| part 16

After what felt like miles of walking, Jungkooks group was exhausted and they walked into a grocery store to get something to drink. They used every possibility to shoot new photos, with everyone who allowed them to.

Behind the register stood a young man, around Jungkooks age, maybe two years older, maybe just one.

He seemed like a friendly guy, so they walked up to him to pay for their drinks and Jungkook figured he might as well just ask him for a photo.

But the guy was completely confused when Jungkook tried to explain to him what he meant with "can we do a love selfie?". Jhope tried to help them by continuously pointing at Jungkooks face and said "cheek, kisseu, cheek".

The young man laughed and nodded, so they got ready to shoot a photo. There was just a small misunderstanding as both of them thought they were to kiss the others cheek. When both of them turned their heads, Jungkook pressed the button in that exact moment where their lips touched but immediately shot back as he noticed. But the picture was already taken.

Jin and jhope wanted to pull him further by saying that they were losing useful time but the other young man pulled Jungkooks arm back to make him wait. He quickly wrote his phone number in beautiful letters on a piece of paper and gave it to him.

Just as Jungkook wanted to respond something he got dragged away by his hyungs. Whether he fell for men or women, of course that was a sweet gesture, but it didn't really do much to his head. The fact that he literally just got kissed sounded strange in his head but at least they had another selfie. Maybe he should delete it before they got back though.

It was just too weird. And what should he do with that phone number? He looked at the paper the young man gave him.

+1 (415) 785-3032

Lucas :)

So Lucas was his name. Cool. Jungkook didn't know if he should ever dial that number but maybe he could be cool. They were gonna stay in New York a few days longer to record songs and shoot a music video with a concert in between. If Lucas was free, maybe he could meet him again. Just a normal meeting. As friends. Just to get to know each other. Yes that kiss was a bit weird but it was just a misunderstanding and he seemed like he could be a nice guy.

Of course Jungkook had to be careful. You never know what you're gonna get when going out with a complete stranger, so Jungkook should definitely tell his members or at least a bodyguard. He wasn't like Tae, who didn't bother thinking about risks. When Taehyung left to have a few silent minutes on the rooftop that night, the others were really worried and Tae was being really naive and stupid. Something could have happened to him while he was away.  No, Jungkook wasn't like that. And Lucas seemed nice. He wouldn't do anything right? At least Jungkook would know how to defend himself, he didn't know if Taehyung could say the same for him. And Jungkook didn't really care if something happened to himself, but Taehyung's safety was quite important.

Well. Not that his own safety wasn't important but he didn't want Tae to have any problems with anything ever at all.

Well, because he cared about him. Friends care about each other. Brothers. Jungkook was beginning to hate that word.

After they reunited at the tour bus they drove to the recording studio that Bighit rented for them and parked beside it.

Inside, they compared their selfies in front of the camera. Jungkooks team had almost no pictures compared to Taehyungs team. They were a lot of photos of girls kissing him on the cheek or hanging around his neck. He seemed to have had some fun, Jungkook thought.

At least that was an chance to take his mind off his grandma.

Just as his team's photos were looked through he remembered that he forgot to delete that specific one and then Namjoon already swiped on it and it landed on the big screen and everyone saw.

"Um Jungkook?", Namjoon asked his dongsaeng confused.

Jungkook was so perplexed that he didn't even respond. His eyes wandered to Taehyung who was looking at him already.

He had no idea what that look on his face meant.

"I- it was an accident", Jungkook stuttered. "We both thought we were to kiss the others cheek", he mumbled and his face gained color.

"Well at least it's something different", Yoongi said and shrugged his shoulders.

"Let's cut this", was all Tae said.

He seemed upset.

"You shouldn't do things like that, Jungkook. If the paparazzis would have seen you.."

"At least they wouldn't be able to suspect something because you're probably never gonna see him again", Tae said with a strict tone.

"But he gave Jungkookie his number", Jhope smiled sassily before Jungkook could stop him.

"He what?!"

"Relax where is the problem-"

"He could be a pervert! He could kidnap you! He could-"

"Tae, what is wrong with you? Jungkook didn't have much of a choice except to take his number because we were in a hurry. He will just throw it away. Right?", Jin asked and turned to the youngest who was now hiding his blushed face behind his hands.

"I-"

"Right?!"

"I was thinking of meeting him in the hallway later. Of our hotel. He-um-he seemed nice."

"You can't be serious!"

"I am.."

"He could be a child molester or something!" Taehyung said loudly.

"First, he is probably around our age and second, I am not a child, asshole!", Jungkook yelled back.

"Then stop acting like one, bitch!", Tae yelled now too.

"That's enough! Both of you! Rinse your mouths, guys!", Jin said as he went between them.

"Make sure they cut this scene out of the episode", Jimin whispered to Namjoon and pointed at the camera.

