another chance. [ kim namjoon ]
you always knew you would run into namjoon at your high schools’s reunion. what you didn’t expect is to fall right back into the way things used to be. even more surprising, namjoon asking to try again.
❛ content | kim namjoon x female reader | high school sweetheart!namjoo , dad!namjoon, fluffy, bittersweet, missed chances, mainly dialogue, happy ending
the reunion was louder than you expected. music thumping through the speakers, laughter filling the gaps between conversations. you knew coming here meant opening a time capsule, but you didn’t expect your heart to stumble the second you saw him.
your high school sweetheart. the boy who once held your heart in his calloused hands, who whispered forever against your lips during late-night walks through the park. the one you let go.
he looks good. too good. taller, broader, still wearing that easy, dimply smile. but there’s something softer in his eyes now, a weight of time and experience.
a little girl, maybe five or six, clinging to his hand. she’s dressed in a pale blue dress with frilly sleeves, her dark hair tucked into two neat braids. when she looks up at him with wide eyes, full of curiosity and trust, your stomach turns.
your breath catches. it’s not like you ever expected namjoon to stay frozen in time, but this? this is something you hadn’t prepared for. before you can decide whether to turn away or walk over, he sees you.
his expression shifts, surprise flickering across his face before something else settles in. hesitation, nostalgia, maybe even something softer. he says something to the person he was talking to, then, before you know it, he’s making his way toward you.
“hey,” he says, voice warm, familiar.
a beat passes. his daughter tugs at his hand, shifting shyly behind him, and he glances down at her before crouching beside her.
“this is nabi,” he introduces, his voice gentler now. “nabi, this is an old friend of mine.”
nabi blinks up at you, her small hands gripping the fabric of her dad’s jacket. for a second, she doesn’t say anything. then, carefully, “hi.”
you crouch slightly to meet her at eye level, offering a small smile. “hi, nabi. i really like your dress, it’s very pretty.”
she lights up at the compliment, glancing down at the fabric like she’d forgotten what she was wearing. “thank you,” she says, her voice a little brighter this time. “daddy let me pick it out.”
you steal a glance at namjoon, who only shakes his head with a helpless smile.
“you have good taste,” you tell her, and she giggles before getting distracted by something across the room.
namjoon stands again, exhaling like he has a million things to say but doesn’t know where to start.
“she’s beautiful,” you offer gently. she is beautiful, much like her name: butterfly.
“yeah,” he murmurs, watching her fondly. then, quieter, “she’s the best thing that came out of my marriage.”
he nods, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “divorced two years ago.”
you don’t know what to say. the air between you feels different now, weighted by time and distance. you should tell him you’re happy he’s here, that life looks good on him, but all you can do is watch the way his shoulders shift like he’s bracing for something.
“do you want to catch up?” his voice is careful, like he’s giving you an out. “just for a bit?”
you exhale a soft laugh, tilting your head. “yeah. i’d like that.”
his lips twitch, like he wants to smile but doesn’t want to get ahead of himself.
and just like that, time folds, bringing you back to him.
it was quieter now. the music still hums in the background, but most people have trickled away into smaller groups, laughter fading into softer conversations.
you and namjoon find yourselves outside, sitting on the stone bleachers of the sports field like you used to when you were young. the air is cooler now, the night stretching wide above you, and for a moment, neither of you speak.
“so,” he finally says, turning his head to look at you. “this is weird, right?”
you huff a laugh. “a little.”
“seeing you again… i didn’t expect it to hit me like this.”
you glance over, meeting his eyes. they’re the same, warm and deep, but there’s something new behind them; experience, loss, love in a different form. you wonder if he sees something different in you, too.
“me neither,” you admit, your voice quieter now.
he leans back on his hands, exhaling slowly. “nabi really liked you.”
you smile at the mention of his daughter. “she’s adorable. she’s got you wrapped around her little finger, huh?”
namjoon laughs under his breath. “you have no idea.”
there’s something tender in the way he talks about her, and it makes your heart ache in a way you don’t fully understand. he’s a dad now. he’s built a life, one that no longer revolves around running around past midnight and whispered promises.
but sitting here like this, the past doesn’t feel so far away.
