All he could remember as he made his way home was the yellow of the nightwalker's strange eyes, bright and gazing at him with such fondness that he thinks impossible coming from someone who had just met him less than twenty-four hours ago. But there was just something intriguing about his orbs, and the way their colours change to follow his emotions. He had noticed the purple swirls within the yellow iris that surround the pupil, pulled by the beauty of it and unable to look away. Sehun must think he's strange, but he figured that it's okay; didn't Sehun say they were special after all?

Baekhyun found himself smiling away, feet bringing him to the lawn that Jongin and Tao used as their personal training field instead of home. Home can wait. He needed to tell someone about these emotions that are playing within him. There was a strange lightness in his chest, and his cheeks hurt from his grinning; Sehun lingered at the back of his head like an image he couldn't get rid of. He needed to spill it all out to someone, and he couldn't think of anyone else but his best friends. Jongin and Tao would understand.

Upon reaching the lawn, Baekhyun's gaze registered the sight of Jongin's skilled moves, an arm pulled back with a strong grip onto the spear that he specialized in before he threw it across the lawn, its lethal spearhead meeting the tree trunk and pierced deep. Jongin never misses his target. Tao seemed to be slacking, sprawled with his long limbs on the ground. Baekhyun took this chance to sneak up on the younger Chinese, footsteps quick and light on the grass before he jumped onto his friend, who spluttered and whined in pain.

Laughing at Tao's reaction, Baekhyun stayed on top of the Chinese male until he was pushed off to the side. He continued to snicker as he laid on the ground, watching Tao clutch at his stomach and glaring at him as Jongin joined them. Jongin clicked his tongue, shooting his signature smile at Baekhyun. "You're in a good mood."

Baekhyun's smile widened at the memory of caramel brown eyes and shy smiles, sighing in content as his gaze met with the dark sky above them. Smiling dreamily, Baekhyun rolled over onto his stomach so he could see his friends' faces. "I met someone today."

"Oooh," Tao cooed, scrambling up into a sitting position and pocketing his dagger, the signature weapon he was born to utilize in any and everything he deemed necessary. "Is she hot? Or is she like, the pretty girl next door? I can't believe you've already got a girl."

Jongin scoffed, "Why can't you believe it? Baekhyun's our future president. He could get anyone he asks for. The real question is if it's even a 'she'." At that, he shot Baekhyun a raised brow.

He could get anyone he asks for. The truth of it bites like a bee stings and Baekhyun had to clamp his lips together to keep himself from saying anything regarding the topic. It is true, but to hear Jongin say it hurts like a slap across his face. He shook it off and grinned, "It's a boy. He has the handsomest eyes and an even more handsome face."

Tao's brows knitted in a frown, eying Baekhyun closely. "But you've met every day boy in this area. Did someone from South visit?"

Baekhyun could feel his cheeks heat up at the question, the teasing tone in Tao's voice making him a little shy. He rolled his eyes to keep his cool, however, flicking Tao's nose with his fingers. "No, he's not from the South, or East, or North. He's from here. You've seen him before, I'm sure of it. I've never met anyone as handsome as he."

"He's better than me?" Jongin asked with furrowed brows, genuinely unable to believe the fact that he isn't the handsomest, after all.

Laughing a little, Baekhyun raised a hand to playfully ruffle Jongin's silverish hair. "You are handsomest in the day world, Jongin."

"He's a nightwalker?!" Both Jongin and Tao exclaimed, pure disbelief colored their faces as they glanced at each other before their gazes found Baekhyun once again. Tao was the one who spoke next. "Baek, you mean to say you've fallen in love with a night boy?"

"I never said anything about love," Baekhyun was quick to defend himself, knowing he wasn't denying anything because what he was feeling couldn't possibly be love. "I just said I met someone handsome. And he happens to be a nightwalker."

With a scoff, Jongin got onto his feet to stare down at Baekhyun. "Nightwalker for an eye candy. It best not turn into any tragic love story. You do know that we are not allowed to fall in love with them, don't you? I wouldn't want you banished from the day world."

