Elevation [Chapter 3]

 

Chapter 3:

Jungkook's POV

Jimin was preening in front of him. He watched as the star swiped his hand through his hair for...at least the fifteenth time in the past hour. He angled his face handsomely as if he was in the middle of a photoshoot when, in reality, he was simply riding inside of a van. A van that Jungkook somehow found himself inside of. The van had a pretty large interior with seats that sat facing each other. Jungkook was currently sitting in a window seat, facing Jimin.

After asking for his autograph, Jimin had stood slightly taken aback for a second and then his face had lifted into a proud smirk. He had then quickly glanced at his phone again - checking the time - and after seeing that he really couldn't spare anymore minutes, he had invited Jungkook along for the ride to his commercial shoot. Not wanting to be rude and needing to get that autograph, Jungkook had readily agreed to come along. After only a few minutes in the celebrity's presence, it hadn't taken Jungkook long to figure out that the man liked being flattered. His own lips lifted into a small smile now as he watched the other man practically pose for him. Jungkook quickly understood that Jimin figured the autograph must be for him; he didn't know whether he was going to break the news that the autograph was actually for his girlfriend. He was quite enjoying watching Jimin posture. 

"So when did you know you wanted to be a singer?" Jimin asked Jungkook.

"Not long," Jungkook answered. "I've always liked singing, but I didn't really commit to really wanting it until...well, until I saw Namjoon hyung performing at a lounge."

"Namjoon?" Jimin asked with a quirk of his eyebrow. "Hm. Have you met him yet?"

"No," Jungkook said. "I want to. He's the reason I auditioned for BigHit."

"Wow," Jimin said. "He'll be happy to hear that. He's feeling a little restless lately because he hasn't officially debuted yet. I can let you meet him. He's a close friend of mine."

A smile bloomed across Jungkook's face. "Really, hyung?" He wrung his hands together in excitement. He didn't know how he would repay Jimin's kindness. First he had fixed the voice lesson problem and now this. He was quite surprised to receive such considerations from a star as big as Jimin. He bowed his head. "You don't have to, but thank you."

"I will," Jimin assured him. "But..." Jimin looked at Jungkook coyly. "Is he your favorite singer?"

"He was," Jungkook answered. "But then I met you, hyung."

It was obvious flattery, but the reaction was immediate. A wide smile bloomed across Jimin's face, and he let out an uncontained laugh that bubbled over from the pits of his stomach. Jungkook couldn't help but to smile in response to it. He was proud of himself for causing it.

"Ahh~" Jimin said, trying to reign his smile back in. "You know how to talk." He called to his driver and asked for a Sharpie, which was handed back to him. "Do you have anything for me to sign?" he asked Jungkook. "Picture? Shirt?" He lifted an eyebrow. "Body?"

Jungkook took a moment to answer, Jimin's sudden flirtation throwing him off for a second. He didn't know how to react when the other man just said and did things like that out of nowhere. He had never come across anyone who flirted so bluntly. Especially not a stranger. He had interacted with male friends who were playful, of course, but there was something about Jimin's flirtation that caught him somewhat off guard and made him flustered. "Uhh, no," he said. "I don't have anything."

"Body it is," Jimin concluded. Before Jungkook could react, Jimin had dove across the space separating them and was practically in his lap with Sharpie poised.

Surprised and legitimately panicked, Jungkook pushed the other man away, his strength causing Jimin to fly right back into his own seat. A little shocked at what he had just done, he thought maybe he had just ruined everything but that wild laughter came from Jimin again. Jungkook released a breath, relieved, and began to laugh softly himself. It seemed things were still okay. He would have to remind himself to expect the unexpected with this man, though, and not react so strongly. There was an aura around Jimin that was very delicate. He didn't want to hurt him.

"Ah, I got it," Jimin said, as if he didn't just get shoved roughly by a junior trainee. Jungkook was amazed at his nonchalance. He was grateful for it, though. And he wasn't going to mention the fact that he thought it was strange that he just got away with what he had just done.

Jimin pulled a short red tie from a bag that lay on the floor of the van. "This is a tie I've worn in some of my performances," Jimin explained as he signed it. The Sharpie flew across the fabric with a flourish and then he held it out to Jungkook when he was done. "Will that do?"

Jungkook's mouth fell open. He was again shocked by the star's generosity. "Y-yes!" he stammered. It was more than enough! His girlfriend would love this!

