Chapter 8: Kang Seulgi

    Seulgi doesn’t get excited about most things in life. In fact, she can actually count the things that do with a single hand in contrast to those that just don’t. But going to Central Town? Oh, being excited is an extreme understatement.

    Central Town is a magical place in the middle of the academy, a fairytale plucked right out of what imagination is left in Seulgi’s mind. It’s essentially a marketplace that sells just about everything; from stationaries, candies (the levitating candy canes are her favorite), toys, food, and, of course, the most famous product in the entire academy: howalons1. Going to Central Town was the only time Seulgi appreciated her star ranking, as being the highest ranking gives her the most allowance to spend on whatever she desires, and an unlimited amount of visits with the most flexibility in terms of time.

    However, howalons meant a bit different for her. It was the treat she and Taeyong grew up eating whenever they had the money to buy them. It wasn’t that she loved it, but it was more of him being obsessed with it and her just going along for the company. Ever since he left, she couldn’t quite make herself buy a box just yet. It didn’t seem right.

    It’s been too long since she last went to Central Town, and she was actually secretly ecstatic that Jimin had mentioned going there with the entire Dangerous Ability class. She wasn’t sure what his intentions were, but she knew enough about him to not doubt him too much. 

    Jimin, she thought, was somewhat of a mystery to her. He entered the academy a few years after she did. She thought it was amazing that they had discovered him so early in his life, considering his Alice, which was shadow manipulation. After he got admitted to the academy, he was actually just part of the Special Ability class for five years before transferring to the Dangerous Ability class, so many of their classmates never truly feared him or, at least, not in the way they feared her. On the rare times when they were free from missions, Onew would require them to go back to normal classes. Since Seulgi and Jimin were both in the same year, they had all of their classes together. However, unlike her, who just clung onto Wendy because she was the non-Dangerous Alice person who wasn’t afraid of her, Jimin was pretty popular in their class. He talked with everyone, made jokes with the teachers, and he just seemed really easygoing.

    No one ever treated him differently, even though he could control all their bodies with a single movement. Why couldn’t they treat Seulgi the same way? Was she that difficult to be loved?

    Seulgi shook those thoughts away. She’s always miserable, but she won’t allow herself to dampen her mood when they’re about to go to Central Town. She wasn’t that much of a masochist.

    “Where do you think the others are at?” She asked Jungkook as they took the elevator going down to the lobby. She practically dragged him before Jimin could say anything, but she wasn’t sure why she wanted to get out of there quickly. Maybe the conversation she had with Jimin was a bit more truthful than she would have liked. She revealed more of herself than she expected to, to Jimin of all people. She wondered what he thought of her now.

    “Namjoon hyung said he was going to eat breakfast with Yoongi hyung, so they’re probably at the cafeteria,” He noted. She noticed the bruise she left on his lower left cheek was already yellowing, evidence that his Alice gave him healing abilities as well. 

    She patted the bruise gently. “By the time we reach Central Town, you’ll look good as new.” Seulgi thought it was a bit unfair, actually, because the bruises she sported were still an angry purple and very much visible to the eye.

    The elevator made a sound as it arrived on their floor. “I bet you look better than I do,” Jungkook grinned at her bruise-filled face. “Wow, look at this clear skin! Did you put on makeup today, Seulgi-yah?” He grabbed her cheeks and pushed them together.

    She swatted his hands away as they got in the elevator. “Ha-ha. Very funny.” She rolled her eyes at his laughing face. Before the elevator could close, someone rushed inside with them.

    It was Jimin, whose face was peculiarly flustered. “Yah, didn’t you guys notice me?” He mumbled, his face still heating up.

    “What do you mean?” She asked. The elevator in their dormitory was small, so Jungkook had to maneuver a bit, ending up directly behind Seulgi. He rested his chin on top of her head, and the physical proximity of it all, coupled with Jimin’s flustered face, suddenly made Seulgi uncomfortable.

    “I was behind you two the entire time…” He replied, but not quite meeting her eyes.

    She tried to imagine what he could have seen to be so flustered like that. It was only her and Jungkook playing around, really, with him playing with her cheeks, and now he was just behind her…

    Seulgi’s face reddened. Did he think…? No, of course not—the two boys were close friends, he would know the truth. But still, did it look like she and Jungkook were acting a bit like… lovers? Is that even what it’s called? 

    She subtly moved a bit farther from Jungkook, suddenly wanting to make space between them. Jungkook didn’t bother hiding his disappointment when she moved away from him, compromising instead as he put his arm over her shoulders.

    Now this was his regular behaviour; he’s been like that to Seulgi for what seems like forever, but Seulgi felt self-conscious at that moment, and she didn’t know why. Jimin was just leaning against the wall while he played with the rings on his finger, but she felt that the skinship she was sharing with Jungkook made him feel uncomfortable.

    As if it wouldn’t come soon enough, the elevator doors finally opened. Jimin and Seulgi rushed to get out of the elevator, while Jungkook took his time walking out. 

    Seulgi watched as Jimin went ahead to get his other team members. “Huh.” She slowed in her tracks.

    “Noona?” Jungkook caught up with her, giving her a questioning glance.

    “I just realised that there were three of us before who were in the same year in the Dangerous Ability class… I wonder why I never got to hang out with Jimin all that much, though?”

    Jungkook shook his head as he laughed. “Because Taeyong would never share you with other guys. Not even me.”

    She blushed. “Yah, what are you saying?”

    “It’s true, though? It’s no secret that he liked you a lot, noona. He was basically obsessed with you.”

    She gave him a harsh glare before walking ahead. His words rung deeper to her heart than he realised, and s