Jimin takes a deep breath, as the cold breeze brushed against his cheeks. Eye’s peering into the distances at the orange glow of streetlamps followed by lit of neon lights of the clubs and bars. Everything appeared mashed together from the top of the bridge- he found the brightness in during the night strange as he was raised in a small temple on top of a mountain. This is the city he is assigned to look over- San Francisco, a uniquely vivid hilly city on the tip of a peninsula surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay. Amidst the picturesque view of the city, in the shadows evil lurks, praying on innocents daily. And here is where Jimin knows is the start of his journey as a Gifted.

 

Having slept late last night, he found himself cuddled in his white blanket as the alarm dances loudly on his drawer. Usually, up early, the sudden transfer to a city he has never been too made him exhausted among the learning he has been doing for the past month, getting into his new role as a newly transferred student at Sun High School. Jimin opens his eyes, unable to sleep through the beeping of the alarm- he glares at the machine, wishing to set it on fire but he knows he will be in trouble if he dares to destroy anything in the house.

“The first day of school huh?” he mumbles underneath his breath as he sits up. He reaches over and presses the button on the alarm, silencing it.

 

After getting dressed, Jimin stares at his reflection for a few seconds. He grabs his blue backpack and heads outside, closing the door. He greets his parents and older brother, Namjoon as he takes a seat at the table.

“Slept late again?” asks Namjoon,

“It was not that late,” he replies.

“Hmm? Standing on top of the Golden Gate Bridge again?”

“I just needed to clear my head,” he replies.

“The first day at a public school,” says his mom, “Are you excited?”

Jimin shrugs his shoulders, “I guess, I have always been curious about how normal schools function.”

“Just don’t do anything drastic,” says his father with concern.

“It’s my mission, I’ve been training for this since I was a child,” he replies, baffled his father still gives him such warning. He has been studying and honing his skills since he started his training as a Gifted at the age of ten, living life as a normal teenage boy while kicking butts should not be a challenge.

“Dad, he’ll be fine,” says Namjoon, glancing at him, “Besides we’re here to help him.”

“Yes, and you can start by giving me a ride, hyung,” says Jimin, “This city is confusing.”

“Or you just don’t want to get on a bus,” reply Namjoon, “How are going to learn?”

“I have plenty of time to learn, please.”

“Just this one time,” replies Namjoon.

 

As they head to school, Jimin scans the paper with his schedule on it. Puzzled, these are all lessons he learned already, all but one.

“Human development?”

“Find anything interesting?”

“How do you study human development?”

Namjoon burst out laughing, glancing at his brother, “Just try to not to stick out too much. Try to have a life.”

“I do have a life.”

 

Namjoon parks the car in front of a large building. They exchange glances.

“So, you ready superhero?”

Jimin snickers at his brother’s teasing as he stares out of the window. Watching kids with backpacks hassle towards the large brown building that was hovering over them.

“Here I go.”

“Nervous?”

“Psst, I’m a Gifted one, I was trained…”

“Yeah, yeah, just try to make friends and probably not want to mention all that extra stuff.” Jimin sighs opening the door. His brother waves at him and he waves back at him. Jimin watches as his brother drives away, leaving him alone at an unfamiliar place with strangers. He clears his throat, stands up straight and heads towards the building.

 

The hallways were busier than outside. Chattering and laughter’s fill the hallways as every student stood in a huddle, others stood alone. Fit in. fit in. He makes his way towards the principle’s office as a transferred student that is the first thing his mom told him to do. Remembering the way from when his mom and he came just a few weeks ago to register him. He takes the corner, reaching a closed door, he slowly opens the door to the office. An old lady with huge glasses peers out from behind the computer.

“Hello.”

“Hi.”

“How may I help you, sweetie?”

“Um, I’m new and here to see the Principle.”

“Oh, you must be Jimin Park?”

“Yes, that’s me.”

“Oh, go ahead in sweetie, Mr. Gale is inside.” Jimin forces a smile and walks towards where the woman was pointing, thanking her. He reaches around the corner and knocks on the door.

