Jimin X Reader Angst - Tumblr Posts

Off Limits Pt.1

Off Limits

Pairing: Jimin | Reader

Summary: You thought your crush on Jimin was long forgotten. If you only knew how wrong you were.

Warning: Sexual content.

Word Count: 7,535

[Part 1]   Part 2     Part 3     Part 4   Part 5

“Why do you have to drag me along? I really don’t wanna go. I’m not feeling it tonight” You protested as you watched your friend throw all of your clothes all around your room, trying to put together, what she considered a “party-approved” outfit for you. Apparently you knew nothing about what was appropriate to wear at a house party; at least that was what Lisa always told you.

“Y/N…” She stopped what she was doing to turn her head in your direction. “This is your brother’s and Jimin’s homecoming party. Do you even understand how big this is gonna be? Everyone in between the age of twenty to twenty-five is gonna be there. We can’t miss it.” And with that she turned around to keep trying to find anything other than a t-shirts and skinny jeans, which you would normally go for.

About two years ago your older brother Namjoon, and his best friend Jimin, came back home after a year of working and travelling in Australia only to surprise you and your family with the fact that he and Jimin was planning to move across the country to study for two years. Needless to say, your parents were a little taken aback by the sudden fact that their oldest was about to leave them once again when he had finally returned. But of course they never said anything. Instead they kept their smiles on, cheering him on to live his life, doing whatever made him happy.

Two years flew by quicker than anyone thought, and for the first time in almost three years your brother was back home. Naturally, he didn’t live with you and your parents anymore. Not that he wasn’t welcome to do so, but because he’s twenty-four years old and wanted his own place. After all, he had been living by himself for the past three years already.

You loved your brother, and you were extremely happy to have him back home close to you. Of course you wanted to celebrate his homecoming, but you couldn’t get the thought of attending the same party as your older brother out of your head. He was protective, overly so. When he left the first time, three years ago, you were only seventeen years old. You had never been to a party, and most of the time you focused on studying and falling victim for Namjoon and Jimin’s rash pranks. But now, you had just turned twenty, you had gone to numerous of parties and clubs, you’ve had a few boyfriends and you were old enough to drink legally. Which meant you were not the little girl he left behind three years ago, and you were not too sure how he’d take it.

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Off Limits pt.2

Pairing: Jimin / Reader

Summary: Getting over Jimin isn’t easy, especially not with the mixed signals he’s giving you.

Warnings: Angst

Word Count: 7.8K

A/N: Finally part 2 is out! I really hope y’all like it! If you have any thoughts or questions feel free to write to me. Now, please enjoy!

Part 1   [Part 2]    Part 3     Part 4   Part 5

”Where the hell did you go last night!? Do you have any idea of how worried I was? Jackson was panicking, he told me you went to the bathrooms but never returned. And then you didn’t even answer your phone!? Me and Jackson had to lie to your brother when he came looking for you.” You flinched at the mention of Namjoon. Even though you theoretically hadn’t done anything wrong, you felt like you had betrayed your brother. Just the thought of him ever finding out what you and Jimin had done sent itching shivers through your body.

Lisa sat in front of you on your bed with her arms folded over her chest, her right eyebrow raised as she demanded a good explanation to your disappearance last night.  

“I’m sorry…” you replied weakly as you let your head duck down in shame as last night’s memories came washing over you like cold water. The ghost of Jimin’s lips still lingering on your lips ever so slightly. No matter how hard you tried to block away last night’s memories, you could still feel his strong arms wrap around you, pulling you in closer as he buried his face in the crook of your neck. You could still smell his intoxicating fragrance, and although you would never admit it, you would have done anything to be able to breath in his scent once more. But you knew that would never happen.

With the heavy weight of your heart you remembered how you woke up this morning, alone, abandoned and used. The moment he had pressed his lips against yours you had known it was only going to be a one night stand, but somehow you had let your hopes up when he asked you to stay and dragged you back down to cuddle. But instead of starting something beautiful with Jimin, like you so many times before had dreamt of, you only got added to his already too long list of girls he had slept with. The fact that that was all you probably was to him made your already heavy heart feel heavy enough to drag you down in the dark abyss of the ocean.

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Off Limits Pt.3 (M)

Pairing: Jimin / Reader

Description: Jimin has never been good with emotions. 

Warnings: Sexual content, angst

Word Count: 7k

Part 1     Part 2    [Part 3]   Part 4   Part 5

When Jimin first decided to go to the local club to find a hook up he most certainty did not expect to see you there pressing your body up against some guy. But there you were, arms wrapped around another guy’s neck, laughing and dancing.

As he stood there watching you dance with that other guy a strange feeling spread across Jimin’s body, creating a burning frustration. It wasn’t until he tasted blood that he realised that he had bitten onto his bottom lip too hard. Even though he wasn’t able to pinpoint the new feeling he for sure knew he wasn’t fond of it.

As the night went on he tried to stay far away from where you were. He just couldn’t stand seeing you with another guy. So instead he tried to keep his distance and when a cute looking girl came up to him he tried his best to keep his focus on her instead. But as the night went on he got more and more tired of the blond girl clinging onto him, and he caught himself wishing that she was you.

He hadn’t seen you for a while, and a part of him feared that you had gone home with that guy. That’s when he saw you sitting at the bar with the guy, laughing. It was like his eyes were glued to you, no matter how hard he tried to look away he couldn’t. He didn’t know for how long his eyes were stuck on you, but when your eyes found his he felt like burning up. But his eyes still didn’t leave you. If it wouldn’t be for the fact that you ran off he would’ve still been looking at you. But as fast as you laid your eyes on his you ran off.

After about fifteen minutes had passed and the guy you’d been with left the bar, probably thinking that you had ditched him. About five minutes later he saw you come back out from where you’d been hiding. He watched you as you desperately looked for the guy.

Although he’d told himself not to interfere with your night out he couldn’t help but find himself approaching you when he saw you alone and lost on the dancefloor. Clearly you couldn’t find the guy you had been dancing with earlier.

A few moments of hesitation passed before Jimin opened his mouth to let out three simple words. “Looking for someone?”

The swift motion of your body stiffening was too obvious to go unnoticed, causing an instant wave of regret to wash over him. He knew that he was the last person you wanted to see tonight, he wasn’t stupid. Your little escape twenty minutes prior made sure to clear that up. But somehow he just couldn’t resist closing in to you when he saw you all alone, looking for someone who probably already had found someone else.

He studied you as you reluctantly turned around; the tired and sad expression on your face was enough to verify the he was right. You definitely did not want him there. Seeing you struggling to come up with something to say he couldn’t help but feel sorry for you.

“Leave me alone Jimin” you finally said before you turned around to walk away.

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Off Limits pt.4

Pairing: Jimin / Reader

Warning: Angst

Word count: 6.6k

Part 1    Part 2    Part 3    [Part 4]   Part 5 

”He WHAT!?” a loud smash from the heavy chair hitting the hardwood floors sounded through the small coffee shop, triggering  an unwanted sea of eyes to turn their curious attention to the dramatic scene unfolding at the back of the coffee shop.

“Jackson! Shhhh!” you hushed, pinching the bridge of your nose in embarrassment, eyes tightly closed. “You don’t have to let the whole damn coffee shop know!”

Quickly lifting the chair back up to its original position Jackson sat back down, eyebrows bent furiously, his hands gripping onto the table’s sides so hard his knuckles turned white. “I’m going to fucking kill him” he hissed through gritted teeth, burning rage glowing in his eyes.

Slightly surprised by his reaction you let out a quiet huff. Never before had you seen your friend this angry, he was always the calm one, the one who never seemed to get angry very often, and once he really got angry he was quite good at controlling his anger, solving it in the most mature way possible. So to see this kind of anger gleaming in his fierce eyes was completely new to you, and you felt faintly intimidated by it.

A few seconds of collecting yourself you shook your head “No you’re not.” Placing your hand on top of his you leaned in closer “Calm down Jackson. Don’t make me regret telling you.” You said before leaning back in your seat again, running your hand through your hair as you exhaled a deep breath you didn’t know you were holding.

“Calm down!? You just told me that piece of shit did that to you. Not only once, but twice! How the hell am I supposed to stay calm about this?” he grunted, running his tongue against the inside of his cheek before letting out a humorless laugh, shaking his head. “Why did you even allow him to do that to you? Once would have been understandable, but twice? Did you really think it meant something for him? You know what kind of guy Jimin is, why did you let yourself get used like that?” You knew your friend was only speaking the truth, but his harsh words felt just like a spear impaling your already weak heart.

“He didn’t use me, I wanted it too” you countered, though the credibility fell flat as your voice slightly broke at the end of your sentence, causing you to look away from Jackson’s hard gaze to feel less defeated. “He didn’t use me…” you repeated, barely a whisper.

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Off Limits pt.5 (Final)

Off Limits part 5 (Final)

Pairing: Jimin / Reader

Warning: This series contains sexual content.

Word count: 10.1k

Part 1    Part 2    Part 3    Part 4    [Part 5]

”What the fuck is going on here?”

Slowly turning around you met your brother’s wide eyes, confusion written all over his face. “Y/n? Are you crying?” With a dense layer of concern coating his words he quickly walked up to you, placing his hands on yours shoulders in a comforting matter. “What’s wrong?”

“I just wanna go home…” you whispered, eyes fixed on the black car behind your brother as you were far too ashamed to look him straight in his eyes.

“Yeah of course, if that’s what you want. But are you okay?” he sounded worried, and it pained you so much to have him worry for you when this was your fault. You should have known things would end up this way – there had been warning signs everywhere, still you decided to ignore them and follow the naïve wishes of your heart.

Covering your face with your hands you continued to cry hopelessly, wishing you could just disappear and never come back. Two strong arms wrapped themselves around you before pulling you in, embracing your small frame. The warmness radiating from your brothers embrace took a hold of your broken heart, gently rocking the broken pieces together until they fell apart again. Not even the warmth of your brother’s love would be enough to help you put your broken heart together, not this time.

In the past Namjoon had always been the one to help you put the pieces back together, the one who made you feel better again, the one who reminded you that you didn’t need some stupid guy to make you happy. But now, how would you be able to look at your own brother and not be reminded of the fact that Jimin is his best friend, and how would you be able to not secretly blame your own brother for this mess. You knew it was wrong, but the part of you who still desperately longed for Jimin couldn’t help but consider the possibility of this never happening if Namjoon wasn’t as protective as he was. Would Jimin still want you if your brother had never put you on, what Lisa called, the “off-limits list”? Would everything have been different?

No… you can’t think like that. It’s not Namjoon’s fault. Grabbing a fistful of Namjoon’s jean jacket you pulled yourself closer to your brother, letting his comforting scent drown out any accusing thoughts directed at him. This wasn’t his fault. If Jimin wouldn’t use girls the way he’s been doing for so long Namjoon wouldn’t be so protective of you when it came to guys like him. You knew that.

You don’t know how long you stayed in your brother’s comforting hold, a minute? Ten minutes? You had no idea, it felt like the whole world stopped, like the laws of time ceased to exist, and there was only you and Namjoon. When he let go of you, you met his eyes for a quick second before his eyes found something else, causing his entire body to go rigid, the worried look in his eyes swallowed by a new emotion, anger. Namjoon had probably been too busy worrying about you, making him forget about the blonde-haired guy standing only a few feet away from the both of you.

Turning around your swollen eyes landed on the guy your broken heart still so awfully yearned for.  Shaky breaths escaped your lips, and you couldn’t tell if it was because of your heavy sobs or because of the chilling breeze capturing your brown locks, guiding them over your shoulder.

Jimin’s eyes stuck to yours; exposing the emptiness within as his entire soul left his eyes, hiding somewhere far from your eyesight. Looking so miserably drained of emotions he stood there, so close, yet so far away.

“What have you done?” Namjoon broke the long silence, taking a few steps towards his friend, the tone in his voice implying that he already knew.

“I’m sorry” Jimin’s eyes didn’t leave yours and you knew that he wasn’t apologizing to Namjoon, but to you.

“Sorry for what?” Namjoon pressed.

“You know what” Jimin replied calmly as he turned his gaze to your brother.

Before you had the time to react Namjoon stormed over to Jimin, his fist colliding with Jimin’s jaw in such force his head turned unwillingly to the side.

“Namjoon what the fuck!” you screamed as you rushed over to Jimin. His head still turned to the side, slightly shocked by the sudden impact. Carefully you raised your hand to brush away the blonde hairs that was covering his eyes. But Namjoon was quicker. Gently he pushed you aside before he stood in front of Jimin again.

Slowly Jimin turned his head to face your brother, his swollen, hopeless, eyes completely drained of happiness. He looked so small, so defeated, almost like an antelope accepting its fate as it feels the predator’s sharp teeth punctuating its throat, sucking the life out of it. Swiping his thumb over the side of his lips, he looked at his thumb, blood.

“Did you fucking sleep with my sister!?” Namjoon asked in disbelief, his voice slightly shaking in anger as he let out a humorless laugh, running his fingers through his hair before biting onto his bottom lip in frustration. The internal struggle in your brother’s mind shown clearly in the way his eyes went back and forth between you and Jimin.

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when the camellia blooms | pjm

park jimin x kim! reader | 1 | 2

sypnosis: diagnosed with the hanahaki disease, you had only two options - accept a deathly fate, or never love again. 

genre: au, angst, fluff, humor, friends to lovers? maybe.

warnings: many talks of death and dying, minor character death, pain, unrequited love, swearing, talks of past sexual experience while intoxicated, pining, longing, really sad reader, and lots of angst.

word count: 7.2 k

"you would die for her, for him."

"You're dying."

The two words escape past his lips steadily and breathily as your widening eyes linger on the way his hands fiddle with one another out of habit. He sighs deeply and resists the urge to avoid screaming at you and maintain eye contact out of professionalism, pushing back his slipping glasses.

"At this rate, you won't have any more than a month. Had you told me this sooner, y/n, the results wouldn't have been as scarce. But because you waited after almost a year of this, I'm afraid there's not much to do." He pushes his desk lightly to pull away from it, creating a mere distance between himself and the papers which finalized your future's passing. Reaching his collar, he tugs on his tie to loosen it before unbuttoning the first stitch as he looks at you with seemingly stray and angered eyes mixed with sympathy.

Suddenly, his sight wanders the room as he shakes his head repeatedly, scoffing in disbelief. He then smiles, dimples prominent, lip tightened, eyebrows furrowed, and eyes broken, piercing straight at its target - that being you.

Standing up, he takes off his glasses and slams his fist onto the chair's arm rest before running a hand across his hair, softly hissing.

The professionalism is now out of the drain, "You're an idiot, y/n."

"Fucking stupid. How could you not- I mean- how could you not tell me? I'm your brother! We're family. Blood. We're supposed to- we're supposed to tell each other these things and you just fucking- you kept it to yourself all these months! Ten months! And now I'm sitting here being the one to tell you that you're dying? That you're leaving me? I would've done something. I would've helped you, I- I would've killed whoever this person you're in love with is. y/n, please- I just-"

You don't know why, but you felt exhausted.

The ringing in your ears is deafening. Truthfully, you hadn't heard a single thing the minute you received news that you'll be, well, passing away. Not to mention, within 30 days time.

It's not as if you didn't already know about your condition, of course you did. Coughing soft pink camellia flowers every time you see the man that's brought you here is not exactly something that just simply passes a blind eye. You sense it, you feel it, and it hurts.

It really, really hurts.

You also felt awful for your brother. You hadn't meant for it to go this far. You didn't mean to not tell him. You didn't want your assigned doctor to suddenly call in sick and have your brother temporarily take his place. You didn't mean for him to find out this way - such a twisted, horrible fucking way, but here you are.

"I'm sorry, Joon. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for this to go this far. I just-"

"Were you ever even going to tell me?" He cuts you off, voice low and steady, almost afraid of your coming response.

Your eyes locate his across the cramped room, and one could clearly tell that it's striving its hardest to fight against desperate tears.

"I- yes, Joon. I was. Of course I was. I was gonna do it after this check in actually, but I guess God wanted you to find out sooner than I intended, though He could've just waited a little while longer and it would've been fine." You joke whisperingly, the heavy weight of your heart lightening just a small bit when you notice the corners of his lips twitch and his eyes faintly soften.

Regrettably, that was a lie. You didn’t plan on telling him, not today at least. Maybe not even ever.

The softening air lasts for only a second as his following question makes you hold back the urge to cough up another camellia flower slowly blooming its way to your throat.

"Who is it?"

Genuine, concerned, curious. These were all that he was.

But noticing the way your body went entirely rigid at his words and the way your hand clutched your clothed chest in attempt to shut down what you know will happen next, Namjoon's brotherly instincts causes him to naturally make his way towards you softly, taking small and careful strides towards your fragile state.

And once he's finally reached you, he gets on his knees gently in order for him to be of nearing same height level as you're sitting down, his hands rubbing the back of your hand in a comforting manner.

He does this all before pulling the trigger.

"Who are you in love with, y/n?"

two years back

"Jimin!"

You call out your brother's best friend loudly, who is currently in the midst of doing a one-man stage play in front of the mirror, "Joon's saying you guys need to get going now. Says he has a patient in two hours and wants to go over all sorts of documents before treating her."

Turning around, you scan the living room and dining room for the keys of your friend's car as your brother also asked you to hand them to him since the two always end up on forgetting it until they've already reached the car parked across your apartment's block.

You hear Jimin shuffle behind you, "Really? He wants to go over documents at- 9 AM in the morning?"

Smiling at his attempts of complaint, you nod your head softly in order to play along and answer his rhetorical question, "He really needs to learn how to drive doesn't he? Since he's dragging you along everywhere he goes."

Jimin laughs at your statement, which being an opinion, your brother would argue, 'driving isn't a necessary aspect of life.' But who really thinks like that? Oh right, non-drivers.

“I guess he’s getting too caught up in learning medicine that he forgot to learn how to officially become an adult.” Reaching above the kitchen top, you finally found sight of Jimin's car keys.

How did it even get up there? You think to yourself. It's really high up, so Namjoon must've been the one to leave it as to where it is.

You groan slightly, "Joon, can you get over here! I found Chim's keys but it's too far up high so I can't reach it. Hell I don't even think he can reach this-"

You are cut off when you feel a hand sneak around your waist, making you flinch and suddenly spin cautiously.

Eyes widened. Lips parted. Breath hitched. You let out an inaudible gasp as you come to the realization that Jimin is now in front of you, head tilted with an amused smile on his face, "Excuse you? I can very much reach this." He says, all the while reaching up behind you, inchly leaning forward. At this point, your body is being pressed up against the kitchen counter and his oh-so-very toned front.

This small action is enough to instigate a flaming abyss inside of you as you very much attempt to calm your alarmed heart.

You can feel the cuts and lines of his abs against your chest as he is now standing on his tippy toes, desperately trying to reach the keys on the kitchen top. Anyone that could see his posture would call him adorable, but your body is currently being sandwiched and by all that is high and mighty your mind can't even really process a single thing. Wait, what were you thinking just now?

"See? Got it." Jimin falls back in place as he jiggles his car keys in front of your stone-cold face, smile wide as he giggles softly, "Piece of cake, y/n."

He then proceeds to move on with his life like he didn't just do what the fuck he just did.

Clearing your throat, you blink about a million times in order to gather your thoughts. Your heartbeat is racing faster than the speed of light and your lips have become as dry as a desert. If you had gone standing on your tippy toes just as he did, you would've been a baby hair away from lips touching. The thought is enough to make you grow weak.

Yet as if something inside of you is suddenly turned on, no pun intended, you remind yourself that these thoughts are wrong. You can't be having these apprehensions, they aren't right. Because not only is he your brother's best friend, he also has a-

"y/n?" Jimin's soft voice calls out your name.

Breaking out of your trance, you turn to see him sitting down on the dining table, head tilted downwards with a small smile on his face. The sun escapes your pastel curtains as it slips past the window sill, reasoning with the current ray of golden yellow that has found its home on Jimin’s plump cheek, shining on the left side of his luminous face.

It's absolutely senseless how he can look as beautiful as he does simply by existing, and it makes perfect sense that your finding yourself to liking him more and more.

Just look at him.

You are broken out of your enchanted daze once more as dreaded words leave his smiling lips, "I'm gonna ask her to marry me."

Only then were you brought back to your inadequate reality.

“W- what?” You attempt to speak, but you notice the way your voice has suddenly become noticeably hoarse.

Jimin looks up at you with a smile, the kind that has his eyes almost disappearing.

“Sung. I’m gonna ask her to marry me tonight.”

silence.

silence.

and more silence.

Like a coward, that was all what you could muster to respond with.

And only then did you notice the velvet box on his hands, upon which he is tenderly caressing. Only then did you recognize the questionable romantic script of his one-man stage just moments earlier. Only then did you realize that the reason behind his growing smile are because of her, not you. Not because of what had just taken place.

Only then did you remember that no, you can't be having these apprehensions - they aren't right.

Because not only is he your brother's best friend,

he also has a, now upcoming, fiancé.

present time

"I already loved him then, Joon."

By this time, your brother has stood up and begun pacing back and forth the modest office, murmurs of curses towards his friend escaping past his lips, "-that small son of a bitch."

Smiling softly, you look down in reminiscence of the moments you have spent falling for Jimin. "I guess I've always been infatuated with him ever since our first meeting, but my God Joonie," you pause, inhaling a short breath in attempt to stop tears threatening to spill. "-ever since that day, when he told me that he was going to propose to her, I finally realized that like was the wrong term to use. I realized that I loved him and I just- I lost sight of everything." You cry, small sobs coming from you as you blinkingly look up to try to contain the waters forming in your eyes.

It was true. That day, when he told you about his plans to ask her to marry him, you've never felt more indignant.

Of course you faked it at first, congratulated him and consoled him into truthfully believing that she will undoubtedly say yes. But the minute he and Namjoon left your apartment, you collapsed on your carpeted floors, sobbing loudly and hitting your chest repetitively all the while cursing yourself in your head for ever even considering the tiniest of possibilities that you and Jimin could ever happen.

You also went out that night, got drunk, found a guy, slept with him, and never looked back.

Sure, this may seem like a regular night out for many, but not being the type to kiss and sleep, sex meant a lot to you.

Nothing wrong with one night stands, that just wasn't your particular chosen lifestyle. But you were wasted. You were intoxicated. You didn't know what you were doing. Had you been sober, you wouldn't have done what you did, especially with the person you did it with. So when you woke up in the middle of the night naked in bed next to a familiar face and realized what you've done, you rushingly stood up, got dressed, and left, ignoring the calls of the man you had just been with.

You went straight home and washed yourself for hours, feeling dirty and sloppy and disgusting. You can easily recollect sitting down in the showers, head tucked underneath and in between your legs, sobbing and crying loudly as the steam surrounding you from the warm water kept on worsening.

You hated what you did, and you most definitely despised the reason for what you did, - to simply get over someone else. You felt guilty. You felt ashamed. What would Jimin think? You thought to yourself. And though that truly didn't really matter, the ache in your heart kept on making you believe otherwise.

You didn't notice how your tears have fallen and stained your newly-bought jeans until Namjoon's hands holding a napkin comes within your perception.

Mumbling a small 'sorry Joonie,' you accept his offer and wipe the tears still continuously streaming down your now reddened, warm, and puffy face. As you do this, you furthermore catch sight of your brother's shadow rubbing his face in frustration, matching the groans that you also hear release from him in the background. And without meaning so, you deflate in insecurity.

Hearing the sound of air being released from a pulling force, you look up to see that Namjoon has sat back down, his elbows resting on the desk while his chin rest on his hands. "Does he know about this, y/n?"

You sigh, "No."

"Are you going to tell him?" You hear him ask once more.

Closing your eyes and sniffing lightly, you inhale a steady breath as you answer him for the second time, "I don't know, Joon."

Namjoon looks at you, eyes full of worry and concern. You don't know?

You're his sister, and he loves you. He would do anything for you. If he could shower you with all the love that you lack from Jimin, he would. And he would do it in a heartbeat. But you're dying. You're leaving him. And he doesn't know what to think. He doesn't know what to do. So how could you not know? How could you sit here, in front of him, after keeping this shit for ten months to yourself, tell him that you just don't know?

He feels frustrated. Frustrated over the clearing fact that if you don't know the answer to that simple yes or no question, then how more could you know the answer to when he asks you to make the choice?

The choice - to love or to die.

A very careful, unprecedented surgery that has been performed by professionals only a few times, yet each one has been successful. This seems easy, yeah. A surgery to save your life? Of course you'll do it! But there's a reason as to why this has been done only by a certain small count.

To perform the surgery and live, the price is not the expense, but rather the loneliness that shall come as you spend the rest of your life void of emotions. The surgery doesn't get rid of love on its own, it gets rid of everything that comes with it - happiness, sadness, trust, pain, pretty much everything that one can possibly feel. The only emotion left is indifference, yet even indifference lacks its self-sustainability.

Who would want to live like that?

Who would want to live a life where you just simply exist and nothing more?

He knows that the day will come eventually - when he offers you the choice, the chance to save your life, and he knows it will come soon. But right now, he has chosen to prioritize being a brother over a doctor. Right now, the only thing in his mind is comforting you.

"Okay." Your brother nods, making your eyes widen slightly in shock.

Okay? No scolding? No 'how could you not know?!' older brother reprimands? But then you remember, oh yeah. You're dying. And who could possibly scold their dying little sister?

"I'm sorry Joonie-" You try to apologize once more before he cuts you off again.

"No, don't apologize, y/n. It's not like you could've possibly wanted for any of this to happen, yeah?" He offers you a smile, but you could easily see past its fabricated purpose, "But instead let me ask you this. And I need you, in our deceased parent's name, to be completely honest with me."

You only nod, completely submissive and understanding of his seriousness the moment that he mentioned your passed parents.

"What you just told me, when you first fell in love with him, that was two years ago." He starts, making you nod again in agreement.

"But you were diagnosed only ten months ago."

Your heart drops, and you don't nod again.

"The Hanahaki Disease is not something that gradually begins and comes to existence over the course of time. It is an illness that is triggered. It could be by a sudden forthcoming realization or proclamation of love, or by an event that triggers the heart to completely shut down in overwhelmth. Either way, basing on the timing of what you've said, you should've been diagnosed with the Hanahaki two years ago. But you weren't."

Namjoon eyes you questioningly, but not too much to the extent that you feel uncomfortable, only just enough to remind you of the importance of this conversation, "You were only diagnosed ten months ago, y/n. Why?"

You sit still, not wanting to move, as if your stone figure would somehow make him think that you're not real or that you're a simple figment of his messed up imagination.

"y/n, what happened ten months ago?"

He finishes his question and you swallow harshly only to realize that you're parched, your throat completely dry. You then tilt your head to steal a gaze at your brother, making you catch the way his eyes suddenly widened as if he just realized something of high importance. As if he had just realized the answer to his own question. And that didn't work with you.

Clearing your throat, you are about to answer him in order to cut off his thoughts until the door swings open and you feel your throat compact, - the coughs of a camellia flower slipping its way to visibility -because there he is,

the man of the hour.

"y/n." He noticeably breathes a sigh of relief before making his way to you, engulfing you in a giant embrace. "I was so worried about you. Why didn't you tell me you had the Hanahaki? How could you not let me know? How long have you had it? Who is it? I swear I'm going to murder whoever this piece of shit is that he dared ever making yo-"

"Jimin this is a professional space between a doctor and his patient." The two of you pull away almost exactly the same time as soon as Namjoon speaks up, Jimin's eyebrows furrowing, "Get out."

"What?" Jimin barely gather the voice to ask him as he is completely caught off guard of his friend's erupting vulgar attitude.

"I said-" Namjoon speaks before getting caught off again.

"No trust me, I heard what you said. But what?" Jimin repeats himself, "So you're telling me you're not prioritizing being y/n's brother right now? You're still caught up in this Doctor Kim bullshit? Like you're a real one?"

"Jimin-" You attempt to budge in, sensing that a certain trouble may suddenly come knocking.

"No, y/n. Listen hyung-"

"No, YOU listen. You small piece of shit." Your brother raises his voice, "-don't come barging in here like you own the place or like you have any authority over her. She is MY sister and this is a family matter. So it's best you stay out of it and keep in your lane."

At this point, Namjoon is in front of Jimin, a short distance separating the two of them, "And don't you ever dare speak to me in that tone again. I know you're my friend, but remember to treat me with respect. Not only am I your superior, but I'm also your hyung." He finishes with a serious voice, tone low, and message deep. His earnest eyes piercing through his friend's pained ones.

Jimin, mouth slightly agape being at loss for words and clearly confused at his close friend's unreasonable anger, storms out of the room.

But not before he drags you along with him.

Namjoon is quick to act as he tries to reach for you, but you turn back and look at him pleadingly, signaling him that it's okay and to not worry. And him being the understanding brother that he is, pulls back and holds himself steady.

You can handle him. You’re a Kim. You’re strong.

Strong enough to survive through this.

You’ll be okay.

And as he watches the two of you leave, the door closing shut right in front of him, only then does reality hit Namjoon as his legs tremble abruptly, feeling lightheaded all of a sudden.

Falling down the floor, he reaches onto the desk for assistance as he slides his back down the wooden wall, hands painfully fisted and finding its way to cover his mouth in order to muffle the choked-in sobs perilously escaping him. He proceeds to blink away the tears and bite harshly on his lips, trying to diminish the flourishing grievance in his heart.

His sister is dying, and he doesn't know what to do.

“Doctor Kim? The next patient is ready to see you.” A knocking nurse distracts him and calls out from behind the door, “-shall I send them in?”

Namjoon sniffs heavily and sighs deeply, rushingly grabbing his glasses and adjusting his emotionally wrecked state, “One moment!”

He lets out a soft, shaky breath and reminds himself once more that you’re a Kim.

You’re strong.

You can beat this.

It'll be alright.

You'll be okay.

"IM NOT OKAY JIMIN-SHI!" You voicely whine out to your friend who is currently dragging you along the halls of the hospital and out the technologically advanced glass doors, "What is wrong with you?!" You pull your arm aggressively from his grasp as you bend down, hands resting on your knees while you hastily try to catch your breath. The camellia flower stuck just along the chords of your throat making it very difficult.

Jimin stares at you worryingly, having forgotten of your illness, "O- oh no. y/n, I'm sorry I forgot I- are you okay? Should we go back?" He stutters in concern before you hold up one finger, signaling him to shut the hell up. "-sorry."

