Jimin had just seen Emily last night, but that didn't stop him from being excited to have lunch with her today. He couldn't wait to hear what Angela, her boss, was having for lunch, or what random shenanigans had taken place at the library that day. Smirking, Jimin shook his head. Maybe it was because of who he was and where he was from, but he could never get over some of the random things Emily had seen and dealt with in the library.
Stretching, Jimin rolled over and checked the time. The clock on his bedside table read 10:02. He still had enough time to shower and get ready before he needed to meet up with Emily, but he needed to get moving. Stretching one last time, he sat up, his arms stretching up in the air, before falling to his head, hands ruffling his black hair. Jimin moved to the edge of the bed, letting his feet drop to the floor. He stood and padded to the restroom across the plush, cream colored carpet.
After a quick shower, Jimin made his way back into his bedroom. Opening the closet, Jimin rifled through his clothes, before settling on torn, black skinny jeans and a plain, white T-shirt. Throwing his shirt over his shoulder, Jimin stepped into his jeans and pulled them up as he headed back to the bathroom. He stumbled and paused hopping around to finish pulling his pants the rest of the way up. He pulled the shirt over his head and down over his torso as he walked into the steam-filled bathroom.
Wiping steam from the mirror, Jimin tried to decide what to do with his hair. Emily loved it when his bangs were parted and swept from his face, exposing his forehead. He smirked, shaking his head as he chuckled. Truthfully, Jimin couldn't have cared less what his hair looked like, but seeing Emily smile made his heart race so he supposed he could handle fixing his hair today.
After his hair was dry and styled just so, Jimin slipped on a couple of his favorite rings, grabbed his cellphone and his leather jacket and headed towards the front door. Sitting down on the bench in the entryway, Jimin quickly slipped on his boots and laced them up. Straightening, he checked his cellphone for the time, 11:15, and noticed that he didn't have any messages from Emily. It wasn't completely unreasonable that she hadn't messaged him, sometimes there just wasn't time, but usually she would shoot him an, "I can't wait to see you!" message if she could. After shrugging into his jacket, Jimin opened his apartment door before slipping his keys, phone, and wallet into their appropriate pockets. He locked the door from the inside before stepping into the hallway and shutting the door behind him.
He had fifteen minutes to make it to the park where he was supposed to meet Emily. He strolled leisurely down the sidewalk, taking in the scenery. The late April air filled his lungs, while the scent of the newly blooming flowers wafted towards him. He was about halfway to the park when he noticed one of the mom and pop shops was selling fresh flowers. Smiling to himself, Jimin decided he would buy some daffodils for Emily. They were bright and sunny and reminded him of her. Soon after purchasing the flowers Jimin made it to the park. He made his way over to "their" spot, a small bench under a tree on the outskirts of the park, just far enough away that when children were at the park their happy squeals and screams weren't too piercing.
Jimin made himself comfortable on the bench and waited. He pulled out his phone to check the time, pleaded to see he was there five minutes early. Sliding his phone back into his pocket he stretched one leg out in front of him, crossing the other one over his knee. While he waited he watched the people that came to the park. The same elderly couple thy always saw when they came to have lunch were walking on the path, holding hands and laughing with each other. A young family was having a picnic, the toddler making concentrated efforts to escape the blanket they were eating on and get to the swings. Jimin couldn't help but chuckle at the parents' obvious exasperation, tempered with love at the little one's antics.
Before he knew it, five minutes had passed with no sign of Emily, perhaps she'd been held up with a patron. She would be there soon enough. Another five minutes passed. Jimin stood up and started scanning the people in the park, thinking maybe he had missed her, or misunderstood where they were to be meeting. Another five minutes passed. Jimin didn't want to come off as clingy or overbearing so he decided to give it twenty more minutes before he tried calling her. Surely, she was still at work and he didn't want to be a bother. Even though he tried settling himself with logical thoughts, worry and anxiety crept in, causing him to worry. What if there had been an accident? She could be hurt. Five minutes passed. And another. And another. But then his phone rang. Jimin was so relieved he pulled his phone out and answered without checking the ID, so sure that it was her.
"Emily," Jimin breathed out in relief. "I was starting to get worried. Will you be here soon."
Silence.
And then a chuckle.
Jimin's skin crawled. He knew that laugh. He needed to tread carefully.
"Mr. Yoo," Jimin said, trying to remain impassive. "I wasn't expecting to hear from you."
"Obviously," the older man chuckled. "I assume you know why I'm calling, though."
"No, sir, I can't say that I do," Jimin answered, full of trepidation.
They couldn't know. They absolutely could not know. The consequences would be dire he was sure, though he hoped against hope since it would be a first offense that maybe the punishment would be less severe.
"Now Jimin, I know you're young, but you aren't stupid." Mr. Yoo said. "You know that you have to keep your true identity a secret or the consequences for those you've exposed yourself to could be dire."
"Yes sir. I know," Jimin said. His chest tightened anxiously.
"Then tell me Jimin. Why, if you know that your identity is to remain under wraps, did one of your fellow. . . Members shall we say, hear Emily discussing your identity and your job with you?" Mr. Yoo's voice was cold.
