Obsidian Shade (黒曜石シェード): Novella Prequel

Prologue

The last member of J'TASK, Jimin Bakjin, is my personal favorite within the group. Or in K-Pop terminology, my bias. You could even argue that out of all of the K-Pop bands and idols, he's my ultimate bias. He's a vocalist, but he can go high into the tenor range. And he's got a falsetto that makes you weak at the knees. Jimin's attractive and he's got an overall appealing personality that I find refreshing and enjoyable, but being a huge fan of the falsetto in a singer's vocals, I couldn't help but naturally pick him as my bias.

I have no "bias wrecker," who is a member that unexpectedly catches a fan's attention and makes them rethink their original bias. And even though Jimin is my bias, I could argue that I love the whole group of J'TASK! 

I suppose that while we are here, explaining things, I should tell you all that J'TASK's name comes from each of the member's names. 'J' stands for Jimin, 'T' stands for JT, 'A' stands for Astro, 'S' stands for Suga and 'K' is for Kookie.

So, with that all explained and out there for everyone, I'd like to tell you about my dream from last night. I'm no longer scared of the outcome, I was just lucky (or unfortunate) as a child, but lately, my dreams and nightmares haven't come true.

I'm fully confident that this one won't.

Besides, there's no way that I, Eviana Jaelyn Huntington, will ever meet the insanely talented, beautiful Jimin Bakjin.

Never.

So, I'm fast asleep, the complex rhythm of a deep REM filling my senses and sending me to a foreign place. The chosen location of the night's slumber. Except it's not sending me there, it's sending another vessel.

My point of view is in a man's body.

And not just any man's body, no.

As I stand before a puddle of water in the middle of a black abyss, I can see that I have short, wavy, light brown hair that is styled in a unique, boyish bowl cut. My eyes are a twinkling sky blue color and I have on a pair of silver dangle earrings. My face is full of youth, beauty, and stage makeup. I have on an oversized long-sleeve white dress shirt and a pair of light blue jeans with two holes that show my knees.

And as I slowly begin to realize and recognize the signature fashion I have, I glimpse the sparkling purple ear piece in my left ear and then the matching microphone in my hand.

I AM Jimin Bakjin.

I've taken on his persona, his mind, his body, his everything but, it's still me somehow. I'm in control, just seeing things through his eyes.

Well, then things start to get weirder. As if they weren't already? I slowly fall forward, falling through the water puddle and into a dark funnel cloud. Dark, black mist swirls around me as if I am in the middle of a tornado.

Finally, I land in the middle of a dark place. I look around me, picking out various Halloween-themed items, including the ever-freaky-and-sickening blood splatter. I can feel my heart pounding against my chest as I spin around, looking at the creepy decor. I stifle the waves of nausea that threaten to wash over me at the sight of the spider webs and the realistic-looking blood.

The lights inside the place flash, strobing on me and my heart rate quickens, hammering against my chest. It's almost to the point where I can't breathe and I panic more. I open my mouth, struggling to calm myself down.

Then, I feel a hand clamp around my wrist. I shriek in fear and jump in place. The hand relinquishes its grip and a masked figure jumps out at me. I spring backward, stumbling over my feet and crash against the wall.

"NO!" I howl out in Jimin's voice. "Leave me alone!"

I realize that the figure is just a full face mask. A creepy white mask with two black holes for the eyes and a carved smirk for the mouth. The black outfit it wears blends into the setting, only appearing at the flashes of light. But I can see that it is wearing a long trench coat with a hood.

"Pretty boy wandered into a place he shouldn't have," the figure sneers, looming before me. The voice coming from it sounds deep, airy and inhuman. "I know you're greatest fears, Jimin Bakjin of J'TASK!"

I feel shivers crawling across my skin, generating goosebumps. My hands are on the wall and I am unable to move.

Another figure comes from the other side, wearing a similar creepy white mask. "Poor terrified maknae. Jiminie is too scared."

I muster a scrap of courage and run between the two scary figures, heading for an exit. Overhead, a distorted version of a song plays. It goes:

"Does he run, run, run,

He can't stop

Run, run, run again

He can't help it

This is all he can do anyway,

Just run, run, run away

Hopeful for an escape

Run, run, run Jimin Bakjin."

There are various jump scares that get me along the way through a narrow hallway. Panicked and fully on edge, I finally reach the end, where there is a door with sunlight pouring through the tiny slivers of the frame.

I grab the handle and turn it, but the door doesn't budge.

"Does he run, run, run...

Hopeful for an escape

Run, run, run Jimin Bakjin."

I try again. And again. And again.

Open, come on! Let me out of here!

But the door doesn't open. An evil, amused snickering behind me overwhelms me in trepidation. Two hands grab me by the wrists, prying my hands from the door handle and pulling me backward.

"NO! LET ME GO!!" I demand through Jimin's voice.

A hand clamps over my mouth, stifling my screams and cries for help.

"There's nowhere for you to go, Pretty Boy. You're trapped here in this madness, a permanent relic victim of my haunted house," the first figure sneers in his deep, airy voice as I am pulled back into the heart of the dark exhibit. "Never to escape."

"Run, run, run no more

He can stop

Run, run, run...

There is no escape for Jimin Bakjin."