radiance | baekhyun

56

"yeah," baekhyun agreed, nodding his head slightly.

he locked gaze with roma momentarily.

then, back to chanyeol.

"how the fuck did you get this place, anyway?" baekhyun enquired. "it's so nice, man."

his chin tilted backwards, upward glancing, marvelling at the massive expanse of perfected ceiling; swivelling in his seated position, taking in all of the glass ornaments decked out on the table-tops, and at the pristine arrangement of flowers, and at the intricately-designed ashtray, sat atop the wide television.

roma's lips formed an 'o' shape as she gaped in awe at the glamorous aura that the modern setting gave off.

"luck. and, i don't know, guess i just knew the right people," chanyeol laughed softly and deeply, revelling in the apparent astonishment on both of their faces. "guess that's how it goes in life, you know."

that seemed a very vague answer, and roma knew that there was obviously more to it than that. it truly was a beautiful house, though. roma was jealous. and, yet, there was something off about the whole place. like, a mansion so clean and tidy and glamorous couldn't possibly just belong only to this young man, chanyeol. he appeared to be a similar age to baekhyun.

they were all in this world. young men surrounded by a suspicious but obvious amount of wealth. roma had pondered over where all of baekhyun's money came from many times. she remembered a past conversation; it was in lyon and it had been dark but the stars had been twinkling, and he'd explained briefly and vaguely what he did for a living.

but roma couldn't really remember exactly.

roma could only guess, because her throat was dry, and her tongue felt incapable of speech, and she wasn't about to blurt out and interrupt whatever was going on.

"it's so nice," he repeated. "seems pretty comfortable," baekhyun nodded slowly, putting his two hands together. "how long are you here for?"

tense.

a switch.

unnoticeable; but a slight dimming. from deep orange to dark orange. orange. like flames; like fame; like the images of fire that plagued her vision, that danced around her periphery, that striped the landscape beyond her horizon. that burned the same hue that the discrete moon did.

"until it gets better," chanyeol replied simply. "same as you."

he looked straight at roma this time. it wasn't an accusing stare, not at all. it was more of an odd mixture of recognition and wanting to understand more. roma looked back at him.

chanyeol had beautiful features, too. a slender nose split his perfect face in two, bronzed cheek bones protruding from his glistening skin. dark and darting eyes were framed with thick eyelashes and bushy eyebrows. messy, dark hair fell forward. a thin line of pink lips were pursed, in preparation for his next movement. ready for retorting with a witty and mysterious answer.

baekhyun was quiet.

mellow, like the deep slumber of the hills and canyons.

"does she...?" chanyeol began, only to be immediately cut off. confusion.

"yeah. don't worry, it's fine. you can talk," baekhyun interjected sharply.

roma could feel the hole in her chest expanding.

chanyeol stared at for one, two, three seconds. he then turned his attention back to baekhyun and his cold, hard stare. contrasting to the heated temperatures that surrounded and enveloped them.