Mi Corazón [HYUNLIX]
Prolonged
A gentle echoes of laughter
Felicia runs towards the trees as her husband happily Followed her
Felicia's face was a blur of white linen and tangled hair
Felicia
you're so slow Jin *she chuckles*
Hyunjin
I’m not slow
*Hyunjin heard his younger self laugh, his lungs burning with the sweet scent of crushed grass*
I’m pacing myself. Strategy, Felicia!
*He laughs between pants*
Felicia stopped then, spinning around to face him. She was leaning against a thick cedar trunk, her chest heaving, her face flushed a warm, dusty rose. The dappled sunlight filtered through the leaves, dancing across her skin like liquid gold.
Felicia
Strategy is just a fancy word for losing
*she teased, her eyes crinkling at the corners. That was the look he remembered most—the way her whole face participated in her joy*
He had reached her then, trapping her between his arms against the rough bark.
Felicia didn't pull away. She leaned her head back, looking up into the canopy where the birds were bickering.
Hyunjin
Do you think the trees watch us? Do you think they remember us?
Hyunjin
I think they’re jealous
He Whispered, brushing a stray leaf from her hair.
Hyunjin
They have to stay rooted. We get to chase the wind.
Felicia
*smiles while Raising her eyebrow*
She looked back at him, her smile softening into something private, something sacred
Felicia
As long as we're chasing it together, I don't mind where we land
The memory flickered. In the quiet of the room, Hyunjin could almost still feel the phantom sensation of the rough cedar bark and the warmth of her hand against his cheek.
The silence of the house was loud, but for a moment, the air still smelled like sun-drenched oak and Felicia’s laughter.
Hyunjin
How I longed for you....
Chapter 1
Hyunjin stood in his office, His eyes lingered on the window to see the Scenery below, cold and distant
He adjusted his cufflink, the click of the metal echoing sharply against the silence. Since Felicia’s passing, Hyunjin had traded his laughter for a suit of armor made of silk and stoicism.
A sharp, rhythmic knock broke the quiet.
Hyunjin said. His voice was a flat line, devoid of the melody it used to carry.
The heavy oak door swung open, and Lee Know stepped in. As Hyunjin’s head of operations and longest-standing confidant, Lee Know was the only person who didn't flinch at the chill radiating from the desk. He carried a slim leather folder under his arm.
Leeknow
The board is asking for the quarterly projections
Lee Know began, his tone professional but laced with an underlying layer of caution.
Leeknow
But I told them you were prioritizing the new intake.
Hyunjin corrected, finally turning away from the window. He didn't sit. He simply leaned against the edge of his mahogany desk, crossing his arms
Hyunjin
Do we have the final shortlist for the internship program?
Lee Know slid the folder onto the desk.
Leeknow
Fifteen candidates. All top of their class from the national academies. Their technical scores are flawless, but...
Hyunjin’s brow arched, a ghost of his former intensity flickering in his eyes.
Leeknow
But they’re young, Hyunjin
Lee Know said, dropping the formal 'Director' title for a split second.
Leeknow
They have that... irritatingly bright-eyed optimism. I wasn't sure if you’d want to handle the final interviews yourself this year
Hyunjin reached for the folder, his fingers brushing the cold leather. For a moment, his mind flashed back to a girl in a white linen dress who once told him that optimism was the only thing worth holding onto.
Hyunjin
Optimism is a liability in this industry
Hyunjin said, his voice dropping an octave.
Hyunjin
I’ll interview them. I want to see which ones break first
Lee Know sighed, a small, weary sound
Leeknow
I'll schedule them for Monday. Try not to scare them into early retirement, Jin *jokingly said*
Hyunjin didn't answer. He was already opening the folder, his eyes scanning names and faces that meant nothing to him, looking for a spark he wasn't sure he wanted to find
Chapter 2
The mahogany doors to Hyunjin’s office had become a revolving door of nerves and polished shoes. Most candidates left looking like they’d just faced a firing squad, their "bright-eyed optimism" wilting under Hyunjin’s silent, predatory gaze.
Then A Guy named Han came in
He entered with a trip over the doorframe, a stack of papers flying like panicked birds.
Han
Oof—calculating the trajectory of my dignity... and it’s at zero!
Han chirped, scrambling to gather his things. He popped up, offering a grin so wide it seemed to defy the heavy atmosphere of the room.
Lee Know, leaning against the far wall, muffled a snort. Hyunjin just stared, his pen poised like a needle.
Hyunjin
You’re late, Mr. Han
Hyunjin said, his voice a low chill.
Han
Technically, I’m early for the next interview
Han countered, undeterred as he flopped into the leather chair.
Han
Figured a grand entrance would be more memorable than a boring 'hello'💅
Han said that with a hint of a sass
Hyunjin looked at the boy—clumsy, loud, and completely unfazed by the frost.
Hyunjin
Your portfolio is chaotic
*Hyunjin remarked, flipping through pages of coffee-stained sketches and brilliant code*
Hyunjin
But your logic is sound. Welcome to the team, Han. Don't break the coffee machine
Han beamed, gave a mock salute, and bounced out.