Looking at you like this, tired and exhausted from having to put up with all his bullshit, Jimin feels a sudden urge to reach out and embrace you tightly, almost forgetting of his previous encounter with your brother.

And so that's exactly what he does.

You are caught off guard the moment you feel a hand grab your shoulder by means of pulling you closer all the while another rests just at your crook of spine, and although this first makes you stumble in a not-so-very prettily way, your destination is found to be in your friend's embrace, his fragile yet protective arms wrapped around you securely.

Not letting this moment simply pass by, you let yourself melt in his arms as you find the comfort meant to be found in his comforting hug, wrapping your arms around his neck as you slightly stand on your tippy toes. Somehow, your simple action makes him pull you even closer, one hand creeping behind your neck all the while his other is completely wrapped around your waist although this time is tighter than before.

As the two of you stay like this in the middle of the sliding glass doors of the hospital, crowds of unfamiliar voices passing by you and ambulances ringing endlessly against your ear, you let yourself submerge within the passion of your heart.

Amidst the chaos and cries of your nearingly counted days, you find consolation in the arms of the same man that has put you in front of death's door, and quite frankly, you wouldn't really want it any other way. You'll take what is given by the heavens above when it comes to Jimin, because well- you love him.

Unfortunately, that quick and simple thought is enough to make you lose control of your reminded disease.

"y-y/n what's- are you okay?" Jimin pulls away from you abruptly as you break into coughing fits, pastel pink camellia blossoms escaping your trembling lips.

The sight has caught the attention of many civilians, but both you and Jimin remain to be indifferent about them as you or more or less are occupied with your illness all the while Jimin specifically aims his attention on you alone.

"Alright that's it, screw your brother alright?" Jimin exclaims a bit louder than what you're comfortable with as this obviously did not benefit with the proceedingly growing public focus on the two of you, "-we're going back, y/n, it's my fault for bringing you outside so suddenly-"

"No chim, please-" You roughly attempt to speak out, your throat painfully extracting the feeling of abrasiveness, "Please just- let's just go."

"y/n.."

“Please chim,” you cut him off for what seemed to be the fiftieth time, coughing, “-please. I don’t want to be here any longer.”

Hesistant yet concerned, Jimin nods slowly as he assists your side, his hands finding its home around your waist and lower back while you both take short and careful strides. You destination is still unknown, but you didn’t mind. A journey a day with someone you love has never turned out for the worse.

At least that's what you think.

"Really?" You roll your eyes as you notice the familiar lane that Jimin's car just entered, "I asked you to get me out of the hospital area, I didn't ask for a sleepover, Jimin." You jokingly accuse him, but you can't help the smile that makes its way on your puffed-up face as you notice him smoothly take a side-glance at you with a knowing smirk.

"Well I thought that with all that bad hospital air, you might've wanted to breathe in a familiar scent," Jimin responds as the car comes to a stop.

You turn slightly to open the door and step out before you here a meek, "Jankkanman!" and perceive a 5'9 in height blondie come running around the bonnet in order to open the car door for you as a gentleman would. It is such a sweet and casual pantomime, yet an ill-patient diagnosed with an illness of the heart can never bring you any wins. Consequently, his actions only causes your throat to feel strained and compacted for the endless time.

God, how much did you love this man that such a simple gesture makes you want to cough out countless of fully bloomed flowers?

You thank the heavens above for your past endless experiences that allowed you to now be better in terms of hiding your pain as you attempt to smile genuinely, mumbling a small "thank you" in the process before making your way inside his home.

"So," Jimin starts as the two of you plop down his couch, his eyes seeking for yours as he tilts his head ever so lightly, "what should we do today... now that you're out of that hell hole?"

"Chim!" You scold him lightly, "my brother and your best friend just happens to be working in that hell hole, just in case you forgot, and- hey! You work there too, you ass." You accusingly point at him all the while hitting his arm playfully.

Jimin is was a nurse in that hospital. Your brother is a doctor.

He laughs and smiles widely, "Nope. I don't work there anymore, remember? But I did for a while, which is why I can most definitely testify that that place is indeed, a hell hole. And by the way, I'm kind of offended that you pretty much forgot my lost profession just then, y/n, like what the fuck?" He jokes endingly.

Your eyes soften slightly as he mentions his lack of job, yet you still stubbornly choose to ignore his last remark. "Well I sure hope that's not the case since I'll be most likely spending my last days there."

Oops.

The silence that ensues goes inevitably noticed by the two of you the moment those words escaped past your lips, but you paid no mind. That was the reason that you asked him to take you away anyways. You weren't hoping for some cliche romantic bullshit where the two of you simply elope and forget your real worries in your life, no. Instead you were here with the main purpose of facing it.

Besides, even if you did want to leave with him, you couldn't. Remember?

Jimin is the first to break the excessive blockade, "Don't say that y/n."

You sigh, "But it's true, chim."

"I don't give a shit if it's true or not."

"Chim.." You are slightly startled with his sudden outburst, caught off guard in the way his voice slightly raised as his attention and body language are now completely directed at you, "Wha- why are you getting mad?"

Jimin scoffs, almost irritated at your oblivious question, "Why? Because you're talking of dying like it's not a big deal, y/n!" His voice getting louder and louder by every word he spits out, "God, you know you can be so fucking insensitive sometimes. What, did you already forget the shit I suffered when I lost someone? Did you already forget all the fucking shit I suffered when death took her from me?"

At the mention of her, you pause. Speechless. Guilty. Hurt.

Of course you remember. How could you not? You remember the darkest of days as like it was just yesterday.

You remember getting that call in the middle of the night from the contact name of your brother as you slightly answered it in an irritated voice, "Joon I swear to God if you're asking me to drive you to work in the middle of the fucking night I will personally drag your ass right now to get a driver's liscenc-"

"y/n?"

You remember immediately stopping as you recognize the voice that most certainly did not belong to your brother, "Chim?"

"y- y/n."

You remember the outbreak of his sobs as you call out to him, his sniffles and cries becoming more and more prominent as you stumble on your feet, struggling with keeping your phone against and in between your ear and your shoulder as you hurryingly take off to grab a jacket and your keys, "Chim what's wrong, where the hell are you? W- where's Joon?"

You remember the way your heart dropped as your worst fear came to mind, the thought of losing your brother itself being enough to make you wobble in your feet, your heart clenching. He had your brother's phone, and he was crying.

"N-no, he- he's fine, y/n. It's not him, hyung's... hyung's fine."

You remember the way he struggled to find the right words; the way he sniffled and stuttered through forming such a simple sentence all the while you on the other side of the line breathe out a sigh of relief at the information of your brother's wellness, yet feeling slightly guilty that your emotions are in contrast with your friend's.

"It's Sung."

You remember Jimin's worst.

"It's Sung, y/n. Sh- she got in an accident on the way here to visit me during my off hours and- fuck! Some fucking demon pulled a hit and run on her. She was walking, y/n. She walked an hour here and got ran over by someone and.. they're doing an operation on her- hyung's assisting and he just- it's bad. It was really bad and she was bleeding all fucking over and- hyung, he- he left his phone and I didn't know what to do so I just called you- I didn't, they pushed me out of the room, y/n. I need you here. Please, please. Please come here because I'm losing my fucking mind and I need you here."

You remember driving to the hospital as careful as you can with the fear of the possibility of an accident occurring still in the midst of the back of your mind.

You remember reaching the doors of the emergency room and being greeted with a pair of reddened and exhausted eyes that looked up the moment you walked in, "Jin."

He stands up to greet you politely but you stop him, obviously seeing that his reaction upon seeing you is no more than a forced delight, "Let's not do this under these circumstances, okay? You're allowed to feel unwelcoming. It's okay, Jin."

He does no more than mumble a small 'thank you' before going back to his previous spot with you trudging along beside him.

You remember feeling the sorrow of the man beside you as you watch him lean his head back against the wall, fragile streaks of tears rolling down his flushed cheeks. You couldn't imagine his pain, the pain of such a situation where your sister's life is at stake. You wanted to comfort him, to softly rub his back and whisper sweet encouragements against his ear, little white lies that his sister is guaranteed to make it without a doubt. But you couldn't. You weren't here for him, regardless of your history. Regardless of the way you left him the morning after your supposed mistake.

"Uhm, have you seen Jimin?"

You remember the way his void eyes find yours and the way his lips lightly upturn as he gives you a forced smirk, trying to keep up with his image of being Kim Seokjin, Kim Sungkyung's handsome and cocky older brother, "And here I was thinking fate brought you here to me, y/n." He trails off, "-considering how you fucked me then dipped."

You gasp slightly and playfully hit his arm at the blunt mention of your regretted one night stand as you give him a small yet genuine smile, partly glad yet at the same time worried that he can make such remarks during a situation like this.

It was strange really, how everything in your life seemed to be connected. How on the day you felt your heart tore apart the time Jimin first mentioned his planned proposal, you went out and accidentally slept with the soon-to-be-bride's older brother.

Letting out a small sigh, Jin nods his head in the direction of a different waiting room, "He left when I came. Guess he was embarrassed of how fucked up he was but hey- I'm not doing any fucking better am I?" He tells you, subtly pointing at the very visible streaks of tears still falling down his now puffy face.

You get on your feet and turn to leave but not before giving one last glance at the man next to you, a hand softly reaching to rub his shoulder, "I'm so sorry, Jin. I wish I could stay, but-"

"It's okay, y/n. Go." Jin encourages you with a small yet noticeably forced smile, "He needs you."

And so you do, bidding him a soft goodbye before taking off, your eyes beginning to water out of the guilt of leaving a friend in that state.

You then remember being suffocated. Suffocated from the embrace that greeted you the moment Jimin entered your peripheral vision. You remember landing on your behind with a harsh thud from the struggle of Jimin's weight as he continues to seek your embrace for means of comfort, the two of you falling down the floor. You remember getting drenched from Jimin's tears as you cradle him as would a wailing child, rocking him back and forth all the while softly rubbing his back, whispering every bit of amenity that could make him feel better.

You remember feeling your heart physically ache as you fail to notice the tears that have fallen down your own eyes, blurring your sight.

To see Jimin in this state, so broken and hurt and scared, it tore you apart. You wanted him happy. You wanted him smiling. You wanted him. You loved him. And God forbid that you're admitting this in your own mind while his fiance is battling for her own life, but fuck.

You wanted nothing more than to lay down your own life for Sung so that she could continue in existence for him.

If you could, you would take here place.

You would die for her, for him.

You remember pushing back your thoughts as you put focusing on Jimin your first priority. You remember keeping him in a neverending tight embrace as he neverendingly sobs against your chest, his lips leaving prayers you could barely yet still tried to understand;

please don't let her die

don't take her away from me

i love her too much

i still have to marry her.

You then remember hearing a wail of anguish, putting a pause to both Jimin's silent pleas and your eavesdropping as the both of your heads turn to pinpoint from whom the noise came from.

You remember the way Jimin stilled.

"No."

You remember his whisper of such a small, two-lettered word, yet somehow it caused your heart to crumble.

"No no no no-"

You remember having to tackle Jimin slightly as he causes a mess of himself, punching the seats and harshly tugging on his hair all the while screaming wails of pain and suffering, "Jimin please-"

"No- get the fuck off of me! Sung?!"

You remember how Jimin lost sight of reality as he pushes you off of him, your body making in contact with the cold tiled ground.

"SUNG? SUNG! LET ME INSIDE-"

You remember seeing nurses and other staff pull the man you love back as he causes a scene, starting to become physical and violent with the people surrounding him, "PLEASE! Please- I just- I NEED TO SEE HER! SHES MY FIANCE-"

You remember seeing a man dressed in blue make his way near Jimin, a needle in his hand.

"H-hey, no!" You remember trying to catch up to the nurse, attempting to prevent them from giving whatever the shot was to Jimin, "Stop! Please-"

"y/n. D-don't."

You remember feeling a hand on your shoulder which makes you turn around instantly, only to find the culprit behind the anguished scream just moments prior Jimin's outburst.

"Jin." You start, "-they're going to sedate him. That- that's not okay."

"They have to, y/n." Another voice calls out from behind Jin, "I know how it seems and I don't like it either, b-but he's becoming violent. They have to sedate him."

"Joon." You whisper softly.

What a sick and twisted game that life is playing on you, that your brother, Jimin's best friend, Jimin's best man at the wedding being planned, is the one to give news of the bride's passing.

"Sung, is she really.." You trail off, not having the heart to finish your sentence.

It seems neither does he, as he responds with nothing but a simple avoidance of eye contact.

"HYUNG!"

You remember Jimin's faint and tired yet still firm voice as he calls out your brother, "Hyung, you saved her didn't you? You- you were part of the surgery. You saved her didn't you? Didn't you!?" Jimin is weak as he trails off his words as the effect of the syringe takes its course, but that doesn't stop him from reaching out to the three of you, "H-hyung. Tell me you saved her. P-please tell me you saved h-her."

Namjoon doesn't stop the tear that rolls down his hardened face as he only shakes his head, "I'm sorry, Jimin. We did our best. We really, really did. I'm so sorry-"

You remember the way Namjoon's voice trails off your hearing as your throat suddenly feels contracted. You remember the itching pain just within your chest as you find the struggle to breath, your hand clutching it harshly. You remember stumbling back just a little bit as you feel lightheaded, thinking that these were only from the overwhelming happenings in that moment.

But then you cough.

And you cough

and you cough

and you cough.

But no one notices you.

Not even yourself.

Your attention remains still at Jimin, who has now dropped completely to the floor, tears still continuously spilling out of his drowsy eyes. Short breaths are released from his trembling lips as he mumbles words that none of you can understand. He then begins to seemingly reach out for something, someone.

"P-please," He whispers.

And as you bend down almost immediately to attend to his calls, you cough.

And you cough

and you cough.

And still no one notices.

No one except him.

You cough as your eyes find his, barely open yet staring right at you from the lows of the floor.

You remember having to excuse yourself and run to the nearest restroom you can find, legs trembling and stumbling on your way there as you push against the winds of the almost empty halls, still coughing with every step you take. And just as you reach the doors of the restroom, you turn back slightly, just enough to catch Jimin's last sight while his body is being carried away to where you guess is a vacant patient's room, all this before his eyes ultimately close.

Eyes you found lastly staring at you.

You remember finally shutting the door and locking it, thanking God silently that you're in a family restroom hence there is no one else inside. You cough desperately, your throat beginning to feel exclusively sore and your lungs beginning to tighten from all the air being released as you cough and cough and cough again.

You reach out to the sink, gripping tightly onto the white metals as you cough and cough and cough again.

You then brushingly turn to the toilet, your eyes watering and lips numbing as you cough and you cough and you cough once more.

You practically clean the whole restroom, as disgusting as that sounds, from all the moving you made as you coughed anywhere and everywhere. You felt awful for the next person to come inside, now that your bacterium were practically in its every corner, side, and space. You cough again, this time harder, the worst one out of the previous.

You remember sensing a certain feeling rise up, something soft yet itchy, something light yet heavy.

And so you cough, and you cough, and you cough, and you cough,

and you bleed.

And amongst the red is a pink.

A single, individual pink petal from what you would soon find out is a camellia flower - the flower that is soon to be the latter symbolization of death chasing you, growing closer, inching nearer, just about to knock on your door.

So of course you remember Jimin's distraught. Of course you remember Sung's - his fiance's death.

Because her death was too, the ultimate beginning of yours.

taglist for part 2?

when the camellia blooms | pjm

park jimin x kim! reader | 1 | 2

sypnosis: diagnosed with the hanahaki disease, you had only two options - accept a deathly fate, or never love again. 

genre: au, angst, fluff, humor, friends to lovers? maybe.

warnings: many talks of death and dying, namjoon is the sweetest brother omg, unrequited love, swearing, pining, longing, fictional added terms and effects of the hanahaki disease, really sad reader, really sad characters, and lots of angst.

word count: (read author's note)

reminder: this is a sequel. please read part one here; however, this also could serve as a stand-alone, but I would advise you read the first part as well for the full experience.

a/n: i was mauling for a long long long time over whether i should do three parts at most or just keep this one really lengthy, and since i was afraid of losing track if i chose to cut it in parts again, i just decided to make this one quite a bit long. sorry!

"let me try to love you back to life."

"Is that what you think?"

You remember the long pause before your response, a deafening silence amidst the growing tense and suffocating air that evening as you spoke.

You had known then that Jimin regretted what he said the moment he did, but it was too late. He’s already said it, and he’s hurt you.

Jimin looks at you with ache as you stare accordingly at the blank wall, noticing the way your eyes have begun to well up in tears as the familiar feeling of tightness succumbs your throat, light feathers of pink flowers forcefully being swallowed down, "Do you think that I don't remember? That I simply don't care? That I'm just on the fence playing peek-a-boo with death on my door?"

Focusing on you with a heart contrite, Jimin places his bottom lip in between his teeth, eyes meshed together amongst sorrow as he swallows in shame, feeling completely guilty at his preceding words.

"y/n I-"

You then laugh ironically, halting him to a stop.

"Forgive me, Jimin."

Your throat is furthermore burning by each passing second as you direct your gaze at the cause of your painful love, "Forgive me if I prefer to want to spend my last days in peace with the acceptance of my crushing fate. Forgive me for not wanting to die on my death bed sulking and cursing the universe and God and myself and whatever I can for this unfair hanafuckinghaki sickness. Forgive me-"

You uttered every word that night with a sense of despise, a sense of spite, each one a striking arrow shot directly at Jimin's heart.

"-if I choose to pretend to be happy and to be okay for my brother and for your sake." You spit out, last words purposely said with more effect.

Taking a few steps closer towards him, you point your finger accusingly against his chest as your tears willingly fall, lips slightly quivering as your anger all the more increases the moment you two lock eyes.

Your breath is caught at the back of your throat as you look up, finding yourself standing in the very front of Jimin's presence.

You swallow harshly, height difference being of no use as your red eyes focusedly trained on his same ones tower over him, both pairs seemingy battling for agony, "But don't you stand there and accuse me of being indifferent- fucking indifferent of all fucking things towards Sung's death. She was my friend before yours, and losing her hurt just as much as anything else."

You remember crying out, not finding an interest on holding in neither your sobs nor your coughs any longer as you did so right at his face, further recalling how you felt not even an ounce of guilt whatsoever as you purposefully reminded him of your current illness in hopes of making him feel worse.

“y/n please...” Jimin barely utters out, almost visibly fading from the way you raise your voice further in his attempts of cutting you off.

"Don't. Don’t you dare accuse me of ever forgetting that night, because as far as I remember, I was the one who kept inside the pain of losing someone close. I was the one who held you when you cried, consoling you to an unbearable extent that I forgot to console myself." Still looking at him in the eyes, you speak out words of regret as you proceed to cough lightly, the pain inside you endlessly growing that you insisted on passing it to someone else.

One word after another, you could remember physically witnessing the pain in Jimin's eyes.

The way his eyebrows were furrowed together and the glistening streaks that ran along his red cheeks were an evident proof of your success in wounding him, but you didn't care. You told yourself you didn't care. You lied to yourself in saying you didn’t care.

No. You didn't care.

For once, you could still sense that rushing feeling of wanting to lessen the burden of falling in love with Jimin. For once, you wanted to make him feel the pain you've kept inside you for the past two years. For once- for once you wanted to be the cause of his pain, not the other way around.

But that once lasted only as is, just once.

The moment you speak those words against him, your heart begins to ache all the more, the dreaded feeling of guilt and shame and love and pain all united together in rising above your limit as you abruptly collapse onto his arms, growing weak and coughing brutally as the camellias say hello to its desired lover.

You eyes begin to desperately search his as you cling onto him, head proceedingly buried against his chest all the while sobbing uncontrollably, apologies escaping past your visibly whimpering lips, “I-I'm sorry, Chim. I didnt- I don't blame you, I'm so sorry-"

You remember seeing Jimin, just seconds ago having been distraught and practically falling apart from your direct words, somehow manage to gather himself as he stands his ground, still and determined on holding you securely.

His arms are wrapped around you in a protective yet delicate manner, eyes trained worriedly on your fragile state all the while patting your back, tenderly comforting you, “Shh- shh. It’s okay, y/n. Just breathe. Focus on your breathing, that’s right.”

Your breathing has gone erratic, lifting your head a tad bit in order to look at him as you reminisce that night, when you were the one holding him as he cried. "I'm so sorry, Chim."

You remember the first few of your countless apologies which Jimin nevertheminds, holding no other concern than that of which is your state of well-being.

"It's okay, okay? We're okay. Now c'mon, walk with me to the sofa. You can do that right? On three. One, two three..”

Minutes feel like hours as you recall the way Jimin assisted you for a time on end, treating you as though you were a rare delicacy with his manner of tenderness, softness, soft whispers against your ear and soft touches along your spine as he helps you find your amity once more.

Unaware that he is just that — your amity, your armistice.

Sat on the sofa, you continue on controlling your breathing as you inhale in and exhale out, Jimin's voice supple and light by the side of your earlobe as words of encouragement slip past his lips, still slightly red and swollen from his previous cries.

You could practically feel his breath against your ear with the sheer distance between the two of you, the noticeable intimacy of both your positions making you shudder and shut your eyes in an attempt of preserving in place another series of newly blooming flowers.

Standing up abruptly, you look at anywhere but Jimin as you scan your surroundings, all before making a clear statement.

Hesitantly, you whisper, "I think I should go."

Jimin's eyes haltingly falters, confusion capitulating his entire expression before attempting to reach out to you, "So soon? I think you should stay y/n-"

"Why?" You intervene motionlessly.

Caught aback with the benevolence and lack of sentiment in your voice, Jimin unrequitedly stutters as he responds, "Because y-your condition is still not well and I-"

"My brother is a doctor, Chim. I'll ask him to stay with me."

"-I just think it'll be better for you to stay here for a while and rest-"

"Better for me?" You begin, once more keeping his words short, "Or better for you?"

You remember Jimin's widened eyes, clearly not expecting you to say what you did.

"I.." Jimin thinks before continuing, hands grazing yours just as he speaks, "I just want you here. I need you here."

At his words, you remember recalling that exact phrase spoken to you the night Sung died, just when he caught himself falling apart and firstly reached out to you.

You remember the way he stared at you with a sense of longing, a sense of yearning, deeply wanting to convey an emotion you don't- you refuse to understand.

Because you recognizes the love held not only on his eyes, but on his touch, on his lips,

making you want to kiss him, hold him, touch him.

God, you just want to love him.

“Jimin..” Your voice feels light against his face, whispers eluding past your lips as your breath leaves a wisp along Jimin’s plump cheeks, stroking the slightly pink and flushed skin from the sadness it’s undergone not too long ago.

His eyes beam longingly at you, conveying messages that seem foreign to your understanding as your heart palpitates unevenly against his grasp. But it was enough to block your mind, it was enough to drive you wild, it was enough for you to completely lose all sense and thought-process, your brain not reciprocating anything other than what the heart is yearning for.

Him.

And lastly, you remember not being able to hold yourself back as you bring to life the buried words you have kept underground for the longest time.

Your eyes trained directly at his averts down to his lips, the camellias no more blooming as it succumbs to desire, craving no more than to offer him the love you have saved in secret for the past twenty four months, "I love you, Jimin."

Lowly pronounced words as you gaze at him, breath still and steadily fanning the smile slowly forming on his lips.

"I love you too, y/n. You're my best friend."

You remember your conflict, the feeling of pure loss and distraught overtaking you as you remain still. There you were, being loved by him completely, yet it is a love that seemingly leaves you feeling incomplete. Feeling unwhole and broken, feeling void and sunken.

You remember hearing your heart physically crack as you perceive his words, your sight lingering on his own, mockingly filled with a kind of love that you didn't want.

A love that you, quite literally, didn't need.

As soon as you hear what he’s chosen to disclose, you crack an unwilling fictitious smile on your lips just seconds before a hand covers it, your body limpingly maneuvering against Jimin’s hold as you feel your throat contract once more, catching his undivided attention.

Eyebrows furrowed, Jimin calls out in confusion, “y/-”

You remember the endless coughs that had suddenly broke out of you, the worst of what is offered from the Hanahaki being at present time the moment his lips offer a chaffing smile, his concern and sincerity being your death unbeknownst to him.

Coughing vigorously, you push Jimin aside as the overwhelming feeling of sorness and torment leads you to spurt out tears by the corners of your eyes, pushing you to whimper out cryingly. Your back is turned from the origin of your agony as he calls out your name, a voice so quiet yet loud against your hearing, emotionally wounding you as you cry out in pain.

"-y/n..?"

Because you remember a one petal.

And then two, then three,

and you remember blood.

Not wanting to let him see you in such a state that shall most definitely force him to fully understand the meaning of your supposed ‘love’ for him, you run out of his home, opening the door and not bothering to shut it close as you hurryingly exit out.

You ignore all of his calls and pleas as you run

and you run

and you run

and you run

and you cough, thanking the heavens silently as you locate a bus stopped after passing a few blocks.

“y/n wait! Please!-”

You step inside the transportation with no intention of looking back, forcing yourself to cancel out the calls of Jimin's voice, muffled from the reaches of the outside bus doors. A voice that's calling you. A voice that you most definitely would run to if given the opportunity, a chance that excludes coughing and hurting and crying

-and dying.

Ignoring the whispers and talks of the three other passengers inside the vehicle, you avert you tearful sight from and to the driver's concerned gaze as you send a small forced smile his way, meekly stating,

"I don't have any cash on me, but I'm dying in 30 days. You'll let me ride, won't you sir?"

You remember that eventful day, exactly five days ago, one hundred and twenty hours since you had avoided any association with Jimin.

He's contacted you endlessly, knocked on your door several times and even stayed outside your apartment overnight during one weekend, and each time you had luckily spent it over at your brother's. The times he went there though, you were gone and so was Namjoon, leaving him calling out to your brother’s empty studio apartment.

Five days without fits of vicious coughing, yet five days without him.

Is that the sacrifice you have to make to be healthy?

Then, would that be the sacrifice you'd have to make to live?

"Jimin called me."

"AH- Kamchakya!" Your thoughts are finally cut off as you jump at the sound of both your brother's voice and the slam of the door. Stumbling backwards, you barely get the chance to hold your balance as your hand clutches your clothed chest, visibly startled at your brother's sudden presence.

Namjoon had entered your apartment nonchalantly as he shut the door close behind him with no more than a small smack, yet his strength effects the opposite of what is intended.

Eyes widened, you attempt to catch your loss of breath before bending down completely, hands now placed on both knees, "Joon what the hell?! You couldn't have knocked?" Turning aside, you conquest onto throwing the first thing you could find at the genius which he opposingly catches without a beat, throwing the tablecloth right back at you easily as he takes small steps forward, mumbling a small apology afore repeating his previous words, "Sorry. Jimin called me. For the tenth time in five days, may I add."

Rolling your eyes at his bluntness, you contrastingly fail to catch what you once threw as you walk a couple steps back, grabbing the now dirty item and attempting to hide the way your chest tightened by the mere mention of Jimin's name.

"Jimin called you. Congratulations. Would you like an award, big foot?" You joke accordingly.

Now stood up in the kitchen, Namjoon leads on to making himself at home through the means of providing himself something to eat, attempting to hide a small smile dragging its way onto his face out of gladness in finding that his little sister is not letting some pathetic disease affect her overall personality.

"Big foot? That's a new one." Reaching for the bread and peanut-butter, he calmly makes himself a sandwich, as that is the only food he can prepare without failure, all the while strategically conversing in a serious talk with you, "But don't play dumb with me, y/n. You know Jimin and I aren't on good terms right now. Since..." Namjoon trails off, wanting to obviously avoid the topic of your illness.

You sigh, chest heaving as this doesn't go unnoticed by you, of course. Yet not wanting to go down that path in the early morning either, you choose to passively ignore the way he quickly averted his eyes away from you and let him continue.

Clearing his throat surreptitiously, Namjoon proceeds to act indifferent towards the newly formed tension, "-anyway, he and I aren't okay yet but he's still called me for the tenth time, and I finally answered. You're telling me you aren't even a tiny bit curious on what Jimin and I spoke about?"

You've now sat yourself on the kitchen counter, careful not to hit your head on the overtops as you habitually clean up the mess your older brother had habitually started on creating, "I'm not curious, Joonie, because I don't need to ask."

"Mhm, is that so?" Namjoon turns around to look at you, his head somewhat tilted sideways as he proceeds to happily munch away his sloppy and disgusting-looking meal, "You already know what he said then?"

Neatly putting away all the ingredients of which your brother has taken out, you begin to shift in your spot as you look down at your now wobbling feet which you noticed have too begun to unconsciously shift and play with one-another.

You respond hesitantly, letting out another sigh, "Probably asking how I'm doing? Telling you to say sorry to me for him? A bunch of sappy stuff, I bet. He didn't even do anything wrong."

Smiling every so slightly, Namjoon nods his head meekly as he makes his way to the fridge in order to grab some water, throwing his sandwich in the trash bin in the process, "Yeah.." he pauses before chuckling softly, "-that's our Jimin.. Holy shit that sandwich was fucking disgusting by the way. Aish-" He curses before pouring some of the cool liquid on a glass and desperately chugging it down, tears forming around his eyes as he scoffs in distaste.

Confused and surprised, you check to see the bread if its begun to form any mold, which you find none.

"Huh, I wonder why. The bread is good." You say just before stepping off of the counter carefully, "-can't believe you managed to fuck up a sandwich, Joon. You really do suck at cooking, don't you? Well I guess, food in general." You addingly joke, which Namjoon, in contrast, takes complete and total offense to.

Yet just as he is about to bark back at you with a Nobel Prize winning poetic insult, you unintentionally proceed, therefore cutting him off.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure to leave you the recipes of your favorites before I leave, okay?"

Smiling at him innocently, you find no flaw in your choice of words, making your brother's heart ache without warning as you look up at him with a tilted head.

"I know how much you love my cooking anyway, no matter how many times you claim that you don't." You laugh lightheartedly, "I might forget though, since I forget everything- but hey, Jimin cooks a little bit too, so just go to him whenever you miss my cooking, yeah? I know you guys fight a lot but please try not to once I'm g- mph!"

Pausing, your voice is unexpectedly muffled as your lips come in sudden contact with your brother's shoulder, completely quieting you down.

