radiance | baekhyun

01

21:45.

roma allowed a deep, yet delicate breath to exhale from her lips.

her skin felt worn and warm, sun-kissed by the radiance of the day and the heat of the humid air. lips stuttered as she felt the cool wind seep in through her limited layers of clothing. the sun had disappeared, leaving behind a few single traces of golden hues in the ebony sky.

it wasn't late; at least, not by her standards. in contrast to most nights, she felt particularly awake, piercing, darkened eyes having adjusted to the dim atmosphere of the evening.

senses aware, although relaxed to mirror the eased aura of the downtown area, her reposed attitude allowing her to appear un-phased by anything or anyone, simply enjoying the sensation of the wind fluttering her eyelashes and whispering past her pale skin.

her whole and calm being revelled in the previous but not forgotten memories of the night; laughter, happiness, joy. all these feelings she'd momentarily forgotten, her spirits elevated by the warmth of the climate and the exuberance of the people around her.

despite the lack of proper light, roma found her way in between the winding streets easily. the exposure of her bare skin felt chilled, all of a sudden, resulting in the quiver of her lip and the chattering of her teeth.

almost, as soon as she'd turned the corner, the warmth dissipated. roma sighed, slumping her body, recoiling in on herself. dusk had descended fully. the street lamps flickered, single spots of floodlight illuminating the ancient stones of the pavement on which she was treading carefully. distantly, the sound of laughter and foreign shouting reached her, encasing her in a surreal setting.

her headed direction appeared vague, and the momentary dimming of the lights proved it a difficult task to locate exactly where she was, but she recognised a few of the corner shops and tattered apartment buildings, her mind becoming acquainted with the whereabouts of her flat.

silence emanated as she stepped into the emptiness of the small, caged town square. unmoving, the church tower loomed up above. the spire looked as if it was touching the sky, the stars, pin-pointing a significant mark amidst the deep teal of outer space. footsteps echoed around the immobile scene before her, and she felt a shiver up her spine, a fleeting outburst of fright overcoming her senses.

but she breathed:

exhaling soft and deep breaths to calm any tense emotions within her.

you're fine, she told herself. breathe. just breathe.

anyway, a few minutes and she'd be home. the thought hurried her steps slightly.

she focused solely on calming her heartbeat; on calming the rapid breaths leaving her throat in quickened inhalations. roma was set on going home, having a shower to relieve her body from the heat of the day. the moon appeared pleasant and placid in the night sky, and provided a serene backdrop to the evening.

turning the corner, suddenly, her pulse quickened at the sight of an unfamiliar body lying, reposed, against the side of the pavement. she glanced sideways, both ways, checking her surroundings to see if anyone else was around.

breaths gasped from her mouth as she attempted to steady her heavy and shallow breathing. roma was frightened, but forced herself forward, nonetheless.

as she approached the body, she noted that they--rather, he--was breathing. he was alive. having assessed the severity of the situation, she calmed slightly, staring at the stars to offer herself a form of condolence.