Hyunjin interviewed almost All the Intakes
Lee Know murmured, checking his tablet
Leeknow
Only one left. A transfer from the Australian branch. Felix
Hyunjin
*Hyunjin didn't look up from his desk*
Send him in. Let's get this over with
The door opened softly this time. There was no stumble, no loud greeting. Just the sound of light footsteps and the faint scent of... sun-drenched oak?
Hyunjin froze. His heart, usually a steady, icy rhythm, skipped a beat. He slowly lifted his head, the "rejection" speech already forming on his tongue.
The words died in his throat.
Standing there was a young man with hair the color of spun moonlight and a face dusted with a galaxy of freckles. But it was the eyes—large, dark, and shimmering with a familiar, gentle warmth—that made the world tilt on its axis.
He looked like a charcoal sketch of Felicia come to life, masculine and sharp-jawed, yet possessing the exact same ethereal glow.
Felix
Good morning Director
*Felix said. His voice was a startling contrast to his delicate features—a deep, resonant bass that vibrated in the air *
I’m Felix. It’s an honor to finally meet you.
Hyunjin’s grip tightened on his pen until the plastic groaned. The resemblance wasn't just a coincidence, it was a haunting. The curve of the lips when he smiled, the way he tilted his head..... it was her.
Hyunjin
Felix.... *Hyunjin whispered, the name tasting like ash and old dreams*
Felix
Is something wrong Sir?
Felix asked, stepping forward. The movement was fluid, graceful, the exact way she used to move through the garden.
Hyunjin stood up abruptly, his chair screeching against the floor. Across the room, Lee Know’s expression shifted from professional boredom to sharp concern.
Hyunjin stared at the boy, his breath hitching. He wanted to scream, to demand why this stranger had stolen her face, but all he could do was stare into those familiar eyes and feel the winter in his soul begin to crack.
The air in the office grew heavy, the silence stretching until it felt like a physical weight. Lee Know cleared his throat, a sharp, warning sound that pulled Hyunjin back from the precipice of his own memories.
Hyunjin looked down at the resume on his desk. Felix Lee. Top marks in architectural design. A background in sustainable materials. Every credential was perfect, but Hyunjin wasn't looking at the words. He was looking at the photo attached to the top left corner...... a face that shouldn't exist in this world anymore.
Felix
Sir, Is there a problem on my application?
Felix prompted softly. His voice was so deep it seemed to vibrate in Hyunjin's very bones
Hyunjin forced his hands to lay flat on the mahogany surface so Felix wouldn't see them shaking
Hyunjin
Your portfolio is... adequate
He lied, his voice sounding like grinding stones
Hyunjin
But this firm requires more than just technical skill. It requires a certain... resilience
Felix said, stepping closer. He didn't shrink away from Hyunjin's coldness. Instead, he offered a small, lopsided smile, the exact one Felicia used when she was being stubborn.... Which makes Hyunjin blood boil
Felix
I've been told I'm harder to break than I look
Hyunjin felt a surge of irrational anger. How dare he? How dare he stand there with her eyes and her spirit, acting as if he weren't a ghost haunting a living man?
Hyunjin snapped, not taking his eyes off Felix.
Hyunjin
Clear my schedule for the afternoon. And put Mr. Lee on the Blue Ridge Project
Leeknow
BLUE RIDGE PROJECT????
Leeknow
Hyunjin, that’s a senior-level renovation. It’s... it's the botanical conservatory.
The garden. The glass house filled with sunlight and oak. The project Hyunjin hadn't touched in three years because it hurt too much to breathe near it.
Hyunjin
I know what that is...
*Hyunjin said, finally sitting back down, his face a mask of porcelain indifference*
Hyunjin
If Mr. Lee wants to prove he’s 'hard to break,' he can start by fixing the one place in this city that refuses to grow. He’ll report directly to me. Every day. At 6:00 AM
Felix didn't flinch. If anything, his gaze softened, as if he could see right through the expensive suit and the icy glare to the hollowed-out man underneath.
Felix
I’ll be there, sir. 6:00 AM sharp
As Felix turned to leave, the sunlight caught the back of his neck, and for a fleeting second, Hyunjin saw the phantom of a white linen dress fluttering in the corner of his eye.
Felix stopped, looking back over his shoulder.
Hyunjin opened his mouth to say something like "Who are you? Why do you look like her???" but the words died. He caught sight of a small silver ring hanging from a chain around Felix's neck.
Hyunjin
Nothing
*He muttered, dropping his gaze to his papers*
Just... don't be late
Once the door clicked shut, Hyunjin collapsed against his chair, pressing his palms into his eyes until he saw stars.
Leeknow
You're out of your mind
Lee Know said quietly from the corner.
Hyunjin whispered into the empty room.
Hyunjin
I'm just waiting to see if the sun can actually burn twice
I like noonas😋
That's for todayyyy🥴
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