It is a thin veil that separates the worlds of Men and Mystics. It is said that only once in a generation a being is born who is innately of both, known to the mystics as the greatest of sacred treasures. After a less than welcomed intervention a young college student learns that the many dark and sinful creatures of the mystic world would stop at nothing to devour her, body and soul. To make matters worse, fate has designated a personal protection detail to prevent her power from falling into the wrong hands. If only she could figure out which hands are the right ones…
word count : 7.7k (chapter 1)
Pairing: BTS 0T7 x reader/oc
genre : BTS OT7 Reverse Harem Fanfiction, Fantasy AU, Vampire Dark Romance, Slow Burn, Smut
warnings : Explicit content, depictions of violence, abduction, minimal angst, sexual themes and eventual smut, alcohol and nicotine use, minors DNI. Viewer discretion is advised.
a/n : Greetings and salutations besties and beasties!
Welcome!
I appreciate every moment you may take to read my first attempt at a fanfic! While I'm new to posting I do hope that you will bare with me through the pains of late night editing and please be understanding of any misspellings or grammatical errors.
This story is a BTS reverse harem series, set in a fantasy au in which the members are vampires. While I do intend it to be a slow burn as of right now I'm a fan of the natural progression of a story, so we'll see where we end up. I'm an OT7 girly so please rest assured that if at any point your looking for your specific bias to have their moment, there will come a time! Rest assured!
Chapter 1: Forbidden Fruit
This was not the place for him tonight. Jimin noted it with quiet internal torment and a sigh while he swirled the amber liqueur in his glass. Tonight the club music assaulted his senses with its primal beat and screeching synthesizers. Typically it was an atmosphere he quite enjoyed, raging with exuberance and impulsivity, however on this particular occasion he was here for a purpose, which turned the excursion into more of a chore than a retreat. He was certain the expression he bore was one of peak disinterest.
Beside him, a bright eyed Taehyung was chatting up their bartender, Evie, with whom they'd secured a cordial relationship years ago because, well, everyone needs a bartender. Busan was a big city. Lots of good, bad and ugly but a good bartender was always something to hold on to. Jimin liked Evie well enough, especially once she started to learn him. When he was feeling chatty. When he wasn't.
She still hit on him at least once a night without fail but only once had she ever actually crossed over into actual suggestion. At the time he had entertained her as women generally found it intimidating when someone of his caliber showed interest. Something innate about him naturally warned them the moment he gave them his full attention, that it was something they should be wary of. Something instinctual. To Jimin's great pleasure she never made that mistake twice. Evie wasn't his type. She was his preferred bartender.
Evie could tell Jimin wasn't feeling especially talkative tonight so she kept his glass full and her chattiness directed at his very handsome best friend Taehyung. She had always been an attractive girl herself, something she'd been told many a time by many a person. She kept herself well maintained and a bit on the edgy side to match her slightly above mid-grade confidence, but the three most attractive men she had ever met, ever coveted, were not in the slightest bit interested in her. It punched pinholes in her self-assured self-image. Pinholes that occasionally tore at the edges widening ever so slightly and allowing some of the inner ugly she hid away to seep out. She was persistent. Evie saw these three men as victories to be won. Patches for those holes and so she was patient. Persistent and patient. Inevitably her time would come. After all, she made the best old-fashioned in Korea, an American style drink that Jimin was very fond of. She knew at the very least that he would always come back to her for a fix.
Meanwhile several feet away Jimin and Taehyung's youngest roommate was making his way across the seating section of the club toward the stairs to the dancefloor. His gaze was locked on a slender but tall brunette who wore far too many club bracelets to be anything less than a night owl and far too much makeup to give any idea as to what she might look like without it. The mystery was enough to entice. After all, Jungkook was a hunter who preferred to be surprised by his prey. If he had left the options to the other two it would have been over all too quickly. Too easy.
"Jungkook!" Suddenly your quiet voice was so clear over the roar of the music, despite the fact that you were about fifteen feet away, that it paralyzed him effectively derailing him from his charted course. He wondered if you understood how unlikely it was that anyone else would ever hear you at that decibel and couldn't help but chuckle to himself. Turning about to find you in an instant. It wasn't as simple as your modest attire which, in a setting like this, made you stand out like a sore thumb. It wasn't even your big almond eyes glittering warmly as they caught the light of the computer beside you. It was your air, calm and earnest, smiling in that mild and friendly way that you more often displayed for him lately. It made you impossible to miss, yet somehow he had. Baffling.
