Aera's P.O.V

He shifted uncomfortably as I stared at him. He averted his eyes and looked around the dark park awkwardly, clearing his throat. Finally after a few moments, he locked eyes with me.

"Aera, Aren't you going to say anything. Anything at all?" Jimin asked.

"Are you going to leave me again?" I blurted without thinking.

Could I sound anymore needy? I turned away this time, embarrassed at my question. He didn't say anything for a while, so I peaked up at him again. Jimin's eyes were sad.

"That's not really a question I can answer," he told me quietly.

I sighed, disappointed, but not surprised, with his strange response.

"Where did you go?" I asked after a few moments.

"I never left."

"You didn't go to school. Or the park. I didn't see you anywhere," I pointed out.

"Yeah. I made sure of that, difficult as it was," he said under his breath.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"No--" he stopped, maybe realizing that I wouldn't really appreciate another "nothing" from him. "You won't understand. But it's kind of hard to keep out of your sight."

I tilted my head in confusion, but I was glad he'd given me an actual answer, mysterious as it was. I studied him under the flickering streetlights. A question that I needed to ask weighed down on my shoulders, almost physically. But it wasn't something I could just a come right out and say. I took a deep breath.

"Jimin..." I chewed on my lip.

"What?"

"There's something...Jung--I learned," I said slowly, looking down at a large crack in the bench. "I don't know what I'm supposed to think. Or do...about it."

He was dead silent. Unmoving, as I continued.

"I don't really know how to ask this..." I stopped and shook my head.

"What is it, Aera?" Jimin asked in low voice.

He sounded different. In a bad way. But I forced myself to look up at him again.

"Who exactly are you?" I finally forced out.

Jimin was suddenly emotionless. His eyes looked into mine, but they seemed lifeless. It was strange and almost terrifying how easily he could switch off his emotions.

"What do you mean?"

I decided to stop letting him give me these ambiguous answers. I was done with his obvious lies. Even though it hurt him when I pushed for more explanations. I couldn't live like that anymore.

"Jungkook..."

Jimin stiffened at the sound of his name, but I continued.

"He told me he wasn't human, Jimin...I don't understand. Is he mentally ill? Is he actually...what is he? What--what are you?" It sounded so incredibly stupid yet horrifying when I said it aloud.

"When did you see Jungkook?" Jimin asked me.

His voice had turned back into the shiver-inducing tone.

"That's not the point. Are you really going to ignore my questions?" I asked.

"When did you see Jungkook?" He asked again.

"Jimin..." I said.

I didn't want him to get hurt because I was stupid enough to talk to Jungkook. If anything happened to Jimin, it would be all my fault. And I could never live like that. But I also couldn't lie to Jimin.

"Earlier today," I said quietly.

"Is that why...when I came here...did he--did he hurt you?" Emotion was flooding back into Jimin's face.

Anger, worry, guilt.

"It doesn't matter, Jimin. Why won't you answer my questions?" I asked louder.

"I'm going to find him," Jimin snapped, ignoring me.

"Jimin, just answer me! Give me a straight answer for once! Stop leaving me in the dark! I can't take it anymore! I--I can't trust you when you act like this!" I cried.

"Aera!" He cried back, voice breaking. "I can't tell you! I can't--! You just don't get it!"

"Of course, I don't get it!" I yelled. "You never tell me anything!"

"That's because I can't!"

"Why not?!"

"Because I don't want to lose you!" He yelled, turning towards me and the light again.

I suddenly noticed in heartbreaking horror, that tears were streaming down his face.

"I don't want to..." He said quieter. "But I have to."

"W-what?" I asked.

We met eyes again for a second. But he turned away again.

"I have to find Jungkook," he said again.

"Ji--"

"There's no need, Sasin," a bone-chilling voice softly said from the darkness. "I'm already here."

Not again. Not now. No.