Hey guys! As I mentioned in the end note, I wrote a completely different first chapter for this fic that got scrapped. I thought it would be fun to post it here at the end of it for anyone who likes the insight-y side of fanfics.

It's also a way to celebrate the conclusion of another low stress fic! Can't believe this is my third one! You'll definitely recognize parts of it that got repurposed for chapter five. Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy seeing what could have been <3

- Violette

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[SCRAPPED] Chapter One: The Return

Jeon Jungkook was on his second beer of the night. His throat was sore from laughing and his cheeks were starting to hurt from how hard he was smiling in the Korean Barbecue restaurant.

A year had passed since all of his friends had been able to see each other in the same place at the same time. Min Yoongi, who was in the middle of grilling meat for everyone, had toured America to work on an album he was producing while Kim Seokjin, the eldest out of the friend group who was currently laughing at a joke no one at the table understood, had only just gotten back from his military service. Seokjin's shoulders had grown even wider from the new muscle mass and Jungkook couldn't stop staring at them - it made Seokjin that much cooler in his eyes.

Then there was Kim Namjoon, who was even happier than Jungkook for Seokjin's return. The second Seokjin returned home, Namjoon moved in with him and now the two were attached at the hip.

Kim Taehyung, the friend closest to Jungkook's age other than Park Jimin, caught Jungkook's eye across the table and flicked his brows up. He was leaning against Jung Hoseok who had his arm draped around the younger's shoulders as he talked with Yoongi. Jungkook stared back at Taehyung, throwing him a smile at Hoseok's arm as he sipped on his beer and Taehyung just sent back a tata-mic one in return.

Everyone was talking over each other, jumping to share the next story about their year or memories the group of them had made together. Jungkook was happy just sitting in it, soaking in the love there without having to actively engage. It felt so precious, getting to have all of them there together again.

Well - almost all of them.

"Are you going back to Busan?" Yoongi asked Hoseok, referring to the dance academy Hoseok was helping out there with Jimin. Both of them had graduated with a dance master's and went on to not only get their own fame as recognized dancers, but also as choreographers. Hoseok was one of the most sought after professional choreographers in South Korea. Jimin was also growing more well known, though his fame was rising from modeling just as much as from dance.

Jungkook took a long sip of beer at the thought of Jimin. He could feel his absence at the table like a weight hanging over it. It'd been a full year since Hoseok and Jimin left for Busan.

"I think I'm staying in Seoul for good." Hoseok said, having come back to the city last week. "I got an offer to work on my own music from Yoongi's label and I think I'm going to take them up on it."

"Shit, that's awesome. Congrats." Namjoon said and Hoseok grinned.

"What about Jimin?" Seokjin asked, his cheeks flushed from the hours they'd all been drinking.

"Where is he?" Namjoon added and shifted to put his hand on Seokjin's lower back, looking him over to see if it was time to take him home. Seokjin pouted, immediately catching on, and scowled that as the oldest he was allowed to drink as much as he wanted even if he blacked out.

Jungkook perked up, suddenly incredibly interested in what Hoseok had to say.

Hoseok glanced over at Jungkook, a small smile on his lips. Which, for Hoseok, was a feat. The man usually smiled with his entire face, the look lighting up like it was made of sunlight. But this smile was secretive and playful. "He's on his way right now, actually." Hoseok answered looking straight at Jungkook.

Jungkook choked on his beer and his heart immediately started racing.

"Wait. Now?" Taehyung said, echoing Jungkook's thoughts. "Isn't he still in Busan?"

Hoseok leaned back in his seat, looking down at his expensive watch while Yoongi passed around freshly grilled meat slices to everyone to get them to shut up and eat the food he was paying for. Jungkook gladly took it, needing to focus on anything but how sweaty his hands suddenly were. What did Hoseok mean Jimin's on his way?

Why would no one have warned him Jimin was back? That he might see him tonight? What would he say? What would Jimin think? It's been a whole year since they'd last seen each other and they hadn't exactly kept in touch as often as Jungkook would have liked. He was always too nervous when he tried to type up a text or think of what to call. Jungkook constantly overthought how to sound normal when texting his platonic friend.