Jimin slid back into his seat with a smile, seemingly satisfied with Jungkook's eagerness upon receiving the gift. He pushed his fingers back through his hair. Again.

"We're almost at the filming site," Jimin said, gazing coolly out the window - posing again. Jungkook watched him with his lips lifted in a half smile. He was an amusing person. "I'll have my driver take you back when we reach there. If you want to stop and get something to eat, that's fine too. Just think of him as your driver for the rest of the night."

That unhindered kindness again. Jungkook was starting to have a strong suspicion that it was tied into the other man's continuous need for validation. He pursed his lips to the side. What he was so grateful towards the other man for now seemed like something worrying instead. Many people could take advantage of a personality like Jimin's.

Jungkook shook his head, wondering why he needed to worry. It was Jimin's issue. The celebrity was still a stranger to him. He bowed once again to the other man. "Thanks, hyung," he said. He thought about settling back into his seat and letting the rest of the ride finish in silence, but curiosity nipped at him. "What are you filming?"

Jimin smiled and swiped his hand through his hair. 'Sixteen'. Jungkook began to count in his mind how many times he saw that action. "Commercial. Soda." He reached over to the seat next to him and grabbed a stack of stapled pages that Jungkook was just now noticing. It must be the script. It was the first time Jungkook was seeing an official commercial script. His eyes widened in wonder. Many things were still fascinating to him as only a few months ago, he had still just been a simple schoolboy in Busan.

Jimin must have noticed his expression. "Do you want to see?" he asked, letting his wrist fall slightly in Jungkook's direction - languidly holding the script out to him.

"Yes," Jungkook said with a nod.

Jimin nodded as if to say Jungkook was okay to take the script. But Jungkook realized too late that he was being baited. When he reached out for the script, Jimin pulled it back out of his reach. When he looked at the other man questioningly, Jimin tilted his head invitingly. "Come sit next to me."

Jungkook couldn't believe it. His mouth hung open in slight shock and he couldn't help but to let out a short laugh - one, because he couldn't believe how shameless and flirtatious the other man was. And two, because he didn't quite know how to react and he needed to get his bearings.

He could easily refuse and probably still eventually get to look at the script. He knew that just from being in Jimin's presence for only a couple of hours that the other man was easygoing. But being playful like this was obviously just ingrained in the other man's nature and if he didn't refuse, it could prompt the other man to continue to just be himself with him and strengthen the relationship they were currently growing. Which was beneficial for him as a junior from the same company.

After weighing the pros and cons, Jungkook made a decision. He stood up and walked over to the seat Jimin currently occupied to sit next to the other man. He had to hypnotize himself into not being shy about being so close to another person - especially a stranger - as he squeezed himself into the spot where Jimin made room for him on the seat that was made to realistically only hold one person. But he surprisingly fit pretty well. Jimin had pushed himself somewhat to edge, pressing himself against the window but he seemed comfortable with his legs crossed and facing Jungkook, who took up the majority of space. Jimin propped his head onto his hand, his elbow resting against the headrest. This practically made his face only inches apart from Jungkook's, but Jungkook continued to hypnotize himself. Telling himself he was comfortable and not anxious. He was a normal, outgoing young man. Yep.

He tried to ignore the way his heart suddenly pounded, the way his palms suddenly clammed up with sweat, and the way his face burned. And he especially tried to ignore the way the other man just continued to stare at him without blinking. He didn't dare look at him, but he was sure if he did, he would see that familiar sly smirk adorning the celebrity's face.

He was sure his face was the color of a tomato, but he still got rewarded for his action by having the script placed in his lap.

Jungkook picked it up, grateful to have something to focus on besides the man that was - quite literally - breathing down his neck. 'He's so strange,' Jungkook thought, flustered, before beginning to flip through the pages.

So this was what a script looked like. He saw lines of action meant for the actor, suggestions for camera angles, and dialogue. It legitimately interested him. He managed to get completely focused on the script despite his uncomfortable situation until he felt Jimin touching him.

He felt Jimin's hair tickling his cheek as the man leaned his head on his shoulder.

Jungkook tensed up completely. 'He's strange!' he thought, growing more flustered. To the point where he was becoming annoyed. 'Who acts like this with someone they don't know!' he wondered silently. 'Is he a pervert maybe?' His mind flashed to the many stories he had heard about trainees being taken advantage of by people in a higher position than them. 'Couldn't be...' Jungkook thought...'But maybe?'