“Come on in.”

Jimin turns the knob slowly, opening the door, “Mr. Park, come on in. have a sit.” Jimin pulls out the brown chair, sitting down as he stares at the man. The principal wore his standard greeting smile. He opens a vanilla color folder, scanning it as Jimin’s eyes wander around the office. It was small and stuffy with a lot of things. So many things Jimin could not help but wonder why place so many useless things in such a small space?

“Well, far from home, aren’t you?” says the Principle. Jimin chuckles, staring at the man, wondering what he excepted him to say.

“Not much on you, anyway welcome to Sun High School. Here we treat everyone with respect and so if you need anything, any help with anything, don’t be scared to come to me. Any accommodations you might need?”

“Um…not really sir.”

“You’re English is pretty good.”

“Well, it’s not my first time in America just new to the school.”

“Oh? I didn’t mean any offense by it, what I’m saying is we are here to service your needs as a student here at Sun High School. Follow the rules and you will be alright.”

“Sure, no problem.”

“Alright,” says the Principle clearing his throat, “Any questions?”

Jimin shakes his head no, loud bell makes his ears ring as he flinches, staring at the Principle puzzled.

“What was that?”

“That young man was the bell, if you don’t have any questions, you can head on to class.”

“Um…where would that be?”

“I’ll have a student aide take you to your class.”

“Thanks.”

The Principle picks up the phone, as Jimin’s eyes wander around, nothing was out of the ordinary and he felt no supernatural presences so far. A knock comes at the door, and a boy with dark brown hair, skinny and tall walks in.  

“Yes, sir.”

“Can you take Mr. Park here to his class please.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Alright, you can head out now.”

 

“My name is Kyle,” says the boy, “Where are you from?” Jimin glances at the boy who was smiling at him, awaiting his answer.

“Busan.”

“Busan, wow, that’s really far.”

“Well, it’s on another continent but they do have airplanes,” he says sarcastically.

“You’re funny.”

Jimin smiles as he follows the boy and after turning around a corner they come in front of room 109.

“This is the biology class,” says Kyle, “And your next class is just straight ahead in the English department.”

“Thanks.”

He sighs and turns the knob and opens the door. As soon as he steps inside, all eyes were on him, as the buzzing comes to a cease.

“This is a classroom?” he mutters underneath his breath. Another small room with a lot of people in it.

“Excuse me,” says a voice from behind him. Jimin moves to the side as the girl behind him glares at him as she walks past him. He moves aside from the entrance as another bell starts ringing with students rushing in and settling behind brown desks.

“Alright everyone, settle down,” walks in a woman wearing a short mini skirt to the knee with a blue blouse and high heels. As soon as she walks behind a long silver table, the chattering became minimal.

“Hello,” says the woman, staring at him.

“Um, Good morning,” says Jimin.

“Why aren’t you in your sit?”

“Well…”

“He’s new Miss. Harold,” says a girl sitting in the front.

“Oh? Um, you must be Jimin, the newly transferred student. Welcome to Sun High School. Come here and introduce yourself to the class.”

“Um, that’s alright.”

“Come on, how are you going to make friends if no one knows you?” Jimin fakes a smile, as the eyes in the classroom follow him. He moves to the middle where the teacher was pointing, wondering what she wanted him to say.

“Just tell us a few things about yourself.”

“Like what?”

“Anything.”

“Um, well my name is Park Jimin or Jimin Park. I’m Busan and I moved here last month.”

“Is that it?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, um, go ahead and have a seat behind Taehyung. Taehyung can you please help Jimin catch up with the lesson.” Jimin glances over to a boy with golden blonde hair and a white hairband. Jimin walks over to the empty table as the boy turns around with a smile.

“Hi, I’m Taehyung.”

“Hi, Jimin.”

“Nice to meet you Jimin.”

 

With Taehyung’s help, the first period was a breeze even though Jimin already knew the answers to everything the teacher was teaching. He made his way through the other classes by asking people, well it was mostly the girls that eager to walk him to class. But lucky for him, he also had Taehyung in his fourth, the class before lunch and Taehyung offered to walk with him to the cafeteria.