“i always wondered what it’d be like,” he murmurs suddenly.
you tilt your head. “what?”
“seeing you again.” he pauses, rubbing the back of his neck. “i don’t know what i expected, but… i think i was scared it wouldn’t feel the same.”
your breath catches. “and does it?”
namjoon studies you for a long moment, his gaze dipping to your lips, then back to your eyes. he doesn’t answer right away, but you can feel it in the air between you.
finally, he exhales a quiet laugh, shaking his head. “yeah,” he says. “it does.”
you don’t know what that means. maybe he doesn’t either. but for tonight, you let the silence settle around you, warm and familiar, like time never stole you away from each other at all.
nabi was a few feet away, standing on the stone step and balancing on the edge like it’s a tightrope, her little arms stretched out for balance.
“careful, nabi,” namjoon calls, though his voice is light, more amused than worried.
“i got it, daddy!” she giggles, hopping onto the pavement with a dramatic flourish before running back toward you both. she stops right in front of you, tilting her head. “so, you were daddy’s friend?”
the question makes namjoon shift beside you, but you only smile. “yeah. a long time ago.”
she blinks up at you, then turns to her dad. “but you said you don’t see your old friends.”
namjoon clears his throat, rubbing the back of his neck. “well, this is a special case.”
nabi narrows her eyes like she’s trying to solve a puzzle. “hmm,” she hums, then looks back at you. “i think daddy likes you.”
namjoon nearly chokes. “nabi—”
you bite back a laugh, leaning down slightly. “oh yeah? what makes you think that?”
she grins mischievously. you notice she’s even got his dimples. and even deeper ones. “because he’s looking at you like he looks at ice cream.”
you do laugh this time, covering your mouth. namjoon groans, dragging a hand down his face. “you’ve gotta stop exposing me like this, kid.”
nabi just giggles, clearly pleased with herself. then she yawns, rubbing at her eyes before tugging at her dad’s sleeve. “i’m sleepy.”
namjoon sighs, giving her a fond look before lifting her into his arms with practiced ease. she immediately curls into him, tiny hands gripping his jacket.
he looks at you, hesitant. “i should probably get her home.”
you nod, something warm settling in your chest at the sight of him holding her so gently.
“yeah,” you say softly. “it was really nice seeing you again, namjoon.”
he doesn’t respond right away, just watches you for a beat, like he’s memorizing your face. then he smiles, a little softer this time.
and as you follow behind him down the steps, nabi peeks over his shoulder and waves sleepily. you wave back.
you start to walk away, back inside maybe when you here namjoon speak again.
you turn. he shifts so he’s holding nabi more securely, but his gaze is fixed on you, something unreadable behind it.
“do you wanna get frozen yogurt sometime?” he asks, almost hesitant. “like we used to?”
you blink, caught off guard. “frozen yogurt?”
“yeah,” he says, lips twitching like he’s trying to play it off as casual. “i mean, obviously nabi would come too, but… i think she’d like it. i think you’d like it.”
you hesitate. there’s a part of you that wants to say no. to leave things as they are, neatly tied up in the past. but there’s a bigger part of you that still remembers the way frozen yogurt tasted at 11 p.m., sitting across from him in a booth, laughing over nothing and everything.
the next night, you find yourself at the same shop you used to go to as teens. the frozen yogurt shop is quieter than you remember, the neon glow of the sign casting soft light over the street. it used to be a special spot for the two of you.
tonight, it’s just the two of you. namjoon had dropped nabi off at home first—“she would’ve fallen asleep in the cup,” he’d joked. now, he sits across from you, stirring his yogurt with his spoon, watching you with that same unreadable expression.
