Al (on hold)

HOST: Welcome to Love Is Blind. For the next few weeks, singles will date one another without ever meeting face-to-face. Their only chance at connection lies within the pods — where walls separate them, and all they have are their voices. If they fall in love, they’ll get engaged without ever laying eyes on each other. Only then will they meet, move in together, and ultimately decide, at the altar, if love… truly is blind.

-

You fix the strap of your dress for the umpteenth time as a production assistant leads you down a sleek hallway. Your heels click softly against the polished floor, your reflection catching in the walls of tinted glass. Every step brings you closer to a lounge filled with women you’ve never met — women who, in the next few weeks, might be your competition, your confidants, or both.

The door swings open, and you’re greeted by a burst of laughter and the clinking of champagne flutes. The lounge is plush and vibrant, couches arranged in a circle, throw pillows scattered like a showroom catalogue. A bar cart gleams in the corner, already stocked with bottles of prosecco.

“Hi!” someone calls out cheerfully the moment you step inside. A brunette in a coral dress waves you over, her smile wide and welcoming.

You exhale, pushing away the nerves, and make your way into the group. Names and details fly quickly as everyone introduces themselves.

“I’m Laura. A marketing manager.” “Daria. Yoga instructor. I’m here for a real connection, you know?” “Sierra and I’m here because I’m tired. I just want to find my husband. ASAP!”

The three women laugh at that, one of them nodding in agreement. When it’s your turn, you clear your throat, forcing a polite smile as you introduce yourself. “I’m a jeweller. And I guess I’m here for the same reason you all are — to see if this works.”

The other women nod, accepting your answer before the conversation shifts again and more contestants coming. Some of them already sound like best friends, giggling over shared interests, while others sit quietly, scanning the room with thin smiles.

You sink into one of the couches, fingers tapping against your glass. Everyone else seems to carry a kind of bold hope with them — bright-eyed, ready to fall in love with a stranger. You, on the other hand, can’t quite shake the voice in your head reminding you that you’ve been fine on your own for a long time.

-

YOU: I’m not really the kind of person who believes in fairy tales, [sheepish smiles] I’ve always been independent. I’ve built my life on my own, and I’m happy with that. I don’t need someone to complete me. But… [pauses] [glances away] [looks back to the camera] I also don’t want to shut myself off forever. I joined this because— [softly sighs] —I want to give myself one more chance to believe in love. And if this doesn’t work too… oh, well [shrugs] [lightly chuckles]

-

The men’s lounge has darker tones, leather couches, a wall stacked with liquor, beers and wines. A pool table takes space in oner corner of the room.

Felix steps inside, his loafers squeaking faintly against the floor. His long, blond hair is styled neatly, but his hands are shoved deep in his pockets as he takes in the room. A few men are already gathered near the bar, laughing loudly, slapping each other on the shoulders like old friends even though they only just met.

“Yo! New guy!” one of them calls, grinning. “Come join us!”

Felix laughs, a soft sound that rumbles from his chest, and makes his way over. Introductions happen quickly, names flying around with easy camaraderie.

“I’m Rob.” “Shane. I’m a personal trainer.” “Musician. Jim.”

When it’s his turn, Felix scratches the back of his neck, suddenly shy under their expectant gazes. “Uh, I’m Felix,” he says with a nervous chuckle. “I’m a chef. But… I like cooking just about everything.”

The group hums in approval, one of the guys elbowing him with a grin. “So you’re the one we’ll all be begging to make breakfast for us, huh?”

Felix just shakes his head with a sheepish smile, his accent lacing his words. “We’ll see.”

-

FELIX: People tell me I have this… voice [laughs] [shakes head] like it makes me sound confident. But honestly? I’m not. Not really. I still get nervous around new people. I just hide it well [chuckles] I became a chef because cooking… it’s a way to take care of people. To show love without saying it out loud. And I think that’s what I want here too — someone I can take care of, and who’ll see me for me. Not just my voice, or… whatever people think when they first meet me. [Look at the camera] [exhales nervously] I don’t know if love is blind. But… I want to believe it can be.

-

All the fifteen female contestants have gathered in the lounge and sit comfortably on the curved velvet sofa when the two hosts steps into frame, stopping just on the marked spot, smiling warmly at the contestants before turning slightly toward the camera.

“Welcome to Love Is Blind,” the female host greets, her voice steady with the practiced cadence of someone who’s said these words dozens of times before. She goes on to introduce herself and the male co-host does the same after.

“You’re here because you’ve all been searching for something real. Something deeper than appearances, deeper than the surface-level dating we all know too well,” she begins. Then briefly looks at everyone, letting the words settle before continuing. “Here’s how it works: Over the next ten days, you’ll have the chance to date one another inside our custom-designed pods. You’ll be able to talk, laugh, and share your lives with a stream of potential love interests.”

The male co-host seamlessly takes it over like they rehearsed it beforehand. Maybe the did. “Here’s the catch. Look won’t play a factor here. The only time you’re going to interact is in one of those private pods. You’re going to be separated by one thin wall.”

The girl sitting next to you lowly gasp like it’s only dawn on her now what she’s getting herself into.

“You won’t ever get to see each other. Not until you’ve made a connection so strong… that one of you decides to propose,” he continues.

Everyone instinctively leaning forward with intrigue, including you. The concept seems absurd to you and that people would do this. That you are doing this.

“If they accept,” the female host takes it over again. “Only then will you meet face-to-face for the very first time.”

Your heart dips like you can vividly imagine how it would pan out. Except that your partner is still one big, blurry figure.

“From there, you’ll go on a romantic getaway, live together, meet each other’s families, and plan your wedding. And in just a few weeks’ time, you’ll stand at the altar and decide… whether love truly is blind.”

Just like that? You wonder if it’s that easy. You wonder if it is even achievable at all.You look around and see the other contestants are just as skeptical. But mostly, you notice a mixture of excitement and nerves flickering across their expressions.

The host smiles again, hands clasped in front of her as she brightly smiles. “So get ready. Because the pods… are now open.”

-

YOU: [nervously laughs] I’m terrified. Like, what am I even doing here? I’m supposed to walk into this little room and talk to strangers about, I don’t know, my life, my dreams, my… heart? [shakily exhales]

-

“Because the pods… are now open.”

As soon as the male host announces it, a chorus of reactions fills the men’s lounge immediately — groans, cheers, anxious laughter. Someone downs the rest of his drink dramatically while another mutters, “Oh, we’re really doing this.”

Felix laughs under his breath, though his stomach twists nervously at the announcement.

The group slowly makes their way down the glowing hallway together, footsteps echoing in the glowing hallway. Ahead of them, rows of illuminated pod doors stand waiting.

For the first time since arriving, the reality of this experiment settles heavily in Felix’s chest.

Somewhere behind one of those walls could be someone he might fall in love with. Someone he could potentially marry in a matter of weeks. It sounds insane and yet—

“Good luck, boys,” one of the contestants says, clapping his hands together.

“Go get that wife. Go get that wife. Go get that wife,” the man on his right chants with a fist pumping the air.

Another guy points toward Felix immediately. “He’s definitely leaving with a wife with that voice.”

Felix groans, face heating instantly as the others cackle. “Guys, please.”

“Yeah, bro sounds like he narrates documentaries,” another comments with a teasing chuckle.

Felix doubles over laughing despite himself, shoulders shaking as he hides his face in embarrassment.

“Alright, alright,” someone says between laughs. “Seriously though. Good luck, everyone.”

The group erupts into laughter and soon, it dies down as a soft chime rings through the hallway. One by one, the pod doors begin lighting up.

Felix exhales slowly, adjusting the lapels of his suit jacket before stepping toward his assigned pod. His hand pauses briefly over the handle. Then he opens the door and disappears inside.

-

FELIX: This whole thing is crazy when you really think about it. [smiles] But I don’t know. There’s also something exciting about it too. The idea that maybe—behind one of those walls—is someone I could genuinely connect with. I’m not expecting perfection. I just… [pauses] I hope I meet someone who makes me feel comfortable enough to fully be myself. Someone I can laugh with. Someone I can build something real with. [shyly grins] And hopefully someone who likes food. Because that would help a lot.

-

The pod is nothing like you imagined. Maybe because you focused on the word ‘pod’ and automatically thought of all-white small, enclosed space with a desk and a chair. But it’s not that at all. Thankfully so.

The pod is spacious. The wall is soundproofed with one wall is made of glowing, glass-like panel which you assume is where you’re facing when you’re talking. There’s a couch positioned in the middle of it all with cushions, a blanket and a matching ottoman. There’s a cart parked on the side, filled with snacks and selection of drinks from water to soda, even the hard liquor. You go straight for the bowl of candies, hoping that sugar can help you with the nerves.

“Hello?”

The sound is heavy and curious, coming from the other side of the room. You stand, freezing for a second with your hand full of candies. This is it. This is your first date. Blind date.

“Hello,” you reply, hoping to sound casual but also, welcoming as you sit on the couch.

There’s a beat of silence and then—

“So, who’s there?” he asks, there’s an ease to his voice, probably making himself comfortable in his pod.

You pop a jelly bean into your mouth and think for a second. “Hopefully your future wife,” you playfully answer, grinning to yourself.

You’re kind of glad that you can’t see each other or else you wouldn’t even be this relax on the first date.

“Oh, hello, future wife!” He greets, lightly chuckling.

And just like that, the search for the one begins.

The whole day, you’re going in and out of pods, talking with different contestants and taking notes on qualities you sought in their personalities as something to ponder on later. It’s not always a smooth sailing. One guy talks endlessly about his workout routine, another brags about his investments, another tries way too hard to be funny. You laugh politely, asking questions, but your eyes flicker to the clock on the wall more often than not.

On another date, you’re curled into the couch, listening patiently as someone recites his “five-year plan” like he’s reading off a checklist. You nod, offer a thoughtful response, but there’s no spark — just surface-level chatter.

By the time you head back to the living quarter, you’re tired because honestly, you never went on so many dates in one day. Also, because, you feel like you’re giving too much already but the results are far from what you expected.

It’s hard to see that this experiment will be a great success but then again, it’s only the first day.

-

YOU: First day is done and I can honestly say… [subtly shakes head] I haven’t felt a connection with anyone yet. But I don’t think love is something you can force, and I definitely don’t want to rush it. If I’m going to connect with someone, I want it to be real. So yeah. I’m gonna take things slowly. And hopefully… someone here will surprise me. [softly smiles]

-

Felix steps into the pod, his nervous grin so wide it nearly splits his face. He doesn’t even explore the pod but plops onto the ouch, staring at the hypnotic glowing wall like if he will himself enough, he could see the person on the other side of the pod.

“Is someone there?” he hesitantly asks after a while.

