𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 | Jikook

Book 1: The Beginning - Prologue

Distanced
Book 1: The Beginning
"Prologue"
📍

Third Person

"Aaah! Jimin!" The seven year-old squeals, running around as his older friend chases after him, giggling.

The nine year-old continues to spray the shorter with the super soaker, eyes creating gleeful crescents from how much he's laughing, plump lips and chubby cheeks upturned in a smile.

Jungkook's foot catches a tree root, eyes blown wide as he tumbles to the ground. When he makes contact, it doesn't take long for tears to follow, the young kid wailing as his older friend kneels beside him, trying to console him.

Jimin quickly assesses the damage, his eyes stinging when he sees how skinned Jungkook's left knee is, but it's the fact that his friend's cheek is also injured that makes the older feel terrible.

"I-I'm sorry," Jimin says, hugging his friend tightly. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"What's going on here, boys?" Mrs. Jeon asks, looking at the best friends crying in each other's arms.

Jungkook looks up at his mother, sniffling. "I-I tripped."

Jimin quickly bows, body shaking as he apologizes profusely. "I was chasing him and he fell. I'm sorry. I hurt him."

The younger boy scowls at and hits his friend lightly. "Stupid Jimin. It's not your fault."

Mrs. Jeon nods in agreement. "Jungkook's right. It isn't your fault. He never looks where he's going. I swear, if you and Junghyun didn't watch out for him, he would have broken every bone in his body by now."

This makes Jungkook cross his arms, puffing his cheeks out.

"Do you want Mommy to make it all better?" Jungkook's mother asks.

He looks down, but outstretches his arms. "Yes..."

She picks him up and Jimin awkwardly dawdles after the mother-son duo, his feelings bittersweet. His parents divorced when he was about five, his mother moving to New York while he and his father stayed in Busan. So Mrs. Jeon is the only maternal figure in his life.

Jungkook wipes his eyes while his mother cleans and dresses his wounds. Doing so makes him cry out, and Jimin's stomach twists as he watches the younger through watery eyes.

"Th-Thimin," Jungkook calls with a whine, the absence of his two front teeth making him lisp the elder's name, "it hurts."

"I'm sorry." Jimin holds himself. "I understand if you want me to go home and don't want me to spend the night anymore."

The seven year-old shakes his head frantically, hissing while his mother bandages his cheek. "No, don't go."

"Kook, I live next door. It's okay if you want me to leave."

He holds his arms out again, this time, for his older friend. "I want you closer, Jimin. It hurts. But when you cuddle me, I always feel better."

Something foreign blooms in Jimin's chest at these words. He blinks his eyes quickly, eyes batting like hummingbird wings, as he contemplates. What this feeling is, he isn't quite sure, but in his little heart, he knows it's some sort of love. Love for a friend or brother, perhaps, Jimin doesn't care. All he knows is that he always wants to be there.

Jimin hops up on the counter and hugs his friend tightly, placing a dainty kiss close to Jungkook's knee wound before placing another by the one on his cheek.

"I'll always be here to cuddle you, Kookie."

Jungkook beams, the pain already subsiding. "And I'll always be here for you too, Jiminie. Forever and always."

Author's Note: I know this story is labeled a social media AU, but there are also written prose chapters because without context, there is little ability to have any stake in the characters. The parts where there are posts and DMs will be much more impactful with the added backstory. I aim to make this book more than just a typical social media AU. If you stick with me, I'm sure you'll like it.

What do you think of the story so far?

Make sure to take care and love yourself as best as you can.

With lots of love,

-BBM