Radiant

Chapter 4

If Jeongguk thought that Radiance was stunning at night, then it has nothing on day. The abundant and various vegetation isn't the typical colors he remembers studying within his history and science classes. Leaves of shimmering purples, pinks, and even bright golds. Flowers big enough that he'd need both hands to pick them.

The marketplace from last night thrives during the day. Activity bustles along the mossy streets, a cacophony of chatter, boots crushing small pebbles, and joyful shouts and laughter from children.

The morning air is different than in the district. It's cleaner, stronger, and it drifts through his through his brown hair to ease the heat bearing down on him from true sunlight. The clothing he is wearing makes him feel slightly out of place, by the obviousness that they don't fit and mismatched, but he keeps his pace steadily with Yoongi.

It isn't exactly subtle with the way people part and give Jeongguk a wide berth whenever he walks past, especially since majority of them call out to Yoongi by name with excited shouts and kids staring at him with stars in their eyes.

Until they see Jeongguk.

Gone is their smiles and their eyes hardening to granite. They stare at him as if he is some sideshow freak. Mini daggers that nick and cut at his skin to the point unease crawls up his throat as he casts Yoongi wry glances, but he never says a word.

"They won't hurt you," Yoongi murmurs low underneath his breath. "Not with me here."

After leaving the main street of the marketplace, which Yoongi refers to as Gleaming Market, the streets start to become compact. The vegetation is more present, dancing to its own melody, but at least the staring has faded to caution instead of hostility.

Grateful, Jeongguk releases a heavy breath as the tension in his shoulders leaks out, cutting the area a wry glance to ensure they aren't being followed or too many others are around. He clears his throat.

"Why were they staring at me like that?"

Yoongi cuts a look over his shoulder. "Why do you think they were staring at you like that? You can't possibly be that dense."

"You mean, because I'm..."

Yoongi rolls his eyes faintly, lips pressed together until they become white. "I told you; humans aren't welcome in Radiance. This is a city for Radiators, made by Radiators, and guarded by Radiators. Here, humans are bad stories we tell the kids to keep them in bed at night."

"You say that like you're not human."

"Oh, right. Every human is part bird and has a giant pair of bird wings to match." To prove a point, his wings give an indignant flap hard enough that the wind picks up around them. Dusts of dirt and pieces of loose moss smack Jeongguk in the face until the wings settle back in their resting position. "You do realize that I'm not exactly human, right, Wonder-boy? You can't possibly be that stupid to not have realized that."

"I... I don't think that being a Radiator makes you any less human than me." Jeongguk brushes a loose strand of his dark hair behind his ear, gaze steady on Yoongi. "You're different, yes, but when I look at you... I don't see a Radiator. I see Yoongi."

Yoongi jolts minutely, hands bawling into fists and feathers bristling as if the words sent a shock of electricity down his spine. "You're one of the few humans who believe that. The fact of the matter is, we aren't like you. We never have been. Humans hunt us, hurt us, and use us. In Radiance? We're equal and free. You realize that this, all of this, is different than a Prefecture, right?"

"Yes, I know that."

It's kind of hard not to, when they are literally stepping over a giant flower speckled with pink spots on white petals bigger than his head. In the Prefectures, they try to make everything resemble what the world use to be. Before the Fall.