“Oh?!” A surprised gasp comes, and then, the warm, slightly high-pitched voice comes again. “Is that you, God?”

Felix’s Australian accent slipping out stronger when he laughs and he must admit that the boys are right, it’s his voice. But he tries not to rely on it as he goes through one date after another.

On one date, he’s listening intently as a girl lists all her favorite dishes, and he leans forward, excitement lighting up his eyes. “Ohh, I’m actually a chef— I could make that for you.”

The girl giggles, but it feels light and playful, but there’s no sparks whatsoever.

On another date, he’s asked about his dream date. He rubs his nape, laughing softly. “Honestly? Nothing fancy. Just cooking together in the kitchen. I guess, that would be nice.”

Later, he’s caught in a long-winded conversation with someone who keeps circling back to her ex. He offers polite hums, but his smile is strained, fingers drumming restlessly on his notebook.

-

FELIX: Day one [pauses] I feel like I talked to so many amazing people, but I didn’t really… click yet. Not in the way I was hoping for. I think I just want something genuine, you know? Someone I can open up to. Not just about cooking or hobbies or—whatever. But really open up. I know it’s still early, but… I just hope I can find that here. [smiles]

-

The next morning, you shuffle into the kitchen still sleepy, dressed in an oversized sweater and lounge pants, only to immediately hear your name being called.

“Finally,” Daria says dramatically from beside the island counter. “Sleeping Beauty lives.”

You laugh softly as she walks over and hooks her arm through yours, guiding you toward the group gathered around the dining table.

“Come sit. Yesterday was emotionally traumatic. We need breakfast support,” she playfully says.

Someone nearby snorts loudly while another contestant, Tabitha, is already pouring orange juice into champagne flutes. Her dark hair is styled in beautiful waves, lips glossy and curled into a smile. If this is a regular dating show, she would have been the first to go home with a man because she’s that beautiful.

“Mimosas at nine in the morning is crazy,” you comment as you sit down.

“It’s self-care,” Tabitha replies solemnly before topping the drink off with champagne anyway.

The atmosphere feels lighter today. More relaxed. Less tense than everyone had been during the first day. Maybe because now all of you understand the rhythm of the experiment a little better. Or maybe because several girls already look suspiciously glowing after yesterday’s pod dates.

You’re halfway through your mimosa when a producer calls your name, signaling your next pod date.

“Good luck!” one of the girls teases as you stand. “Maybe this one’s your future husband.”

You snort softly, having one last sip of mimosa. “That’s a terrifying sentence.”

The girls laugh as you head toward the glowing hallway of pods, your nerves twisting tighter with every step. You push open the door to your assigned pod and settle onto the couch with a quiet exhale. The room is quiet, softly lit, the wall in front of you glowing blue. Then—

“Hello?”

The voice is deep. Ridiculously deep. Warm too, like melted chocolate poured straight through the speakers.

“Oh,” you blurt before you can stop yourself. “That voice is unfair.”

There’s a beat of silence before a startled laugh bursts from the other side of the wall. “Unfair?” he repeats, amusement curling through the word.

“You sound like a movie trailer narrator,” you say, leaning back into the couch. “Like you should be saying ‘coming this summer.’”

His laughter grows louder, bright and genuine. “Oh my god. That’s the first thing you say to me?”

“You started it by sounding like that.”

“I can’t control my voice!” he protests between laughs.

“Mm. Convenient excuse.”

Another laugh. Softer this time. Closer somehow. “Well, for what it’s worth, your voice is nice too,” he says.

You narrow your eyes at the wall instinctively. “You don’t have to lie to flirt with me.”

“I’m serious!” His accent slips out more clearly now, warm vowels wrapping around his words.

Cute. You glance down at your notebook, realizing you haven’t even written his name yet.

“Wait,” you say, laughing lightly. “I’ve been bullying your voice this whole time and I don’t even know your name.”

“Oh, right.” He chuckles sheepishly. “I’m Felix.”

Felix. The name suits him immediately. You introduce yourself back immediately.

“It’s nice to meet you,” he warmly says.

The sincerity in his tone catches you off guard. You’ve had plenty of pod dates already. Conversations that felt rehearsed, awkward, overly polished. But this feels strangely easy like talking to someone you’ve known longer than five minutes.

“So,” Felix says after a moment, “what’s your very important opinion on pineapple on pizza?”

You gasp dramatically. “Absolutely not.”

“What?!”

“That’s a dessert pretending to be dinner.”

“You’re breaking my heart already.”

“You asked.”

“I’m a chef,” he says, mock wounded. “This is devastating for me professionally.”

Your head snaps up. “Wait, you’re a chef?”

“Yeah.”

“Like… a real chef?”

He laughs again. “I think so?”

“Oh, that’s actually really attractive,” you admit before you can stop yourself.

“Oh,” his surprise sounds small and flustered.

You grin immediately, realizing you caught him off guard.

“How many points do I earn from that?”

“Uhm… five,” you playfully answer, still grinning.

“Just five?” he asks, offended.

“You’ll earn more if you tell me what kind of chef are you,” you say, curling your legs beneath you on the couch.

“Mostly pastry,” Felix confidently answers. “But I cook everything. I just really like feeding people.”

The answer comes so naturally that it makes something soften in your chest.

“Feeding people?” you repeat with a laugh. “That sounds very grandmother-coded of you.”

He gasps dramatically. “Excuse you. I’ll have you know I make excellent tiramisu.”

“Oh, okay,” you say, suddenly serious. “Now we’re talking.”

“You like tiramisu?”

“I would genuinely risk my life for good tiramisu.”

Felix bursts into laughter again, loud and delighted. “That’s such a dramatic statement.”

“It’s true.”

“And how many points do I earn from that?” he curiously asks. “It’s gotta be more than five.”

You don’t even hesitate. “Solid ten!”

“Oh, yeah,” Felix cheers, more like a growl than anything.

“I wouldn’t celebrate yet. You only earned fifteen points so far,” you remind him, a chuckle spilled out at the end of the sentence.

“Alright then,” he says playfully. “What’s your ultimate comfort food?”

You hum thoughtfully. “Instant ramen.”

“No way.”

“Yes way.”

“You had all the food in the world and picked instant ramen?”

“Okay, first of all, don’t judge me,” you defend immediately. “Second, specifically the spicy kind at two in the morning when life feels terrible.”

Felix laughs softly. “That’s… actually very real.”

“And yours?”

There’s a tiny pause before he answers. “My mom’s brownies.”

The softness in his voice changes the atmosphere instantly. You can almost picture his smile through the wall. “She used to make them whenever me or my sisters had a bad day. So now I make them for other people too.”

“That’s really sweet,” you murmur before you can stop yourself.

A shy laugh comes from the other side. “Thanks.”

The conversation drifts after that — favorite cafés, failed recipes, childhood snacks you both still secretly buy as adults. Felix tells you about accidentally pouring vinegar instead of wine once during culinary school. Then you confess that you once nearly started a fire trying to make pasta after coming home exhausted from work at two in the morning.

“You almost burned your kitchen down making pasta?” Felix asks through his laughter.

“In my defense, I was tired.”

“You forgot the pasta, didn’t you?”

“Maybe.”

“Amateur moves.”

His laughter fills the pod completely now, warm and infectious enough that you find yourself laughing with him, shoulders loosening for what feels like the first time since entering the experiment.

And when the chime signaling the end of the date finally rings, disappointment flickers through you before you can hide it.

“Oh,” Felix says softly. “Time’s up already?”

You hate that the little note of disappointment in his voice makes your stomach flip. “Guess so.”

A pause settles between you and then—

“I hope I get to talk to you again,” Felix says quietly.

Something warm unfurls in your chest. “Yeah,” you answer before you can overthink it. “Me too.”

The line disconnects and somehow, the pod suddenly feels quieter than before.

-

YOU: Felix is funny. Like—actually funny, not trying-too-hard funny. [softly laughs] And his voice is… [groans] See? Now I’m sitting here thinking about some guy’s voice. [laughs] Anyway, that was the first conversation that didn’t feel forced. I didn’t feel like I had to perform or impress him. It just felt… easy. And the way Felix talks… I don’t know. It feels warm.

-

Felix practically floats out of the pod.

The hallway feels warmer somehow, lighter, his grin impossible to hold back no matter how hard he tries to bite it down. He ducks his head as he walks back toward the men’s living quarters, the notebook tucked beneath his arm.

He can still hear your laugh in his head. Still picture the way your voice had softened when he talked about his mom’s brownies. Still feel that weird little flutter in his chest every time you said his name.

It’s ridiculous. He’s smiling over someone he’s never even seen before.

The second he walks back into the lounge, a few of the guys immediately notice the expression on his face.

“Ohhh, look at him!” one of them calls from the dining table. “That’s not the face of a man who had a bad date.”

Another contestant points at him accusingly. “Bro’s glowing.”

Felix groans immediately, laughing as he drops onto one of the dining chairs. “Please leave me alone.”

“Nope,” someone says, sliding a glass of wine toward him across the table. “Sit down and tell us everything.”

Felix accepts the glass with an embarrassed grin while the guys gather around, all loose limbs and curious energy after a long day of pod dates.

“So?” one of them presses. “What happened?”

Felix shakes his head once, still smiling to himself before finally admitting quietly, “I think…” He laughs softly in disbelief. “I think I might’ve found my main person here.”

The table immediately erupts in loud, chaotic cheers.

Felix hides his face briefly behind his wine glass, shoulders shaking with shy laughter.

“It’s just—” he starts, trying to explain himself. “Talking to her felt easy. Like… really easy. I wasn’t trying to impress her or think about what to say next. We just clicked.”

“What’s she like?” another guy asks.

Felix leans back in his chair slightly, thinking about it.

“She’s funny,” he says first, almost immediately. “Like, genuinely funny. And she’s really smart too. But not in an intimidating way.” He pauses, smiling softly to himself. “She just feels very… grounded.”

“And hot,” one of the guys teases. “You’re imagining she’s hot, aren’t you?”

Felix groans loudly while the table bursts into laughter again. “That’s literally the opposite point of this experiment!”

“But are you?”

He tries to fight his smile and fails miserably. “I mean… Maybe a little,” he admits with a sheepish shrug.

The guys howl immediately.

“Nah, he’s gone.” “First casualty of the season.”

Felix shakes his head, laughing helplessly while someone raises their wine glass dramatically. “To mysterious pod girl!”

The others quickly lift their glasses too. “To Felix’s future wife!”

“Oh my god, stop,” Felix whines through laughter, though his cheeks are bright red now.

Still, he lifts his own glass with a shy smile, clinking it gently against theirs. And somewhere beneath all the teasing and laughter, something floods his chest.

Hope.

