The evening went pretty relaxed for a meetup with a random person.
Jungkook learned that Lucas' best friend went to a college in Seoul so of course she taught him a bit.
To be completely honest, he was actually fluent in korean and Jungkook was quite impressed.
So they ended up only talking Jungkook's native language because it was much easier.
Korean wasn't the most difficult language to learn, Jungkook thought but if you're only used to letters like the roman alphabet and not to the korean alphabet, the first steps of learning could be harder.
It turned out Lucas was actually born just one year earlier than Jungkook, which didn't really surprise him.
After being just a little bit tipsy, they decided to go to Lucas' apartment, where Jungkook also found out that Lucas was less musically talented than anyone he had ever seen in his life. But he didn't care. And Lucas had a soft spot for anything that was involved in technology. And he loved animals and was a vegetarian.
He had a few cats, three actually. They all seemed to adore Jungkook a lot, since two of them laid onto his lap as soon as he sat down on Lucas' bed. They talked for three hours but Jungkook tried not to mention who he was. It just felt so nice to meet someone on the street who judges you for the person they just met and not for the one they've already seen on TV.
Lucas handed the younger another beer and Jungkook soon felt the need to eat something. He always felt hungrier when he drank alcohol. He wasn't drunk of course, just a bit ... cool. He knew that he wasn't allowed to stay out that late, especially because they had to record a song in the morning.
After Jungkook admitted his love for banana milk, which caused the older to burst out in laughter, Lucas found one last bottle of the drink in his fridge and gave it to the younger who drank it empty to the last drop.
Their conversation went over from their own family to animals, to game of thrones (however they got there), to hobbies and interests even though, Jungkook still left out the information of him being an idol. After it turned a bit silent, Jungkooks mind just wandered off and he started whistling some songs. Sunken into his own world he soon noticed Lucas' stare and stopped. "Do you sing, too?" Jungkook blushed a little as he nodded.
"Can you sing something for me?"
"What song?"
"Do you know 'I'm yours' by Jason mraz?"
Jungkook nodded again and started. When he finished, the older looked at him as if he was totally in love with Jungkook.
"That was beautiful."
"Thank you."
Jungkook figured, maybe he could show Lucas a bit of what he did for a living. Since the said man had no idea about music.
But the tattoo he saw on Lucas' collarbone, when the shirt moved a bit to the side, took him out of his thoughts.
"You have a tattoo? Can I see?" Lucas chuckled and took his shirt off, what caught Jungkook a bit by surprise, but the older had a good reason.
The tattoo snaked over his ribs even as far as down to the fabric of his black jeans.
Jungkook was incredibly amazed. He wanted a tattoo for a long time now but his management wasn't so relaxed when it came to that topic. But that wouldn't stop him forever.
"You can touch it if you want."
Jungkook slowly trailed his fingers over the ink and inspected it closely.
"That is so cool. I want one."
"You can get one, you know."
Jungkook leaned back and shook his head.
"It's against the rules."
"Because it is not so welcome in Asia?"
Before Jungkook was able to respond, his phone rang. It was his bodyguard.
"Excuse me."
Jungkook left the room and answered. "Mr Jeon, it's time to go back now."
"What do you mean? What time is it?"
"It's almost one in the morning. You need to record tomorrow."
"I'm coming, I'm gonna hurry", Jungkook said and hung up the call.
"What's wrong?", Lucas asked, already wearing his shirt again.
"I need to get back to the hotel, my manager will kill me if I don't show up in time tomorrow."
Lucas face showed a big question mark. "Manager? Oh my god-"
Jungkook smashed his hand onto his forehead. He really had to learn how to control his tongue.
And finally Lucas counted the pieces together. "You're an Idol!"
"Well yes..."
"Oh my god-"
"Please don't. Just act normal around me. Just because I make music, doesn't mean that I'm a different person."
Lucas gulped.
"I'm a completely normal human being, just like you."
"But you are talented. And people love you."
"Not all of them", Jungkook chuckled.
"And I bet you are talented too, just in other things. Like for example, you told me that you like technical stuff."
"Right."
"Where do you have to be in time to?"
