I blinked, mind reeling. "What?"

"There's no way we're going to let our daughter live under the same roof of an alien," Dad stated all too calmly. "We were already against you homing with one. But now we won't allow it. I'll face the officials myself if they get on our case for breaking Order #327."

I glanced over at Jimin. He was still staring at the now black screen tensely.

I had just started getting to know him. I'd been sure that it was going to be the worst living with someone I'd had the most awkward encounter ever with. But he'd been so light about it, and in just the few hours we'd had I found myself already drawn to him.

I turned back to my parents slowly. "I'm not going anywhere with you guys."

"What?" My mom gaped. Dad just narrowed his eyes. "Jiyeon you have to!"

"Actually no I don't." I crossed my arms, resolve setting in me like an iron bar. "I'm 18 years old and of legal age to make my own decisions. You can't force me to do anything."

"You would rather stay with this creature than with your own family?"

"First of all, he has a name. It's Park Jimin. Second, I'm very embarrassed of my 'family' at the moment." I met both their furious gazes levelly. "You guys are absolutely shameless and so quick in pointing fingers and throwing some heavy, and false, accusations."

"Hwang Jiyeon." Mom made a move to grab my arm but this time I was the one who easily pulled away.

I took several steps back, away from my parents. My feet slid across the floor and I had to stop before I completely wiped out. The last thing I wanted was trying to metaphorically put my foot down with my physical butt ungracefully on the ground.

"I'm glad you two are going back to your home. Because this is my home for the next sixth months. And you two have overstayed your welcome in my house."

Mom began to step forward again but Dad's hand flashed out, holding her back. "Let's go honey. There's no reasoning with our daughter."

"But... but..." Mom's eyes snapped between me, Jimin— who was now watching everything quietly—, and then my dad. "We can't leave her here with... that." She glanced pointedly at Jimin.

A fresh wave of hot blood coursed through me and I clenched my jaw. "Leave."

"She'll come around and see our side soon enough," Dad murmured to Mom.

Mom pursed her lips and finally let Dad pull her away towards the door. She fired one final glare at Jimin. "If you hurt our girl or even lay a single alien finger on her you will regret it!" She yelled at him.

Jimin didn't even flinch.

Then they were gone.

The front door slammed as they left. A few moments later the sound of a car engine rumbled to life before driving away.

I released a long breath and sagged a little. What on earth just happened?

"Why would you defy your parents for me?" Jimin frowned, turning his gave towards me.

"Didn't you hear the ugly words coming from their mouths?" I demanded. "Why would you just stand there and let them say such horrendous stuff?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm used to it."

"What?"

"I told you, partner. Your parents are just one of many humans out there angry at us for infiltrating your planet and making a home among you." Jimin's face held no hint of anger. I couldn't believe he was so calm about this. "We hear that sort of stuff all the time."

"You shouldn't have to!" I burst out. "Stand up for yourselves. Fight back."

Jimin grinned a little, but there was no humor in his eyes. "If we fought back, we'd get arrested in a heartbeat."

"What—" I shook my head. "That's so unfair."

"The world's not fair, partner." Jimin stretched a little. "Are you sure you want to stay with a... creature like me?"

I glared at him. "Don't call yourself a 'creature'. You're a being just like us, living, breathing, and feeling. And yes, I'm sure I want to stay with you."

A genuine grin was now tugging across his lips. "Even if I bring in more cockroaches?"

I gazed at him levelly. "I have superglue."

He threw back his head and laughed. Bubbly and sweet. I found myself smiling a little at the sound. It was kind of nice to see him so light-hearted even after ugly words having just been thrown at him.

His laughter was cut off as he abruptly morphed into the familiar silver parrot-looking bird and back into human once again.

"Why do you do that?" I asked.

"Hm? You mean this?" He morphed once more into a bird and dove straight at me.

I yelped and my oil covered feet slipped out from under me. I fell splat onto the ground.

The bird landed in front of me and turned back into Jimin. He leaned over me, smirking.

"Yes," I said flatly, gazing up at him. "I mean that."

"Earth's gravity pull is slightly stronger here than what our bodies are made for. The morphing helps ease the stress that builds up on our bodies from the heavier gravity."

I'd never learned that Outworlder information in school.

"The chemical reactions involved in our shapeshifting helps relieve the stress," continued Jimin. "The average Outworlder morphs up to eight times a day. However, for Exclusive classifications like myself, we tend to feel the strain of Earth's gravity pull more than others and might morph at least twenty times a day to ease our tension."

My eyes widened. I recalled the confusion I'd felt at the 'Classification: Exclusive' on his official papers. "What does it mean if you're classified as 'exclusive'?"

Mild surprise flickered across Jimin's face. "You don't know what that means?"

I shook my head.

"Interesting," he murmured. He straightened up and began carefully walking away, slipping a couple times nevertheless. "Well. I suppose that's for me to know and for you to find out. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going up to shower in the now cockroach free bathroom."

"Wait!"

Jimin paused and glanced over his shoulder.

I felt faintly irritated at his sudden elusiveness to what his classification meant. Nevertheless I was curious, "What happens if you don't morph? If you just let Earth's gravity pull build in your bodies?"

He pursed his lips. "Simple. The stress becomes too hard on our hearts. We die."

✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