-

FELIX: I know it sounds crazy because it was literally just one conversation [laughs] but… there was something different about her. She teased me immediately, by the way [laughs] Like instantly [laughs] But I liked that. I liked that she didn’t sound overly polished or fake. She just sounded… real. [grins] I really hope I get to talk to her again.

-

It’s been an eventful day for you and it seems like for a few other people too.

You and Morgan are sitting in the dining table, sharing a plate of sliced fruits with a glass of wine. Both in comfortable clothes, no makeup on, just two girls conversing after a day packed with pod dates.

“Jim really is my type,” Morgan shares, picking up a grape from the plate. “First of all, he’s a musician.”

You chuckle at that because you clearly remember the way Jim cracked a dad joke as an opening on a pod date with you. “Yeah, that’s a plus point,” you nicely comment.

“And he said he’s got tattoos,” Morgan continues, her heart-shaped lips curve into a smile. “And that he left spaces on his body for tattoos of his future children.”

“Oh?” you genuinely intrigued by that, not expecting that a person like Jim would have such heartwarming thinking. Then, you playfully add, “Okay, but… on which part of his body?”

Morgan laughs at that, it’s sonorous and filled with cute little snort in between. And it goes on for a minute that she almost spit the grape she’s chewing.

Another girl joins you in the dining table, holding a steaming mug of tea in her hand. You can’t quite recall her name but she’s the only one with a beautiful strawberry blonde hair. “Do you know this one guy with, like, the deepest voice ever?”

Your hand slightly tightens around the stem of your wine glass. “Yeah,” you manage to casually answer.

“Oh my god, wait,” Morgan cuts in after sipping her wine. “Was it the Australian guy?”

“Yes!”

Your stomach twists unexpectedly.

“He sounds unreal,” she continues, smiling dreamily. “And we had such a good conversation earlier.”

You stare down into your wine, suddenly far too aware of how many women are in this room. Of how all of you are dating the same group of men. Of course Felix is talking to other girls. That’s the entire point of the experiment. Still, hearing someone else gush about him leaves an uncomfortable tightness curling low in your chest.

But you’re not losing hope yet. Maybe beside Felix, there really is someone else here worth opening up to.

-

YOU: See, this is why I didn’t want to get attached to anyone right away. [lightly shrugs] But that’s okay. There’s still time. I feel like I’m finally settling into the experiment now. And hopefully… Hopefully I’ll meet more people I genuinely connect with.

-

Felix is smiling before he even enters the pod. It’s embarrassing, honestly.

One conversation with you and suddenly he’s fixing his hoodie twice in the reflection of the hallway glass and wondering if his hair looks stupid despite the fact that you can’t even see him.

The pod door slides shut behind him with a soft hiss. He settles onto the couch, heart already thumping a little faster in anticipation. Then he hears a soft sigh from the other side of the wall and his smile appears instantly.

“Hey,” he greets warmly. “How’re you feeling today?”

A tiny laugh leaves you. “Still a little surreal, honestly.”

Felix leans back against the couch, smiling to himself at your soft, almost sleepy voice. “Yeah, I get that.”

There’s a small pause before he suddenly grins wider. “Guess what.”

“What?” you ask cautiously.

“I’ve been thinking about you.”

Your laughter bursts through the speakers immediately, bright and disbelieving, and Felix physically feels his chest loosen at the sound.

God. He likes your laugh so much.

“Are you this cheesy in the morning?” you ask between laughs.

“No, I’m serious!” Felix insists, grinning helplessly now. “I was literally thinking about our conversation all night.”

“Well,” you say playfully, “I’d love to say I’ve been thinking about you too, but another girl already did the job for me.”

Felix drops his head to the side. “Wait, what?”

“There’s apparently a guy with a really deep voice that all the girls are obsessed with.”

Felix groans loudly, dropping his head into his hand while you laugh softly on the other side of the wall. “Oh, no.”

“So,” you continue innocently, “sounds like you’re popular.”

A grin spreads across Felix’s face. “Are you jealous?” he asks teasingly.

Your scoff comes immediately. “No.”

“Mm.”

“I’m just wondering when will it be my turn.”

“You turn for what?”

“To think about you.”

Felix bursts into laughter at that, warm and genuine. Okay. Yeah. He really likes you.

“That’s fair,” he says once his laughter settles. “This is our second date now.”

“It is.”

“And I kind of want to pick up where we left off yesterday.”

Your voice softens immediately. “Yeah. Sure.”

The warmth in your tone lingers with him for a second before Felix shifts slightly on the couch.

“So,” he says curiously, “I know you can cook.”

You laugh. “That’s a very confident assumption.”

“You almost burned your kitchen down making pasta. That means you at least attempted cooking.”

“That’s true.”

Felix grins. “Do you actually enjoy cooking though? Or is it just… a skill you picked up?”

The silence that follows feels different. Felix hears you inhale softly on the other side of the wall before you finally answer.

“I think it became necessary more than anything.”

His expression softens immediately, ears intently listening in on every noise you make on the other side of the pod.

“My mom worked a lot growing up,” you explain quietly. “Like… a lot. So she didn’t really have time to cook when she came home.”

You pause for a second before continuing. “I kind of just learned because I had to. I started cooking for myself when I was around ten.”

Something twists painfully in Felix’s chest. He can almost picture it too clearly — a younger version of you standing alone in a kitchen trying to figure things out yourself. And judging by the slight tightness in your voice, he knows there’s probably much more to that story. But he also knows better than to push.

So instead, Felix smiles softly to himself and asks gently, “Okay, then what’s the first dish you successfully made?”

Your laugh returns, lighter this time. “An omelet.”

“That’s impressive for a ten-year-old.”

“I had it literally every morning before school because it was fast and easy.”

Felix chuckles softly. “Honestly? That’s kind of nice though.”

“Yeah,” you admit quietly. “It wasn’t bad.”

A comfortable silence settles briefly between you before Felix asks, “What is the one dish that you think is your best?”

You hum thoughtfully. “Probably pasta alla vodka.”

Felix laughs instantly. “You really are a pasta girl, huh?”

“Proudly.”

“Well,” he says confidently, leaning back against the couch, “good thing I’m good at Italian food.”

“Oh, don’t say that.”

“Why?”

“Because then I’ll make you cook for me every day.”

Felix doesn’t even hesitate. “I’d gladly do it.”

The silence returns but it’s not awkward at all. And when you finally answer, your voice comes softer than before.

“Okay,” you warmly say, “No takebacks.”

Felix laughs that at that and warmth spreads through his chest so suddenly it almost catches him off guard. Because for one stupid second, he can picture you sitting on the counter while he cooks. Your voice filling the apartment. Late-night pasta dinners and warmth that feels achingly domestic. And the craziest part is, he still has no idea what you look like.

The chime signaling the end of the date rings far too soon.

Felix actually frowns at it this time. “Nooo,” he groans dramatically.

Your laughter spills through the speakers again. “You sound genuinely upset.”

“I am genuinely upset.”

“Poor thing.”

“You’ll miss me too.”

“Maybe.”

Felix grins helplessly at the wall until the line finally disconnects and somehow, he leaves the pod feeling even more certain than yesterday.

-

FELIX: I really, really enjoyed talking to her again. I think what I like most is that our conversations don’t feel shallow. Like yeah, we joke around a lot and tease each other, but I also feel like she lets her guard down with me sometimes. Even if it’s just little moments. That’s great. That means that she trusts me, she’s comfortable with me. Do I think we’re building something? [slowly nods] Yeah. I really do. And I just hope she feels the same way about me too.

-

By the time the day’s pod dates are over, the women’s living quarters have settled into a quieter, softer atmosphere. The lights are dimmed low, the girls wander around in oversized sweaters and fuzzy socks, emotionally drained from another day of intense conversations.

You’re curled up on one end of the couch beneath a shared blanket with Daria tucked beside you, both of you nursing half-finished glasses of wine. There’s not to do since they have taken all kind of devices from all contestants.

Daria nudges your foot lightly beneath the blanket. “You seem happier today.”

You glance sideways at her suspiciously. “You say that like you caught me doing something illegal.”

“I caught you smiling at absolutely nothing earlier.”

You snort quietly into your wine glass. “it’s nothing.”

Daria grins smugly before settling deeper into the couch cushions. For a moment, the two of you simply sit there listening to the low buzz of conversation around the room. Then you lower your voice slightly, just enough for only her to hear.

“You know what’s weird?”

“What?”

You stare ahead thoughtfully, fingers playing absentmindedly with the edge of the blanket. “I’m actually glad we can’t see them.”

Daria’s expression softens immediately, understanding flickering across her face. “Yeah?”

You nod slowly.

“I think…” You hesitate briefly, trying to explain the feeling properly. “If I could see them, I’d probably be distracted by stupid things. Whether they’re attractive or how they react to me physically or whatever.”

Daria hums in agreement.

“But like this…” Your voice grows quieter. “It’s weirdly relaxing. Easier to talk about deeper things.”

You laugh softly under your breath. “I don’t usually open up this quickly.”

Daria pulls the blanket tighter around herself as she nods thoughtfully. “Honestly, same.”

She leans her head back against the couch, staring up at the ceiling. “I think that’s why this experiment works for some people. Out there, everyone’s too distracted. Looks, jobs, status, chemistry.”

You glance toward her as she continues.

“But in here?” Daria shrugs lightly. “People actually have to see you. Your personality. The essential part of you.”

Maybe Daria is right and maybe that’s why talking to Felix feels different. Not because he’s charming or because of his stupidly attractive voice, but because when you talk to him, it genuinely feels like he’s listening. Like he’s trying to know you in ways most people don’t bother to.

Daria nudges you again, pulling you from your thoughts. “So,” she says casually, though her grin gives her away completely, “have you actually found a connection with someone?”

You huff softly, already knowing there’s no point pretending otherwise.

“There’s this guy,” you admit carefully. “His name’s Felix.”

The second you say his name out loud, warmth spreads embarrassingly fast through your chest again.

“He’s…” You pause, searching for the right word. “Easy.”

Daria raises an eyebrow.

“Not easy easy,” you clarify immediately, making her burst into laughter. “I mean talking to him feels easy.”

“Mhm.”

You roll your eyes at her expression but continue anyway. “He actually listens when I talk. And I don’t feel like I have to filter myself around him.”

Your fingers tighten slightly around your wine glass as you think about your conversation earlier. About how gently Felix handled the parts of your childhood you almost accidentally revealed.

“He sees me without actually seeing me,” you murmur quietly.

Daria’s teasing expression softens completely then. “That’s kind of beautiful actually.”

Heat creeps into your face immediately. “Don’t make it weird.”

“I mean it.”

You groan softly, hiding part of your face beneath the blanket while Daria laughs beside you.

Still, after a moment, you sigh quietly. “The only problem is…”

“What?”