He thought back to the way Jimin had wrapped his arm around him during their voice lesson. The way he had commented on his body, whispering in his ear.

'Nice abs.' 

Jungkook shivered, the memory now seeming creepy. He rolled his shoulder, trying to give Jimin the hint to move his head, but if Jimin got the hint, he didn't take it. The older man simply reached out and turned the page of the script. "This is my favorite part," he commented casually.

Jungkook was still frozen. He could no longer act normal.

Something about Jungkook is that he had never been a big fan of skinship. Ever since he was young, he hated it. It had been so bad that his parents, when he was young, thought he possibly suffered from autism. That hadn't been the case though. He had come from the doctor's office with the simple diagnosis of "a very particular young man who likes his space."

So to have a stranger push so carelessly into his boundaries was disconcerting to say the least.

Jungkook opened his mouth to ask the star for some room, but he was cut off by the ringing of Jimin's cell phone. Jimin grabbed it quickly, smiled when he saw who the call was from, and then he answered it. While answering, he tapped Jungkook's knee and tilted his head back to Jungkook's previous seat. He was telling him to move back.

Jungkook got up, relieved, and moved back to his own seat, finally able to breathe freely once again. As he settled in his seat, he vaguely wondered who had called to cause him to dismiss him back to his seat so quickly.

"Hey." Jimin's voice was soft and gentle and a wistful smile played across his face.

'Ah,' Jungkook thought, recognizing those mannerisms. It's how he acted when he got calls from Seon Woo. He looked down at the script he still held, pretending to read in order to give Jimin some privacy. He was a little surprised the other man had a girlfriend. His heart went out to her. He didn't think he would be able to deal with having a partner as flirtatious as Jimin. It would drive him crazy.

"I can't," Jimin continued to speak softly, his voice seeming to lower. "I'm not alone."

Jungkook felt a blush go all the way to his ears. 'Just what are they talking about?' He continued to pretend to read. He wished he really could tune out the nearby conversation, but it was difficult. Especially with the way Jimin suddenly let out a happy giggle. He bent over at the waist to laugh at whatever the person on the other end of the line said. "Oh, really?" Jimin asked. "That's great. Me? On my way to shoot a commercial. I'm pretty busy for the rest of the week, but I should be able to carve out an hour or two next week."

Jungkook continued to blush, feeling uncomfortable.

That lasted for the rest of the ride. Jungkook was relieved when the van finally stopped and Jimin hung up the phone, a smile still lingering on his face. Jungkook thought he might have forgotten he was there, but that wasn't the case. Jimin addressed him. "Yah, let's exchange phone numbers."

Jungkook's eyebrows shot up in surprise before fumbling in his pocket for his phone. He went to his contacts and then held the phone out to Jimin who programmed his number in. Jungkook could only think about how his girlfriend would freak if she found out he had the celebrity's number in his phone. He watched as Jimin called his phone and saved his own number inside. He then handed the phone back to Jungkook. "I still owe you dinner," Jimin said standing up to leave the van as the driver opened the back doors. "I'll call you."

Jungkook craned his neck when he caught a glimpse of all of the crew members and filming equipment that was setting up around the site. His mouth fell open. 'Wow.' People were moving hurriedly yet purposefully, all in a rush but all knowing exactly where they needed to be and what they were supposed to be doing.

Jimin looked over his shoulder, probably to see what had him so awed, and then looked back at Jungkook. He paused for a second.

"Unless..." Jimin started. "You wanna stick around for the shoot?"

The minute the question left Jimin's mouth, Jungkook knew his answer. "Yes," he said. "I wanna stick around."

A chuckle left Jimin's mouth and he turned to his manager who had followed behind them in his own vehicle. "It's like I'm being shadowed," Jungkook heard Jimin say. He would have thought he was being mocked if it wasn't for the good-natured way that Jimin spoke the words and then turned back to him with shining eyes, welcoming him. "Okay," he said. "But...it's gonna take a while. Like a few hours. Are you sure?"

Jungkook nodded. He didn't care. This was all fascinating to him. The filming process, the crew...and even though he wasn't consciously acknowledging it...the delicate man that was currently standing and smiling up at him, Park Jimin. It was all fascinating.