CONDEMNATION ✓

Chapter 30

Wondering back into the room, your shoulders feeling taunt at the pressure you felt in the room. You slinked back inside, slipping in after Hoseok, who quickly returned to the table and began to dive up the dishes onto plates. You took a slow look over the dining room table, noticing a few missing people. Jungkook and Taehyung, to name two, who gave a damn if R was there or not. There was already one demon in the room. 

Still, when your eyes wandered back down to the shortest member of the organization, your eyes were unwillingly narrowed. Shooting him a threatening gaze that went unnoticed... at first. His gaze soon followed Mono's, whose eyes had drifted back to you with faint - fake - concern. You met his gaze before your brother's dead-toned words broke the uncomfortable silence as he gestured a hand in your direction. 

" 'Ats my lil' sis." He introduced her lazily and let his speech slack considerably, per usual. You rolled your eyes, finally breaking your gaze from the Jimin as you shot your unamused gaze toward your brother, irritated he would even introduce you that way. Sure, everyone knew, but it wasn't like you two actually acted like you were family. 

"Y/N." You corrected, offering up your name. You cast your gaze down toward the table, and despite your feet wishing to remain grounded near the doorway, you forced them forward in your aching desire for food. You snagged a plate from the table, ripping it from its place in haste. Everything from your expression to your body language held a stand-off aura. It was as if you wore a huge neon side that read, 'Don't fucking talk to me.' 

That didn't stop Jimin. He quickly beamed up at you, standing near the edge of the table, as he set down his fork and folded his hands in his lap. You could see that grin from the corner of your eye, trying not to look directly at him. His grin was so big his eyes nearly disappeared behind his lids a second time. 

"Nice to meet you, Y/N." His head tilted softly to the side. "I heard you were staying with us but never got the chance to introduce myself. I've been so wrapped up in my studies and dance practice." He laughed softly, letting the rumble carry under his breath as he tried to appear apologetic. "I'm glad you're here, though; this place could use a woman's flare." 

You said nothing in response to his welcoming speech. Your eyes trailed over the dining table as you began to spoon food onto your plate quickly, debating on just stealing the dish and going up to your room. Who was going to stop you? Correction, Hoseok would stop you. He gave a long speech last week about all the dishes disappearing in the house because people kept leaving them in their rooms instead of returning them. 

"Thanks." You replied curtly as you finished shoving your desired pickings onto your plate and rounded the table in search of a seat. "Nice to meet ya too." You mumbled under your breath. You could see Hoseok shooting a worried gaze in your direction. Clearly, he wasn't pleased with your acting skills, but it was a lot to ask someone to sit and have dinner with someone who just tried to kill you. 

You opted for a seat beside Mono, despite your desire to keep a distance from him and almost everyone in this house; it seemed like a better bet than leaving two empty seats on either side of yourself to allow someone to migrate to. You set your plate down and slipped roughly into your seat as the chair legs scraped across the hardwood floor. 

You were a master of deception. You knew how to play the room and act the part you'd been given, but that was when you were 'on the clock.' This situation was different. These people knew your name; they knew your real face. Within' these halls, you didn't have to put on a face if you didn't want to, but now you were being asked to for the sake of someone else whom you didn't give a single damn about. 

You reached for a fork, straining your body as you reached across the table. Your fingers found the metal utensil just as you heard a gasp come from across the wooden tabletop. Your eyes raised, seeing Jimin gawk at you with a slack jaw. Your brows dipped down low in question as you yanked your hand back to yourself. You shifted the utensil to your right hand as you quickly tucked a blue strand of hair behind your ear. 

"Are you okay?!" Jimin's voice hiked as he stared at you with eyes that seemed caught in headlights. It took a moment before you noticed his eyes weren't on your own but instead slightly lower, your neck. "What happened?" He whispered out in concern, though it seemed like a rhetorical question given there was a literal hand imprint left in purple bruises like paint splattered across your neck. Even R's hold hadn't been that strong. 

You went to open your mouth, trying to think of a fly-by lie, when Mono beat you to the punch. "Something happened on campus. Don't worry, though; it's been handled." He lied smoothly, leaving no room for anyone to question his fable story; he chased his words with a heavy bite of medium-rare beef. 

"My god!" He gasped, leaning back in his seat as he seemed unable to take his eyes off your decored neck. You raised a hand, idly rubbing the still-aching bruise before tossing your gaze down to your plate and swirling your fork into the stir-fried noodles. "Did you talk to the Headmaster about it?" 

"I told you, it's been handled. Don't worry." Mono answered for you again, quickly swallowing his food in one fluid bite. Though Jimin seemed unwilling to accept the answer unless he heard it from you, that worry still riddled in those dark brown eyes that housed more secrets than he may know. 

"I'm okay." You faked a smile as your lips pinched together tight, and the corner of your lips turned up. Hoseok looked your way, standing just out of Jimin's sight. He gave you a soft nod, once again in thanks, before taking a seat beside the blonde man and filling his plate. 

"Well, if you have any more problems. Just find one of us. You might be new here, but we have your back." Jimin started to pick up his fork again and bring it to his plate. "If you live with us, you're family." He added, letting a more content and reassuring smile come to his plump lips as he looked at you. His mouth reminded you of another blonde male. 

"That's right, Jimin." Hoseok praised, almost sounding like he was tossing words of encouragement to a small child, not a borderline ruthless killer who tried to cut your life short. You fought back the urge to roll your eyes as you raised some food from your plate. 

"Thanks, Jimin." You nearly gagged on your words. Having to play along with this little scheme was nauseating, and inner conflict in you not to snap at him or even take things physically. Then again, if you did, what then? 

If this was such an ignorant, caring boy, you likely stood a chance at taking him, but what if his personality shifted mid-fight? What if Minsu came back, or worse, Taewon, whom you had only caught a glimpse of once prior? Would you win, then? Minsu was skilled, proved that quite clear, and Taewon was the epitome of insanity. 

Come to think of it, those personalities did seem like they fit well with this organization; perhaps that's what Hoseok meant when he said Jimin had proved his worth. The capabilities of this mysterious man were likely grander than anything you had seen thus far. Which only made you want to keep a greater distance between yourself and him. 

If you were going to stay here and risk not being beaten half to death, then you had no choice. You needed to follow along; you needed to play by their rules. If you wanted to get anywhere, you needed to correctly play the hand you were dealt with. You'd pack the information you learned today back in your head as a mental note; you never knew when the slightest information could be useful later. 

Author Notes: This is a firm reminder that how people with D.I.D are described in this book is biased. It's told from Y/N's viewpoint, which is how she views them with her anger. This is in no way an accurate representation of those living with D.I.D.