August 10, 1895 — Jeong Introduction to Society

The tension in Jin’s shoulders was starting to make his back ache. He’d been rigid and upright like a board all night with Abeoji Yeom glued to his side. The pressure of performance in this capacity was so much greater, so much more strenuous, than just when he was singing. Here he was a puppet, forced to anticipate and recite based on cues he hardly managed to translate before he already had to react.

The weight of the jade pendant around his neck was heavy this evening and Jin wished desperately that he could escape. He needed air or water or both. Looking around briefly, he spotted Ki-Se and the overwhelming urge to wrap his arms around the smallest made him bold. Did he dare to dart and escape just for a moment? Abeoji had excused himself to the restroom. Jin wagered he had about ten minutes before he’d be dragged back into the fray.

Setting down the still full glass of now warm champagne he’d been holding for show, the half-vampire made a beeline. He swept up behind Ki-Se and cold fingers wrapped gently into the folds of his sleeve for the briefest moment before Jin was passing him and inclining his head towards a set of doors he could only imagine opened up to a balcony. “I need you,” he whispered quietly in Joseoneo as he went, golden brow hues pleading.

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Ki-Se Jeong & muse song
*Jin took a persuasive potion this evening;
it’s not a full dose but it’s enough~
Ki-Se might know this!

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* 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.

Despite his own and anyone elses concerns about him, Ki-Se had been every inch the regal gentleman. His brief hesitance now and then seemed to be seen as a sort of endearing shyness. It was a new kind of performing and one that did not see him contorting in pain. Though it was still quite uncomfortable to feel like he was being assessed like a prized animal. He half expected someone to check his teeth or the bottom of his feet like one might do to a prize horse.

Ki-Se felt the cold fingers and briefly jolted though quickly smiled to mask it from those watching. "All right, hyung," he said in their own language as he excused himself from his present company and turned to follow. He was grateful for the night air and inhaled it. "Are you faring well? A lot of these people enjoy talking about themselves." It did not really occur to him that they were doing so to attempt impressing him. He just thought they liked bragging.

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   Seojin Jeong

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italics means he's speaking Korean

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As soon as he hit the cooler air outside, Jin felt some of the tension ease. He didn’t know if it was the mass of people making him feel panicky or the pressure of performance, or just having Abeoji leaning over his shoulder like a ghostly Jeoseung Saja— but whatever it was, it felt like pressure tugging on the noose already around his neck. He let out a soft breath and turned to lean on the banister as Ki-Se followed him outside.

It was more difficult than Jin had imagined to keep his hands to himself now that he was out here and had his brother by his side. He knew it would be silly and needy of him to actually pull the other into a hug and Ki-Se was doing so well from what he’d seen. But he wanted to.

Jin laced his hands together and gave a small nod at the comment. “Gwenchana,” he mumbled dismissively as to the inquiry on how he was doing. “It’s a strange culture,” he added, leaning forward a bit. The English did enjoy talking about themselves but it was useful for gathering information in his experience. People who were too guarded usually had secrets to hide and were much more difficult to decipher. “I wonder how we will all get on a year from now,” he mused, turning a small smile in Ki-Se’s direction. Would one of them be engaged? Would all of them be safe? Would anything truly terrible have happened and if so, would they all come out of it relatively unscathed? The panic built up again at the base of Jin’s throat and he ducked his gaze, smile faltering.

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Ki-Se Jeong & muse song
*Joseung Saja = grim reaper / Gwenchana = I’m alright

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* 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.

"I am sure they find us just as strange, curiosities. Their eyes on us is simply a more civilized version of the people that came to the Menagerie," Ki-Se reflected. They were a lot kinder too and almost innocent in their curiosity and questions. That was at least different from what they were used to. He was doing good though and hadn't bitten anyone.

"Must we all marry? I would make for a poor husband," Ki-Se muttered. Besides, he equally did not like the idea of any of his 'brothers' marrying. Not when all of them, except for maybe Yun, did not really want to in the first place. He was more feral than man half the time and had a noticeable preference to be held by strong, muscled arms that were capable of subduing him.

Ki-Se noted Jin avoiding his gaze and moved so that he was peeking up into the others face. "You do not look all right, hyung. Do you need a hug?" That always worked for him. Nothing soothed him more than one of his brothers scents.

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   Seojin Jeong

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italics means he's speaking Korean

graphics by fox!

“Geurae.” His brother’s insight was dead on. Jin had never thought about the parallels between the Menagerie and …this. (England, society, their pretense.) He’d been so ready to regain even the smallest scrap of freedom that he’d been blind to the reality that the cages had just expanded slightly. There was still the same oversight, the same gawking, and the same curiosity. Not to mention Abeoji’s eternal stranglehold. If his pendant warmed at the thought, Jin dismissed it. Ki-Se was right though. (He’d always been the cleverest of the five.)

Jin couldn’t help the breathy little laugh that escaped him at his brother’s question. The urge to squish him returned but Jin only dropped his head between his arms from where he was leaning on the balcony and grinned, exposing a single dimple. You would make a wonderful husband to the right person, he almost reassured but it seemed too on the nose to be genuine. Instead, he righted himself and said nothing, smile once again fading. The truth of it was that they were all doomed. Ki-Se would never be given the choice to select the right person, someone who actually made him happy or understood. (And if Jin was slightly jealous at the thought of losing him anyway, he brushed that aside quickly.)

As he averted his gaze, his brother moved to peek at him with the cutest expression. His offer was well meaning and, while Jin normally might have brushed it off with a laugh and hugged him anyway, he felt the pressures of this evening making him broody. “Ne,” he agreed, and straightened to pull the littlest one into his arms. He was allowed to coddle Ki-Se.

Nose pressed into his brother’s hair, Jin sucked in a small breath. The feel of him - warm, solid, familiar - was grounding. He closed his eyes and focused on the subtly sweet almost floral smell wafting up at him. They were going to be fine, he told himself. He would never let anything bad happen to any of them. He squeezed a little harder to reassure himself. “Gomawo, Ki-Se-ya,” he hummed.

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Ki-Se Jeong & muse song
* Geurae = agreement, here meant “you’re right” / ne = yes / Gomawo = thank you

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