Baekhyun frowned deeper, suddenly slightly angry. He had honestly thought his friends would understand these emotions that were washing over him, instead of judging him like they would a nightwalker. Getting up to sit, Baekhyun crossed his legs and watched Jongin walked over to retrieve his spear before returning to their spot. "I thought you'd just hear me out instead of judging me."

"We're not judging you," Tao said, shrugging his shoulders. "We're your friends, Baek. We just want you to remember what's right and what's wrong. Crushing on a nightwalker is definitely wrong."

"Goddamn it," Baekhyun muttered under his breath, getting onto his feet, his 'good mood' as Jongin had called it totally disappeared. "The thing is, Zitao. I never said I was crushing on anyone. Why do you guys make it so hard to share things? What the hell are we even friends for if you're going to make your own assumptions over everything I tell you? I need a friend, not another pair of parents."

The sound of tongue clicking angered Baekhyun even more, his fingers beginning to shake from how mad he had become. He was about to speak again when Jongin interrupted. "You did think he's handsome, which could only mean one thing; you're crushing on him. And crushes turn into something more, you know? It always does."

Baekhyun tried as hard as he could to steady his breathing, balling his hands into fists as he rationalize his thoughts and pursed his lips. Once he was sure he felt better, his hands relaxed. "What's so bad about the nightwalkers that you hate them this much? They're nice people. They're friendly and they're happy and they treat us as equals. But all the day people have ever done was make them miserable."

Jongin laughed, the sound too maniacal to come from someone who smiles like a ball of sunshine when he wanted to. "That's where they're wrong, though, hyung. We're not equal. We can never be equals. That boy you just met? He's probably nothing compared to Kang Daesung; useless, incapable of anything near decent and just plain dumb. He's only lucky he's one of us, although it's kind of embarrassing to have him called a daywalker."

Just as soon as Jongin finished, Baekhyun lets out a frustrated scream from his built up anger. Tao startled when the skies turned a flash of white before it disappeared, a thunderous sound hitting their eardrums as one of the lightning flashes struck a tree in fire. Jongin only looked merely awed. And Baekhyun is beyond angry; it didn't matter that he had caused such monstrosity, he had never been this angry for a long time and Jongin needs to know. It wasn't only because Jongin had insulted his Sehun; Kang Daesung is a friend.

His Sehun?

The inner voice hit him like a brick onto his head, snapping him out of his anger and had him blinking in confusion. The thunder and lightning stopped and all that was left was the rustling sound of the fire burning the tree. Baekhyun's breathing grew rapid, heavy as droplets of rain begin to stain his shirt. The trio stood in silence under the rain, soaking wet yet unable to move or break the tension between them. But his anger towards Jongin had been long forgotten, replaced by a strong denial that caged his heart and the voice that questioned all that he believed in. What is this feeling in his chest every time he thinks of the night boy?

Conflicted and slightly frustrated with himself, Baekhyun stormed off the lawn without a word or a glance back, ignoring Tao's desperate calls for him to return and Jongin's gaze that pierced through his back.

Mrs. Lee was the one who had opened the door to his knocks, quickly disappearing to retrieve a towel for him with concern etched on her face before she returned and wrapped him up with the towel. It was freezing cold and Baekhyun was shivering from the cold rain, fingers trembling as he made his way up the stairs and to his room, telling the worried maid that he will be okay and that she need not worry.

He took a quick hot shower to rinse the rain off, getting into his pyjamas in less than ten minutes later and was already in bed before midnight. Sleep wouldn't come, however, and Baekhyun spent the hours awake staring up at the ceiling of his room and wondering what had really happened tonight. Why had he gotten so mad anyway? Baekhyun would like to believe that it was because Jongin was insulting a fellow friend, but deep inside, that inner voice tells him that involving Sehun was the main reason he was so angry.

The clock read 11:54 at night when the door to his bedroom clicked and someone entered his room without so much a permission. There was only one person who would do that and not fear of getting reprimanded; his mother. Baekhyun sighed as he waited for that dip at the edge of his bed, recognised his mother's weight from the very little amount of times she had come to tuck him to sleep, always only when she finds out his powers had intensified.

