Jin’s heart was thundering in his skull; every other sound was blocked out save for the anger that was making him see red. His magic had, luckily, stayed rather calm for the moment but if he didn’t start breathing soon, it would be next to go. Ahn-Bo knew the conditions of his pendant, of his ties to their Abeoji. (Didn’t he?) How dare he make it sound so easy! If Jin had ever had a choice, he certainly wouldn’t be here, in England parading around like some puppet trying to win the affections of a mere child he didn’t even care about, for spirit’s sake! (Distantly, he recognized that this was an unfair dig at poor Ms. Prewett, but he was in no mind to rectify his angry tirade now.)
Ahn-Bo solidified in front of him like a barricade, crossing his arms over his chest and lowering his voice to a steady hum. His laugh grated on just the wrong side of Jin’s nerves as he emphasized the obvious. (Yes, fine, even Jin could recognize he was his own worst enemy but this was not the time!) Ahn-Bo stepped closer; now they were only a hairsbreadth apart. His words sank into Jin’s skin like boulders to the bottom of a lake.
Jin’s first reaction was instinctual. He didn’t belong to anyone— not Abeoji Yeom and not Ahn-Bo-ah. He was his own person for spirit’s sake and everyone needed to get that through their thick skulls! But it was a fleeting thought as the realization of what Ahn-Bo was actually saying tried to filter in. It was different, maybe, than the way Jin had imagined it might sound. (Because yes, on the coldest, loneliest nights he had thought about the impossible seeming reality of what it would mean if Ahn-Bo did actually— or could actually—care for him.) But this… was pretty close to a confession. Or at least it was to the reckless, listless tiger pacing around in Jin’s chest. Somehow, it had managed to overwhelm his guilt and tendency to overthink to the point where he grasped what he wanted to hear and let the rest go. Childishly. Recklessly.
Golden-brown eyes were clouded with hurt, and sadness, and every other emotion Jin kept bottled up inside far away from his bother because this wasn’t them-- as he looked up. They weren’t this open or real about their situation. Not with one another. It would scare Ahn-Bo off and Jin didn’t deserve the honesty. Or at least that’s what he’d always told himself.
The next words out of Jin’s mouth were still angry but they were honest.
“Saranghaeyo, Moon Ahn-Bo-ssi.”
Ahn-Bo solidified in front of him like a barricade, crossing his arms over his chest and lowering his voice to a steady hum. His laugh grated on just the wrong side of Jin’s nerves as he emphasized the obvious. (Yes, fine, even Jin could recognize he was his own worst enemy but this was not the time!) Ahn-Bo stepped closer; now they were only a hairsbreadth apart. His words sank into Jin’s skin like boulders to the bottom of a lake.
Jin’s first reaction was instinctual. He didn’t belong to anyone— not Abeoji Yeom and not Ahn-Bo-ah. He was his own person for spirit’s sake and everyone needed to get that through their thick skulls! But it was a fleeting thought as the realization of what Ahn-Bo was actually saying tried to filter in. It was different, maybe, than the way Jin had imagined it might sound. (Because yes, on the coldest, loneliest nights he had thought about the impossible seeming reality of what it would mean if Ahn-Bo did actually— or could actually—care for him.) But this… was pretty close to a confession. Or at least it was to the reckless, listless tiger pacing around in Jin’s chest. Somehow, it had managed to overwhelm his guilt and tendency to overthink to the point where he grasped what he wanted to hear and let the rest go. Childishly. Recklessly.
Golden-brown eyes were clouded with hurt, and sadness, and every other emotion Jin kept bottled up inside far away from his bother because this wasn’t them-- as he looked up. They weren’t this open or real about their situation. Not with one another. It would scare Ahn-Bo off and Jin didn’t deserve the honesty. Or at least that’s what he’d always told himself.
The next words out of Jin’s mouth were still angry but they were honest.
“Saranghaeyo, Moon Ahn-Bo-ssi.”
![[Image: HjIYkam.png]](https://i.imgur.com/HjIYkam.png)
* Jin takes potions and enchantments at times to give his voice a persuasive quality.
His performances, or even a simple conversation, can sometimes suggest thoughts
and ideas to his audiences.