Wish (Wishing Well #1)

Chapter 13

“I’m such an idiot,” Jimin muttered to himself as he made his way down the steps from Emily’s apartment.  When he’d used some of his power to project his thoughts at the cat, he’d been sure that it was Taehyung in one of his alternate forms.  The cat hadn’t given any response to Jimin’s mental prodding though and had just continued to sleep. Jimin had spent the rest of the evening trying to brush off his feelings of idiocy.  In spite of the events at the beginning of the evening, Jimin had a lot of fun with Emily, and though he was suspicious of Jack he had to admit the tawny cat was pretty cute.

Jimin was ripped from his ponderings when he reached the bottom of the stairs.  The hairs on the back of his neck raised and gooseflesh broke out over his skin.  He could feel that presence again.  The darkness in that presence was almost stifling.  He’d felt many nasty presences, but this one felt more evil than most he’d encountered while out in the mortal world.  In case, whatever it was could sense him, too, Jimin continued to walk away from the apartment, acting as if he didn’t have a care in the world.  Inside, every nerve ending inside of him was screaming at him to turn around and race back up to Emily’s apartment.

He made his way down the sidewalk, until he reached the juncture between Emily’s building and the one next to it, ducking behind the opposite building.  He peered around the side of the building and fixed his eyes on Emily’s apartment. He had only been standing there for a few minutes when he saw a figure move out of the shadows at the base of the building. Jimin watched as the man ascended the steps toward Emily’s door.  Jimin tensed to move forward when his phone started ringing. Loudly.  Panicked, Jimin thrust his hand into his pocket, retrieving the phone and silencing it.  He glanced up at the stairs, the man was still on the steps, but had moved against the wall in what Jimin assumed was an attempt to be less visible.  

Jimin’s gaze flicked back down to his phone and saw Mr. Yoo’s name on the display. Why now, of all times? Jimin thought in irritation.  He wasn’t sure what to do. If he returned Mr. Yoo’s call he ran the risk of something happening to Emily, but if he ignored the call for too long. . .  Nothing good happens to people who ignore Mr. Yoo. Making what was at best the least stupid decision, Jimin sent off a message to Mr. Yoo explaining that he was in the middle of something important for his mission and he would call him back as soon as he could. Mr. Yoo’s reply came quickly:

You had better.

Jimin shoved his phone back into his pocket and looked back to the stairs.  The man was gone.  Jimin’s gaze shot to Emily’s door.  There was a sliver of light shining forth from it.  The door was open a crack.  Jimin took off running like he had never run before.

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Emily was tidying up her apartment, humming happily as she took the dirty dishes to the sink.  She’d had a lot of fun with Jimin in spite of the Jack incident. The rest of the evening, Jack had been a perfectly behaved kitty, even curling up near Jimin to sleep.  Emily smiled fondly at the image, glancing over to her sweet kitty, who had been following her around the house since Jimin left. Jack was staring transfixed at the front door, tail poofed out and flicking back and forth.  Weird.  Emily turned back to the sink to wash the dishes, noticing Jimin had forgotten his rings on the counter when he left.  She gently picked up one of the cool, metal bands to inspect the intricate designs that graced its sides when there was a knock at the door.  She clasped the ring in her hand, and made her way to the door. Jack ran besider her yowling loudly. Jimin must have noticed he left his rings here she thought as she unlocked the door and pulled it open as Jack’s yowling increased and turned to growls.

Her brow furrowed in confusion.  It wasn’t Jimin standing at her door, it was one of the newer students at the college.  What is his name she thought how did he know I live here?  She opened her mouth to ask if she could help him, when he slapped his hand over her mouth, and forced his way into the apartment, swinging the door shut behind him.  He forced her farther into the room and fat tears of terror began rolling down her cheeks. When he noticed her tears a maniacal giggle escaped his lips and Emily froze.  It was him.  The laughter on the phone.  It hadn’t been a prank caller, it had been him.