Aera's P.O.V

I watched as they shoved food into their mouths repeatedly, wondering how long they could do it without taking a breath. It was almost fascinating, but mostly disgusting. The way they ate made me think about just how nastily I ate my food.

"Aera, aren't you gonna eat?" Hoseok asked me, food almost tumbling out of his mouth.

"Oh...uh yeah," I replied, wrinkling my nose.

I supposed I had been too focused on studying them. I turned back to the bibimbap I had ordered. I was pretty hungry and it looked really good. But I wished I didn't have to eat it after being forced to come here. With a small frown, I began eating with them, my sour mood drifting away as I tasted the dish.

"Wow, delicious..." I mumbled in awe.

"Isn't it? That is why this place is our usual," Namjoon explained.

I ignored him and kept eating.

"Taehyung, did you text Yoongi hyung?" Namjoon asked.

"He said he was gonna be late," He replied.

I listened to their conversation curiously. So they do have more friends. I wondered why I'd never seen anyone else with them. Maybe only the three of them go to Danwon? I shrugged to myself and continued eating.

"How's the food?" A voice came from behind me, making me jump.

"Jin hyung! We didn't know you were working." Taehyung grinned.

"I just got here..." The newcomer was tall and slim, he now stood next to the sitting Hoseok watching me in confusion. "Are you going to introduce me?"

"Oh, right. Jin, this is Mok Aera. Aera, this is Kim Seokjin," Namjoon told him.

"You can call me Jin." He bowed slightly.

"You can call me...Aera," I replied awkwardly, returning the small bow.

"She just moved here. Now she goes to Danwon with us," Hoseok said.

"Nice. I just graduated." Jin grinned.

"What's up, guys? Sorry I'm late." A bored looking boy slid into the booth beside Namjoon.

"Don't worry, we just got our food," Taehyung said.

I frowned again. They had just gotten their food, but it was already more than halfway eaten.

"Who are you?"

We went through the introduction process once again. His name was Min Yoongi and he also had graduated from Danwon. They began chattering aimlessly, so I finished up my bibimbap in silence, just listening to them. Jin had to leave the table at one point to start working, since apparently he had a job there. Every time he passed us, one of the boys would yell out something like, "Yeah! Go Jin hyung! Fighting!" I decided it hadn't been long since he'd began working there.

I had to admit it was almost fun. And it was definitely delicious. I decided I would probably be back. My phone began ringing at one point, and everyone turned to me.

"Uh, sorry," I said, quickly answering it. "Hello?"

I stood up and walked a little ways away from the table.

"Aera? Where are you? You said you'd be home in an hour or two. It's been three!" My dad said.

"Oh...sorry, Dad. I saw Namjoon. He invited me to eat with him and his friends," I told him. "I guess I lost track of time."

"Namjoon? That's great! I thought you didn't like him, though..."

"I don't really. But he's paying for my meal," I explained.

"Well, I hope I'm not interrupting, but you should come home now, okay?" He said.

"Okay, Dad. I'll be home in ten minutes."

I hung up and walked back to the table.

"I have to go," I said, grabbing my bag.

"Want me to walk with you?" Namjoon offered.

"No, it's okay." I turned away, praying he wouldn't get up anyway.

"See you tomorrow morning!" He called instead.

With a frown, I sulked out of the shop. As I walked down the street, I tried to think of different ways of how to tell Namjoon I didn't want to walk with him to school ever again. I definitely didn't want to be rude about it, but I had to say it in a way that would make him listen. "Sorry, I just don't really like you that much. Can you not talk to me or walk with me?" I shook my head. Since when was I so rude? I'd never disliked someone after knowing them for only a few days. But something about Namjoon really annoyed me. I wish I knew what, exactly.

A sudden breeze made me shiver, interrupting my thoughts. I noticed it had gotten pretty quiet and dark. With another shiver, I began to quicken my pace. I suddenly wished I hadn't gone to dinner with them, and that I'd just left the library at an earlier time. It would've been lighter. My eyes landed on a dark figure leaning against a brick building a few meters in front of me. I turned my head down and kept walking. I always made a big deal out of nothing. And now my brain was really scaring me because of this ominous figure. Just keep walking. He won't bother you...probably. Yah! I frowned and kept walking.

"Hey," He spoke as I passed him.

I flinched, walking faster.

"Hey!" He said louder.

I walked quicker, suddenly hearing footsteps behind me. He's following me!

"Ah, ignoring me, are you?" He came up next to me.

In the dim streetlight, I snuck a glance at his face. He looked around my age with dark hair and a slimy smirk. I walked even quicker. Leave me alone. Leave me alone. Leave me alone.

"It's rude to ignore people, you know. What's your name?" He matched my stride. "Yah, I asked you something!"

"Leave me alone," I said quietly.

"What was that?" He asked.

"I--I said leave me alone!" I said, louder this time.

I felt like I would collapse if my legs shook any harder. My whole body was shaking furiously.

"Why so rude? I just asked a question," he said, suddenly in front of me. "Woah, you're actually kind of pretty."

He reached his hand out to me, making me back away quickly.

"Stay away from me," I said.

"What's wrong?" He smirked, walking closer to me.

Suddenly, out of no where, he was on the ground. I cried out in surprise. He stood above the disgusting boy. The strange guy who I had been seeing everywhere.

"Yah! What was that?!" The boy yelled up at him.

"What do you think, pervert?!" His voice wasn't as deep as I expected, but light and hoarse.

"Who you calling a pervert?!" The boy stood up in anger, throwing a punch at him.

He quickly dodged it, and ran a fist into his jaw, making the boy stumble back in surprise. The strange guy walked over to the surprised boy, grabbing his shirt collar and shoving him against the brick wall.

"Stay away from her," he said in a quiet, warning voice that made my skin crawl. "Stay away from every girl. You're disgusting."

He pulled back to punch him again, but instead his fist landed right next to the perverted boy's face.

"Get out of here," he said, pulling away.

The boy stumbled away in what looked like fear, giving me one last glare. I stood absolutely frozen as he disappeared, trying to process what had happened. The strange stalker boy helped me? I slowly turned to him, still shaking furiously.

"Uh...thanks," I said, whispering for some reason.

He turned away from the wall, and looked at me. I was finally close enough to see his features clearly. He watched me watch him, just like all of the other times. But it was different now. Very different.

"Don't mention it," he replied almost as quiet as me.

We stood there awkwardly. I was finally talking to him and I had no idea what to say.

"Umm...who are you, exactly?" I asked, it did seem like the most obvious to ask.

"Just..." He turned away. "Well...you can call me Jimin."

"Jimin?"

"Yeah. Nice to meet you."

"Uh...yeah. You too."

••••••
That was the first time you saved me. The first time of many.