Interwoven ✔️

17~ Volatile Spirits

"Here." I shoved the towels at him.

"Thanks partner."

Jimin leaned in for a kiss but I batted his still damp body away. "Stay away! You're cold and wet."

"Give me two minutes and I'll make sure we're both warm and wet," he purred.

"If you think seducing me will keep the questions at bay you're sorely mistaken," I replied, unfazed.

Jimin shrugged and began drying his hair. "It was worth a try."

"So?"

"So?" Jimin glanced at me, eyes sparkling ludicrously.

"What happened? Where did your raincoat go? And why do you have bruises on your jaw?"

I should've said 'had' instead of 'have' since the bruises were now barely visible.

"A group of humans decided they wanted my raincoat."

I stared at Jimin, comprehending the implications of his word from his nonchalant tone. "You were mugged?!"

Jimin winced a little at my shout. "Now I wouldn't exactly say mugged—"

"Park Jimin!"

"Alright, alright." Jimin exhaled defeatedly. "I was on my way back and these drunk guys came out of nowhere. Cornered me in a small street. Got some of their angry volatile spirits out on me and then demanded I give them my raincoat if I wanted to go home without any more injuries. And since I did want to go home where my lovely Sharehouse partner lived, I obliged."

I wasn't swayed by the last, flirtatious words he shot me. "Did you see any of their faces? We should call the police."

"Wait—no, Jiyeon." Jimin's tone immediately sobered and he caught ahold of my arm. "Don't worry about it okay? I'm alright and those guys were drunk. Their punches weren't even that bad."

"How can you say that?" I gaped up at him. "No! I'm not letting some stupid morons off the hook, drunk or not. They beat you up!"

"They did not beat me up. I know how to defend myself."

"Then why didn't you?" I demanded.

"I did."

"No you didn't. You just let a bunch of guys mug you!" I struggled to keep my voice steady as frustration and anger coursed through me. "You're a military trainer. Why didn't you fight back?"

"For the same reason why I'm not going to let you call the police."

"What?"

I wanted to throttle whoever had hurt Jimin. I wanted to throttle Jimin himself for being so mild about the entire situation. Did he ever get tired of being pushed? Did he ever get tired of being called insults? For once I wanted to see him lose his temper and fight back; see him kick serious ass like he had that night with the assassins.

Jimin gently pulled me to him and I allowed him despite his skin still being cold. "Think about it Jiyeon," he murmured. "Right now everyone hates Outworlders. If we called the police, do you really think they'll sympathize an Outworlder above a human?"

"But the police are supposed to protect—"

"The police," he cut in, voice flat. "They protect whoever the person paying them wants them to protect. And right now Outworlders are not under the payer's protection. You know why."

There had been no more large scale attacks ever since the aircraft crash and then the bomb in the business building. However, there had been little things as more and more incidents began pouring in from all over the country: fires, robberies, even a couple murders. And all the evidence was pointing to Outworlders.

I didn't believe a single word of it though. It was too coincidental; a ploy to win the public over to the Pure Reformists.

The ploy appeared to be working too. People were beginning to sympathize with the Reformists and agree with the ideals that Outworlders should be exterminated from the planet that they didn't belong in.

"It's not fair," I mumbled. "You've done nothing wrong."

"To some, my skin alone tells them I've done everything wrong."

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