Taking a moment to fully comprehend such an unforeseen situation, it wins a small while for you to come to notice that he has completely submerged yourself in a tight embrace, both arms wrapped around your waist as his chin is placed right on top of your head.

You didn't know how to react.

It is without a doubt that you and Namjoon are close, don't get this wrong. And furthermore are there the endless comforting shoulder rubs and thoughtful words of advice from time to time, but a hug? A hug is usually where the two of you draw the line, both finding an unspoken mutual perspective on personal space.

So to find yourself in his position, with both your hands up in the air by the side of his waists as you remain frozen from the abrupt fright, you remain still, the only thought being in your head is how the last time that the two of you practically hugged this long was back from your parents' passing.

That being thirteen years ago.

Namjoon, on the other hand, does not give a flying fuck as he feels nothing but yearn for you. Your previous words has caused something inside of him to trigger and suddenly feel a certain lack of your warmth and existence, which he hates.

Don't worry, I'll make sure to leave you the recipes of your favorites before I leave, okay?

That's exactly what you had just said.

-please try not to once I'm gone.

You would have added.

His mind is in disarray, his medicinal IQ of 148 fading into an 8 as his thoughts are gathered in shambles, trying so desperately to rid of the now forming vision of a future without your not-so-bad-but-not-good-either cooking, a future without your Namjoon please get a liscense nagging, a future without your unbearable teasing, a future without-

a future without you.

How could he wake up to a future that's missing his little sister?

Namjoon is an orphan now. You both have been for thirteen years. The orphaned doctor, he would sometimes call himself.

And thirteen years ago, this orphaned doctor swore as he looked upon his parents' opened casket for the last time that he will never abandon his sister. Thirteen years ago, this orphaned doctor cried as he smiled against the clear plastic on his dead mother's pale box, swearing under oath that he could never let an accident take his sister away too. Thirteen years ago, this orphaned doctor choked back tears as his hands leave prints against the plastic of his father's case, promising to keep the strength he trusts his dad would have asked of him to endure. Thirteen years ago, this orphaned doctor painfully smiled as he kneeled down and looked at you, your black gloves of mourning beginning to dampen as stains become visible from your attempts of wiping away your brother’s tears.

Thirteen years ago, Namjoon mentally vowed in his deceased father and mother's name to always prioritize you first, determined in a future of being his little sister’s hero as he lastly placed a bouquet of soft pink camellia flowers on top of his parents' shared grave, squeezing your smaller hand intertwined with his.

Thirteen years ago, he was only thirteen, yet he had been the father and the mother and the brother his eight-year old sister needed.

Namjoon didn’t realize when he started crying.

At this point, the both of you are now on the floor, the age difference having been confusing as you are the one cradling you older brother tenderly.

Your once frozen hands are now soft and delicately wrapped around his back, rubbing in circular motions as you mouth words of comfort against his ear. Dampness could be felt on your shoulder down to your chest as your brother maneuvers while sobbing silently, head now seemingly permanent on the base of your neck.

Does being sick always come with scenes like this? You think to yourself.

"Shh, Joon. C'mon it's okay. Shh, it's alright," You coo softly, your own tears subsiding as you don't care of much other than your brother's current distress, "Joonie, c'mon. Seeing you like this is breaking my heart."

Okay scratch that, your tears aren't subsiding, they're sliding.

"Joonie..." You whisper softly yet desperately, wanting nothing more than to console your brother ever so leniently, "-please stop crying."

Suddenly, you feel Namjoon halt as he abruptly pushes away from you at an arms length, hands holding both sides of your shoulder as his reddened eyes direct yours before making the suggestion,

"Get the surgery."

Truly, that was not the right time to bring up the surgery, of this Namjoon is certain.

And to be honest, he doesn't even have a clue whether there is a right time to bring up the surgery. But he's become overwhelmed and desperate, wanting nothing more than to guarantee your life be saved. So although the timing doesn't match, he allows the situation to happen and chooses to not take back his previous words, instead facing whatever you decide to let on. Fate shall take its course.

Caught aback, you look at your brother bewilderedly, "What?"

"Get the surgery, y/n." He sniffingly repeats, nose still red and mouth still dry from his previous and still cooling breakdown.

"What are you talking about, Joon?” You smile slightly, eyebrows knitted and confused. “What surgery?"

"y/n," Namjoon begins, voice short and desperate, "I told you about this, didn't I? I was training for medicine a few years ago, yeah? I was an intern volunteering. My superior's patient had the disease, th- the Hanahaki disease, right?" Namjoon speaks relentlessly as he becomes breathless, looking slightly crazy as he rambles over a particular memory which you have no recollection of discussing with him.

"His name was Jung Hoseok, one of the first ten Hanahaki surgery recipients. He survived, y/n. The surgery was a complete success. He's alive even to now and I also still have his contact saved in my phone. Look-"

"Wait wait wait," You shake your head, hands coming to stop his phone-reaching hands all the while trying to process the vast information suddenly provided, "-the Hanahaki surgery? The surgery you did a Science project on that I helped you with during your senior high school year? F-flower Chowder? The Flower Power?" You finish, grinning at the newly found memory yet just moments before frowning entirely,

"Joon, you're telling me to get the Flower Power?"

Namjoon inhales a short intake of breath as he looks down and shuts his eyes, dreading the soon-to-be-happening conversation, "I know this seems crazy but-"

"Yeah no shit, it's crazy."

"Just hear me out oka-"

"This is really bat-shit off the walls crazy, Kim Namjoon!"

"-it's medicine, y/n. It's not really crazy-"

"medicine. my. ass."

"-it's been successful each time it was performed, and-"

"Joon just stop it!"

"-it's the only way to save your damn life!"

With wide eyes you blankingly stare at him, scoffing in disbelief at his sudden raise of voice, "Save my life? Then what? I go to live like a fucking robot for all eternity? Lose all my emotions and live as some kind of cyborg? We aren't in a fucking sci-fi movie, Joon!"

Processing your words, Namjoon does understand your point; but he's become helpless, the helplessness making him reckless, the recklessness making him desperate, and the desperation leaving no room for understanding your point, "A robot is still alive, y/n."

All in all, a reckless mess.

"A robot is still al- what?! Joon, are you hearing yourself?" You speak incredulously.

No, truth to be told, Namjoon is not hearing himself.

"I don't know what you think this, but I am not about to turn into some kind of sim with no feelings. Both you and I know that I would rather die as I live than live as I exist to be nothing more than just that, existing." You speak threateningly, "Don't you ever make me go through that, Joon. Not even as a last resort and not even when I'm not awake anymore to defend my point."

Holding up your right pinky finger, you raise your eyebrows, staring at him expectantly, "Promise me."

Namjoon glances down at your raised finger, jaw clenched and gaze hesitant. Yet just as he proceeds to reach forward in order to seal the deal, he speaks one last time, defeated, "And what if it is the last resort, y/n?"

You look at him, eyes downcast as you begin to subconsciously lower your hand as he continues, "What if you're moments away from leaving me? What do I do? Do I just let you die? Do you really expect me to just let you die even wh- when there's an option to take where you can live?" Namjoon is breathless as he speaks, voice desperate in convincing you.

Sighing, you lower your head slightly, "Joon, I already told you that I'm okay. I'm ready. I've accepted it-"

"But I haven't." Namjoon cuts you off, his words serving a stab at your heart.

"I haven't accepted it. I won't accept it." He takes hold of both your hands, lowering his height so that the two of you are on same eye level afore smiling sadly, "I've lost both our parents, y/n. I've accepted that. I've lived with that. But you can't ask me to accept losing you either because I don't think I'll be able to keep myself sane without you around. I need you, y/n. You're my sister, my anchor, God, you're my lifeline. You've kept me going for these past thirteen years, and I love you. I love you so so so so much, nae yeodongsaeng." He finishes, your heart crumbling at the sight of his flooding eyes.

"And I'm sorry if this is somewhat unfair to you, but please." Namjoons cries out, voice barely above a whisper as he sheds diring tears, "-please choose to try. Choose to try to live.

-If not for you, please do it for me."

"Fuck you Namjoon." You curse mutteringly, voice low and steady as you stand in front of Jimin's door for the past ten minutes.

You twist and turn like a little child as you curse mentally, feeling dread throughout your entire physicality and not at all wanting to continue with your plan. Nonetheless, you remind yourself of your brother's desperation and of your reasons for doing this.

For your brother, you cheer on.

"Okay. Okay! I can do this." You jump up and down, feet bouncing lightly against the hard ground, repeating the same phrase over and over again, "I can do this."

Turning to knock, your mind then suddenly flushes with dread as you subconsciously retreat back to your car, hands waving frantically around, "I can't do this."

"y/n?"

You freeze.

Fuck.

Hands still amidst the air, you stay still, unbelieving of the situation.

"y/n? What are you- is that you? Am I seeing shit right now?" He mumbles the last words to himself, which he silently thanks goes unbeknownst to you as you stay frozen, feet glued onto the ground and heart beating out of your chest at the familiar sound of his voice.

Hesitating, you muster up the determination to slowly turn around.

Your throat tightens once more all the while your heart contrastingly does backflips as you physically see him for the first time since five days and-or one hundred and twenty hours and-or a very painful long time for someone who's in love with someone.

"Hey, Chim." You meekly call out, trying to hide the anxiety creeping in within you.

Jimin, still processing your presence after countless failure of trying to see you, steps forward lightly, eyebrows furrowed as he evidently attempts to figure out the right words to say, "Hey."

"Hey." You wince as you attempt a grin.

Jimin's lips form a tight smile, "Hey."

.

.

.

Shit, this is so awkward.

The thought enters the both of your minds as a seemingly unprecedented tumbleweed passes by.

Clearing your throat, you notice the way Jimin looks down at his fiddling thumbs and curious little pinkies as you speak out once more, trying to ease the visible tension, "So are you going to invite me in or what?" You laugh breathily, chest heaving up and down in desperation of holding in those God-awful petals.

Jimin looks up at you with wide eyes, breathing a sigh of relief as he nods his head repeatedly, "Right- right! Yeah come in. This is your home too, you know." He speaks as he holds out his keys and turn to unlock his door, not noticing the way you've weakened among with the just fallen petal that silently wisped past your lips.

This is your home too, you know.

It's insane how such light words could make a person feel so lost and contracted.

Seven simple words that were spoken without a thought have you in a dazed mentality, hand tighteningly gripping your clothed heart before faking a positive expression as he turns around to face you.

"You can head inside first." Jimin shows that beautiful smile, moving aside as he lays his hand out in the direction of his now opened abode.

You only nod in return as you waste no time in entering, mumbling a small 'thanks chim' as you pass by.

He then follows soon after, set and determined on making you feel at home as he steps forward.

Yet a sight goes inevitable as your head spins around a moment barely passing as you enter his home, catching the vision of Jimin accidentally stepping on the camellia flower, the fragment that symbolizes your unrequited love, your pain, which lay on the timid ground, cracking it in half.

It seems the universe really is telling you something.

You ponder to yourself as you gaze wanderingly, the now torn petal not leaving your sight.

Smiling ironically, the formidable occurence somehow boosts your acceptance of the situation at hand as you make your way to the sofa, speaking aloud even more so formidable words, "We need to talk, Jimin."

Just moments before sitting down, Jimin remains still, eyes glazing at you directly for a second before gathering himself and proceeding to act indifferent, "Of course."

Jimin. He thinks.

Not chim, Jimin.

"Jimin I-"

"No please-" Jimin cuts you off as you begin to speak, "Please let me say first what I've been keeping inside for this past week of being avoided by you."

You didn't know whether you were supposed to take offense or not, yet nonetheless you decide

"-just wanted to let you know that I'm getting surgery."

I can't believe she's calling me Ji- "What?"

You smile empathetically, "I'm getting surgery, Jimin."

part 3, maybe?

taglist: @itsdingdong @honeyd99 @010op10 @chubsjmin @outropjmm @nynhope

and my girl did it! I'm so proud of you, love and I'm glad you finally had the courage to post the fic! here's to working on more Google docs together! (like a fun school project hehe!)

Regret | P J M

ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢ: ᴘᴀʀᴋ ᴊɪᴍɪɴ x ꜰᴇᴍ!ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ

ɢᴇɴʀᴇ: ᴀɴɢꜱᴛ

ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 600+

ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ: ᴀ ʟᴏᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴘᴀɪɴ, ᴛᴇᴀʀꜱ, ᴏɴᴇ-ꜱʜᴏᴛ, ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ʙʟᴀᴍᴇ ᴍᴇ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇɴᴅ ᴜᴘ ᴄʀʏɪɴɢ.

ᴀ/ɴ: ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ <3.🙂

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ: ᴅᴇꜱᴘɪᴛᴇ ʜɪꜱ ʜᴏɴᴇꜱᴛʏ, ɪᴛ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴛᴏᴏ ʟᴀᴛᴇ.

"I've always tried my best to love you, what are you even talking about?” Jimin said.

“You didn't care about me at all jimin, you know how much I was invested in you, you know that I shouldn't be treated this way, then why do you treat me like this, every time?” Now your cheeks were dripping with tears, and your eyes were red from all the crying you did before you left your apartment to meet Jimin.

This was the time when he noticed them, and that’s it. The desolate face you had, those deep red eyes that cried out for Jimin's love, made him fall in love with you all over again. With all these emotions weighing him down, now a feeling of losing you overtook him. At this moment, he felt an unbearable amount of regret.

Even though he had messed up in this relationship before, this time he wasn't lying, he couldn't even imagine seeing you with anyone else but him.

Initially, he was super sincere with his feelings, but he became distracted and he didn’t give you enough time, he became distant from you, he started coming home late, he didn't give you enough attention. As a result, he grew cold toward you.

It was the feelings of loss, the guilt, and remorse-a feeling that went through his mind as he imagined you in someone else's arms that made his feet shaky.

You also knew that the memories of your relationship would haunt you forever, those sweetest memories you shared with him, and those peaceful afternoons, when you felt safe in his embrace, would not let you live.

After reflecting on his own emotions, he finally gathered the courage to speak. "You are not going to leave me, are you?"

Silently staring at his face, you stared into his eyes deeply. Your eyes said a lot.

"Are your eyes telling the truth? I need an answer now." He said getting afraid of the emotions he was about to feel.

You nodded.

However, deep down you knew it wasn't true.

You knew although you might not be together, you know you will always love him forever because you know that true love cannot be replaced, you will never be the same about anyone again because, you can give away your heart only once, and you can also can’t deny the fact that he already earned it!

“Don’t hurt me, don’t leave me, please.” He said this as his hands almost came close to his face to hide his tears.

"No, please!" He yelled in disbelief.

As you began to walk away, the distance between you and him started to get larger and larger. The further you distanced yourself, the more he was hurt.

“Stop, I want you to hear me one last time"

Your attention was immediately caught, and you wondered what he was going to say next.

“I would like you to at least fulfill my last wish"

You agreed.

As he whipped his tears with his hoodie sleeve, he said, “Can you kiss me, one last time, that’s all I ask for”.

Upon hearing these words, you felt your heartache as you tried to hide the arousing tears that were about to fall from your eyes. You tried your best to hide the tears, but you could not.

All of this was his mistake, and he knew it.

With him stepping closer, he removed the distance between both of you. He cradled your hand, and you could see his eyes were filled with sincerity.

Afterward, he took your face in his hands, pecked your cheeks, and placed a gentle kiss on your lips, which made your eyes all watery, and made you reconsider your decision.

Despite the fact that the kiss lasted for one minute, you freed yourself from his grasp. You stepped backward again, seeing him cry relentlessly. You couldn't bear to see him in such pain but you had no choice.

You ran away from him wiping your tears off, as you left him kneeling down on the ground screaming your name.

tempted (유혹) — park jimin (박지민)

✧.* 18+

love, in its purest form, was an ethereal dance between two souls that transcended the physical realm. it was the whispered secret shared between the stars and the moon, the silent promise that echoed in the heartbeats of those destined to find one another. soulmates were not just lovers but mirrors reflecting the deepest parts of ourselves—our hopes, fears, dreams, and shadows. they were the gentle caress in the quiet moments, the unwavering support in times of turmoil, and the spark that ignited the fire within us to be more, to feel more, to live more.

the bond between soulmates was an intricate tapestry woven with threads of fate, time, and serendipity. each thread represented a moment, a memory, a shared breath that brought them closer together, intertwining their lives in ways that defied logic and reason. it was a connection felt in the marrow of one's bones, a magnetic pull that drew two individuals together despite the miles, the years, the obstacles that lay between them.

but as we looked closer, we began to see the delicate, almost fragile nature of this connection. love, we realized, was a mere feeling—a powerful, all-consuming emotion, yet still a feeling. it was something that existed in the softest corners of our hearts, in the whispered three words, and the stolen glances, and yet it was fleeting, ephemeral. it was an entity that could lift us to the heavens one moment and leave us stranded in the abyss the next. love was something existent yet nonexistent, a paradox that defined the human experience.

in the end, love was a feeling—nothing more, nothing less. it was a sensation that, while real and profound, was also transient, capable of fading away like the morning mist. love was, and always would be, a testament to the beauty and fragility of human connection.

but what good did that do, when you didn't believe in it? you watched your parents' marriage crumble, each piece of their once-shared life falling apart like a house of cards in a storm. the warmth that had once filled your home turned cold, replaced by silence and resentment. you spent most of your life blaming your mother, seeing her as the catalyst for the disintegration of the love you once knew. her actions, her decisions, her words—all seemed to be the threads unraveling the fabric of your family.

yet, as time went on, you began to see the truth more clearly. in the end, it took two to tango. your father was not without fault; his silence, his absence, his own choices played just as significant a role. the love that once seemed unbreakable had been weakened by both their hands, by misunderstandings and unmet needs, by the slow erosion of patience and kindness. it was a dance they both had learned to stumble through, each step further away from harmony.

the corridors of your new school stretched before you like a labyrinth of polished floors and pristine walls, echoing with the muted whispers of privilege. this high-end, private institution was a realm of immaculate uniforms and designer handbags, a place where status was measured not just by wealth but by the veneer of propriety. you had the fortune to attend this school because of your mother's money, a privilege that came with its own set of burdens. with more money came higher prices, not just in currency but in reputation and expectation.

you had transferred there, seeking refuge from the torment that had plagued your previous school. the memories of harassment lingered like shadows in your mind. the taunts of those girls echoed in your ears, their voices dripping with cruelty. “look at her, the daughter of a hostess. like mother, like daughter, huh?” their words were knives, each one aimed to cut deeper than the last. you remembered the sting of cold water as your head was dunked in the sink, the bitter taste of humiliation as you struggled to breathe. your locker had been defaced with vile words—“slut,” “whore,” “like mother like daughter”—each insult scrawled in angry letters. and the final blow, the moment that broke your resolve, was when your lunch was dumped on you in the cafeteria, laughter ringing in your ears as you stood there, drenched in shame.

the move had been meant to be a fresh start, a chance to escape the ghosts of your past. but even here, the whispers never ceased. as you walked down the halls, you could hear them, soft and insidious, just out of reach. your friend, walked beside you, her presence a comforting anchor in the sea of judgment. “ignore them,” she would say, her voice steady. “most of their families are involved in worse things.” you nodded, offering her a reassuring smile. “i’ll be fine,” you told her, even as the whispers brushed against your skin like a cold breeze.

jisoo’s eyes flickered to the designer handbag slung over your shoulder. “nice bag,” she complimented, a genuine smile lighting up her face. “thanks,” you replied, your smile small but sincere.

she leaned closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “you know, money isn’t forever. you should consider getting engaged soon.” you shook your head, the idea almost laughable. “no way. i don’t believe in love. it doesn’t exist.”

jisoo raised an eyebrow, a knowing glint in her eye. “duh. why do you think people get married for money?” the absurdity of it all brought laughter to your lips, a rare sound in the cold halls of this school. the two of you laughed together, a moment of genuine connection amidst the façade. you walked down the halls side by side, her presence a reminder that even in the midst of whispers and judgment, there were still moments of light to hold onto.

jimin stood basking in the midday sun, the golden rays highlighting the flawless contours of his face. he was surrounded by his friends, an entourage of privileged and spoiled teenagers who reveled in their own opulence. among them was his girlfriend and the undisputed queen of their circle. sua thrived on attention, money, and the luxuries that her wealth afforded her. her laugh was a sharp, crystalline sound, slicing through the air as she regaled her audience with yet another tale of her extravagant exploits.

it was then that you walked by, your presence commanding a quiet elegance that contrasted starkly with the raucous group. the sunlight caressed your features, illuminating your every step with a radiance that caught jimin's eye. he watched you, his gaze unyielding, captivated by the sight of you moving through the world with a grace that seemed almost otherworldly. “who’s that?” one of his friends asked, breaking the spell as his curious eyes followed jimin’s line of sight.

sua’s eyes narrowed as she traced jimin’s unwavering gaze. her expression faltered, and a wave of unease washed over her. the pit of her stomach dropped as she laid eyes on you. scoffing, she tried to mask her discomfort with disdain. “you must be living under a rock if you don’t know who that is.” her words only heightened the tension among the group. jimin’s friend looked genuinely puzzled. “who?”

with a withering look, she introduced your name, her tone dripping with condescension. “that’s the daughter of the hostess club owner. her mother used to work there too.” disbelief rippled through the group. whispers spread like wildfire, but jimin’s gaze remained locked on you, unblinking, as if you were the only person in the world. “you’re serious?” his friend’s voice was incredulous.

sua continued, her voice louder now, tinged with a cruel satisfaction. “yeah, her mother owned an underground hostess club. it was part of poseidon hotel until it got shut down. then her husband divorced her.” the shock among their friends was palpable. “what’s she doing here, then?”

she scoffed, her eyes glinting with malicious glee. “she must’ve thought this school was a safe haven.” she paused, a sneer curling her lips. “but she’s dead wrong.”

jimin barely registered a word she said. his focus was entirely on you, a smile slowly forming on his lips. he watched you as you walked, each step you took reinforcing his fascination. in that moment, you were the epitome of resilience and grace, a stark contrast to the superficiality surrounding him. and as the whispers and judgments swirled around him, he found himself more drawn to you than ever, intrigued by the story that lay beneath your serene exterior.

as you walked through the sunlit halls, a sense of calm washed over you despite the whispers and sideways glances. you were accustomed to the stares, the judgment, the endless cycle of whispers that followed you like a shadow. yet, as you moved forward, you felt a pair of eyes on you that seemed different—intense, unwavering.

you turned your head slightly and your eyes met his. jimin’s gaze was piercing, a curious mix of intrigue and admiration. his presence was magnetic, and for a moment, everything else faded into the background. the noise, the whispers, the world—it all seemed to vanish as you locked eyes with him. “jisoo, who is that?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper.

she glanced in the direction you were looking and scoffed, her disdain evident. “that’s jimin. son of park and co.,” she said, her tone dripping with disbelief. “he’s obnoxious, selfish, and a complete pain in the ass. not to mention, he’s dating kang sua. they’re both equally corrupt—a match made in heaven.” you glanced back at him, who hadn’t taken his eyes off you. his friends, taehyung and jaebum, were laughing and joking around him, their behavior loud and almost childlike. jisoo noticed the way your gaze lingered on jimin and sighed.

“look,” she said, her voice firm, “keep your distance from him. his type is nothing but trouble.” the bell rang, signaling the end of your brief moment of curiosity. she tugged gently at your arm, her voice softening. “come on, it’s time for class.”

you followed her, your thoughts lingering on jimin’s gaze and the strange connection you felt in that brief moment. the halls were bustling with students heading to their next classes, but your mind was elsewhere, replaying the encounter over and over. jisoo kept talking, her voice a steady stream of background noise as she led you through the corridors. “trust me, you don’t want to get involved with him or his friends. they’re all bad news.”

you nodded absently, but the memory of his eyes—intense and unwavering—remained with you. as you took your seat in the classroom, you couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of something far more complex and intertwined than you could have ever anticipated.

class began, and the room settled into a hush as the professor walked to the front and began writing on the board. her chalk traced out a single word in elegant, flowing script. love. the silence deepened as she turned to face the class, her expression thoughtful. “today, we’ll discuss the principle of love,” she announced, her voice carrying a gentle authority. “i want to hear your opinions, your experiences, your definitions. love is complex, multifaceted, and personal. let’s start with you, kang sua.”

sua straightened in her seat, her demeanor poised and confident. “love conquers all,” she declared, her voice smooth and rehearsed. “it’s the most powerful force in the world. when you truly love someone, you can overcome any obstacle together.” the professor nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. “thank you, sua. that’s a very traditional perspective.” she turned to another student. “jung jisoo, how about you?”

she grinned, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “love is just a contract. there should be money involved to make it worthwhile,” she quipped, earning a ripple of laughter from the class. the professor chuckled, shaking her head slightly. “always the pragmatist, jisoo. alright, park jimin, what’s your take on love?”

his gaze was still fixed on you, his eyes unreadable. “love is cruel, blind, and unexpected,” he said, his voice steady and low. “especially at first sight.” sua scoffed next to him, her irritation evident, but he didn’t waver, his eyes never leaving yours. the professor’s eyes followed jimin’s gaze to you, and she smiled warmly. “and what about our new student? would you like to share your thoughts on love?”

you felt a dozen pairs of eyes on you as you stood up, but you kept your composure. “love is just an illusion,” you began, your voice soft but clear. “it’s a beautiful, intricate mirage that we chase, believing it will fulfill us. but in the end, it’s fleeting and fragile, existing only as long as we believe in it. it's precisely why we shouldn't believe in it.” the room was silent for a moment, absorbing your words. the professor nodded, her eyes thoughtful. “thank you. such a variety of perspectives. love truly is a complex subject.”

as you took your seat, you turned slightly and locked eyes with jimin. his expression softened, and he offered you a sweet smile that seemed to hold a thousand unspoken words. next to him, sua’s glare was sharp and unyielding, her eyes filled with a mix of jealousy and disdain. the rest of the class passed in a blur, your thoughts tangled with the exchange of ideas and the intensity of jimin’s gaze. the whispers and judgments seemed to fade into the background, replaced by a new, inexplicable connection that left you feeling both intrigued and wary.

the bell rang, its sharp chime echoing through the classroom. students began to gather their belongings, the hum of conversation rising as they prepared to exit. you stood up, feeling the weight of their lingering gazes, and gathered your books. as you moved towards the door, you caught sight of sua stopping jimin, her manicured hand lightly gripping his arm.

“jimin, wait,” she said, her voice smooth but edged with irritation. he paused, turning to face her. she adjusted the collar of his shirt, her eyes narrowing as she spoke. “you seemed to be lost in thought at the sight of her,” she remarked, her glare piercing. “is she that pretty?”

he shook his head slightly, his expression guarded. “it’s not that,” he replied, his voice calm. her lips curled into a thin smile. “a shame, because i had a proposal for you.”

his curiosity was piqued. “what is it?”

sua tilted her head, her eyes never leaving his. “do you love me?” she asked, her tone deceptively sweet. his gaze softened. “of course, i do.”

she leaned closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “then if you love me, you’ll do me this favor.” his brows furrowed. “what do you want?”

her eyes flickered with a dangerous gleam. “the hostess’s daughter seemed to have a poor outlook on love,” she began, her words dripping with malice. “tempt her, make her feel loved.” jimin’s eyes widened in disbelief. “are you serious?”

her smile grew colder. “tempt her, and break her down even more,” she continued, her voice unwavering. “only if you love me.”

jimin hesitated, his gaze searching her face. “why do you hate her so much?” he asked quietly. her expression darkened, her eyes briefly clouded with an emotion she quickly masked. “don’t worry about it,” she replied, her tone dismissive. “i just need to know whose side you’re on.”

his jaw tightened, a storm of conflicting emotions swirling within him. after a moment, he nodded. “alright, sua. i’ll do my best.” her smile returned, her grip on his arm loosening. “good,” she said, satisfaction evident in her voice. “that’s all i needed to hear.”

as they walked out of the classroom together, you watched them, unaware of the twisted plan unfolding. jimin’s eyes met yours one last time, his expression unreadable, while sua’s glare remained cold and calculating. the weight of the coming days hung heavily in the air, the delicate balance of your new life poised on the edge of a precipice.

as you walked towards the bathroom, the bustling noise of the school faded behind you. the bathroom was a surprising oasis of cleanliness and elegance, its marble countertops and polished fixtures starkly contrasting with the chaos you had just left. you approached the mirror, touching up your makeup with practiced precision, the brush of lipstick creating a vivid red against your lips.

the sound of heels clicking on the tiled floor interrupted your solitude. you glanced up in the reflection and saw sua’s cold, piercing gaze meeting yours. she walked with deliberate steps to the sink beside yours, her movements graceful and deliberate. she pulled out a tube of lipstick from her designer makeup set and began applying it with the same meticulous care you had shown moments before.

her eyes flickered to you, a smirk playing at the corners of her lips. “dior?” she said, her tone dripping with condescension. “expensive lipstick. seems like you have taste.” you met her gaze in the mirror, lifting an eyebrow. “yeah, seems like you do too,” you replied, nodding towards her own luxurious makeup set.

for a brief moment, her expression softened, and she gave you a polite nod. “thank you,” she said, the hint of warmth in her voice seeming almost genuine. but her demeanor changed abruptly, the warmth vanishing as quickly as it had appeared. “only mine wasn’t bought with the money of a whore,” she added, her voice laced with venom. “can you believe it?”

without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel and walked out, her heels clicking sharply as she disappeared down the hallway. you stood frozen, the sting of her words lingering as you stared at your reflection, struggling to process the encounter. as you made your way towards your locker, trying to shake off the shock, you heard a new voice call out behind you. “ignore her. she isn’t worth it.”

you turned to find jimin approaching, a smile on his face that seemed almost too genuine. you raised an eyebrow, skepticism evident in your gaze. “that’s not a nice thing to say about your girlfriend.” his smile widened, but there was a glimmer of mischief in his eyes. “she isn’t my girlfriend, can you believe it?” he said, his voice carrying an edge of amusement.

you stared at him, disbelief etched on your face. “she isn’t?” jimin shook his head. “no, she was nothing more than a friend. nothing more,” he reiterated, his tone casual but loaded with meaning.

you nodded slowly, taking in the revelation. the weight of his words settled over you, but before you could respond, he continued. “i heard your speech in class. isn’t that a bit pessimistic of you?” you scoffed, shaking your head slightly. “there’s a difference between pessimism and realism,” you said, your voice carrying an edge of finality. with that, you turned on your heel and walked away, your thoughts swirling with the day’s events. he watched you leave, his smile fading into a thoughtful expression. the challenge of seducing you, he realized, was more complex than he had anticipated.

as you navigated the bustling halls and classrooms of your new school, jimin's presence remained a constant, subtle influence. each encounter seemed to unravel new layers of his enigmatic demeanor. one afternoon, you dropped your pencil as you were collecting your things from your desk. jimin, who had been seated nearby, swiftly picked it up and extended it towards you with a polite smile.

