[ PARK JIMIN ]
"Are you sure it's just empathy? Are you sure you're not feeling... attracted to me?" There was a shift in his voice as it became more silky, pleasing to listen to. I could feel my muscles relax in response to the soothing sound. "Don...
** Warning: this chapter mentions themes such as abuse and death, though it's not overly graphic. None of these themes are condoned or glorified by me. If you are sensitive to these topics, please read with caution. **
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⊰ T W E N T Y ⊱
SOMETHING IN THE AIR
"I killed people. A lot of them."
His words rung in my ears, filling me with dread. I knew he must've done something to be guilty enough for the curse, but the last thing I expected was for him to be a full-blown killer.
There has to be an explanation.
"H-how many? Why?" My voice was barely above a whisper.
I could see Jimin looking at me, but the darkness of the room made it impossible to read him. Do I even want to know the answer?
"Why are you suddenly so curious about my past? Out of all the things you've asked me, this is one you never really brought up before," he commented, avoiding my questions.
I swallowed. "I can't explain it. It just became the only thing I could think about, so I couldn't resist asking you."
"I see," he said, closing his eyes. I waited, hoping he wouldn't avoid answering like he did so often before. "If I tell you, it's only fair that you tell me your story, too." His eyes opened, capturing mine.
"Okay."
Despite how much I didn't want to talk about my past, I agreed to his terms. I wanted to learn more about Jimin, to get a glimpse of the person he was before the curse changed him. If he would share this part of himself with me, then I would share a part of me with him, too.
"I guess I'll start by telling you that I was an orphan." He turned onto his back so he was no longer facing me. He stared at the ceiling and sighed. "I don't remember who my parents are or what happened to them. All I remember is growing up in this dirty orphanage that had terrible people running it. I never knew anything different, so I thought the way they treated us was normal. A slap across the cheek for not answering them correctly. A punch or kick to the gut for pissing them off. Two days with no food for breaking a rule. I found a new bruise on my body almost every day... I had to learn to tune out the sound of kids crying in the beds next to me every night."
"How did they get away with that? Wouldn't someone looking to adopt see what was going on and report it?" I cut in, unable to wrap my head around something so terrible going on without consequences.
"It was rare for any families to come looking for a child to take home, since nobody in the area could afford another mouth to feed. And if they did, the staff would just show them a few of the kids that didn't have any visible signs of abuse," Jimin answered. I stayed quiet, waiting for him to continue.
