I nervously picked at my bra, the cool air making my exposed skin prickle.

Jimin and I had gone out all day exploring the city and eating at several cute cafes and diners around the city. One cafe even had hedgehogs and I decided that when I grew older my first pet was going to be a hedgehog.

Jimin's response to that was to morph into a hedgehog and I wound up having to carry him everywhere for the next several hours. Even worse, the prick literally pricked me with his hedgehog spines until I gave him chin rubs and patted his little head. I'd considered disposing him in one of the trashcans along the sidewalk numerous times.

Jimin only morphed back into himself when a kid wanted to pet Jimin-hedgehog and I'd refused him. The bratty kid had begun to throw a pouty tantrum for not letting him pet the cute animal and was on the verge of literally trying to steal Jimin-hedgehog.

The look on the brat's face was priceless when Jimin abruptly morphed back, sitting directly on my lap.

Then we were headed back to the hotel and Jimin had declared we were going night swimming whether I wanted to or not. My guess was the main motive behind his resolve to swim tonight was the fact that I'd mentioned forgetting to pack a proper swimsuit.

Now I stood in the hotel locker room in only my undergarments. I mean, technically a bikini is just like a bra and underwear right? So why did it feel so much different with cotton undergarments on?

I'd intentionally chosen an unflattering granny panty, knowing damn well how horny my Outworlder roommate could get. I tried to pull up the underwear higher up my waist once more before finally grabbing a towel and exiting the locker room and onto the cool evening air.

I immediately hugged the towel tighter to my chest in the chilly evening air. The sun had gone down, but the lights of city blazed up in towers of colorful lights. If the view from our hotel room had looked nice the view from the rooftop was even more stunning.

I might've enjoyed it more had I not felt so exposed and cold; goosebumps prickled along my bare skin.

Someone whistled.

I ground my teeth together only to realize who it was.

"About time you came." Jimin grinned at me, head resting on his folded arms at the hot tub edge.

"I thought you wanted to go for a night swim," I remarked, though secretly glad I wasn't going to have to submerge in the cold pool water in the already chilly night air.

The large rooftop held one large pool, glowing blue from fluorescent underwater lights. The hot tub was also lit up though in a more muted purple lighting, making the steam rising from the hot water look eerie. Not to mention the lights cast long shadows across Jimin's face as he watched my every movement with sharp eyes.

"I wasn't inclined to catch hypothermia, which is what you seem to be doing," he replied. "Are you planning to just stand there? I mean, I'm not exactly complaining either since the view is quite—"

I tossed the towel onto one of the plastic chairs by the poolside before crossing over to the hot tub. The steam rising from the hot tub was greatly welcomed as it not only soothed my goosebump-speckled skin but also served as minimal cover of my bare underwear.

"So partner." Jimin immediately slid through the water and steam to where I'd taken a seat. "First day in the North City. How'd you like it?"

"Other than having to carry an attention-seeking literal prick ball all day, it was great," I replied.

Jimin's eyes twinkled. "Was it at least a cute attention-seeking literal prick ball?"

"No."

Jimin laughed, running a hand through his hair. I swallowed at how his hair was two shades darker when it was wet. Instead of its bright silver color like a polished shilling, it was a dark charcoal shade. And it looked sexy.

His Marks, in contrast, were icier than ever, silver shards cutting right through the dim purple colored hot tub. I could see them interweaving and crisscrossing down his bare chest and down his submerged torso.

"Is the superglue injury gone?" I asked softly.

He offered me his arm. "It healed a while ago. It wasn't that bad."

"Your screeching said otherwise," I couldn't help remark.

Nevertheless, I took his limb and examined the bicep where the inflammation had occurred. In the dim lighting it was hard to see any sign of the injury and soon I found myself studying his Marks as I often did. "I figured out why the glue hurt you so badly."

He hummed, prompting me on.

"It's because of the cyanoacrylate in the substance. It's an acid with minor toxicity. For us humans, it doesn't hurt our skin at all. But on your Marks, its toxicity is highly dangerous."

I paused, hesitating.

"I'm listening," he said gently.

I took a deep breath. "The Reformists have found a substance mixed with corrosive and toxic chemicals that ravages right through the Marks and renders Outworlders' morphing useless. With your Marks damaged, you guys can't morph. It's the substance that had covered Hoseok."

Jimin slowly nodded. "Namjoon discovered that a few days ago. He's identified most of the chemicals in the compound and now he's working with a team of scientists secretly to see if they can find some sort of antidote or protection for Outworlders."

"Namjoon's a scientist?" I tried to remember which one he'd been out of the six men that had briefly entered the Sharehouse. I was pretty sure he'd been the tall purple-haired Outworlder.

"He studies bioengineering and biomedical sciences," Jimin affirmed.

The silver Outworlder had relaxed against the hot tub as I gently began to run my hand down his skin, though his eyes remained alert and on me. Somehow he knew I wasn't finished yet and was quietly urging me to continue.

So I decided to get it over with.

"My parents are going to join the Reformists."

Jimin remained silent but his mouth thinned slightly.

"They... wanted me to join with them." I quickly pressed on, words falling from my mouth rapidly as if a torrent had finally been unleashed from an adamant dam. "They're concerned for me. I get it. They think they know what they're doing and just want me to be safe. But... but the way they talk... it's terrifying. Their mindsets of the Outworlders is turning them into these monsters they're not. My mom, someone who could never bring herself to kill a fly, is willing to kill Outworlders. It's terrifying. I'm scared. For them. For me. For you."

I clicked my mouth shut, suddenly feeling like I'd said too much. The words had all just rushed out of me without thinking, pouring from the simmering hurt within right out my open mouth. I shouldn't have said so much. I should've thought more about my words. I should've...

Jimin pulled me into a tight embrace, one arm wrapped around my shoulders, the other sliding under my legs so I was cradled in his lap. "Your parents made their choices, and you did all you could."

Did I though? I thought bitterly. Did I really do all I could to try and persuade them? All I did was yell at them and then walk out. Should I have stayed a little bit longer? Tried a little harder to sway them?

"It's difficult," he murmured. He rested his cheek against the top of my head and his voice floated above me. "Trust me, I know how difficult it is when you can't reason with your parents and all you're left with is to go on a totally different path all on your own. It's a daunting and difficult path, but it's the only one you have left."

I began to trace the Marks on his chest. Even in the hot water the Marks remained cool under my finger. A shiver ran down Jimin's body, vibrating against me and a soft groan escaped him, his hands tightening against me. Suddenly things were getting too hot around here. But I couldn't stop.

I knew that it was dangerous to use passion as an escape from the world. Yet I couldn't seem to control myself. It was like when I'd been drunk in the rave— unable to keep my hands off him, no filter in my mind, no control over my body.

"Jiyeon," Jimin murmured, voice raspy and breathless as I continued running my fingers across his Marks. "Are you sure?"

"Just kiss me," I whispered.

So he leaned down and did exactly that.

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