PERSONA ✓

16.

"Taehyung! One of your friends is here!"

Taehyung stopped typing on his laptop and paused, his essay half complete. He groaned, knowing he'd have to leave it unfinished for now. He shut his laptop and left through his bedroom's open door,  heading down the stairs.

"Who?" Taehyung asked shortly. He peeked over his mother's shoulder to see a familiar pink-haired boy standing on their doorstep.

"Jimin?" Taehyung asked. His mother took this as a cue to leave the two boys to talk. "What are you doing here?" Taehyung asked once his mom was out of earshot.

"Bring Seokjin and come on, we're going to Namjoon's."

Taehyung paused, processing. "Why?"

"We've gotta convince him to get back in the hero game!"

"He can convince himself."

"Tae," Jimin pleaded. "C'mon, you made several good points with your rant. I just think if we try again, we can really get through to him."

"I have an essay to complete," Taehyung said, the exact essay, word for word, already thought out in his head. "I don't want to leave it unfinished."

"Then bring your laptop with you," Jimin suggested.

From over Taehyung's shoulder came Seokjin's voice. "Tae? Who's at the door?" Seokjin approached the two younger boys, smiling when he recognized Jimin.

"Hey," Seokjin said, greeting him, "what brings you here?"

"I have a plan," Jimin said. "We gotta go back and convince Namjoon to start hero-ing again!"

"That's not a word," Taehyung interrupted. Jimin just grinned.

"Tae, I think we should go," Seokjin said. Taehyung turned to face him.

"I have an essay," he repeated.

"Bring your laptop with you," Seokjin said. "C'mon, little dipper, it wouldn't hurt, would it? We just go over there and encourage Joon to put on his suit again." Quieter, Seokjin added, "And if you're up for it, you can apologize."

Taehyung paused, biting his lip. The essay was one reason why he didn't want to go, the apology was another. He wasn't sure what to say to Namjoon. How was he supposed to apologize for saying what was on his mind?

But Namjoon was his friend, and if he hurts a friend's feelings, wasn't he supposed to make them feel better?

"Okay," Taehyung said. "I'll get my laptop bag. But I'm finishing the essay first."

Seokjin put on a completely serious face that only lasted for 5 seconds. He laughed and patted Taehyung gently on the shoulder. "Sure, little dipper. Just be quick, yeah?"

-

Jimin was greeted by a butler. He entered, Taehyung and Seokjin following him. Taehyung immediately sat down on a couch and opened his laptop, typing away on the essay he was so determined to finish. Jimin opened his mouth to say something, but Seokjin pointed to the stairs.

"You go," he said, "we'll catch up."

Jimin nodded, and was about to head up the stairs, when Jungkook walked out from the kitchen, drying his hands on a cloth.

"Hyungs?" he asked, doe eyes wide in surprise. "What... what're you guys doing here?"

"We came to talk," Jimin said.

Jungkook's eyes trailed over to Taehyung, who was typing on his laptop, completely ignoring the conversation.

"Right," Jungkook said, "to talk. We should, uh, head upstairs, then."