PERSONA ✓

11.

Jungkook was, to put it simply, losing his shit.

First, Shadow takes Seokjin hostage. Jungkook has to attempt to help calm Taehyung down while trying to instruct Namjoon to get to his destination, which are difficult tasks when being done at the same time.

Then, Taehyung runs out of the house, probably to go find Seokjin, and Jungkook is desperately trying to get Namjoon to respond.

Lastly, he and Jimin find Namjoon beat up, bloody, and unmasked, and have to drive him home. Jimin had just got his license, so they borrowed the neighbor's car and drove Namjoon back.

Hopefully the neighbors wouldn't notice the blood stains on the backseat.

To get Namjoon inside, Jimin had to distract the butlers and maids, so Jungkook could drag him up the stairs. And that was how they got here, Namjoon unconscious on the bottom bunk, Jungkook gnawing on his nails in worry.

"He'll be fine," said Jimin. "You got Atlas to heal him, didn't you?"

Ah, yes, that. Jungkook had actually spoken to Atlas without Namjoon's permission before, asking what he should do if Namjoon ever got seriously hurt. Atlas said something about being able to heal him.

Jungkook barely remembered Atlas — he was too busy staring at the rise and fall of Namjoon's chest to make sure he was alive.

So Jimin did it instead, pulling the book out and calling Atlas. Atlas had pranced around Namjoon, and in a matter of a few seconds, some color returned to Namjoon's pale complexion. Atlas had healed any broken bones, and his black eye. The rest, he had said, would have to heal on their own.

His Persona suit also evaporated, leaving him in pajamas — courtesy of Atlas, who made sure Namjoon was at least in comfortable clothes before disappearing back into the book.

"Did..." Jungkook croaked. "Did you find out where Taehyung went?"

Jimin said slowly, "He's at the hospital with Seokjin, Kook. You're the one who tracked his phone."

"Right..." Jungkook pressed a hand to his head. "Yeah... Hospital..."

"Maybe you should lie down—"

"No!" said Jungkook. "Not now... not when Namjoon hyung needs me..."

"Kook," Jimin said, "he'll be fine. Atlas said so. Just let yourself relax, kid. You lie down on the upper bunk. If at anytime you get worried, you can just peek over the side and see Namjoon, okay? I'll stay here, monitoring the city. Take a break."

Jungkook knew not to argue with Jimin. He climbed the ladder of their bunk bed, eyes on Namjoon every step of the way. He laid down, staring at the ceiling.

"And what if he won't be fine?" said Jungkook. "You said he'll be fine. What if he won't?"

"He will be," said Jimin. "I'm your hyung, right? So listen to me: Namjoon will be fine."

-

The doctors said Seokjin would be fine. They just had to fix his arm — which meant surgery. Taehyung's parents worked at this hospital, so when they heard that their eldest son was there, they began asking Taehyung the questions.

He wasn't sure how to answer. So he didn't.

"Wait until hyung gets out of surgery," he had said. "He can answer better than I can."

Taehyung didn't know which answers Seokjin had given. He suspected they had to be somewhat close to the truth, considering how it was all over the news that Shadow had taken a hostage, who'd later been identified on the news.