You dropped your hand back to your lap still smiling at him and his eyes darted toward the bar to check his options. Glance shifting minutely he saw the bartender engaging his housemates and figured, although it was risky, he could spare a minute to keep you from getting the false impression that he didn't want to talk to you. He did. Another charming development that had become a more often than not recurrence as of late. He strolled over and his eyes flicked up again as he did, knowing full well it would have been best if he had given you that impression. He could given "friendly but politely preoccupied". Even dismissive would have been better than what he was about to do but before he knew it he was standing at your table next to the tall bar stool you perched upon, eyeing the virtual mountain of research surrounding your open laptop.
"How are you like this?" Jungkook laughed outright, unable to stop himself from resting his crossed arms on the table to drop his very tall stature to your level. A faint pink tinged your cheeks as he raised a comical brow at you. A lovely flush of color almost publicly undid him. Thankfully, his recovery was seamless. "Who comes to the club to study economics?"
"This is the perfect place to study economics!" With a laugh and quick shake of your head you shook off the alarming effect of his charming smile, pointing your finger at the bar. "Look, in that one space alone; production, consumption, and the transfer of wealth all occurring in controlled repetition. What more can you ask for? Don't get me started on the dance floor. Lot's of exchange happening there." You cringed a bit, he laughed at you again and then you laughed shyly along with him. You momentarily wondered if it was completely uncool how much you laughed around him.
Whereas, Jungkook was pondering how he'd recently discovered that strangely enough you didn't find him intimidating in the way most shy women did. You also didn't look at him like the perfect Michelin medium rare steak most other women did. Initially that was what had sparked his damnable curiosity. At first he thought, 'Smart girl. Impossibly naive. Must be an act. I'll play.' but as luck would have it you were pure as the driven snow and just really, really genuine. He liked that. Jungkook liked you. All the more reason he should have walked away tonight. Instead he lingered, enjoying sharing the same space with you outside of your normal classroom or campus encounters for just a moment too long.
"Oh, I've got a new joke for you guys! Check it out. A vampire, a werewolf and a hunter walk into a bar, right-"
"That must be Jungkook-ah's classmate." Jimin cut Evie off before she could finish what would no doubt have been a cringeworthy waste of breath and time. Immediately, Tae followed his line of sight landing on their younger with an intent eye. Jungkook was talking with an apparently plain young woman. It took only a second to register how pretty she actually was beneath her large rimmed glasses. She was a tad overweight for her short stature, not in an unappealing way to Taehyung despite the fact that he typically preferred the svelte athletic sort. To that point he'd had his eye on a blonde across the club for most of the night who was built like a professional model, lean and muscular and she walked like a giraffe. He was tall. He tended to like tall. But then there was you and you were womanly and curvaceous, not that it was initially obvious. In fact the more he observed you the more he noted the way your atrocious ensemble offset all of your best physical qualities, from the frump-tastic sweatshirt with the unicorn decal to the long maxi skirt blooming from beneath it or perhaps it was a dress? Heaven only knew what sort of pleated navy disaster-peice you adorned beneath it but when you crossed one knee over the other he was able to glimpse the simple white calf socks and ghastly off-white sketchers. Atrocious. He nearly laughed out loud. You were surely interesting. Curious and cute in those calculating spectacles and... you really were very pretty. Beautiful even. He found himself studying your face. Ventured to say that had you been born in his time you might have been the feature of a great many portraits.
"Looks like the youngest trouble maker has a thing for Minnie Mouse. There goes my last chance to marry into the family." Evie sighed with a sarcastic chuckle and both men were sure she had meant to sound less bitter. They smirked in unison. Evie didn't notice. "Can I get you another, Jimin?"
"Yes. Thank you, Evie."
"Always a pleasure." She filled his cup and thankfully before she could settle back into their corner she was summoned away by the other much busier and now frustrated bartender.
"You think that's the one he's been talking about?" Tae muttered quietly. Jimin's sharp ears picked it up with ease as he too surveyed you. You had a movement to you. Sure, you looked a bit like you shopped off the clearance rack at the department store and played dungeons and dragons with the same four guys since you were ten, but the way you ascended in Jungkook's presence... Jimin couldn't quite put his finger on it. It was like he was looking at a new and unidentified species of plant. Strange stalk but the flowers were vibrant and their soft petals reached for the sun without fear of being singed. Jimin could almost smell their sinfully delectable fragrance. He momentarily wondered if you were poisonous as with all naturally occurring beauty. In kind the way their youngest housemate drew into your presence was almost too familiar. He couldn't remember what it reminded him of. Just then Tae sighed.
"I don't know Hyung. She's clearly very innocent. He usually stays away from that type."
"He usually scares away that type."
"Don't we all. Not that it matters. They're rarely any fun." The younger man shrugged his head prying his eyes off you to glance at the origin of the eyes on him. "So, should I go pick up my little blonde friend? She's been staring for ten minutes now. I'm pretty sure I've got it in the bag."
