Anna clutched her chest, her breath coming in short gasps as she walked to the college with Jimin, who surprisingly looked completely fine, as if it was just a daily task for him.
"I have to say, you have great stamina," Anna praised Jimin, struggling for breath. "I don't think I'm gonna walk to college ever again," she said with a soft chuckle.
Jimin sighed. "It's just that you're too weak to walk for a full hour," he replied in a subtle tone, clicking his tongue. "Tsk. Maybe it's because you eat too much fast food."
Anna scoffed in annoyance, feeling slightly disappointed by Jimin's harsh judgment. "Ouch... You shouldn't say that."
"Why? Am I wrong?" Jimin teased.
Anna chuckled softly and raised her hands in surrender. "Okay, I do eat fast food, but who doesn't, anyway?" she defended herself.
Jimin continued walking toward the main building, and Anna followed him. He turned back, pointing his finger at her. "I could tell by the way you were breathing," he said.
"Don't pretend like you know everything about me," Anna said, quickening her pace.
Jimin froze, his gaze growing darker. "I do know everything about you, Anna Kim," he said in a low, deep voice.
Anna staggered at his sudden confession. She took a few steps back. "What do you know about me?" she asked curiously.
"Everything that I should know about you," Jimin answered, his eyes gleaming.
Anna's heart raced as Jimin stepped closer, his dark gaze locked onto hers. She swallowed hard, trying to steady her voice. "What do you mean, \*everything\*?" she asked, her tone curious.
Jimin tilted his head slightly, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "I mean everything, Anna. Your habits, your routines, your favorite spots in town. Even the little things you think no one notices." His calm voice carried an edge that made Anna's skin prickle.
Anna crossed her arms tightly, as if shielding herself from his words. "That's... creepy, Jimin. How do you even know all that? Are you stalking me or something?"
Jimin chuckled softly, something sinister visible on his face. "Stalking? No. Let's just say I pay attention. More than most people do." He took another step forward, closing the distance between them. "You're not as hard to figure out as you think."
Anna's eyes widened, and she took a step back, her mind racing. "Okay, that's enough. I don't like this game you're playing. If you know so much about me, then what's my favorite color? What's my biggest fear? Go on, tell me," she challenged confidently.
Jimin's smirk widened, and he leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Your favorite color is blue, but not just any blue—the kind you see in the ocean on a clear day. And your biggest fear?" He paused, his eyes narrowing. "It's being alone. Truly alone. You hate the silence, don't you?"
Anna's breath hitched. She stared at him, her mouth slightly open. "How\... how do you know that?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
Jimin straightened up, his expression softening just a little. "Like I said, I pay attention. You're not as mysterious as you think, Anna Kim." He turned and started walking toward the college building again, leaving Anna standing there, stunned.
Anna hesitated for a moment, then hurried after him. "Wait, Jimin! That's not fair. You can't just drop something like that and walk away. What else do you know? And why are you even telling me this?"
Jimin glanced over his shoulder, his expression unreadable. "Maybe I just want you to know that you're not as invisible as you think. Or maybe..." He stopped, his gaze shifting to something in the distance. "Maybe there's more going on in this town than you realize."
Anna frowned in confusion. "What's that supposed to mean? What's going on, Jimin?"
Jimin stopped walking and turned to face her fully. His eyes now contorted with an unfamiliar darkness that hinted at some kind of danger, yet he carried a magnetic pull that was hard to ignore. "You'll find out soon enough, Anna. But for now, just be careful. Not everything or everyone is what they seem."
Anna's stomach churned with a mix of fear and curiosity. She wanted to inquire further, but something in his tone stopped her. Instead, she nodded slowly, her mind racing with questions. She watched Jimin heading toward the building, her curiosity growing inside her.
"Hey, what's going on? You look upset," Kevin asked as he walked toward her. He followed Anna's intense gaze, which was fixed on Jimin. "Did he say something to you?"
Anna shook her head in denial. "No, we just walked together," she replied, not knowing why she lied to her brother.
