ʟᴏsᴛ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴍᴀsǫᴜᴇʀᴀᴅᴇ ☑

Chapter 15. # Business

After eating the breakfast that turned almost cold — albeit Jimin protested to reheat everything, Jungkook didn't allow him, they walked out to buy some essentials from the market. Jimin had worn khakis and so Jungkook ran back into the room and changed from his black and white attire to a brown one, matching the older one. When Jimin laughed at him and asked him a reason, Jungkook replied by saying "I want to blend in."

The curious eyes going rounder made Jimin's heart sing and dance, it was a sight to carouse in. The innocence and purity of a child possessed Jungkook. During ancient times, when someone like Jungkook was born, people often said that it must be their first life of many lifetimes that they were intrigued by every small thing. Jimin never met anyone like that, but now, he thought that perhaps the old folktales weren't entirely fictional. 

"How many wons for the 2 kilograms?" Jimin asked a hawker, a lady in her mid-forties, a little plump and cute. 

"You always take the fish from him. Why are you bargaining with me today?" The lady remarked, curious as to why he suddenly came to her. 

"I wanted freshwater fish today," the man politely smiled at the woman, making her eyes and mouth go round.

She leaned closer to Jimin as to whisper it. "Who is that handsome?" She referred to Jungkook who stood a little behind Jimin, grabbing his coat's end. 

"My guest. He traveled from afar," Jimin responded in a hushed manner too as though he also wanted to keep it a secret.

The lady was generous enough to add a few grams extra and handed the fish to Jimin. "Here you go, son. Eat well and come again. I will give you the best quality fish at the lowest price on the market." 

"Why?" Jungkook suddenly barked out, surprised at the generosity, or perhaps he felt that the woman was stupid to deal with customers. As he dug his hand into the pocket to simultaneously take out the money, Jimin already paid for it and bowed at the woman.

The lady looked at the prince whose face was covered behind the mask. "Because you are our town's guest. We want you to feel welcome, son."

Jungkook tilted his head. "But you are poor. If you do business like this, you'll never get rich. You-"

Jungkook surprised the hawker with his words who grimaced her face. The prince wanted to teach the lady some tactics on how to run a business, but Jimin dragged him along. "Why are you pulling me, Jimin? The poor woman needs our help. You must teach her, otherwise, she will give freebies to everyone."

Jimin was flustered. "Keep walking, Jungkook."

The younger huffed and walked with restraint, but now, he was pouting underneath his mask indignantly. Once Jimin ensured that they were comparatively in a secluded street, he slowed down and left Jungkook's palm. "We are not supposed to be vetting others in return for their kindness, prince."

"But she will lose money," Jungkook widened his eyes and intoned in response, pointing his finger at the back.

Jimin inhaled, realigning the thoughts to explain in a better way before looking sideways at any audience, or lack thereof. "I know where you are coming from. All that you have studied told you ways of increasing wealth, but for people like her, it's only a means of survival. If she can provide three meals to her family in a day, it's happiness and wholesome for her. She isn't here to make a profit, but to make relationships with her customers, so even if she sometimes gives free stuff, people remember that and admire her for it. They also don't forget to return the favor. For example, I gave her a thousand wons extra than what the fish is worth."

Jungkook pulled down his mask and looked at Jimin with bizarre expressions. "I get it that she merely needs survival and not profit, but why did you pay when I was going to? You are just plain stupid because I am richer than you."