You stare down into your glass. “I know at least one other girl likes him too.”

Daria hums thoughtfully at that, though she doesn’t look particularly surprised. “Well,” she says simply, “it’s Love Is Blind. Everyone’s dating everyone.”

“I know.”

“And?”

You shrug lightly. “I don’t know. I’m not really worried about it though.”

Which is surprisingly true. Because despite the weird flicker of jealousy from earlier, you don’t actually want to compete for someone’s attention. Not here. Not ever.

If Felix chooses someone else, then that’s that. But if what the two of you have is genuinely real, then maybe it’ll naturally find its way back to each other.

-

YOU: I talked to Felix again today. [shyly laughs] Okay, wow. The fact that his name comes out that easily now is probably a bad sign. I know other girls like him. I mean… obviously. He’s kind, funny, emotionally available, and sounds like that. [laughs] But I don’t really believe in fighting over people. If someone’s meant for you, they’ll naturally come your way. And if Felix and I are actually building something real… [smiles] Then I trust that.

-

By the third day, Felix realizes he can tell when it’s you before you even speak.

It’s something small and subtle. It’s the quiet little sigh you always let out after settling onto the couch. So the second he enters the pod and hears that familiar exhale from the other side of the wall, his lips immediately curve upward.

“Hey,” he greets softly.

Your response comes almost instantly this time, equally gentle. “Hi.”

And there it is again—

That stupid warmth spreading through his chest at nothing more than your voice.

“How’re you doing today?” you ask.

Felix leans back against the couch, smiling to himself. “Honestly?”

“Mhm?”

“I think about you a lot.”

A soft laugh leaves you immediately. “That’s good. Because I’ve been thinking about you too,” you so casually say.

Felix grins wider and teases, “But it’s not your turn yet.”

You groan dramatically. “I get impatient.”

His laughter escapes before he can stop it, low and entirely helpless. And god, the butterflies are worse today. Every time you flirt back, every time you say something that sounds remotely fond, it feels like his heart physically stumbles inside his chest.

A comfortable silence settles between you for a moment before Felix speaks again. “This is our third date now.”

You coo teasingly. “Oh? And what do you usually do on third dates?”

Felix doesn’t even hesitate. “I usually ask how many kids do we want.”

Your snort echoes loudly through the pod. “Wow. You’re really forward.”

Felix shrugs even though you can’t see it, grinning shamelessly. “I mean, it’s up to you of course.”

“Oh, how generous.”

“But,” he continues casually, “I do want a big family.”

There’s a suspicious pause from your side of the wall. “How big are we talking?”

Felix hums thoughtfully. “Maybe… seven?”

Your gasp is immediate. Horrified. “SEVEN?!”

Felix bursts into laughter while you continue sputtering dramatically.

“That’s not a family anymore, Felix. That’s a small village.”

“They’d be cute though.”

“Are you planning to make them your little minions in the kitchen?”

“Yeah,” Felix says easily.

You groan loudly while he laughs harder.

“Okay, okay,” he relents eventually. “We can negotiate.”

“Three,” you say firmly. “Three sounds perfect.”

Felix smiles softly to himself. “Yeah. Three sounds nice actually.”

The conversation quiets after that, softer now beneath the joking and then your voice changes slightly.

“No matter how many kids I have one day…” You pause briefly. “I just want to make sure they always well-taken care of.”

Felix’s smile slowly fades into something gentler.

“I want to always be there for them,” you continue quietly. “I want them to always feel like they’re loved unconditionally.”

Something in his chest aches immediately. Because he hears the unspoken part beneath your words. The child version of you still lingering somewhere behind them.

And suddenly Felix understands a little more about why you learned to be so independent. Why you hold yourself together so tightly. His voice softens instinctively. “You’d be a really good mom.”

Silence.

“And we’d be good parents. I know we would,” he adds quietly.

The words slip out more naturally than they probably should. But the terrifying thing is he means them. And for a brief second, he actually imagines it. You and him living in a house while tiny footsteps run around the space, children who always know they’re loved. The image etches in the back of his mind without him intending to.

Neither of you speak for a while after that. But it doesn’t feel awkward at all. It’s content. Like something is slowly growing between the two of you in the quiet.

Felix swallows softly before finally speaking again. “You know…” He pauses, searching carefully for the right words. “I came here because I’m not just looking for a wife. Or a partner, exclusively.”

Your breathing quiets on the other side of the wall, intently listening.

“I came here ready for love,” he admits honestly. “Real love.”

His fingers tighten slightly around the sleeve of his hoodie. “And I have so much love in me that I want to share with someone.”

A quiet breath leaves him.

“I like you a lot.”

The confession lands gently between you.

“And I really hope you’re that someone.”

For one terrifying second, Felix thinks maybe he said too much. Maybe too soon. Then he hears the sniffles. His entire expression softens instantly.

And finally, your shaky voice reaches him through the speakers. “I like you too,” you whisper.

Another sniffle. “A lot.”

Something blooms so painfully warm inside Felix’s chest that it almost hurts. Hope. Joy. Relief. They’re all mixed together. His grin spreads helplessly across his face as he leans forward, elbows on his knees.

“I really wish I could hug you right now,” he says softly.

Your answer comes almost embarrassingly tiny, almost like a whisper. “Me too.”

Felix smiles so hard his cheeks ache. “You can hug the cushion for me. Pretend it’s me,” he playfully suggests.

Your laugh breaks through immediately, watery and soft from crying. “That’s so lame.”

“But are you doing it?”

Silence hangs for a good minute and then, you finally answer, “Maybe.”

Felix laughs quietly to himself, warmth practically overflowing from his chest now and for the first time since entering this experiment, he thinks he understands why people fall in love in these pods.

-

FELIX: It feels really good knowing she feels the same way. I think before today, there was always this tiny fear in the back of my mind that maybe I was falling harder than she was. [Softly laughs] But hearing her say she likes me too… [lightly shakes head] God. I don’t even know what she looks like yet and somehow, I already care about her this much. [grins]

-

The pod feels unbearably quiet after the date ends. You stay there for a moment even after the line disconnects, curled around the cushion you absolutely did hug despite making fun of Felix for suggesting it. Your chest still feels tight, aching in a way you don’t quite know how to explain. Because no one’s ever spoken to you like that before. Like he’s already imagining a future with you in it.

You press your palms briefly against your cheeks, exhaling shakily before finally forcing yourself to stand. The moment the pod door slides open and the glowing hallway greets you, only then do you realize your hands are actually trembling.

You take exactly three steps into the hallway before another pod door opens nearby.

Tabitha steps out at almost the same time, smiling when her eyes eventually land on you.

“Hey.”

You laugh weakly. “Hi.”

Without even hesitating, Tabitha walks over and loops an arm around your shoulders as the two of you begin slowly making your way down the glowing hallway together.

“Girl, you’re shaking. Are you okay?” she asks immediately, voice tinted with concern.

You glance down at your hands like you’re only now noticing it yourself. “I…” You exhale softly through a nervous laugh. “Opening up is so scary.”

Tabitha giggles immediately, squeezing your shoulder tighter against her side. “Oh no,” she teases dramatically. “You look like you’re about to faint.”

You laugh despite yourself, leaning into her slightly as the two of you continue walking.

“I genuinely might.”

You laugh helplessly while she continues grinning beside you. Not everyone here understands. The emotional whiplash of these pods. The terrifying intimacy of being known by someone you’ve never even seen. And maybe that’s why your chest still feels so fragile right now.

Because somewhere between talking about childhood breakfasts and future children and unconditional love, you accidentally let Felix see parts of you that almost nobody gets to touch and most importantly, he didn’t run from them.

-

YOU: I’m very used to keeping my emotions together. Like… even when I really like someone, I usually hold back for a long time. I don’t put too much emotion into things right away because I think part of me is always trying to protect myself first. [Softly exhales] But with Felix… I don’t know [sheepishly laughs] Talking to him makes me feel safe enough to say things I normally wouldn’t. That conversation today was probably the most vulnerable I’ve ever been with someone.

-

By the next few days, talking to you becomes the easiest part of Felix’s routine.

He wakes up. Think about you. Eat breakfast while wondering if you’re awake yet. Wait impatiently for the pod schedule and then finally, hear your voice again. At this point, he’s pretty sure the guys have noticed too. Mostly because every time your name appears on his schedule, he gets up so fast it’s embarrassing.

Today is no different. Felix enters the pod already smiling to himself, settling comfortably onto the couch with far less nervousness than he had during the first few dates. Because somehow, these conversations stopped feeling like dates. Now they just feel like… you. And him.

“Hi,” you greet softly the second the line connects.

Felix’s chest warms instantly. “Hey.”

“How was your day?”

“Better now.”

You groan immediately from the other side of the wall. “You’re getting smoother.”

Felix laughs proudly. “Thank you.”

“No, that was criticism.”

“Mhm. Sure.”

Your laughter spills through the speakers again, and Felix sinks deeper into the couch cushions, smiling helplessly at the sound.

God. He really likes making you laugh.

“So,” you say after a moment, your tone softer now. “Tell me something about you I don’t know yet.”

Felix hums thoughtfully, tapping his fingers lightly against his knee. “There’s honestly a lot.”

“Okay, mysterious man.”

“It’s true,” he protests through a laugh. “I feel like we always end up talking about you.”

“That’s because you interrogate me emotionally.”

“I do not.”

“You made me talk about my sad omelets.”

Felix laughs so hard he nearly folds into himself. “That’s not emotional interrogation.”

“It kinda was.”

Still grinning, he shakes his head before answering more quietly this time. “I grew up really close to my family. Like… really close.”

Your voice softens immediately. “Yeah?”

“Mhm.”

A warmth spreads through his chest just talking about them, fondness dripping from his voice. “My mom’s basically the heart of our family. And I’ve always been really close with my sisters too. Our house was loud all the time.”

You laugh softly. “That explains the seven kids.”

Felix grins instantly. “Exactly.”

“But honestly…” He leans his head back against the couch, thinking. “I didn’t always know I wanted to become a chef.”

“Oh?”

“Nah. I wanted to be like ten different things growing up.”

“Please tell me at least one was ridiculous.”

Felix laughs. “Okay, when I was really young, I wanted to be Spider-Man.”

Your laughter erupts immediately. “That’s not a career, Felix.”

“It was to me,” he weakly defends and laughs along with you before continuing. “Then I wanted to be a singer for a while. Then a gamer. Then a taekwondo instructor.”

“Wow,” you say solemnly. “You contain multitudes.”

“Thank you.”

“But how’d you end up becoming a chef?”

The question settles between you and somehow, answering you feels strangely intimate now. Like he’s not speaking through a wall at all. Like you’re sitting beside him on the couch instead.

