Jimin

It has been a long time since I suffered from the nightmare regarding my experience in Red Twig. The moment when Beomgyu broke my joints and cracked my bones is the worst thing for me to remember. The feeling is awful, frightening and frustrating. Blood splattered on the ground, yet I failed to distinguish the part that belonged to me.

Jimin?

An echo rings inside my brain as I furrow my eyebrows out of pure discomfort. "Jimin!"

My eyelids snap open due to the call. As if a camera, my vision focuses better on Ping's worried eyes after a few milliseconds. Out of the silent atmosphere, I can hear my heavy breaths due to intense fear. The muscles under my sweat-glistened skin flexes. After adjusting my pillow, I manage myself to a sitting position on the bed.

"Gwaenchana (It's okay)," soothes Ping as she wipes my sweat away from my forehead with a cool towel. Occasionally, she adjusts her sitting posture on the bed side while doing her job. The icy sensation of the fabric works best in cooling me down. "It's just a nightmare."

I am well-aware that Ping still has the access to my thoughts at this moment. We both know it isn't just a nightmare, but a memory. She must be feeling conflicted under such a circumstance. "Gomawoyo (Thank you), Pinky." Ping leads out a snicker when I use the nickname again. It brings her back to the moment when we weren't knowing each other as well as now. An appreciative smile forms on my relaxed face when I let the good memories flow through my brain.

Leaning closer towards her face, I send a sudden peck on her forehead, which eventually interrupts her train of thoughts. Her big, round eyes are adorable when she is startled. I think this could be the cue that leads me to set up a goal regarding our relationship - from then on, I will never want to see fear from her eyes just like the first time we met in the beginning. What I want to see from those orbs are genuine happiness and still, genuine happiness.

"Water," I utter. "I need water."

"There you go." Without further ado, a full water bottle appears in my lap. "You're going to carry this around every time we leave this house." Although Faeries do not need to stay hydrated when going out to hunt, Ping's action shows how she loves me.

Gripping onto the neck of the bottle, I unscrew the bottle cap and pour the liquid into my mouth. As Ping has prepared a pouch, it won't affect me from hunting when I carry the object around. My free hand finds its way on Ping's head when I continue to drink. Her soft hair reminds me that every bit of this is happening.

It is real. It is not a dream.

***

Third Person POV

Soon, a knock on the door interrupts the mood between the couple. Yet, they turn towards the sound source without showing any traces of annoyance on their faces. As expected, Wonho's figure enters their point of view.

His serious expression forces their attention towards him. After taking in a deep breath, he speaks, "I went to Red Twigs just now." Wonho feels bad for starting the conversation with the strong point. If the situation allows, he will take the chance to care for Jimin's health condition beforehand.

"I can see something is about to happen," surmises Jimin as he braces his chin.

"It is," answers Wonho. "Queen Ren was spotted by the lead of Red Twig with a thermal camera, the hunters will depart before dawn to capture him." A long pause between the three before Jimin pinches the bridge of his nose.

"I hate to say this, but we need to 'save' him before the hunters arrive." Jimin's statement leads out two different reactions - Wonho's nodding head and Ping's confused expression. Noticing Ping's confusion from the corner of his eyes, Jimin explains, "If the humans capture Queen Ren, all Faeries will turn savage. This is one of the ways Faerie royalties use to protect their own kind alongside their children." In the meantime, all of them know so well how the current Faerie Queen uses to treat his children. "He'd probably control us to kill him..."

Wonho and Ping hear him, yet their faces are unreadable. It is undeniable that they somehow accept Jimin's statement despite how it makes them feel uncomfortable. "So, are we going to move now?" Ping asks, breaking the solemn silence.

"Nei (Yes)," answers Jimin as he hops down off the bed. "I think we all need to prepare for the tough trip later." Jimin says while making eye-contact with Wonho, silently demanding the older to leave the room. Once Wonho's figure disappears behind the slightly opened door, Jimin kisses Ping on the lips before leading her out of his room. "I'll be right back, okay?"