“you dropped this,” he said softly, his eyes meeting yours with a glint of genuine warmth. “thank you,” you replied, accepting the pencil. the gesture, though small, felt surprisingly considerate.

a few days later, you were walking through the school courtyard when jimin approached you. his gaze lingered on your hair, which had been styled into soft waves that day. “your hair looks great today,” he said casually, his voice smooth and appreciative. “it suits you.” you glanced at him, taken aback by the compliment. “thanks,” you said, a faint smile tugging at your lips.

later that week, as you were struggling with a particularly heavy door while juggling your books, he appeared beside you, effortlessly holding the door open. “need some help?” he asked, his tone light but his gaze steady. you nodded, murmuring a grateful “yes, please,” as you passed through the door. he held it open until you were safely through, his smile never wavering. “no problem,” he said, his tone as warm as his smile.

despite his seemingly small acts of chivalry, you remained cautious, unsure of his true intentions. as the sun began to set, you walked home with jisoo by your side. the day’s interactions with jimin weighed heavily on your mind. jisoo turned to you with a mixture of disbelief and curiosity. “i can’t believe he was—so nice to you,” she said, her brows furrowing. “and he said he isn’t dating sua?”

you nodded, still processing the events. “yeah, he told me he wasn’t dating her. it was surprising.” she shook her head, her skepticism evident. “i swear i saw them holding hands. maybe i was wrong. it’s hard to keep track of everyone’s alliances here.”

as you neared your home, the familiar, somewhat shabby house came into view. jisoo practically burst through the door, greeting your mother with a burst of enthusiasm. “hi, mrs. (l/n)! it’s so good to see you!” your mother looked up from her work, her expression softening slightly as she took in jisoo’s exuberance. “at least one of you is happy to see me,” she remarked, her voice carrying a hint of wistfulness.

you forced a smile, though the tension between you and your mother still lingered beneath the surface. her activities had tainted the perception others had of you, casting a long shadow over your life. though you had ceased to resent her, the scars of the past remained. your mother turned to jisoo, her demeanor brightening. “are you staying the night?”

she nodded enthusiastically, her smile radiant. “yes, i am. i’ll help with lunch, too.” as she hugged you warmly, you couldn’t help but appreciate her presence. her support was a comforting constant in the whirlwind of your new life. the door closed behind you, the evening settling into a quiet rhythm of familiarity and routine, punctuated by the soft, reassuring hum of home.

the aroma of homemade dishes filled the kitchen as you, jisoo, and your mother gathered around the dining table. the meal was a comforting array of flavors, a stark contrast to the coldness of the school environment. laughter and the clinking of cutlery provided a soothing background to the conversation.

jisoo broke the comfortable silence, in a lively manner. “oh, by the way, i almost forgot to tell you,” she began, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she turned to your mother. “your daughter has a not-so-secret admirer.”

you shot her a warning glance, your cheeks flushing slightly. “knock it off,” you warned, trying to downplay the remark. your mother, who had been quietly enjoying her meal, looked up with an intrigued expression. “really?” she asked, her tone a mixture of curiosity and surprise. “who is it?”

you shrugged, attempting to brush off the topic. “it’s nobody important. he was just being nice.” your mother’s eyes narrowed slightly, her interest clearly piqued. “being nice is more than enough given the reputation our family has. who is it?”

jisoo chimed in before you could intervene. “it’s park jimin, the son of park and co.” at the mention of the name, your mother’s expression shifted noticeably. her eyes widened slightly, and a fleeting look of discomfort crossed her face. “is that true?” she asked, her voice laced with apprehension.

you shook your head, feeling a pang of frustration as you shot jisoo a stern glare. “he’s just being nice, mom. nothing more.” your mother’s expression remained tense, and she murmured, almost to herself, “let’s hope that’s all it is.” you chose not to press the issue further, sensing that there was more to her reaction than she was willing to share. the conversation veered back to more mundane topics, but the earlier unease lingered in the air.

as the meal continued, your phone buzzed on the table, drawing your attention. you glanced at the screen and saw a message from an unknown number. the text was brief, its content ambiguous: “you looked gorgeous today.” your heart skipped a beat, and you felt a rush of curiosity mixed with apprehension. the timing was too coincidental, given the conversation you’d just had. you stared at the message for a moment, trying to process the sudden shift in your day.

jisoo noticed your distraction and leaned in, her curiosity evident. “who’s that?” you hesitated before replying, “it’s just someone from school.” you kept your tone casual, though the tension of the moment was hard to ignore. your mother looked at you with a mixture of concern and curiosity, but she didn’t press further. the conversation resumed, but the atmosphere had changed subtly. the content of the message weighed on your mind, leaving you to ponder.

as the evening settled into a calm hush, you retreated to your room, a sanctuary of tranquility amidst the day's turmoil. the room was dimly lit, the soft glow of a lamp casting gentle shadows on the walls. jisoo, lounging comfortably on your bed, was indulging in a face mask, her eyes peeking out from behind the mask’s fabric.

you sat at your desk, absorbed in the glow of your laptop screen, fingers poised over the keyboard. the message from jimin lingered in your mind, and you began typing a reply, seeking clarity. “how did you get my number?” you inquired, your fingers hesitating slightly as you considered the implications of his response.

from her spot on the bed, jisoo watched you intently, her curiosity barely contained. “so, who’s the mysterious texter?” she asked, her voice muffled by the mask. you sighed, glancing at her. “it’s jimin. somehow, he managed to get my number.”

her eyes widened in surprise, and she adjusted her face mask, which had slipped askew. “how'd he get your number? do you have any idea?” you shook your head. “that’s what i’m trying to figure out.”

the reply from jimin arrived almost immediately. the message was as enigmatic as ever: “a gentleman never reveals his tricks.” you chuckled softly at the message, finding a hint of amusement in his playful secrecy. jisoo, intrigued, leaned closer. “did he reply?”

you nodded, reading out his words. “he said, ‘a gentleman never reveals his tricks.’” her eyebrows shot up, her expression a mix of disbelief and concern. “what a psycho. what if he’s watching us right now?”

you laughed lightly, shaking your head. “lay off the slasher movies. i’m sure he’s not lurking around.” you climbed into bed next to her, feeling the comfort of her presence.

her face was a mask of worry, despite the relaxation of the evening. “i’m serious,” she said, her voice earnest. “you should really avoid people like him. they’re trouble.” you turned on your side to face her, the warmth of the room contrasting with the tension of your conversation. “there’s something about him that draws me in,” you admitted, your voice soft but resolute.

she scoffed, her expression both teasing and concerned. “it’s just hormones. you’re probably caught up in the excitement of it all. maybe you should consider visiting a priest or something.” you gave her a playful shove, though her words resonated with a kernel of truth. “oh, come on. it’s not that serious.” despite the light-hearted banter, a part of you recognized the challenge of avoiding someone like jimin. his presence, enigmatic and alluring, had already begun to weave itself into the fabric of your daily life, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the pull he exerted on you.

the morning sun cast a golden glow over the school's fields as students gathered for their physical education class. the crisp air carried with it a sense of anticipation and a touch of chill. you walked alongside jisoo, who was grumbling with an exaggerated sigh. “running around at eight in the morning is basically child slavery,” she complained, her voice dripping with melodrama.

you chuckled, finding amusement in her theatrics. “use that for your college essay. sounds like a hit.” she shot you a playful glare before returning to her grumbling. “and these skirts are way too short for this kind of weather. i can practically feel my ovaries freezing.”

you laughed, shaking your head. “you should sell them while they’re frozen.” as you approached the equipment, your gaze fell upon jimin. he stood on the court in a crisp white shirt and sweatpants, the sunlight highlighting the confident smile on his lips as he noticed you. you met his gaze with a smile of your own, but jisoo’s whining pulled you back to the present. “that’s not a bad idea,” she muttered as you both moved to grab the tennis rackets.

the field was soon filled with the rhythmic thwack of tennis balls and the shuffling of sneakers against the ground. you and jisoo took your positions, the coach calling out encouragements and praise as you warmed up, suggesting you to join the team. you excelled at tennis, each stroke precise and powerful, as though the sport was second nature to you. the coach’s praise was a testament to your skill, and he urged you to consider joining the team. jisoo, panting slightly, looked at you with a mix of admiration and exhaustion. “you should definitely do it,” she encouraged, her voice earnest.

before you could offer her help, a voice interrupted your concentration. you turned to see jimin standing nearby, his eyes gleaming with a challenge. “star player,” he called out, “how about you play against me?” surprise flickered across your face, but you nodded, accepting the challenge. the students gathered around, their murmurs and cheers creating a buzz of excitement in the air. the court became a stage, with the intensity of the match drawing everyone’s attention.

the game began, and you and jimin faced each other across the net. his movements were fluid and graceful, but there was a distinct edge to his play—a blend of skill and a hint of showmanship. each serve he delivered was precise, each return a test of your agility and strategy. you matched him stroke for stroke, your rackets slicing through the air with practiced ease. his eyes never left you as the match progressed. he adapted to your style, countering your moves with surprising finesse. the rally between you was a dance of athleticism and precision, the sound of the ball against the racket a rhythmic accompaniment to the growing tension. sweat glistened on both your foreheads as the game pushed both of you to your limits.

in a final, exhilarating exchange, you executed a perfect cross-court shot that jimin couldn’t quite reach. the ball landed just inside the boundary, and the whistle blew, signaling the end of the match. the crowd erupted into applause, their cheers blending into a single, enthusiastic roar.

he approached you, his smile genuine and admiring. “congrats,” he said, his voice warm. “you really are the star player.” you met his gaze, smiling in return. “you’re the star opponent.”

jisoo, standing beside you, couldn’t resist a final jab. “looks like he finally found something he sucks at,” she scoffed, her tone playful. he laughed, the sound light and carefree. “i’ll take that as a compliment,” he replied, his gaze lingering on you for a moment longer before he joined his friends.

you and jisoo sat in the bustling cafeteria, the noise of lunchtime chatter surrounding you. as you indulged in your lunch, you both found yourselves engrossed in a seemingly pointless debate. “so, if you could choose between never having to sleep again or never needing to eat again, which would you pick?” she asked, her tone light and her gaze almost empty-headed.

you considered it for a moment before responding, “definitely never needing to eat again. imagine all the time you’d save.” she laughed, shaking her head. “think of all the delicious food you’d miss out on. i’d choose sleep, no contest.”

as you continued your discussion, sua and her entourage swept into the cafeteria, their presence commanding attention. her eyes narrowed when she spotted you, a smirk spreading across her lips. she strode over with an air of practiced arrogance, her friends trailing behind. without a word, she plopped down across from you, her eyes glinting with a mixture of challenge and disdain. jisoo, clearly unimpressed, looked up from her meal. “what do you want?”

her smile widened, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “up to your friend. is bottle service included?” the cafeteria buzzed with murmurs and sidelong glances, the scene quickly drawing attention. you raised an eyebrow, matching her tone with a taunting edge. “how about a lap dance? is that enough?”

her expression darkened, her eyes flashing with irritation. “you seem cheap enough for one,” she snapped. with a sudden, aggressive motion, she pushed your tray onto your lap, sending your food tumbling onto your clothes. the sudden mess caused a gasp to ripple through the nearby tables. jisoo’s face turned pale with anger. “you must be out of your mind,” she growled, her voice trembling with rage.

before she could escalate the situation further, the cafeteria fell into an uneasy silence as jimin walked in, his presence instantly commanding attention. he scanned the room, his eyes quickly locking onto the commotion at your table. “what’s going on here?” he asked, his voice carrying a note of authority. sua’s lips curled into a smirk as she replied, “just closing a deal.”

his gaze flickered between sua and you, a look of concern crossing his features. without waiting for her response, he reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her aside. his tone was firm and edged with frustration. “are you done here?” she huffed, her expression defiant. “i haven’t even started.”

jimin glanced back at your table, his eyes searching for you, but you had already stood up, brushing off the remnants of food from your clothes and gathering your things. you felt jisoo’s concerned gaze on you as you hurriedly made your way out of the cafeteria. he turned back to sua, his expression serious. “tone it down,” he said tersely. he began to follow in your direction, his concern palpable.

as he followed you, the cafeteria’s murmur of astonishment faded into the background, leaving you to navigate the hallways with a mixture of determination and unease. jisoo stayed close behind, her presence a comforting reminder of the support you had. you didn’t stick around to see what happened next. you slipped out of the cafeteria, the humiliation burning in your cheeks. you found yourself in an empty hallway, scrubbing at the stains on your skirt and blouse with a moist tissue. the tears threatened to spill over, but you fought them back, determined not to let sua win.

“you’re doing it wrong.”

the voice startled you, and you looked up to see jimin approaching. he knelt beside you, gently taking the tissue from your hand. “let me,” he said softly, wiping your uniform with surprising precision and gentleness. “she’s just jealous of you, you know,” he murmured as he worked.

you scoffed, shaking your head. “she has nothing to be jealous of.” he glanced up at you, a small smile playing on his lips. “that’s what you think.”

you watched him, the way his hands moved with careful attention, and a strange sensation stirred within you. it was something you couldn’t quite name, something warm and fluttering in your chest and stomach. “why are you being so nice to me?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper. “given my reputation and all.”

he paused, his eyes meeting yours. “everyone has their flaws,” he said simply. he smiled again, a genuine, heartwarming smile. “it wouldn’t be fair for such a pretty girl to have no flaws, right?” the unexpected compliment made you feel a rush of emotions. you couldn’t help but smile back at him, the warmth spreading through you. his kindness felt like a beacon of light in your turbulent world, and you found yourself drawn to him in a way you hadn’t anticipated.

the biology classroom buzzed with the low hum of student chatter, the scent of textbooks and lingering antiseptic filling the air. you took your seat beside jisoo, still feeling the sting of the cafeteria incident, though you tried to push it to the back of your mind. she leaned over, her voice a quiet murmur. “are you okay? i swear, i’ll kill her for what she did.”

you managed a small smile, the ghost of amusement flickering in your eyes. “i’m fine. i’ll even help you hide the body.” she grinned, though the worry didn’t leave her eyes. before either of you could say more, the professor strode into the room, commanding immediate attention. he was a tall, thin man with a perpetually serious expression, his glasses perched precariously on the edge of his nose.

“good afternoon, class,” he began, his voice cutting through the remaining whispers. “today, we’re starting a new project, one that will make up half of your final grade.” a collective groan rippled through the room, jisoo’s being the loudest.

“i hate science,” she muttered beside you. “everyone should just turn to God instead.” you might have laughed at her comment, but your attention was elsewhere. across the room, jimin sat with a soft smile playing on his lips, his eyes locking onto yours. the connection was brief but charged, a silent exchange that made your heart skip a beat.

the professor continued, oblivious to the undercurrents running through his classroom. “this project will involve both theoretical research and practical application. you will be studying various biological processes and their implications. each pair will be assigned a specific topic, which you’ll need to explore in depth. your presentation should include a detailed report and a demonstration of your findings.”

as he spoke, you barely registered his words, your mind preoccupied with the inexplicable pull towards jimin. it wasn’t until jisoo’s exaggerated whine broke through your thoughts that you snapped back to reality. “that’s not fair,” she protested. you turned to her, puzzled. “what are you talking about?”

her eyes were wide with disbelief as she leaned closer. “you’ve been partnered up with jimin.” your gaze flicked back to him, who was still looking at you with that infuriatingly soft smile. the professor’s voice droned on, repeating the importance of the project and its significant impact on your final grade.

next to jimin, sua scoffed loudly enough for those nearby to hear. “you must be ecstatic,” she spat. he turned to her, his expression a mix of frustration and confusion. “i have no idea what you’re talking about.”

she sneered, her eyes cold. “i see the way you look at her.” his frustration was evident as he shot back, “i’m only doing what you wanted.” her sneer deepened, but there was something in her eyes, a flicker of something almost like hurt, that she quickly masked with disdain. the tension between them was palpable, and you couldn’t help but feel caught in the crossfire of their unspoken conflict.

as the class went on, the professor handed out assignment sheets, detailing the topics and expectations for each pair. you glanced at the paper, trying to focus on the task at hand, but your mind kept drifting back to jimin. there was something about him, something beyond his charming smile and easy demeanor, that intrigued you. after class, jisoo grabbed your arm, her expression a mix of worry and excitement. “are you okay with this? i mean, working with him?”

you nodded slowly, still processing the unexpected turn of events. “i guess i don’t have much of a choice, do i?” she sighed, shaking her head. “just be careful, okay? i don’t trust him. or sua, for that matter.”

you squeezed her hand reassuringly. “i’ll be fine. it’s just a project.” but even as you said the words, you knew that it was more than just a project. it was an entanglement, a thread pulling you deeper into a web of intrigue and emotion. and as you walked out of the classroom, jimin’s gaze followed you, a silent promise of complications yet to come.

the library was a sanctuary of quiet, filled with the scent of old books and the soft rustling of pages turning. you wandered the aisles, collecting the necessary books for your biology project, the weight of their knowledge promising to lighten your academic burden. reaching for a particularly thick volume on a high shelf, you stretched on your toes, your fingers just grazing the spine when a hand reached up beside yours and plucked it effortlessly.

turning to protest, you found yourself face to face with jimin. he handed you the book with a small, teasing smile. “here you go,” he said. “thanks,” you replied, taking the book and trying to ignore the flutter in your chest. you moved to find a table, and he followed, his presence a constant, warm shadow.

as you settled into your seats, he broke the silence. “i have to admit, i don’t know much about biology. to be honest, it’s all a bit of a mystery to me.” you laughed, the sound light and genuine. “don’t worry, i’ll get you through it.”

you opened the books and began taking notes, trying to focus on the complex terms and diagrams. jimin, however, seemed more interested in watching you. every so often, you’d catch him glancing your way, a soft, thoughtful look in his eyes. at one point, he peered over your shoulder, reading aloud from the book.

“‘oxytocin,’” he said, his voice low and smooth, “‘a hormone that contributes to the biological process that stimulates the feeling of love.’” for a second, your eyes met, and a rush of warmth spread through you. you tried to push past it, scoffing lightly. “see? it’s just hormones.”

he leaned back in his chair, an amused glint in his eyes. “you really don’t believe in love, do you?” you hesitated, the question cutting deeper than you expected. shaking your head, you tried to muster a nonchalant response. “not really.”

his curiosity piqued, he leaned in closer, folding his arms over the book. “why not?” for the first time, someone had actually asked why, and it took you a moment to find your voice. your heart beat a little faster as you began. “because—”

you paused, the memories flooding back. “i used to believe in it, while my parents were together. then, my mother did what she did.” you laughed, but there was no humor in it. “it seemed like nothing was more important than money. not shame, not her family. and when dad left us, it ruined me, but all she cared about was making money.”

his expression softened, and he reached out to take your hand. his touch was gentle, sending shockwaves through you. “that sounds rough, but it won’t always be rough. if you’re not tempted by the wrong things, you’ll always end up with the right things.” you couldn’t help but ease into the warmth of his hand, the connection grounding you. “how do we know what the right thing is?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper.

jimin smiled, giving your hand a reassuring squeeze. “you’ll know when you feel it.” and in that moment, you swore you felt it. the sincerity in his eyes, the warmth of his touch—it was like a spark of something genuine, something real. for the first time in a long while, you allowed yourself to believe, if only for a fleeting second, that maybe, just maybe, there was something more.

the sun dipped low in the sky as you walked home, the air crisp and cool, carrying the scents of autumn. jimin strolled beside you, his hands tucked casually in his pockets. the conversation flowed easily, punctuated by comfortable silences that felt more like shared moments of understanding than lapses. as your house came into view, you turned to say goodbye, but your words caught in your throat as your mother stepped out onto the porch.

her face lit up with a welcoming smile. “you’re back later than usual,” she remarked, before turning her gaze to jimin. “and who might this be?”

he smiled politely and took a step forward. “i’m sorry, ma’am. we were studying together. i’m park jimin.” for a moment, your mother’s face seemed to freeze, her smile faltering as she examined him closely. “you look so much like your father,” she murmured, shaking her head as if to clear away old memories. her smile returned, albeit a bit more strained. “would you like to stay over for lunch, jimin?”

you blinked, glancing between the two of them, taken aback by her invitation. his laughter was nervous but genuine as he nodded. “i’d love to. thank you.”

inside, the house was warm, the kitchen filled with the comforting aroma of simmering soup and freshly baked bread. you helped your mother set the table, the clinking of dishes a soothing background noise. when you placed a bowl in front of jimin, your eyes met, and your heart fluttered inexplicably.

lunch was a quiet, intimate affair. your mother had outdone herself, serving a hearty meal that seemed to ease some of the tension in the air. jimin praised the food, and your mother’s smile was genuine this time, the warmth in her eyes reflecting her pride. “so, jimin,” your mother began, her tone conversational but probing, “i suppose you’ve heard about the scandal.”

he paused, his spoon halfway to his mouth, before setting it down gently. “i’ve heard a bit, yes,” he replied, his voice careful. “but it’s nothing to worry about. these things blow over soon enough.” you tensed at the mention of it, your appetite waning. your mother noticed and gave you a reassuring look before turning back to him. “you’re quite understanding. my daughter mentioned you not too long ago.”

you felt your cheeks burn as you scolded her softly, “mom, please.” jimin’s eyes sparkled with amusement, and he turned to you, an eyebrow raised. “oh, really?”

your embarrassment deepened, and you stammered, “it’s not a big deal.” your mother shook her head, her smile unwavering. “she’s never talked about a boy in her life. this is a big deal.”

jimin’s smile widened, his heart fluttering at the mention. “well, i’m honored,” he said softly, his gaze holding yours a moment longer than necessary. as the meal progressed, the conversation flowed easily. your mother seemed to warm up to him, her initial wariness melting away in the face of his genuine charm. he spoke about his interests, his plans for the future, and every so often, his eyes would flicker to you, as if seeking your approval.

as lunch came to an end, you found yourself reluctant to see jimin go. there was something about his presence that felt comforting, like a balm to your frayed nerves. when he finally stood to leave, your mother pressed a container of leftovers into his hands, insisting he take it. “thank you for having me,” he said, his voice sincere. “i really appreciate it.”

as you walked him to the door, you couldn’t help but feel a pang of longing. “thank you for today,” you said softly. he smiled, his eyes warm. “thank you for having me. i’ll see you at school?”

you nodded, unable to keep the smile from your lips. “see you at school.” and as he walked away, you felt a sense of anticipation, a feeling that perhaps, life was about to surprise you after all.

jimin walked the familiar path to his manor, the weight of the day pressing lightly on his shoulders. the estate loomed ahead, its grandeur a testament to his family’s status. as he entered, the smell of rich mahogany and leather filled his senses. his mother was seated on the couch, a glass of wine in hand, her expression turning to one of concern as she saw him.

“where have you been?” she asked, her voice soft but probing. his father, seated in his favorite armchair, eyed him cautiously. “studying for my upcoming project with a friend,” jimin replied, trying to keep his tone casual.

his father chuckled, a sound that held more skepticism than amusement. “studying, you say? snow must be forecasted for tomorrow.” jimin attempted to laugh it off, but his older sister chimed in. yura was a striking figure, a successful businesswoman who often indulged in wine with their mother. “a friend?” she queried, her tone laced with curiosity. “does this friend happen to be a girl?”

he tried to brush it off, maintaining his nonchalant demeanor. “yes, but she’s just a friend.” his mother’s brow furrowed slightly. “are you still seeing sua?” she asked, her concern evident.

jimin nodded, his voice steady. “yes, i am.”

“then why are you hanging out with other girls?” she pressed. before he could respond, his father intervened, his tone lighter. “he’s young. he has the right to have some fun.” this earned him skeptical glares from both his wife and daughter.

as jimin made his way up the grand staircase to his room, his mother’s voice followed him. “have you taken your pills?” his chest tightened at the reminder. “i’ll take them now,” he assured her.

“good,” she replied. “we don’t need another incident.” he felt a pang of unease at her words but continued to his room, closing the door behind him. the room was a sanctuary of sorts, a place where he could be himself. he crossed to his desk, where a bottle of pills stood as a stark reminder of his responsibilities. he frowned as he took one, the bitterness of the pill a sharp contrast to the sweetness of his earlier encounter with you.

but he couldn't dwell on the bitterness for long. the thought of you brought a warmth to his chest, a happiness that seemed to light up even the darkest corners of his mind. he plopped onto the couch, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. he couldn't help but think about your eyes, the way they sparkled when you talked about something you were passionate about, and the way your laughter seemed to fill the room with light. for a moment, the weight of his family's expectations, the pills, and the memories of past incidents faded into the background.

the following morning, the sun cast a gentle glow over the tennis courts, the light filtering through the early morning haze. you were already on the court, warming up and serving balls with precise, practiced motions. each serve sliced through the air, a testament to your skill and dedication. the rest of the students began to line up, their murmurs a quiet hum in the background.

you stopped in your tracks when you heard a familiar scoff. looking up, you saw sua standing at the edge of the court, her smirk as sharp as ever. “don't worry, it isn't lunch yet,” she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. she paused, her eyes narrowing. “let's see if you're as good as they say you are.”

you squared your shoulders, determination settling in your bones. the showdown began, each of you serving and returning the ball with fierce intensity. the rhythmic sound of tennis balls being struck echoed around the court, blending with the rising tension in the air. jimin walked onto the field, curiosity etched on his features. spotting jaebum, he asked, “what's going on?”

jaebum, eyes fixed on the game, replied, “your girlfriend’s getting her ass handed to her.” to his surprise, a smile played on jimin's lips as he watched you. your form was impeccable, each movement fluid and powerful. the way you played was mesmerizing, a dance of skill and tenacity. the match grew more intense. you blocked sua's attempts to send the ball flying past you, returning each one with precision. the final moment came when sua, out of frustration, aimed a ball straight at your face. you blocked it effortlessly, sending it back her way with a force she couldn’t match. she scrambled, but couldn't save it in time.

the court erupted in applause, but sua was far from gracious in defeat. ahe strode over to you, her expression dark. “you have a way with balls,” she sneered. “your mother taught you well.”

fed up, you closed the distance between you, your hand darting out and colliding with the side of her face. the sound echoed around the court, followed by a collective gasp from the students. “i've had just about enough of your shit,” you said, your voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through you.

her eyes widened in shock. “have you lost your mind?” she demanded, raising her hand to strike you back. you flinched, bracing for the impact, but it never came. instead, jimin's grip closed around sua's wrist, stopping her cold. your heart raced as you watched the scene unfold.

“she slapped me,” she practically shrieked, her voice filled with indignation. “did you see what she did?” jimin’s expression remained calm, almost amused. “yeah, maybe you should stop biting off more than you can chew.” he dropped her hand, leaving her stunned and speechless.

turning to you, he grabbed your wrist, his touch firm but gentle. “come on,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. “where are we going?” you asked, trying to keep up with his brisk pace.

“we're ditching school for the day,” he informed you, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. you opened your mouth to protest, but the words died on your lips. there was something about the way he led you away, the sense of freedom in breaking the rules just this once, that made it impossible to resist. the two of you walked off the field, leaving behind the shocked whispers and lingering tension of the court.

as you walked briskly beside him, you couldn’t help but ask, “why the sudden idea?” he stiffened slightly, his grip on your wrist loosening but not letting go entirely. “you seem like you need a break,” he replied, his voice softer than usual.

the tension from the tennis court gradually melted away as you both ventured into the city. the world outside school walls felt different, lighter, filled with possibilities. your steps slowed as you approached a quaint coffee shop. the scent of freshly brewed coffee wafted out as jimin held the door open for you. inside, the atmosphere was warm and inviting, the soft murmur of conversations blending with the clinking of cups.

you found a cozy corner by the window, and jimin ordered two lattes. when he returned with the steaming cups, he placed one in front of you and took a seat across the small table. “so,” he began, stirring his coffee thoughtfully, “tell me something about yourself that no one else knows.” you smiled, taking a sip of your latte. “i’m not as boring as people think,” you said, your tone playful.

he chuckled, a genuine smile lighting up his face. “i never thought you were boring.” the conversation flowed easily, laughter mingling with the aroma of coffee. you found yourself sharing stories, feeling a weight lift off your shoulders with each passing moment.

after leaving the coffee shop, you both wandered to a nearby park. the trees swayed gently in the breeze, their leaves whispering secrets to the wind. you found a bench beneath a large oak tree, its branches casting dappled shadows on the ground. jimin stretched out beside you, his gaze thoughtful. “you know,” he said, “sometimes you just need to let go and enjoy the little things.”

you nodded, watching as children played nearby, their laughter infectious. “i guess i’ve forgotten how to do that.” he turned to you, his eyes earnest. “then let’s remind you.”

the day seemed to pass in a blur of moments—feeding ducks at the pond, racing each other up a hill, and sharing stories beneath the shade of the old oak tree. each moment felt like a stolen piece of happiness, a reprieve from the usual chaos. as the afternoon sun dipped lower in the sky, jimin suggested one more stop. “let’s go to the beach,” he said, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

the beach was a short walk away, and the walk itself was filled with easy conversation and the hum of the active city. when you finally arrived, the sight of the sea stretching endlessly before you took your breath away. you kicked off your shoes, the cool sand seeping between your toes as you walked towards the shoreline. “i haven’t been to the beach in a long time,” you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper. “the last time i went was when my parents were still together.”

jimin’s gaze softened, and he brushed a strand of hair from your forehead. “you should come more often,” he said gently. you looked at him, a small smile playing on your lips. “why?”

he pointed to the sea, its waves lapping gently at the shore. “you’re as pretty as the sea.” you couldn’t help but blush, feeling warmth spread through your chest. “you’re not as awful as people say you are,” you said, your tone teasing.

he smiled, a hint of sadness in his eyes. “you have no idea.” curiosity piqued, you asked, “what do you mean by that?”

he shrugged, looking out at the horizon. “i’ve got a lot on my plate, too.” you were about to ask him what he meant, the words forming on your lips, when he cut you off with a gentle kiss on your forehead. the touch was soft, lingering, and it sent a rush of warmth through you. you were taken aback, your heart pounding in your chest. he noticed your surprise and smiled, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

“come on,” he said, taking your hand. “we have a project to study for.” the butterflies in your stomach refused to settle as you followed him, the day’s events playing over and over in your mind. the sun set in the distance, casting a golden glow over the beach, but all you could think about was the boy beside you.

you walked with him, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across the path as you approached his manor. the sight of the grand, imposing structure took your breath away, its sheer size and elegance making you feel small in comparison. jimin noticed your awe and smiled softly, guiding you through the expansive entrance. “welcome to my humble abode,” he joked, though there was a hint of something deeper in his eyes—perhaps a reluctance or discomfort with the grandeur of his home.

he led you through the hallways, each one more opulent than the last, until you reached his room. it was surprisingly simple compared to the rest of the house, a sanctuary of purity and calm. the walls were adorned with soft hues, the furniture understated yet elegant. your eyes landed on a series of framed baby photos on his bedside table. “is that you?” you asked, pointing to one of the photos.

he laughed, a sound that warmed the room. “yeah, that’s me. ibwasn’t that ugly, was i?” he teased, noticing your lingering gaze. “quite the opposite,” you said, sincerity in your voice. you were captivated by the innocence in the photo, a stark contrast to the composed young man beside you.

jimin picked up the photo you had been staring at, his fingers tracing the edges of the frame. a smile played on his lips, and his eyes softened with nostalgia. “simpler times,” he murmured, almost to himself. he carefully removed the photo from the frame and handed it to you. “take it,” he urged, his voice gentle yet firm.