"Well, sir, you knew that Emily had a big imagination. She was just—"
"She was just nothing, Jimin! You have exposed your identity and for that there will be consequences!"
"Mr. Yoo, I know I've made a mistake, but I have always done exactly as you've asked of me. Surely this one time you could—"
"This one time I could what?" Mr. Yoo barked. "Turn a blind eye? Make an allowance? I think not. If I make an allowance this one time, then what's one more after that, and another, and another. Until finally, the whole system is in cacophony because there are no consequences for any actions! Under normal circumstances, I would call you back and you would begin training for next time, but you've obviously not only allowed this girl to become aware of your identity, you've gone and fallen for her as well. This time, you'll get to stay Jimin. And you alone will bear the consequences of this mistake. Had we brought you back, Emily would have remembered you and been miserable, while we would have wiped her from your memory. Since you're getting to stay, well. . . I'm sure you can figure out where I'm going with this."
Jimin felt like his heart stopped. They were going to wipe her memories? They wouldn't. They wouldn't mess with a regular person like that. It went against everything they stood for.
"Sir," Jimin choked out, "sir that goes against everything we work for. We strive to make people happy, to help make their lives better even in the smallest ways. You wouldn't really wipe her memories, would you sir? How could that be helping her?"
Mr. Yoo laughs coldly.
"Perhaps, Jimin, having every last memory of you disappear would make her happier."
Jimin sucked in a horrified breath, and ended the call. He didn't want to hear anymore. They couldn't really do that. They couldn't. Shoving his phone into his pocket, Jimin sprinted towards the campus. He had to get to the library. He didn't know what he would do when he got there, but he and Emily would be able to figure this out together.
Thinking only of Emily and how to keep her memories from being wiped, he ran like he'd never run before. When he reached the campus he kept running, earning many an annoyed shout or angry glare as raced by students and professors on their way to class. Finally, the library was in sight.
Jimin raced up the sidewalk to the library, hoping against hope that he was in time. He slowed when he reached the doors, stopping to catch his breath before going in. Panting, he noticed his reflection in the glass staring back at him. Other than looking unkempt and breathless from his mad dash to the library he looked completely calm, the complete opposite of the panic he felt on the inside.
They wouldn't really do it. Would they? He thought as he grasped the handle, before opening the door and stepping inside. Jimin's feet carried him slowly towards the circulation desk where she would be. He didn't spare a glance for anyone or anything around him; his single minded focus was on finding her. If he could see her he would know. He would know whether his panic was valid or in vain the moment he looked in her eyes.
There was a line at the circulation desk. There were two people separating him from relief or heartbreak. The first patron, a short woman looking for a book about clowns for her son, Jimin learned as his fidgeted impatiently soon got the information she needed to find her book and be on her way.
One step closer.
The second patron, on the other hand, a tall man, that it seemed, in Jimin's opinion, was only there to flirt and wasn't really looking for books about Chemistry took much longer. Jimin's impatience was mounting and he thought he would never reach the front. He could hear her voice as she calmly helped the man in front of him. The voice that made his heart race while usually, simultaneously bringing him peace. Finally the Romeo wanna be went off in search of the books he was supposedly looking for and it was his turn.
Jimin took a halting step towards the desk. As anxious as he was to get to her the thought that she could see him and not know him was terrifying, but he had to know. He wasn't sure what he would do if she didn't know him, but he prayed that he wouldn't find out. He prayed that he would be able to warn her so they could do something to try and stop it.
"Next!" her voice called out.
She wasn't looking up when he stepped forward, her head was bowed as she made notations in a notebook. Even through his anxiety, Jimin couldn't help the small smile that graced his face. She was never without that notebook, any time an idea struck her, for a story, for a class she might like to take, for what she might want to do with her life, she would jot it down before it left her mind so she could revisit it later. Once she was satisfied with whatever she had scribbled out she looked up at him with the same smile she had had on her face the very first time he had entered this library. In her eyes he could recognize attraction and curiosity, but the one thing he needed to see wasn't there. Recognition. Familiarity.
"How may I help you?" she asked pleasantly.
Jimin could feel his heart breaking. There was a weight in his stomach that hadn't been there before. Words failed him. Nothing came out of his mouth. He stepped back from the desk. Her brow furrowed as she looked at him, not at all understanding what his problem was. It was like they were meeting for the first time all over again. He remembered everything from the last few months, and she remembered nothing.
"Emily," he breathed out.
"Sir are you alright?" she asked, voice full of concern and confusion.
Stumbling as he turned, Jimin ran from the circulation desk. He didn't stop when she called out to him again, and even once he made it outside he kept running. Tears welled in his eyes and ran down his cheeks. They had taken her memories from her. They'd been true to their word and cruel with their punishment. As Jimin raced towards home anger started to take root in the midst of his heartbreak. He was going to help her get her memories back and he was going to make. Them. Pay.
Author's Note
I'm still currently working on this story. The updates will probably be slow as I have two jobs, but I'm really excited and can't wait to share more of it with you guys! Thanks to anyone who takes the time to read this!