2 II

Jimin awoke in his mothers' arms to her worried expression as she leaned over him.

"He's awake!" His mother called out to his father, who wasn't in the room, before helping him into a sitting position. "Thank god you're awake."

Jimin blinked slowly and jolted all of a sudden, frantically looking around for any sign of the tendrils.

"Mom, we have to get out of here." He panicked and kept glancing at the corners of the room suspiciously.

"Jimin, what are you talking about?" She frowned and turned him back to face her.

"Mom it tried to kill me!" He tried to reason with her, but she only looked more confused than she had before.

"Jimin, you had another attack last night. If your father hadn't woken up when you fell after losing consciousness, we could have lost you." She hugged him tightly.

"I'm not talking about to autoimmune disease mom." He protested. "It was the shadows."

"Shhh Jimin. You aren't thinking straight yet. Let's get you into bed, alright? You need your rest."

His father picked him up easily and carried him back to the bedroom, laying him on his bed and tucking him in underneath the covers. He leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on his forehead. Jimin wanted to remind his dad that he wasn't five and really didn't need that.

"Sleep well Jimin."

As if.

He could still taste the blood in his mouth and feel phantom bindings around his body, squeezing his arms and tightening around his waist.

He never wanted to feel that again.

But how had his parents not seen any of that? Heck, how had they stayed sleeping while he was running down the hall next to their bedroom and slamming the bathroom door? Why hadn't they been attacked as well?

He wasn't sure. Nothing about it made any sense.

Jimin laid in bed for a while until he got antsy and had to move. Laying in the same place made him feel vulnerable and nervous so he went downstairs and sat on one of the chairs in the kitchen while he waited for the sun to rise.

He knew he would be paranoid for a while, and jumping at shadows for longer. But he didn't care.

Jimin rested his head on the table and stared off into the distance somewhere as he began to replay the incident and think about what happened.

It seemed to have been unsure about who he was. Why it would know who he was in the first place, he had no clue, but he was involved in this now and he would be damned if he didn't figure it out soon.

He knew his mother would force him to stay inside all day.

(Like hell he would)

Or she could also make him go outside and explore.

(That didn't sound all that appealing either but it was better than feeling trapped)

He made up his mind. It was time to meet the locals.

When he had expressed his interest in exploring the town, his parents exchanged a worried glance.

"You were so against it yesterday," his mother gently placed her hand on top of his, "what changed?"

"I thought it would be a good idea to learn about this place so I don't get lost one of these days." He shrugged.

His father looked at him in a concerned manner. "Are you sure you want to leave so soon after an attack? Shouldn't you be resting?"

Jimin smiled back weakly.

"I'll be bored all day if I stay here. There's nothing to do without the internet."

"Children these days." His father scoffed, "We didn't have the internet when I was young. Now you're all glued to your phones."

Jimin raised a brow pointedly.

"Says the man who gets upset whenever he can't play his online crossword. What are you, a grandfather?"

"I sure hope not." His father laughed before his expression became serious. "Unless there's something you aren't telling me."

Jimin snorted back laughter. "As if, dad. I haven't dated in years."

His father relaxed and they both laughed. He knew his dad was very much aware of the fact that Jimin had tried dating a girl once, and quickly found out that he was much more interested in guys.

"I'll be back for lunch, ok?"

"Stay safe." His mother said quietly.

Jimin knew that it was hard on his parents. They wanted him to be happy and healthy. Unfortunately, he could only achieve one at a time.

He would never be happy if he was stuck in a hospital for most of his life.

He left the house after putting on a warm sweater and walked down several streets.

They all looked the same, cobblestone, covered in fog, dreary.

Yeah, he really didn't see any of the charm his parents had talked about. He peeked into a couple of shops and said hello to the owners, introducing himself and asking for directions.

The people were all extremely friendly and helpful, except for the stationmaster from the day before, and he found himself relaxing.

Every once in a while he saw children running and playing in the streets. He smiled at them.

It must be nice to be so carefree.

He hadn't seen any others around his age, which confused him. It wasn't so early that they would still be sleeping, right?

He thought back to Taehyung and his habit of sleeping until noon or later. Never mind.