"I'm tired, mother." He spoke first just as his mother took a seat at the edge of the bed, a hand warm on his blanketed calf. He kept his face turned away from her, not in the slightest mood to discuss what he had caused a few hours ago with Jongin's and Tao's witness. He had expected it anyway; his 'friends' would be the first to update Mrs. Byun of anything that Baekhyun does.

He could feel her smile even though he couldn't see it, sighing defeatedly. She scooted closer to him, enough to card her fingers through his charcoal black hair. "Baekkie, darling. I heard about what happened earlier. I just want you to know that it's okay. Your powers are developing really well. You can control the weather now."

"I can't control the weather, mother." Baekhyun snapped, getting up to face the woman who claimed to love him yet showed him none of it. "The weather is beyond my control. I don't have powers nor do I want to have any. Do you only come to see me so I'd tell you about my abilities? I'm sorry, but I'm exhausted and I just want to sleep."

Shock and hurt flashed across her features at his words, speechless for a second with nothing to say until he decided he couldn't watch his mother like this, falling back onto the bed and hugging his pillow to his face. She could have so little care in this world for him, but she was still his mother. She sighed, patting his head. "It's okay, darling. We'll talk about this tomorrow with your father."

He kept silent as she got off the bed and walked out of the room, closing the door with a little click and leaving Baekhyun alone with his thoughts once again. This time, instead of seeing Sehun in his head and replaying scenes of him raising his voice at Jongin, Baekhyun wished he could find a way to flee tomorrow's dinner discussion; he definitely doesn't want to talk about tonight.

His excuse to leave the house as soon as he was free from his daily routine since being awake was that he needed fresh air. His father wasn't home and his mother seemed to have forgotten the dinner she mentioned the night before, smiling when he asked for her permission and nodding as her attention stayed on the book in her hand. Of course, his intention was not to return until after dinner; the unnecessary discussion about his "developing powers" could wait.

He took a walk along the streets, bathing in the sun and breathing in the air only day could provide. He made sure to avoid places he would bump into Jongin or Tao, still slightly angry for what had happened knowing his friends weren't the people he could talk to. It was pretty obvious that he would have no one to confide in; Baekhyun is on his own. It's surprisingly okay, though, he's been on his own all along anyway. It wasn't something completely new.

The shops along the streets were busy with day people and Baekhyun could spot a few nightwalkers amongst the crowd, being the only ones with dark hair. Baekhyun had begun to think about the differences between the day people and those who belonged in the night, and wondered why they were created that way, why the nightwalkers are differentiated from the day people for having dark hair and the daywalkers for having blonde, sometimes silverish white hair. And he most wondered why he was born different. The answer seemed to stay a mystery forever.

Baekhyun sighed, eyes freely roaming the scenes unfolding before him. He took a double take when his gaze landed upon a day girl that he thinks would be best to avoid, cursing silently and wishing he had taken the other corner instead of this one. He considered pretending to not see her, but it was too late; she was already waving at him.

It isn't that Kim Taeyeon is bad; she was just a little too clingy and likes to think that Baekhyun had been harbouring less than platonic feelings for her, which is not true. She kissed him the night of last merge, exactly a month ago, and wasn't even embarrassed when he pushed her off. She wasn't his type, and could never be. Now, as she skipped over to him, Baekhyun flashed her a fake smile while his brain tries to think of a way to flee this she-monster.

"Baekhyun-ah, are you free tonight?" She asked excitedly, a hand already clutching at his forearm, eyes sparkly and smile reaching her ears. Baekhyun hates to disappoint. "I was thinking of getting Chinese take-outs for dinner. If you're free, that is. Are you?"

Baekhyun carefully pulled his arm back to free himself from her grip, feigning a thoughtful expression as if thinking. "Mianhe, noona. I have an important family dinner tonight. Maybe you should ask Jongin, though. I'm sure he can make time for you."

