Jinyoung trails behind Jaebeom as they walk into JYP’s office together. They received a cryptic message from him early in the morning, and had been quick to make their way over to the JYP building as soon as possible.

What are we doing here? Jinyoung asks with his eyes as they seat themselves in front of the desk.

Jaebeom raises his eyebrows slightly and almost imperceptibly shrugs. No idea. Hopefully it's nothing bad.

Jinyoung sighs and nods. I wish he would say something.

He gets the smallest of smiles from Jaebeom in return. Be patient, Jinyoungie.

Indeed, JYP has been observing their wordless conversation in silence, and Jinyoung feels a little uncomfortable. After a stretch, JYP finally asks, “How would you two feel about releasing a new album?”

Jaebeom glances at Jinyoung, and finds that he looks just as puzzled as Jaebeom feels. “That – would be fine?” Jaebeom finally replies, trying not to sound too bewildered. “But shouldn’t the whole group be here for this?”

“I’m not talking about GOT7,” JYP says, straight to the point. “I’m asking how you two feel about having a comeback as JJ Project.”

For a few long moments, there’s nothing but silence. Jaebeom meets Jinyoung’s gaze and sees his own emotions reflected back: confusion, shock, amazement. And among those emotions, Jaebeom finds the only possible answer already waiting in Jinyoung’s eyes.

“Yes,” he blurts out, answering for both of them before JYP can do something like take it back. “Yes, we’d love that.”

“Great!” JYP immediately launches into an explanation on how they’ll have a lot of freedom to do what they want with this album, to come up with the concept for the comeback, to write and compose their own songs.

But Jaebeom is only half-listening, because on the other side of the desk, his hand is busy finding Jinyoung’s and squeezing tightly. He glances at Jinyoung quickly and their gazes meet again for a fleeting second, their smiles still a little disbelieving but also giddy with excitement. After all these years, they’re back where they started.

And it feels like coming home.