SALVE | l.ty + k.jn

three

♔

chapter three - jennie's auction

━

Stunned from her best friend's auction round,
Jennie now wondered if she, too would be bought by an elder man. Of course, it wasn't like she could pick and choose what home she were bid off to, and it wasn't like it were a surprise, either.

She'd be surprised if she were even bought for over a hundred thousand. Jennie didn't think of herself who had much talent or visuals compared to the other lilliettes. Though she found a love for making art, spending her leisure time painting and sculpting- she was aware that some men don't care for your talents- unless your visuals were your talent. She doubted she'd even be allowed to enjoy painting any longer.

As her mind was finally a whirlwind of jumbled thoughts and worry, not entirely for herself, but for her fellow friends and just partially for herself- Jennie had been stumbling onto stage with heavy feet.

It didn't feel real until she felt the burning heat of the stage lights beaming down on the exposed flesh of her arms and warming the fabric of her satin pink dress, the pearl sheen of the material reflecting and Jennie holding back an eye roll as she knew her mother chose the particular dress on purpose as it'd be a real 'eye-catcher'. Jennie hated attention drawn to her, she'd rather call herself an 'eye-sore'. In Jennie's eyes, she wasn't all that spectacular, and was the least sociable in her friend group of lilliettes. Jennie failed to realize the adoration she received from many of the other girls as they admired her ability to play instruments, enjoy literature, and create art. They envied her nonchalant attitude towards the auctions as they spent the past years preparing and outdoing themselves in hopes of being placed in a nice home, Jennie- merely doing it because she had to.

Before she knew it, the auction had begun, and as Jennie was officially contestant number eleven, she had at first let out a breath of relief, but for some reason, the stopwatch seemed to move far too quick for her- leaving her in a daze. It wasn't until she had realized her smile had dropped that she had snapped out of her daze, and then- everything had become so real.

Her heart stuttered as before her, sat the bidders of the auction. And although her light had not yet been lit up, the minutes on the clock had been passing quicker than she could count.

Jennie couldn't even pay attention to the lilliette next to hers auction.
She only paid attention when her introduction had begun, her light quickly being lit, her smile stretching to match it.
Jennie didn't even know where to place her eyes in the crowd. They all just looked like predatory figures- waiting to rip her roots out of the comfortable ground she had once been planted in. Goosebumps had appeared on Jennie's arms, contrasting between seconds ago when she swore she was breaking a sweat from the hot lights.

"Lilliette number eleven!" Heechul's voice rang, Jennie's cue to keep collected and always smiling.
"Miss Jennie Kim is an ardent artist- her grandfather being the famous painter, Kim Changjin, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree as Jennie is quite the artist herself, her works being showcased in many art shows as her specialty is watercolor painting, sculpting, and sketching. She spends her leisure time practicing violin and playing the piano. Any gentleman willing to pay the price for this masterpiece of a lilliette?" Heechul wheedled.

The bids had officially began and Jennie had officially wished she were at home, painting.

Jennie desperately wanted to clamp her eyes shut as she saw the hands go up.
But she kept her eyes open, seeing as Heechul surveyed his options with delight, fingers tracing invisible lines midair as he made a mental map of where to go after choosing who.
It was quite a surprise to Jennie seeing how many men's hands were up. She were sure she'd only get a solid three, at most.

However, the first man who Heechul had called upon to reveal a bidding price, made Jennie press her lips in a firm line as not only he looked a solid three- being a much older man with large glasses and a pot belly, but also bid at quite the low expense.

"Ninety thousand, you say?" Heechul guffawed. "I'm sorry to say, but the girl's paintings retail for thousands more than that. Let's do better, shall we?" He snickers, causing the other audience members to erupt into foolish laughter.

"Next!" Heechul had called- man after another. Jennie had begun to get antsy as all her bidders seemed to be middle-aged or older men, perhaps intrigued by her ability to paint. Only one younger man, a merchant of the middle class by the name of Lee Wonho- whose visuals were quite the catch- had bidded, and quickly been out bid.

The highest bid price offered standing at an astounding seven hundred thousand, and most hands had shot down after that.

Jennie listened to the tick of the clock. With less than two minutes of the auction remaining, she had tried to get a good look at the man who bid seven hundred thousand. He didn't seem too old, with few grey hairs and a plump face, but the smile on his face wasn't exactly a comforting one as he eyed Jennie from head to toe, sizing her up.

"Come on, men! We've still got a minute forty-five left. Kim Jennie is quite the-"
Heechul had paused as a hand had raised up near the center of the audience. Seated in one of the nicer black couches with the small tables in front.

"Well, if it isn't the brothers from the infamous Lee estate!" Heechul hollered.

Jennie eyed the three men-
young men, with surprise. The three definitely were sons of estates. Dressed neatly, the three were fetching.
One with brown hair, one with platinum blonde hair, and one with jet black hair. The Lee sons.
From what Jennie knew, however, there were two more. Were these the eldest sons? Or, maybe the youngest sons?

The one with his hand raised seemed to be the eldest, the brown-haired one.
The brothers, however, seemed occupied as their eyes fixated from a clipboard held in the black haired one's lap.
"What will be your bet, Mr. Lee?" Heechul inquires with a smile.

"Ah, yes." The brown haired one says, all three boys looking up.
"Nine hundred thousand. We'll bid more if we have to." He says simply, eyes flickering to Jennie.

As Heechul began his 'last call' claims, Jennie seemed to feel a mixture of shock and relief wash over her.
Firstly, an estate...? Bidding on her? It was unbelievable. She knew her mother would jump for joy, and probably was, as she was watching the live broadcast.
Jennie had felt a sense of relief as the estate sons at least didn't give off the vibe of being perverted old men, but it made Jennie wonder why in the world they would offer that much for her and were so adamant about it?

And what was the clipboard for?
Few men in the crowd had them, were they to truly examine and evaluate each lilliette?
Jennie wondered if she fit a mold they'd created, or perhaps something about her caught their interest...? Or perhaps it were her being related to a well-known artist that sold it. Would she be subservient to creating art all day long? Would they forbid it?
Her head went in circles as she began to let the thoughts articulate in her brain.

Heechul's stopwatch had quickly used up the time, and Jennie's auction was over.

"KIM JENNIE, the lilliette embodiment of art now belongs to the home of the Lee estate!" Heechul smiles widely, Jennie's smile matching.

"It was a pleasure seeing you, Minhyung." Heechul calls quickly to the brown haired man.
Minhyung had smiled, nodding.
"Jeno... Chenle." Heechul acknowledged the other brothers. "Bid hello to your elder brothers for me!"

Jennie's light had went out, and the weight had officially been taken from her shoulders; watching her bidders pleasant interaction with Heechul.

"Lee Minhyung." Jennie repeats softly on her pink-painted lips. "The Lee estate."

She weren't sure why she cared all of the sudden, but Jennie was now looking forward to going to the estate.

Not knowing anything in store for her,
Jennie suddenly couldn't wait to find out.

━