They probably were.

He soon found a small coffee shop in the center of town, it was quaint and it seemed somewhere in between the type of place you would go for a date and the one where you would casually get coffee every morning.

The owner was a kind old woman who immediately pinched his cheeks and welcomed him with a hot chocolate on the house. He was herded over to a seat and she sat down across from him.

"A new face. We don't see those often around here." He blushed and looked down in embarrassment.

"I just moved here yesterday." He explained after taking a sip of the drink. It was just as good or better than the overpriced drinks from back home in the city. No- his home was here now.

"I see." She smiled kindly. "How are you liking it so far?"

"It's..." He hummed as he tried to think of the right words, "different. Yeah."

"I guess it would be for a city boy like you." She laughed before standing up slowly.

"Have you eaten yet, love?"

He shook his head. He had forgotten due to everything that had happened.

"Let me get you sumthin'." She pulled out a blueberry muffin and put it on a plate.

She brought it back over and handed it to him.

"Thank you." He picked it up and took a small bite.

"This is amazing!" He exclaimed, and it really was. The muffin was sweet, but not too sweet, and had the perfect amount of blueberries in it. In all honesty, it was probably the best muffin he had ever eaten.

"I'm glad you think so, love." She sat back down. "You remind me of my grandson."

He blinked up at her. "Your grandson?"

"Yes." She said with a fond smile.

"I don't see him anymore." She looked wistfully somewhere over Jimin's shoulder.

"Oh?" He wondered, "Why not?"

She frowned at those words and looked him in the eye.

"He broke the law, love."

Jimin immediately broke eye contact and stared down at the muffin in his hands.

"Oh."

"Love, promise me that you won't do the same." She said seriously.

"Don't worry." Jimin smiled at her. "No lawbreaking for me!"

"Good." She seemed to relax. They both fell into a comfortable silence for a few seconds.

"Goodness, I forgot to ask your name." She said suddenly. "The old age is finally getting to me I'm afraid."

"It's Jimin."

"Jimin." She repeated. "That's a beautiful name, love."

"Thank you."

He finished the muffin and the hot chocolate and pulled out his wallet to pay for the muffin at least.

"It's on the house."

"But-" he tried to protest.

"No, love. Having someone here is payment enough."

He reluctantly returned his wallet to his pocket.

"If you say so." He said dejectedly.

He stood up and offered her a hand, which she gladly took.

"Just promise to come back and visit an old woman every once in a while." She smiled at him. "It gets lonely sometimes."

"I'll be sure to come back." He hesitated, but then gave her a gentle hug.

"I'm sure you will, love. I'm sure you will." She squeezed him tightly as if she was afraid to let him go.

"Stay safe out there." She told him. "And don't break the law."

"I'm not the kind of person who does." He replied with a cheeky grin.

"Be careful anyways." She let him go and took a step back.

"I will, don't worry."

With one last wave, he left, heading down the street to explore more of the town.

He never saw her sorrowful expression. Maybe things would be different if he had.

The thing about towns like this one, Jimin thought to himself, is that all the streets look the same.

He turned down yet another identical street and glared at the cobblestones beneath his feet. He could have been walking in circles for all he knew. Honestly, with his luck, he probably was.

Jimin knew he should have asked the lady for directions, but hindsight is 20/20.

The fog had gotten thicker for some reason and it worried him somewhat. Wasn't fog supposed to go away as the day went on?

He brushed it off. It's not even like this town was normal in the first place.

One of the side streets seemed smaller and less foggy than all the rest but was much darker. He hesitated. Did he really want to go somewhere with so many shadows so soon?

He wasn't sure if he should.

The sun was covered by a cloud and Jimin shivered as the air around him got colder. He hugged his arms close to his chest in a feeble attempt to stay warm.

He took another cautious glance at the alleyway. The shadows seemed to be staying right where they should be, unmoving and silent.

"Why am I so goddamn paranoid?" He murmured to himself.

He heard footsteps through the fog and he turned to look in their direction.

"Excuse me!" He called, still trying to conserve warmth. "Can you tell me how to get back to the coffee shop?"

There was no answer. Jimin frowned.

