Roses and Thorns (Jinlia)

𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗻 | the strings she pulled

Book 1, Chapter 10
The Strings She Pulled

“HEY, EONNI!”

Jisu nearly jumped out of her skin when Chaeryeong's voice pierced the silence. “Geez, Chaeryeong!”

“Relax!”

“You scared the life out of me!” Jisu exclaimed, hand over her heart.

“I've been calling you like a hundred times but got no answer, so I thought I'd drop by to check on you,” Chaeryeong explained her sudden intrusion into Jisu's home. With Mrs. Choi off at work as usual, it was just the two of them. “And from what I see, you're perfectly okay, just lost in your own world,” Chaeryeong observed, snapping her fingers for emphasis.

Jisu couldn't help but blame Ryujin for the whole mess.

She had orchestrated everything to perfection, Jisu thought bitterly. Ryujin had laid out her plan so meticulously that Jisu found it impossible to refuse or argue.

“What kind of bullshit is this?” Jisu blurted out in disbelief, momentarily forgetting she was addressing Shin Ryujin herself.

“Mind your language, please,” Ryujin chided sharply. “Like I was saying, I'm going to keep up the act of being your cousin.”

“But--”

“Let me speak,” she commanded, silencing Jisu instantly. She knew better than to provoke Ryujin further. “I've already made arrangements for all your classes, though I had to go through President Shin to do it. The agreement that I'll live out my college days as Choi Jin, supposedly your cousin, will stay between us, the students, and the faculty you're involved with. Anyone who dares to spill the beans will face the consequences of defying my mother's authority.” Jisu felt a shiver run down her spine at that; the sheer magnitude of the Shins' influence was downright intimidating.

Yet, true to her nature, Jisu quickly spotted a potential loophole in the plan.

“What's stopping them from questioning your sudden appearance as my cousin when everyone's pretty clued in on the fact that my only family here is Chaeryeong and my mom?”

Ryujin's smirk only widened before she replied, “I knew you'd bring that up.” Her smirk was distracting to Jisu, making it hard for her to focus. “The President was quite the skilled scriptwriter during her time in theater school. I don't think I need to elaborate further; it's pretty self-explanatory.”

“But I want the specifics of this elaborate story she's crafted to hide who you really are,” Jisu pressed, setting her empty cup down with a bit more force than needed and folding her arms defiantly.

Ryujin shrugged nonchalantly. “To be honest, I haven't bothered to learn the details,” she admitted, causing Jisu's brows to knit together in frustration. “But just remember this,” she continued, “your mom works for my aunt, Yuna's mom, at their Deversorium, right?”

Jisu's jaw dropped in disbelief. “You mean to tell me you've roped my mom into this too?”

Ryujin nodded smugly. “That's right. We've got her on board as well. So if anyone starts poking holes in the President's story, your mom will be there to smooth things over.” Jisu couldn't believe her own mother had struck a deal with the Shins. She hadn't even suspected a thing!

“In short, no one will question my supposed relation to you,” Ryujin summarized proudly. “They'll just accept me as your cousin without a second thought. I'll be able to move around this university without anyone knowing my true identity.” Ryujin's plan seemed flawless, but Jisu saw another potential problem: her best friend.

“Sure, you can spin whatever yarns you want, but you do realize Chaeryeong won't just swallow them, right? She's practically my sister; we've been inseparable since we were toddlers!” Jisu countered, her voice laced with tension.

Ryujin's smirk deepened, a glint of triumph in her eyes. “Your best friend will be none the wiser,” she declared confidently, her tone dripping with assurance. Jisu still couldn't wrap her head around the audacity of Ryujin's plan. “Because as for Yuna, she'll handle Chaeryeong.”

Jisu's disbelief only grew. “Wait, Yuna's involved too?”

“Of course,” Ryujin replied with a nonchalant shrug. “I've got this, Jisu. Covered every base, sealed every potential leak. Anything that might raise eyebrows? I'm ahead of it. It's all under control, so chill.”

Jisu couldn't shake off her doubts. “But what if someone decides to defy the rules?”

Ryujin's smirk didn't waver. “Anyone who dares to cross the line will face consequences, as per the President's orders.”

Jisu hesitated before asking one more question. “Why is the President allowing you so much freedom?”

Ryujin leaned in, her voice dropping to a low, conspiratorial tone. “Let me share a little secret with you,” she whispered, sending shivers down Jisu's spine. “This is the first time my mother has seen me venture out into the world and interact with people, seeing me step out into the limelight when I usually avoid people like the plague? She's all in to back me up on this one.”

“Alright, I'm heading out.”

“What?!” Jisu responded, completely bewildered. Chaeryeong paused, turning back with a frown.

“You're zoning out again, Choi. Maybe you should take a breather,” Chaeryeong quipped sarcastically as she exited the Choi household, clearly fed up.

Jisu realized she might actually need a break. Dealing with that Shin girl is really getting to her.

She resolved to have a chat with her mom about it later.

“Ugh, that woman...” Jisu muttered under her breath, clicking her tongue in frustration.