Wish (Wishing Well #1)

Chapter 21

"I remember everything." Emily ground out. "And you have a lot of explaining to do."

Jimin's eyes widened almost imperceptibly, but enough that Emily caught it. That was all the confirmation she needed. With one hand she grabbed his wrist, preventing him from fleeing, and with the other she swiped her wallet off the floor. She paid the man at the counter and as she waited for Jimin to order and their food to come she thought about everything she remembered.

Covertly looking at Jimin she felt a little apprehensive; he wasn't human, but everything he'd done had been in defense of her. He must be good right? And if he wasn't good he at least must not be evil. Jimin looked down at Emily, and as much as she wanted to look away, she held eye contact with him. Their order numbers were called out and Emily, still clutching Jimin's wrist, pulled him along with her to the counter and grabbed their food.

As they made their way to the exit, Emily asked, "If I let go will you come with me? Or are you going to run off?"

Jimin heaved a sigh, "I won't run off."

"And no poofing off, or magicking away." Emily added.

"Fine." He agreed. Who would have expected this from such a shy girl Jimin thought, shaking his head in wonderment and amusement.

Jimin followed behind Emily as she led the way to wherever it was she was planning on interrogating him. She didn't speak to him, but every once in a while she would look behind her to check that he was still there. She eventually slowed her pace to match his so she wouldn't have to keep looking behind her. Emily kept sneaking at glances at Jimin, ensuring he was still there. Something inside of her was crying out for her to trust Jimin, but she just couldn't bring herself to trust him right now. Everything she thought she knew about him had been a lie. Trusting people was hard, but when someone lies to you, when they pull the wool over your eyes and play you for a fool, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

Emily was so lost in thought that she didn't realize where her feet were leading her. Before she knew it, she was standing behind her favorite park bench, far enough off from the rest of the park goers that they wouldn't disrupt her when she came to read, but close enough that she didn't feel completely isolated. She made her way around the bench and sat, giving Jimin a pointed look. He hesitated a moment before sitting down next to her.

"So," Jimin said, clearing his throat. "What did you want to know?"

Emily studied his profile as he looked out over the park, purposefully avoiding her gaze. Will he even be honest with me if I ask the things I want to know?

"Uh," she started, hesitantly. "How many wishes do I get?" Jimin snorted derisively and shook his head.

"Three." He answered simply.

"Does making him disappear count as one of my wishes?" Emily asked.

"Yes. I wouldn't have been able to do that with the magic I possess." He paused before continuing, "Your wish intensified my magic, making it possible."

Emily considered this new information. Jimin isn't all-powerful then, it seems.

"So, all I need to do is say, 'I wish--" before she could continue Jimin's hand was over her mouth. He fixed her with a serious look and shook his head back and forth.

"You can't just wish for things willy-nilly. If it isn't a wish from your heart then there could be consequences." Jimin said in a low, almost menacing voice. He removed his hand from Emily's mouth and sat back, waiting for what else she might want to ask.

"Noted." Emily grumbled. "Are there any limits to the wishes?"

"I can't kill anyone for you and I can't resurrect anyone. No making anyone fall in love either." Jimin answered.

"Then how were you able to make that man disappear?" She asked. "You can erase people from existence and that's somehow better than killing them?"

Jimin scoffed at that. "If someone never existed they can't be missed or mourned. There is no investigation about their whereabouts or their death."

"Well, that's dark." Emily muttered. "Where do you come up with this stuff? Where did you come up with these rules? And why on Earth did you pick me?"

I knew I should have run away Jimin thought bitterly to himself as Emily bombarded him with question after question. Honestly, he had been sure she would have been terrified of him if she ever found out the truth about him, so he was shocked how nonplussed she seemed. Sure, when she'd first gained her memories back there had been a flash of apprehension, but it was soon swept away by her thirst for knowledge and her anger with him.

"I didn't come up with any of this stuff. And we are starting to veer off into questions I can't answer." Jimin answered stiffly.

"Can't or won't?" Emily challenged.

"Both." Jimin said. "Can't because I'm bound by rules and oaths I can't break. Won't because I refuse to put you in danger because of your overflowing curiosity."

"What can you tell me, then?" Emily asked, frustration coloring her tone.

"I didn't pick you. You picked me." Jimin said with a sigh.

"I did what now?" she asked.

"When you picked the CD. You picked me." he said softly.

Emily turned to face him, eyes wide, mouth agape.

"So that CD wasn't just a joke?" she asked.

Jimin laughed. Of course that was what she was concerned with.

"No. Not a joke. We figure whoever picks up one of the CDs is searching for something in their life. Needs something in their life that they haven't found yet. That's where I come in." he said sounding almost proud.

"So your job is to help people? To make their lives better?" Emily questioned.

"I grant the wishes that they have in their hearts. Whatever it is that they desperately want or need." Jimin answered.

"How does that work? I had no idea you were a genie and we weren't close enough yet that I would have told you the deepest wishes of my heart. So how would that have worked?" She asked.

"No one really believes in genies anymore." He answered. "Would it be easier to just poof into existence in front of whoever chose me and grant their wishes? Sure, but it doesn't work that way anymore. I have to befriend whoever my mark is and find out what their wish is. Granted, they have to verbalize their wish for me to be able to grant it, but a little bit of persuasive magic here or there helps."

Emily stiffened in her seat. Persuasive magic? Has he used that on me? Is that why I feel the need to trust him?

Almost as if Jimin could read her mind he rushed along, "I've never used it on you. I've never needed to."

Narrowing her eyes at him she spat out, "How do I know you aren't lying?"

"You don't, but I wouldn't lie to you unless it was for your protection. I promise." he answered.

Emily nodded to herself. Every pessimistic fiber of her being was screaming out for her not to trust him, but she found herself believing him all the same.

"So," Emily started, "What's the deal with Jack?" 

This is highly unedited, but I hope you like it!