"Why do you have a basketball? Do you play?" Namjoon hasn't even had a chance to sit down yet before Jungkook's inquisitive voice rings out. He laughs, hoping that's how it would be.
   "My friend Yoongi is trying to teach me. He's got a scholarship for it so if anyone can make it click, it should be him."
   "How's it working out so far?"
   "Let's just say, I don't think I would have gotten the scholarship." Laughing, he sets the ball between his feet to pull a joint out of his backpack, "that's okay, though. I've never been great at coordination stuff like that, so I don't know what he was expecting."
   "You've known each other for a long time?" Namjoon shrugs and makes a so-so motion.
   "He's been back and forth between here and his home town since he was old enough to drive. I'm lucky, school makes sense to me, but he only wants to rap, do photography, play basketball, stuff like that, so his parents aren't very happy with him. There are more opportunities to make them proud here than there, y'know?" Jungkook laughs, knowing that practically every word in that description fits him, too.
   "Makes sense. School ."
   "What are you here for, then?"
   "It's stupid."
   "I bet not. You're talking to the guy who wants to make a living from music, so..." Jungkook sighs, hates saying it aloud because he's afraid of jinxing it.
   "I want to be a tattoo artist. My parents completely disapprove and there's no apprenticeships in my home town, so they don't know I'm really here trying to get my career started. School is just a cover." Namjoon is quiet for a second, nodding.
   "Wow. That's really impressive. Live your life, man. I wish I could disobey my parents." It's Jungkook's turn to laugh.
   "Isn't that what you're doing right now?"
   "It's the little victories." They laugh together. Namjoon wonders what Jungkook's art looks like, but wants to wait until he offers to show him.
   "So, why do you come here? Your friends don't smoke?"
   "Not really? Yoongi wishes but he gets drug tested, since he's in sports. Hoseok says it makes him feel paranoid and stuff. Gets worried because it's still illegal here. Jin's dormitory is just wildly strict and Donghyuk has better things to do at this time of night, I would guess." Jungkook nods, recognizing two of the names but not the other two. It's nice that he only lists four people when asked about his friends; there's probably still plenty of room for Jungkook.
   "Makes sense."
   "I like that we have each other to hang out with now." Namjoon leaves no time for Jungkook to agree thankfully before speaking again.
   "Oh hey, I can't believe but I almost forgot." He pauses to dig in his bag before pulling out a cell phone.
   "Here. Jin just bought a new phone and got super upset when I told him what happened to yours," he holds it out to Jungkook, who doesn't understand and even if he did, he couldn't take it, "so he wanted you to have this. Just keep it a secret from your roommate, right?" Namjoon grins but he still doesn't take the phone.
   "This is only, like, the fourth time we've ever met."
   "Yeah, but-"
   "I don't even know who this 'Jin' guy is?" Namjoon tries laughing because he feels awkward.
   "Why not help someone out, if you can, right?" Jungkook finally, wordlessly, takes the phone. Turns it over in his hands, tries to comprehend.
   "How will I tell my parents?"
   "Huh?"
   "I told my parents I broke the other one, they can't afford to replace it. They don't know I have a job. I have to put it back on their plan or I won't have service, where could I have gotten this?"
   "...lost and found?" Only then does he realize tears are dripping down on the lit up, uncustomized phone screen, "Jungkook, are you okay?"
   "I've been here like 6 months and, just, hated it so much. Everyone , no one will hire me, I don't understand what I'm doing wrong. I risked everything to come out here and nothing I'm doing is getting me anywhere. Why does it still feel like I'm lucky just to meet you?" Namjoon is stunned.
   "I feel lucky to have met you, too, Jungkook." He doesn't know what else he could say. All of a sudden, Jungkook's arms are around him, determined and so strong and gone just as quickly as they arrived.
   "This is so awesome, thank you so much. Thank Jin so much." Jungkook's wet eyes and gracious smile make him feel heady and warm and he can barely even stutter out a, you're welcome, before Jungkook starts appreciatively rattling off the differences between this shiny new phone and his admittedly crappy old one, still drying happy tears from his face.