//

roma learnt to just not ask.

the lights. dark aura. everything. she didn't question. just took it for another part of the mysterious man than was baekhyun.

the following day, baekhyun's cuts and bruises had settled into his marked, tanned skin, the dark red and blue fading into a lighter shade of colour. less painful, she hoped. roma had run her fingers over them, while he'd still been sleeping soundly, shadowing over the cut lines and red grazes.

he was beautiful.

he always was.

he'd kissed her again in the morning, deep and loving, almost, like the night before. hands had brushed the loose strands of hair from her face, tucking them behind her ears. she swore he'd said that she was gorgeous in the morning light, or something.

all she remembered is that she'd smiled so widely that he'd kissed her open mouth, and she'd kissed him back, and she thought that, maybe, definitely, he'd cared.

she cared. roma feared this whole thing was one-sided.

but, she didn't ask.

the light in the bathroom worked that morning. lightbulb almost blaring. roma thought that her power must have just been out last night. weird, she thought.

that must have been it.

must have.

//

15:35.

"so, what, you're like boyfriend and girlfriend now? or is this just some summer fling?"

"mia!"

"what! i want to know."

roma blushed, even in front of her best and closest friend, turning her face away. the two of them were sat on the balcony, the afternoon blazing heavenly on the cobbled street corners. roma adored the rush of everyone down below, the market square, the happy buzz of people drinking and laughing.

happiness.

empty plates littered their small table, having only just finished lunch, mia on her third glass of wine, hence the pinkish glow to her cheeks and forehead, and the way her words drawled from her mouth without her thinking.

roma just laughed.

"oh, my god, roma, tell me!" mia continued to probe, her laughter so warm and welcoming. "i'm your best friend," she pouted.

"it's not a fling," roma simply said, emphasising the word, not really even sure what that meant. "we're just...together, i don't know."

"wow," mia sighed, jokingly. "you are such a bad liar, babe."

"i'm not lying," roma laughed.

"but he's basically your boyfriend, right?"

"i--" roma started.

"i want to meet him," mia blurted, not letting roma answer.

"you already have," roma pointed out.

"yeah, but, i want to meet him properly. preferably when i'm not hungover."

roma paused, taking a tentative sip of her own glass. she had no problem with them meeting each other, but roma didn't even know where her and baekhyun stood. whether she even had the courage to ask him over. even after everything.

boyfriend and girlfriend. the paired words sounded foreign. roma had never had a proper boyfriend before. at least, she'd never been with someone who made her feel the way baekhyun did. her heart thudded.

so many questions flitted around in her mind. she'd simply just tried to understand what baekhyun meant when he couldn't explain. there was something he was hiding. roma remembered the feeling of trepidation that had travelled slowly down her spine, igniting and sharpening her senses; electricity.

something about baekhyun caused that electricity.

"so, invite him over," mia stated, finishing, leaning back in her chair.

"to our place?"

"or whatever," mia said. "hey, has he got any hot friends?"

roma laughed. as did mia.

she thought of kai and sehun; both of whom were extremely attractive. she recalled the way kai had held the pendant around her neck, warm hands burning against her beating heart, against her chest.

"maybe," she merely replied, still laughing pleasantly. yes, she wanted to say.

mia lit a cigarette.

roma smiled behind her wine glass.

the sun beamed.

//

sunlight was blinding. he brought a hand up to shield his eyes. the town square was alive: the clock tower loomed.

baekhyun had got off the phone with kai maybe only thirty seconds ago. he was already here, rounding the corner, running a hand through his dishevelled blonde hair.

baekhyun sighed.

the outdoor coffee bar was too hot but fairly empty. people occupied the bustling streets. his dark espresso sat, full, on the table, untouched. baekhyun's knuckles were clasped together, blue veins prominent, the red grazes scattered over his hard skin. his ribs still ached, his side bent slightly. he watched kai stroll casually across the road, having noticed where baekhyun was.

"hey," kai greeted, not waiting, hurriedly pulling a chair out for himself and propping his feet up on another. his white, thin clothes reflected the sunlight.

blinding.

"kai," baekhyun started, stern. sounding somewhat annoyed.

kai looked surprised, but that usual smirk still tugged at the corners of his lips.

"what?" he laughed. "what you so serious about?"

baekhyun felt his grip of his other fingers tighten.

"you're not supposed to do that," baekhyun spoke.

"do what?"

baekhyun leant forward; teeth gritted. took a deep breath before looking around.

"teleport in public."

kai looked incredulous. he knew what baekhyun meant, though.

"are you serious?" kai laughed.

"kai--"

"i think we can forget about that for now." kai leant back against the chair, basking in the glowing sunlight. brushed baekhyun's comment off.

"what does that mean?"

"it means that you're a hypocrite."

baekhyun gulped; knew that kai was right. he took a large gulp of his coffee.

he didn't respond.

