radiance | baekhyun

50

Seoul. 14:42.

march 8th 2012.

the tram journey seemed to go on for what felt like an infinity. pale streets flitted past as baekhyun stared out of the window. a blur of pinkish hues on either side, the milky sun resting lazily in between the white, modern buildings.

it was a somewhat odd day. not winter anymore, but the sky portrayed a similar image, one of dulcet hues and blank, misting colours, a chilled wind rushing in between the racing cars and huddled figures populating the streets and crossroads. even baekhyun's steady breaths were captured like a silvery mist against the glass window of the racing vehicle.

kai sat opposite him, a similar, bleak expression washed across his structured features. the pupils of his eyes darted rapidly at the outside world rotating before him, focused on nothing in particular, but doing anything to try and submerge the electrical current coursing between the two boys.

tangible. baekhyun could almost reach out and touch the metallic channels that connected them.

sighs echoed from their open mouths. baekhyun was trying his hardest, too, in attempt to allow his own body to relax and to breathe. forehead creased and focused on the perpendicular outlines of city streets; of the parallel alignment of the dashed lines on the tarmac, or the electrical wires of the circuit pylons.

bad idea.

he squinted his eyes shut, not before being unable to stop the panicked glance he threw towards kai, who similarly noticed. their eyes communicated. the current became stronger in a millisecond, like a heavy tie that rested in between their postures.

baekhyun looked around, but noticed that no-one else gave either of them a second glance. a small girl, sat on her mother's lap, was staring straight at him, her shining eyes looking directly at his odd behaviour, mouth slightly agape. she cocked her head to the side, never leaving his gaze, like she was deciphering the uncomfortable glance etched into baekhyun's features.

magnetic pull.

he almost felt the sky dim, slightly. sun transforming a deeper shade of pale-yellow.

kai's eyes reflected a kaleidoscope of monochrome. his tanned skin wavered.

their tram stop was announced, and the two boys were more than glad to be off the public space, out onto the student campus, where baekhyun's accommodation was. baekhyun locked gaze briefly with the child, big, curious eyes still following his movements.

concrete ground felt uneven beneath his trainers.

the vehicle sped away. people leaving.

kai and baekhyun were left on the pavement.

baekhyun squinted up at the sky. at the sun, its edges prominent in his vision, blazing alight, the light flooding his irises. uncomfortable, different to before.

"what the fuck is going on?" kai asked, interrupting his stream of consciousness. his voice sounded breathy and gasping, not scared, but unsure and panicked in kai's own, quiet way.

baekhyun observed as kai stuck his hand out slowly in front of the two of them, his skin flitting in between lines of visibility, as if he was disappearing. blurring out like a broken television screen. kai snapped his head up, searching desperately for answers in baekhyun's eyes. fear and panic.

"i don't know. let's go inside and figure shit out, because...yeah. i have no fucking clue."

casual statement, but was pierced with intonations of consternation and trepidation.