wrong step | baekhyun

+nine+

"are you okay?"

i looked up into baekhyun's eyes. for the first time, i saw genuine concern in them. now that's weird because he was the one who left me alone in the first place. his actions in the corridor earlier only confused me more. 

i gave a small nod and mumbled "yeah". we were back in his house and i was holding on to a cup of steaming hot tea that he made for me. i did not drink from it, however, and merely wrapped my hands around the cup to warm them up. a hot bath earlier did wonders, but i was still feeling quite cold. 

from the fact that i nearly died from drowning or from the fact that i saw white light spilling out from pamela, i honestly don't know. 

baekhyun was leaning against the wall. he crossed his arms and eyed me curiously. "i didn't know you had an angel as a friend."

that caught my attention and my head snapped up. "what?"

he unfolded his arms and walked towards me. the couch sank slightly as he sat. "your friend, that red-haired girl. she's an angel, and a high ranked one at that."

i let the information sink in. was that why she had light as a power? but an angel... that's impossible.

i must have made my thoughts audible, earning a scoff from baekhyun. "find it hard to believe?" he asked.

"she's my best friend. i would've known long ago if she was an angel or not." i argued, even though deep down i knew there was more to it than meets the eye. baekhyun let out a small sigh.

"do you know what an angel looks like or what an angel does in the first place?" he challenged. "do you even know they exist?"

i blinked and struggled to find words to challenge him but obviously none came to mind. as i slumped into the couch, i expected baekhyun to laugh at me but his tone was serious.

"angels are experts in disguise, so i wouldn't blame you for not knowing. i don't know what's her excuse for approaching you in the first place, but seeing how she stayed by your side for so many years, there must be a good reason." he said as he looked down and fiddled with the hem of his shirt. "don't worry though, i doubt she would try to harm you." 

"but... what was she doing at the seaside?" i wondered aloud. baekhyun glanced up and i saw his gaze harden. 

"she was trying to invade into hell." he told me, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"huh? but isn't she in hell already?" to be honest, the word 'hell' sounded alien on my tongue. i still found it hard to believe that i was really in hell. everything felt too much like a very bad dream.

"nope," baekhyun answered as he leaned back into the couch. "there are many levels you need to pass in order to get to hell. here, my home, is hell."

"wait." he muttered. "i'm making it sound like living here is shitty."

i didn't know whether to laugh or look away. 

in the end i chose the latter and he didn't seem to mind. as if nothing happened, he continued. "the reason why she's there at the seaside is because she managed to get through one of the entrances when you guys were in the haunted house. since i was physically present at the haunted house, she had a chance in finding the portal which is connected to me."

i recalled how pamela suddenly disappeared when we were exploring the haunted house. so that was the reason. it was bizarre how everything suddenly made sense, especially when i initially refused to even believe that supernatural existed.

shifting in my seat, i felt something poking at my thigh. i reached into my pocket and pulled out the wristwatch that baekhyun had given me. there was a visible crack that ran across the glass surface.