“are you sure?” you asked, shocked by his gesture. he nodded, and your heart fluttered as you tucked the photo into your pocket. the sight of him as a baby made your heart swell with an unfamiliar warmth.

as you settled down to study, jimin began repeating the biological processes listed in the book, his voice rhythmic and soothing. despite his efforts, you couldn’t seem to focus, your mind wandering back to the earlier conversation. “what's wrong?” he asked, concern lacing his tone. “you mentioned having a lot on your plate,” you began hesitantly. “what did you mean by that?”

he sighed, a small smile tugging at his lips. “wait here,” he said, getting up and leaving the room. you waited, curiosity gnawing at you until he returned, a small bottle in his hand. “what’s that?” you asked, though you had a sinking feeling you already knew.

“antidepressants,” he answered, his voice calm. your eyes widened in surprise. “why do you have them?”

he lifted his sleeve, revealing his wrist where faint scars were healing. the sight of them stunned you, a sharp pain piercing your heart. the room seemed to hold its breath, the silence heavy and poignant. “i went through a tough time last year,” he explained, his voice steady but soft. “no one was willing to help. i was suffocating and couldn’t find a way out.”

he paused, a smile tugging at his lips despite the weight of his words. “i’ve never told anyone that before.”

you stared at his scars, your fingers tracing them gently. tears welled up in your eyes, the raw vulnerability of the moment overwhelming you. he noticed, brushing away a stray tear with his thumb. “hey,” he said softly, his touch tender. “i didn’t show you this so you could cry.”

“i’m just—i’m so glad you’re still here,” you whispered, your voice trembling with emotion. his hand cupped your cheek, and in that moment of sheer vulnerability, he leaned in and pressed a kiss to your lips. the kiss shocked you at first, but you kissed back, the intensity of the moment deepening. it was a kiss filled with all the unspoken words, the shared pain, and the unvoiced longing.

his arms wrapped around you, and he gently picked you up, carrying you to his bed. the kiss grew more intense, each touch a promise, each breath a declaration. as he laid you down, his eyes held yours, a silent vow of understanding and acceptance. in the quiet sanctuary of his room, you both found solace in each other, a moment of purity and connection amidst the chaos of your lives. the world outside ceased to exist, and for those precious moments, it was just you and him.

his hands began to explore your body, his touch light and reverent. jimin had always been attentive, but now there was something different, something more profound. you felt your heart racing, your skin tingling with every caress. your body responded to his, eager to know him in every way possible. he noticed your nervousness and took his time, whispering sweet nothings in your ear, reassuring you that he would be gentle.

his lips trailed down your neck, and you felt your breath hitch. you’d never been with anyone before, but in that moment, you knew that this was right. he had become so much more than just a friend—he was the one who had seen through your walls, who had accepted you at your worst, and now he was the one you wanted to give yourself to completely. it made you wonder, what was it exactly that you were feeling? was it the sheer vulnerability taking action, or was it the feeling you had spent nineteen years believing to be nothing more than a mere illusion.

as he entered you, you knew what you were feeling wasn't an illusion. you felt a brief flash of pain, but his tender kisses and soothing whispers helped ease the discomfort. the pain soon gave way to pleasure, and you found yourself lost in the rhythm of his movements. your bodies melded together as one, the intimacy of the act leaving you feeling both vulnerable and empowered.

in the aftermath, you lay in his arms, the warmth of his embrace seeping into your very soul. his heartbeat was the only sound in the room, a steady rhythm that seemed to echo your own. his guilt still lingered, but in that moment, it was overshadowed by the raw emotion that filled the space between you. jimin had never meant for it to go this far, never meant to catch feelings for someone he was supposed to use as a means to an end. but as he held you, feeling your heart beating against his chest, he knew he could never go back to seeing you as just a bet. the lines had blurred, and now, he was just as invested in this as you were. the realization was terrifying and exhilarating all at once. but for now, he pushed it aside, choosing to focus on the warmth of your embrace and the sweet taste of your lips.

in the soft glow of the afternoon sun streaming through jimin's window, the world seemed to hold its breath. your heart raced as you lay beside him, the intimacy of the moment enveloping you both. the quiet hum of the house served as a gentle reminder of the sanctuary you found within each other's company. he turned to you, his eyes searching yours with a blend of curiosity and tenderness. “why did you give yourself to me if you don’t believe in love?” his voice was soft, barely above a whisper, yet it held the weight of a thousand unasked questions. the realization of what had transpired began to settle in, and you felt a mixture of vulnerability and courage. you looked into his eyes, the words forming slowly on your lips.

“i was tempted,” you whispered, the truth of it resonating in the quiet space between you. a small, almost shy smile played on his lips. “what exactly was it that tempted you?” he asked, his gaze unwavering.

you reached out, your fingers tracing the faint scars on his wrist with a delicate touch. there was something profound in the simplicity of the gesture, a silent acknowledgment of his pain and resilience. “you,” you said, your voice steady as you met his eyes. “you tempted me.”

his smile widened, a mixture of relief and affection lighting up his features. he gently cupped your face, his thumb brushing against your cheek in a tender caress. the vulnerability in his gaze mirrored your own, and in that moment, you felt an unspoken understanding pass between you. “thank you,” he whispered, his voice filled with gratitude and something deeper, something you couldn't quite name. you smiled back, feeling a sense of peace wash over you. “for what?”

“for seeing me,” he replied, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. “for accepting me, scars and all.” the raw honesty of his words touched you deeply, and you leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. the two of you lay there, wrapped in the warmth of each other’s presence. the world outside continued its relentless pace, but in the quiet sanctuary of his room, time seemed to slow down. the connection you shared felt sacred, a beautiful intertwining of souls that defied the chaos of life.

the morning sun filtered through the lace curtains of jimin’s room, casting delicate patterns on the walls. he woke up alone, the previous night's warmth lingering faintly in the air. the house was quiet, save for the occasional clink of dishes from the kitchen downstairs. he stretched, feeling a strange mixture of peace and anticipation.

as he descended the grand staircase, his mother looked up from her cup of tea, a smile of relief softening her features. “good morning, jimin. when are we going to see sua again? it feels like ages since she’s been over.” he paused, a flicker of hesitation crossing his face before he sighed. “actually, mom, i broke up with sua.”

his mother’s eyes widened in surprise. “you what? why on earth would you do that?” he took a deep breath, his heart pounding as he faced the inevitable. “i fell in love with someone else.”

his mother’s shock deepened, her teacup almost slipping from her grasp. “is it that girl you were studying with yesterday?” a gentle smile tugged at his lips as he nodded. “yes, it is.”

his mother opened her mouth to protest, but before she could, his father, who had been silently observing from his chair, spoke up. “why don’t you invite her over for dinner? we’d like to meet her.” his mother turned to him, aghast. “are you serious?” his father nodded, his expression calm and composed. “i am. i trust our son’s judgment.”

at school, the memory of the previous night played over and over in your mind as you recounted everything to jisoo. her eyes grew wider with each word, and she let out a shriek that drew the attention of everyone around. “you need to keep it to yourself,” you hissed, feeling the heat rise to your cheeks.

she was stunned, her eyes wide with a mix of disbelief and excitement. “i warned you,” she said, hitting you lightly on the arm. before you could respond, a familiar voice interrupted. “warned her about what?”

you both turned to see jimin approaching, a playful smile on his lips. jisoo quickly brushed it off, trying to act casual. he wrapped an arm around you, pulling you close. you pushed him back, whispering urgently, “people are staring,” he chuckled. “so what?”

“you should be embarrassed to be seen with the hostess’s daughter,” you muttered, trying to step away. but he only pulled you in closer, his eyes sparkling with mischief. he waved at taehyung, who was standing nearby, his jaw practically on the floor. jimin took your hand and waved it at taehyung, much to your mortification.

“are you crazy?” you hissed, trying to pull your hand back. he laughed, the sound light and carefree. “i have good news,” he said, his tone suddenly serious.

“what is it?” you asked, curiosity piqued. “my parents want to have dinner with you,” he said, pausing to gauge your reaction. “are you okay with that?”

jisoo’s eyes nearly popped out of her head, and you felt your own heart skip a beat. stunned and flustered, you nodded hesitantly. “i’d be honored.” jimin smiled, his eyes softening as he leaned in to press a gentle kiss to your forehead. the world around you seemed to fade, leaving just the two of you.

that evening, as you stood before your wardrobe, your hands trembled with anticipation. your mother was out, so you indulged in exploring your options without interruption. fabrics of varying textures and colors slipped through your fingers as you considered each dress. you finally settled on an elegant white dress, its fabric smooth and cool against your skin. the intricate lace detailing along the neckline and hem added a touch of sophistication. you paired it with delicate pearl earrings and a simple bracelet, hoping to make a good impression.

once ready, you instructed your driver to take you to the park manor. the drive seemed both endless and fleeting, the passing scenery a blur of colors as your heart raced. upon arrival, jimin welcomed you with a warm hug, his embrace steadying your nerves. he led you inside where his parents awaited.

his mother’s eyes widened as she took in your appearance. “you’re even prettier than i anticipated,” she remarked, a smile playing on her lips. his father, however, remained silent, his gaze fixed on you with an unreadable expression. his stomach seemed to sink as he observed you, a flicker of recognition in his eyes. jimin's sister approached you, her eyes lighting up as she hugged you. “you look like a doll!” she exclaimed, admiring your handbag.

jimin beamed at their reactions, but his father’s silence lingered in his mind, casting a shadow over the otherwise warm reception. you were guided to the dining room, where a beautifully set table awaited. the soft glow of candles and the elegant tableware created a welcoming atmosphere. you couldn’t help but compliment the decor.

“thank you,” jimin’s mother replied, her smile genuine. she opened a bottle of wine, the soft pop of the cork punctuating the air. “would you like a glass?”

you declined politely. “oh, no, ma'am. i don’t drink.” her eyes sparkled with pleasant surprise, but she insisted, “it’s a special occasion.” she poured you a glass despite your initial refusal, placing it gently in front of you. as the meal began, the conversation flowed smoothly, filled with lighthearted anecdotes and laughter. the atmosphere was warm and inviting, a stark contrast to the tension you had felt earlier. however, a shift occurred when jimin’s sister suddenly turned to you, her brow furrowed slightly.

“i just realized, we never got your name,” she said, curiosity in her voice. you smiled apologetically, feeling slightly embarrassed. “i’m sorry, my name is (y/n) (l/n).”

a heavy silence fell over the table, the warmth dissipating in an instant. his mother’s friendly expression quickly vanished, replaced by one of shock. she repeated your last name, her voice barely a whisper. “you’re the daughter of the woman who owns the hostess club,” she stated, her tone now cold and distant. you felt the heat rise to your cheeks as you struggled to find your voice. “yes, but my mother is no longer a part of it,” you managed to say, your voice trembling.

his father’s face had turned pale, his eyes wide with disbelief. jimin’s gaze flicked between you and his parents, confusion and curiosity etched on his features. the glass in his mother’s hand suddenly shattered, wine spilling across the table as shards of glass dug into her skin. “get out of my house,” her tone was cold, her voice trembling with rage and horror. “never show your face here again.” you were stunned, tears welling up in your eyes as you struggled to comprehend what had just happened. jimin stood abruptly, his fist slamming into the table. “what is your problem?” he demanded, his voice shaking with anger.

his mother scoffed, her hand bleeding as she slammed the remaining shards of glass into the table. “don’t you know?” she spat, tears streaming down her cheeks. “don’t you know that your father was her mother’s favorite guest? your father and kang sua’s father?” she paused, her gaze piercing through you. “she tempted them. it’s in their blood.”

the weight of her words hit you like a physical blow. shocked and humiliated, tears streamed down your face as you stammered an apology before fleeing the room. the world outside was a blur of darkness and cold, the warmth and light of the manor replaced by the harsh reality of your situation. as you ran, the tears continued to flow, each step feeling heavier than the last.

the night air was cold against your skin as you ran, tears blurring your vision. humiliation and shame burned hot in your chest, mingling with a fierce, simmering anger. the echo of his mother’s words reverberated in your mind, each repetition deepening the wound. you burst through your front door, sobbing uncontrollably. your mother, who had been reading in the living room, rushed to your side, her face etched with concern. “what happened?” she asked, her voice soft with worry.

you tried to push her away, the sight of your once pristine dress now stained with wine and blood adding fuel to your anger. “it’s all your fault,” you spat, your voice cracking under the weight of your emotions. she recoiled, her eyes wide with shock. “what do you mean?” she asked, her voice trembling.

“everything!” you screamed, your voice raw. “dad leaving, the humiliation, all of it. it’s all because of you.” you sank to your knees, the overwhelming weight of your emotions pressing down on you. tears streamed down your cheeks as you sobbed, each breath a struggle. your mother, tears in her own eyes, knelt beside you. despite your protests, she wrapped her arms around you, her embrace warm and comforting.

“i know,” she whispered, her voice filled with sorrow. “i know you hate me, and no apology in the world will make up for me being the worst mother.” you fought against her hold at first, but your strength soon gave out. you clung to her shirt, your sobs gradually quieting. her presence, once a source of anger, now provided a strange comfort. she held you tightly, her tears mixing with yours as she whispered soothing words.

the house was silent except for the sound of your breathing and the occasional sniffle. the warmth of your mother’s embrace began to melt the ice around your heart, if only slightly. you were still angry, still hurt, but in that moment, you allowed yourself to be held. the weight of the evening’s events slowly began to lift, replaced by an overwhelming exhaustion. as your cries died down, you remained clinging to her shirt, feeling the steady rise and fall of her chest. for the first time in a long while, you felt a small semblance of peace. it wasn’t forgiveness, not yet, but it was a start. and in the quiet of the night, held in your mother’s arms, you found a glimmer of hope.

the tension in the room was palpable after you fled, leaving an echoing silence that seemed to suffocate the air. jimin’s mother, her hand bleeding and her eyes filled with a mixture of rage and pain, finally broke the silence. her voice was calm, but there was a steely edge to it that brooked no argument. “jimin,” she said, “you will never see that girl again.”

jimin, still standing, fists clenched in fury, shook his head vehemently. “no,” he said, his voice trembling with emotion. “she has nothing to do with her mother’s affairs.” he paused, his gaze shifting to his father, who sat with his head bowed in shame. “or your affairs.”

his mother’s face twisted with anger. she slammed her hand down on the table, causing the silverware to clatter. “see her again then,” she spat. “try your luck.” the room was charged with an almost tangible electricity. her face was a mask of cold determination, her eyes burning with a fierce intensity. she paused, her voice lowering to a dangerous whisper. “see her again, and i promise you she’ll disappear.”

his heart pounded in his chest. he felt as though the ground had been pulled out from under him, leaving him adrift in a sea of conflicting emotions. anger, fear, and a desperate need to protect you all warred within him. he knew he couldn’t let his mother’s threats go unanswered, but the sheer intensity of her hatred left him momentarily speechless. the dinner table fell silent once more, the only sound the ticking of the antique clock in the hallway. jimin turned and left the room, his heart heavy with a mix of determination and dread. he knew the battle was far from over, but he also knew that he couldn’t give up on you. not now, not ever.

the morning at school was cloaked in an oppressive tension, and the air seemed to thrum with unspoken words and hidden resentments. jimin, with a determined stride, marched through the crowded hallway, his eyes fixed on sua. as he approached her, the sea of students parted, sensing the gravity of the confrontation about to unfold.

her eyes flickered with a mixture of curiosity and disdain. “giving up already?” she asked, her voice dripping with condescension. jimin’s face was a mask of unyielding resolve. “the game is over,” he said abruptly, his tone leaving no room for misunderstanding.

she raised an eyebrow, her expression one of intrigued disbelief. “what do you mean?” he took a deep breath, his gaze unwavering. “i’ve fallen in love with her,” he declared, his voice firm despite the weight of his words.

her eyes widened in shock, and then a cruel smile curved her lips. “you must be joking,” she said, her tone icy with contempt. he shook his head, a mix of sadness and resolve in his eyes. “i’m not. i’m sorry, sua.” without another word, her hand lashed out, the sting of the slap echoing through the hallway. jimin flinched, but his eyes remained locked on hers, a silent defiance in their depths. shw turned on her heel, her gaze cold and unfeeling as she walked away, her heels clicking ominously on the polished floor.

as she disappeared into the bathroom, you were making your way down the corridor, lost in your own thoughts. the bathroom door swung open with a sharp creak, and her presence was like a storm cloud. she spotted you at the sink, and her gaze hardened as she approached. you met her gaze in the mirror, your heart sinking. “what do you want?” you asked, trying to keep your voice steady despite the flutter of anxiety in your chest.

her expression twisted into a mask of venomous disdain. “you’ve tempted him,” she said, her voice dripping with malice. she paused, letting her words sink in before adding, “you really are just like your mother.”

in the midst of your panic, her voice cut through the noise once more. “you really thought this was real?” she sneered, her tone dripping with contempt. “you were just a bet. jimin was a part of it from the beginning.” the revelation hit you like a physical blow, your breath catching as you gasped for air. through the blur of water and your own tears, you barely made out her words.

“he was never serious,” she continued, her expression a cruel mix of satisfaction and pity. “it was all just a game to him, a way to amuse himself. and you were just another pawn.” the words echoed in your mind, mingling with the sting of the cold water and the pressure of her hands. the reality of the betrayal was a crushing weight, adding to the turmoil you already felt.

before you could react, her hand clamped onto your hair, her grip like a vice. panic surged through you as she yanked you towards the sink. the cold, unforgiving porcelain met your face as she dunked you, the water gushing forth with a harsh, relentless force. you flailed, gasping for air as the water swirled around you, filling your senses with its icy, suffocating embrace. your mind whirled with disjointed memories from your old school, fragments of humiliation and fear blending with the present moment. the world around you blurred as your vision darkened, the water pressing against your face like a heavy, smothering shroud.

just as you felt yourself slipping into darkness, a powerful force yanked her away. the sudden release was disorienting, and you coughed, spluttering as you gasped for breath. as you tried to steady yourself, the chaos around you began to coalesce into clarity. turning your head, you saw jisoo standing in the doorway, her face a mask of fury and concern. “get lost,” she commanded, her voice a fierce, protective roar.

sua, caught off guard, hesitated before retreating, her expression one of anger and frustration. as she stormed out of the bathroom, the door slammed behind her, leaving you and jisoo in the wake of the confrontation. she hurried to your side, her arms enveloping you in a comforting embrace. you clung to her, tears streaming down your face as you trembled with shock and fear. “it’s gonna be okay,” she whispered, her voice soothing and steady. “i’m here. you’re safe now.” the warmth of her embrace was a stark contrast to the cold, harsh reality of what had just transpired. as you allowed yourself to cry, the sobs wracking your body, her presence was a balm to your wounded spirit. her hands gently stroked your back, her voice a constant reassurance that you weren’t alone.

as you left the school, the heavy weight of the day seemed to press down upon you. the hallway, once bustling with the casual chatter of students, now felt hollow and distant. your footsteps echoed in the quiet, a rhythmic reminder of the chaos that had just unfolded. as you approached the gates, your phone buzzed sharply, breaking the silence of your troubled thoughts. you glanced at the screen, seeing jimin’s name flash across it. an inexplicable mix of apprehension and curiosity gripped you. you hesitated for a moment before answering, your breath catching as you said, “hello?”

to your surprise, it was not jimin’s voice but his mother’s that greeted you. her tone was clear and authoritative, though tinged with an undertone of cold detachment. “hello,” she began, “i need you to come to the manor immediately.” your heart raced at the urgency in her voice. “is everything alright?” you asked, your concern mingling with anxiety.

“good,” she replied crisply. “it’s in your best interest to come now.” before you could respond, the call ended abruptly. a surge of unease propelled you to the park manor, your mind a whirl of worry and confusion. the grandiose estate loomed before you, its imposing structure now a place of dread rather than comfort. as you approached the front door, you noticed the serene beauty of the manor felt jarringly out of place with the turmoil inside.

you were greeted at the door by three figures: his mother, his father, and his sister. none of them were jimin. the air in the room was thick with tension, and his mother wasted no time in addressing you. “sit down,” she said, her voice firm and unyielding.

you took a seat, your heart pounding in your chest. his mother continued, her gaze cold and unyielding. “you are to cease all contact with my son,” she said, her words slicing through the air with chilling clarity. tears welled up in your eyes as you fought to maintain your composure. “i have nothing to do with my mother’s affairs,” you said, your voice trembling. “i love jimin.” your own declaration took you by surprise, the depth of your feelings for jimin crystallizing in that moment. his sister, standing to the side, regarded you with a sympathetic expression, her eyes softening.

his mother, however, remained resolute. “you have two choices,” she said, her voice unwavering. “you can stop seeing him immediately and remain in korea, or you can continue seeing him for the next two weeks and allow me to send you wherever i deem necessary.” the weight of her words settled heavily upon you. you knew what was at stake—your future, your freedom, and your relationship with him. the thought of losing him was unbearable, and with a steely resolve, you made your choice.

“the second option,” you said, your voice steady despite the fear that gripped you. a glimmer of approval flickered in his mother’s eyes. “very well,” she said. “time is ticking. he’s in his room. go to him now.”

you rushed through the opulent corridors of the manor, your heart racing with each step. the grandeur of the house, usually so comforting, now seemed to close in around you, intensifying your anxiety. you reached his door and hesitated for a brief moment before knocking softly. the door swung open, and there stood jimin, his eyes reflecting a mixture of concern and hope. without a word, you threw yourself into his arms, your tears flowing freely. his embrace was warm and reassuring, and you could feel his body trembling slightly as he held you close.

“i’m here,” he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. “i’m so sorry for everything.” you clung to him, your own tears mingling with his. the shared pain and the depth of your connection were palpable in that moment. his room, usually a place of calm and order, became a sanctuary of shared grief and solace.

he pulled back slightly, his eyes red and shimmering with emotion. “sua told you, didn’t she?” his voice was a soft murmur, each word heavy with regret and sadness. you nodded, the lump in your throat making it difficult to speak. “she did,” you managed to reply, your voice barely a whisper. the betrayal of her revelation stung, but you were determined not to let it overshadow the fragile moments you had left with him. you needed to hold on to whatever you could before it was too late.

hia face was a canvas of conflicting emotions as tears slipped down his cheeks. “it’s true,” he admitted, his voice cracking under the weight of his confession. “everything she said was true. the bet, the game—everything.”

your heart ached as he spoke, but you refused to let the hurt cloud the remaining time you had with him. you reached up to touch his face, wiping away a tear that had escaped down his cheek. “but,” you said softly, “every word and every embrace we shared—they were real to me. were they real to you too?” he nodded, his gaze unwavering as he took your hand in his. “yes,” he said, his voice firm despite the tears. “every word, every touch—it was all real. i fell for you, truly. even if the beginning was under false pretenses, what i felt for you was genuine.”

you offered him a small, bittersweet smile, trying to keep the pain from overwhelming you. “did i tempt you?” you asked gently, your eyes searching his for the truth. he shook his head, a look of profound sincerity in his eyes. “no,” he said softly. “it wasn’t temptation. it was love.” the sincerity in his words was like a balm to your wounded heart. despite the betrayal and the broken trust, his confession was a glimmer of truth amidst the wreckage. the knowledge that his feelings for you were genuine, even if the circumstances were tainted, offered a fragile hope.

the moon hung low in the sky, casting a silvery sheen over the tennis court as sua stood alone, her figure a stark silhouette against the backdrop of darkness. the once pristine surface, now marked with scattered tennis balls, bore silent witness to her anguish. she moved with a frantic energy, her serve wild and uncoordinated, her tears mingling with the sweat on her face.

her tennis racket flew through the air with each forceful swing, connecting with the balls only to send them careening off into the corners of the court. each miss was a blow to her heart, a physical manifestation of her internal turmoil. the rhythmic thud of the racket meeting the ball echoed through the still night, a harsh reminder of the chaos that churned within her.

with every serve, she attempted to expel the weight of her pain and betrayal. one ball flew off her racket for her father's broken promises, his failure to protect her from the harsh realities of their world. another, driven with greater force, was aimed at jimin’s rejection, his love once desired now an elusive fantasy. the final ball was a direct hit aimed at you, the one who had stolen the affections of the boy she had coveted, the one who had inadvertently exposed her vulnerabilities.

her once graceful movements became erratic, her strokes heavy and labored. she continued to hit ball after ball, her frustration mounting with each missed shot. tears streamed down her cheeks, mingling with the sweat that glistened under the moonlight. the court was littered with tennis balls, each one a testament to her emotional struggle and the unanswered questions that plagued her.

finally, she collapsed onto the ground, her racket falling from her grasp. It lay beside her, its handle resting against the cold surface of the court. her sobs were uncontrollable now, her body shaking with each cry as she lay on the ground. the silence of the night was broken only by her heart-wrenching pleas. “why not me?” she cried out, her voice raw and desperate. the words echoed through the empty court, a stark contrast to the usually cheerful sound of tennis matches. she looked up at the sky, her tears reflecting the pale light of the moon.

the next two weeks passed in a bittersweet blur, a fragile sanctuary carved out of time amidst the chaos of looming departure. each day with jimin was a delicate dance of stolen moments and fleeting joys. your days were filled with long walks through serene gardens, the crisp air carrying laughter and conversation. evenings were spent in cozy corners of his favorite cafes, where you shared whispered dreams over cups of steaming coffee.

his presence was a balm, soothing the sting of impending separation. his touch was gentle, his smile a constant source of comfort. together, you explored hidden spots in the city, places that seemed to come alive under his animated descriptions. each shared glance and playful banter deepened the bond between you, weaving a tapestry of intimacy and understanding.

the nights were no less tender. you would sit side by side, wrapped in soft blankets, as he recounted stories of his childhood. the light from the flickering fireplace cast a warm glow on his face, making the shadows dance in rhythm with the stories he told. he showed you his favorite spots in his home, each room steeped in memories that he now shared with you. the time together was a precious interlude, a sanctuary from the world’s harshness.

on the eve of your departure, the weight of impending separation hung heavy in the air. jimin had arranged a special evening, unaware of what was to come, filled with your favorite music and a candlelit dinner prepared with care. the atmosphere was serene, the soft glow of the candles flickering against the walls, creating an intimate cocoon around the two of you.

as the night wore on, his eyes held a glimmer of anticipation. he finally spoke, breaking the gentle silence that had settled between you. “i have a gift for you,” he said, his voice soft yet filled with warmth. his fingers reached into his pocket, retrieving a small, intricately crafted dreamcatcher. its delicate threads shimmered in the candlelight, adorned with tiny beads and feathers that swayed gently as he held it out to you.

you accepted the gift with a sense of wonder, your eyes tracing the intricate patterns of the dreamcatcher. “what's this for?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper. “it filters out all the nightmares,” he replied, his smile tender as he watched you. “i want you to have it, so you’ll always have sweet dreams, even when i’m not around.”

you wrapped your fingers around the dreamcatcher, feeling its cool, smooth surface against your skin. moved by the gesture, you pulled him into a tight embrace, holding him close. the warmth of his body against yours was a comfort you wished could last forever. “i love you,” he said, his voice trembling slightly as he pulled back to look into your eyes. “i want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

the words, so earnest and sincere, made your heart swell with emotion. “i love you too,” you responded, your voice filled with a mix of affection and sorrow. “i want that too.” he kissed you then, a tender, lingering kiss that spoke of promises and dreams yet to be fulfilled. the kiss was a silent vow, a declaration of the love that bound you together despite the challenges ahead.

after he left, the weight of the moment settled heavily upon you. you closed the door behind him, the silence of the room amplifying the ache in your chest. the dreamcatcher, now held close to your heart, seemed to pulse with the memories of the past weeks. as the door clicked shut, the realization of the imminent departure hit you with full force. you sank to your knees on the floor, the tears that had been held back finally breaking free. they flowed unchecked, each sob a release of the grief and the bittersweet joy of the moments shared with him. the dreamcatcher lay beside you, its delicate threads shimmering softly in the dim light, a poignant reminder of the love you would leave behind.

the room was filled with the soft rustle of the dreamcatcher’s feathers, a hauntingly beautiful sound that seemed to echo your sorrow. as you clutched the dreamcatcher tightly, you felt the full weight of the separation, the loss of the future you had hoped for. the love that had blossomed in such a short time now seemed both a blessing and a cruel reminder of the distance that would soon separate you.

the following day dawned with an unsettling quiet. your absence was a stark void in the school corridors, a missing presence that jimin immediately noticed. as he walked past your empty seat, his heart sank. his gaze darted around the classroom, hoping to catch sight of you, but the seat beside him remained conspicuously vacant.

unable to quell the growing sense of worry, he approached jisoo, his voice laced with concern. “where is she?” he asked urgently, his eyes searching hers for answers. jisoo, her expression a mask of indifference, shrugged dismissively. “i don’t know. she hasn’t been here all day.”

the coldness in her tone stung, but he barely registered it. his anxiety mounted as he turned to sua, who observed him with a stony face, her eyes betraying nothing. his heart raced as he called your number, only to be met with the disheartening message that the line was deactivated. panic surged through him, propelling him to sprint out of the school, his mind a maelstrom of dread and confusion.

he arrived at your house, breathless and desperate, only to find the place eerily silent and empty. the front door, once a welcoming entrance, now seemed like a barrier to the answers he sought. the sight of the “for sale” sign in the yard was a cruel twist of the knife. jimin turned to the neighbor, who was tending to her garden. his voice trembled with urgency. “do you know where they went? please, i need to find them.”

the neighbor looked up, a frown forming on her face. “didn’t you know?” she asked, her voice tinged with surprise. “they moved out last night.”

the words hit him like a physical blow. the weight of the revelation crashed over him, a suffocating wave of despair. he turned and ran back to his manor, his heart pounding in his chest, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. bursting through the front door, his eyes sought out his mother, who was seated at the dining table, seemingly calm and composed. “where is she?” he demanded, his voice strained. “where did you send her?”

his mother’s gaze was steady, though her eyes carried an edge of disdain. “she’s far away,” she replied coolly, her tone dismissive. the finality of her words shattered something within him. tears sprang to his eyes, blurring his vision. overwhelmed by grief and frustration, he slammed his fist into the table, the sound echoing through the quiet house. “where? where did you send her?” he cried, his voice cracking with desperation.

his mother’s face softened for a moment, but she remained resolute. “take your pills,” she said firmly, rising from her seat.

as she left the room, jimin sank to his knees, his body trembling with the weight of his anguish. the room seemed to close in on him, the walls echoing the hollow ache in his chest. his sister entered, her eyes filled with concern and sympathy. without a word, she knelt beside him and pulled him into a tight embrace. jimin clung to her, his sobs wracking his body. between gasps of air, he managed to confess the depth of his feelings. “i love her,” he choked out. “i love her so much.”

his sister’s voice was soft and laced with tears as she whispered, “she’s in gangnam.”

the word resonated through him like a beacon of hope amidst the storm of his despair. he pulled back slightly to look at her, his eyes wide with renewed determination. “gangnam?” he repeated, his voice almost a whisper. she nodded, her tears mingling with his. “yes. she’s there. you need to go now.” the realization that you were still within reach, albeit at a distance, ignited a spark of resolve in him.

you and your mother had arrived in gangnam late into the night, the city's vibrant lights casting a melancholic glow on your new surroundings. the apartment, though modest compared to the grandeur of your previous residence, was a refuge from the turmoil that had pursued you. your mother’s apologies were a constant murmur, her voice thick with regret and sorrow. she fretted over every detail, her guilt apparent in every word she spoke.

