Bangtan Universe • BTS oneshots

14. Crimson Peak (I) • vkookyoonmin

Victorian era, Jimin is the the rich heir who meets a mysterious man that steals his heart. A brilliant inventor with raven hair and porcelain skin who plays the piano in the quiet hours of the night washed in moonlight.

It was a taboo kind of love, forbidden by his father, but he's too far gone to ever look back. So when his father dies of a sudden tragic accident, against everyone's warning, Jimin marries his love and brings all his fortune and life to his new husband's mansion in the most desolate corner of the country, away from the rest of the world.

Jimin is in love with the mansion at first glance. "Welcome to Crimson Peak, love." Yoongi holds his arm lovingly in one hand, and opens the tall imposing bronze front door with the other. With each step, the house groans and creaks under their feet, like a living creature that has witnessed centuries of lives silently. The candlelights flicker on the gothic chandelier above them, and in front of the massive stone fireplace, a figure in a velvet black robe plays the piano. The keys are scattered, dissonant, like the mind of the player. There is a smile hanging at the corner of the figure's lips when his eyes meet Jimin's. Those dark orbs taunt him, tease at his heart, with a hint of sadness that makes his skin crawl. "And that, is my brother Taehyung." Yoongi says with disdain.

"You've never mentioned you had a brother." Jimin answers hesitantly, while trying to keep the tone sweet.
Taehyung responds mockingly, "I bet he doesn't say a lot of things."

The house is cold and dark at night, dying ember glowing in the fireplace, and long gossamer curtains shifting in the chilly draft. Jimin has been in a dazed since the day he moved in, all the days and nights blending into each other. The house seems endless, hallways filled with silent whispers, and rooms after rooms of forgotten antiques and shadowy corners. The light in his hand flickers as his breath trembles, and finally he's at the highest level inside, in front of the attic door.

"What's in the attic?" Jimin remembers asking Taehyung during the day, who was lounging by the fireplace like a regal feline taking pleasure in quietly observing his prey.
Taehyung snickers, a light laugh that sounds like the chiming of a pretty little bell. But the sound echoes in the vast room, and Jimin finds it strangely sinister.

"What does Yoongi tell you is in the attic, my dear."

Jimin tugs onto the lacy fringe of his white robe nervously, "nothing, he says it's just for storage."

Another little heartless giggle. Taehyung toys with the silver rings on his long slender fingers, "if it's nothing, why won't he let you go inside?"

Suddenly, Jimin hears something from the other side of the attic door, snapping him out of his thoughts. Rhythmic knocking, quietly at first but grows slowly in urgency, like a trapped soul desperate to escape. As the sound gets louder and louder, Jimin's heart pounds faster. The door bulges, threatening to break open, and Jimin gasps, half anticipating a monster to come rushing out. Then with a deafening bang, it all stops. The knocking, the bulging door, all returns to an eerie silence, saved for his heart beating violently in his throat. And the door creaks open slowly on its own, there's moonlight on the other side. Jimin's limbs are paralyzed with fear, but something calls to his heart. A desire, an inexplicable need that makes him move his feet one by one, and step through the door.

His eyes adjust to the room. All around him, there are shelves upon shelves of objects - books and manuscripts, potted plants and flowers that seem to come alive in the darkness, clocks and other intricate mechanisms that glimmer and tick quietly as he walks past them. A full moon sheds silvery luminosity through the large circular window at the center of the wall. And beneath the window, on a large bed with wrinkled sheets, is a seated figure with a watch in his hand.

Jimin pauses in his footsteps. Everything feels like an enchanting dream, something he came up with in his frazzled mind to cope with his new life. And this figure, with all the graceful lines, dressed in a bellowing white shirt, is a vision of solitude and innocence. As the stranger raises his head, the moonlight casts a shimmering lining around his silhouette. Jimin feels his heart is in a trance that he never wants to wake up from.

"Ah, finally, Taehyung said you would come visit me eventually." The stranger smiles, a joyful grin with crinkles around his bright inquisitive eyes. Jimin gulps but feels his shoulders relax and droop.

The stranger observes him, fingers tracing the edge of the watch in his hand gently, "so glad to finally meet you, we haven't had a visitor in such a long time."

Jimin struggles to respond but the words are stuck in his throat, tumbling out as a silent gasp.

"Aw, it's ok, you didn't drink the tea Yoongi made you tonight, did you.",The stranger sighs sympathetically, as he gets up from bed. He moves slowly but with grace, reminding Jimin of the ballet dancers he use to watch at the opera house in the capital.

"No matter, I've been preparing this little thing for you, it'll help you sleep at night and calm your nerves, just like the tea does. Crimson Peak is our home, but it can be...well, a little strange for guests to get use to." The stranger speaks, the kindness of his voice soaking into Jimin's bones, chasing away the fear.

Jimin tries again to speak, this time forcing out a few words in a whisper quiet voice, "who... are you..."

The stranger steps forward and then stops right in front of him, the delicate features of his face mere inches away. There's a small scar on his pale cheek, and his lower lip is moist and turns a shade darker as he bites it teasingly.

"Jungkook, my name is Jungkook and I guess...welcome to the family, yes?"

With those words, Jimin feels a hand touching his gently. He looks down and sees the stranger place the watch in his hand. It's a glistening golden thing, with swirling patterns on the cover, and mysterious symbols tangled in between. As he opens the cover, all the mechanisms of the watch become visible. Numerous metallic gears and chains move in unison, and Jimin can hear the rhythm in his head.

Tick, tock, tick, tock.

It etches onto his mind and refuses to let go.

Tick, tock, tick, tock.

Like the knocking he heard before, the sound grows louder and louder and each beat tugs at his heart, pulling on it, teasing it irritatingly.

Beside him, Jungkook whispers into his ear and makes him shiver, "so glad you are here, I hope this will be your forever home, our forever home." The golden arm of the watch moves forward slightly with each tick, and finally strikes midnight.

Tick.

Dizziness suddenly washes over Jimin, like a tidal wave that overtakes him with darkness. He feels Jeongguk's hands holding onto him firmly, before sinking into oblivion.