✓ 𝑺𝑬𝑹𝑷𝑬𝑵𝑻𝑰𝑵𝑬

sojourn

'Oh my dear Areum, look at you, back where you belong.'

'I guess the only conclusion that can be drawn from this is that . . . I win and you lose.'

'Keep your head up though, darling. Don't let it deter your fiery spirit . . . or do.'

Areum had come to expect these kinds of words from someone like Jungkook.

Just when she'd hit rock bottom, he'd decided to personally dig her grave and bury her six feet under.

However, above the melancholy thoughts running through her mind, came a boost to her ego.

So he was thinking about her, huh?

With enough pondering around for another pathetic day, Areum closes the shutter to her only source of light and her world soon goes dark, once again.

A sigh passes her chapped lips as she looks back down at the letter she'd discarded onto the filthy floor, only for her brows to knit together in confusion.

The same letter was staring back at her, only this time, an array of glowing letters were reeling her in to the piece of paper.

"What the fuck." Areum whispers to herself in shock as she retrieves the letter.

"Oh Kookie . . . you fucking genius." Areum's eyes light up as they scan over the words before her, only visible in the midnight surroundings she'd settled into.

A stupidly large smile spreads across her lips, hurting from the lack of moisture but she couldn't help herself.

She was about to be fucking saved.

'Listen, I trust you're smart enough to discover these words. Although, I do have my doubts.'

'Anyway, here's what you need to do . . .'

FLASHBACK

"This is where you'll be staying for however long it takes you to piss me off." Jimin's tone drips with authority as he leads Areum into her new apartment.

"That shouldn't be hard then." Areum smirks, having gained even more of her arrogance back since leaving the stale cell she'd been confined to.

She felt as if she'd been resurrected, only into a completely new body and state of mind; a more powerful one, if that.

"I may need to cut that sharp tongue of yours out before you get the chance." Jimin halts, looking down on Areum to assert his dominance.

Not that it phased her.

Nothing really did anymore.

After all, she'd been to hell and back.

There's no emotion on this earth that she hadn't felt.

"Go ahead, Jimin." Areum smiles sweetly before nudging past him in order to explore her new shell.

She looks around, the essence of luxury screaming back at her.

"That's Mr. Park to you." Areum looks back at him, mischief spreading across her features while Jimin shoots her a fed-up expression.

"Whatever, Jimin."

As much as he wanted to crack a small smile at her confidence, he didn't want to give her the satisfaction that'd bring.

"Go take a shower, rid yourself of that place." Jimin gestures towards another room, reaching for a cigarette as he does so.

Areum smirks, taking the opportunity to shake him up a little.

She was desperate to ruffle his feathers, get an adverse reaction out of him.

Whether that's because he was different in her eyes or the fact that she did this kind of thing to everyone she ever met, she couldn't quite decide.

"Sure, wanna join?"