"Fine. Be that way." He scoffed. "Rude."

It was probably the stationmaster, he reasoned. Everyone else around here seemed to have common decency.

The person didn't respond yet again, but the footsteps kept approaching.

His gut twisted. Something was off.

He took a step backward and glanced over his shoulder back at the alley, his muscles tensed. Still as dark and terrifying as earlier.

The footsteps never slowed.

His breath caught in his throat when muted whispers began to replace the sound of footsteps that were ever so slowly getting closer.

They were coming.

Making a split second decision, he spun on his heel and bolted into the alley. The whispers quieted slightly before they turned into screams. His heart pounded in his chest as

he ran and his breaths were becoming shallower with every step.

The screaming never stopped, it just got louder until it was almost unbearable. It was as if the screaming was stuck inside his head and echoed more with every ricochet off his skull.

He felt a sharp pain on his cheek and he reached up to touch it. His hand came away bloody.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see another shadow detach itself from the wall and hurtle towards him. It sliced a red line into his arm and he nearly stumbled from the sudden pain.

Jimin looked around frantically.

There was a dead end up ahead. He had to get away somehow but there was nowhere to go. His heart sunk in his chest. His eyes darted around, looking for somewhere, anywhere he could go to escape.

The alley turned and he breathed a sigh of relief before pushing himself to go faster, further.

More shadows struck him and he stumbled when one hit the side of his knee.

"Shit." He cursed.

He didn't notice anything around him. All his focus was on continuing to move forward as quickly as possible.

All he could hear was the screams. All he felt was the pain. All he saw was the darkness slowly closing in on him.

Coughs forced their way out of his lungs and he winced at the burn in his chest.

He covered his ears with his hands in an attempt to block out the noises but it didn't help. It was almost like they were coming from his own head.

"Please... Someone... Anyone..." He whimpered as he kept running. His muscles and lungs burned but he wasn't about to stop running. The alley seemed endless. Logically speaking, he should have found a road by now. But he hadn't.

All the walls surrounding him were the same, the cobblestones were the same. It freaked him out. Why wasn't he getting anywhere? Where was he?

The screams were deafening and Jimin could barely concentrate on keeping one foot moving in front of the other.

He was tired. So, so tired.

Just for a moment, he told himself, I'll only close my eyes for a moment. This is all a nightmare and it will be gone when I open them.

He ran into something and stumbled backward, a hand reached out to steady him.

The screaming stopped. Jimin opened his eyes and stared at the person who was still holding his arm. He had raven coloured hair and even darker eyes. Any other time Jimin would have commented on his looks, but this really wasn't the right moment for that.

"Please!" He pleaded, latching onto the man's shirt, "They're coming! You have to get me out of here!"

The man stared wide-eyed at Jimin.

"You're hurt." He stated, eying the blood.

"No shit. But this really isn't the time!"

"What's happening?" The man asked in a worried tone.

"There are shadows... They're chasing me, you have to help please-"

"Shadows?" The man's eyes widened and he looked horrified.

Jimin let go of his shirt and stepped back. The moment he did, the screaming returned full force. Shadowy tendrils launched themselves at the two as the screaming got even louder. The man grabbed Jimin's hand and started sprinting away, dragging the exhausted boy along with him.

"You're telling me that that thing is chasing you!?" He shouted over his shoulder.

"Yes!"

"Fuck." He pulled Jimin closer and stepped out of the way of another incoming tendril. "We have to get out of here."

"I never could have guessed!" Jimin called back sarcastically, letting out a whimper when he gained another few cuts on his legs.

"Shut up and run!" He growled.

They burst out onto the street but the man didn't slow down whatsoever.

"Aren't we safe now?" Jimin whined. His muscles were screaming at him to stop moving but he had to keep going if he didn't want to be dragged.

"There's only one place in this godforsaken town it can't reach."

"What do you mean by that!?" Jimin protested weakly.

"What I mean is shut your mouth and run if you want to live." The man growled again.

The mass of shadows erupted from the alley and the tendrils sped across the ground towards them.

"We're going to die." Jimin sobbed.

"If you would just listen to me," the man yelled back, "we won't die if you actually try to run."