“i never thought we’d be here again,” he admits suddenly.
he exhales, tapping his spoon against the edge of the cup. “i imagined it, but…i never thought it’d actually happen. if we’d ever run into each other, if we’d still get along. if—” he pauses, then shakes his head, lips pressing into a wry smile. “just… a lot of ifs.”
your chest tightens. you know what he means.
“i thought about it too,” you confess. “but i always figured it was better not to dwell on it.”
namjoon huffs a soft laugh. “yeah. me too.”
the silence between you is thick with all the things left unsaid, the missed chances, the roads you both chose that led you away from each other. but there’s something warm underneath it, too. something familiar.
“i’m glad we’re here, though,” you say after a moment, offering him a small smile. “even if it took us a while.”
namjoon looks at you for a long moment, his gaze softer now.
and as you sit there, frozen yogurt melting between you, it doesn’t feel like a second chance. not yet. but maybe, it’s the start of something new.
namjoon snorts, leaning back against the booth. “yeah.”
he shrugs. “it wasn’t good. but we both knew it wasn’t working. i think we held on longer than we should have because of nabi.”
you nod, stirring your spoon through your yogurt. “she’s lucky to have you.”
namjoon smiles at that, but there’s something wistful in his eyes. “thanks. i try. even when i have no clue what i’m doing.”
you chuckle. “that’s parenting, right?”
he huffs a laugh. “yeah. pretty much.” then, after a beat, he asks, “what about you?”
you glance up. “what about me?”
you shake your head. “no. came close, once, but… it didn’t work out.”
namjoon watches you carefully. “why not?”
you exhale, resting your spoon against the cup. “i think… i think a part of me was always looking for something that felt like this.” you motion between the two of you, then laugh softly. “not us, exactly. just… the way it used to be.”
he doesn’t say anything right away, just looks at you with something unreadable in his expression.
“it wasn’t always easy,” he says after a moment.
you smile faintly. “no. but it was real.”
namjoon swallows, looking down at his yogurt. “yeah. it was.”
for a while, neither of you speak. the shop is quiet, save for the soft hum of music overhead and the occasional laughter from a group near the counter.
then, namjoon shifts, leaning forward, arms resting against the table. “you ever think about what would’ve happened if we hadn’t…” he trails off, searching for the right word.
“fallen apart?” you supply.
he chuckles, though there’s no real humor in it. “yeah.”
you sigh, tracing the rim of your cup with your finger. “sometimes. but it doesn’t change anything.”
“no,” he agrees. “but it’s nice to wonder.”
you look at him then, really look at him, and for a moment, it feels like being seventeen again. like you’re sitting across from the boy who once knew every piece of you. who kissed you like you were his whole world. who touched you like you were a piece of art in a museum. who looked at you like you hung the stars in his sky.
but you’re not seventeen. and he’s not just namjoon from high school. he’s a father now, a man who’s lived a whole life without you in it.
and yet, somehow, you’re here.
“yeah,” you murmur, smiling just a little. “it is.”
namjoon watches you for a beat longer, then leans back, exhaling like he’s letting go of something.
“you wanna get out of here?” he asks. “go for a drive?”
you raise an eyebrow. “right now?”
and maybe it’s reckless. maybe it’s a bad idea. but when you nod and grab your coat, following him out into the cool night air, it feels like the only choice you were ever meant to make.
you and namjoon are back in the car, the hum of the engine mixing with the soft sound of the radio playing in the background. the night air is cool through the open windows, but the familiar hum of his car feels comforting, like nothing ever really changed. he’s driving aimlessly, the road stretching out before you, but neither of you seems in any hurry to get anywhere.
“you know,” namjoon says suddenly, breaking the silence, “we never really had closure, did we?”
you glance at him, the streetlights casting fleeting shadows over his face. his expression is thoughtful, almost distant, as though he’s still figuring out the words.
“we had the end, didn’t we?” you reply softly, leaning back against the headrest.
namjoon sighs, his grip on the steering wheel tightening for a moment before he relaxes. “yeah. but not the kind of closure i wanted.” he pauses, glancing at you. “not the kind that would let me move on.”
you’re silent for a few moments, letting the words settle between you. there’s no easy way to answer that. the truth is, you’ve never really moved on either. not completely. not when every time you thought you had, something about him or the way things were came rushing back.