Taeyeon's lips jutted out into a pout, hooking an arm over Baekhyun's to rest her head on his shoulder. He frowned, unable to think of what to do for the next few seconds that followed and having to let her stay there as she spoke. "You're always unavailable when I ask. I like you too, you know? Maybe you could make time for me too?"

He blinked twice, clearing his throat and pushing her off gently. "Taeng noona," Taeyeon cringed at the nickname he used; it seemed only Baekhyun wasn't allowed to use it. "I'm sorry but, I don't like you. Not that way. I, uh, I have someone else." He lied.

The sparkle in Taeyeon's eyes quickly turned into glass, breaking into pieces of tears that rolled down her cheeks which she hastily wiped away. She clamped down her lips together, nodding as if to say it's okay while no words leave . Baekhyun could feel a rush of guilt washed at him, the need to take her into his arms urging at him but he managed to resist it, not wanting her to think that there is a chance for her to capture his heart. He just doesn't like her that way.

He heard a soft apology before Taeyeon turned away and walked off. Baekhyun sighed again, biting down onto his bottom lip as realisation dawned on him. The Kim's are gonna tell his father he made their only girl cry. But that? That could wait too. He could stay out all night and hide from all the complications for a little while.

The rest of the afternoon was arid, and after stopping by the nursery shop that belonged to the daywalker ahjumma he had grown fond of, Baekhyun found himself making his way up the hill, hoping in his little heart that he would be graced with the presence of the boy with caramel brown eyes and auburn hair. His heart was beating a little too fast against his chest and he's more nervous than he should be; Sehun might not even be there at all. But a boy could always hope.

He was already smiling when he stepped onto the area Sehun had found him last night, butterflies fluttering in his stomach as soon as his eyes met with the silhouette of Sehun's broad shoulders, right on the spot they were on the night before. Baekhyun grinned, his cheeks hurting as he walked over to the nightwalker. Sehun's senses were on alert, it seemed, because he snapped his head back when Baekhyun was halfway, lips immediately forming a similar grin that adorned Baekhyun's face. Sehun's smile was so bright, bright like his eyes.

"It's too low to look over the town." Baekhyun spoke, smiling a little shyly even as he tried to keep his confidence. "Any idea where we could go to get a full view?"

The taller boy got up onto his feet, making Baekhyun look up so he could keep his eyes on Sehun's. His cheeks burned and his heart raced, lips frozen in the smile he had flashed at the nightwalker. Baekhyun couldn't remember getting all flustered, unable to wipe the grin off his face even though smiling was unnecessary for the moment. But Sehun looks so good in his simple white tee, jeans hugging his long legs perfectly and brown hair pushed back, with that same smile on his lips. Sehun looks better today than he had last night. It seemed impossible, but it was true.

Sehun stood there for a second in silence, gazing at Baekhyun the way he had the first they sat on this very spot. The sound of engine down below in town seemed to have snapped him out of his reverie, clearing his throat as he begin to look around as if looking for the place Baekhyun seek. He was clearly as flustered as Baekhyun is, and it made the day boy smile just a little wider. He bit at his lower lip, raising his brows when Sehun's smile grew while he kept his eyes towards the sky. Baekhyun followed his gaze.

"Are you afraid of heights?"

Night seemed to be more interesting than Baekhyun had thought; the clouds move calmly across the dark sky and the full moon shining brightly on them. Baekhyun took the hand that was offered to him, huffing as he made his final lift and settled onto the tree branch next to the night boy. The climb up the giant tree was almost a struggle, if he was alone and without the help of Sehun's hand constantly reaching out for his. Sehun's idea of a place to get the full view turned out to be this huge tree, and Baekhyun almost wished he had told Sehun that yes, he is afraid of heights, but he guessed even then Sehun would pull him along anyway.

Sehun sighed in satisfaction, steadying Baekhyun so he won't fall from the hold he had around the smaller's waist. Baekhyun's face flushed at the contact and he thanked the darkness of night that Sehun couldn't see the red in his cheeks. Sehun seemed to have noticed, however, smiling shyly as he carefully and slowly pulled his arm back. The view of the town was clearer from up here, giving Baekhyun the satisfaction of having to see his house from where he sat. His body relaxed as soon as he was sure that he wouldn't fall.