"I don't know..." The eldest smirked, still watching the peculiar little exchange just thirty feet away, tapping his fingers absently along the bar top.
"Do you want to try for the punk rock princess the Maknae was about to engage?"
"No..." Jimin continued to drum away, his gaze intent, his lips curving into a sly grin as he felt Taehyung's illuminated eyes upon him.
"Hyung, Jungkookie said she was off limits." Tae chuckled knowingly and the older man quickly scoffed in response.
"When has that ever stopped you?"
"Aish, I'm trying to be better, remember? Respect thy brother? And just when did you become the evil twin?"
"I'm not going to do anything. I'm just enjoying the view. Besides, Jungkookie's taken quite a liking to her. He never does that. Color me intrigued."
"Seems you two aren't the only ones. At first I thought they were hooked onto him but..." Taehyung spun around on his seat to face Jimin. "I'd say they're definitely more interested in her." Jimin's attention flitted efficiently to the faces behind the pair of you until he landed on a group of people sitting in a booth across the lounge. Several well built males and two rather ferel looking females were clearly attempting to hide their interest, casting glances about the area but more often than not those looks landed on you. The true tell tale was how little they looked at each other when they spoke, consistently checking to make sure you were still present in your seat. Does not bode well. He thought. That is when the epiphany struck. Jimin took a deep breath honing in on you and then instantly he could almost taste it on his tongue. A particular fragrance, both sour and sweet like a fresh apple the day before it turns ripe. Unforgettable. Unmistakable.
"Very interesting." he muttered in appreciation. Tae appraised his best friend as, in between blinks, his eyes nearly reddened and then the facade was back in place. "I thought I recognized something about her." This was confusing to Taehyung. Jimin was always the picture of control in public. He never let that slip. It was instantly riveting. "Looks like our Maknae has found a sacred treasure."
"Oh really?"
"That modest young lady is the Senka." At this Taehyung's eyes widened. He didn't know much about it, but he knew this. Only one Senka was born to a generation and they were born with immense transformative power. Always human. Always coveted. He too sniffed the air and his eyes did turn red. It was just a moment but it had Jimin grinning as Tae let out a shaky breath composing himself.
"Well, fuck. She sure smells tasty." He smirked. "Hell of a lot better than that fuck off corner of dirty dog."
"Yes, she does. It's said that feeding from a Senka will increase a mystic's power to incredible proportions. Wolves being of the hierarchy have a good sense for these elusive beauties. Sadly they don't feed like we do."
"Oh no, that's right. They'll gobble her right up."
"And we can't have that can we?" Jimin nodded. "After all Jungkookie was adamant that she should be viewed as off limits, was he not? If he's that protective of her where it concerns the two of us it goes without saying that we can't leave the little rabbit to the wolves." At this Taehyung gave a dramatic drawn out groan, cocking his head to watch you and Jungkook simpering over each other.
"Seems like our options just dwindled down to boring."
"Junggoo-ah, introduce us to your friend?" Jimin smirked. Both men had approached so stealthily that it wasn't only you they startled. Jungkook's head whirled toward the two of them as he practically snapped upright. You might have thought his eyes appeared concerned, if not for the bright smile he gave them. For a moment it took you back to high school. Was the popular guy embarrassed to be caught talking to the nerdy girl? You'd met that cliche before.
"H-Hyung..."
"Hi, I'm Taehyung. This is Jimin-Hyung." The jet black haired man told you, gesturing to his friend who's hair color was almost a honey brown. There was something definitely roguish about the former. Something almost fairy-like about the latter. Then of course there was Jungkook. Jungkook was incredibly good looking. It had been crazy enough to you that he paid you any attention to begin with, let alone that you were normally somehow able to speak with him without embarrassing yourself; a feat that took you many years to accomplish even with the average person. Now enter his two stunning idol looking housemates and why were they talking to you? The vision of the three of them standing together was so stunning you were momentarily struck dumb. One second passed. Then two. On the third you noticed Taehyung's smile quirk at the corners into more of a grin and it wrenched you from your stupor.
"H-Hello, my name is Trinity. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." You ducked your head politely, hoping to hide the embarrassment you could feel reddening your ears. Jimin gave a beguiled smile, crossing a hand over his chest.
"Be still my heart. A formal lady in a club. You are a dying breed my dear." Everything about him from his movements to the gentle but high praise he awarded you was regal. Elegant, giving him every appearance of a distinguished gentleman.
"Trinity. That is... a wonderful name." Taehyung mused his eyes flitting briefly to Jungkook, who's friendly smile, unbeknownst to you, evaded his eyes.
"T-Thank you." You said first to Jimin, and then immediately to Taehyung. "A-And thank you! Taehyung is nice too!"