The man led him down street after street until cobblestone gave way to grass and buildings turned into forest. They ran through the trees until they came upon a circle of stones. The man let go of Jimin's hand and ran into the circle.

Jimin's legs gave out on him and he fell to the ground with a cry. The man whipped around and tried to pull him to his feet.

"Fucking hell, just hurry up!"

Jimin stood on shaky legs and took a step towards the circle. He risked a glance back and wished he hadn't. The mass destroyed anything and everything in its path. He could see trees disintegrating and the earth being gouged as if it were merely water parting for a ship.

The man swore under his breath and yanked on Jimin's arm, pulling him into the circle right as the shadows collided with the rocks. The screaming grew furious and frantic as it pounded against the air. Jimin stared in horror as the mass began to stretch and twist until it covered them in a dome shape.

He clung to the stranger and buried his face in the man's neck. It felt like forever had passed and Jimin's legs were beginning to cramp by the time it finally left with a final scream.

He blinked and realized he was still holding onto the stranger and jolted backwards with a shriek.

"I-I'm so sorry, I-"

"I'm not gonna kill ya, kid."

He sat back and stared at his lap.

"How did you-"

"How do I know what they are?" The man lazily flicked a silver lighter on and off with one hand as he smirked at Jimin. "Simple. I've seen them before."

"But no one believed me when I told them!" Jimin protested.

"Of course they didn't." The man lit the lighter and stared at the flame for a moment. "Would you believe someone if they told you that the shadows were trying to kill you?"

Jimin stared at the man's serious expression. "I suppose not."

"They didn't believe me either."

"How did you know that it can't reach here?" Jimin asked curiously after shifting so he was sitting more comfortably.

"It attacked me here twice. The first time, it succeeded. The second time, it couldn't touch me." The man traced his fingers over the ground lightly.

Jimin pursed his lips.

"But why did that change?" He asked curiously.

"I don't know." Another flick of the lighter. "I like to think that it's Seok's doing."

"Seok?"

"My best friend." The man pocketed the lighter and stared at Jimin.

"Maybe he'll know!" Jimin said excitedly. Thank goodness there was someone here who knew of a way to stop that… whatever it was.

"You can't ask him." The man glared at the ground as if it had personally offended him.

"And why not? Don't want the crazy to be contagious?"

The man whipped his head up to stare Jimin in the eye. He looked furious and his voice came out as more of a snarl.

"It killed him."

Jimin's mouth fell open and he shrunk back into himself.

"I'm sorry." He said weakly.

The man huffed but said nothing, only staring at the flame once more.

"Did it happen... The first time?" Jimin asked quietly.

His gaze landed on Jimin for a moment before flickering away.

"Yeah. It happened right here."

"Here?" Jimin squeaked. "As in, where we're sitting?"

The man nodded. "When did it attack you?" He asked, completely ignoring Jimin's discomfort.

"Last night. In my house."

"Your house? Jesus, it must have some kind of vendetta against you or something."

"I don't know," Jimin admitted.

The man hummed and looked back at the ground. "So what's your name kid?"

"My name's Jimin. And I'm not a kid." He protested. The change in subject was a welcome one.

"Sure you are."

"I'm 18."

"I'm 20." The man raised an eyebrow. "So what?"

Jimin rolled his eyes. "So what's your name? Or do I have to call you angsty lighter dude?"

Even he would admit he completely deserved the glare he got.

"The name's Yoongi, kid. Wish we could have met under better circumstances."

Jimin giggled. "Yeah."

"I'm surprised you've never heard of me," Yoongi admitted.

"I'm new, so..." Jimin picked at the grass nervously.

"I see."

They lapsed into silence until Jimin had had enough.

"Hey, Yoongi?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you tell me exactly what happened that day?"

The man sighed and looked up at the cloud-covered sky.

"Are you sure? It isn't a pretty story." Yoongi's expression was serious and if he looked closer, his eyes were filled with sadness.

"I'm sure," Jimin replied with confidence. Their gazes locked and Jimin shuddered at the intensity of it.

"I'll tell you what I want." He replied. "I just hope you don't come to regret it."