“it’s all my fault,” she repeated, her eyes red-rimmed from crying. “i should never have put you through this.” you placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to offer comfort despite your own swirling emotions. “it’s going to be okay, mom,” you reassured her, though you felt far from certain. “we’ll make this work. it’s a new beginning.”

after some time, you decided to step out and clear your mind. the streets of gangnam were a vibrant tapestry of neon lights and bustling activity. as you wandered through the city, you found yourself drawn towards the beach, a place that had once held significant memories.

the soft, salty breeze greeted you as you reached the shore. the waves lapped gently at the sand, a rhythm that mirrored the bittersweet cadence of your own heart. you sank onto the sand, recalling the day you had spent with jimin at the beach. the laughter you shared, the warmth of his hand in yours, the promises whispered beneath the starlit sky—all these memories surged back, flooding your senses with an ache that was both beautiful and devastating.

tears sprang to your eyes, blurring your vision as you looked out at the horizon. the sea, with its endless expanse, felt like a reflection of your own feelings—vast, deep, and profoundly complex. you had left everything behind because you were tempted. no, not merely tempted—you were in love. you had felt as beautiful and infinite as the sea itself.

a voice cut through your reverie, startling you. “i knew i’d find you here.”

the words were soft but unmistakable. You froze, unable to believe what you were hearing. slowly, you turned around, and there he was. the sight of him brought a fresh wave of tears to your eyes. he was here, but there was an undeniable distance between you, an invisible barrier that seemed almost insurmountable.

he took a few steps toward you, his expression a mix of hurt and frustration. “how could you not tell me?” he asked, his voice cracking with emotion. “how could you just leave me like that?”

you shook your head, the tears flowing freely now. “i had no choice,” you said softly, your voice breaking. “it was either leave or risk everything.”

jimin’s eyes softened, his concern etched deeply on his face. “but you didn’t have to do it alone,” he said, his voice almost a whisper. “you should have let me be part of it.”

you backed away slightly, feeling the weight of his presence and the danger it posed. “you have to go home,” you said urgently. “you can’t be seen with me. it’s not safe.” but he closed the distance between you, his determination unwavering. he reached out and wrapped his arms around you, pulling you close. the warmth of his embrace was like a balm to your wounded soul. you could feel his tears mingling with yours as he buried his face in your hair, his emotions raw and palpable.

“you need to come home,” he murmured through his tears. “you don’t have to face this alone. no matter what, we can figure it out together.”

you shook your head against his shoulder, the reality of your situation weighing heavily on you. “i can’t,” you whispered, feeling the hopelessness of the situation. “i don’t have anywhere else to go.” jimin gently wiped away your tears with his thumb, his own face streaked with sadness. “no one can do anything as long as you have me,” he said firmly, his voice full of conviction. “i love you. and that’s all that matters.”

you looked up at him, your heart aching with the depth of your feelings. “i love you too,” you replied, your voice trembling. the world around you seemed to fade away, leaving only the gentle roar of the ocean and the steady you had found something you had once thought hadn't existed. “i never believed it existed,” you whispered, the words carrying the weight of your newfound understanding. “i didn’t think i could find something like this.”

jimin’s eyes, filled with an earnest intensity, met yours. “it’s real,” he assured you softly. “we found it together.”

✧.*

a/n: this one was a doozy

savior (구세주) — park jimin (박 치민)

✧.* 18+

in the depths of forgotten realms, where the line between myth and reality blurred into a tapestry of whispered legends, you wandered through the veil of the supernatural. the air around you shimmered with an ethereal light, pulsating with a rhythm that seemed to beat in sync with your own heart. you felt it—an invisible thread connecting you to forces beyond mortal comprehension.

ancient trees, their gnarled branches twisted into elaborate patterns, whispered secrets of the ages. the leaves, imbued with an otherworldly glow, rustled softly, their sound a melodious symphony of enchantment. as you moved through this enchanted forest, you could almost see the faint outlines of fae folk flitting among the shadows, their delicate wings catching the moonlight like threads of silver.

water nymphs glided over the surface of tranquil lakes, their laughter like the tinkling of crystal chimes. fire spirits flickered within the hearths of ancient stone cottages, their flames casting a golden hue that warded off the encroaching darkness. in this realm, every creature possessed a touch of the extraordinary. the wolves that prowled through the underbrush had eyes that gleamed with intelligence far beyond the mundane, their coats shimmering with a spectral light. the owls that hooted from the treetops were the keepers of ancient wisdom, their gaze penetrating the veil of time itself.

you sensed the pull of ancient magic in the wind, a reminder of the great forces that shaped the world. enigmatic sorcerers and enigmatic beings, cloaked in robes woven from stardust, drifted through the shadows, their presence as profound as it was enigmatic. their eyes held the secrets of the universe, and their gestures wove spells of incredible power, shaping reality with a mere flick of their fingers. in this space between worlds, you felt an intoxicating sense of belonging and awe. the supernatural was not a distant concept but a tangible reality, intricately intertwined with the fabric of your existence. you had become a part of this timeless dance, where every element held the promise of wonder and every shadow whispered of ancient powers waiting to be discovered.

in the midst of the extraordinary realm, where every breath seemed to carry a whisper of magic, you stood as an anomaly—a solitary figure in a world brimming with the supernatural. the ties that bound you to this place were both intricate and fragile, like threads of silver spun in a tapestry that only partially embraced you.

you were acutely aware of your lineage, a lineage steeped in power and mystery. your parents, figures of reverence and awe, possessed abilities that transcended the ordinary. your mother could call upon the wind to shape it into messages of hope or warning, her voice an incantation that stirred the very air. your father wielded fire with a mastery that painted the night sky with flickers of crimson and gold, a spectacle of elemental artistry that held the gaze of all who witnessed it.

your brother, too, was a being of remarkable gifts. his capacity to shapeshift was the stuff of legends—one moment a swift and agile wolf, the next a majestic eagle soaring high above the treetops. he moved effortlessly between the forms, each transformation seamless and imbued with an elegance that spoke of deep-rooted connection to the magical forces that surrounded you.

yet, in stark contrast to the vibrant tapestry of powers that wove through your family, you stood untouched by the same magic that defined their existence. you were a paradox in this world of wonder—an individual deeply connected yet profoundly separate from the mystical realm. the very elements that danced and mingled around you, so effortlessly embraced by those you loved and admired, remained just out of your grasp.

your attempts to commune with the elements were met with a disheartening silence. you reached out to the wind, hoping to coax it into carrying your wishes or messages, but it responded with a benign indifference. the fire that roared in the hearths, so eager to share its warmth and secrets with others, seemed to dance with a will of its own when you approached, leaving you merely a spectator in its fiery embrace.

the animals, with their eyes aglow with ancient wisdom, regarded you with a curiosity that quickly faded into disinterest. they would not heed your calls or acknowledge your presence in the way they did with those who shared their magical affinity. it was as if an invisible barrier kept you on the fringes of their world, a reminder of the chasm that separated you from their effortless communion with nature.

in social circles where enchantment was the norm, you felt like a shadow among vibrant colors. conversations often revolved around feats of magic—stories of teleportation, shapeshifting, and elemental manipulation. you listened with a mixture of longing and resignation, acutely aware of your exclusion from these extraordinary experiences. it was as though you were a spectator in a grand performance, unable to participate in the very essence of the spectacle.

you had learned to navigate the space with a grace borne of necessity. you played your role with quiet dignity, offering support and companionship to those whose powers you admired from a distance. your place in this realm was a testament to the intricate balance between presence and absence, between connection and separation. in a world where magic defined existence, you were a poignant reminder that even among the most enchanted, there could be those who, despite their ties, remained untouched by the very forces that shaped their reality.

in the quiet of your room, illuminated by the soft, flickering light of a single candle, you faced your brother with a heart heavy with questions. his figure, a tapestry of shifting forms and shimmering energies, stood before you, embodying the very essence of what you yearned for. the silence between you was filled with the weight of your unspoken doubts.

“why don’t i have any powers?” you asked, your voice trembling with a mix of frustration and desperation. the words felt like an intrusion into the serene harmony of your brother’s existence. you watched as daehyun sighed, his gaze softening with a compassion that only deepened your sense of inadequacy.

“it’s not something you can control,” he said gently, placing a reassuring hand on your shoulder. “powers manifest in their own time. maybe yours just haven’t surfaced yet.” you nodded, but the words did little to alleviate the gnawing sense of unease that had settled in your chest. the promise of future potential did little to comfort you in the present. as the conversation waned, you sought solace from your mother, her presence a beacon of warmth and understanding amidst the cold uncertainty.

she embraced you with a tenderness that spoke of unconditional love. “i want you to know,” she murmured softly, her voice imbued with a quiet strength, “that not having powers doesn’t change how much i love you. you are just as precious to me as anyone with magic in their veins.” her words, though well-intentioned, only deepened the chasm of your sorrow. you tried to draw comfort from her assurances, but they felt hollow, like a beautiful painting covering a void. you couldn’t shake the feeling that her love, though unwavering, was a pale consolation in a world where power defined worth.

when your father came to you, his usual fiery demeanor was softened by an uncharacteristic melancholy. “i wish,” he said, his voice laden with a rare vulnerability, “that i could understand what it’s like for you. i sometimes wish i could be like you—free from the burdens of power.” his sentiment was meant to be reassuring, a gesture of empathy from one who knew the weight of extraordinary abilities. yet, his words only seemed to underscore the isolation you felt. his struggle to relate to your condition, while empathetic, highlighted your distance from the very world he inhabited.

as the day turned to night, you found yourself alone once more, your frustration boiling over into a silent plea. you gazed at the star-studded sky, your eyes searching for any sign of a higher power that might offer you some measure of solace or change. you groaned inwardly, your heart heavy with a silent prayer, begging for anything—an inkling of magic, a spark of potential, anything that might bridge the gap between you and the world you so desperately wished to be a part of.

unbeknownst to you, your mother, too, was engaged in her own private prayer, her heart aching for you in a way that transcended words. her plea was not driven by disappointment but by a deep-seated concern for your well-being. she feared the dangers and betrayals that could come from those who wielded power—the same dangers that had once threatened her own family. she prayed fervently, hoping that some semblance of power or protection might come to you, not out of a sense of inadequacy, but from a desire to shield you from the harsh realities of a world where power could be both a gift and a curse.

the hallways of the school were a continuous cascade of shimmering lights and crackling energy, each corner alive with the potent hum of supernatural power. it was a place where every student and teacher was marked by their own unique abilities, a realm where magic was as common as air. the walls, lined with ornate murals depicting epic battles and mythical creatures, seemed to pulsate with the essence of enchantment. amidst this tapestry of abilities, you were an anomaly—a solitary figure navigating a world of extraordinary talents with no powers of your own. the disparity was stark, highlighted by the whispers and sidelong glances that followed you through the corridors. everyone knew your status as the exception, a reality that was as inescapable as it was uncomfortable.

despite this, the teachers maintained their professionalism, treating you with the same respect they afforded every student. you were here because of your family’s legacy, a fact that some found difficult to overlook. you often felt like a mere shadow among the bright lights of your peers, your presence a reminder of the boundaries between the ordinary and the extraordinary.

haesoo was your singular solace in this enchanted world. she, too, had powers, though her ability to see into the future provided little in the way of physical prowess. this limitation made her just as vulnerable to the harsh judgments and insults as you were. yet, despite the ridicule, she remained steadfast in her friendship, a source of empathy amidst the sea of scorn.

you leaned against your locker, the cool metal offering a small measure of relief. haesoo approached, her eyes filled with a gentle concern. ahe took your hand in hers, her touch warm and reassuring. as she closed her eyes, you could sense the familiar yet elusive sensation of her power at work. you watched her face for any sign of revelation, your skepticism palpable. then, with a sudden gasp, haesoo’s eyes snapped open, her grip tightening on your hand. “what’s wrong?” you asked, a note of apprehension in your voice. “what do you see?”

“there’s a savior in the near future,” she said, her voice a mixture of awe and uncertainty. “expect the unexpected.”

you couldn’t help but scoff, rolling your eyes in mild exasperation. “the unexpected? like you ripping my hand off?”

haesoo’s eyes widened in realization as she noticed the firmness of her grip. she quickly loosened her hold, offering you a nervous laugh. “sorry about that. i didn’t mean to—” you chuckled, though your smile was tinged with weariness. “it’s fine. i just wonder if i’ll ever get any power at all.”

from behind you, a voice cut through the conversation with a sneering edge. “you could only dream of it.”

you turned to see taehyung, a smirk playing on his lips. his disdain was well-known; ever since he had learned of your lack of abilities, he had made it his mission to taunt and belittle you. you offered him a thin smile, trying to mask the sting of his words. “thanks for the encouragement.”

taehyung’s smirk widened. “wanna see something cool?” you shook your head, not in the mood for more of his antics. “not really.”

ignoring your response, taehyung used his telekinetic powers to lift you off the ground. you yelped in surprise as he began to sway you through the air, your feet dangling a few inches above the floor. haesoo’s face flushed with concern, and she called out, “taehyung, put her down!”

his eyes sparkled with mischief as he replied, “or what? you’ll read my future with a fortune cookie?”

the bell rang, and he reluctantly set you down, patting your head with a dismissive chuckle. “it never gets old,” he said, walking past you. you watched him go, a mix of frustration and resignation settling over you. the insults and jabs had become a constant, an unwelcome backdrop to your days at the school. despite your hopes for a reprieve, it seemed the mockery would persist as long as you remained a strong contrast to the powers that defined your peers.

the classroom buzzed with an energy that felt almost tangible, a living, breathing entity shaped by the collective powers of its occupants. each student seemed to manipulate the environment in their own unique way, creating a whirlwind of distractions that made focusing on anything else nearly impossible.

to your left, a girl with flowing dark hair effortlessly levitated her pen, guiding it through the air as if it were an extension of her will. she reached out with her mind, making the pen dance gracefully across her notebook. nearby, another student with a calm demeanor simply tapped her temple, and answers to the professor’s questions appeared on her paper as if by magic. her telepathic ability allowed her to glean the answers directly from the professor’s thoughts, a skill that left you feeling distinctly out of place.

you sighed inwardly, feeling the weight of your own inadequacies. you knew that while others could summon and control elements with ease, or glean knowledge without effort, you had to work diligently to achieve even the most basic understanding. the constant comparison to your peers’ effortless mastery of their abilities was a persistent reminder of your own limitations.

the professor, a stern man whose presence demanded respect, looked around the room with a discerning gaze. his eyes settled on you, an unspoken challenge evident in his expression. “what do you believe causes dreams?” he asked, his voice cutting through the cacophony of telekinetic murmurs and mental projections.

you furrowed your brow, trying to concentrate amidst the chaos. the hands of those with telepathic abilities shot up eagerly, but the professor's focus remained solely on you. taking a deep breath, you began, “i believe dreams are a result of the subconscious mind processing thoughts and experiences. they are influenced by brain activity, which creates a narrative from our emotions and memories.”

the professor’s eyes softened, and he nodded in approval. “a thoughtful answer,” he said. “correct.”

you felt a fleeting sense of accomplishment, but it was quickly overshadowed by the sneer you noticed from the girl who had been so eager to demonstrate her telepathic prowess. her expression was one of disdain, a silent judgment that seemed to cut deeper than any spoken insult.

as the day drew to a close, you found yourself in the bathroom, seeking a moment of solitude away from the relentless buzz of the school. you stepped out of the stall, your thoughts still lingering on the subtle sneer you had seen earlier. the bathroom, typically a place of mundane quiet, felt charged with an unsettling tension.

as you turned to leave, a girl blocked your path. her face was one you recognized from class—one of the telekinetics who had been demonstrating her powers with such ease. you looked up at her, a sense of dread mingling with resignation. “what do you want?” you asked, your voice betraying your unease.

ahe smirked, her eyes gleaming with a cruel delight. “i had an itching to use the toilet,” she said, her tone dripping with malice. without waiting for a response, she pushed past you and into the stall.

you stepped aside, gesturing for her to proceed. but before you could react, everything happened in a blur. she spun around with surprising speed, grabbing a handful of your hair and yanking you towards her. your heart raced as you tried to break free, but her grip was unyielding. you flailed helplessly as she maneuvered you towards the toilet. the cold, harsh reality of the situation hit you as she dunked your head into the bowl. the frigid water engulfed you, sending a shock through your system. panic surged through you as you tried to gasp for air, but the water swirled around you, making it difficult to breathe. the world spun in a chaotic whirlpool of muffled sounds and blinding wetness.

she pulled you up only to slam your head back into the toilet, holding it down longer this time. the sensation of being submerged was disorienting, and your head spun in a disorienting dance of pressure and damp. the mixture of the cold water and the overwhelming sense of helplessness left you disoriented and gasping for breath when she finally yanked you up again. “maybe if you had any powers,” she said with a sneer, “you could get out of this one.” her voice was mocking, her tone a harsh reminder of the gap between your abilities and those of your peers. she left you there, dirty, wet, and sobbing, the pain and humiliation of the encounter settling heavily on your shoulders.

as the door swung shut behind her, leaving you alone in the bathroom, the reality of your situation washed over you in waves. you were left with the lingering sting of her taunts, the sting of being powerless in a world where such power was the norm. the echo of your sobs and the coolness of the bathroom tiles were the only witnesses to your silent plea for solace in a place that felt both foreign and unforgiving.

the journey home was a blur of muted colors and heavy steps, each stride a reminder of the day’s harrowing events. as you walked, the chill of the wet clothes clung to your skin, and the weight of your soaked attire seemed to anchor you to the pain and humiliation you had just endured. the evening air, cool and unyielding, did little to soothe the ache in your heart or the cold dampness against your body.

you finally reached the front door, the familiar warmth of home contrasting starkly with the cold dread that clung to you. as you stepped inside, the sound of your wet shoes squelching on the hardwood floor was the only indication of your disheveled state. your mother was in the kitchen, her back turned as she prepared dinner. the comforting aroma of her cooking wafted through the air, but it did little to lift the gloom hanging over you.

she turned as you entered, her eyes widening in shock as she took in your appearance. “what happened?” she asked, her voice filled with concern. her gaze traveled over your dripping clothes and disheveled hair, her maternal instincts flaring into action. you met her eyes for a moment, the weight of your ordeal pressing heavily on your shoulders. the words you wanted to say seemed to catch in your throat, and instead of responding, you simply retreated to your room, your silence a painful testament to the day’s emotional toll.

the door to your room closed behind you with a soft click, and you sank onto your bed, your sodden clothes leaving damp impressions on the sheets. you stared blankly at the ceiling, the oppressive silence of your room amplifying the turmoil within. as you sat there, you could hear the muffled sounds of your mother’s distress from the other side of the house.

in the kitchen, your mother’s cries were heartfelt and raw. she confided in your father, her voice trembling with anguish as she spoke of her wish for you to be able to defend yourself. “why can’t they leave her alone?” she wept. “i just wish she could stand up for herself. it breaks my heart to see her suffer like this.” your father’s response was calm and comforting, his steady voice a balm to your mother’s fears. “it’s not her fault,” he reassured her. “she’s doing her best in a world that doesn’t make it easy. we’ll find a way to help her, i promise.”

you could hear his words faintly through the walls, a bittersweet reminder of the support that was available to you. but in your isolation, it felt distant, almost unreachable. when you finally gathered the strength to rise, you made your way to the bathroom. the cool, tiled surface felt refreshing against your heated skin as you undressed and stepped into the shower. you turned the faucet, allowing the warm water to cascade over you, mingling with the remnants of the day’s grime and tears.

as the water poured over you, you let out a shuddering breath, the steam and warmth offering a fleeting sense of solace. You sank to the floor of the shower, the water continuing to flow over you, masking the tears that streaked down your face. each droplet that hit your skin seemed to carry away a small fragment of the pain, but it did little to quell the deep sorrow that enveloped you. you wept silently, the sound of the water mingling with your sobs. the weight of the day’s events pressed heavily upon you, and you found yourself praying for a way out of the cycle of torment and helplessness. your whispered pleas for change, for the chance to be more than a spectator in a world of power, were drowned by the relentless rush of the shower.

that night, as you lay in bed, the exhaustion of the day’s emotional and physical toll was awful. the darkness of your room enveloped you like a shroud, offering no comfort against the cold fear that gripped you. you pulled the damp sheets around you, seeking solace in their weight. your thoughts continued to swirl as you drifted into a restless sleep, your mind haunted by images of the day’s events and the painful realization of your own vulnerability. the hope for change was a faint, flickering light in the depths of your dreams, a fragile ember that you clung to as you cried yourself to sleep, wishing for a future where you could finally find a place where you belonged.

the morning sun filtered through the school’s grand windows, casting elongated shadows across the hallways as you trudged through the familiar corridors, still feeling the weight of yesterday’s events. the usual hum of conversations and bursts of laughter filled the air, but today, the vibrant atmosphere did little to uplift your somber mood.

you glanced around, searching for any sign of hana, the girl who had humiliated you the day before. her absence was conspicuous, her usual spot in the classroom glaringly empty. you took a seat beside haesoo, the comforting familiarity of her presence offering a small measure of solace amidst the school environment.

haesoo looked up from her notebook as you settled in. her eyes, bright with curiosity, took in your demeanor. “have you noticed? hana isn’t here today,” you said, trying to mask the unease in your voice.

haesoo’s expression shifted to one of mild amusement. she shrugged nonchalantly, though her eyes betrayed a flicker of concern. “maybe the cops got to the bitch,” she said, her tone light but edged with discomfort. after a brief pause, she shuddered slightly and added, “i’ve got a bad feeling about this. something doesn’t sit right with me.” you stared at hana’s vacant seat, your thoughts racing. the possibility that something sinister had happened crossed your mind, but you quickly dismissed it. she could simply be ill, or perhaps she was skipping school. the pragmatic side of you struggled to push aside the gnawing sense of unease.

as the lesson began, you tried to focus on the professor’s lecture, but the absence of hana and the eerie implications of haesoo’s comment lingered at the edge of your thoughts. across the room, hana’s friend, mina, sat with a palpable air of hostility. her glare, sharp and unrelenting, made it clear she bore a grudge. you averted your gaze, feeling a familiar pang of discomfort. when the bell rang, signaling the end of the class, you stood up, gathering your things with a mixture of relief and trepidation. as you walked down the hallway, the bustling student body seemed to press in on you, the noise and movement creating a dizzying effect.

suddenly, you stumbled, your foot catching on something unseen. you brushed it off as a momentary lapse in coordination, but the next step was less forgiving. your legs gave way entirely, sending you crashing onto your back with a jarring impact. you winced as pain shot through your body, the hard floor feeling like a relentless punishment.

turning your head, you saw mina standing nearby, her lips curled into a smirk of malicious satisfaction. “why did you stop walking? do you wanna die?” she taunted, her voice dripping with derision. ignoring her taunts, you struggled to your feet, the effort exacerbating the ache that had begun to settle into your bones. you started to walk again, determined to reach your next class despite the throbbing pain in your head and the sting of her cruel words.

but as you continued down the corridor, an unexpected force slammed into you from behind, propelling you against the wall with a jarring thud. the impact was so forceful that you felt the wall tremble, a low crack resonating through the hallway. pain exploded in your back, sending waves of disorientation through you.

amidst the haze of agony, you heard mina’s laughter, a cruel, incoherent sound that mingled with the throbbing in your head. she sauntered over to you, her presence looming as she leaned close, her voice a chilling whisper. “that must hurt,” she said with a mocking tone, her eyes gleaming with a cold satisfaction. she didn’t wait for your response before turning on her heel and walking away.

the corridor seemed to spin around you as you pushed yourself upright, your head pounding with a relentless intensity. each step you took was a struggle, the pain radiating through your body with every movement. you made your way home, the journey feeling endless as the throbbing in your temples grew more insistent.

once you reached the safety of your room, you collapsed onto your bed, the pain and exhaustion overwhelming you. as darkness settled over the room, you tried to force yourself into a restless sleep, hoping that the respite of slumber would dull the ache and offer some escape from the torment of the day.

the pain persisted, but with each passing moment, sleep began to claim you, a dim, fleeting hope that tomorrow might bring a reprieve from the relentless cycle of suffering. as the world around you faded into the comforting embrace of sleep, you clung to the fragile hope that the dawn might bring change and relief from the unrelenting shadows of your daily struggles.

the next morning, you approached the school with a knot of unease settling in your stomach. the events of the previous day had left you feeling on edge, and the emptiness of the hallways seemed to mirror the unsettling silence that enveloped you. as you walked to your classroom, you found yourself scanning the crowd for any sign of mina or hana, but there was nothing—only the usual bustle of students chatting and shuffling to their next class.

you entered the classroom and took your seat beside haesoo, whose presence offered a small measure of comfort. the usual buzz of activity was noticeably absent, and as the minutes ticked by, the growing absence of hana and mina began to weigh heavily on you. you leaned in close to haesoo, trying to keep your voice low. “this can’t be a coincidence,” you said, your tone tinged with anxiety.

she squinted at you, her brow furrowed in thought. “it isn’t,” she replied, her voice carrying an edge of uncertainty. she hesitated, her eyes darting around as if seeking something just beyond her grasp. “but i can’t get a clear message,” she added slowly. “it’s almost like it’s out of reach.”

before you could ask her to elaborate on what she meant, the classroom door swung open with an authoritative creak. two officers stepped into the room, their presence instantly commanding silence. the room fell into an uneasy hush, the only sounds the shuffling of papers and the occasional murmur of curiosity.

the lead officer, a tall man with a stern expression, cleared his throat before speaking. “good morning, students. we are conducting a search regarding two of your classmates, oh mina and jung hana.” his words carried a gravity that made your heart skip a beat. the room buzzed with whispers as the announcement settled over the students.

the officer continued, his voice steady but tinged with concern. “both girls have been reported missing by their families. they have not come home, nor have they been seen anywhere in the vicinity. we urge anyone who may have information about their whereabouts to come forward immediately.”

the murmurs grew louder, a mix of shock and curiosity spreading through the classroom. your eyes widened in disbelief as the reality of the situation sank in. the officers concluded their announcement and exited the room, leaving a tense atmosphere in their wake. you turned to haesoo, who was looking at you with a mixture of concern and suspicion. “do you have anything to do with this?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

you rolled your eyes, a mixture of frustration and indignation bubbling within you. “are you serious?” you replied. “you know i wouldn’t—”

she shook her head, cutting you off. “no, it’s not that,” she said quickly. “it’s just, i got a chill when they mentioned it. i’ve never felt anything like it before. it’s unsettling.” her words only deepened the sense of unease that had settled over you. as you left the classroom and made your way home, the weight of the day’s events pressed heavily upon you. the mystery of mina and hana’s disappearance loomed large, and you couldn’t shake the nagging sense that something was profoundly wrong.

when you finally arrived home, the house was quiet, the usual warmth of your family’s presence replaced by an anxious tension. your brother, who was usually the epitome of calm, met you at the door with a grave expression. “did you hear the news?” he asked, his voice laced with concern. you nodded, feeling the day’s events catch in your throat. “yes, the police came to school. they were looking for mina and hana.”

your parents, who had been sitting at the kitchen table, exchanged startled glances. your mother’s face turned pale, her eyes reflecting a mixture of shock and a cold, hard resolve. “think of it as a blessing,” she said, her voice lacking warmth. “those girls were nothing but trouble.”

the coldness in her voice cut through you, leaving you feeling more isolated than ever. the idea of them being missing was unsettling, but your mother’s reaction felt almost dispassionate, as though their disappearance was a matter of indifference rather than concern. you could sense the undercurrent of relief in her words, a stark contrast to the unease that plagued you.

you lay in bed, staring at the ceiling as your thoughts raced. the disappearance of the two girls who seemed determined to make your life a living hell, combined with the cold detachment of your family, created a turbulent whirlpool of confusion and unease. the hope for answers seemed as distant as ever, and as sleep finally claimed you, it came with a heavy heart, filled with unanswered questions and a lingering sense of dread. the night enveloped you in its quiet, oppressive embrace. you stirred from a fitful sleep, tossing and turning as the day’s events replayed in your mind. with a groan, you swung your legs over the edge of the bed and padded softly to the kitchen. the cool, dimly lit room offered a brief respite from the swirling thoughts that plagued you.

you poured yourself a glass of water, the clear liquid offering a momentary sense of calm. as you took a sip, the coldness of the water seemed to contrast sharply with the heaviness in your chest. you returned to your room, hoping that the soothing effect of the water might coax you back to sleep. instead, you lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, the darkness of the room filled with your racing thoughts. “will i ever get powers?” you mused aloud, the question echoing in the quiet of the night. “why can’t i just be like everyone else?”

a voice, soft but clear, sliced through your self-reflection, startling you. “are you still thinking about that?”

you whipped your head around to see a man standing in the corner of your room. his presence was unsettling, a contrast to the soft illumination of the moonlight that filtered through your window. his face was partially obscured by shadows, but his eyes gleamed with an unsettling amusement. you gasped and scrambled backward, your heart racing as you screamed. the sound was strangled, caught in your throat as your mind struggled to make sense of the intruder’s presence. he remained motionless, his expression unreadable as he watched you with a hint of a smile.

moments later, your brother burst into the room, his face etched with concern. “what’s wrong?” daehyun asked, his eyes scanning the room. his gaze passed over the man without a hint of recognition, as if the figure were nothing more than a figment of your imagination.

you quickly composed yourself, forcing a shaky smile. “i thought i saw a bug,” you stammered, trying to sound casual despite the pounding of your heart. “it must have been nothing.” daehyun gave you a skeptical look but shrugged it off. “alright, if you’re sure. call me if you need anything.”

as he left the room, you turned back to the man, who remained where he was, his presence an eerie constant. “who are you?” you asked, your voice trembling with a mix of fear and curiosity.

he regarded you with an amused glint in his eye. “i’m your savior,” he replied smoothly.

you blinked, confusion clouding your features. “what do you mean? are you going to hurt me?”

he scoffed lightly, a sound that seemed to carry its own form of amusement. “hurt you? no, i’m not here to hurt you. do you recall the people who were bullying you?” you nodded, the memory of their taunts and cruelty still fresh in your mind.

the man’s smile widened slightly. “i got rid of them,” he said, his tone casual as if discussing the weather.

panic surged through you, and you stumbled over your words. “you didn’t kill them, did you?”

