radiance | baekhyun

03

23:01.

as always, the brightness of the day diminished into an exuberant obscurity of shade. the city was alive and breathing, the dazzling street-lights of the downtown area shining like beacons dotting the ebony-black sea of sky. tonight, the stars were twinkling, as if they were serving a purpose. as if, maybe, they were leading her on to something.

she didn't know.

and she also didn't care.

"roma, come on, let's go!"

mia, her best friend, had a huge and drunken grin plastered to her face as she ran ahead of her, gesturing crazily for roma to follow. roma's fear of busying roads and open, public spaces was not even crossing her mind at that precise moment, as she skipped along behind to keep up. she felt so awakened: so ready for what the night was to bring. or, rather, the early morning, as she realised that they'd been out for a while now.

the alcohol altered perception. 

maybe.

who cares.

despite that, the city was animated; dark alleyways pervaded with youth. people were everywhere.

peering upwards and forwards, the accustomed clock tower loomed above, signalling the prevailing arrival of midnight.

she felt the adrenaline coursing through her veins.

"wait for me," roma attempted to shout, but her voice was muted by the crowds and by the rush of late-night activities.

music from the local clubs and bars and restaurants resounded and bounced off the ancient and dull brick walls, echoing within the tightening restraints of her chest, further dizzying her unclear mind. bright lights dashed and danced across the buildings, lighting up their grey colour and providing a shaking backdrop to coincide with her jumbled thoughts.

"roma!"

roma, roma, roma.

the two of them had been joined with her other new friend, luke, who grabbed hold of roma's hand and dragged her behind him. his hand was sweaty and held onto her too tightly, but she didn't have the heart to pull away, mostly because, if she did, she was sure she would get lost in the crowd.

she'd only known luke for a couple of days or so; he had been a friend introduced to her by mia, having been someone she'd met through school. roma liked luke, she thought, and it felt nice to have the comfort of someone clinging to you so as not to lose you. regardless of whom it was.

the motion of bumping into random, irritated strangers, shouting a hurried sorry, getting yelled at and not giving a shit gave her such a rush. the wind was warm, afresh against her face and flurrying her dark strands of hair.

"mia, wait!"

roma shouted again, voice cracking slightly, wanting her to slow down. she didn't really know why they were running, anyway. for fun, she guessed.

mia's steps slowed. the winding path she had paved through the dwindling masses now felt less constraining, less contained. by this point, they'd left the thriving centre of the old town, all three of them stood, panting, on the edge of the pavement.

luke was hunched over, clutching the stitch in his chest, still with a mischievous grin plastered to his face. he'd released roma's hand. mia was grinning, too, chest heaving up and down as her emerald eyes scanned the vicinity rapidly. roma's hair stuck uncomfortably to the back of her neck, her black dress almost glued to her skin, due to the heat of the summer evening.