May the Odds be Ever in Your Favour • changlix

Chapter 3

Sleep and tear stains crust Felix's face when he slowly wakes up. The train is still moving, but the sun is shining outside. Rubbing one of his dark eyes, he watches as faraway trees whiz past.

He wondered what the time was.

Felix rolls over, seeing an alarm clock he hadn't noticed yesterday on the bedside table. He frowns, thankful the clock was a digital, and reads that the time is 11:34am.

Groggy, he pulls himself out of bed, shedding his clothes from yesterday to shower. The hot water warms him up quickly, a nice way to start the morning in contrast to the cold bucket he would normally dump on himself when he bathed.

He dresses in plain khaki shorts and a white button up shirt, heading out into the main area.

"Ah, you're awake, Felix." Sunmi smiles gingerly at him. "Would you like something to eat?"

"...Maybe some toast," he mumbles, running a hand through his bedhead.

Jaebum is off to the side with Lisa, watching her walk from end to end.

"Lisa, try one more time. Chin up, shoulders back."

Felix frowns, his eyebrows knitting together, until he notices she's wearing high heels. He'd never seen her wear anything but sneakers before.

She throws her head back, trying to correct her posture as she walks. Years of gardening had resulted in a slight hunch to her posture, which was even more noticeable in the tall shoes.

Collecting his toast, he sits with Sunmi. "Anything you can tell me regarding, uh, being fancy?"

She suddenly chuckles at that, and Felix feels a feeling of warmth in his chest at the sound. Sunmi sounded very young when she laughed.

"Yes. A good way to survive the Games are through a system called 'Sponsorship'."

Felix nods slowly, knowing what that meant. During the games, little gifts would be dropped in or hidden for tributes to find. Presents from home, or the Capital if you were popular enough.

"We should discuss what kind of persona you will give off, Felix. You're very attractive, and with a very nice voice, but your overall personality is a bit lacking." As soon as the laugh had escaped, Sunmi was back to business. She sounded almost robotic as she speaks.

"Ouch," Felix jokes, throwing his hands over his heart in a similar fashion to Chan. "What do you mean?"

Sunmi thinks for a moment, watching Lisa teeter on the high heels. "You're the younger brother of the chosen tribute of District 14. You volunteered for him with so much determination. We need you to be fierce, and confident. Speak louder, laugh more."

She rests a hand on his shoulder. "I know it might sound silly, but you need to fake these emotions if you have to. We want a hopeful boy from District 14. It's going to be difficult, but you only need to do it for the media."

Felix nods, munching slowly on his toast so he doesn't have to speak.

Confident and funny. Like Chan.

Sunmi lowers her voice, so as to not draw attention to them.

"When Jaebum was in the Hunger Games, I was his mentor. I found out that the women in the Capital found him rather charming and attractive, so I had him don more jewellery and use sex appeal to win over sponsorship." She seems ashamed by this, unable to look Felix in the eye. "However, that sponsorship won him the game. He was sponsored enough money for some bombs, which he used to take out the remaining tributes."

Felix's blood runs slightly cold, watching Jaebum grasping Lisa's small hands as she steps into taller heels. He was always so quiet and reserved. Did he feel guilty about the Games?