"He certainly can be when he wants to." The one known as Jimin laughed, his eyes creasing with mirth and you guessed mischief as he raised his glass to his lips. "This is the girl you were talking about right? The pretty one from your econ class?" You blushed crimson.
"Erm..." Jungkook cleared his throat nervously scratching the back of his head to stave off the pang of embarrassment. He thinks I'm pretty? Realization hit you like a train. That first morning three months ago when you'd assumed he was smiling at the person sitting on the other side of you whilst you nibbled on the back of your pen. The way he had occasionally placed his laptop bag on your seat to save it for you on days when he had arrived before you did. Just the other day he'd walked you to your next class. It was the longest conversation you'd had with him yet and only when he said goodbye and turned to leave did you learn his next class was at the same time as yours on the other side of the campus. Had he been... giving you special attention? Now he was blushing nervously as if to confirm it, and all the blood in your body had apparently diverted to your face.
"What a lovely color." Jimin noted with quiet humor. You weren't sure if you heard him correctly, but you suddenly felt the urge to play with the peeling vamp red nail polish on fingernails in your lap. The thought occurred that this Jimin fellow was quite lovely himself but more than anything you had to appreciate the elegant well-timed he was about to provide. "What's that you were drinking?" He asked, grabbing your attention back.
"Oh, um..." It took you a second to remember. "It's a Shirley Temple." At this Jungkook scoffed and then tipped his head back laughing. It was a beautiful and happy sound and you snorted at yourself. Right. Why were you being weird? He wasn't behaving any differently. So what if he did think you were pretty? It's not like it was something you needed to process immediately, especially in the presence of his roommates. Better to save it for later, when you took your laptop home to resume your studying where the idea of it could safely derail all other thoughts.
"You're doing homework at a club and you haven't had even have a sip of liquor?" Jungkook raised the other brow this time and the coinciding corner of his lips quirked with wry humor.
"I just wanted to get this last section done and then I was gonna... maybe. I don't know! Why are you looking at me like that?" You griped nervously at him.
"How about you finish up your section and Jungkook-ah and I will grab a round?" Jimin suggested then. Momentarily taken aback by the openness of invitation your eyes widened. It wasn't that you did want to. It was just that you weren't exactly the most social butterfly. The thought of joining their festivities was a little nerve-wracking. Given enough time you would absolutely blunder your way into some sort of awkward comment or gesture that would most definitely shatter the miraculous attraction you'd just found out about. But as you glanced Jungkook's way you saw something suddenly wayward about him. His typically exuberant friendly nature seemed lesser, denoting wariness or worry. It instantly made you want to comfort him. Afterall you certainly didn't want to be dismissive of his friend's generosity.
"That ok with you?" He asked then as if reading your face in return. Feeling emboldened by your desire to put him at ease you gave him your best grin. You weren't a baby. You'd had a few beers here and there. You could handle having a drink or two with them... You hoped.
"Sure! That sounds like fun!" Giving him your best affirmative nod you pointed back at your laptop and focused in as they smiled casually and turned for the bar.
Jungkook walked up to it with Jimin, forcefully maintaining a nonchalant appearance. In reality he was moments away from baring his teeth. Jimin, who was acutely aware of his dongsaeng's growing ire, ignored it, quickly ordering four very strong drinks from Evie with a pleasant and unassuming curve to his lovely mouth. The second she zoomed across the bar to complete the order, the youngest spoke carefully for only his Hyung's ears.
"If you're thinking what I think you are..."
"If you think I'm thinking that she's the one then you are correct."
"Not happening." The Jungkook almost snapped at him, barely turning his head but the authority in his tight tone was unmissable. Jimin loved the way it challenged, turning to him and leaning on the bar.
"Don't you want to know why we think that?" We? Fuck they've discussed. They're so fucking predictable.
"Not tonight." He shook his head once firmly, frustration threatening to boil over. "Probably not ever." This was the first time in a while he'd felt disappointed in his Hyungs. It wasn't often he asked them for anything. Never had he asked them to pardon someone from their hunting. Why couldn't they give him this one? It wasn't like you were exactly either of their type. Jimin preferred older women with regal sophistication and Taehyung was one for the street walkers or at least taller women with questionable motives. Was it just because he asked them to leave you alone? Just because they sniffed out that he actually was fond of you? Jimin angled his head to catch his eye but Jungkook denied him, staring directly ahead watching the crowd on the other side of the bar. The way the eldest sighed had the youngest setting his jaw defensively.
"Well that's awfully unfair, wouldn't you say?" At this, Jungkook, who didn't feel the conversation was open for debate turned his attention to Jimin's hand around his glass. Tensely, he reached out and took it from him, downing its remnants in an attempt to drown his temper.
