Glass House (Jinshi x Reader)

Lakan

Your POV

"That building up ahead is the place you were looking for, yes?" I ask him, still not making eye contact. He looks, but I already know the answer. "Then, I'll be off. If you'll excuse me," I mumble harshly, taking a step to walk around him.

Suddenly, his hand is clamped around my arm, stopping me in my tracks. I want desperately to push him off, but I don't. "You're leaving me now?" He asks.

I click my tongue with distaste, retorting, "We worked hard on your disguise. If I were to go in with you, it would be all for nothing."

I feel the hesitation in his grip and hear it in his voice, "R-right..." he mumbles, slowly letting go of my arm.

I begin walking down the street, keeping it together. I make it a few moments, but the urge to look back is overwhelming.

I wish I didn't.

When I turn, I see him entering the brothel, and that is too much for me. I clench my eyes shut as a tear slips down my left cheek. I quickly dab it away, not wanting to ruin all of Suiren's hard work just yet. Not until no one is around to see it.

I walk to Luomen's house, arriving after the sun is already set. I enter quietly, seeing that Luomen is asleep, but Maomao is still wide awake. One look at my face and she knows something is wrong.

I break down crying--really, truly crying. She runs to my side, quickly guiding me out into the back garden. I drop onto one of the crates, covering my face with my hands as I cry.

"What happened?" She asks softly, rubbing my arm comfortingly.

"I'm so stupid," I sob. I feel pathetic for crying over a man. Never in my life did I ever think I would cry over a man. "It was a brothel. That's where he was going," I manage to say through my tears.

She engulfs me into a hug, holding my head gently against her shoulder. I wrap my arms around her, crying into her shoulder as I do.

The rest of the night is a blur. She wipes the ruined makeup off my face and guides me back inside where she helps me trade my dress for my night clothes. I don't really remember my tears ever stopping, more like slowing and becoming sniffles.

The next morning, I wake up with puffy eyes and a headache. Sitting up, I see Maomao and Luomen already awake and about. Maomao hands me a cup with a warm brown liquid inside. I smell it, getting a mixture of lavender, tian ma, and clove. I nod thankfully to her, downing the cup in a few gulps.

"Do you want to come with me to the Verdigris House?" She asks, a parcel sitting on the table beside her. Luomen must need something delivered. I nod, standing up from my mat.

•••

"Well, Maomao and Y/N," one of the men who worked in the brothel, Ukyou, smiles at us as we enter, "You don't have work today?"

"We're on vacation," she answers as we walk to the back room.

"Even when you're on holiday you stop by the apothecary?" He asks.

"Just passing by," I reply, "That's not the main reason we're here."

Before our conversation could continue, I hear the old lady shouting angrily, "Hold it right there, Pairin!"

"We've talked this to death already," Pairin replies with a scowl. Her scowl quickly morphs into a smile as she sees us, "Maomao? Y/N? You're back!" She ran over, engulfing us into a big hug.

"Hey, Pairin," I greet with a small smile.

Maomao is the unfortunate one who gets shoved into her chest. "They're suffocating me, Pairin," she spoke, her voice muffled.