Felix closes his eyes briefly as he speaks. “I think food was just… always there for me,” he admits quietly. “Cooking made me feel calm. And happy.”

A small smile pulls at his lips as he continues, “And I liked seeing people smile after eating something I made.”

Your voice softens almost immediately. “That’s very you.”

Felix’s eyes open slowly. “What does that mean?”

“You love through taking care of people.”

The words hit him embarrassingly hard. Because somehow, you understand him already. More than some people who’ve physically known him for years.

“Yeah, I think I do,” he agrees, laughing softly, suddenly shy again.

The silence returns but it feels warm instead of empty and Felix realizes something terrifying halfway through your conversation. He doesn’t even notice the cameras anymore when he talks to you. Only your voice. Only you.

-

FELIX: I always look forward to talking to her. [Brightly smiles] But it’s true. I think what surprises me most is how comfortable she makes me feel. With some people, opening up feels scary because you’re worried they’ll misunderstand you or judge you or… [slightly shrugs] Not really get you. But when I talk to her, I don’t feel that way. [Shakes his head] [smiles] That’s becoming really dangerous for me emotionally.

-

The conversation continues easily after that like it always does with Felix now. At some point, you stop noticing the cameras entirely. Stop noticing the walls, the strange artificial glow of the pod around you.

There’s only his voice. Comforting in a way that sneaks up on you slowly. You curl deeper into the couch, knees tucked against your chest while Felix tells stories from his childhood, about his sisters and parents. And listening to the way he talks about his family, with such fondness and warmth, you can tell why he is who he is — kind and gentle. Loving.

“You’re lucky your voice is pretty.”

Felix gasps dramatically. “You objectify me constantly.”

You laugh softly, shaking your head even though he can’t see it and then somehow, the conversation shifts again. “I actually don’t remember a lot about my childhood,” you admit quietly after a pause.

It’s always like this. One moment you’re joking, the next you’re sitting with something fragile between the two of you.

“I think…” You frown slightly, thinking out loud more than anything. “Talking to you lately made me realize something weird.”

“Hmm?” Felix hums gently.

You stare at the glowing wall ahead of you. “I can’t remember ever playing with my parents as a kid.”

Your chest tightens almost instantly afterward, vulnerability creeping up your spine too quickly. So you laugh softly under your breath and shake your head.

“Sorry, I feel like I always come to you with sad stories,” you mumble.

“No,” Felix says immediately. The firmness in his voice makes you pause. “They’re not sad.”

A quiet silence follows before he continues more gently. “They’re part of why you’re strong.”

You quietly swallow down the lump forming in your throat.

“And different,” he adds softly. “In a good way.”

You press your lips together, containing your sadness.

“They made you who you are today.”

Something warm blooms painfully in your chest at the way he says it. Like he genuinely means it. Like he sees every complicated piece of you and still sounds fond. You smile helplessly to yourself, trying to lighten the feeling before it overwhelms you again.

“Jeez, Felix,” you mutter softly, playfully. “Stop flirting with me.”

Felix chuckles warmly through the speakers. “I’m serious though.”

“Yeah, yeah,” you say, subtly rolling your eyes.

A comfortable silence settles briefly before Felix suddenly says, “I wish I knew you when we were little.”

Your expression softens instantly. “Yeah?”

“Mhm.”

You can practically hear his smile through the wall.

“I think we would’ve played together.”

You snort softly. “Played what?”

“I don’t know. Restaurant probably.”

You laugh immediately. “Let me guess. You’d force me to be your employee?”

“No,” Felix says easily. “You’d be my wife already.”

Your jaw drops open in disbelief while he laughs proudly at your reaction.

“We’d be high school sweethearts,” he continues shamelessly. “Already married by now.”

“With seven children?”

“Exactly.”

You bury your face briefly into the couch cushion as his laughter grows louder.

“And all our kids would help at the family restaurant,” he continues, fully committed now. “Tiny aprons. Tiny chef hats.”

“That sounds like child labor.”

“That sounds like teamwork.”

You laugh so hard your stomach hurts. “You’ve actually thought this through.”

Felix hums smugly. “I have a vivid imagination.”

“Clearly.”

Still smiling, you shake your head fondly before teasing lightly, “Anyway, that’s impossible. We couldn’t have been childhood friends.”

“Why not?”

“You grew up with kangaroos in Australia.”

Felix bursts into helpless laughter immediately. “Not the kangaroo allegations again.”

“I’m just saying. Your best friend was probably a koala.”

“That’s not how Australia works!”

The two of you dissolve into laughter again until your cheeks hurt and your chest feels lighter than it has in days. And when the laughter finally fades away, silence settles softly between you once more.

You stare quietly at the glowing wall ahead of you before speaking without really thinking first. “I think we met at the right time.”

“Yeah,” Felix agrees. “I think so too.”

A beat passes in silence again and he decides to playfully add, “Now all we have left to do is get married and have seven kids.”

You burst into laughter again immediately. “You are unbelievably persistent.”

“No,” Felix corrects casually. “I’m just goal-oriented.”

Your smile grows helplessly wider. “I haven’t agreed to any of this, by the way.”

“True,” he says easily. “But you also haven’t said no.”

Your mouth opens instinctively and then closes again. Because annoyingly enough, he’s right and you’re not even sure you want to say no.

-

YOU: I’m starting to picture him in my future. [Shyly laughs] Which sounds insane because I still haven’t seen him. When Felix talks about the future, it doesn’t scare me as usually it does. I’ve spent most of my life feeling like I had to handle everything on my own. Like depending on people was dangerous because eventually they leave or disappoint you or… You just learn not to expect too much. But when he talks about taking care of people, or building a family, or cooking for me every day… [smiles] It feels really easy to imagine.

-

The men’s living quarter is never silent but somehow, it’s quieter tonight.

Felix sits on the leather sofa with a drink resting loosely in his hand and across from him, Jim leans back in the single sofa with a tired sigh, rubbing both hands over his face.

“You okay?” Felix asks gently.

Jim laughs weakly. “Man, I don’t know.”

Felix does know. This experiment has a way of pulling emotions out of people so quickly it almost feels violent sometimes.

Jim stares down into his drink for a second before finally admitting quietly, “I’m torn between two people.”

Felix remembers Jim ever mentioned a girl he had a pod date with the other day and nods slowly. “Morgan?”

“Yeah.”

“Who’s the other one?” Felix curiously asks.

“Laura.”

Felix nods and sips his drink.

A frustrated breath leaves Jim as he leans forward, elbows resting against his knees.

“They’re both incredible in completely different ways.” He shakes his head. “And I hate that I’m hurting someone no matter what choice I make.”

Felix listens quietly, thumb brushing absentmindedly against the condensation on his glass.

“What if I choose wrong?” Jim asks after a moment.

The vulnerability in his voice makes Felix’s chest ache a little. Because everyone here is terrified of that. Terrified that the person they’re falling for might not actually be their person.

Felix stays quiet for a beat before answering softly, “I think you just gotta listen to what speaks to your heart the most.”

Jim glances up at him.

“Not what makes the most sense on paper,” Felix continues thoughtfully. “Or who you think you should choose.”

He shrugs lightly.

“When you picture your future, whose voice naturally shows up first?”

Jim goes quiet after that, solemnly thinking. Then slowly, he nods. “Yeah,” he murmurs, the real answer remains a mystery.

A small smile tugs at Felix’s lips before Jim suddenly points at him accusingly. “Okay, enough about me though.”

Felix laughs softly. “What?”

“How are things going with you and mystery wife?”

Heat instantly creeps into Felix’s face despite himself. He ducks his head with a quiet laugh before answering honestly. “We’ve just been talking a lot,” he says softly.

His expression grows gentler without him realizing it. “The more I get to know her, the surer I feel about her, about it.”

Jim watches him quietly, no teasing in his face this time. Just genuine warmth.

Felix exhales softly, staring down at his drink. “I think she’s the person I’ve been looking for.”

The words are simple, but they’re honest and real.

Jim smiles immediately afterward, small but sincere. “I’m happy for you, man.”

Something about the simplicity of it makes Felix’s chest tightens. Because the craziest part is, he is happy. Terrified, overwhelmed, emotionally confused half the time, but happy.

“So… are you gonna propose soon?” Jim casually asks.

Felix stills. Not because he doesn’t know the answer. But because hearing the question out loud suddenly makes him wonder why he’s hesitating at all.

What exactly is he waiting for?

He already knows how he feels. Every conversation with you only pulls him closer. Every laugh, every vulnerable confession, every quiet little moment through that wall.

When he imagines leaving this experiment, you’re there automatically now.

So why does the word soon suddenly make his heartbeat spike?

Felix lifts his gaze toward Jim again and this time, when he answers, there’s no uncertainty left in him.

“Yeah,” he says confidently.

A slow smile spreads across his face afterward. “Yeah. I am.”

Jim immediately breaks into a grin before leaning over and giving Felix a gentle slap against the shoulder. “That’s what I’m talking about.”

Felix softly laughs, nerves and excitement tangling together inside his chest now.

“Good luck, brother,” Jim says sincerely.

And for the first time since entering this experiment, Felix realizes he’s not scared of the answer anymore.

-

FELIX: I feel like I’ve spent the last few days trying to understand whether what I’m feeling is real or if I’m just caught up in the experiment. But every time I talk to her, things get clearer instead of more confusing. And I think that says a lot. I know what my heart wants. [Smiles] and I’m really sure about her. So yeah [Awkwardly laughs] I think I’m ready.

-

The moment production pulls you aside after breakfast and tells you to get ‘a little more dressed up’ for the pod date, your heart starts pounding. Because there’s only one reason for that. Right?

The thought follows you all the way back to the women’s living quarters. You barely even register Daria asking what’s wrong as you stand frozen in front of your closet, fingers hovering over dresses you packed half-jokingly for a proposal you never genuinely thought would happen to you. Not this fast. Not ever, maybe.

Your pulse thuds loudly in your ears while you finally pick one. You sit in front of the vanity afterward doing your makeup with slightly shaky hands, trying not to spiral while the girls around you immediately catch onto your nervousness.

“Oh my god,” Tabitha gasps dramatically from across the room. “You look terrified.”

“I am terrified.”

Daria narrows her eyes knowingly. “Do you think he’s proposing?”

Your stomach flips so violently you nearly stab yourself in the eye with mascara. “I don’t know,” you say too quickly.

But the truth is—

You do know. Or at least, you feel it. The energy’s been building toward this for days now. Every conversation with Felix growing deeper and more certain. Still, you force yourself not to get your hopes up. Because hope feels dangerous. Hope is the first step toward disappointment.

So by the time you walk down the glowing hallway toward the pods, your chest feels painfully tight with nerves you’re trying desperately not to name. The pod door slides open and somehow, before you even sit down, you know he’s already there. Waiting.