Ping nods with a smile before turning towards the door. She meets Wonho while walking out of the short corridor. "The guest room was ruined," admits the older guy. "These are the items I manage to retrieve, take them." He passes some clothes alongside with a bag of makeup items for her. "Imagining your own looks may deplete your Faerie energy, I suggest you go and change with these clothes. As for makeup..." Wonho trails off embarrassedly. "It's up to you."

"O-okay." He gives her an affirmative nod before striding away towards his own room. His ears are red due to embarrassment. Ping doesn't notice that. She holds the folded clothes in her lap while the tiny bag in her palm. The only place left for her to change herself is the washroom.

According to Ping's view from the entrance, there is no toilet bowl but a hole connected with a pipe towards the earth, which is built on the right side. Some insect repellant must have been applied because there are no traces of disgusting creepy crawlies inside the narrow space. As for the left side, she can see a small sink and an oval-shaped mirror. The mirror frame is made of wood and carved carelessly with the picture of maple leaves.

Following Wonho's advice, Ping puts on her clothes as well as light makeup. The clothes she chooses are simple - black T-shirt and a pair of blue jeans. By the time she opens the washroom door, she meets Jimin. His outfit matches with hers. The bottle rests peacefully inside the pouch hanging in a slanted way across his stomach.

"Nice outfit," praises Ping when she packs the makeup bottles.

"Ooh, we are wearing the same thing!" Jimin states with slight surprise.

_____

Before departure, the three sits at the small opening of the giant bird's nest to discuss the plan. "So, do you guys have any idea how to save your Queen?" Wonho asks with his fingers forming a small pyramid, well, a horizontal pyramid.

"I kinda have an idea," answers Ping.

"What is it?" Jimin asks.

"Remember that spider I have imagined back in the Queen's den?" Jimin nods. "I'm thinking of using myself as a bait to lure it out. When the hunters arrive, the spider may get distracted and attack them, since humans kill whatever that looks threatening to them, they may get distracted from finding the Queen at the same time..."

"Not only humans, we also kill whatever that threatens us too." Wonho states matter-of-factly.

"I-I killed weaklings as well," Jimin admits embarrassedly while raising his hand with his head lowered and back hunched.

"Sure we all know what you have done," taunts Ping as she pushes Jimin's arm. "By the way, what do you all think about that idea?"

The boys do not utter a word as they absorb the idea and comprehend it in mind. Then, Jimin speaks, "I think it is not necessary for you to be the spider's bait." As he doesn't want her to feel weak, this is what he explains. "Since that spider is part of your imagination, plus that you have absorbed part of my Faerie ability in imagining things that helps in combat, I believe you can control that spider."

The theory sounds promising.

"What if the spider is uncontrollable? I meant what if it has its own awareness?" asks Wonho seriously when Ping breathes out "oh yeah" in realisation. Such a situation may happen too, and Wonho always thinks towards the worst consequences.

"I don't... really know..." Ping admits when her confidence fades bit by bit.

Upon seeing her reaction, Jimin gives her a soft pat on the back. "You can do it." His voice steady.

ʜᴇʏ sᴛᴀʀʀʏs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ʟᴏᴏᴋ ᴏᴜᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴏʟʟᴏᴡɪɴɢ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ. ᴀs ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴍɪsᴇᴅ ғᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜ, ɪ ᴡᴏɴ'ᴛ  ʙʀᴇᴀᴋ ɪᴛ 😊❤

ʜᴇʀᴇ ɪs ᴀ sᴇxʏ ᴊɪᴍɪɴ ɢɪғ ғᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜ. ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ sᴏ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ғᴏʀ sᴛᴀʏɪɴɢ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴀʟʟ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴ ᴅᴏ ɪs ʙᴇ ғʀᴇᴇ 🤗🤗 ʟᴏᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ,  ᴍʏ ғᴇʟʟᴏᴡ ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀs ᴀɴᴅ ғᴏʟʟᴏᴡᴇʀs 💕💕💕