This is How We Break | Jungkook

Part 1

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The thrumming of your heart drowns out the music and your friends' laughter from the backseat, as if taunting you to only focus on its beating. But not even Jimin and Areum's narration of their botched dine-in-the-dark experience and Yoongi's snickers and soft hums can calm you down.

"Hey." Your best friend next to you pulls your ear to get your attention. "You okay?"

You open your eyes but focus on the street outside. "Yeah, just nervous to see everyone."

"Don't be. Everyone misses you," Yoongi comforts.

"Everyone?" You raise an eyebrow.

"Well, almost everyone," he laughs.

"Gee, way to ease my nerves, Yoon," you slightly punch his arm.

"I'm kidding" he says, as he pulls the brake to park. "But hey, you had weeks to prepare. You know you're gonna see him. He doesn't."

The thought shouldn't terrify you as much as it does. But Yoongi's right. While you arrived just yesterday, your trip back home was a month in the making and in that timeframe, you resigned from your job in Australia, accepted a job offer in Seoul, got a place of your own... and went over the different scenarios that could play out tonight.

Surprising your good friend Da-eun during her engagement party is one thing, but knowing you'll see your ex-boyfriend there is another. It's something you can't avoid, given that she's set to marry Namjoon, said ex's best friend, so better to get over this as soon as possible.

It seems easier said than done, though, as you don't really know what to expect.

It's been three years since you packed your bags and left the only home you'd ever known and you haven't heard from or of him since. It helps when you've got friends who know you well enough to not talk about him with you. And while the breakup wasn't bad, it doesn't mean it didn't hurt. That was seven years of your life, and that's long enough to have you lose parts of yourself you'd never get back.

You shrug off the thoughts, knowing it wouldn't be a good idea to dive into your feelings right now, minutes before you see him.

Areum opens the door for you and entangles her arm with yours as you walk the block to your friend's place. "We've got your back, okay?" She affirms. "Tell us when it gets too much and we'll leave."

"I've had a month's worth of pep talk from you guys and myself. I'll be fine, you don't have to worry about me."

"Still an option," Jimin chimes in. "Jungkook was the love of your life at one point, ___. I don't think any amount of pep talk can really prepare you for seeing him again."

This time, you hate that Jimin's right.

Areum rings the doorbell and shortly after, Da-eun's sing-song voice greets you, followed by a shriek and inaudible words as you're enveloped in a hug.

"Holy shit. ___, is that you?" A familiar deep voice calls out, prompting you to look up at the tall figure standing before you.

"Hi, Joon. It's me," you giggle, as your friend pulls away. "Congratulations by the way."

"I— wow," the man says, slack jawed. "We didn't know you'd actually be here. I mean, we sent the invitation as an FYI and—"

"Are you telling me I'm not wanted here?" You playfully cock an eyebrow.

"No, of course not. We miss you a lot," Namjoon flashes his comforting dimpled smile. "It's just... you left so abruptly and we just... didn't think you'd come back."

There's a pang in your chest at his words that you disregard. "Well, I'm here. For good. For now at least," you smile back. "I hope you have space for one more."

"Of course, please come in."

Da-eun drags you inside, excitedly chatting you up and scheduling lunch with you the next day. Your eyes scan the apartment while you listen, greeting and hugging the several people you recall from your college days.

You do a double take as you settle on a familiar set of doe-eyes, but they're not hiding behind long dark locks like they used to.

He has a glass in hand, laughing with a guy in a beret, and even from where you are, you already know what he sounds like.

Surely, no pep talk can prepare you for this. He's in black jeans and a printed ivory polo, sleeves rolled up to this elbow to reveal his right tattooed arm. He's got multiple jewelry on both ears and even on his eyebrow, which are easily seen because of his short hair that's parted on the side.

You smile at the thought, as he'd long ago ranted about wanting tattoos and piercings but that having them wouldn't sit well with his parents, given their aspirations for him to become a lawyer, which he was on the way to achieving. You wonder if they'd stopped nagging him about it.

He looks more refined and mature now, if you're being honest. More than anything, he looks happy.

You smile at this until he meets your gaze, choking on the drink that's halfway down his throat. His eyes squint to try to get a better look at you, a habit of his that you always adored. You giggle at this and make your way towards him, your friends urging you with their looks.

You walk around the other people in the living room and by the time you're near him, his friend has wandered away.

"___?" His questioning voice greets you.

Looking at him up close causes your heart to skip a beat. He's even more handsome than you remember, with his cute nose he used to boop yours with, his sharp jawline that got your attention when you met at a college event, and his expressive eyes that always revealed his emotions without him even saying them.

He has a certain glow that you're unsure you've ever seen on him, and he looks absolutely beautiful.

"Hi, Jungkook. It's been a while," you give him a warm smile. "It's so nice to see you again."

"Three years is a while?" He giggles, his eyes crinkling, his small laugh a sound that used to make you melt, a stark contrast to his strength and now, to his tattooed and pierced look.

"You know me and my sense of time," you return.

"I do, actually." He mirrors your smile. "But it's nice to see you, too."

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