You settle slowly onto the couch, smoothing nervous hands over your dress before speaking softly into the quiet. “Hi.”

The response comes immediately. “Hi.”

Something about Felix’s voice sounds different today. Tighter, a little nervous.

Your lips twitch slightly despite yourself and decide to tease, “You sound cheerful today. What’s going on?”

Felix laughs softly, breathless around the edges. “Sorry, I’m just…” His voice trails off.

And suddenly your heart is beating so hard it almost hurts.

Silence settles briefly between you before Felix speaks again, a little careful this time. “The last few days with you…”

You hold your breath unconsciously.

“Talking to you and getting to know you…” He exhales shakily. “I don’t even know how to explain it properly.”

His honesty wraps around your chest immediately. “I’m so attracted to your personality. Just… who you are. As a person.”

Your eyes sting unexpectedly.

“The way you think. The way you care about people. The way you try so hard to be strong all the time even when I know you’re scared.”

You tightly press your lips together.

“And every time I talk to you, I feel more certain instead of less,” he continues, voice trembles slightly now.

“Like I don’t need to keep searching anymore because…” he pauses to let out a shaky breath. “I found you.”

Your chest physically aches hearing it, at how Felix sounds so open right now. So sincere it almost hurts to listen to. And suddenly, beneath all the warmth blooming inside you, the fear creeps in too. Because if he’s being this honest with you, then keeping parts of yourself hidden suddenly feels unbearably unfair.

You clear your throat before softly call his name. “Felix…”

He goes quiet immediately, listening.

You stare down at your trembling hands. “I was only six when my dad walked out on me. And my mom and I… I remember feeling so confused. Not understanding what it means until later in my life.”

The memory instantly flashes violently through your mind. You inhale shakily, tears already pooling in your eyes. “Ever since then,” your voice crack in between sentences. “I never really learned how to fully attach myself to people emotionally.”

You press the back of your hand to your eyes, embarrassed by how vulnerable you suddenly feel. “I know it’s not fair to quickly assume that you’d do the same. When you’ve been nothing but warm and kind. And good to me.”

A tear slips down your cheek anyway and you quickly wipe it. “I just want you to know that… I’ll always have this fear that people are going to leave eventually.”

The confession trembles out of you helplessly. Your voice grows smaller. More fragile. “And I’m really scared right now.”

Because you are. Terrified, actually. Of trusting someone this much. Of needing them. Of believing in something beautiful only to watch it disappear one day.

You close your eyes briefly, tears slipping free now despite your efforts to stop them. “I don’t know if I’m ready for this.”

The vulnerability hangs exposed between you afterward, raw enough that your chest physically hurts beneath it.

And for the first time since meeting Felix, you genuinely fear what he might say next.

-

YOU: Whenever things start becoming too real emotionally… my instinct is always to pull away. [Shakily exhales] To protect myself. Because if you don’t fully let yourself need someone, then losing them hurts less. And when I get this scared… I close myself off again.

-

Felix’s chest hurts hearing you cry. Not metaphorically. It actually hurts.

Every soft sniffle from the other side of the wall feels like something splintering painfully inside him because all he can picture is you sitting there alone as fear claws at you from the inside out.

And suddenly, everything becomes so painfully clear to him.

This is exactly why he’s here. Not for the experiment. Not for television. Not for some perfect fairytale romance.

He’s here because when he hears your voice crack like that, every part of him wants to protect you from ever feeling abandoned again. To love you so thoroughly that one day, maybe, you’ll stop waiting for people to leave.

But first, he needs you to believe him. He exhales slowly, grounding himself before speaking softly into the quiet. “I know you’re hurt.”

The crying on the other side quiets slightly.

“And I know those fears probably don’t just disappear overnight,” he says, voice grows gentle yet firmer. “But I’m not here to hurt you.”

Your breathing trembles softly through the speakers.

“I want to be with you. I want to love you the way you deserve to be loved.” His throat tightens unexpectedly around the words because god, he means them so much it almost scares him. “I want to build a family together. With you.”

A breathless laugh leaves his mouth then. “And hopefully raise seven kids with you eventually.”

A shaky sound escapes you immediately afterward — half laugh, half watery breath.

And relief floods through Felix instantly knowing you’re not crying as hard anymore. He smiles helplessly to himself before standing abruptly from the couch.

“Can you please come up to the wall for me?” he softly asks.

“Okay.”

Felix walks toward the glowing wall separating you, heartbeat thundering violently inside his chest now. He places one palm flat against it and somehow, it almost feels like touching you.

“I’m here,” you whisper from the other side.

His eyes close briefly at the sound of your voice so close now. He clears his throat softly, suddenly overwhelmed by the enormity of this moment. Then he speaks openly, honestly.

“If you and I get married…”

His fingers press more firmly against the wall.

“Then that’s it for me.”

Emotion climbs into his voice despite his attempts to steady it.

“It’ll be my first and last marriage.”

The silence on the other side turns painfully still.

“I promise I’ll take care of you.”

Felix swallows hard.

“I promise I’ll always be there for you.”

His chest aches with how deeply he means it.

“And I’ll love you unconditionally for the rest of my life.”

The words settle between you, quivering in the air, heavy with emotions. Felix lets the silence hold them for a moment before finally doing the thing he’s been emotionally building toward since the first time he heard you laugh through this wall.

His knees hit the floor softly and even though you can’t see him, he still wants to do this properly. His heart pounds so hard he’s sure the microphones pick up the sounds. Then softly, breathlessly—

“Will you marry me?”

The question leaves Felix trembling with hope.

-

FELIX: Everything led me to this moment. Every conversation we had. Every joke. Every vulnerable thing she shared with me. I fell in love with her little by little without even realizing it was happening. And now I genuinely can’t imagine leaving this experiment without her. [Nervously laughs] I just really hope she says yes.

-

The glowing wall in front of you blurs through your tears while Felix’s question hangs between the two of you, suspended so delicately in the quiet that your heart physically aches beneath it.

Will you marry me?

Your body feels weightless and unbearably heavy all at once. Fear twists through you first. Then happiness crashes right into it. Excitement. Nerves. Disbelief. They’re laced around the edges.

This is real. Felix is real. The man behind this wall who listens to you, who remembers every little thing you say, who talks about loving you like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

Your hands tremble at your sides while tears continue slipping down your cheeks uncontrollably. And for one terrifying second, your fear almost wins. The instinct to protect yourself. To hesitate. To retreat before something beautiful can hurt you. But then—

You remember why you came here in the first place. You came not because you needed someone to complete you or because you were lonely. But because despite everything that happened to you, despite all the fear stitched into your chest, a part of you still wanted to believe in love. Still wanted to give it one real chance.

And now it’s standing right in front of you. Or rather— Kneeling behind a wall asking for your heart with shaking hands and seven imaginary children waiting in the future.

A watery laugh escapes you through your tears. Then you inhale deeply, trying to steady your breathing enough to speak.

Felix stays completely quiet on the other side, waiting and giving you space.

You press your palm softly against the glowing wall between you before finally whispering shakily. “Yes.”

A few seconds pass in silence and then Felix breaks into laughter of pure relief. A shaky exhale follows immediately after like he’s been holding his breath this entire time.

“Oh, God, I need a second,” he says, sounding like he’s running out of breath.

Your own laughter breaks through your tears instantly at the sound of him sounding so overwhelmed. “Yes, Felix,” you repeat more firmly this time, smiling helplessly now despite the tears still falling. “I’ll marry you.”

Another soft, disbelieving laugh leaves Felix from the other side of the wall.

Warmth blooms so fiercely in your chest that it almost hurts. Because for the first time in a very long time, you don’t feel afraid of love. You feel chosen by it.

Then, sniffling softly, you add through a broken laugh, “I’m still not fully convinced about the seven kids though.”

Felix bursts into laughter immediately. “That’s okay. I still have time to convince you.”

“Unbelievably persistent,” you mutter with a disbelieving laugh.

And suddenly you’re crying harder again, except this time it feels completely different. Like something inside you finally unclenched.

Your forehead presses briefly against the glowing wall while Felix stays close on the other side, neither of you speaking for a moment because words almost feel too small for what’s happening between you now.

Engaged. You and Felix are engaged. And to your surprise… That thought doesn’t scare you nearly as much as it should.

-

YOU: I said yes [sniffles] I’m engaged now [Laughs] And to be honest, I’m still scared. I think part of me will always be scared of trusting someone this much. But saying yes to Felix… [fondly smiles] It felt less like jumping off a cliff and more like finally letting someone catch me.

-

Felix feels like he’s floating. His feet carry him automatically down the glowing hallway away from the pods, but his mind is still stuck behind that wall with your voice trembling through tears as you told him yes.

Yes, Felix. I’ll marry you.

The word keeps replaying in his head over and over again until he thinks he might explode from happiness alone.

You said yes. You’re his fiancée. His fiancée.

Felix presses both hands briefly over his face as he walks, laughing breathlessly to himself because nothing about this feels real yet. His chest feels too much for his small body, joy practically spilling out of him in waves. And somehow, despite never seeing your face, he already misses you.

By the time he reaches the men’s lounge, he realizes he’s smiling way too hard. So instinctively, he tries to school his expression back into something normal before pushing open the door.

The second he steps inside, the room goes quiet. Every single guy turns toward him immediately. Ryan pauses mid-sip of his drink. Shane lowers the pool cue in his hand. Jim outright sits forward on the couch like he’s been waiting for the past hour. And judging by the worried anticipation written all over their faces—

Yeah. They were absolutely waiting for him.

Felix stares at them for one long second before letting out an exaggerated heavy sigh. Just to make them panic. He bites back his grin for another second before finally saying:

“She said yes.”

Everyone erupts in cheers, loud and chaotic cheers. Ryan nearly launches his drink across the room while Shane shouts loud enough to wake the dead. Jim jumps up from the couch immediately with both arms raised triumphantly.

“I KNEW IT!” he yells.

Felix bursts into helpless laughter as all the guys rush toward him at once, nearly tackling him backward. And then suddenly, his feet leave the floor.

“WAIT—”

The boys lift him into the air anyway while chanting loudly over each other.

“FELIX! FELIX! FELIX!”

Felix laughs so hard his stomach hurts as they toss him upward again, the entire room dissolving into complete chaos around him. But underneath all the noise and laughter, one thought remains crystal clear in Felix’s mind.

You said yes to him.

Out of everyone in this experiment—

You chose him and he’s never felt happier in his entire life.

-

FELIX: She said yes. [Grins] She said yes to marrying me. I genuinely feel like I’m walking on air right now. [laughs] Like… ridiculously happy. I can’t wait to meet her soon. [smiles]

-

By the time you walk back toward the women’s lounge, your face hurts from crying. The kind that leaves you overwhelmed and shaky and unbearably full all at once. Your fingers still tremble slightly at your sides as the memory keeps replaying in your head over and over again.

