Lock & Key (Chaelisa)

10| Jimin's Offer

"Get the key yourself, Jimin," Lisa said shortly as she made to pick up her cart, "I'm not interested in stealing. I'm not a thief."

"It's not a crime if Roseanne herself offered the key to be taken now, is it?" Jimin reasoned. Lisa hated that he was using logic to persuade her because in a sense he was right.

"But she said that whoever takes it will be the one she marries..."

"Well, she doesn't have to know," Jimin shrugged, stowing away his knife as he finished chewing the last of his apple slice. "You could take the cat somewhere deserted where nobody sees, take the key and come straight to me. Simple."

"No slitting the cat's throat?" Lisa couldn't help but ask.

"You're a funny one, Lisa," Jimin chuckled, "be my guest and do whatever you like to that darned cat, as long as you get me the key."

"The answer is still no, Jimin. I'm sorry, find someone else."

Lisa picked up the cart's handles as Jimin hopped off it, still not finished. He fell in stride with Lisa as she walked.

"Did someone else tell you to get it for them?"

"No. It's just...not honourable to cheat."

"I get that," Jimin said emphatically, or at least he sounded like that but Lisa still didn't trust his smile. "Of course it's never nice to go behind someone's back. But you see, if we work together, Roseanne need never know. We'll concoct a good story about how I finally managed to get the key from the darned cat and you'll never be mentioned again. I will marry Roseanne and everyone will finally be able to get on with their lives."

"You? Marrying Roseanne?" Lisa stopped abruptly. "I thought you were working with Chanyeol?"

Jimin turned sly. "Well now, teaming up with him helped give me a leg up when I needed it. Helped give me some exposure to get Roseanne's attention. I may not be the councilman's son but see here, I'll be sure to repay you endlessly if you do this one little favour for me. My father has some land, we can give you your own plot too, and purchase you a donkey to help you tow this cart so you don't have to suffer needlessly anymore."

"I appreciate the offer but I'm doing fine by myself so please, find someone else to get you your key," Lisa reiterated, wondering how she was going to shake him off without antagonising him.

"You know, Jungkook came to me."

Lisa stopped in her tracks.

"He was...hurt." Jimin said thoughtfully. "But he finally recognised the importance of teamwork. He wants to help me get the key."

"Jungkook?" Lisa said in shock. "But he...he..."

"He had his reservations about working with Chanyeol and me before, yes. He saw us as direct rivals," Jimin nodded. The sly look he gave Lisa made her clench her teeth. "But at the Snowdrop Festival, I think he finally realised that maybe, he never stood a chance after all."

"It was just dancing," Lisa said defensively.

"I suppose Jungkook felt like you should have kept him in the loop regarding your friendship with her," Jimin said thoughtfully. "But of course, who am I to say? He only said that you betrayed his trust and he wanted to help me. So now, he's betting on the other horse to win, one that has a better fighting chance than him. Me."

He spread his arms wide. "I'm not one for pettiness, Lisa. I don't really care what's going on between you and Jungkook. But if you can't trust me, trust Jungkook and give the key to him. I will make sure you get compensation for your help."

"Jimin, I have to ask," Lisa said slowly, "why does everyone want Roseanne so badly? Why do you? I've...I've seen you in the company of plenty girls before and there's a lot more to choose from. I've seen them trying to get your attention."

"Very true," Jimin mused and his crafty smile appeared again, "but you tell me Lisa. Isn't Roseanne just the loveliest of them all? How can you gaze upon anyone else when there she stands like a sun, stealing all of your attention? I forget everyone else when I see her. Don't you burn with desire to have her? Don't you feel like drowning in despair when she walks away?"

Yes, she almost said. Yes, I cannot look at anyone else the same way I look at her.

Yes, I forget about everyone else when I see her.

Yes, I burn with desire for her but I know I cannot claim her like she is a mere trophy.

Yes, I drown in despair knowing she will never think of me the same way I think of her.

But Lisa only shrugged. "I'm not a man. I don't understand those things. Roseanne has been a kind friend to me, as have Jisoo and Jennie. They're my only real friends in all of Hoguryeo. So you'll excuse my hesitation to help you."

"We are meant to be, Lisa," Jimin said earnestly, "the village elders always say how a couple that has similar facial features will prosper. Wouldn't you say Roseanne and I have that? I am the most eligible out of all the suitors based on that fact alone. Everyone says what a good match I am for her. I will bring blessing to the union and cancel out Roseanne's misfortune. It all fits together. It makes perfect sense. I was chosen by the gods to be Roseanne's husband."

Stop talking. Stop talking. Lisa was clenching her jaw so hard she was sure it was going to break as the arrogant man next to her prattled on, unaware of her murderous thoughts.

"So really Lisa, you need not worry. In fact, you'll be playing your part in the gods' plan for us all and restore order in the village."

"No," Lisa said coldly.

Jimin straightened, his demeanour shifting in a blink. "No?" he repeated.

"Say that you are right. Say you become her...her spouse," Lisa said recklessly, "what then? How would you care for her? Do you know anything about Rosie at all? Do you know what she likes? Do you know how to respect her? Would you be faithful to her? Would you cherish her? Do you know how to make her happy? Would you treat her like your equal?"

He gazed at her for so long after her outburst that Lisa feared they would both freeze into ice blocks right there on the road.

"I see," Jimin said silkily, "I understand...it makes sense now."

"What?" Lisa said stricken.

"You like her," Jimin drawled, his lips quirking up in a cruel smile as he revealed Lisa's heart to her, bloody and raw and beating erratically, "and since you can't have her....you won't let anyone else have her."

Lisa stopped breathing. "No that's...that's not...I..."

Jimin held up his hand. "Very well. You won't help me. I got the message loud and clear. But listen closely Lisa. I advise you to watch your step and stay out of my way the next time we meet. Because I'm getting that key one way or another and if you try to stop me...let's just say things won't end well, for you and that cat. You don't want me as your enemy, Lisa."

"I don't care what you do to me but don't you dare hurt her," Lisa growled, "Honey is just a cat."

"I doubt it sometimes," Jimin snorted and lifted his hand in farewell as he walked backwards, never losing that unsettling manic grin. "Farewell Lisa. And don't worry, I don't want any hard feelings between us: you're still invited to the wedding."