“namjoon, i—” you start, but the words don’t come out right. you don’t know how to say it without it all sounding like some kind of apology, like it’s something you both need to fix.
he interrupts you gently. “i’m not asking you to fix anything. i just… i miss us. i’ve missed us.”
your chest tightens at that, the sincerity in his voice reaching deep into you. the old longing resurfaces. something that’s been quietly there under everything all these years, and you’ve tried so hard not to admit it.
the car slows, and namjoon pulls off onto a quiet road that you don’t quite recognize. he parks on the side, the headlights casting long shadows against the empty street.
namjoon kills the engine, and suddenly, the quiet between you is thick with something unspoken. it’s almost too much, too fragile, like if either of you spoke, the moment would shatter.
“nabi,” namjoon says after a beat, his voice softer. “i think it would be good for her. you and her.”
you turn your head to look at him, caught off guard. “what do you mean?”
he hesitates for a moment before speaking again, his hands gripping the steering wheel in a way that suggests how much he means it. “i know you’re not the same person you were when we were younger. but seeing you again… i think it would be good for nabi, you know? you’re perfect with kids. and i’ve seen how you are with her, how gentle and patient you are. it would be good for her to have someone like you in her life.”
his words hang in the air, and you feel a rush of warmth flood your chest. you hadn’t expected this, hadn’t realized how much he still saw in you.
“but more than that,” namjoon adds, his gaze softer now, “i just… i want to try again. not just for her, but for us. i think we could make it work, for her and for us. i want to give it a real chance. i think we both deserve that.”
you stare at him, your heart pounding in your chest. you’ve been through so much, both of you, and yet here he is, asking you to try again. the weight of it is almost too much, but there’s a sweetness in his eyes, a sincerity that makes your heart ache in all the right ways.
“you know i’ve missed you, right?” you whisper, your voice barely audible.
namjoon nods, his thumb tracing the edge of the steering wheel. “i think i’ve missed you more than i realized. and i think nabi would be lucky to have someone like you around.” he glances over at you, his voice turning quieter, more intimate. “i don’t want to go back to how things were. but i want to go forward. with you.”
you’re silent for a moment, letting the truth of his words settle over you. it’s so easy to say no, to protect yourself from the hurt, from the uncertainty. but it’s also so easy to say yes, to step forward into something that feels both familiar and new.
“i want to try too,” you say, your voice steady despite the storm inside you. “i really do.”
namjoon smiles, his relief visible in the way his shoulders relax, the tension leaving his face. he leans over the console, his eyes searching yours, and then gently cups your face with both hands, his touch warm and tender.
you’re suddenly hyper-aware of the space between you, the closeness of him now almost overwhelming. the car feels too small, too intimate, but you can’t bring yourself to pull away. his eyes flicker between your lips and your eyes, as though asking for permission, silently waiting for you to decide.
“i—” he starts softly, his voice low, “can i kiss you?”
your heart races, and the question feels like a formality, something he already knows the answer to, but you nod anyway. it feels like you’ve been waiting for this moment for so long, and now it’s finally here, so much sweeter than you imagined.
namjoon leans in slowly, giving you every chance to pull back if you want to. but you don’t. you don’t want to. you meet him halfway, your lips brushing against his gently at first, like a question neither of you has answered until now. and when it deepens, when you both let go of the hesitation that’s kept you apart all this time, it feels like coming home.
the kiss is soft but filled with everything unspoken between you, a promise of what could be. it’s sweet, it’s messy, and it’s everything you’ve both been holding back for far too long. when he pulls back just enough to look at you again, there’s a look in his eyes that makes your heart flutter.
“thank you,” namjoon whispers, brushing his thumb across your cheek. “for giving us a chance.”
you smile at him, your forehead resting against his, and for the first time in a long time, you feel like maybe, just maybe, everything’s going to be okay.