failures III » kpop ✓

chapter 2

❝ I fear the monster that I see in the mirror ❞

TWO

BLOOMING TATTOOS

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'' You want to go hunting for the Midnight Circus with me? '' Yunho repeated his question and stared at me in disbelief.

'' Actually, I feel like neither one of us should do it, but I know that you're going to go, no matter what I tell you, so I might as well tag along, '' I replied and carelessly shrugged. I was trying to appear indifferent, even if everyone knew that it was unusual for me to care about something like that.

Alix raised an eyebrow and scoffed. '' You think that it's better if you go hunting for those circus freaks with him instead of letting him go along? Why? So that you can have twice the chance to get in to trouble? Twice the chance to do something dumb? Twice the disappointment when you won't find them? Give up already. It's been a week since the cops revealed that the killers in Sainte-Chapelle were wearing their signature masks and they've been in hiding ever since. If it was actually them that killed him, they probably already left the country. If they weren't involved in it, they are still going to lay low for a while. They can't be dumb enough to host another performance. ''

'' You're just jealous because Effie is interested in my hobbies instead of yours, '' Yunho snapped, stuck his tongue out and wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

It was early in the afternoon and Alix, Yunho and I were just leaving one of our studio classes. We were painting a bowl of grapes since eight in the morning and my entire neck was cramped. I was looking forward to an espresso, even if I had about three already, a plate of any type of food and sleep. Those were my only plans for the rest of that day, but they poofed away and disappeared as soon as I stepped out of the old building where we had our studio classes and I saw someone unexpected.

Kyungsoo, the investigator that I sometimes followed on different missions around the world.

The surprise of seeing him in daylight instead of the shadows of the basement under the Latin Quarter's police station, made me freeze on the spot and immediately stop walking. Alix and Yunho didn't even notice that there was something wrong at first, then someone, who was enveloped in a different conversation right behind us, bumped directly against me. I knew who he was before I even turned around and forced a smile on my face. It wasn't that I had anything personal against Park Jimin. It was him who left a bad impression on me with the cold answer that he gave me once when I tried asking him about his tattoo or his hair, which changed colour even more often than mine did.

That day, it was dyed in a pale peachy orange. Just a couple of days ago, it was blue. The sleeves of his white t-shirt were rolled up to his shoulders and revealing the tattoos that were covering his arms. I always secretly admired them from up far, because of the incredibly intense and bright colours that they were made of. The flowers that were covering the skin on his arms, shined more beautifully than real ones ever could. It seemed almost impossible for tattoos to be this vivid and Jimin knew that. He also knew that it was impossible for them to move and I did too, but that didn't change the fact that I saw it. I saw his flowery tattoos bloom and become even brighter under rays of sunlight and when I asked him about it, he yelled at me in front of everyone and told me to mind my own business.

I didn't think that he would spare me a second glance, but he stepped on my path before I could continue walking. Some students, including Alix and Yunho, stared at us in shock. I was surprised too, since Jimin never really spoke to anyone besides the professors. '' I heard you and your friend talking about going after the Midnight Circus. Do you really think that going after them is a good idea? I heard that the police declared them the main suspects of the murder that happened recently. ''