"the lights were all out last night," kai stated, a defiant grin in his voice, signalling for the waiter to come over.

baekhyun waited for the man to leave. he felt that tension between his fingers; the force between his hands, beckoning them together. like a magnetic pull.

what was wrong with him?

"so, what happened, then?" kai asked.

"what?" baekhyun queried, trying to avoid the inevitable questioning.

"the lights," kai gestured, eyes widening, "me and sehun noticed. what shit did you pull last night?"

baekhyun couldn't possibly understand. all of the lights in the city can't have been off. he recollected how roma had fumbled with the light switches, how she had led him through the unlit rooms with the guidance of her trembling hands. the electricity, and the orange sparks.

"i didn't do anything," baekhyun strained. his voice wavered, unsure; desperate. he leant forward again. "i don't know what the fuck's going on."

kai noted the serious nature of his tone. curiosity clouded his own mind. baekhyun wished that he had some way to explain; although, he wasn't even sure himself.

"it's her, right?" kai asked.

roma.

"roma's got nothing to do with it."

her name escaped quickly. the lie felt difficult and tense as it came from his mouth. it must be something to do with her. this feeling, deep inside him, couldn't be because of anything else.

"we all have our weaknesses, baekhyun."

kai sounded like he meant it, like he comprehended the severity of the situation. neither of them had encountered something like this before.

"but why the fuck would it be her?"

baekhyun was distressed.

"i don't know, mate." a long pause ensued as he downed his drink. "girls have never been a problem for you before."

kai was joking. despite his previous caring nature, kai was grinning and winking again. the waiter had just brought over his drink. kai took it and returned to his reclined position.

baekhyun didn't like roma being compared to any of the girls he'd been with before. she was nothing like anyone he'd ever met. the thought of her right now caused that weird tingling feeling in his chest. tingling feeling between his hands. the muscles trembled.

"what am i supposed to do?" baekhyun almost pleaded.

he didn't want to show that he was upset.

kai let out a deep chuckle.

"what do i look like to you?"

baekhyun sighed, and threw his head into his hands. his dark hair fell in between his fingers. his head pounded relentlessly. baekhyun squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the blaring sunlight.

change the subject.

"where even is sehun?" baekhyun asked.

kai shrugged.

"out somewhere, i don't know."

heat from the sun was beginning to seep in uncomfortably through his clothes. baekhyun felt his skin prickling underneath the dark material.

"i'm gonna go," baekhyun stated, getting up a little too quickly, chair scraping along the concrete.

kai simply nodded. he'd pulled out a smoke from his pocket and was in the process of lighting it.

"alright. we're going out later, yeah?" kai asked. cigarette smoke billowed out from between his smirking lips.

baekhyun wasn't listening properly.

"yeah, yeah."

his head was pounding. kai wasn't paying attention. baekhyun, almost tripping over the table next to theirs, left the scent of coffee and people behind as he escaped through the maze of chairs and marched through the thronging crowds.

midday but that fear was still there. the tight streets and cobbled stones enclosed around him. all too familiar. he looked frantically, left and then right. a few people stared, bewildered at his wild state of dark eyes and rumpled hair.

his breaths were erratic, and that tingling feeling burrowed deep into his limbs, his bones. he felt it everywhere.

baekhyun ran.

//

the ringtone sounded: repeated itself.

roma swung her legs backwards and forwards over the counter. sun rays filtered in pleasantly through the curtains. mia was taking a shower.

ringing stopped: he picked up.

"hello?"

the sound of his voice soothed her, although heavy breaths accompanied his greeting. it was silent, apart from her heartbeat and his shallow breathing.

"baekhyun? it's roma," she smiled. the thought of him and his beautiful skin and his deep voice made butterflies in her stomach.

"i know."

roma's smile stopped. his cold response hurt her slightly, but she tried not to be pathetic about it. tried not to let it affect her.

"hey, um, h-how are you?"

"fine."

she paused. why was he being like this?

"um, that's good. i was just wondering if you--"

"roma, now's really not a good time."

his sharp and indifferent tone hurt her.

something about the way he spoke made it sound like he was in trouble.

"baekhyun, what's wrong?"

"i have to go."

"baekhyun--"

the phone cut off. he was gone.

don't cry, stupid. don't cry.

she threw her phone down onto the hard counter. it landed with a loud thud, as she let her head fall into her hands. tears threatened to spill.

why did she feel like she loved him?

//

baekhyun hated himself for doing that.

he needed help.

roma.

the lights.

can't breathe.

roma.

he needed her.

desperately.

help.

//

monster and lucky one have killed me so much, they all looked so good and the choreo was amazing and bYUN BAEKHYUN HOW DARE YOU???

i really love all of your comments, honestly they mean so much. if any of you have any ideas for where the story should go and what should happen, feel free to message me! i'd love to know :)