Most evenings on the way home, Namjoon stops to smoke in a park between his house and the college campus. The trees are tall enough to provide some privacy, it isn't well frequented, and the bike ride home means his parents don't smell anything suspicious on him. There's a fallen tree that he likes to sit on, to watch the seasons change through the branches, the dusky purples and inky blues at the tail end of sunset.
  However, today, someone else is sitting there. The wheels in his head spin- he doesn't want to just turn around, doesn't know of another place to sit and certainly doesn't want to stand, though that doesn't mean he wants to interact with someone either. He's already standing beside the guy and opening his mouth before he can come to a real conclusion.
  "Hey, mind if I sit here?" He looks up like he was hoping Namjoon would just walk right past.
  "Uhm. Sure. Well, actually, I'll lea-"
  "Oh, I've seen you before! Don't you go to the community college down the road?" Namjoon is super surprised, he didn't know why this guy stuck out in his memory but he felt like he saw him almost every day.
  "Ah, yeah I do. You too?"
  "Yeah, yeah, I see you a lot even though we don't have any classes together. What's your name?" Namjoon moves to sit and doesn't notice the long, blank look he gets before the guy answers.
  "Jungkook."
  "Cool, nice to meet you, Jungkook. I'm Namjoon. What do you study?"
  "I'm- uh. I'm, well, I'm just kinda getting my basics right now. You?" It's hard for Jungkook to answer, because he doesn't really want to be going to school there at all. But he can't tell that to someone he just met.
  "That's cool! Same here. Do you mind?" Jungkook shakes his head before realizing it's not a cigarette. He still doesn't mind, but realizes Namjoon probably has different ideas about what behavior is appropriate with strangers.
  "Aren't you worried I'll call the cops on you or something?" Namjoon laughs.
  "You sound like my friend Hoseok, 'It may not be bad but it's still illegal, Namjoon!' Nah, I'm not worried. You seem like you have more important things on your mind, anyway." Jungkook shrugs before wordlessly reaching out, testing his luck. Namjoon likes sharing so it's no problem.
  "What's your major, Namjoon?" Past feeling like he needs to be alone, Jungkook is glad to distract himself with conversation. Namjoon seems like the nicest person he's met since he got here and it might be nice to make even one new friend.
  "Musical acoustics!" Jungkook must look shocked because he explains right away, "it's the study of how physics creates music, basically."
  There's something wonderfully honest about the way he grins shyly before continuing, apparently an open book to any that asked, "but secretly, I'd love to be a rapper. Don't tell my parents."
  Jungkook feels glad that he sat down beside him, feels lighter just because of the way he talks. He doesn't really understand anyone who wants to be a celebrity, but Namjoon's high hopes are refreshing. He laughs again before rolling his shoulders, "really though, it's cool to be able to study something I care about at all, you know? I feel pretty fortunate, even if school is mostly to make them happy. I only have a few more basic classes to finish here before I switch to online classes and a learning internship at that research facility, you know, the one downtown?" Jungkook shakes his head cluelessly.
  "I just moved here recently, I still don't know the area very well." Namjoon nods knowingly and pulls his phone out.
  "Here, give me your number, I can show you around sometime if you'd like." Jungkook frowns and his progress toward a good mood shatters, remembering why he was sitting alone in a strange city wishing he had never left home.
  "I don't- my phone got stolen earlier today."
  "Stolen?" He sounds entirely too innocent.
  "Yeah. My roommate- I was trying to save money when I moved here, but I made a mistake and now I'm living in some kind of crappy group home. I'm pretty sure my roommate is selling my things for drug money or something, but I don't have anywhere else to go, so," he shrugs again, "so I probably won't have a phone for a while."
  "Oh. Hmm. That blows, I'm sorry about that."
  "It's not your fault, don't worry about it." He says it with a laugh because it's a joke, but it's one he has to make often. Pity doesn't taste very good when someone is spoonfeeding it to you. Namjoon nods and crushes the finished joint under his shoe before trying a different tactic.
  "Will you be here again tomorrow?"
  "No, not tomorrow." Jungkook pauses purposefully, watching his expression change like it's on a dimmer switch.
  "But, maybe on Monday?" He lights up again and nods.
  "Monday it is!" He stands, shaking Jungkook's hand and zipping his backpack up before wheeling his bike away. Jungkook watches him, squeezing the warmth left in his empty palm and feeling a little hollow knowing he has nothing nice to go home to.