creates a kind of closeness between us, my cat. To continue, I didn't tell you directly that it was me because I wanted you to guess, as I've already said. And the fact that I only gave you my nickname had something to do with that. Otherwise, you see, it would have been too simple.

- It was only at the end that I learned the painter's name and yours.

- Yes, but you might have made the connection too soon if I'd told you earlier about my initials. Otherwise, the next question...

- About Seungmin.

- Ah yes! Thanks a lot. So I contacted him recently because I wanted this story, which is rather long for what it is, to end more quickly. And he totally agreed with me.

- You amaze me," says Felix to himself.

- And so he kept me abreast of the clues you had and also, for example, the story of the advert.

- Which I didn't post.

- You didn't?! Oh dear! Never mind. And you, why didn't you come and see me if you knew who I was?

- I don't know, I just didn't want to believe it was you, I blocked it out.

- Why would you do that?!

- I don't know, I don't know, I panicked!

- So you panicked for a long time!

- Yeah, whatever. And you were the guy at the first party, the one Chan invited you to, where you were walking sideways with a strange look on your face.

- What do you mean, "strange"?

- Yes, you were! You were wearing a jumpsuit.

- Well, maybe, but that would mean we'd been crossing paths all along.

- So I knew all along," says Felix in despair. But actually, I think I recognized you by your nickname, Jinnie the crab. That's right! Now it's clear in my mind! You walked between groups without necessarily entering one.

A long explanation followed this initial questioning. The question Hyunjin had been waiting for finally arrived.

- So you only got close to me because of the mask?

- That's right," replied the tall, embarrassed man.

- I feel used, it's not pleasant I assure you," said a disappointed Felix.

- Yes, I'm sorry, but I want you to know that it quickly became clear that I wanted to create a relationship with you rather than see you as a toy. But now you have to know that I like you, Lix," he replied, this time with a small smile and slightly flushed cheeks. I mean, I don't love you the way you think I do," he finished softly."