Interwoven ✔️

28~ Are You Ready?

"Are you sure about this?"

Jimin and I stood in front a tall, ugly concrete monstrosity that served as one of the training centers of the North Camp, one of the main militant training camps in the entire country.

The Outworlder before me was dressed in all black, the clothing annunciated the lean muscles of his body and offset his silver hair and Marks. He'd told me it was the standard trainer's uniform. I called it (to myself of course lest I gave horny banana morpher any ideas) the "sexy daddy" uniform.

"I'm sure," I replied firmly. "I thought you were fine with it."

Jimin hesitated. "It's just...what I have to be... I have to be a trainer the moment I step into that training room. As a trainer, it's my job to put those recruits in their place. I have to break them into discipline, even if it means having to break them. And...I don't know if I'm ready to let you see that side of me."

The reproach I'd been feeling at him questioning my want to learn how to defend myself softened. I reached out and briefly touched his arm gently. "Please don't feel the need to hide yourself from me, Jimin. I want to get to know you, every part of you that has made you the person you are today."

He smiled a little. "Thanks partner," he murmured. A more coy look lit in his eyes. "After all, I just remembered.... You said something quite interesting to me over the phone the other day—"

I quickly removed my hand from his arm. I'd nearly forgotten that I'd accidentally dropped the L-word on him and I was in no mood to confront it now. "Let's head inside shall we?" I chirped, grabbing the door and yanking on it with all my might.

It didn't budge.

Now Jimin's eyes were truly amused and his Marks blazed with delight. "It's a push door Jiyeon. That's why it says 'PUSH' in bold." He pointed at the large letters printed on the door.

I flushed and shoved my way inside. I immediately halted.

Jimin stepped inside after me. "This center is for building endurance and physical strength," he told me, noting my round eyes. "New recruits start their training here. If you were to join the training classes, this is where you'd begin as well."

We were standing at the beginning of a wide hallway. On either side were ceiling to floor glass that revealed the training rooms. Every training room looked like a basketball court with unlined hardwood floor and blank white walls. Each room was occupied with people running, working out, or some form of exercise or another. It was easy to decipher the trainees, with their gray jumpsuits, and the stern looking trainers who monitored the activities.

I swallowed hard, noting that every trainee was red in the face and sweat poured off their skin. I liked to think myself pretty strong, but just looking at the flushed faces and shaking limbs as the trainees pushed to their limit was causing me second guesses on my own physical capabilities.

"This way." Jimin lead me down the hallway. "Today I'm going to be working with second day recruits for about an hour of intense work. Stand somewhere out of the way and watch everything."

Intense work. I didn't think exercise could get any more intense than what I'd just seen some of the trainees going through.

"Are you ready, Jiyeon?" His hand brushed mine as we stopped in front of a training room.

I could see the trainees in their gray uniform already milling around in the training room, stretching and preparing themselves. I met his gaze and nodded.

Jimin's eyes fluttered shut for a split moment. When they opened my heart squeezed a little as the familiar warmth I was used to seeing in his gaze was gone. Just like that. An impassive look settled across his features, turning the mischievous and sultry features into a cold block of ice.