Will you marry me?

Yes.

You press your lips together tightly, trying not to cry all over again before pushing open the lounge doors.

The second you step inside, several girls immediately look up from the couches and dining table, their expressions changing almost instantly the moment they notice your tear-stained face.

Daria is already standing before you fully make it into the room. Her expression softens with immediate concern as she walks over carefully. “What happened?” she asks gently.

Your mouth opens and then closes again. Because somehow saying it out loud feels even crazier than agreeing to it. Instead of answering, you just step forward into her space.

Daria wraps both arms tightly around you without hesitation while you bury your face briefly against her shoulder, laughing shakily through fresh tears threatening to spill again.

“Oh my god,” she whispers instantly. “Oh my god, what happened?”

You inhale deeply, trying to calm yourself enough to speak coherently while more girls slowly start gathering around the two of you. Then finally, muffled against Daria’s shoulder, you share, “Felix proposed.”

You pull back slightly, cheeks burning hot as emotions swell all over again. “And I said yes.”

The silence lasts exactly one second before the entire room erupts. Hands flying to mouths. Someone nearly drops their wine glass onto the floor while Tabitha lets out the loudest gasp you’ve ever heard in your life. “OH MY GOD. YOU’RE ENGAGED?!”

You burst into helpless laughter through your tears as the girls rush toward you all at once. One by one, the girls pull you into hugs, congratulating you while your emotions continue spiraling wildly in every direction possible.

“You look in love,” someone says between the waves of congratulations.

That one makes your chest aches immediately. Because maybe you do. Maybe somewhere between pod conversations and childhood confessions and imaginary seven children—

You really did fall in love with him.

You sink onto the couch eventually while the girls crowd around you excitedly demanding details, your engagement suddenly becoming everyone’s favorite topic of the day. Still, every now and then, your mind drifts quietly back to Felix. Somewhere on the other side of this building, he’s probably smiling right now too.

Your fiancé.

The word sends another wave of disbelief crashing through you all over again.

-

YOU: I came into this experiment so skeptical [softly laughs] Like… extremely skeptical. [shakes head] I genuinely thought there was no way people could actually fall in love without seeing each other. And five days later… I’m engaged. [disbelieving laughs] And somehow… it feels right. [smiles]

-

The waiting room suddenly feels too small for Felix’s nervous energy.

He’s been pacing for the last ten minutes straight. Maybe longer. At one point, a producer gently told him to sit down because he looked like he was preparing for battle instead of meeting his fiancée.

His fiancée. Even now, the thought makes his stomach flip violently.

Felix exhales shakily before turning toward the mirror again, immediately fixing absolutely nothing about his suit for the fifteenth time. Smooth the sleeves. Adjust the collar. Push his hair back. No, wait—

Maybe the hair looked better before. “Oh my god,” he mutters under his breath. “Relax.”

He absolutely does not relax. Instead, he starts pacing again. The ring box in his hands opens with a soft click before he closes it again almost instantly. Then opens it again. Then shuts it.

Over and over.

Because somehow, after all the emotional conversations and vulnerability and certainty he felt in the pods, this suddenly feels terrifying in an entirely different way. Not because he’s scared of you. Never that.

He’s scared of the moment itself. Of finally seeing the person whose voice has become the best part of his day. The woman he accidentally fell in love with through a wall.

Felix exhales hard, trying to shake some of the adrenaline out of his system. Then suddenly, the reality of it hits him again. You’re here. Right now. In the waiting room across from his. Probably getting ready too. Probably nervous too.

For days now, you’ve only existed as laughter through speakers. Quiet breathing through walls. A voice he’s memorized so completely he thinks he’d recognize it anywhere in the world.

But now, he finally gets to put a face to all of it. Finally gets to look at you while you laugh instead of imagining it. Finally gets to hold you for real instead of pressing his hand against a glowing wall pretending it was enough.

Felix presses the ring box carefully against his palm, heartbeat pounding harder the more he thinks about it. He wonders if you’re smiling right now. If you’re pacing too. If you’re as overwhelmed as he is.

A shaky laugh escapes him again before he glances toward the doors leading to the reveal hallway.

And suddenly, all he wants is to get to you already.

-

FELIX: I can’t wait to finally see her [nervously laughs] Like genuinely, I feel like I’m about to explode. I’ve spent days talking to this person, falling for this person, imagining her reactions and expressions and smiles in my head… And now I actually get to put a face to all of that. I’m not that worried about physical attraction. Even if she looks completely different from what I imagined, she’s still her. [nervously laughs] I’m just excited.

-

The waiting room feels unbearably warm. Or maybe it’s just you.

You’ve been sitting in front of the mirror for the past several minutes pretending to fix your makeup when really, you’ve just been staring at yourself trying not to spiral. Your palms are damp. Your heartbeat is so loud you’re convinced the microphones are picking it up. And no matter how many times you smooth your dress down over your legs, the nervous energy in your body refuses to settle.

“Oh my god,” you whisper under your breath before restlessly fanning yourself with your hands.

It does absolutely nothing. If anything, you’re sweating more now. You stand abruptly from the chair and pace once across the room before immediately returning to the mirror again. You lean closer, lightly dabbing beneath your eyes to make sure your mascara hasn’t smudged from all the crying you’ve done today.

The thought hits you again so suddenly your stomach feels queasy. Felix is about to become real in a completely different way. Not just a voice anymore. Not just soft laughter through speakers or warmth through a wall. In a few minutes, you’re actually going to see him, touch him, hold him.

The realization makes your chest tightens. Because despite everything, despite all your fears and emotional walls and skepticism coming into this experiment—

You want this. You want him.

You catch yourself smiling helplessly in the mirror just thinking about his laugh before nerves crash right back into you again. Your smile slowly fades. Because suddenly, a terrifying thought pushes its way into your chest.

You’ve only been thinking about Felix as Felix. His kindness. His patience. His voice. The way he intently listens to you. You never cared about what he looked like. Not really.

But now?

Now physical appearance suddenly becomes real again and with it comes every insecurity you’ve spent years trying not to think about too hard.

What if he sees you and feels disappointed? What if the version of you he built in his head looks nothing like reality? What if he changes his mind the second he sees your face?

The dress suddenly feels too tight. You tug lightly at the neckline instinctively, trying to inhale properly again.

Okay.

Okay. Calm down.

Your chest only tightens harder because this suddenly feels so much scarier than talking through a wall. Behind the pods, he loved you for you. But now he gets to decide whether the outside of you fits the version he already fell for. And the possibility that it might not — that maybe he’ll look at you and not feel the same anymore — Terrifies you more than you expected.

You press both hands flat against the vanity table, forcing yourself to breathe slowly while your pulse races uncontrollably beneath your skin.

Inhale.

Exhale.

You’re about to meet the man you said yes to and that feels both beautiful and absolutely horrifying at the same time.

-

YOU: I feel like I might throw up [nervously smiles] Because this whole time, I only focused on who Felix is as a person. I fell in love with the way he talks to me. The way he makes me feel safe. The way he listens. And honestly, I never really cared what he looked like. [sighs] But now that I’m about to meet him… I’m scared he won’t like how I look. [cries] There’s this possibility that after seeing me, he may not feel the same and that’s— [cries] [dabs eyes with the back of your hand] That’s terrifying. [sadly smiles]

-

✨ LOVE IS BLIND: PART TWO is available on Patreon ✨

Please support my writings by kindly reblog, comment or tip me on my ko-fi!

Your brain is still computing Minho’s presence while Felix casually greets the man, not even bothering to cover you up. So you sit there, chest heaving, the cardigan you were wearing now out of reach and your shirt is not fitting you properly from the harsh groping your boyfriend was freely enjoying.

“Hi to you too, y/n,” Minho greets, chuckling a little at your silence while Felix tries to calm you down by rubbing soothing circles on the side of your waist.

“Hi, Minho,” you finally speak, voice a little squeakier than intended. “Did- did we invite you and forgot?” You ask, still confused as to why he has been silently watching you make out with your boyfriend.

“It’s more like I invited him and wanted to surprise you,” Felix answers, hand slowly creeping up from your waist to cup your face.

Felix makes you look at him, his stare sharp and dark, making you whimper unintentionally, not able to resist the power your boyfriend holds on you even with an unexpected spectator.

“Remember when I went to that stupid party and came back home angry?” He asks, bringing your face closer to his.

You nod, earning a chuckle from him. “Yeah, of course you remember. That was when you realised you liked me hurting you when we fuck, hmm?” Felix says crudely, making you bite your lip in embarrassment.

You can’t help but look at Minho, somehow still trying to figure out that man’s role in this conversation.

“It’s hard to explain but… sometimes I feel like hurting you,” Felix continues, his hand now wrapping around your neck, putting a slight pressure to his hold, making you hitch a breath.

“And sometimes, I want fools who think I can’t do it to watch and see how much I can actually dumb you down into nothing but my cute little pain slut,” he nearly growls, eyes switching from looking at you to looking at Minho from the rearview mirror.

“And that lucky fool is Minho, so he’s gonna watch me make you cry today, yeah?”

And true to your pain slut nature, you nod dumbly, and rather eagerly, to which Felix responds with a chuckle and a slap on your jiggly tits as a binding agreement.

You’ve been at this for hours. Or maybe it’s less than that but with the way Felix is spanking your ass and cunt, and with how he’s roughly guiding your head to suck Minho’s cock makes you feel like it’s been forever.

Everytime you choke around Minho’s dick, Felix would slap your cunt three times before he thrusts his fat cock back into your tight hole.

“You can do better than that, baby. Show this motherfucker how good I’ve trained you, yeah?” Felix says, the sound of your choked out moans are like music in his ears.

He keeps on thrusting into you, fingers roughly rubbing your oversensitive clit and sometimes tugging onto the nipple clamps he made you wear and lord it all feels so good.

“Fuck, Felix— man, you sadistic shit,” Minho notes absentmindedly, but doesn’t even try to make his friend go softer on you because of how pretty you look like this.

Your brain is definitely dumb now, not caring how you look with spit dripping from the corner of your mouth due to how Minho and Felix are forcing you to choke on the former’s girthy dick, and not to forget Felix who has been fucking his fat cock into you for god knows how long while rubbing your oversensitive clit and tugging onto the nipple clamps roughly — it hurts but it hurts so so good.

The two men are definitely not focusing on your pleasure but being the pain slut you are, you’ve cum at least three times from the overwhelming feeling of having two hot men using you like their fleshlight.