As they made their way inside the cafeteria, Jimin silently observes the place. It was filled with loud chatter, each table with a huddle of people raising their voices to be heard. It smelled of chips, beans, and cheese mixed with the unbearable bleach. Jimin follows Taehyung as they line up across the back wall with black trays in their hands. It was their turn, the girl standing behind the counter with a hair net smiles at him with a huge grin as she places a slice of oily pizza, a muffin and a carton of milk on his tray. Jimin smiles and walks to where Taehyung waited for him.

“Very appetizing isn’t it?" says Taehyung sarcastically, "Very different from Busan schools."

“I wouldn’t know,” replies Jimin, “I was homeschooled.”

“Seriously,” says Taehyung, walking away as Jimin follows.

“Yeah, this is my first public school.”

 

Taehyung gives him a strange look as he walks his way to a table in the middle of the cafeteria with two other people, a girl, and a boy. A recognizes the girl, she was in his second-period class, English.

“Hey guys, this is…”

“Jimin,” says the girl, “We have English together.”

“Okay,” says Taehyung, “Looks like I don’t have to invite you to sit with us.”

“Of course not,” says the girl,” He is so welcomed to sit with us.” Taehyung glances at him, motioning for him to take a sit. Jimin places his plate on the table and sits down.

“I’m Tzu-yu,” says the girl, extending her hand.

“Jimin,” he says, shaking her hand.

“What’s up dude, I’m Cody,” says the other boy, “No wonder the girls are going crazy, your so good looking.”

“Um…thanks.”

"Let's be friends," says Tzu-yu.

"She is only saying that cause your handsome," says Taehyung.

"Of course," says Tzu-yu grinning at Jimin as she stares at him. He chuckles looking around the cafeteria. Public schools are certainly weird.

***

The first official welcome to the school over in flesh, with Taehyung’s and his friend’s help, Jimin was able to get around the school easily- getting lost here and there but is a given. As nothing happened during the first day of school, Jimin could not help but wonder why the Covent would make him attending school part of his mission. As a Gifted he should out, hunting demons, not locked in a small room, staring at things he already spent most of his childhood life learning. So redundant.

 

Jimin stares at the circle white clock on the wall, he yawns as the numbers on the clock fade away. Leaning on his hand, the ticking of the clock getting louder and slower. His eyes getting heavier by the second and all the distant whispers and chatter disappears in an instant. And then came a flash of light and when he opened his eyes he was at an unknown place. A cave of volcanic chambers surrounded by light with people dressed in red robes chanting in a demonic language. Puzzled, he moves closers, no one paid attention to him as he stood there watching- a ceremony? And suddenly, they all turn to him- black eyes peering at him-he turns to leave but his feet remained glued to the floor. He couldn’t believe his eyes, paralyzed and powerless- as hooded black eyes demon with Red with black flame-like markings approached him. His eyes widened, unable to articulate a single sound, as his body began to tremble. The demon placed its hand on his face, warm and hot and next thing he realized he was on fire- his mind screamed out in pain.

Without warning, his eyes flung wide open, like flashlight beams, heart pounding and sweating. A sudden tap on his shoulder makes him jerk from his seat, screaming. Everything comes to in focus and the room fell silent as all eyes were on him.

“Jimin are you alright?” asks Taehyung.

He stares at his classmate, puzzled, adrenaline rushing through his body, it was a dream.

“Is something the matter Jimin?” says the teacher, glaring at him.

“Um…” he says looking around as everyone stared at him like he was a freak show and he felt just that- a freak show who had a nightmare and woke up screaming in the middle of class.

“Um, sorry,” he quickly says, taking his seat. He stares blankly at the notebook, calming himself. A dream? It couldn’t have been a dream? What kind of demon was that? He has had his shares of a nightmare, but this was something else. He felt a terrible pain in his gut as an uneasiness overtook his mind and he knew this was no nightmare but a warning.