Jimin sat down on the couch, sandwiched between Namjoon and a reluctant-looking Yoongi. The young man was bitter that Taehyung had promised everyone even greater excitement when Jungkook arrived - as if Jimin himself wasn’t remarkable enough. But he banished these thoughts from his mind as he focused on the rare occurrence of Taehyung actually clearly outlining something for once in his scattered life.

The eccentric young man was certainly prone to leaving things open and unexplained, but Jimin was always fascinated by Taehyung’s revelations concerning supernatural phenomena. There was a whole world that Taehyung had devoted his life to that Jimin understood remarkably little about, despite being a part of it. Every anecdote - from Taehyung’s first discovery of a dragon in the bathtub of an abandoned apartment to the month he spent tracking banshees through the wilderness outside Daegu - gave Jimin another little glimpse into the fascinating world of cryptids.

And he was especially interested in this round of commentary, as Jimin hoped it would provide him with some answers about both what Jin was, and why he and Yoongi had kept the former’s identity a secret from the youngest man.

✧✧✧

Before Taehyung could begin his lengthy monologue, however, Jin got up and crossed the floor to where the other man was standing.

“This is terribly rude of me,” excused Jin, “but I just realized that you and I were never formally introduced.”

Possibly because Taehyung kidnapped you while you were sleeping…

Jimin was annoyed at the seemingly unnecessary interruption, but he kept his mouth shut as Taehyung indulged the older boy’s request.

“Kim Taehyung,” the young man introduced himself, and Jimin could already see that the boy was reaching for one of his ridiculous business cards. “Cryptozoologist.”

“‘Monster Hunter of Your Dreams,’” finished Jin, reading the absurd green print.

The older man was quiet for a minute as he examined the little card.

“What does all of this mean, Taehyung?” wondered Jin. “What is it that you as a cryptozoologist… do?”

So there were some gaps in Jin’s knowledge of the situation. Jimin was still upset by the brief suspension that - of course - had to happen just as he was about to finally get some answers, but Jin’s momentary side track had actually turned out to clarify several questions.

“I seek the truth,” recited Taehyung just as he had several days ago in the middle of Jimin’s tiny kitchen. “And strive to bring it to the attention of the public.”

“I see,” interjected Jin, frowning. “So you spread information about these things - cryptids, or monsters, or whatever it is that you want to call them?”

“Yep!” confirmed Taehyun. “I compile my notes on ’em, and post that stuff all online along with whatever audiovisual evidence I manage to scrounge up. Which is easier said than done, because I usually deal primarily with paranormal - and often completely invisible - creatures, and…”

The young man was about to launch into another one of his rants about cryptids, and Jimin felt pressured to step in and redirect the conversation. He didn’t have to, however, because Jin carried on introducing himself, which served to quiet the overeager researcher.

“Thank you,” interrupted Jin. “I’m sure you know more about me than I do about you, but my name is Seokjin. Just Jin is fine, though, if you prefer.”

There was a slight strain starting to come out in Jin’s otherwise smooth voice, and this seemed to get Taehyung back on track as he excitedly returned to his theory regarding what kind of creature the older man was. Jimin settled a bit more comfortably into the couch.

✧✧✧

“Okay; so. I do have an idea as to what you are, Jin, but I’d like you to tell me if and when I go wrong,” requested Taehyung as the older man sat back down, looking up at the former with attentive but suspicious eyes. “My research has taken me a lot of places, but I never though it’d take me to where I would get to see - and meet - one of you.”

And kidnap, added Jimin silently. Can’t forget that.

The string leading to Jin felt comforting and kind-hearted to Jimin; certainly not at all threatening as he had feared it would be. Much like Jin’s continually positive and friendly personality, the tether that Jimin Sensed was suggestive of an amicable being as opposed to a hostile monster. These thoughts comforted the young man as he and the others looked up at Taehyung, awaiting the latter’s explanation.

“For centuries,” began Taehyung dramatically, “certain individuals have felt that they were followed by - for lack of a better word - presences. Ghosts that couldn’t be shaken no matter how many times they moved house; family members that stayed attached to them from beyond the grave; creatures that hovered close to them at the peripheries of their vision.”

