Lie Detector

2

We could be in danger right now. And there's nothing I can do to prevent it.

"Anyway, I decided to introduce Junghoon to you all because he's moving here," Jin announces, and my stomach drops when I sense that he's telling the truth. "I've known him for ages, and I just feel like he could fit well with us, you know?"

Also true. So maybe this guy is like a stand-in, using a pseudonym to get to one of us and make us suffer? Maybe Jin thinks that he's someone else? Or maybe Jin knows what's really going on? What is going on?

This is the problem with being a human lie detector. You're cursed to only ever know what is a lie and what is true. If they lie, you don't know what the truth really is, so your mind over works to try and figure out why they're lying, what they're hiding. It's much simpler when the questions have yes' or 'no' answers, because then it's obviously the other option. But open questions are much more dangerous.

"I just realised, I never said. How old are you, Junghoon?" Yoongi puts in suddenly, and I glance over at him, trying to work out if he's picked up on what I have. He doesn't seem to be at all affected, beyond his normal reaction to new people, which means that I'm the only one who knows that 'Junghoon' isn't real.

The raven haired male tilts his head to the side for a moment, and then speaks. "I'm eighteen," he states after a few seconds, and I wait for the telltale sting of a lie. Nothing. This is his real age.

Fascinating. Despite everything that could be wrong with this guy, I genuinely want to know more about him, and what he's here for. It might be a bad decision, but I'm not going to question him or speak up about what I know is wrong.

For now, at least.

"You're our maknae, then!" Namjoon comments brightly, his smile widening. "Tae will be delighted to hear that he's not the youngest anymore!"
"Trust me," I say dryly, making eye contact with Junghoon, "I'm absolutely thrilled."

He chuckles a little, nodding in understanding. "It's been a long time as maknae, I guess?" he asks me directly, and something seems to flutter deep within me at the attention. I force it down, smiling to hide it and nodding in response.
"Longer than I'd care to admit," I reply simply, "but I guess you've had it much more difficult as you're even younger than me. Have you been the maknae like this very much?"

"I tend to make friends with people who are older than me," he says carefully, truthfully, "I seem to be able to connect with them more. I don't really know why. It's just how I am." I nod in agreement.
"I guess I can relate," I respond after a few moments of silence, sensing somehow that I'm expected to reply with something. "Everyone here is older than me, and we've been friends since childhood," I add on as he raises an eyebrow, and he nods awkwardly.

"Anyway, as he's my cousin, and he's new here, I figured that we could hang out and try and help him feel more at home here. I'm not entirely sure if every single one of us will get on with him, but it's worth a try, right?" Jin explains, taking charge of the situation in a very maternal fashion.
"Yeah, I'm not really good with the whole 'meeting new people' thing," Junghoon adds on quietly, a slightly awkward smile on his face.

That is all true. The only thing that confuses me about this is the fact that Jin is unsure as to whether his own cousin will fit in with his closest friends. Surely, if he knew his family, he would be more certain?

Right?

I'm not sure myself. The whole thing about 'Junghoon' lying about everything he stands for, his name, his real identity. It's thrown me off completely. Why would anyone lie about their name? What would they be hiding?

Well, the first assumption to make is that the truth is dangerous. This could be because this person, whoever he really is, is being pursued by someone and, like me, is under the protection of the government. However, it could also be because this person is someone important in the criminal world, and he's having to protect himself from the authorities in order to live a double life.

Either option isn't really ideal, especially since I'm already endangering all my friends by being associated with them.

I need to find out more.

"Ah, fair enough," I say after a few seconds, "why did you decide to move here? Any specific reason?" At the confusion on everyone's faces, I quickly clarify. "I'm just curious, I don't have a problem with your presence. I don't mean to sound offensive at all," I add on hurriedly, and the air is cleared. Any suspicion of me trying to sneakily find out more about this mysterious male is gone.

Junghoon shrugs. "My family moved," he says simply, "mix of jobs and a longing for a change of pace. That's all there is to it, of course." Lie.
"Do you like it here?" Namjoon puts in suddenly, and I glance over at the elder, wondering if he's just curious, or if he's picked up on the truth like I have.

Junghoon shrugs again. "It's alright, I guess, I haven't been here long enough to make a decision on how I feel about it, I think. It's a lot calmer, that much is certain." Something passes over his face, a shadow, a negative thought, I don't know what, and he shivers slightly. "That at least is a big relief."

"Is everything okay, Junghoon?" Jimin asks worriedly, and the younger nods hurriedly. 
"Yeah, sorry about that. I just-"
"Junghoon lost his twin brother five years ago," Jin chips in, and his younger cousin scowls at the mention of it. "Ever since Jungkook died, he's been a bit different. A bit more subdued, I guess."

"I told you not to talk about that," Junghoon says stiffly, uncomfortably, and Jin smiles sadly.
"They need to understand why you're more held back. You can't make friends if you tell them nothing, Hoon. It just doesn't work."
"Don't call me that," the younger mumbles, eyes flashing with what I can only translate as guilt. "That was Jungkook's name for me. Not yours."

"Sorry, it slipped out," Jin returns instantly, going slightly pink out of embarrassment. Junghoon just rolls his eyes, stuffing both hands in his pockets as the elder turns to the rest of us, seemingly only just remembering that we're even here. "Anyway, guys, let's pass over that moment and get some food, yeah?"

I nod distractedly, still thinking over everything I've learned about Junghoon. He's tall, pale and black haired, with almond shaped eyes, reserved and very keen to hide his real emotions. They only seem to show in his eyes, and that only lasts for a moment before he gets them under control. He treats Jin oddly, calling him 'hyung' but then talking down to him like this. I've never seen it before.

And he apparently has a dead twin. All I know about that is that they're telling the truth there.

I just have to unpick this mess of lies and truths, and figure out what's really going on, before everyone is put in danger.

No pressure, then.