The Hunt

40

"Great." My voice monotone, I shook my head. Weaponized body odor. Yay.

"I also read that the person who had been suppressing their animal side could have a similar reaction to changing for the first time in a long time. Same thing- lust, rage, fear. But that it could also be more than they could handle and the person usually passes out. One case resulted in the person slipping into a coma, and two cases resulted in death. Heart attack."

"Cool. You're full of useful information." The sarcasm escaped my lips before I had a chance to think.

Yoongi didn't seem to mind.

"So, Jimin, more or less, fell on a grenade for us?" Namjoon asked.

"Yeah, I think so," Yoongi shrugged and nodded. "I could be wrong, but I really hope I'm not."

"Guess we'll find out when Jimin wakes up." Namjoon clapped his hands together and stood up from the sofa.

"Wait!" I held my hand up to Namjoon to stop him from leaving. "Do I still smell? Like, is it bad? Or strong? Neither of you seem to be freaking out. Do I need to take a shower? Help me out."

Namjoon glanced at Yoongi who only shrugged in response.

"Yes?" Namjoon's voice came out a few octaves higher than usual.

"Yes to what?"

"Yes, you do still smell, but it's not as strong as it was last night." Namjoon shifted his weight from one foot to the other. I let my head hang down in exhaustion and embarrassment. Ugh, I just want to go home. I don't want to be the smelly kid!

"What Namjoon meant to say is that you still smell delicious like freshly cooked waffles and a hint of maple syrup, but not so strong that it's nauseating," Yoongi clarified and shot Namjoon a withering look. "It's very pleasant. But you also smell like campfire, so you'll probably want to shower."

Addressing Namjoon, Yoongi said in a quieter tone, "Joon, you can't say shit like that. You'll give her a complex."

"What? Oh no!" Namjoon sat back down on the sofa and patted my shoulder. "I'm sorry, Y/n. I didn't mean it like that. You smell really good!"

With a sigh, I shook my head. "Guys, this is getting weird. Well, technically, it was weird when I came in the room. Either way, I'm gonna go."

I stood up and Namjoon stood with me. "I'm going to head out, too. I need to get to campus early to print out an essay."

Yoongi just nodded and turned back to his computer screen.

I followed Namjoon downstairs, but stopped to use the guest bathroom down the hall from the kitchen. Upon exiting the bathroom I realized I had left my sweater and backpack, which contained my car keys, in Jimin's room.

Looking around the main floor, I intended to ask one of the guys if they could grab my stuff out of Jimin's room. But, no one was around. I focused on listening for sounds of anyone moving within the house, but only heard Yoongi softly snoring upstairs on one of the couches in the loft area, and the light breathing of a sleeping Jimin downstairs.

I quietly made my way to the basement and down the hall to Jimin's room. The plan was to silently slip in, grab my stuff, and go without waking him up.

Standing outside the door, I took a final deep breath and gently turned the knob, easing the door open slowly. I stealthily slipped inside and closed the door behind me, trying not to let any of the light from the hallway spill into the room.

My eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness and I surveyed the room.

Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw.

A half-naked, sleeping Jimin curled up in a fetal position with my sweater balled up in his arms as he clutched it tightly to his chest.