Heal me // A Jikook Trilogy //

《20》Temptation

Lian was a surprise.
A big, fat surprise.

We had, according to RM's instructions, cornered her in the ladies changing room after I stole her phone from her pocket while she had PE.
Okay, that sounded pretty creepy...

But then I had seen what Tae meant.
She wasn't afraid of us- not at all.
There was a spark in her eyes as she fought with us and tried to convince us she wanted nothing to do with us.
But there it was- in her eyes- that spoke of the exact opposite.
Only hinted at the spirit trapped beneath this façade of the decent, proper rich girl.

And despite her play of sounding appalled, she had agreed to our deal way too quick.

One day.

She would hang out with us one day, and if she didn't have fun, we'd leave her alone.
How Namjoon had known it was the best trap for her, I couldn't tell.
He'd been watching her too, but so had the others.

But Namjoon had told us she would agree.
Told us that she would not be able to refuse the temptation.
Perhaps because he had seen how she lived in that house.
It might appear like a serene, calm life and Lian like a girl who had it all.

But as we picked her up from the infrequently used bus stop in front of school, I had seen it again. That glitter in her eyes. Especially when Jimin had jumped out of the truck and introduced himself.

Oh, she was, perhaps, more like us than we all thought.

She held herself tall as she faced Jimin and I couldn't help but feel like they were the same. Small and thin, but only hiding what lay beneath their skin.
Creatures of the hunt.
Creatures who could charm with almost painful beauty, a little arrogant, wild and free.
Only that Lian was not awoken yet- did not realize her own power the way Jimin did.

But she had gotten in the trunk with us with such a graceful move, even Jimin had gaped- and that meant something.

And then her joyful scream as Taehyung made her stand on the moving truck, holding her as she was exposed to the incoming wind, Jin behind the wheel definitely picking up some speed.

But as she stood there and slowly, cautiously spread her arms-
We had all gaped the way her face had lit up as she let go of the fear and just enjoyed the wind and the speed and the feeling of freedom.
It was like watching a bird spreading it's wings for the very first time, setting off into flight and realizing it could go anywhere. Free.

Yes... she was more like us than we thought.
And now we were here, at one of our favorite places out of town.
A small lake with a little mountain rising from its feet to the north.

Namjoon, Hoseok and Yoongi were already there.

And when Lian faced our leader- WOW.
It was a sight to behold for someone to hold Namjoon's gaze without a flinch.
To see that cunning mind behind a kind smile and not show an ounce of fear.
Curiosity, but no fear.
It wasn't lost on me that Namjoon could have easily played the charming, young boy with a bubbly personality if he wanted to.

But he had been clear: we might be using her, but we would tell her as much of the truth as we could. That included letting her know us- and the people we were beneath.
So Namjoon did not hide his genius or the darkness it carried with it.
And damn it, but Lian appeared to be only more enthralled.

Introduction's were made with the others and they reacted according to their character.
Hoseok with a wide, happy grin and Yoongi warily and still on guard.
He was, perhaps, the most distrustful of all of us.

We headed down to the beach of the little lake where an old, run-down beach-house rotted away in the sun, most of it's dark wood already reconquered by the forest reaching up behind it.
We loved this place.
Even if we could buy a fancy mansion on an even bigger lake with all luxuries with Hoseok's money, we preferred this.