The silence that followed wasn't uncomfortable, rather soothing as Baekhyun scanned his surroundings, his daylight accustomed eyes hardly able to recognise anything with the lack of the moonlight. He could feel a kind of buzzing in his chest, an excitement he had never felt before and he wished for this feeling to never go away. He wished for Sehun to never go away. But out of the few things that he would never get, Sehun was one.

He kept his gaze onto the tiny specks of stars that sprinkled across the sky when he broke the silence. "Are you afraid, Sehun?"

"Of what?"

Baekhyun smiled, turned his head a little to look at the night boy. "Of being friends with a daywalker. Are you afraid?"

Sehun was silent for the next few seconds, as if rephrasing his answer in his head and considering whether or not he should answer it. Baekhyun waited, keeping his eyes on Sehun's pink lips that his teeth bit into. The nightwalker smiled then, shaking his head. "No, I'm not. I'd really like to be friends with you. Besides, no one could stop us because it's not wrong, is it? It's not a sin."

He thought about his parents and their hatred for the nightwalkers, he thought about his friends and he thought about all the day people who looked down on the nightwalkers and Baekhyun thinks Sehun's right. "No, it isn't a sin. But they don't like it, do they?"

"They? Do you mean the council and our old folks?" Sehun asked, a brow raised at Baekhyun as be swung his dangling legs. When Baekhyun nodded, he pursed his lips. "True. But they never made it a law. So we can definitely be friends. Don't worry too much about it, little star. They can't do anything to us for being friends."

Another rush of heat washed at Baekhyun's face at the nickname Sehun had so quickly came up with, lips forming a smile that reached his ears and cheeks burning from the blush. Perhaps it wasn't a strict matter for the night people, but Baekhyun has known how his parents are, knew that they would never approve of such friendship. This meeting with Sehun would have to be kept a secret for a while.

Guessing that it was the perfect time to stray the topic, Baekhyun let out a chuckle. "I worry too much sometimes. By the way, did you know that I never liked night-time that much? I had always thought the night is pretty dull. I can't believe I've missed the stars all this while. Were they here normally?"

"They rarely appear, but this merge is a little different. They're everywhere tonight," Sehun answered, tone light and comfortable, soothing even. "I've always loved the night, but you know what? Sometimes I crave the sun too. I crave the sun a lot more than I should. I want to feel its burn against my skin, want to squint my eyes when I look out the window. I want to watch it set."

Baekhyun listened to what Sehun said, feeling the deep meaning behind his words and nodding because he felt the same, even though he was used to the sun. Sehun sighed again, this time a little sad despite the smile that stayed on his lips. He grinned when their eyes met and Baekhyun couldn't look away, watching the night boy part his lips to speak again. "I think I know why you don't like the night."

"And why is that?" Baekhyun prompted, his smile a little flirty, eyes a little hooded and he only realized how embarrassing it was a second too late; Sehun was already grinning at him.

"Because you've never seen all the places that are usually more entrancing at night," Sehun said casually, chuckling a little but his eyes grew a little brighter as he spoke, turning from caramel brown to yellow. "Let me bring you to these places. They're all worth a visit."

The excitement in Sehun's voice despite his calm composure seemed to have caused the strong gush of wind, enough to push back the leaves that were behind Sehun, revealing a field of red on the meadow where they had their night of witness. Baekhyun's brows knitted into a confused frown; the red tulips weren't there when the merge happened. At his silence, Sehun turned to follow his gaze and a gasp parted his lips at the sight. That same gush of wind came again, only this time they flew towards the tulips, swaying them gracefully.

Baekhyun's mind reeled with possibilities, snapping up a conclusion. Maybe he wasn't alone after all. Maybe he wasn't the only weird one after all. He tugged at Sehun's shirt sleeve, seeking for the boy's attention. "Sehun, do you happen to be able to control the wind?"

Sehun blinked, once, twice, swallowing before his eyes searched for anything else but Baekhyun's. "Uh,