Chapter 17

                                    

                                          
	Jungkook watched the sleeping man from the opposite couch, his hands twitching with an ache to choke him. Clearly, this kind of response from the Ares part of his mind was telling him that this man was somehow an enemy. 
                          
	After that, we'll kill him. That was what Namjoon had said. When it came to killing, Jungkook could obviously do it-
                          
	He shook his head furiously, prompting a curious side-glance from Yoongi. No, I'm not Ares. I'm Jeon Jungkook, not some war god. When he heard the truth about themselves, it wasn't that hard to accept it. Jungkook wanted to prove himself innocent, and that it was Ares who had been acting violent all this while. 
                          
	But the more he thought about it, the more he knew that others won't believe it. The second he steps out into public eye, they would arrest him. They won't believe their fantasy story, no matter how much it made sense. 
                          
	Ares had been the cause of him going into hiding. So he wasn't going to accept the Greek god feeding him all these tendencies of violence. 
                          
	But it wasn't working at all. Jungkook thrived on motivation coming from the presence of fighting. Seokjin and Namjoon's bickering had made him somewhat happy and energised, no matter how much he tried to push that feeling down. 
                          
	"Hey," Namjoon's voice broke his train of thought. "You alright?" 
                          
	He was sitting beside Jungkook, a concerned look on his face. 
                          
	"Kinda," For the first time since everything exploded, Jungkook felt...calm. "I don't know what to feel, hyung. I'm currently a wanted criminal and a reincarnated version of a war god, and it's all very...confusing."
                          
	"I get what you mean," Namjoon's gaze flickered to Yoongi, who had gone into the room knowingly to give them space. "But after all of this is over, I'll clear your name. That I can promise. After all, brains of Athena, right?" 
                          
	Jungkook let out a small chuckle at that. When Namjoon said that before, it didn't really feel genuine. But now, it seemed that the elder had finally accepted him for who he was. Namjoon smiled and patted his back fondly. 
                          
	"You know, you should try talking to Seokjin-hyung." Jungkook said, although his instincts were screaming at him not to give that kind of weak advice. Fight it out, the voice said. But Jungkook ignored it. He was getting better at that. 
                          
	"I don't think Seokjin-hyung wants to talk to me at all," Namjoon sighed, rubbing his face. "We just have too much differences to even get along." 
                          
	"That difference is not between Kim Namjoon and Kim Seokjin," Jungkook told him. "It's between Athena and Aphrodite. The two goddesses are polar opposites, you know." 
                          
	Namjoon eyed him, trying to follow his words. "So what you're saying is..." 
                          
	"Push past those differences that aren't even yours to begin with." Jungkook said quietly. 
                          
	There was a long, tense silence. Then Namjoon's face broke out in a gentle, proud smile. 
                          
	"You know, I think I know what to do now. Thank you, Kookie. I really mean it." 
                          
	Jungkook returned his smile, relieved that he was still Jeon Jungkook in heart. Ares would never have given that sort of advice. 
                          
	 A groan snapped them both to attention. The man on their couch was stirring awake. 
                          
	"Quickly, get the blindfold." Namjoon ordered softly, standing up and hurrying to get the others. 
                          
	Jungkook took a blindfold that they had prepared beforehand and put it around the man's eyes. The stranger, clearly knowing he was in trouble, tried to struggle for a bit. 
                          
	" It's no use," Jungkook gritted out, holding him in place. "Now stay still." 
                          
	Surprisingly, he went slack, defeated. Soon, everyone had gathered outside, their gazes fixated on the man. 
                          
	"Who are you, and why did you save me?" 
                          
	"I saved you because it was the right thing to do," The man answered steadily. Jungkook would have thought he wasn't nervous until he saw his shaking hands. "Until recently, you have all been followed by us. I was given the job of finding where you lived." 
                          
	Namjoon exchanged troubled glances with Yoongi. "You didn't answer my first question. And how do you know about us?" He asked icily. 
                          
	"I am a reincarnated one, like you all," The man replied. "I'm Epimetheus, titan of afterthought. But my real name is Lee Sangki." 
                          
	Shock rippled over the whole room. Jungkook stared, his Ares part suddenly going quiet with panic. 
                          
	" Then who sent you to spy on us?" Namjoon asked, trying to keep the horror out of his voice. 
                          
	"That would be Epimetheus' brother, Prometheus, titan of forethought. He knew all of you were the Olympians before you did yourselves," Sangki explained quietly, cautiously. "His real name, is Kim Jaegyu."