Work Text:
Felix isn't hungry. The nerves are eating away at his appetite, the stress is real and Felix just wants the competition to be over already. He knows he should eat to be able to give his best for tomorrow's competition and fend off any headache he might be subjected due to empty stomach. But he just can't bring himself to eat, not when his stomach threatens to empty itself even at the thought of food, the reminder of the event at the back of his mind only worsening this situation.
"No, it's okay, I don't think I'll be able to stomach anything," he sheepishly informs, fidgeting with his lunch pass. He knew his stomach would be like this even before he came to the dining hall, but he had bought the pass just in case. One can't not be too sure.
Changbin clicks his tongue, tugging at his hoodie to get him up. "Eat something light if you can't stomach anything else. You'll suffer from acidity of all things and we don't want that, now, do we?"
Behind Changbin, Felix watches Chan motion the others to get in the growing line. They turn to look at Felix, eyes furrowed but do as told, moving to join the line and greeting their peers on their way. That leaves behind Chan, Changbin, Jisung, and Hyunjin to try and get Felix to eat something. He hates when he makes a fuss, but he rather not get sick after forcing himself to eat either.
"I think Jisung has some strawberry snacks he got from store yesterday," Changbin ponders, then turns to regard Jisung, "right, Sung?"
"I did," Jisung says, then laughs very awkwardly, hiding his face in Hyunjin's shoulder. "Innie and I ate it this afternoon, I'm sorry! I didn't know! We can buy more though!"
Chan rolls his eyes, turning to reprimand Felix as if he was the one who suggested it. "Those bars aren't a substitute for dinner, you should eat something healthy." After a brief thought, he adds, "Lix, they've cups of yogurt, eat that at least?"
Felix notices a separate table at the front, students stopping by to pick something up from there. Maybe they are yogurts. What a coincidence. And honestly, Yogurt sounds good right now. His stomach growls as if agreeing with him. He isn't usually one for cold things, but right now, something cold sounds good. He likes yogurt too.
It's a win-win; he eats something and his friends don't worry about him.
So he nods, handing Chan his pass. "Would you buy one for me, hyung?"
Changbin swoops in and plucks his card from right between his fingers, sliding it in the case containing his own. "Those yogurts are this small," he shows by keeping a good five centimeters distance between his thumb and index finger. "They're not going to fill you stomach, Lix."
Felix sighs. Why are they all making a big deal out of this? It's not like this is an everyday occurrence, he's not making a habit of skipping dinner, jeez, calm down. He genuinely does not want to worry his friends but he also does not plan on wasting money on something he knows he won't eat.
Yogurt might not fill his stomach but it'll help settle it down to some extent. "I think something is better than nothing," he opts to say, glaring at Changbin when he huffs under his breath. Who does he think he is?
"Okay, how about this," Changbin says, pressing closer to Felix, his palms spread on the table in front of him. He looks annoyed, his eyebrows furrowed and expression daring Felix to even challenge whatever he is going to say. He makes Felix feel like a very stubborn child refusing to do as told. He doesn't like being treated like that, neither does he like to burden his friends. "I'll go fill my plate and you eat whatever you can stomach from it? Sounds good?"
That—
That sounds excellent actually and Felix can't believe his Changbin thought of that. He breaks into a smile, shaking hands to seal the deal. That's killing two birds in one shot.
°•°
Changbin and he decide to hold the place till the others returned with their food, both just watching, with a sinking feeling, as the line moved slowly, more and more students joining the never-ending line.
Changbin slumps into Felix, rocking Felix's flimsier frame under the added weight. "There are currently thirty-one students in the line, Lix! If they don't make it here any sooner, I think we'll be having this dinner for breakfast."
Felix pats his friend's head in sympathy, biting back a tired sigh of his own. "You should've just gone with them, I would've waited here, you know?"
"I know," he whines, "but it didn't seem right to leave you here alone. Not to mention you would have sat here worrying yourself to death." Changbin doesn't raise his head, but they've been friends for a very long time, long enough for Felix to know the look that must be plastered over his face.
"You know me that well, aye," he teases, poking at the older boy's sides. "You're such a best friend, keeping me company, making sure I eat even if it means you'd have to share your food with me. Were you going to buy it with my card though?"
His best friend laughs, slapping Felix's thigh. "You know it— oh look! Hyunjin, Jeongin and Jisung are done!"
