𝕿𝖆𝖊𝕶𝖔𝖔𝖐| 𝓿𝓪𝓶𝓹𝓲𝓻𝓮 𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮| ¹⁸⁺

Chapter 3

Later that day Jimin was sitting with Namjoon, Seokjin, and Hoseok, all listening to Jungkook on Hoseok's mobile phone.

"Late afternoon would be better," Jungkook told Hoseok. "He takes a little nap after lunch - and anyway, it'll be cooler in a couple hours. I told Taehyung you'd be coming by, and He's excited to see you. But remember two things. First, it's only been seven days since he came back, and he's not quite...himself yet. I think he'll get over him - symptoms - in just a few days, but meanwhile don't be surprised by anything. And second, don't say anything about what you see here. Not to anyone."

"Jeon Jungkook!" Hoseok was scandalized and offended. "After all we've been through together, you think we'd blab?"

"Not blab," Jungkook's voice came back over the mobile, gently. But Hoseok was going on.

"We've stuck together through rogue vampires and the town's ghost, and werewolves, and Old Ones, and secret crypts, and serial killings and - and - Yoongi - and have we ever told people about them?" Hoseok said.

"I'm sorry," Jungkook said. "I just meant that Taehyung won't be safe if any of you tells even one person. It would be all over the newspapers right away: BOY RETURNS TO LIFE . And then what do we do?""I understand about that," Namjoon said briefly, leaning in so that Jungkook could see him. "You don't need to worry. Every one of us will vow not to tell anyone ." His dark eyes flicked momentarily toward Jimin and then away again."I have to ask you" - Jungkook was making use of all his Renaissance training in Sunoo and Heeseung, particularly considering that three of the four people watching him on the phone were male - "do you really have any way to enforce a vow?""Oh, I think so," Namjoon said pleasantly, this time looking Jimin directly in the eyes. Jimin flushed, his bronzed cheeks and throat turning scarlet. "Let us work it out, and in the afternoon, we'll come over."Hoseok, who was holding the phone, said, "Anybody have anything else to say?"Seokjin had remained silent during most of the conversation. Now he shook his head, making his shock of fair hair fly. Then, as if he couldn't hold it back, he blurted, "Can we talk to Taehyung? Just to say hi? I mean - it's been a whole week ." His tanned skin burned with a sunset glow almost as brightly as Jimin's had.

"I think you'd better just come over. You'll see why when you get here." Jungkook hung up.
They were at Seokjin's house, sitting around an old patio table in the backyard. "Well, we can at least take them some food," Hoseok suggested, rocketing up from his seat. "God knows what Mrs. Ni-Ki makes for them to eat - or if  he does." he made waving motions to the others as if to raise them from their chairs by levitation. 

Namjoon started to obey, but Seokjin remained seated. He said quietly, "We just made a promise to Jungkook. There's the matter of the vow first. And the consequences.""I know you're thinking about me," Jmin said. "Why don't you just say so?""All right,"Yoongi said, "I'm thinking about you. Why are you suddenly interested in Taehyung again? How can we be sure that you won't go spreading the news of this all around Fell's Church?""Why would I want to?""Attention. You'd love to be at the center of a crowd, giving them every juicy detail.""Or revenge," Hoseok added, suddenly sitting down again. "Or jealousy. Or boredom. Or - ""Okay," Namjoon interrupted. "I think that's enough with the reasons.""Just one more thing," Seokjin said quietly. "Why do you care so much about seeing  him, Jimin? The two of you haven't gotten along in almost a year, ever since Jungkook came to Fell's Church. We let you in on the call to Jungkook, but after what he said - "

"If you really need a reason why I should care, after everything that happened a week ago, well...well, I would think you'd understand without being told!" Jimin fixed shining cat-green eyes on Seokjin. Seokjin looked back with his best no-expression expression."All right!" Jimin said. 

"he killed him for me. Or had him called to Judgment, or whatever. That vampire, Jake. And after being kidnapped and - and - and - used - like a toy - whenever Jake wanted blood - or - " His face twisted and his breathing hitched. Hesok felt sympathy, but he also was wary. Him intuition was aching, warning him. And he noticed that although Jimin spoke about Jake, the vampire, he was strangely silent about his other kidnapper, Jay, the werewolf.