The Hidden Scar

The Art of Deception

aera's pov

A few days had passed since my first day at school. The routine was becoming familiar, though the mission's underlying tension never left me. I kept a close eye on Jimin, but as expected, he maintained his friendly, talkative demeanor, making it hard to get a read on him.

One afternoon, during our art class, the teacher announced a new project. She smiled warmly as she explained, "This is a group project, but you'll only need one partner. You're free to choose who you want to work with."

The room buzzed with excitement as students began pairing up. Sitting beside Jimin, I turned to him. This was an opportunity I couldn't miss.

"Jimin," I said, catching his attention.

He looked up from his sketch, his usual cheerful expression in place. "Yeah, Sa-Na?"

"The art project. Do you want to be my partner?" I asked, keeping my tone casual but direct.

For a brief moment, Jimin seemed flustered, his eyes widening slightly. He blinked, then quickly recovered with a smile. "Sure! I'd love to work with you."

"Great," I responded, glancing at the details of the project outlined on the board. "We have two weeks to complete it. Do you mind if we exchange numbers so we can coordinate?"

Jimin nodded, pulling out his phone. "Of course, here."

We exchanged numbers, a necessary step for the project—and for my mission. As I saved his contact, I kept my expression neutral, careful not to reveal how crucial this information was to my team.

"We should probably get started soon," I suggested, looking over the project requirements. "Do you have any plans this weekend? Maybe we could meet at your place and start working."

Jimin hesitated for a second before nodding. "Yeah, that sounds good. I'm free on Saturday. I can text you my address."

"Perfect," I replied, noting his momentary hesitation. "I'll see you then."

As the teacher continued with the lesson, I found myself thinking about the weekend. The project would give me an excuse to spend more time with Jimin, to observe him closely in his own environment. And now, with his number and address, I had another piece of the puzzle.

This wasn't just about completing an art project. It was about getting closer to uncovering the truth. And I was ready for whatever came next.

The moment I got home, I wasted no time. After closing the front door behind me, I immediately called Felix, my fingers dialing his number with practiced ease.

"Felix, it's Aera. I've got Jimin's address," I said, keeping my voice low and steady. "I'm adding it to the crime board now. We need to call a meeting."

Felix's voice was sharp on the other end. "Understood. I'll inform Kai and Leo. Meet us in the briefing room in ten."

I hung up and made my way to the underground room, where the walls were lined with screens, maps, and evidence boards. The crime board was a central piece, filled with pictures, notes, and connections between the key figures in our mission.

As soon as I arrived, I pinned Jimin's address to the board, right next to the other key locations we were monitoring. The map was starting to fill up, but there were still too many unknowns, too many gaps in the information.

Leo, Kai, and Felix arrived shortly after, each taking their usual places around the table. Felix quickly pulled up Jimin's profile on one of the screens.

"So, this is where he lives," Kai remarked, studying the address. "It's a good lead, but we'll need to be careful. We can't risk spooking him."

"We have two weeks to complete the project," I said, briefing them on the situation. "I'm meeting him at his place this weekend to start. It'll give me a chance to look around and see if there's anything suspicious."

Leo nodded thoughtfully. "We should be ready to act if you find anything. But for now, keep playing along. The last thing we want is for him to get suspicious of you."

"Agreed," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

But as the words left my mouth, I felt a pang of unease. Spending more time with Jimin and his friends had started to change something within me, something I wasn't ready to admit. Despite everything I knew, despite the mission, I couldn't help but feel a growing connection to them—especially Jimin. The way he smiled, the way he tried to make everyone feel included... It was getting harder to keep my distance, harder to deceive him.

The thought of using him as a pawn to get to his uncle felt wrong. He didn't deserve to be caught up in this, and the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I couldn't let that happen.

"Listen," I said, my voice firmer now, catching the team's attention. "Our real target is Jimin's uncle, not Jimin himself. We better not harm him. He's just a way to get to his uncle, nothing more."

Kai raised an eyebrow, sensing my hesitation. "You're getting attached, Aera."

"I'm not," I lied, avoiding his gaze. "But we can't afford to make unnecessary enemies. Jimin is innocent in this. He doesn't need to be hurt."

Leo and Felix exchanged glances but said nothing. The tension in the room was palpable, but I couldn't back down. I had to protect Jimin, even if it meant complicating the mission.

As the meeting wrapped up, I couldn't shake the feeling of conflict gnawing at me. My mission was clear, but my emotions were starting to cloud my judgment. For the first time in a long while, I wasn't sure if I could follow through with what needed to be done.

authors note 

here another update i am actually surprised that you guys liked it and i want you to keep supporting i kept the chapter short so you don't get overwhelmed by details and its convienent to keep it short so you don't spend hours scrolling on wattpad right see you tomorrow okay then bye 

love you always