Lost in a Masquerade

17

After eating the breakfast that turned almost cold — albeit Jimin protested to reheat everything, Jessica didn't allow him, they walked out to buy some essentials from the market.

 Jimin had worn khakis and so Jessica ran back into the room and changed from her black and white attire to a brown one, matching the older one. When Jimin laughed at her and asked her a reason, Jessica 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 Jessica. 

During ancient times, when someone like Jessica 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 beautiful?" She referred to Jessica who stood a little behind Jimin, grabbing his coat's end.

"My guest. She 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?" Jessica suddenly barked out, surprised at the generosity, or perhaps she felt that the woman was stupid to deal with customers.

 As she dug her 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 princess whose face was covered behind the mask. "Because you are our town's guest. We want you to feel welcome."

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

Jessica surprised the hawker with her words who grimaced her face. The princess wanted to teach the lady some tactics on how to run a business, but Jimin dragged her 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, Jessica."

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

"But she will lose money," Jessica widened her eyes and intoned in response, pointing her 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."

Jessica 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."

With a soft smile and a proud gleam in his eyes, Jimin admired Jessica. 

"That's because you are younger than me and for as long as I can, I'd like to pay for you and me. If you are with me, I am the one who likes to provide, consider it a flaw in me, but I like to take care of people."

"Even if other people are capable of taking care of themselves?"

Jimin stepped a little ahead and with his newly formed proximity, he looked at Jessica's face softening. "Don't you like it when I do?" He asked, tucking Jessica's hair behind her ear. 

The princess began to gnaw on her lips, slowly melting and hugging the older all of the sudden. She somehow felt conflicted in her mind. There was uneasiness he couldn't express, but she knew what he liked.

 "You are very kind, Jessica. You will be a very lovable queen. If you ever had doubts, throw them all out now." Jimin praised the woman who curled herself into his embrace.

"I don't think so," Jessica pouted, sniffing the faint rose scent from the counselor that he has put all over himself to sleep all these months. 

At first, when she began to realize she was missing Jimin, she used abundant quantities of the fragrance to feel closer to the man, but a month passed, and the bottle turned half-empty. 

She had to restrict the quantities, but now, he could sniff the man all she wanted, without having to use the scent made by Jimin.

"Should we go now? We still need to buy rice, red meat, eggs, a few spices, and some clothes for you."

"Clothes?" Jessica pulled away to look at the man in confusion.

"You said you want to blend in, right?"

Jessica nodded.

"Then you need a few sets of garments like mine. They will be comfortable for you to sleep in too. Do you trust me?"

contd......