Felix looks up in time to witness Jisung almost walk right into a wild Sunwoo that races by him, who then manages to trip and fall. Jeongin hurries to help his friend up, shoving his plate in Jisung's hands. Jisung, as it seems, have different priorities, busy motioning Felix and Changbin to remain seated, the two plate balanced very precariously in his arms jostling with the movement. He then jerks his head in Chan's direction, who is stuck in the line, chatting with Seonghwa.
"Oh, hyung, I think Channie hyung is getting a plate for you," Felix says, eyes attentively watching Chan's hands to see if he's really plating food for himself and Changbin.
"Here." A plate is placed in front of Felix leaving him to stare at with his mouth open, as Hyunjin pulls the chair next to him totally unbothered. "Eat whatever you can. It's just slices of fruits and your cup of plain yogurt." He then places a glass of yellow beverage. "And this is milk with turmeric and ginger in it."
Two endangered plates make it safely on their table. Jisung pulls the chair opposite Felix looking at him with an encouraging smile. "It's not a lot, bit it's better than a cup of yogurt. The lunch lady said that this milk will help settle your upset stomach. Eat whatever you can and drink however much you can."
Felix looks at the plate piled in an assortment of colourful fruits; strawberries, watermelon, papaya, banana, and pineapples all sliced thin and nice. The glass is warm as well, meaning one of them asked the lunch lady especially for it. He feels like he's inconveniencing them.
He had never once thought that he'd witness a day like this. He had never thought one of the boys would go out of their way in this manner to make sure his stomach was full. He turns to gawk at Hyunjin. "You didn't have to. I would've eaten something from Binnie hyung's plate."
Hyunjin huffs, shaking his head, all the while not actually looking at Felix. He snaps his chopsticks, pulling the steaming hot bowl of egg and potato curry closer. "Eat it, Felix. I did not just swipe my card twice for you to complain about it." He shoots Felix a very warm smile and Felix and Changbin's jaw drops, while Jisung chokes on something. But Hyunjin carries on like it's normal, "it's light for your stomach too. Apparently plain yogurt is better than the flavoured one. That, and milk will keep you stomach full, the ginger helps to calm down and turmeric is good for health."
Hyunjin says all that with such insouciant attitude it leaves Felix baffled. Like no, Hyunjin, we aren't that close, why are you acting so casual about it? Why does these things seem to bother Felix only? Why not Hyunjin too? This is not normal and Hyunjin refusing to acknowledge it, actually drives Felix up the walls. Ugh!
If Hyunjin notices them blatantly staring at him with their eyes practically hanging out of their sockets, he does not comment. Jeongin chooses that exact moment to appear, dramatically lowering himself into an empty chair, mouth open and eyes unblinking, looking as if the unimaginable has happened right in front of his eyes—Felix assumes he heard their exchange, based on his over the top reaction.
Felix doesn't know what he should do, of course other than alternate between gawking at Hyunjin and then at the plate. Hyunjin and he aren't close, they don't even hang out as just two of them. They're part of the same friend circle so Felix gets why he would worry about the Australian. But the thing is, Felix realises, they're not close enough to go out of way to help the other. This probably is the first time–second time, don't forget the jacket incident!–Hyunjin has done something like this even when there was no need for it, especially not when their other friends already had offered their help.
Changbin and Jeongin clear their throats, Jeongin taking the lead of once again pointing out how Hyunjin didn't 'need' to do that, they all had it settled. Was he still bitter that Hyunjin had stolen his thunder?
"You didn't need to swipe your card twice, you know hyung, just like you didn't need to lend you jacket to him." He reminds him, pointing his chopstick at the other.
Changbin seems dejected as well, sulking by Felix's side. "Why pull a stunt like this and steal the spotlight from us? You're not even that close to Bokkie, stop making us," he points at himself and then at a very deadpanned Jeongin, "Felix's best friends, look bad."
Hyunjin doesn't appear phased by petty friends, going about eating in a calm manner. "He needed to eat and seeing as you all failed to convince him, I did what I thought I had to do. And regarding the jacket, I wouldn't have given him if you, Jeongin, had got him one right away." His tone is casual, no bite in it.
Jisung picks his glass of water and hides his smug smile behind the rim, tipping it to gulp some down. Felix sees the smile, notes the mischievous glint in his eyes, and remembers seeing it before too. What's that all about?