"I'd say it's ridiculous that I asked you to leave this one girl alone and of course here we are."
"You've never shared well. It's my fault for spoiling you." That gave the Maknae pause. Jimin had indeed been very good to Jungkook. To both him and Taehyung, but where Tae was a best friend and accomplice to Jimin in many ways the elder doted on Jungkook like a younger brother. Jimin sheltered him, taught him, fed him and loved him. Saved him in almost every way. Perhaps he was being selfish but someone had to be selfish for you. And you were most certainly not the one for what they intended. His eyes softened. He calculated his response carefully, pursing his lips and then the next words he uttered were rather revealing.
"She's not like the others Hyung. She's not like anyone I've ever met."
"I see." The revelation hung in the air briefly but turned out to be more illuminating for Jungkook than it was for Jimin. The older male who had already put two and two together fixed himself with a small wry look and a nod as Jungkook's eyes slid closed in concession and he ran a hand through his soft dark brown locks. His next question had the younger of the two shaking his head with shame before he'd even finished. "So you're intent on protecting her, then?"
"Should have just stayed away from her."
"Answer the question, please." He prompted.
"Yes."
"Then it's really best you not fight me on this."
"I will. I'll win too." Finally Jungkook's eyes met Jimin's and locked. Their doe like shape not narrowed. Bold. Bold and brilliant and resolved as he offered quietly and as respectfully as possible, "You know that." This made Jimin's smile slide off his perfect plump lips. First he gave a reproachful exhale and then he tutted at him.
"Jungkook-ah come now. Do you honestly think I intend to hurt you?" He placed a hand on Jungkook's shoulder in the most friendly manner but there was a warning there in his gentle palm. A dominance. "But If I did, let's be honest. You would lose." Jungkook had never been fearful of his Hyung. He did however know full well that Jimin was a force to be reckoned with. Whatever was happening he was missing it. Jimin rarely ever pushed him this hard. He seldom imposed his own will upon him or Taehyung, but the look in his eyes held authority and Jungkook was done mincing words. He was left with no choice but to ask. Why now? Why you?
"What are you angling for? I know you well enough to catch when you're beating around the bush. Spit it out."
"Have you noticed anything strange about her?"
"She's different. That's strange." He shrugged tensely. When you lived like he did, like they did, inevitably all personas started to fall within predictable categories. It was the norm. Not you though. You kept him guessing. Knowing that couldn't be what Jimin was referring to, he waited for more.
"How about anyone strange taking an interest in her. Has that happened at all? Perhaps someone new sitting closer to her in class? Striking up a conversation?" In fact he had seen something like that. Earlier that same day Jungkook had been rather displeased upon entering the lecture hall to find someone standing in front of his seat in the eighth row, blocking his access. A young woman, so it appeared from across the room, her long black hair cascading down her back in wild curls as she spoke to you. You seemed to be happy enough, though he had been prepared for one of the more dominant females in the class to take umbrage with how much he'd been engaging with you as of late and so he approached decisively. Once he was within about fifteen feet he noticed it. The smell. It had rained the night before and the scent of wet bark and mud clung to this individual reaching him and standing the hairs along his arms and the back of his neck on end. Thankfully you saw him coming before he'd had to intervene, calling out to him and then innocently, politely, you asked her to step aside so that he could sit. She'd happily moved but their eyes had connected. Just for a moment. It was a knowing connection and she hadn't lingered, giving you a friendly smile before she retreated two rows down to her own seat.
Jimin was watching as his eyes scanned the memory. Jungkook looked concerned and broody. The elder man found it adorable and scoffed, reaching over the bar to grab a bottle of tequila from the underbar and four shot glasses.
"I'll take that as a yes."
"Ya, Park Jimin just what do you think you're doing-" Evie's lesser male counterpart began to rebuke lightly. Evie was quick to cut him off.
"Leave our best customers alone, MinMin! They're good for it." Jimin licked his lips, tipping his head to her with sly gratitude. It was a flirtatious move that she giggled over, placing the blue and purple cocktails on the counter before the young men and informing him: "It'll be on the tab." Then she scurried back to work.
"I'm confused."
"Your little friend is far from simply strange. I'd call her one in a billion. Several billion." Jimin deadpanned as he turned with the shot glasses and bottles in hand. Jungkook's eyes widened into saucers. He didn't expect that nor did he like the sound of it. Jimin's tone of voice was tepid. Almost pitying. "I'm sure you've noticed how she smells. The scent is difficult to place when they're still pure but unique all the same. Others have caught wind of it."
"What is she?"