“no, nothing so crude,” he said, a hint of disdain in his voice. “i sent them to the underworld.” the terms normal people were exposed to were biblical, accurate, generic. heaven and hell. in your world, the underworls existed openly. it was an alternate dimension, one that wasn't as bad as hell, yet seemingly just as bad. those who were sent were sent alive, bodies and souls intact, where they'd be repeatedly punished—over and over and over—for their wrongdoings.

your heart pounded as you tried to process his words. “why? why would you do that?”

he shrugged, a nonchalant gesture that seemed to make his words even more chilling. “because they were bothering you.”

you gaped at him, unable to comprehend the connection. “and what does that have to do with you?”

he raised an eyebrow, as if considering how to explain something very simple. “you should be familiar with having supernatural powers, shouldn’t you?”

“i’ve spent my entire life without any powers,” you retorted, frustration mingling with fear. “what does that have to do with you helping me now?”

“this is your power,” he said, his voice taking on a serious tone. “i’m from the underworld, and i can attach myself to whatever i choose, giving them any power they need.”

your eyes widened with disbelief. “why me? why did you choose me of all people?”

he paused for a moment, a contemplative look crossing his features. “i did it because i wanted to. and,” he added, his voice taking on a mysterious quality, “nobody else can see me unless i want them to.”

you stared at him, the weight of his words pressing heavily on your shoulders. the reality of the situation seemed almost too surreal to grasp. he chuckled softly, the sound a darkly pleasant note in the stillness of the night.

“you look like you’ve seen a ghost,” he said with a grin. “my name is park jimin. and (y/n) (l/n), i’ll be seeing you around.”

before you could react, he vanished from sight, leaving behind a lingering sense of his presence. you knew he was still there, an intangible shadow in the room, but his form was now invisible to you. the chill of his departure settled over you, and the eerie silence of the room seemed to close in.

your mind raced as you lay back in bed, trying to make sense of the strange encounter. the idea of possessing a power, of having someone from the underworld attach themselves to you, was both terrifying and fascinating. you felt a strange sense of anticipation, mixed with fear, as you stared into the darkness, the night pressing in with an oppressive weight. sleep came fitfully, but the presence of jimin lingered in your thoughts, an unsettling reminder of what you could only assume was to come.

the morning light peered through your curtains, casting a pale glow over your room. as you slowly awoke, the memories of the previous night were still fresh in your mind, but jimin’s unsettling presence was gone. you scanned the room, half-expecting to find him lurking in the shadows, but there was no sign of him. a wave of slight relief washed over you, though it was accompanied by an uneasy thought—he could be anywhere, hidden from view, and you wouldn't even know it.

you dragged yourself out of bed, feeling the weight of exhaustion still clinging to you. your mother’s voice called from downstairs, breaking the silence of the early morning. “how did you sleep?” she asked with a note of concern in her tone. forcing a smile, you replied, “just fine.”

daehyun scoffed as he entered the kitchen. “you screamed like you were being gutted last night,” he said, his voice carrying a mix of annoyance and curiosity. your father looked up from his newspaper, his brows knitting together. “what happened?” he asked, his tone indicating genuine concern.

you hesitated, then shrugged as casually as you could. “i saw a bug. it was nothing.” your father’s eyes lingered on you for a moment, but he seemed to accept your explanation. “alright then,” he said, turning back to his newspaper. the conversation moved on, but the undercurrent of unease persisted, as if the previous night’s events had left a lasting imprint.

you walked to school with a heavy heart, the weight of the unknown pressing down on you. as you approached the school gates, you noticed the usual crowd of students, their faces a blur of familiarity and anonymity. the absence of hana and mina remained a topic of conversation among the students, but the discussions were tinged with a mixture of gossip and indifference.

inside the school, the hallways seemed more tense than usual. you found yourself at your locker, trying to go through the motions of your day, when haesoo joined you. she leaned against her locker, her face drawn into a thoughtful frown. “it would be a shame if they weren’t such sluts,” she muttered, her voice low. she closed her eyes briefly, as if trying to push away a troubling thought. curiosity piqued, you asked, “what’s the matter?”

ahe shivered slightly and shook her head. “i just got a chill,” she said, her voice uncertain. she seemed lost in thought, her eyes darting around as if searching for something elusive. you watched her, puzzled by her sudden shift in demeanor. “what are you talking about?” you asked, but she was silent, her gaze fixed on something you couldn’t see.

suddenly, her eyes widened in surprise, and she stared in shock. you followed her gaze, your heart skipping a beat as you saw what had caught her attention. there, standing in the middle of the hallway, was park jimin. he was dressed in the school uniform, his appearance disturbingly casual. his smile was both enigmatic and unsettling, a contrast to the surrounding confusion and chatter.

your breath caught in your throat. the sight of him, so out of place in the school environment, was jarring. his presence seemed to draw the eye of everyone in the hallway, though he appeared to be a spectral figure to most, his gaze focused solely on you and haesoo. his eyes locked onto yours, a glimmer of amusement dancing in their depths. he stood with an air of effortless confidence, his posture relaxed yet commanding. the contrast between his calm demeanor and the chaos of the school around him only served to heighten the surreal quality of the moment.

haesoo’s expression was a mix of disbelief and fear, her earlier chill now palpable in her wide-eyed stare. you felt a cold shiver run down your spine as jimin’s smile grew, as though he enjoyed the effect he was having on you both. in the midst of the busy school hallway, where students milled about oblivious to the strange encounter, jimin’s presence seemed to create a pocket of stillness. you felt the weight of his gaze on you, a reminder of the enigmatic power he had claimed to possess.

the bell rang, breaking the spell and drawing the attention of the students back to their daily routines. his figure slowly faded from view, his presence slipping away as the normalcy of the school day reasserted itself. haesoo turned to you, her face pale and her voice trembling slightly. “did you see that?” she asked, her words barely audible. you nodded, trying to steady your racing heart. “yes,” you said, your voice tight with unease. “i saw him.”

the classroom rang with the usual chatter as students shuffled in, preparing for the day’s lessons. you took your seat, your mind still preoccupied with the unsettling encounter with jimin from the previous day. the door creaked open, and the noise in the room gradually subsided as the professor stepped in, his usual demeanor composed but with a glimmer of something unspoken in his eyes.

“good morning, everyone,” the professor began, his voice commanding attention. “we have a new student joining us today.”

you looked up, curiosity piqued. as the professor gestured toward the door, your heart skipped a beat when him stepped into the room. he wore the school uniform with an easy grace, his presence immediately drawing the eye. his smile was as enigmatic as ever, a contrast to the standard school attire that seemed almost to constrict the rest of the students.

jimin walked to the front of the class, his every step measured and confident. “hello, everyone,” he said smoothly, his voice carrying a pleasant yet unnerving calm. “i’m park jimin. it’s a pleasure to be here.”

a murmur of surprise rippled through the room, but it was taehyung’s scoff that caught your attention. from his seat at the back of the room, taehyung’s disdain was palpable. “so, what’s your power?” he called out, his tone dripping with skepticism. jimin’s eyes met his with a chilling intensity. “anything you want it to be,” he replied, his voice a low, deliberate drawl.

the room fell silent, and you could feel a shiver run down your spine as the weight of jimin’s words settled over you. taehyung’s expression shifted from confusion to curiosity, but before he could respond, something extraordinary happened. with a fluid motion, the empty desks around the room began to levitate, their wooden forms moving in a synchronized dance. the desks flew through the air, converging on taehyung and trapping him against the wall. the desks pressed around him with a force that was firm but not painful, effectively pinning him in place without causing harm.

taehyung’s eyes widened in alarm as he protested, his voice muffled by the barrier of desks. “what? let me go!” the professor, typically the picture of professional composure, allowed a faint smile to curve his lips, clearly amused by the display. jimin’s gaze remained fixed on taehyung, his expression one of calm detachment.

“if you say so,” he said, his voice laced with a touch of amusement. with a flick of his wrist, he used his telekinetic abilities to lift taehyung into the air. the desks followed suit, returning to their original places as taehyung was gently deposited on the other side of the room, away from the wall.

jimin’s smile widened as he turned to the class. “never gets old,” he remarked, the lightness in his tone belying the impressive display of power he had just demonstrated.

laughter erupted from the students, a mixture of relief and amusement at the unexpected demonstration. you found yourself caught up in the laughter, unable to suppress a grin as you locked eyes with jimin. his gaze held yours for a moment, a silent understanding passing between you. he took an empty seat beside you, his presence both comforting and disconcerting. the room gradually settled down, the buzz of conversation resuming as the class prepared for the lesson. you leaned in, trying to keep your voice low amidst the chatter.

“what are you doing here?” you whispered, your tone a mix of curiosity and apprehension. jimin’s smile remained as he leaned closer, his voice barely audible. “i told you i was your savior,” he whispered back, his eyes twinkling with a hint of mischief.

his words hung in the air, carrying with them a promise of further intrigue. as the professor began the day’s lesson, you found it difficult to concentrate, the encounter with him dominating your thoughts. the reality of his presence in your school, the display of his powers, and his cryptic assurances all melded into a whirlwind of uncertainty and anticipation.

the cafeteria was a hive of activity, alive with the usual din of laughter, chatter, and the clinking of trays and cutlery. the scent of various foods filled the air, mingling with the chatter of students as they moved through the line and found their seats. the vibrant atmosphere of the cafeteria was heightened today, the energy buzzing with heightened excitement and curiosity following jimin's display of power earlier in the day.

as you and haesoo made your way to a table, you noticed the crowd around jimin had only grown. groups of female students swarmed him, their faces alight with admiration as they offered him water, food, and even the best seats in the house. jimin declined each offer with a charming smile and a graceful wave of his hand, his eyes scanning the room as if searching for something.

your gaze met his across the bustling cafeteria, and for a brief moment, his eyes locked onto yours. your heart skipped a beat as haesoo let out a surprised yelp. “is he really coming over here?” she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief. indeed, jimin was making his way toward you, his smile unwavering as he approached your table. he stopped in front of you, his presence commanding attention despite the chaos around him. “may i join you?” he asked, his voice smooth and inviting.

you nodded, still trying to process the surreal turn of events. he took a seat across from you, his posture relaxed yet assertive. the commotion around him seemed to fade into the background as he focused his attention on you, his smile never faltering. the surprise of his arrival was short-lived, however, as you suddenly felt a presence behind you. two hands settled heavily on your shoulders, and you turned to see taehyung’s smirking face looming above you.

“what do you want?” you asked, trying to maintain a tone of annoyance despite the flutter of unease in your chest. taehyung’s smirk widened as he replied, “i haven’t bugged you in a minute. besides, i have unfinished business here.”

before you could react, taehyung shoved you to the side, claiming the seat next to you with a casual disregard. he wrapped an arm around your shoulder, his grip firm and inescapable. you tensed, trying to wriggle free, but his hold was unyielding. “did you have fun humiliating me earlier?” he asked jimin, his tone taunting. his eyes were fixed on him, his smirk never faltering.

jimin’s smile didn’t waver, but his eyes narrowed slightly. “not enough,” he said, his voice carrying a hint of menace. he leaned forward slightly, his gaze locked onto taehyung. “let go of her.” taehyung’s grip tightened instead, pulling you closer into his side. “we’re good friends, aren’t we?” he said, his voice dripping with insincerity.

you turned to jimin, desperation in your eyes. he stood up abruptly, slamming his fork onto the table with a clatter that drew the attention of everyone nearby. he approached taehyung with a purposeful stride, his expression serious. “get up,” he ordered. taehyung’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, but he remained seated, continuing to pick at his food as if unfazed. jimin, however, was undeterred. he reached out and grabbed the collar of taehyung’s uniform, lifting him effortlessly into the air. the cafeteria fell into stunned silence, the usual noise abruptly ceasing as students gasped and murmured in shock.

taehyung dangled in the air, his eyes wide with a mix of fear and disbelief. “how can you do everything at once like that?” he demanded, his voice quivering. jimin’s expression remained composed, his gaze fixed on taehyung with a mixture of mockery and disdain. “would you like to be put down?” he asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

taehyung hesitated, his pride warring with his fear, before he finally nodded. jimin, with a casual flick of his wrist, threw taehyung back down onto the floor. the impact was jarring, the sound of him hitting the ground echoing through the cafeteria. you watched in awe as jimin returned to his seat with a casual grace. the room was abuzz with whispers and murmurs, all eyes focused on the spectacle that had just unfolded. your own gaze was fixed on him, unable to hide your amazement.

“how did you do that?” you asked, your voice barely more than a whisper. jimin’s smile broadened, a glimmer of satisfaction in his eyes. “already so impressed?” he replied, his tone light and teasing. “you should be.”

as you trudged home, the crisp evening air provided a slight reprieve from the sweltering heat of the day. the sky was painted with hues of pink and orange as the sun began to set, casting long shadows along the deserted sidewalks. the rhythmic sound of your footsteps echoed against the quiet streets, a comforting metronome in the solitude of your walk.

suddenly, you felt a light tap on your shoulder. you spun around sharply, your heart skipping a beat, but found only the empty street stretching behind you. you frowned, brushing off the sensation as a trick of the mind, and turned back around to continue your journey. however, the sight that greeted you made you catch your breath. jimin stood there, his presence like an unexpected burst of color in the dimming light. his sudden appearance was startling. you exhaled sharply and muttered, “stop doing that.”

a mischievous grin spread across his face, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “you’re pretty like that,” he said, his voice smooth and teasing. you rolled your eyes, trying to ignore the heat rising in your cheeks. “what do you mean by that?” you asked, only to find that he was no longer there. the sudden emptiness where he had been left you feeling slightly disoriented.

you turned around quickly, and there he was again, standing behind you. his grin was unwavering, his eyes filled with playful mischief. “like that,” he repeated, his voice echoing in your ears.

you frowned in exasperation, your patience wearing thin. “stop scaring me,” you demanded, though the hint of amusement in your voice betrayed your frustration. jimin chuckled softly, his laughter a gentle ripple in the quiet evening. “it’s amusing,” he said, his voice lingering in the air as if he were still beside you.

just as you were about to respond, you felt yourself stumble, your foot catching on an uneven patch of sidewalk. before you could fully lose your balance and fall, jimin was there, catching you with effortless grace. he held you steady, his smile warm and reassuring. “but saving you is much better,” he whispered close to your ear.

you looked up at him, a mixture of annoyance and relief in your eyes. “you’re insane,” you said, though your voice carried a hint of gratitude. “i was fine on my own.”

jimin scoffed lightly, his gaze playful. “how did you like the taste of toilet water?” he asked, his tone laced with a teasing edge. your eyes widened in shock. “you saw that?” you gasped, your cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

he rolled his eyes as if this were the most obvious thing in the world. “i see everything,” he said dismissively. you quickly covered yourself, feeling a surge of indignation. “pervert!” you exclaimed, your voice a mixture of mortification and anger.

jimin’s eyes widened in surprise, his expression turning thoughtful. “a pervert?” he repeated, as if he were considering the accusation seriously. after a moment, he raised an eyebrow and asked, “would you like to be sent to the underworld?”

you shook your head vigorously, the thought of such a fate making you shiver. “no!” you said, your voice filled with urgency.

jimin smirked, his expression one of satisfied amusement. “that’s what i thought,” he said, his tone light and mocking.

by the time you reached your front door, jimin was nowhere to be seen. you rolled your eyes, muttering under your breath, “i know you’re there.” the familiar thwack against the back of your head, like an invisible slap, confirmed his lingering presence. you opened the door and stepped inside, where your brother daehyun was waiting. he looked at you with a skeptical expression, his eyes narrowing slightly. “who were you talking to?” he asked, his tone laced with suspicion.

you shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. “just talking to myself,” you said with a casual wave of your hand. saehyun stared at you, his eyes wide with disbelief. “maybe you really have lost your mind,” he said, shaking his head in awe.

you playfully smacked him on the head, his reaction a mix of surprise and annoyance. “shut up,” you said with a grin, before heading toward your room. as you passed by the kitchen, your mother called out, “you seem to be in a better mood today.”

you paused for a moment, contemplating her observation. it was true that something had shifted within you, a glimmer of unexpected excitement mingling with the confusion. you turned to her and gave a small, genuine smile. “yeah,” you agreed softly. “maybe i am.”

as you closed the door behind you, the click of the lock seemed to echo in the quiet room. you leaned against the door for a moment, letting out a deep sigh as you tried to shake off the day’s events. the room was dimly lit by the slant of moonlight filtering through the curtains, casting long, ghostly shadows that danced across the walls.

when you turned around, you gasped. there, leaning casually against the edge of your bed, was jimin. his presence was both startling and oddly comforting. “i told you to stop doing that,” you said, trying to keep the irritation out of your voice.

jimin rolled his eyes with a dramatic flourish, his expression one of amused exasperation. “you’re easy to scare,” he replied with a smirk that made your heart skip a beat. he tilted his head slightly and added, “you must not be used to having men in your room.”

the comment struck a nerve, and you scoffed, feigning offense. “i’ve had plenty of experience,” you retorted, though the blush rising to your cheeks betrayed the unease you felt.

jimin’s eyes sparkled with suppressed laughter, his lips twitching into a smirk. “yeah, right,” he teased, his tone dripping with playful sarcasm. he paused and then added, “i’ve seen it all, you haven’t gotten laid in eighteen years.”

the jibe made your face flush with a mix of embarrassment and irritation. “i’ll kick your eyes,” you threatened, your voice edged with frustration. jimin raised his hands in mock surrender, a look of exaggerated fear crossing his face. “really?” he asked, his tone a perfect blend of feigned terror and mischief.

you nodded decisively and reached out to slap him, but his reflexes were impossibly quick. he caught your wrist effortlessly, his grip surprisingly firm. you tried to free your hand, but he held it fast. he smiled, a glint of amusement in his eyes. “like that?” he asked, his voice a low, teasing murmur. stunned, you raised your other hand, only to find that he was already there, catching it with equal ease. his strength was undeniable, and no matter how much you struggled, you couldn’t pull free. “don’t hit me that hard,” he said with a teasing lilt, his smile widening.

you were about to retort when he suddenly moved with a fluid, almost predatory grace. before you could react, he had you pinned against your closet door. your breath caught in your throat, and you felt your heart race as his face came dangerously close to yours. the proximity was overwhelming; his scent was intoxicating, and the heat of his body pressed against yours made it hard to think.

his smile was both captivating and unsettling. he leaned in slightly, his eyes locking onto yours with a mix of curiosity and amusement. “why’s your heart beating so fast?” he asked softly, his voice a gentle caress against your ear.

you gulped, your gaze unable to tear itself away from his striking features. his eyes were mesmerizing, and his closeness made you acutely aware of how pretty he truly was. “because you’re scary,” you managed to say, your voice trembling slightly.

jimin scoffed lightly, releasing you with a dramatic flair as if your words had wounded him. “scary? you’re scarier,” he said, feigning offense as he took a step back, allowing you to breathe again.

you rolled your eyes, grateful for the distance, and waved your hand dismissively. “leave me alone. i have homework,” you said, trying to sound authoritative despite the lingering blush on your cheeks. his smile softened as he observed you, his gaze lingering on the flush that had crept up your neck. “homework, huh?” he mused, his tone carrying a hint of mock sympathy. he could clearly hear the rapid thumping of your heartbeat, and it only seemed to please him more.

you settled into your desk, the weight of the day's events still lingering in your mind. the room was dimly lit by the soft glow of your desk lamp, casting a warm, amber hue across the pages of your textbook. you had spread out your notes and textbooks with meticulous care, determined to tackle your calculus homework despite the whirlwind of emotions you were feeling. the air was heavy with the quiet hum of concentration, punctuated only by the occasional scratch of your pencil against the paper.

as you jotted down what you hoped were coherent notes on differential equations, you couldn’t shake the sensation of being watched. the hairs on the back of your neck prickled, and you glanced over your shoulder, half-expecting to see jimin’s mischievous grin. but the room remained empty, save for the clutter of your textbooks and papers. just as you resumed your scribbling, a voice broke the silence. “what are you working on?” jimin’s voice was smooth and casual, yet it carried a hint of amusement.

you jumped, nearly knocking over your pencil. “calculus,” you replied, trying to sound nonchalant as you continued to pretend to write notes. the subject matter, filled with complex equations and symbols, seemed even more daunting with his, once again, unexpected presence.

he strolled over with a lazy grace, his hands tucked into the pockets of his school uniform jacket. his eyes roamed over your paper with a mixture of curiosity and amusement. “do you actually have any idea what you’re doing?” he asked, his tone dripping with mock concern. you glanced up at him, attempting to maintain a facade of confidence. “yes,” you said firmly, though a hint of uncertainty crept into your voice.

jimin’s eyebrow arched skeptically. “are you lying?” he asked, his gaze narrowing as if he were scrutinizing every word you said. you hesitated, caught off guard by his directness. “yes,” you admitted with a sheepish grin, unable to maintain the pretense any longer.

he sighed theatrically, shaking his head with an exaggerated air of disappointment. “lying in the underworld is punishable, you know,” he said, his voice taking on a mock-serious tone. “people get their tongues cut out for that.” your eyes widened in alarm, and you gasped, “are you serious?” the very idea of such a gruesome punishment sent shivers down your spine, and you could hardly believe he was being genuine.

jimin stifled a giggle behind his hand, clearly finding your reaction amusing. “oh, absolutely,” he affirmed with a mischievous glint in his eye. you sighed, your shoulders slumping as you muttered, “i can’t wait to go to heaven.”

he raised an eyebrow and scoffed. “you’d never see heaven’s gates,” he said dismissively, a hint of derision in his voice. your eyes flashed with indignation as you retorted, “you have no idea what you’re talking about.”

jimin’s smirk widened. “you’re right,” he admitted, but his tone was far from apologetic. he glanced at your paper, his expression shifting to one of mild interest. “by the way, the answer to that equation is supposed to be squared,” he said, pointing at a particular spot on your paper with a casual air.

you let out a nervous laugh, feeling a wave of relief mixed with embarrassment. you quickly reached for your eraser, smudging out the scarily wrong answer you had previously written. with a trembling hand, you scrawled the correct answer in its place, hoping it would salvage your assignment. jimin watched you with an amused glint in his eye, seemingly delighted by the small victory of having helped you. his presence, though unsettling at times, had a peculiar way of making the mundane aspects of your life feel more bearable.

the clock on your desk ticked slowly as you fought against the drowsiness that tugged at the edges of your consciousness. your calculus homework lay spread out before you, the equations blurring together as you struggled to keep your eyes open. jimin’s presence was a faint, unsettling comfort in the periphery of your awareness. his earlier antics had faded into the background noise of your weary mind.

as you dragged your pencil across the paper, your eyelids grew heavier, and your head bobbed forward in a half-sleepy state. you mumbled aloud, your voice barely more than a tired whisper. “what are you doing here, jimin?”

a soft chuckle came from him, a sound that seemed to curl around you like a warm blanket. he leaned closer, his voice a low murmur that brushed against your ear. “do you really wanna know?” he asked, his tone laced with both curiosity and amusement. you nodded groggily, barely managing to keep your eyes open. “yes,” you managed to mumble, your voice trailing off as another yawn overtook you.

hia gaze softened, and he settled himself more comfortably on the edge of your desk. “well,” he began, his voice gentle and contemplative, “i’ve always wanted to live my life as a human, in the human world. i get to do that as long as i’m watching over someone.” you squinted at him through half-lidded eyes, the details of his face still fuzzy but recognizable. “why me?” you asked, your voice slurring slightly with exhaustion.

there was a moment of silence as jimin’s expression grew thoughtful. he seemed to weigh his words carefully before speaking again. “guess you were the chosen one, they sent me to you,” he said softly, as if the weight of the words carried a hint of destiny. his lips curled into a faint smile, though there was a touch of irritation in his eyes. “i wouldn’t have picked you if you weren’t so pretty,” he said with a hint of teasing in his voice. “all you do is cause trouble.”

you let out another yawn, your head nodding forward. “sorry,” you murmured, the apology barely audible as you fought to stay awake. you groaned softly, burying your face in your arms on the desk, too tired to respond. the relentless pull of sleep was too strong, and within moments, you succumbed to it, your breathing evening out as you drifted into a deep, much-needed slumber.

jimin watched you with a mixture of amusement and tenderness. as your breathing became steady and rhythmic, he let out a soft sigh, his gaze lingering on you with an almost wistful expression. he knew it was invasive, to watch you sleep like this, but he couldn’t help himself. there was something undeniably captivating about the way you looked when you were so peaceful and unguarded.

gently, he extended his powers, lifting you with a delicate touch of his mind. the process was effortless for him, and he guided you gently off the desk, ensuring you remained undisturbed. with a subtle concentration, he levitated you through the air, carrying you with the same care one might use to handle a fragile, precious object. he maneuvered you softly through the room, avoiding any obstacles as he floated you to your bed. as you were lowered onto the mattress, he took a moment to adjust the covers around you, tucking them in with a tender touch that belied his usual mischief.

he stood by the side of your bed, watching you with a soft, almost reverent gaze. you were curled up beneath the covers, your features relaxed and serene. the sight of you, so vulnerable and tranquil, stirred something within him—a curious blend of protectiveness and admiration. despite his role as a being from the underworld, tasked with watching over you and perhaps even unsettling you at times, he found himself captivated by your presence. the way your lashes rested against your cheeks, the gentle rise and fall of your chest with each breath, it all seemed to weave a kind of magic that he hadn’t expected to encounter.

as you trudged to school the following morning, the familiar hustle and bustle of the crowd provided a modest comfort. the sky above was a muted shade of gray, clouds hanging low as if mirroring the heaviness in your chest. the air was brisk, and you pulled your coat tighter around yourself, feeling the chill seep through despite your layers.

upon arriving at school, you approached your locker with a sigh, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep and the lingering unease from the previous night. however, as you reached your locker, you were startled to see jimin leaning casually against the row of metal lockers, his gaze fixed on you with a playful smirk. he seemed to materialize out of nowhere, his presence as striking and unanticipated as ever.

“slow for someone so thin,” he remarked with a teasing lilt in his voice. his eyes gleamed with mischief, a contrast to the gray morning. “do you ever eat, or is breakfast a myth for you?” you rolled your eyes at his casual tone and retorted, “i had breakfast this morning.” the words came out with more force than you intended, a small, defiant edge in your voice.

jimin’s smirk widened into a full-fledged grin, a flicker of amusement dancing in his eyes. “liar,” he said, his voice dripping with playful derision. “I can tell you’re lying.”

the truth of his statement was a bitter pill to swallow. you hadn’t felt the pangs of hunger as acutely in recent days, and your appetite had waned significantly since the bullying had started. the constant stress had left you feeling hollow, both physically and emotionally. the comment stung more than you’d care to admit, but you forced yourself to look indifferent.

his gaze didn’t waver as he continued, his tone now carrying an edge of mock seriousness. “there goes your tongue,” he said suddenly.

your heart skipped a beat at his words. Instinctively, you raised a hand to your mouth, your fingers pressing against your tongue as you felt a wave of panic. you bit down hard, testing to make sure your tongue was still there. the sharp, familiar pain confirmed it was, and you sighed in relief, though the discomfort of his words lingered. jimin’s eyes gleamed with an unsettling mix of amusement and mystery. “is it still there?” he inquired, his voice low and teasing.

you nodded vigorously, though the movement was almost imperceptible due to your anxiety. his sigh was almost theatrical, filled with a mock sorrow that didn’t match the amusement in his eyes. “it won’t be for long,” he said cryptically, and without another word, he turned on his heel and walked toward the school building.

you called out after him, your voice tinged with a mixture of confusion and frustration. “what do you mean by that?”

jimin merely waved a hand over his shoulder in a dismissive gesture, his smirk remaining as he walked away. the gesture was both casual and enigmatic, leaving you with more questions than answers. his cryptic remark about your tongue gnawed at your thoughts as you stood by your locker, the sudden absence of his presence leaving an unsettling void despite the childish teasing.

as the class droned on, you found it increasingly difficult to focus, the remnants of last night’s exhaustion pulling at your consciousness. your pen had been moving on autopilot, and before you knew it, you had fallen asleep, your head resting heavily on your desk. the soft murmur of your classmates and the occasional rustling of papers seemed far away, a distant backdrop to your restless slumber.

suddenly, a loud voice jolted you awake. “homework, everyone.” the professor announced, his tone authoritative. you gasped, the realization hitting you like a cold splash of water. the panic set in as you scrambled to recall where you had left off. the professor began walking down the aisles, and you could feel your heart pounding in your chest.

when he reached your desk, you fumbled with your notebook, your movements clumsy and disjointed. you retrieved it with a mix of shame and dread, handing it over to him with trembling hands. the professor’s eyebrows knitted together in surprise as he flipped through the pages, his expression shifting from curiosity to astonishment.