"Don't get too close to him," Kevin warned.
Anna frowned. "Why?" she asked, noticing the anger on Kevin's face.
"I don't know, but he kinda gives me bad vibes," Kevin replied in a suspicious tone. "That brat is a VIP student. I heard he has his own private room here."
"Are you jealous?" Anna asked, looking at her brother.
Kevin scoffed in annoyance. "Jealous? Me? Not at all," he clarified.
Anna patted his shoulders. "It's alright, Kevin," she said teasingly, then made her way toward the building.
Anna walked into the college building, her mind still spinning from her conversation with Jimin. She was so lost in thought that she didn't notice Serena walking up beside her until her sister linked arms with her.
"Hey, you okay?" Serena asked, her voice filled with concern. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
Anna blinked, snapping out of her thoughts. "Yeah, I'm fine," she said quickly, though her voice sounded a little off. "Just... tired from the walk, I guess."
Serena raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. "Tired? You're always tired. But you look more... distracted than usual. Did something happen?"
Anna hesitated, glancing over her shoulder toward the entrance where Jimin had disappeared. "No, nothing happened," she said, trying to sound casual. "I just walked to college with Jimin. That's all."
Serena's eyes widened, and she stopped walking, pulling Anna to a halt with her. "Jimin? As in \*the\* Jimin? The mysterious, brooding, way-too-good-looking Jimin? You walked with him? Spill. Now."
Anna sighed, feeling a mix of embarrassment and frustration. "It's not a big deal, Serena. He was just there, and we walked together. That's it."
Serena tilted her head, studying Anna's face. "Uh-huh. And how was it? Did he say anything? Was he all mysterious and intense like he always is?"
Anna hesitated, her mind flashing back to Jimin's cryptic words. "He... said some weird stuff. I don't know. He's just... different."
Serena's eyes lit up with curiosity. "Different how? What did he say? Come on, Anna, details!"
Anna shook her head, not wanting to repeat Jimin's unsettling comments. "It's nothing, really. He's just... hard to figure out. That's all."
Serena frowned, her playful tone shifting to something more serious. "Anna, be careful with him, okay? I know he's all mysterious and hot, but there's something off about him. He's not like the other guys here."
Anna crossed her arms, feeling defensive. "What do you mean, 'off'? He's just quiet. That doesn't mean he's dangerous or something."
Serena sighed, her expression softening. "I'm not saying he's dangerous. I'm just saying he's... different. And not in a normal way. He's got that whole 'VIP student' thing going on, and no one really knows much about him. It's weird."
Anna rolled her eyes, though she couldn't shake the unease in her chest. "You're just jealous because he's got his own private room or whatever. Admit it."
Serena laughed, but it sounded forced. "Jealous? Me? No way. I just don't like the way he looks at you, like he's got some kind of secret or something. It's creepy."
Anna frowned, her curiosity piqued. "What do you mean, the way he looks at me? He doesn't look at me any special way."
Serena shook her head. "You're not paying attention, Anna. He's always watching you, like he's studying you or something. It's not normal."
Anna's heart skipped a beat, but she quickly brushed it off. "You're overthinking it, Serena. He's just... different. That's all."
Serena sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Different? Yeah, sure. But different doesn't always mean good, Anna. Just... be careful, okay? I don't want you getting mixed up in something weird."
Anna nodded, though she wasn't entirely convinced. "I'll be fine, Serena. Stop worrying so much."
Serena gave her a long look, her concern still evident. "I'm serious, Anna. If he tries anything, or if you feel weird around him, tell me. I've got your back, okay?"
Anna smiled softly, touched by her sister's protectiveness. "Thanks, Serena. I'll keep that in mind."
Serena nodded, her expression softening. "Good. Now, let's get to class before we're late. And no more walking with creepy guys, got it?"
Anna chuckled, though her mind was still on Jimin. "Got it," she said, but deep down, she knew her curiosity about him wasn't going away anytime soon.