"She's a Sacred Treasure. What's known as a Senka. Their origin has been told in many ways, but the details are not really a matter of great importance as of right now. Ten o-clock." Jimin muttered the last part to an increasingly concerned Jungkook who knew well enough to scan past that direction without landing his eyes on it. He noticed her immediately. The girl from his class. The one who'd gone out of her way to talk to you that day now sat with several others at a booth, her eyes cast in your direction. There was hunger in them. His gaze shifted immediately back to the bar top, his brow furrowing as Jimin finished his thought. "That, I would say, is gravely important."
"They're on the hunt." Jungkook snarled, recognizing the situation for what it was but still he had trouble processing the new knowledge. "They've marked her. Why, because she's this Senka thing?"
"She's forbidden fruit. Delectable, powerful, and above all else desirable to all things mystic. Obviously you're familiar with that much. Built like a human though, so she's weak. They lack the ability to use their own power. It's likely she's just as unaware of herself as the rest of the mortal world is of us." Jungkook knew what that meant and he didn't doubt it for a second. You were easy prey. A sitting duck.
"Fuck." He finally growled. For a minute he thought it over. There weren't many options. The truth brought to life left him with many sudden feelings. Frustration. Possessiveness. He turned and glanced at you briefly. You were doing that thing he found so endearing, staring off into space at your computer screen making an utterly ridiculous face, the tip of your pink little tongue poking out from the corner of your raspberry lips. Completely unaware of even the way Taehyung was watching you and he was sitting less than two feet to your left. That was when he felt fear. It was quick and sharp and then it turned to anger. "I'll take care of them."
"You would drag us into a fight for her?" Jimin probed, gently but deliberately.
"I don't need help, Hyung. I can handle them on my own."
"You're missing the point, Jungkookie." eluded the eldest as Jungkook began to gather the cocktails. "More and more will come. All different kinds from all different places and they'll all want the same thing. You're going to fight them all on your own for a young lady you barely know?"
His words gave pause. Jungkook knew the answer to his question much quicker than he had expected to. It saddened him. He should have protected you sooner. Should have protected you from this. From himself. From all of them. No good would ever come from these feelings. He knew that. Especially not now. But, at the very least, he could keep you alive. They could.
"I..." He trailed, unable to finish his sentence aloud but he looked to Jimin, his wise Hyung and Jimin nodded, his pleasant smile returning.
"Then she's the one." He declared. "And you won't be doing it alone, so you'll have to share."
"This isn't right. It's not fair."
"We all make sacrifices for what we want."
"I meant for her."
"No, sadly I suppose it's not. But she's a sweet little thing. She'll come around."
You were supposed to be finishing the paragraph before you. You knew that, but you'd read the last sentence over twenty times now and still couldn't understand what it said. These men were enigmas. You knew that much as you stared back at your computer screen, its blinking cursor hovering at the edge of the last word you had managed to type before spotting Jungkook. You had only caught glimpses of his other two roommates once or twice around campus but they were popular names whispered in the corners of all lecture halls in between turning pages and changing slides.
You'd heard some of the rumors. As expected most had depicted them as the most desirable, most emotionally unavailable men at Puson College. Park Jimin being the youngest sophisticate to teach philosophy in the history of the school was often overshadowed by recants of his open-classroom teaching methods and soft almond eyes. Kim Taehyung was known for his diligent assistance alongside Professor Yu, the college's charismatic psychology head, but better known still among the female students as Pusan's resident playboy. His reputation was certainly the loudest.
Virtually everyone you knew drooled and dreamt over them. Some said they were all Chaebols, filthy rich and heirs to their family fortunes. One could surmise it was a possibility given their impeccable tastes and brand name clothing but it was all just conjecture. Truth be told you didn't understand why it mattered what they were. If not them it would be something or someone else. The masses would always find a distraction to chatter about and there was never any shortage of gossipers turning their ire to you due to your lack of desire to participate. That being said... Now that you were to share drinks and pleasant discourse with them you did wish you knew more about them.
Somewhere around the five minute mark you caught that you spaced out the moment before Jungkook and Jimin left. Yet it appeared you had not been left alone as you had initially assumed. You'd sat here silently staring off into the backlight of your computer screen without even addressing the presence that still remained near, for at least five minutes. There was panic. Instant panic, wide eyed as you looked up to find the black haired Kim Taehyung had taken up the stool beside you. There he was, leaning his chin on his hand, a subtle smirk playing at his lips whilst he reviewed a paper he'd plucked from your mess. Like it was the most naturally thing in the world to him, he sat quietly, casually reading over your thesis... Your THESIS?! Your heart skipped.
