Eʏᴇ ᴏғ Asᴍᴏᴅᴇᴜs

12. Purpose and end game

Jungkook steeled himself. He had the opportunity on a platter, he was going to grab it with both hands. "Who are you, Jimin?" He asked. "The truth this time." Surely, he knew Jimin wasn't a human, but he had no idea what else could the man be.

"I already told you."

"How come I don't believe you?" Jungkook's chin tipped up, his body swinging around to face the man, the same one who was embracing him. 

"I am what I said I was. An Asmodeus. You should take my word for it. I never lie."

Jungkook's eyes were curious and unbelieving as he scanned Jimin's features with tight scrutiny again, as though he would find something to tell Jimin's physical appearance apart. He found nothing. The man was an epitome of surreal beauty — which was something he was witnessing for the first time in his life — but it all looked believable, like Jimin was somehow familiar, yet distant like he was a human at the same time he wasn't. 

"What's Asmodeus?" Jungkook asked, the name seeming bizarre on his lips, yet the sound coming out confident. It didn't mean that the teenager wasn't bubbling with emotions and feelings. He was scared yet excited at the same time. 

"Someone who is from the underground...who keeps tabs on everyone. I am kind of like a principal of school if you consider the whole place as hell."

Jungkook smiled despite himself. 

"My job is to ensure that things are running smoothly. I admit people inside, make them work, and-"

"Punish them." The boy's voice cracked when he finished for the older male. 

"What is your perception of hell, Jungkook?" Jimin asked in a somber tone, yet he had an amusing lilt underneath. 

"It's dark. It's hot. And sinners go there."

"Well, you are right about one thing." Letting go of Jungkook from his embrace, Jimin leaned down to lay on the blanket, his face skyward. He pointed at his stretched arm to indicate to Jungkook that he lay there.

Jungkook thought that he probably shouldn't, but every instinct inside him told him to trust the man. He couldn't understand why as he laid beside Jimin without hesitation. "People's perception of the unknown is nothing but a farce. I am not saying they got everything wrong. But they are far from discovering the whole truth."

"Am I wrong, then?" Jungkook turned to look at Jimin while the man was staring at the bright sky. His heart fluttered at the sight. Jimin's skin looked soft and he wanted to reach over to touch him. His pulse was also alive, giving him an edge of vulnerability, like it could stop at any time and that's what made Jimin a human in Jungkook's eyes. Or at least, he conditioned himself to believe it.

"No," Jimin said one word and then breathed, letting the silence stretch between them calmly. "But I know exactly what you think of it. You look at hell as the last resort, the worst kind. You think that people deserve it who do something sinister. You think it's a prison where people rot until eternity."

"Then how am I not wrong if what you said I think is not true?" Jungkook looked confused at last.

Jimin turned this time, hugging Jungkook's torso and pulling him so close that their bodies could feel each other's heat. "It's the grim place, sure, but it's not the worst place in this universe, Jungkook. I don't only practice discipline, but I also control the chaos. If it weren't for the goodness of my heart, the earth would fold itself in half as we speak." 

Jungkook wanted to catch that same smile on Jimin's lips, but when he didn't. "What do you mean?"

"It's simple," Jimin's palm hovered and touched Jungkook's cheek lightly, his fingers dancing over the cheekbones. "I can make shit happen. The disaster department is a bit of my favorite. People think that catastrophes hit because of the devil, but they got it all wrong. In fact, I am the one who controls disorder. Like I said, if it wasn't for me, the chaos are waiting to happen."

"So... You are the good guy?"

"If you wanna look at me like that. Sure. But I am no angel, Jungkook. Never forget that."

"If you save the people, it makes you... I don't know... Not angel, but something close? Don't you think?"

"Who said anything about saving people?" Now, Jimin did smile in a teasing manner. "You misunderstood my words. I am not wreaking havoc on earth because I want to save people. I am not wreaking havoc on earth because I promised someone I'll look after it."

"Who?"

"It doesn't matter. They are long gone, but I already told you that I am no liar. I made a promise and I was keeping it."

Jungkook bottom lip was between his teeth and his brows were pinched. Even though he had wine, he was sure that his head was rather swimming because of all the things he was hearing. "How do you look like?"

"What?" Jimin chuckled softly.

"Your real form. What do you really look like? I want to see."

"I am not a reptile, Jungkook. What you see is what I look like."

"Like a human?"

"Or... All of you humans are inspired by...us." Jimin shrugged simply. 

"How is it there? The underground? Does it have the Sun and clouds like here? Does it smell nice? What do you eat there?"

"Easy there, Koo," Jimin pecked the boy's lips, losing the battle of resistance to temptation at last. "It's not something I can explain. But I can show you if you come with me."

"I can go there?" Jungkook asked, his eyes so wide that Jimin laughed. 

"Yes, anyone I want can, but there are conditions."

"Like what?"

Jimin's eyes wandered down a bit from Jungkook's lips to his neck, specifically to the red and transparent crystal that he'd made the boy wear after getting rid of those beads from the temple. He averted his eyes when Jungkook caught his gaze. "You don't wanna know." Jimin looked away.

"I do," Jungkook gripped the older's hand that was retreating and put it back over his waist in a plea to keep holding him. "I just want to understand you better. I still have so many questions."

"Like what?" Jimin asked, his voice low and soft, almost cooing as he smiled at the boy.

"Like why me?" Jungkook asked with a sudden edge of annoyance, as if he had been thinking about it for a long time but wasn't able to enunciate those words. "Why did you choose me? What are you doing here? Who is watching over the underground while you are here? How do you turn me into a mindless mass of lust? How did you make me see those horrible visions? Why do you treat me like I am someone precious and then threaten me? Why do I feel so much pain every morning? What's your purpose and end game with me? I want to know everything, Jimin. Please." By the end of his burst down, Jungkook had tears in his eyes. 

"Oh, darling," Jimin was sitting upright and pulling Jungkook up, flat against his chest. "I am here because of you. I need you, sweetheart. Stop crying."

As if the words had the opposite effect, Jungkook ended up weeping hysterically, gripping Jimin's shoulders. When Jimin tried to pull his face to look at it, Jungkook refused. "I don't understand anything. Am I in danger? I don't even know what situation I am in. Or even if you are good for me. I am constantly scared but I still want you. I don't recognize myself. I don't see my future."

"Jungkook," Jimin crooned softly, trying again to make the teen face him, but the latter shook his head and plunged his face deeper into the man's neck. "Please, baby... Let me look at you."

"I am not feeling so good, Jimin," Jungkook's grip loosened and Jimin held him in his lap, looking at him breathing evenly with eyes closed.

Holding Jungkook, Jimin stood up and laid him down on his bed in his bedroom, teleporting in a second. 

Jungkook was fast asleep by now. It was nothing for Jimin, but experiencing the otherworldly conditions was slightly a lot more exhausting for the boy. 

Jimin breathed with a sigh and sat down on the ground from where he could see Jungkook's face across his. Slightly parted lips, tears-stricken cheeks, and wild hair with some sand in it, Jungkook was his addiction. "I know you don't understand anything now, darling," his hand rubbed Jungkook's hair to shed some of the sand from the beach. "But all in good time. Just don't hate me like before. I can't lose you anymore."