radiance | baekhyun

32

23:12.

he'd recognised her.

sehun.

roma had smiled weakly, not managing to successfully hide her bewildered expression. big, deer eyes widening and chest thumping. scared.

sehun didn't look shocked to see her, or like he'd been looking for her particularly, or anything. roma was confused. his hunched shoulders and slumped posture made him look tired. more exhausted than she was.

he'd looked her up and down with an odd expression. half-pained, almost, but half-relieved. he'd stood up, the chair scraping loudly, greeting her with a small nod. even offered for to her sit down. roma had explained that she was working.

the nerves were brought up again, because sehun's piercing gaze only reminded her of baekhyun, and the way he sat, perched, on edge, on his seat. they had similar eyes; that same sparkling effect catching her breath. baekhyun's name hurt her to think. sehun watched her carefully, analysing and observing. took her answer with a small nod.

the sky darkened.

roma agreed to meet him after her shift at the coffee bar across the street. it was an awkward suggestion, mostly because the two of them weren't really close. the memory pained her thoughts, but she remembered the sun-filled afternoons that she spent watching kai write on the window sill, while sehun was either out or minding his own business. sehun apparently wanted to talk with her; and the prospect of some confrontational conversation forced her thoughts into a hurried frenzy.

it was late. and she was tired, and as she crossed the road, her mind continued to tell her to calm down.

it's fine, it's fine, it's fine.

the coffee bar, like any other, was ambient and warm, and somewhat welcomed her with a soft tone of smooth music and cocoa scent, with an underlying presence of strong spirits. she clutched her bag tightly in her arm, and--god, calm down--tried to ease her racing heart.

luckily, not many people were around. that same warm glow exuded from the dimmed lights. she tried to stop herself, but she couldn't help but think of all those coffee shops and restaurants that her and baekhyun went to. sitting in the rain, watching the drops spiral down the windows, with soaked clothes stuck to their skin.

sehun was waiting right in the corner, tucked away in the darkness. of course.

roma breathed.

she pushed her hair back from her face, behind her ears. attempted not to panic. also tried not to trip over her own feet.

"um, hi," she spoke breathily, once stood by his table, her chest heaving up and down.

sehun forced a small and encouraging smile. he motioned for her to sit down. she pulled up the chair, managing to stumble over the wooden legs. she blushed red, but sat down, slowly placing her bag down on the floor.

"hey," sehun said.

a prolonged lapse of silence encompassed the two; sat opposite each other, sehun's mouth quivering as if he had something important to say but didn't quite know how to word it. roma bowed her head, turning to the side, avoiding his tense stare.