"Um. That's... n-not finished. It's just a bunch of thoughts. A cacophony really." You sighed embarrassed at the gibberish he probably took it for. That was when you noticed that Taehyung had seductively shaped eyes, if there was such a thing, that fluttered to you and lingered, capturing your gaze. In fact that wasn't thing only thing they caught as your breath lodged halfway down your throat. In that moment you forgot how to dislodge it but in the next he'd smiled, or rather it was more of a lighthearted smirk. Then he looked back and nodded, continuing to read it anyway, and thankfully once again you could partake in the enjoyment of air.
"Your wording lacks conviction at times but the ideas are there."
"Thank you. That's very helpful advice." A happiness washed over you. His gaze returned with a smirk as if he expected to find sarcasm in yours. To Taehyung's surprise all that awaited him was sincerity. You knew the draft was lacking strength. The truth was you were still trying to work it out in your own mind, and thought it was awfully kind of him to show an interest in it. Taehyung thought it was awfully strange how the next words left his lips with equal sincerity. He wasn't the sincere one. That was more Jungkook's territory but the offer came none-the-less.
"You're welcome. I'd be happy to help you with it if you like. I had MinSang-Hyung two years ago. He's a bit of a Nazi."
"Don't I know it. Some of the hardest A minuses I've ever had to work for, but at least he doesn't hand out yellow stars." You had the instant sense to be appalled by what you had just uttered so callously. There was absolutely nothing funny about the holocaust. There had never been anything funny about it so WHY did your mouth betray you so by crafting such an insensitive and thoughtless, not to mention inappropriate-
"Did you just crack a holocaust joke?" Kim Taehyung, the modern adonis himself was staring blankly at you awaiting your answer as he returned the paper he'd held to the pile. You gawked for a moment, still caught up in sheer mortification you closed your eyes and quickly nodded.
"I need to repent. Please light me on fire."
"Terrible!" He cackled, reeling with pure glee. The boisterous sound shocked you a bit but nervously you peaked to find his boxy smile was fascinating. "Gotta say I'm surprised. I didn't expect you to have such a dark sense of humor." You gave him a nervous one of your own shaking your head.
"Senseless. A senseless and insensitive sense. I'm going straight to hell for that one." Something unexpected crossed behind his eyes, like a shadow or flicker of dark. His lips twitched devilishly as he leaned just the slightest bit closer to you. Just as Jungkook and Jimin approached with four drinks he polished his off, and then whispered.
"Could be a fun ride."
The next thing you knew it was two hours past when you had initially intended to leave. You were never much for the "yolo" lifestyle but there you were at two in the morning, drunkenly playing a game of truth or drink with three supposed Chaebols. Somehow on your third round of these fruity cocktails, you had asked them twice now what they were called because they were absolutely delicious but you kept forgetting the name. You blamed the two shots of tequila.
It was obvious before the game even began that they knew each other remarkably well but it was during the first few questions that you'd discovered they were roommates. That made sense. They teased each other like brothers, and attractive people did tend to flock together but their personalities seemed so different. They were all sociable but Jimin appeared to have the most proper manners. He was almost regal and there was an old fashioned sense about him. They were all fashionable intellectuals but Taehyung appeared to be the most fashion forward and studious. They were all kind and funny but Jungkook was still the one you felt was the most open and unguarded. Their bond was pleasant to observe but it also meant that most of their questions were trained on you being that you held the most truths untold to them.
"Alright. Alright. My turn." Taehyung poured another round of shots from the expensive looking bottle. He had an airy mischief to him that you thought seemed really fun. He turned to you, predictably enough and placed a shot before you. It made you a bit nervous as he smirked. "So Trinity, out of the three of us, who would you say is the most dateable?" You nearly choked on your drink. You should have known inevitably that an uncomfortable question would arise.
"I wouldn't presume to know." You chuckled, shrugging the question off, the liquor smoothing out your normally nervous edges. While Jimin and Taehyung seemed amused by your response, you couldn't bring yourself to look at Jungkook. To be honest you'd thought about him in that sort of sense once or twice lately but you felt he was very much too handsome for the likes of you. That aside you didn't have any time for such things as romance. You worked three part time jobs outside of school. You had a massive class workload.
"Oh, that's cheap." Taehyung scoffed, flicking his wispy black hair back into perfect place. "Aren't you in class with Jungkookie? He's not a cad in class is he?"
"No! Not at all! W-What?!" You blanched looking up to see Jungkook shaking his head. It was the slight twitch of his lips and the tint of pink at his cheeks that caused you to trail your next sentence. "He's..."
"He's what? What exactly do you think of him?" Jimin saw the opportunity leaning in and angling his head to a coy tilt. Something about it was comforting, you noticed. Perhaps it was the friendly way his almond eyes sparkled. "Spill or drink." You felt the need to answer him. Especially now that the subject had been pushed and you didn't want Jungkook to think you disliked or thought little of him.