Jungkook was the youngest of them all, the one everyone looked out the most for. Yoongi never scolded him, and Seokjin always brought him free things. Then there was Jimin who would always stay near Jungkook when he could tell Jungkook was getting nervous or would walk him home when he could tell his social battery was getting low. They all dote on him, so why was it that when Jimin paid him special attention, Jungkook couldn't stop thinking about it for days?

And then to try and text him? What was Jungkook supposed to even say? He didn't want to hear if Jimin had made new friends in Busan. Met a new young guy he took care of. He didn't want to know anything about Busan because he wasn't there to experience it with him. But that wasn't fair, and it wasn't a fair thing to project onto someone who just a friend - so Jungkook opted for no contact instead.

"Jimin booked a huge modeling gig with Tiffany and Dior so he's coming back to Seoul to see those through. He just landed this morning so I told him to stop by." Hoseok said, again glancing at Jungkook and the death grip Jungkook had on his beer. No one at the table seemed to notice anything strange about it. Jungkook tended to space out here and there, traveling to his own world in his mind, but this time his mind was journeying to a world of anxiety.

"Would you look at that, he just texted that his uber got here. Jungkook, want to go grab him? It might be hard to find our table because we're all the way in the back." Hoseok said. He had to repeat it again before Jungkook fully registered it. Slowly, Jungkook got up, nodding. He could have fought Hoseok on it, but he was already too thrown off guard that he didn't think to say no.

Fuck, calm down. Jungkook thought, wiping his hands on his jeans. He had a gray t-shirt tucked into them, showing a freshly tattooed arm under the short sleeves. Jimin hadn't seen Jungkook's full tattoos yet. He'd gotten another one each time he got too in his head about missing Jimin during the year. His hair was longer now too, laying in thick black curls that nearly touched his shoulders. There were real piercings on his brow and lip - which the last time they saw each other Jungkook was wearing fake ones to test the look out. He was bigger now too, having boxed almost everyday. What would Jimin think? Would he recognize him? Jungkook did have bangs now, which meant there was a very real possibility that Jimin would have no idea who he was.

"Jungkook?" A voice said that Jungkook hadn't heard in a year. It felt like listening to a song he'd grown up loving and it simultaneously excited him and hurt like Hell.

"Jimin?" Jungkook replied, turning around outside the restaurant to find Park Jimin walking up the street.

Jungkook's breath caught in his throat. Fuck his own changes, Jimin looked unreal. His muscles were toned under the black t-shirt he wore, the v neck showing sharp collarbones. Silver rings danced across his fingers and matching silver jewelry dangled from his ears and neck. The way he walked had more confidence now too, each step carrying a sureness that wasn't there before.

Jungkook tugged on his lip ring, trying to calm himself down. He remembered Jimin as beautiful, he'd always thought so since the seven of them met thirteen years ago, but each time he saw Jimin in person, he was shocked by the extent of it.

Jimin smiled then and Jungkook could only nod so that he didn't say something stupid from the absolute whirlwind that smile put him through. Instead of embarrassing himself, he turned to the door and led Jimin to the table with everyone without saying anything. The second they reached it, Jungkook lunged for his seat and chugged his beer while their friends all got up and hugged Jimin. Yoongi ruffled Jimin's hair and Seokjin's hug was so tight that Jimin nearly choked. Hoseok and him were immediately laughing and Taehyung grasped Jimin's hand like he was acknowledging a coworker - but they could all see the love in his eyes for his friend.

"Here, take my seat." Namjoon said, standing up from the chair next to Jungkook and Jungkook shot him an immediate look of murder. Namjoon just shrugged, pulling up another chair from a different table and setting it next to Seokjin.

Jimin nodded, sitting down and he gave Jungkook a weird look when Jungkook frowned. Which obviously sent Jungkook into a spiral because Jungkook looked like an asshole when really he was just freaking the fuck out because he hadn't seen Jimin in a year and suddenly he's right in front of him and he smiled and smells like fucking flowers.

"Jimin, did you know your new apartment building is the same one as our Jungkookie's?" Hoseok said as Yoongi filled up a plate for Jimin and Namjoon ordered him a beer. Jimin blinked, looking over at Jungkook who immediately blushed. That was news to Jungkook.