“Fuck, i’m gonna cum,” Minho announces, hips moving faster while Felix helps control the movement of your head as you continue to suck his friend off. Not even five seconds later, Minho cums in your mouth, a string of curses leaving his as he stays still, his load filling in your small mouth as you try to breathe through your nose.

Feeling like Minho doesn’t deserve to have your warm cavern wrapped around his dick as he cums, Felix roughly tugs onto your hair, pulling your back to him, Minho’s cum spilling everywhere and his softening dick bounces on his stomach. The plopping sound of his own cock slipping from your oversensitive cunt brings a smile to his face.

“Fuck you,” Minho says, chuckling and groaning at the same time.

Felix ignores him, throwing you onto your back beside Minho, his eyes dark as he watches Minho’s cum decorating your lips, cheeks and chin, and the way your throat moves as you try to swallow what’s left in your mouth.

Felix cups your face, squishing your cheeks and he chuckles at your fucked out state. Your eyes are shiny with tears but it’s also filled with lust — not to mention how good your tits look with the nipple clamps and how pretty your cunt is, all puffy from all his slapping and fucking.

Your engorged clit would look even prettier if he gets to rub it again with his cum, Felix thinks to himself.

“You look so cute right now,” Felix chuckles darkly, squishing your cheeks even harder before he lets go, only to slap you around a little, the smacking sound of his palm getting in touch with your cum-covered cheeks resonating throughout the room.

All you can do is whimper, the pain adding up to the unexplainable pleasure. You can feel Minho’s eyes on you, but you could care less of how you look like right now. All you can think of is wanting your boyfriend to fuck your cunt again and give you his cum.

Minho chuckles when he realises how really fucked out you are right now. Felix is one lucky bastard, because if you’re that good at giving head, your cunt must be phenomenal. And you letting the guy do whatever he wants — you’re definitely the textbook definition of a total pain slut.

“If you give me that look, I’ll want to mess you up even more, baby,” Felix smirks, his fingers now playing with your nipples, tugging roughly on the clamps as you cry from the pain and pleasure.

“Aww, you want that? Want me to mess you up, so that the next time Minho comes over he’ll have to fuck a fleshlight because your cunt is too messed up to take another man’s cock?” Felix says condescendingly but the eager nod you give is all he needs to continue.

Arriving at the restaurant, you two made your way towards the arranged table. Once you made it, you saw all the balloons and decorations his friends put up, just like how you asked them to, decorating your section of the place with beautiful colors. After all of you hugged and greeted each other, you all sat down and started talking.

“Oh um, I actually invited an old friend of ours, if it’s okay with you” Chan asked when you guys were having conversation “Oh sure! No problem at all. The more the merrier” you said chuckling “Right, love?” turning to look at Changbin, you held his hand as he nodded “Yeah. Who is it though?” he asked. “It’s umm OH, there he is. Hi Minho!” Chan said getting up from his seat. Minho. You’ve never remembered Changbin having a friend named Minho.

As you turned around to greet whoever this Minho guy was, you saw something you’d never think you’d see. Lee Minho. You’d recognize this face anywhere. How could you forget? He was the love of your life before everything went down.

“Oh my god Minho! Dude hi!” Changbin smiled really big, hugging him tightly “It’s been so long! I’m so glad you could make it here” he said but it all sounded so blurry to you. Like someone was squeezing your head so hard that it was ringing and you couldn’t hear any sounds. All you could do was stare at him. He never changed, just got slightly older but everything you loved about him were the same. That sharp nose you loved running your finger down, his perfect lips that you adored so much whenever he puckered them up, that tiny little mole on his nose that you kissed every time you wanted to show affection. You still remembered every little detail about him.

flashback

You laughed, throwing your head back as you laid your head on Minho’s thigh “Bunny we’re too young to get married! Let alone being parents” you said opening your eyes to look at his pouting face “You’re making fun of me. I’m telling you that I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and you’re LAUGHING AT ME” he said as he kept pouting. You two were currently on a picnic, it was a sunny summer day and Minho wanted to take you on a picnic date so you two got ready, taking your basket with you as you walked to the park nearby.

“I’m not making fun of you! In fact, I’m so happy that you want to spend the rest of your life with me, with ME, the girl who always messes up. I’m just saying we’re only in highschool, we still have so many years ahead of us” you said leaning up to cup his cheeks “But I’m in love with you! And I want to be with you forever, take you on so many adventures, having little versions of ourselves running around with our family pets” Minho said, that little pout never leaving his lips “And I’m in love with YOU. I see my future with no one but you. I’m just saying it’s a little early to talk about these” You said pecking his lips softly “Okay but I’m telling you. One day, I’ll come to you with a beautiful diamond ring, on one knee, giving you my promise of making you the happiest girl in the world” he said cupping your cheek with one hand as he tucked a strand of hair behind your ear “I’m already the happiest girl in the world” you said smiling before pressing your lips on his in a deep but sweet kiss.

You two have broken up, well, had to break up, because Minho was moving away for college. Even if you both tried to fool yourselves thinking it would work out, you could do a long distance, you both knew that was far from the truth. You cried that night, a lot. That night that he finally said his last goodbye and you were left with the coldness of his absence.

“Oh, let me introduce you to my girlfriend!” Changbin said smiling, pulling you close to him “Oh, Y/N. Long time no see” Minho said smiling. Even that tiny smile was still the same. It made your heart crumble into so many pieces “You two know each other?” Changbin asked his eyes wide. “Oh yeah we’re just-“ you started but Minho cut you off “Old friends. We’re old friends. We used to be in the same class in high school” There it was. Another crumble of your heart.

You smiled bitterly “Yeah.. Old friends”. It was supposed to be the best night but now, the tension in the room could be cut through with a knife “Oh sweet! I’m glad you guys know each other. Minho, Chan, Jisung and I used to live in the same neighborhood but then he had to move out for college” Changbin said as if he could read your mind. You were wondering where they knew each other from.

“Come on, take a seat” Changbin said gesturing to the only seat that was empty, right next to you. How convenient.

flashback

“Hi bunny! What’s up?” you answered the phone. It was Minho “Hey darling” he said. His voice sounded different “Is everything okay baby?” you asked worried. Usually, Minho would talk to you in such a bright tone with some cheesy cuteness in it. But this time, it was cold “Yeah um.. Can we talk for a bit?” he asked “Yeah sure baby, what’s up?” you said crossing your legs on the couch “Want to meet up? You can come over too if you want” “No it’s okay. Do you remember the college I wanted to go to?” he asked “Yeah, the one that’s out of the city right? Why?” you said getting worried “Yeah that one. So uuhh I got accepted” Minho said.

You felt like your whole world crushed down “You said you wouldn’t apply for it” you said, voice shaking “Yeah I know but you know that’s my dream college. And I knew I would be able to get in, even if it was just a small chance. I wanted to take that chance” His voice sounded sad, but still somewhat cold “Can we talk about this face to face?” you asked, eyes tearing up already “No, this way will be easier” Minho said “Easier for what? What are you trying to say Minho?” now you were fully crying “You know what it is Y/N. We’ve talked about it before” he said, making your heart break more “Yeah we did. And you promised me that you wouldn’t apply because we wouldn’t work out if you did! You fucking promised!” you raised your voice, tears running down your face as your heart broke into million pieces “I had to make a choice!” Minho said, raising his voice as well “So you chose college over me. Unbelievable” you said scoffing.

“What was I supposed to do?!” Minho said as you cut him off “You were supposed to stay with me and keep your fucking promise along with millions of promises you made!” you yelled then let out a sarcastic laugh “Marriage my ass. Fuck you Minho, fuck you. Fuck you for choosing your future over me, fuck you for not keeping your promise and FUCK. YOU. for breaking up with me over the phone! I hope you never find happiness ever again” you said coldly, hanging up the phone without listening to what he was going to say as you threw your phone across the room. You let out the loudest scream you could ever manage, pouring all the pain away with your tears

The night went on by talking, Changbin and Minho and the others having conversations but you stayed silent most of the time although you made comments here and there to not seem too suspicious. “Baby, are you okay?” Changbin asked putting his hand on your thigh as if he sensed how tense you were. You tried to put on your best smile as you put your hand on his “Yeah I’m okay love. Are you having fun?” you asked, taking a sip from your drink as he nodded “Yeah. Thank you again for today honey. I love you so much” Changbin said giving you a sweet kiss.

You loved Changbin’s kisses, they were one of your favorite but right now, it didn’t feel good, it didn’t feel right but you still pushed through, kissing him back as sweetly. Or so you tried.

Finally, it was time to cut the cake. Changbin stood up, walking over to the edge of the table as you walked up next to him, standing beside him. The waiter brought the cake, a small firework burning on the it as everyone stood up too. Once the birthday song was over, Changbin took his glass and looked at you

“Firstly, I want to thank my beautiful girlfriend for this amazing night she prepared. I would’ve never been this happy if it wasn’t for her” he said as he kissed you deeply and full of love “Second of all, thank you to all my friends who didn’t leave me alone on this special day of mine. I love and appreciate all of you so much. Let’s raise our glasses for the best night and many more to come!”

Everyone cheered when Changbin’s speech was over, clapping and raising their glasses. You caught Minho’s eyes for the first time that night, after that small encounter of yours. He raised his glass towards you, taking big gulps from it without taking his eyes off you. You felt sick, you felt like you couldn’t breathe and you wanted to get out of there but Changbin’s hand that was wrapped tightly around your waist stopped you from doing so. “Let me take a pic of you two!” one of your friends said, snapping you out of your thoughts as you looked at Changbin before turning towards your friend. He leaned in to kiss your cheek, making you giggle as the flash popped, signaling that the pic was taken.

You didn’t talk for the rest of the night. Feeling so out of it as you just listened to the conversations that were going on and it was finally the end of the night. Changbin drove you both to the house you shared, the whole ride was silent apart from the faint sound coming from the radio. You made it to your shared bedroom, taking your accessories in front of the mirror when Changbin walked up to you from behind for the second time “Baby are you really okay? You’ve been so silent the whole night” he asked giving your shoulder a kiss. You smiled at him through the mirror “Yeah I’m okay babe. Just a little bit tired. I hope you had fun tonight” you said turning around to leave a small kiss to his cheek. “Yeah I did. Thank you so much again, for everything” Changbin said softly. He could sense something but he just couldn’t put his finger on it.

After taking off your make up and getting ready for bed, you finally put your head on the pillow. You tried to sleep for a while, tossing and turning in bed, hearing Changbin’s tiny snores indicating he was asleep but you just couldn’t. Minho wouldn’t leave your head.

Sighing, you pulled out your phone, tapping on Instagram to scroll through a bit and before you knew it, you were scrolling through Minho’s page. You used to do that a lot, back when you two first broke up but then after a while you stopped. Then Changbin came into your life that you forgot about it.