"He's very kind... and respectable." You nodded affirmatively. At this Jungkook' lips curved in a charming way. Amusement crinkled Jimin's eyes and Taehyung out right laughed. "What?!" You laughed, joining them. "I don't know what you want from me! Fine. I'll drink." you picked up your shot and downed it. Immediately you discovered that was a mistake because the second you did all five previous drinks smashed into you all at once. As you coughed and winced at the burn, your head spun and they all seemed to notice but it was Taehyung who reached out placing a hand on your arm.
"You alright?"
"I'm good." You reassured nodding emphatically and clearing your throat. "Would you mind keeping an eye on this stuff for a minute? I'm just gonna run to the restroom."
"Of course." Jungkook said. In the haze you'd settled into, you missed the way he eyed Taehyung's hand placement. "We'll be right here." He smiled at you. You really enjoyed his smile, but now more so than ever it made you tingle. It was a foreign feeling and you shook your head at it as you sloppily made to dismount your stool.
"Woah." Several voices said at once. It was a good thing Taehyung already had a hand on you because you might have toppled over. Jungkook was quick too bracing you with an arm around your back. His gallantry brought him much closer to you than he'd ever been which only served to spin your head again. It was clear his intentions far purer than your muddled inebriated thoughts as you looked up into his face.
"Are you sure you're ok?" He asked, worried.
"Yeah. Just embarrassingly lightweight." you joked brushing them off with a smile to quell their concern and then you scurried off to the bathroom as fast as your numb legs would take you. Once there you quickly removed your glasses and splashed some cold water on your face to quell the growing nausea you were experiencing. The water was refreshing and you sighed with relief looking up at your blurry reflection in the mirror. That's when you noticed movement behind you. For some reason you had thought the bathroom was vacant.
"I'm sorry. I'll get out of your way." you apologized assuming that since there was only one sink the woman behind you must have been waiting to use it.
"Trinity?" She asked then. "Are you feeling alright. You look a little green." The voice wasn't one you recognized but she seemed to know you. After a second you managed to fumble your glasses back on and then jumped. It wasn't the who as much as it was the proximity.
"S-Serena!" Christ, she was less than a foot away. The girl seemed to have no concept of personal space what-so-ever. It was the same earlier that day when she came to you in class. She seemed nice enough and to have taken a liking to you recently but something about her big green eyes unsettled you, not that you'd ever admit it aloud. "You scared me. " You chuckled. "I'm alright. I just had one drink too many I think."
"Here, I have just the thing for it." She remarked with a grin placing her purse atop the counter and rummaging through it. She withdrew a small vial, a shiny clear liquid sloshing within. "I made it just today so it's nice and fresh."
"Oh. Um. Thank you, but I'm going to head out soon. I'm just going to take some Tylenol back at my apartment and try to sleep it off." You declined but she held it out to you expectantly.
"Relax Trin, its not poison." She laughed. It's a natural remedy to strengthen the constitution. If you would accept my offer to join the Holistic Club you could make it yourself." She angled raising a friendly but comical eyebrow. "Here. Take it." You felt quite uneasy as she pulled the tiny stopper out of it and held it out almost under your nose. You didn't want to be rude but you barely new Serena. She was nice and a bit pushy but you didn't like the idea of taking some home crafted medicine without knowledge of it or its components. Especially in a nightclub bathroom.
"A-Actually, I'm really alright, Serena. But I appreciate the... thought..." You trailed off watching as her smile slipped from her face and her eyes gleamed. There was a moment of strange silence. You weren't sure why she was looking at you like that but you had clearly offended her with your refusal. Maybe I should... I doubt a fellow student would give me anything to- Your train of thought was interrupted by the hand that harshly snatched your jaw. You yelped as you were smashed into the bathroom, your head clacking loudly against the tile. It hurt; made the room spin again. Absolutely flabbergasted you grasped at her wrist attempting to pry it away, searching her expression which had grown cold and cruel.
"Serena! What-"
"Shut up and drink it!" She spat, fury radiating from her wild, snarling face.
* * * * * *
Alright lovelies, looks like we made it! How's everybody feeling? Hopefully you guys enjoyed this chapter as the next one will be a bit more illuminating. I have it locked and loaded and ready to go, but I am hoping for at least 10 likes before I drop it here. Let me know your thoughts on the chapter and enjoy these AI scene photos! Please remember AI is finicky, particularly with hands so if you notice extra fingers or anything else that might be a bit off I SWEAR, I did my best.
Here we have an ai photo of our girl noticing Jungkook.
And what Jimin and Taehyung might have seen from their perspective at the bar.
*wink wink*
WARNING: This chapter was candy. The next chapter will be perilous and macabre. There will be violence, dark themes, and explicit content.