vox diabolus. » bts

UNDEQUADRAGINTA

SEOKJIN : [ gulps ] what do you mean? are you... are you going to do something to me?

JEONGGUK : [ chuckles ] nothing special. really, i just want to sit down and have a little talk. after all, we're good friends, right? [ smiles, taking a seat across from SEOKJIN ] you just seemed a little tense. [ shrugs, nodding to SEOKJIN'S shoulders ]

SEOKJIN : [ frowns, letting his shoulders relax after realizing his pent-up tension; he clears his throat nervously ] uh, okay. what do you want to talk about?

JEONGGUK : [ twirls the pocketknife on the tip of its blade with the pad of his finger on the base, intimidating SEOKJIN ] well, mister genius, since you think you know so much about me, why don't you just go ahead and tell me about myself? [ leans back in his chair with leisure ] i'll be here all day, trust me.

SEOKJIN : [ clenches his clammy hands ] you... are suffering from DID. dissociation of personalities. multiple personality disorder. whatever you prefer. and, uh, [ clears his throat ] i'm suspecting that your... other personality, the one that broke off... is, um, killing people. or, it could just be you, jeongguk. but i'm so sure that something inside of you is wrong. i don't know who's killing, but i know that this 'you' right now isn't you. you're acting so... different from what i'm used to. you're so much more confident before, and you have... i don't know how to explain it, but i know you're on some killing spree, and... i'm really determined to find out why.

JEONGGUK : [ laughs ] huh. tell me more. [ leans forward ] maybe you'll tell me something i don't know. humor me. hey, i'll give you this—you got, maybe, i don't know—half right? [ smiles ]

SEOKJIN : [ inhales sharply, trying to dismiss JEONGGUK'S teasing , buoyant tone ] i don't know what you're doing with the bodies, but... i know that you had something to do with yoongi's disappearance. and—and the more i uncover about you, the more i feel like i won't find yoongi alive. [ his hands begin shaking subtly, and he looks up slowly ] is that true?

JEONGGUK : [ shrugs ] you're not in a position where you can question me, seokjin. but go on—i'm intrigued. [ taps the blade against the wooden table ] maybe that's what's keeping you alive right now.

SEOKJIN : [ sighs, indicating exhaustion ] i also... saw the walls.

JEONGGUK : [ cocks his head to the side inquisitively ] the walls?

SEOKJIN : uh... yeah. you, um, wrote all over it. in red. [ narrows eyes ] did you not know about that? it's literally behind your wallpaper—

JEONGGUK : [ gets up from the table, walking over to his door, unlocking it with his key ] show me.

SEOKJIN : [ frowns, walking into the room cautiously ] i'm going to, uh, really carefully remove some of the wallpaper here, okay?

JEONGGUK : [ nods ] go ahead.

SEOKJIN : [ runs his fingers over the smooth wall, stopping when he reaches an inconsistency with the paper. he scratches at the edge with his fingernail, lifting the white paper and rips a part of it, just enough to reveal what was underneath ] do you see it? it says 'vox diabolus'. do you know what that means?

JEONGGUK : [ frowns, staring at his wall ] no, but i'm assuming you do. [ turns to look at SEOKJIN ] so tell me, what does it mean?

SEOKJIN : [ let his lips part cautiously ] who are you?

JEONGGUK : what the hell, seokjin? i asked for the phrase's meaning.

SEOKJIN : [ remembers his vivid dream from a day back; speaks cautiously ] it can't be... this is a long shot. but... are you... are you aiden?

JEONGGUK : [ scoffs ] for someone who claims they know everything, you really don't know anything, do you?

SEOKJIN : i never— [ sighs ] never mind.

JEONGGUK : whatever. yeah, sure. i'm aiden. [ touches the partially exposed wall ] i just wasn't aware of this. [ turns to look at SEOKJIN ] so, how'd you know it was me, for sure? you make me so curious about humans like you. [ smiles ]

SEOKJIN : jeongguk studied for pre-med studies briefly because his dad was a doctor. i taught him some basic latin, and he picked up pretty fast. he's always been a fast learner. if you don't know some latin, you're not jeongguk. where is he?

JEONGGUK : [ taps his head ] he's somewhere in there. don't worry. i'm taking good care of him. he's fine; he just needs a little break, that's all.

SEOKJIN : i want him back. if he wanted me to know something— [ taps at the wall ] —this is his way of telling me.

JEONGGUK : [ purses his lips ] i can't return him to you yet. not until you know what you did. [ smiles ]

SEOKJIN : i didn't do anything.

JEONGGUK : ah, that's what everybody says. seokjin, i know you and your little friend—the police officer—have been lurking around the house, probably talking about me, and even going into my room—i'm not that stupid. i'm not stupid enough to not have surveillance. given that, i should probably have gotten something for audio. [ shrugs ] i just wanted to know what that meant. [ points to the wall ] so, what does it mean?

SEOKJIN : the devil's whispering. [ glares ] he sees you as the fucking devil.

JEONGGUK : [ laughs ] maybe i am. after all, i've killed a lot. more than you'll ever know.

SEOKJIN : tell me where yoongi is, then. you killed him, didn't you? you've been acting so weird about that issue, and—and this is why.

JEONGGUK : [ shakes head ] i don't think you want to see him.

SEOKJIN : [ looks at JEONGGUK, baffled ] you still have him? i meant—i meant in a way if he was buried somewhere—

JEONGGUK : not really. i'm just amused. [ smiles mysteriously ] i'm just curious to as how much it'll bring back when you see his remains.

SEOKJIN : [ digs his fingernails into his palm in a fist ] so, you did kill him. [ his mind is too preoccupied to even choke back a sob ] and what do you mean, bring back?

JEONGGUK : we'll just test that to theory. i'm gonna get something from the bathroom. stay here. if you think you can run away—you know i can find you. [ winks before walking away, opening the door to his bathroom and walking in ]

SEOKJIN : [ pulls out his phone, sending a quick message to JIMIN while JEONGGUK is preoccupied; his text reads: JIMIN. PLEASE COME ASAP. IN TROUBLE. IT'S JEONGGUK. ]

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what a meaty update !! the end is nearing, y'all.