PERSONA ✓

05.

"Robbery~" Jungkook said in a sing-song voice, looking at Namjoon from where he was monitoring the city on his computer. Namjoon looked up from his book.

"Again? This is the third time this week."

Jungkook nodded and texted Taehyung. When he looked back up, Namjoon had transformed and was pulling his mask up. He headed to the window and opened it, slipping through.

"Be careful!" Jungkook called after him. Namjoon nodded and flew off.

Taehyung arrived only two minutes later. As he entered the room, Jungkook looked at him in surprise. "Wow, that was fast."

"Yes, well," Taehyung said, somewhat out of breath, "I was hoping to figure out more about the super villain from yesterday."

"Oh, I'm sure it's not—"

"Guys!" Namjoon's voice came from the mic. "It's the super villain!"

-

Namjoon was expecting a regular robbery. He was surprised when he came face to face with their new villain in the air. He was wearing full black with a cape, mask, and a hood. He was wearing a harness and had chains and a scabbard attached to his pants.

"Robbing banks is not cool, man!" said Namjoon (or, rather, Persona). "How about you quit it and we talk over a cup of tea or something?"

From his comms, he heard Taehyung mutter, "Does he always throw quips at the bad guys?"

"Persona," the villain said. His voice was distorted, and it sounded like there were two of him speaking at once. "I've been waiting."

"I'm flattered," Persona said, putting a hand to his chest. "Really, I am, but y'know you could've just robbed a Walmart instead of a bank to get my attention, uh, what's your name?"

Taehyung sighed over the comms.

"Call me Shadow."

"A bit unoriginal, don't ya think?" Persona, attempting to catch Shadow off guard, lifted a hand and shot a laser at his chest. Shadow, so fast that Persona almost missed it, pulled a sword out of the scabbard and reflected the laser. Persona ducked and it went over his head, instead hitting the wall of the bank behind him and leaving a scorch mark.

Ignoring the muttering of Taehyung and Jungkook in his ear, he turned back to Shadow, only to find that he was gone.

"Crap."

-

"...is your brother supposed to be here?" Jungkook asked, pointing to a security camera. Seokjin was waiting outside.

Taehyung swallowed. "No. I'll get him out of here. Wait."

Taehyung practically bolted down the stairs, past the butlers and maids. He stepped out onto the porch, closing the front door.

"Hyung," he said, "you followed me?"

"You've been acting weird lately," said Seokjin. "I asked your engineering teacher if there was a project and he said he had assigned none. I need an explanation, little dipper."

Little dipper. The nickname Seokjin had been calling Taehyung since before Taehyung could even remember.

Taehyung's eyes remained on Seokjin's shoes. He didn't want to lie again; it was a miracle he was able to lie the first time. Lying wasn't one of the things he was good at.

"Look at me, Tae."

Taehyung slowly looked up, making short eye contact with Seokjin.

"I think I know what's going on," said Seokjin slowly, "but I wanna hear it from you, 'cause it's gonna make me sound dumb if I'm wrong."