"Oh?" Jimin said.

"Jungkook, you should walk Jimin back later. Your building is only five minutes from here, right?"

"Didn't you uber?" Jungkook asked and Jimin shrugged.

"I was coming from a meeting with my manager. I had no idea the restaurant was so close to where I live - well, both of us live. That's kinda fun, isn't it?" Jimin said with a smile and again Jungkook could only nod. It got silent after that and so Hoseok jumped in again.

"So you'll walk back together?" Hoseok asked.

"Yea. That's fine." Jungkook said, immediately reaching for some food that Yoongi passed over. He caught Yoongi's eye and was grateful for the pity in them. The older threw a warning look over to Hoseok to give Jungkook some peace. Jimin caught the exchange and frowned, confused by it. There was even a flicker of hurt across his dark eyes.

"I can walk back on my own if you don't want to." Jimin said, furrowing his brows.

"No, it's seriously fine. I don't mind." Jungkook said and Jimin frowned again. Fuck. Fuck this is going so bad. Why am I being so weird??

Jimin turned away from Jungkook then, talking mostly with Hoseok and Taehyung for the next hour and Jungkook chose to mostly dissociate so he didn't spiral into a pit of anxiety. He talked with Seokjin for a bit and with Namjoon, the entire time aware of just how close his leg was to Jimin's or how his elbow nearly touched Jimin's on the table. He could hear every single one of Jimin's laughs like he was focusing on his favorite song and didn't miss a single smile the older threw to their friends.

Then, as if in a blink, everyone was standing up from their seats. Yoongi paid the bill and Seokjin made a joke about how he didn't make any money in the military so it would be obnoxious to ask him to pay as the eldest. The table was getting cleared by servers and their friends were filtering out of the restaurant. Hoseok and Taehyung left in one car, Seokjin, Namjoon, and Yoongi soon followed, and Jungkook was left with Jimin. Alone.

It was awkward at first. They stood at the door to the restaurant, the sky dark with no moon or stars in sight. The once busy street was pretty empty of cars or people with only the lights of restaurants and street lamps to pave the way. Jungkook swallowed, the liquor causing his face to feel hot and his vision to blur slight. He gave himself a second to settle his thoughts before looking over to Jimin who was staring at him with wide eyes under his thick lashes.

Five minutes. Jungkook just had to survive a five minute walk and then he could freak out in his apartment and everything would go back to normal. He'd apologize for being so weird to Jimin and then he could go back to being the youngest of the group everyone took care of.

Jimin frowned, his gaze trailing down Jungkook's new tattoos on his arm, assessing the way his muscles had grown, how he'd gotten taller and better dressed, settled on the new length to Jungkook's hair, and then finally, looked Jungkook in the eyes.

It was so quiet on the street.

"You've changed." Was all Jimin said and Jungkook felt his heart stop. The way Jimin said it, it didn't sound like a good thing.

Maybe the bangs were a bad idea.

"You haven't." Jungkook answered. Jimin only shrugged, hugging his hands to his chest as they headed towards their building.

The walk back was surprisingly quiet - just like their texts or their calls this past year. Jungkook had a million and one things he wanted to ask Jimin. How had he been? Did he eat well in Busan? Was he excited for the new modeling gigs? Did he still do music? Would he want to come over some time? Did he miss him? But not a single question came out. They made it back to the building before he knew it and Jimin didn't bother to say goodbye as he took the elevator to his floor. Jungkook went for the stairs, not because his floor was a low number, but because he didn't know what else to do.

When he got into his apartment, he closed the door and slunk down to the ground. His head went into his hands and he let out a long sigh while his heart hammered in his chest. He couldn't get Jimin's smile out of his head or the way Jungkook kept saying and doing the wrong thing. He thought he had gotten his crush under control, thought one year would make no difference and when everyone was back together nothing would have changed, but the only thing tonight proved was if he kept trying to drown his feelings out, the crush would end up crushing him.

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A/N:
It's funny how you can kinda see which seeds stuck and grew from this version and which ones were weeds that I pulled out instead. Anyway, I hope you had fun reading this alternative version. I had fun publishing it 🤍

I hope you de-stressed a bit with this fic,
Violette