First and Forever

The tiny bell above the café door chimed, pulling you from the pages of your book. You glanced up and froze. There he was—Jeon Jungkook.

Time had changed him, but not completely. His dark hair was slightly longer now, curling at the edges, and his jawline was sharper. Yet, the mischievous glint in his eyes and the way he smiled—that was the same Jungkook you’d known your whole life.

The same Jungkook who used to bring you wildflowers from his mom’s garden, who taught you to ride a bike, who made promises under the moonlight. The same Jungkook who left for Seoul ten years ago, chasing a dream that had taken him far away from your sleepy little town.

“Still drinking caramel lattes, huh?” His voice cut through the silence, deeper than you remembered but just as familiar.

You swallowed the lump forming in your throat and forced a smile. “Still sneaking up on people, I see,” you teased, though your voice wavered slightly.

He grinned, the sight pulling at memories you’d long buried. Without asking, he slid into the seat across from you, his movements so natural it was as if no time had passed.

“You look good,” he said, his eyes scanning your face like he was memorizing every detail.

You let out a soft laugh, trying to ignore the way your heart was pounding. “You’re not so bad yourself, Mr. Global Superstar.”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “Ah, don’t start with that. I’m just Jungkook to you, right?”

The words hit something deep inside you. Because, yes—he was still just Jungkook to you. The boy who used to throw rocks at your window to get you to sneak out. The boy who held your hand the first time you were too scared to walk home in the dark. The boy who promised he’d always come back, even as tears streamed down his face at the train station.

“Ten years,” you said softly, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled between you. “It’s been ten years, Jungkook.”

He nodded, his smile faltering. “I know. And I’m sorry.”

You looked at him, startled by the raw emotion in his voice.

“I thought about you every day,” he admitted, his fingers fidgeting with the sleeve of his jacket. “Every time something big happened—every concert, every award—I wanted to tell you. But I didn’t know if…” He trailed off, biting his lip.

“If what?” you pressed, your heart aching at the vulnerability in his expression.

“If you’d still want to hear from me.”

The honesty in his words left you speechless. You had spent years wondering if he’d forgotten you, if the life he’d built in Seoul had erased all the memories of your childhood together.

“I never stopped wanting to hear from you,” you said finally, your voice barely above a whisper.

Jungkook’s eyes snapped to yours, wide with surprise. Then his lips curved into a soft smile, one that made your chest ache with both nostalgia and something new—something hopeful.

“I’m here now,” he said, leaning forward. “And I don’t want to waste any more time. I’m staying for a while. Maybe longer, if I have a good reason to.”

Your breath hitched. Was he saying what you thought he was saying?

“You mean that?” you asked cautiously.

He nodded, his gaze steady and unwavering. “I do. I’ve missed too much already—your birthdays, your bad days, your good days. I want to be part of your life again, if you’ll let me.”

The walls you’d built around your heart trembled, ready to crumble. Memories of your childhood together flooded back—his crooked smile, the way he always made you laugh, the night he confessed that you were his favorite person in the whole world.

“I don’t know, Jungkook,” you said, though a smile was tugging at your lips. “You’ve got a lot of making up to do.”

He grinned, leaning back in his chair. “Then I’d better get started. What are you doing tomorrow?”

And just like that, it felt like no time had passed at all. Because with Jungkook, it was never really goodbye—it was always see you later.

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