The leader nodded.

"He started it!", Tae yelled.

"What did I do??", Jungkook replied yelling again as well.

"You kissed him!"

"On accident!"

"If someone had seen you! You would have filled the first page of the newspaper, whole!"

"But no one did! You're overreacting!", Jungkook said back. "Now who's the one acting like a child?", he added silently but Tae heard him.

"You know what? Fuck you!", Taehyung yelled.

"Tae, stop it! It was an accident", Jin said, trying to sound reasonable.

"And now he wants to meet him! A stranger!"

"What do you care?", Jungkook asked.

"You're my friend, how could I not?"

"Yes, you're my friend, not my wife!", Jungkook said.

"You mean not your husband", Tae said confidently but regretted it immediately as he looked around the room and remembered that they weren't alone.

"Fuck. I- I didn't mean to say that, koo, I'm sorry."

Jungkooks eyes were wide opened and he spread anger and fear through them.

"What did he mean with that? Jungkook are you- are you gay?" a member asked.

"Thanks a lot, Taehyung-"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, it just slipped out."

"So much of a friend, Taehyung, thank you."

"I said I'm sorry! You just don't care at all, do you? It was about time, honestly, and you know they would never love you any less-"

"But it wasn't your decision to make, when, how or even if I would come out! It is none of your goddamn business!"

"Why did you tell me then?!"

"Because I thought I can trust you-"

"You can!"

"Yeah, I can see that!"

"Then why do you even talk to me when you can't trust me?"

"Oh, believe me, I not going to anymore", Jungkook said and sat down into his chair with a really, really pissed off face.

"Good! I never enjoyed talking to you anyway!", Tae yelled back and left the studio.

"Thank you both, we'll just upload nothing then", Namjoon said. "I'll go get Taehyung and we'll just finish where we left off, okay?", Jin asked. With Taehyung they finished the episode, Taehyung's team was the winner.

But Jungkook didn't even listen anymore. Though the older wasn't behaving the best way either. He just sat on his chair in silence, waiting for the episode to end.

Jungkook didn't know what to think anymore. He knew Tae would never out him on purpose, especially because he knew, Jungkook wasn't ready.

But then he was just so done with the way Taehyung had acted.

At first Jungkook was curious, what he would say but he didn't expect Taehyung to shout and yell at him. And the worst part was, Jungkook's song euphoria, which was about them and about the night on the rooftop and about any other moment they had together, was actually due to next week. How was he supposed to publish a song about someone who he was having an argument with at the moment.

Would Taehyung get even angrier if he knew the meaning behind it?

Jungkook thought, he would probably be mad himself. First Jungkook was really sweet to Tae, then distancing himself, then being sweet again, then fighting, then publishing a song which basically admitted that he liked him... it didn't make any sense. But Bang PD was already putting pressure on him, if he would cancel the song now after already announcing it, it would make him very angry. Why did everyone had to be so angry lately, Jungkook thought.

Maybe it wasn't a good idea if Taehyung found out about the meaning of the song. But if Tae would ask, who it was about, what was Jungkook supposed to say? He didn't know anyone, who he was that close with. But maybe.. maybe someone would help him out.

"Hi, it is me. The guy with the love picture."

"Hey, I was wondering if you'd call me at all. What's up?"

"Um.." Jungkook was thinking really hard, how to say it in english, "are you free tonight?", he asked with his accent.

"Sure, what are you thinking of?"

"Um, drink?"

Lucas laughed and replied: "you don't talk much in english, do you?"

Jungkook laughed too. "No but I practice."

"So drink, yes?"

The maknae laughed again awkwardly and nodded into the telephone.

One hour later he stood in the hallway of their hotel, in which they had checked in a few minutes earlier. He wasn't going to unpack his stuff because they would leave again in some days and he found no reason to get all of his clothes out of the suitcase and then into it again.

Jungkook was thinking of sleeping in the tour bus this night. He was actually supposed to share the hotel room with Tae once again but he just wasn't in the mood to argue with him and he really didn't want him to find out that he was out late for a drink, with a guy Taehyung apparently hated.

He would ask Namjoon for the keys later.

There he was. Lucas was wearing some cool clothes with a tiny bit of 'chill' and a tiny bit of 'dressing up' and Jungkook could smell the perfume on his skin, which meant he made an effort to seem friendly or at least comfortable to be around with. It smelled okay.

Taehyung smelled better.

No, no he didn't, Jungkook corrected himself in his head.

He saw Lucas' waiting look on his face so he simply faked a little smile and they went off to find a nice bar, a bit off of the big streets.

Of course he secretly informed a bodyguard, who was following them unobtrusivly. Just in case.

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No it is not LUCAS lucas, it's just a total ordinary guy with the same name.