“did you really do all of this?” he asked, incredulous. his eyes were wide as he scanned the pages filled with neatly written answers, each question meticulously addressed and correctly solved.

you blinked, equally puzzled. “what do you mean?” you asked, trying to piece together what was happening.

the professor pointed to your notebook. “you’ve completed every single problem correctly,” he said, his voice a mix of amazement and disbelief. “this is impressive.”

you glanced down at the notebook and saw, to your shock, that every question was indeed answered accurately. a wave of confusion washed over you. you hadn’t remembered doing all this work, and the sense of accomplishment felt both foreign and surreal. as you tried to process the unexpected turn of events, you caught sight of jimin across the room. his gaze was fixed on you, and he offered a sly smile. he mouthed the words, “you’re welcome,” with a mischievous glint in his eyes. relief mixed with curiosity bubbled inside you.

the professor congratulated you, his expression softening with approval, and handed your notebook back. you muttered a thank you, still trying to shake off the disorienting sense of having accomplished something you didn’t remember doing.

at lunch, you headed to the cafeteria, hoping to sit with jimin. as you approached the table where you usually met him, your heart sank when you saw taehyung sitting there instead. he looked up as you arrived, and you could see a smirk forming on his lips. “what do you want now?” you asked, your tone weary but guarded.

he raised his hands in a mock gesture of surrender. “i promise i won’t do anything,” he said, a hint of playful mischief in his voice. “actually, i was wondering if you’d like to go out with me sometime.” you were stunned into silence. the unexpected proposition caught you off guard, leaving you at a loss for words. before you could find a response, haesoo opened her mouth, but her words were cut off by a commanding voice.

“move,” jimin said sharply, his voice cutting through the noise of the cafeteria like a knife.

all three of you turned to see him standing there, his demeanor suddenly shifting from relaxed to intense. his gaze was fixed on taehyung, and he took a step forward with a steely resolve. taehyung’s smirk faltered slightly. “go around,” he said dismissively, “i’m in the middle of something.”

to your shock, his expression darkened. he slammed his tray down on the table, the clatter of metal against plastic loud and jarring. he grabbed taehyung by the collar and pulled him close, his voice dropping to a low, menacing whisper. “unless you wanna be in the middle of nowhere, walk away.”

the tension in the air was palpable. taehyung’s eyes widened in surprise, and without another word, he backed away, his earlier bravado gone. he turned on his heel and walked off, leaving the space around you suddenly quieter.

you were left in stunned silence, your heart racing. jimin’s transformation from the charming, playful figure to someone so intimidating and cold was jarring. his capacity for sudden, intense aggression scared you, and you felt a shiver run down your spine. you tried to ignore him, focusing on your food and conversation with haesoo, not wanting to attract his attention or fall victim to whatever mood he might switch to next.

the walk home was eerily quiet, the usual chatter and clamor of the bustling streets muted by a heavy silence. the afternoon light was beginning to fade, casting long shadows that seemed to stretch endlessly along the pavement. you could hear the rhythmic patter of your footsteps and the occasional rustle of leaves in the breeze, but jimin’s presence beside you added an unusual tension to the otherwise tranquil surroundings.

he had been walking silently next to you for a while, his stride effortlessly matching yours. his presence, though subdued, was impossible to ignore. he seemed to be waiting for you to say something, his eyes occasionally flicking towards you with a hint of curiosity. finally, he broke the silence. “what’s wrong?” he asked, his tone casual but with an underlying edge that suggested he was genuinely interested.

you gave a dismissive wave of your hand and forced a small smile. “nothing,” you assured him, trying to sound more confident than you felt. jimin’s expression shifted to one of mild annoyance. “you must think i’m stupid if you’re gonna brush it off like that,” he said, his voice laced with a mixture of impatience and amusement.

you sighed, feeling a pang of guilt. “i was just thinking. thanks for doing my homework, by the way.” jimin’s lips curled into a faint smirk. “you’re welcome. i’m nice like that.”

you paused, considering his words. “but there was no reason to be so cruel to taehyung,” you said, your voice barely above a whisper. jimin’s eyes narrowed slightly. “really? were you actually gonna go on a date with that asshole?” he asked, his tone dripping with disdain.

you contemplated his question, trying to remember how you’d felt about taehyung’s offer. “maybe,” you said jokingly. his eyes widened with incredulity. “your tongue’s on the verge,” he said, rolling his eyes dramatically.

you gasped in mock horror and instinctively placed your hand over your mouth, as if to shield it from his prying. “stay away from my tongue,” you pleaded with a blend of annoyance and playfulness. jimin merely chuckled. “no promises,” he said, his tone light and teasing. this caused you to walk with your hand still covering your mouth, a futile gesture that did little to ease the odd sensation his presence brought.

when you reached your front door, you felt a sudden tug on the hand on your mouth. you spun around to confront jimin, ready to give him a piece of your mind. but as you turned, he was gone. the sudden absence of his presence was startling, leaving you standing there with a mix of frustration and confusion.

“asshole,” you muttered under your breath, the word barely escaping your lips as you glanced around to make sure he wasn’t lingering nearby. the street was empty, save for a few stray leaves skittering along the sidewalk, and there was no sign of jimin. with a resigned sigh, you pushed open the front door and slipped inside, the familiar warmth of your home a welcome contrast to the unsettling events of the day. you walked straight to your room, the encounter with jimin still fresh in your mind. the door clicked shut behind you, and you leaned against it for a moment, letting out a deep breath.

the room was cloaked in the soft, golden light of the late afternoon, casting long shadows that danced gently on the walls. the steady hum of your ceiling fan created a comforting backdrop as you sat on the edge of your bed, your thoughts tangled in a web of confusion and disquiet. jimin’s unpredictable behavior had been gnawing at you. one moment, he was charming and helpful, and the next, he was cold and menacing. the abrupt change in his demeanor was unsettling, and the weight of it made you uneasy. you needed a distraction, something to take your mind off the troubling thoughts.

with a resigned sigh, you turned on the tv. the screen flickered to life, and you absentmindedly began channel surfing, your mind not fully engaged with the images flashing before you. but then, a news anchor’s stern face filled the screen, and you were abruptly pulled into the broadcast. “—tragedy that has shaken the community. the bodies of oh mina and jung hana, two missing students, have yet to be found, and authorities now presume them dead. the search continues, but their families are left in agonizing uncertainty.”

you froze, your heart sinking as the anchor continued with a detailed recap of the events. the broadcast went on to describe the search efforts, the emotional pleas from their families, and the growing sense of despair that had settled over the community. the words felt like a physical weight pressing down on your chest, and a surge of guilt began to eat away at you. mina and hana had been cruel, yes, but no one deserved this. the thought of their families—worrying, grieving, and facing a future without their loved ones—made you feel sick. you found yourself grappling with the dissonance between their past actions and the very real, very human suffering unfolding now.

as you absorbed the gravity of the news, a familiar voice cut through your thoughts, chilling and disturbingly calm. “they got what they deserved,” jimin’s voice said, as though he had materialized out of thin air. he stepped into view, leaning casually against the door frame, his gaze fixated on the tv screen. “it’s a shame they aren’t actually dead.”

you turned to him, your eyes wide with shock and disbelief. “how can you say something so cruel?” you demanded, the hurt and anger evident in your voice. “how can you be so heartless?”

his expression hardened, his eyes narrowing slightly. “it’s always been an eye for an eye,” he retorted coldly. “they were awful to you. why should they get any sympathy?”

a surge of frustration erupted within you. “and what about their families?” you asked, the words coming out in a rush. “do you have any idea how they must feel?”

jimin snapped, his tone edged with bitterness. “they should’ve raised them better,” he shot back. “maybe then they wouldn’t have turned out the way they did.”

you were taken aback by his callousness. “you’re awful,” you said, unable to keep the scorn from your voice. “i can’t believe how heartless you really are.”

jimin’s demeanor shifted abruptly. he walked over and sat down beside you on your bed, his movements deliberate and measured. he looked at you with an intensity that was almost palpable, his gaze piercing through your defenses. “i did it for you,” he said softly, his voice losing some of its earlier bite. “because i cared for you.”

you looked at him, struggling to reconcile this softer side of him with the cruelty you’d just witnessed. “i don’t need a savior,” you said quietly, shaking your head. the weight of the day’s events and jimin’s complex personality were starting to feel overwhelming. his face softened, and for a moment, his expression was filled with a kind of sadness that seemed almost genuine. he reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair from your face, his touch light and almost tender. in his eyes, you saw something akin to heartbreak.

“okay,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “if that’s what you say.”

without another word, he vanished, leaving you alone in the dim light of your room. the silence that followed was heavy, filled with the echoes of the harsh words and the complexities of his character. you sat there, feeling the weight of his absence and the lingering discomfort of his presence. the room seemed emptier now, and you were left with a tumult of emotions and unanswered questions.

the night stretched long and restless as you tossed and turned beneath your tangled sheets, your mind an endless swirl of confusion and disquiet. your bed seemed to have become a cage, its confines growing tighter with each passing minute. the darkness of the room was punctuated only by the faint moonlight filtering through the curtains, casting fleeting shadows that danced unsettlingly on the walls.

you reached out in the darkness, searching for the comforting presence you had come to rely on. but tonight, there was nothing. no whisper of jimin’s voice, no flicker of his enigmatic smile—just an overwhelming silence that pressed against you like a heavy blanket. you called out his name, your voice barely more than a strained whisper in the stillness of the night. “jimin?” you croaked, the sound swallowed by the oppressive quiet.

the silence that followed was deafening. It seemed to stretch on forever, growing thicker and more suffocating with each passing moment. you strained to listen for any sign of him, but there was nothing—no rustle, no breath, no hint of his presence. desperation clawed at you, and you forced yourself to close your eyes, willing yourself to sleep, hoping that he would return with the dawn.

morning came, but with it, there was no sign of jimin. you woke with a start, the emptiness of your room a reminder of his absence. the space beside you on the bed was untouched, the air still and untroubled. you groaned, the reality of his disappearance settling heavily upon you. the morning routine was carried out on autopilot, the small tasks seeming to blur together as you prepared for school.

arriving at school, you felt the weight of his absence more acutely. the hallways, usually bustling with energy and life, felt hollow and empty. you walked through them with a growing sense of dread, your eyes scanning the familiar faces for any sign of jimin. but he was nowhere to be found. not in the crowded corridors, not in your classroom, not even in the places he had been known to linger.

you approached haesoo at lunch, a flicker of hope driving your steps. you needed to know if anyone else had seen him, if there was any chance he would reappear. “hey, haesoo,” you said, trying to keep your voice steady despite the anxiety you felt. “have you seen jimin today?”

she looked up from her lunch with a puzzled expression. “jimin? no, i haven’t seen him. why? you two seemed pretty close. he was kind of like your protector, wasn’t he?” you shook your head, trying to quell the gnawing worry in your stomach. “he isn’t,” you said, forcing a casual tone into your voice. “he’s my savior.”

the rest of the school day passed in a blur of gray and disinterest. the absence of jimin cast a shadow over everything, and you found it difficult to focus on the lessons or the conversations around you. It was almost as if the world had lost some of its color without him. when the final bell rang, you walked home with a heavy heart. each step felt like a step further away from the fleeting hope you had clung to. you tried to convince yourself that his absence was due to the lack of need, that perhaps he was simply giving you space. but deep down, you knew it was more than that. you had made him go away, whether intentionally or not, and the realization left you feeling hollow and uncertain.

as you neared your house, you saw haesoo walking beside you, her expression bright and expectant. “so, what do you think?” she asked, her eyes twinkling with excitement. “wanna hit the club tonight? it could be a lot of fun.” you considered it for a moment, your spirits lifted slightly by the prospect of distraction. “sure, that sounds good,” you agreed, trying to push aside the nagging emptiness you felt.

when you reached home, haesoo followed you inside. you found your mother in the kitchen, busy with the evening’s preparations. “mom, is it okay if i go to the club with haesoo tonight?” you asked, attempting to sound casual.

your mother glanced up from her task, her face thoughtful. “if she’s going,” she said with a dismissive wave, “you can go to the underworld for all i care.”

the words struck you like a chill, freezing the air around you. the mention of the underworld made your blood run cold, a sharp reminder of the dark and mysterious presence you had grown to both fear and depend on. you exchanged a look with haesoo, who seemed to notice the change in your demeanor but chose to remain silent. you forced a smile, nodding in acknowledgment. “thanks, mom.”

the evening was a muted whirl of apprehension and fleeting hope as you prepared for the night out. the room was dimly lit by the soft glow of a bedside lamp, casting warm hues over the meticulously arranged wardrobe. you stood before the mirror, scrutinizing your reflection as you adjusted the sleek black dress that clung to your frame. it was a classic choice, understated yet elegant, but tonight, it felt lacking—an empty vessel yearning for validation you could not quite grasp.

you turned this way and that, trying to find satisfaction in your appearance. the dress, with its delicate fabric and subtle sheen, was perfect in its own right. but it felt as if something crucial was missing. your mind wandered to the image of him, the elusive presence that had once been a source of comfort and assurance. the empty space beside you in the mirror seemed to echo with his absence, and the longing for his approval gnawed at you with an intensity that left you feeling hollow.

with a deep sigh, you slipped your heels on, their click against the hardwood floor a sharp contrast to the muted sense of resignation you felt inside. daehyun’s voice broke through your reverie. “call if anything happens,” he said, his tone carrying a hint of concern. you nodded absentmindedly, giving him a half-hearted smile before heading out the door.

the night air was crisp and cool as you caught a cab to the club. the city lights blurred by the window seemed to race past you, each passing moment amplifying the sense of anticipation and uncertainty that clung to you. when you arrived, haesoo was waiting outside, her excitement palpable as she greeted you with a bright smile.

the club was alive with an electric energy, the pulsating lights and thumping bass creating an intoxicating atmosphere. haesoo led you inside, her hand firmly clasped around yours as you navigated through the crowd. “loosen up,” she urged, her voice barely audible over the music. “have a drink. it’ll help you relax.”

you allowed yourself one drink, the cool liquid sliding down your throat and momentarily easing the tension in your shoulders. you clutched the glass tightly, savoring the brief reprieve it offered as you observed the throng of bodies swaying rhythmically on the dance floor. the music was a relentless beat, each pulse a reminder of the vitality you felt slipping away. as you sipped your drink, a tap on your shoulder broke your reverie. you turned around, half-expecting to see jimin’s familiar, mischievous smile. instead, you were met with the gaze of an unfamiliar man. he had a confident demeanor, his eyes appraising you with an intensity that set your nerves on edge.

“you’re a gem,” he said, his voice smooth and insistent. “would you like to dance?” you offered a polite smile, shaking your head as you replied, “no, thank you. i’d prefer to stay here.”

undeterred, the man pressed on. “come on, don’t be shy. it’ll be fun.” you declined again, but his persistence quickly turned into forcefulness. before you could fully react, he grabbed your hand with a firm grip, pulling you towards the dance floor. you resisted, trying to free yourself from his grasp, but his other hand reached out to grab your jaw. his touch was rough and invasive as he forced you to look at him. “you’re coming with me whether you like it or not,” he said, his tone brooking no argument.

panic surged through you, but before you could cry out for help or struggle further, the man was abruptly thrown backward. he collided with the wall across the room with a violent thud, the impact reverberating through the space. the music abruptly stopped, plunging the club into a stunned silence as gasps spread through the crowd.

your heart raced, but as you watched the man slump against the wall, his head hanging limply, a smile tugged at the corners of your lips. you knew—had always known—that he was still there. the subtle, yet unmistakable, presence that had become so familiar to you was now unmistakable in the man’s sudden, forceful removal.

the crowd was a sea of shocked expressions, their murmurs rising in a crescendo of disbelief. you stood amidst them, your gaze locked on the spot where the man had fallen, feeling a profound sense of relief and, oddly enough, satisfaction. you could not see him, but his protective presence was unmistakable, the unspoken assurance that he was watching over you even now.

the night clung to you like a heavy blanket as you made your way home, the darkness of the streets mirroring the turmoil inside your heart. the taxi dropped you off at the curb, the hum of the engine fading into the background as you stood before your front door, fumbling with your keys. your hands trembled slightly, the chill of the midnight air seeping into your bones, and you struggled to fit the key into the lock. after what felt like an eternity, the lock finally clicked open, and you pushed the door open with a soft creak.

the house was enveloped in silence, your family long since retired to bed. the only sounds were the faint ticking of a clock somewhere in the darkness and the quiet thud of your heels against the wooden floor as you hurried up the stairs. excitement surged through you as you reached your room. with a flick of the switch, the room was bathed in warm light, but your excitement quickly turned to crushing disappointment. the room was empty.

the realization hit you like a ton of bricks, the breath leaving your lungs in a quiet, defeated sigh. you had hoped, prayed even, that he would be there, waiting for you as he always had been. but the room was devoid of that familiar presence, and the weight of his absence settled heavily on your chest.

you let the door swing shut behind you as you sank onto your bed, the soft mattress barely registering beneath you as you buried your face in your hands. the tears came unbidden, spilling down your cheeks in hot, silent streams as you whispered into the empty room, “i’m sorry, i’m so sorry for making you go away.”

the words broke the silence, and you felt the sobs rising within you, shaking your small frame as you struggled to keep them quiet. you pressed your lips together, trying to stifle the sounds that threatened to spill out, but it was no use. the pain was too much, too raw, and it poured out of you in ragged breaths as you continued, “i’m sorry for saying i didn’t need you. i do, i really do, jimin.”

the room remained still, the silence that followed your confession only deepening the ache in your chest. you felt like you were falling into an endless abyss, the darkness and loneliness closing in around you until it was almost suffocating. you cried harder, the tears blurring your vision as you clutched your knees to your chest, rocking slightly as you tried to find some semblance of comfort.

and then, just as the despair threatened to consume you entirely, a voice—familiar and tinged with amusement—cut through the silence. “you’re ruining your makeup.”

your head snapped up so fast you almost felt dizzy, your heart leaping into your throat as you searched the room with wide, tear-filled eyes. and there he was, standing by the window, the corners of his lips curled into that playful smile that made your heart skip a beat. you couldn’t help yourself. you were off the bed and across the room in an instant, throwing yourself into his arms with such force that you nearly knocked him over. he let out a soft laugh as he wrapped his arms around you, holding you close as you buried your face in his chest, your tears dampening the fabric of his shirt.

“you must’ve really missed me,” he teased, his voice a gentle murmur against the top of your head. you nodded against him, unable to find the words to express the overwhelming relief that washed over you. “i’m so sorry,” you managed to choke out, the words coming out in a rush, desperate to make him understand. “i didn’t mean it, jimin. i didn’t mean any of it.”

he pulled back slightly, just enough to cup your face in his hands, his thumbs brushing away the tears that continued to fall. there was a softness in his gaze that made your heart ache, but his next words were laced with playful teasing, “i don’t know if i can forgive you,” he said, feigning hurt. your frown deepened as more tears pooled in your eyes, your bottom lip trembling as you whispered, “i’m sorry, i’ll do anything, jimin. anything.”

he peered at you from the corner of his eye, a sly smile tugging at his lips as he pretended to think it over. “anything?” he asked, his tone light but his eyes watching you intently. you nodded without hesitation, willing to do whatever it took to make things right between you.

a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes as he pointed to his cheek. “give me a kiss.”

you didn’t hesitate. you leaned in, pressing your lips gently to his cheek, the warmth of his skin grounding you in a way that nothing else could. but before you could pull back, he turned his head, and your lips met his in a kiss that sent a jolt of electricity through your entire body. he smiled into the kiss, and you couldn’t help but smile too, the weight of your earlier sadness lifting as you melted into him. the kiss was soft and sweet, a silent promise that you had been forgiven. but there was an underlying intensity that made your heart race, a sense of longing that neither of you could ignore.

when you finally broke the kiss, you looked up at him, your eyes searching his as you whispered, “don’t go anywhere ever again.” his forehead rested against yours, his breath warm against your lips as he replied, “i won’t, i promise.”

the words were barely out of his mouth before his lips were on yours again, this time more urgent, more demanding. you responded in kind, your hands tangling in his hair as you pulled him closer, the kiss deepening until you were both breathless. His hands roamed your back, pulling you flush against him as the intensity of the moment grew. the room seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of you in a world of your own creation, where nothing else mattered but the feel of his lips on yours, the warmth of his body against yours, and the unspoken connection that bound you together.

breathy gasps filled the air as the kiss became more intense, more desperate. his hands slid to your waist, pulling you even closer as the world around you continued to disappear. on that moment, nothing else mattered—no doubts, no fears, no regrets. there was only him, only you, and the undeniable pull between you that refused to be denied.

his fingertips trailed down your sides, reaching the hem of your shirt, and with one smooth motion, he lifted it over your head, tossing it aside to expose your braless tits. your nipples pebbled at the sudden coolness of the air, and jimin’s eyes darkened with desire as he took in the sight of you. “so beautiful,” he murmured, his voice a low growl that sent shivers down your spine.

you reached for the button of his pants, fumbling with the zipper as you felt his hands move to the back of your neck, tracing the skin with his nails, his eyes feasting on your naked tits. his gaze was hungry, and it made you feel powerful, desired. without breaking eye contact, you lowered yourself to your knees, your heart racing as you took his hardening cock into your hand.

his breath hitched as you leaned in, your hot breath ghosting over the tip before you took him into your mouth. jimin’s hands found your hair, his grip tightening as you began to suck, your tongue swirling around him, exploring every inch of his length. you moaned around him, the sound vibrating through him and making his knees tremble. his moans grew more intense, his words a mix of praise and demand as he guided your head, pushing deeper into your mouth.

his eyes never left yours as he watched you, the way your cheeks hollowed out, the way your tongue danced around him. “so good to me,” he murmured, his voice strained with pleasure. “but i know what you really want, don’t i?” you pulled back, panting, and nodded. you knew exactly what he wanted. without another word, you stood up, and together you moved to the bed, his hand never leaving the small of your back, guiding you, claiming you. your heart raced as you felt the mattress dip beneath you, his weight pressing you into the softness.

his hands were everywhere, exploring your body as if it was the first time, because it was. every touch felt new, every kiss a revelation. he pulled your panties down, his eyes never leaving yours as he exposed your vulnerable pussy to him. your cheeks flushed with a mix of excitement and nerves. he leaned down, his breath hot against your skin as he whispered, “no one else will ever have you like this.”

his mouth found your clit, and you gasped, your hands gripping the sheets as he began to lick and suck. the sensation was overwhelming, and you couldn’t help but buck your hips against his face, desperate for more. he chuckled against you, the vibration sending waves of pleasure through your body. “you’re so eager,” he said, his voice muffled against your skin. “it’s almost obvious you're a virgin.”

you moaned in response, unable to form a coherent argument as he worked his magic. your body tensed, the pressure building until it was almost unbearable, and then with one slick thumb sliding into your ass, you shattered, your orgasm crashing over you like a tidal wave. your eyes squeezed shut as you rode the waves of pleasure, feeling him licking up every drop of your arousal as your pussy spasmed around his thumb.

when you finally opened your eyes, jimin was hovering over you, his own pants and boxers a discarded mess on the floor. the tip of his cock nudged against your entrance, and he smirked down at you, his eyes full of mischief. “came for me just like that, huh?” he asked, his voice thick with lust. you nodded, unable to form words, and he pushed inside you with a groan that seemed to come from the very depths of his soul. you were tight around him, your body untouched by anyone else, and he took his time, savoring every inch as he filled you completely.

his hips began to move, slow and deliberate, and you could feel him stretching you, filling you in a way that was both painful and exquisite. he leaned down, capturing your mouth in a bruising kiss as he whispered, “i’m gonna ruin you for anyone else, you know that?” you didn’t care about the pain. you only cared about the way he felt inside of you, about the way his kiss made you feel alive. you wrapped your legs around his waist, urging him deeper, needing more of him as he broke through your barrier with a gentle but firm thrust. a gasp tore from your throat, but it was quickly followed by a moan as pleasure began to overtake the initial discomfort.

jimin’s eyes never left yours as he began to move in earnest, his hips sliding in and out of you with an ease that belied the tightness of your grip on him. you could feel your body adjusting to him, stretching and clinging to him like a second skin. the filth that left his mouth grew more intense, his words a filthy litany that had you squirming and whimpering beneath him. “fuck, i love you. only mine, no one else's.” he growled, his thumb finding your clit and rubbing it in slow, firm circles that had your eyes rolling back in your head.

your orgasm built again, more intense than the first. your pussy was slick with arousal, and with every thrust, he hit that perfect spot deep inside of you, making your toes curl and your back arch. he was relentless, his mouth moving from your lips to your neck, nipping and sucking as he claimed you in every way possible. and then, just as the tension was about to snap, he slammed into you, his thumb pressing harder on your clit, and you were coming apart, your body shaking with the force of it.

you felt him swell inside of you, his cock pulsing as he reached his own climax, filling you with his warmth. he groaned your name against your neck, his entire body tensing as he emptied himself into you. the sensation was unlike anything you had ever felt, a mix of pleasure and possession that had you clinging to him as if he was the only thing keeping you tethered to reality.

when it was over, you lay there, panting and trembling, your body still fluttering with the aftershocks of your orgasm. jimin kissed you softly, his breath hot against your skin as he whispered, “no one else will ever touch you like this, remember that.” you nodded, your voice a mere whisper as you promised, “only you, jimin. only ever you.” he pulled out, and you felt the sticky warmth of his cum trickling down your thighs.

he lay beside you, pulling you into his arms, your bodies entwined as the last of the adrenaline slowly drained away. your heart was still racing, but it was a good kind of scared, the kind that came from knowing you had just given yourself to someone who would protect you with every fiber of his being. you knew he was from the underworld, that he had come to protect you, and in that moment, you had never felt safer.

after a few moments of quiet, he smirked and broke the silence with a question that took you by surprise. “was that really your first time?” his voice was low, slightly teasing, but there was an edge of genuine curiosity there that made you raise an eyebrow. you scoffed lightly, still feeling the lingering warmth from the kiss. “yeah,” you replied with a hint of sarcasm, “my first time just happened to be with a demon from the underworld.” the words were meant to be a joke, but the moment they left your lips, you realized how bizarrely true they were.

jimin propped himself up on his elbows, feigning offense as he stared at you with mock indignation. “how could you be so cruel as to call me that?” he asked, his tone playful but with a glint of something deeper in his eyes, something that made you want to tease him further just to see where it would lead.

you couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped you, the tension from earlier easing into something lighter, more playful. “you’re right,” you conceded, your voice softening as you leaned in to plant a gentle kiss on his lips. the brief contact sent a familiar warmth through you, and when you pulled back, you locked eyes with him and continued, “you’re not a demon. you’re my savior.”

the words hung in the air between you, heavy with meaning. for a moment, you both stayed like that, the intensity of your earlier exchange lingering in the quiet space. his gaze softened, the teasing glint fading into something more serious as he studied your face, as if committing every detail to memory. he sighed softly, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he reached up to brush a stray strand of hair away from your face. his fingers lingered on your skin, tracing a gentle path down your cheek before coming to rest under your chin, tilting your face up slightly so he could look you in the eyes. “your savior, huh?” he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper. there was something almost sad in his expression, a hint of vulnerability that you rarely saw from him.

you nodded, your heart pounding in your chest as you held his gaze. “yeah,” you whispered back, your voice filled with a sincerity that left no room for doubt. “you’ve always been there for me, even when i didn’t want you to be. you saved me, jimin.” the admission hung in the air between you, the weight of it pressing down on you both. you saw the way his expression shifted, the playful mask he usually wore slipping away to reveal something raw and unguarded beneath it. his eyes darkened, the intensity in them making your breath catch in your throat.

for a long moment, neither of you spoke, the silence filled with everything you had left unsaid. then, finally, jimin leaned in, closing the small distance between you as he captured your lips in a kiss that was softer, gentler than before. there was no urgency this time, no desperation—just the quiet, undeniable connection that had always existed between you.

when he pulled back, he rested his forehead against yours, his breath warm against your skin as he whispered, “i don’t ever want you to feel like you’re alone again. you understand that, right?” you nodded, your heart swelling with an emotion you couldn’t quite name as you whispered back, “i understand.”

he smiled at that, a small, genuine smile that lit up his entire face. “good,” he murmured, his voice filled with a tenderness that made your chest ache. “because i’m not going anywhere. Not now, not ever.” you leaned into him, closing your eyes as you let the warmth of his presence envelop you, the steady beat of his heart beneath your hand grounding you in the moment. and for the first time in a long while, you felt at peace—like you had finally found the place where you belonged.

the two of you stayed like that for a while, wrapped up in each other, savoring the quiet intimacy of the moment. eventually, he shifted, pulling you closer as he lay back down, his arms encircling you protectively. you nestled against him, your head resting on his chest as you listened to the steady rhythm of his breathing, the rise and fall of his chest lulling you into a sense of calm. as you lay there, your thoughts drifted back to everything that had happened—the confusion, the fear, the overwhelming sense of loss when you thought he was gone for good. but now, in his arms, all of that seemed to fade away, replaced by a certainty that you couldn’t quite explain but knew to be true.

jimin was your savior. and as long as he was by your side, you knew that you would be okay.

✧.*

a/n: this was so cute can't wait to go back to jackson wang cameos and angst