He looks back at his plate. He can't eat just yet, he'd have to wait for Changbin. Where was Chan? Chan and Seungmin appear to be done, both picking up a yogurt on their way.
"We didn't fail," Changbin grips, "we actually did convince Felix to eat. Hence the sharing of the plate, Hyunjin!"
Hyunjin doesn't refute, simply shrugs. Changbin goes back to sulk, leaning his head against Felix's.
"I just really, really wanted to share food with you," he murmurs, his hand finding Felix's and playing with his rings. "We haven't done that in a long time and this guy comes out of nowhere and just grabs my opportunity by its neck and swings it across the nation, slapping my face on its way." He purposefully keeps his voice low, making sure Hyunjin doesn't hear him.
Felix feels bad. They really haven't spent time together just as them. So he placates his best friend by dropping a kiss on top of his head. "We'll go out to eat this weekend, yeah?" He feels the nods of the huge head and smiles. Poor Changbin.
The three reach the table then, Chan placing Changbin's food gently in front of him. "Today's menu mostly consists of oily and spicy food, Lix. We didn't think that would've been good for your upset gut," he explains softly, gesturing at the plate in front of Changbin. Why does he always sound so apologetic? He shouldn't be! This all definitely on Felix! Chan really is too good for this world.
He takes note of all the dishes, most of them bathed in the prominent red colour, result of either the spices or food colouring and Felix is in no mood to find out. He watches Seungmin pick a red tteokbokki, making his stomach lurch a little. The spicy food had never been his preference but in this condition it looks even more not appealing.
"It doesn't look bad," he says instead. He doesn't want to make a big deal, doesn't want to accept that yes, their fuss was valid.
Hyunjin's hand halts in his peripheral, his head turning to look at him and Felix, fearing he might have offended the Korean, purses his lips and hurriedly picks the glass up, gulping a mouthful of the warm milk. He sees the head bob a few times and then Hyunjin, thankfully, goes back to his rice and kimchi.
There's only so many times he can refuse an offer before he comes off as rude or disrespectful, he guesses. He plops a papaya piece in his mouth. Wait—
Is Hyunjin taking advantage of that fact and making Felix accept his help?
"Come on, Lix, don't play devil's advocate. You and I know that food doesn't look appetising," Seungmin pushes, picking a prawn from the watered-down reddish brown curry, the golden droplets of oil sliding down the prawn's body.
Big yikes on that one.
He averts his eyes, slightly repelled by the sight. Okay, maybe Seungmin is right. The food doesn't look appetising. At all. How are they even eating it? Jeongin is slurping the soggy looking Mul Naengmyeon, Chan is munching on the sad excuse of Bulgogi, Hyunjin is chewing down red bean rice like it's the best thing he's tasted. The only thing that looks edible is kimchi and even it looks like it has seen better days.
He sighs in defeat, munching on the watermelon piece. "Thank you Hyunjing for getting me this. I really appreciate it." Then, a beat later, "I appreciate you." He then gently drops a piece of strawberry and pineapple in Hyunjin's plate. "You didn't have to, but I'm grateful for it nonetheless."
Hyunjin's movement falters, but he nods, the tip of ears red. He coughs and then waves his hand, "No worries."
Just then Minho makes his presence known by slamming his plate and bowl of rice on the table. "Yeah, my little Bokkie, you better be grateful," he says, falling in his seat and avoiding Hyunjin's scathing glare. "My Hyunjinnie did not just walk up to those lunch ladies and ask if they had any fruits remaining from the breakfast."
"Lee Minho," Hyunjin hisses.
Seungmin agrees loudly, smiling innocently at Hyunjin. "Yeah, he did not just ask those kind helpers for a glass of warm milk with pinch of turmeric and ginger because Google said that's good for an upset stomach."
"Kim Seungmin."
Google? Did Jisung not say that the lunch lady said that?
His eyes travel to look at Jisung who throws his hands up, pointing a finger at Hyunjin. "He made me say that!"
"Han Jisung!" There's a promise of repercussion there in the tone and Felix finds it amusing to see Hyunjin lose his cool for a change. He doesn't look unattainable like this, he seems normal, like any other student.
Minho tuts, "Hyunjin stop threatening them and accept that you've already begun falling for my sunflower."
Hyunjin picks another piece of strawberry from Felix's plate, as he huffs. "As if!"