It's when Haneul's eyes land on Zodiac that his face blanches. Between Haneul looking like he wants to throw himself through the massive restaurant window and Jimin's hand fisted tightly in the hem of his shirt, Zodiac must be pretty pleased with his own influence, but Jimin doesn't have time to deal with his ego. They're doing this exchange and then they're leaving. No pussyfooting around.
"Mr. Jeon," Jimin greets as he reaches the table, extending a hand to be scented. He scrubbed himself so clean this morning, his skin feels raw, but the only scents that should be on him are his own and Zodiac's.
Haneul cautiously raises from his chair to take Jimin's hand, eyes darting between the two of them, like he's still trying to decide whether this is a set up or not, since the last time they spoke, Jimin promised he'd get rid of Zodiac. "Just Haneul is fine."
"Are you sure you don't want him to call you daddy?" Zodiac asks. Haneul drops Jimin's hand.
"Zoey," Jimin hisses, nerves singing. "Don't be mean."
"It was an honest question."
"Considering what I asked of you the last time we met," Haneul says carefully, "I hope you have a good reason for bringing him here."
"We're getting out of the way, just like you wanted," Jimin replies. "He's taking me out of state and we're leaving Jeongguk behind."
Although he still seems hesitant, Haneul must decide that he isn't in any imminent danger and sits back down at the table. Jimin takes the seat across from him, and Zodiac snags an extra chair from a nearby empty table to sit beside him.
"What you said got me thinking," Jimin says. He fumbles to find Zodiac's hand under the table and squeezes it. Lying isn't unfamiliar to him, but doing it on this kind of scale makes even him anxious. "Why rely on Jeongguk for anything when he isn't the one with the money in the first place? If Zodiac will pay my debt, it doesn't matter what happens to Jeongguk."
Haneul's gaze flicks very briefly down to Jimin's neck. "And your mating bond?"
Jimin shrugs. "I accept him as an alpha. That's all that really matters, isn't it?"
"So, Zodiac pays your debt off and the two of you are going away," Haneul says. "Is Jeongguk aware of this?"
"Nope." Fishing the USB drive out of his pocket, Jimin tosses it onto the center of the table. "I'm going to leave you the honor of telling him about his mate's infidelity."
"Ah... and this is what you want to trade for the Black Rabbit?"
Taking a deep, steadying breath, Jimin exhales it sharply like he's irritated. But he isn't. He has all the time in the world, he tells himself, to convince Haneul that they're leaving Jeongguk without a scrap of support. He idly traces over the back of Zodiac's hand, over each individual knuckle, over his long fingers. The sudden memory of seeing those same fingers reach into the mutilated chest cavity of one of his victims to pull out body pulp turns his stomach, and the reality of what he's doing sets in. He's using one murderer to manipulate another murderer for the sake of the murderer he loves.
Are you truly any better than them, Park Jimin?
"Whatever reason it is that you want to see Jeongguk crushed... that will do it," Jimin says, nodding at the USB. "I've spent enough time with him to know that he just needs to be loved by somebody. How do you think he's going to feel, knowing that even his own mate won't stay with him? He'll be devastated. Whatever it is you want to do after that... Well, it's of no consequence to me. But I want something to come back to, and I want that to be the casino."
Haneul levels him with a scrutinizing gaze, and Jimin holds it. Holds it because he has to, because there's no room for error. The grip he has on Zodiac's hand must hurt, but he can't help it. He dressed nice today. A brand new, buttery soft leather jacket—one that fits him properly. It makes him feel badass, like he fits in. Like an alpha, without necessarily showing himself off. He has all these alphas wrapped around his pinky because he's an omega. His attention is vitally important to them, and it's his choice who he gives it to.
