The smile on his face finally faltered at the harsh bite in Ahn-Bo’s response. Jin’s hand fell to his side and he took a small step back, to right himself in his stance, as he squared off in front of his friend. They were going to do this here and now then? He’d have much preferred to eat first and not be lingering in the dark, but so be it. “Ani,” Jin said for the third time, with more gumption than the last. “I’m not planning on it.”

It didn’t matter that Ahn-Bo-ah didn’t want him here. He hadn’t exactly come with his friend’s blessing in the first place. It hurt to hear those words, but not as much as he knew it probably ached to say them. The look on Ahn-Bo’s face was sharp but drawn. He didn’t seem like he had that much energy for anything, much less fighting. Jin sucked in a small breath and evened his tone to try and, hopefully, keep them from it. “I’m not going back, Ahn-Bo-ah. Not without you.”

He let those words hang in the balance for a moment, studying how they landed, before continuing. Would the expected shout finally come? Would Ahn-Bo laugh him into next year? Jin let out a soft sigh and took a step closer, perching himself on the side of the same rock his friend still sat upon. It was dangerous to get this close to a snarling animal, but Jin had no concern at all that Ahn-Bo would hurt him. No matter how hard he tried to feign the monster. “I was going to wait to explain until after we ate, but I didn’t come here on blind faith,” he reassured evenly. “I have a plan. I have a place where you’ll be” relatively “safe, and taken care of, and… you won’t be able to hurt me during the full moon. I promise, Bo-ah. If you just trust me, we can go back now and eat for a bit and I’ll explain everything. Jebal?”

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