"We're recording tomorrow morning, actually in a few hours already-"
"Can I come?"
"Sorry but I don't think so. I can ask them though."
"You would?"
Jungkook smiled shyly. "Yeah. But don't get your hopes up."
Lucas grinned.
Jungkook passed the information about the hotel and his room number to Lucas and made him swear not to give it to anyone. Even thought that was quite risky, he was sure he could trust him. And he didn't tell him the room numbers of the other members.
They said goodebye and Jungkook and his bodyguard went back.
The young man picked his card from his pocket and held it over the sensor. It made a quick sound of beeping and the lock clicked. He hoped deeply that Taehyung was already sleeping but as he tried to open the door as silently as possible he saw a light that was coming from the bed.
He walked towards it, careful to not step on anything that could possibly make a sound. Tae laid half on his pillows, half on the blanket and had an opened book next to him with his hand in between the pages. His eyes were closed. Earlier, when they had yelled at each other, he had looked really really angry. But now.. he looked sweet and harmless.
Jungkook shoved and pulled and struggled to get the blanket from under the olders body. After it eventually worked, he arranged the pillows that Tae had one to hold and one underneath his head. The younger didn't understand how Taehyung was able to sleep through all of it but he was glad that he did.
He was afraid of what he would say to him if he found out that Jungkook met up with Lucas. Maybe he already knew. Well because, Jungkook just kind of disappeared. Their morning conversation would be interesting for sure.
He was totally looking forward to it.
One last look at harmless Taehyung and then Jungkook went off to sleep too.
"Jungkook, there's someone at the door for you."
Jungkook groaned.
"Get up, come on."
"He said his name is Lucas."
Jungkooks eyes shot open.
Did Taehyung just say Lucas? What time was it?
His head hurt a little and every little piece of light burned in his eyes.
"I'm not letting him inside, before you didn't say that you know him", Tae said and jerked his shoulder.
"Just let him in, he's a friend of mine", Jungkook mumbled.
"I've never seen him before..", Taehyung continued and the younger heard the questioning tone in his voice.
"He's a new friend." Jungkook rubbed his eyes.
"Are you hungover?"
"No."
Taehyung sighed.
"And you came to the hotel very late last night."
"I did not."
"And suddenly there's a guy in the doorstep.."
Jungkook stayed silent.
"..who I haven't seen once in my life."
The younger bit his lip. They were coming closer and closer to the final sentence.
"And you've recently met a complete new guy, here in New York. Is this Lucas the guy from the grocery store?"
"Yes, Taehyung. Could you please let him inside now?"
Tae grunted quietly and walked over to open the door.
Lucas walked past him and with his last words "don't be late" Taehyung left the room.
"Well he seems rude. Good morning by the way."
"Morning", Jungkook mumbled through his yawn.
"You want some coffee?"
Jungkook nodded even though he didn't really like the taste. But he was polite and friendly unlike his hyung and gently took the paper cup out of Lucas' hand.
"You don't like it?"
"No no, it's just.. I'm not really a coffee drinker you know. But I truly appreciate the effort. So thank you."
"Just try it. It's a latte, so it's not that strong."
Jungkook carefully took a sip. That didn't taste too bad. He took another little sip. Yes, he could drink that. If it'd help him with his headache..
——
"Please Namjoon? He's really interested and he has never been in a recording studio before. Can't he stay for a bit?"
"I'm sorry Jungkook, but no. We have strict rules not to show people our work. Especially not someone we've just met. He could film all of it and then we'd be in big trouble."
"He wouldn't do that", Jungkook said, trying one last time.
"The answer is no", the leader said and gathered the rest of the group.
So Jungkook turned back to the front door of the recording studio, where Lucas had to wait.
"It's okay, don't worry. I'll come back later", Lucas said as he saw Jungkook's pout.
"I don't know when I've got time, it's pretty chaotic right now..", Jungkook replied and scratched his head.
"I'll text you, yes?"
Lucas nodded and walked away.
Jungkook went back to his group, the empty cup still in his hand.
"Since when do you drink coffee?", Taehyung asked confused.
"Since now", Jungkook replied and threw the cup in the trash can.