Fifty shades of Kim

Chapter twelve

I put my pen down. Finished! My final exam is over. A cheshire cat grin spreads over my face. It's probably the first time all week that I've smiled.

It's Friday, and we shall be celebrating tonight, really celebrating. I might even get drunk! I've never been drunk before. I glance across the hall at Jimin, and he's still scribbling furiously, five minutes to the finish.

This is it, the end of my academic career. I shall never have to sit in rows of anxious, isolated students again. Inside I'm doing graceful cartwheels around my head, knowing full well that's the only place I can do graceful cartwheels, Jimin stops writing and puls his pen down. He glances across at me, and I catch her cheshire cat smile, too.

We head back to our apartment together in his car, refusing to discuss our final paper. Jimin is more concerned about what he's going to wear to the bar this evening. I am busily fishing around in my bag for my keys.

"Jin, there's a package for you" Jimin is standing on the steps up to the front door holding a brown paper parcel. Odd. I haven't ordered anything online recently Jimin gives me the parcel and takes my keys to open the front door. It's addressed to Mr. Kim Seokjin. There's no sender's address or name. Perhaps it's from my mom or Hyun.

"It's probably from my folks."

"Open it" Jimin is excited as he heads into the kitchen for our exams-are-finished-hurrah champagne.

I open the parcel, and inside I find a half leather box containing three seemingly identical old cloth-covered books in mint condition and a plain white card. Written on one side, in black ink in neat cursive handwriting.

Why didn't you tell me there was danger? Why didn't you warn me? We know what to guard against, because we read novels that tell us of these tricks..

I recognize the quote. I am stunned by the coincidence as I've just spent three hours writing about the novels of Thomas Hardy in my final examination. Perhaps there is no coincidence... perhaps it's deliberate.

I inspect the books closely, three volumes of Tess of the d'Urbervilles, I open the front cover of one of the books. Written in an old typeface on The front plate is

London: Jack R. Osgood, McIlvaine and Co, 1891.

Holy shit they are first editions. They must be worth a fortune, and I know immediately who's sent them, Jimin is at my shoulder gazing at the books. He picks up the card.

"First editions," I whisper.

"No." Jimin's eyes are wide with disbelief. "Taehyung?"

I nod "Can't think of anyone else."

"What does this card mean?"

"I have no idea. I think it's a warning, honestly, he keeps warning me off. I have no idea why. It's not like I'm beating his door down." I frown.

"I know you don't want to talk about him, Jin, but he's seriously into you. Warnings or no."

I have not let myself dwell on Kim Taehyung for the past week. Okay so his dark eyes are still haunting my dreams, and I know it will take an eternity to expunge the feel of his arms around me and his wonderful fragrance from my brain. Why has he sent me this? He told me that I wasn't for him.

"I've found one Tess first edition for sale in New York for fourteen thousand dollars. But yours look in much beller condition. They must have cost more." Jimin is consulting his good friend Google.

"This quote, Tess says it to her mother after Alec d'Urberville has had his wicked way with her."

"I know," muses Jimin. "What is he trying to say?"