The young man paced about the room, gesturing recklessly as he spoke in a hushed but anticipatory whisper. Jimin drew closer to hear what Taehyung had to say, and he could see Jin flinch out of the corner of his eye.

“There have been many names for these entities over the years,” continued Taehyung. “Some peaceful, some malevolent; most likely a plethora of different species that I myself tend to lump all together under one umbrella term: Watchers.”

The youngest man’s eyes widened as he hissed the word excitedly, his dark irises cast in shadow from the inadequate lamp.

“There are many creatures that could be considered ‘Watchers’ - as I said, their presence can be either reassuring or distressing, and they can be either totally visible or impossible to perceive.”

He looked to Jin for confirmation, the older man was only stared vacantly ahead as Taehyung scrutinized the his unyielding face. Giving up, the orange-haired man went back to explaining - finally getting to the meat of his hypothesis.

“What I believe Jin is, is a very ancient being known as a Guardian,” concluded Taehyung. “Specifically, one that has been assigned to watch over our friend, Jimin, here.”

✧✧✧

Jimin glanced over at Jin, who was sitting quietly on the floor next to the packed sofa, his face expressionless except for a soft, unreadable smile. Jin stood up to address Taehyung, who was giving him a wide, rectangular grin as he silently begged for the older man’s approval. He put a hand on the younger man’s shoulder as he spoke gently, pulling the room’s already-captured attention to them.

“This has been quite the adventure,” Jin muttered. “And you’re full of very interesting theories, Taehyung. But I’m afraid that it’s time for me to go.”

Taehyung’s face sank. That evidently wasn’t the answer he’d been expecting or hoping for, and even Jimin was shocked by Jin’s calm but decisive words.

“What?!” whined Taehyung. “Come on; you know I’m right! I am - aren’t I? Why can’t you just tell me?”

The frustration was evident in Taehyung’s whining tone, but Jin ignored it as he kept his hand on the former’s tensed shoulder, continuing to hold on to the younger man as Jin himself refused to cooperate.

“As I said, you have many fantastic and imaginative ideas, but I can neither confirm nor deny anything you’ve said,” reiterated Jin. “This is a matter that is of no concern to either you or Namjoon. I’ve mistreated Jimin by keeping my identity a secret from him, but I am under no obligation to answer to you.”

Jimin was shocked. Jin was as proper as always with the disappointed young man, but his accent was crossing the line into threatening. What was so important a secret that the older man couldn’t let Taehyung know about it? The latter seemed angry, and he was obviously not used to being denied something he wanted.

“What do you mean it’s ‘of no concern’ to me?” shouted Taehyung. “Of course I’m concerned about it! Jiminnie and I work together, so if you’re going to tell him, then you might as well tell me, too.”

Jimin himself wasn’t sure how dragging him into a van and taking him to Seoul without permission was working “together,” but he bit his tongue as Taehyung continued to throw his tantrum, glaring at Jin as the elder remained placid.

“Do you have any idea how much work I had to do just to come up with that theory?” roared Taehyung. “And it’s a damn good theory, too, because you’re trying to cover it up, you self righteous .”

Jimin felt compelled to say something to stop the younger man, but he didn’t know what he could do that would help.

“But no; you just wanna throw all my work away because you’re afraid of your secret getting out,” grumbled Taehyung. “Is that it? You don’t respect me enough to even give me the satisfaction of a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no?’”

✧✧✧

Jimin suddenly realized that it was probably very hard for Taehyung to work in a field where his contributions were publically laughed at and ridiculed if they ever leaked out of the hidden places in which they were published. The younger man obviously craved validation, and it was challenging to deal with not getting it when the one person who could give it to you was right in front of your face.

“I think you’re forgetting that you are the one who does not respect me enough to ask me to come to Seoul with you rather than kidnap me,” retaliated Jin.

That was an undeniably valid point, and Taehyung was evidently at a loss for how to respond to it, when suddenly a noise drifted in from the alley.

The sound of a car engine rumbled before it was cut, and footsteps pattered on the dirty, broken pavement. Everyone inside froze as whoever was outside stopped walking abruptly, and knocked sturdily on the metal door.