It would be a lie to say that Jeon Jungkook didn't have an interest in her and it certainly didn't help that all of his coworkers kept teasing him and intentionally allocating him to work with her for placement. In fact, they'd started taking bets about whether he'll finally make a move before the end of the year. Mostly everyone in his office said no, knowing he was shy.

Jeon Jungkook tried it ignore his feelings for a long time, trying to convince himself that the automatic smile across his face whenever he'd hear her voice was nothing but admiration. Or maybe it was that he'd find himself blushing whenever they were in the same vicinity, which he blamed on the weather.

But Jeon Jungkook started to realise that he needed to do something when he was called to his supervisor's office one day.

"Jungkook, do you know why I called you here?" Kim Seokjin, questions him as he closes the door and takes a seat in front of him.

Jeon Jungkook shakes his head, "... no sir."

"Some of the people in the office have told me that you fancy one of the foster mums," he explains, which automatically makes the younger male's face turn bright red.

He opens his mouth to protest, but is a little caught off guard to even articulate words too.

"You know, there are no rules against dating," the older male explains, "... and we'd love to see you happy. If you're worried about getting in trouble, then you shouldn't. You can date freely."

Jeon Jungkook feels even more embarrassed, at the words.

"Who knows, maybe one day you guys could be parents too. You shouldn't just do good work for others."

-

Jeon Jungkook's crush wasn't instant (although admittedly, he was taken aback at the fact that a young, single and very attractive woman was a foster parent) but quickly grew the more they saw each other.

When they'd first met, he was surprised to see someone his age welcoming him at the door. He assumed it was the foster care parent's biological daughter, but when he asked to talk to "Mrs. Park" he was treated with an accented "That would be me, and it's Miss, but you can call me Chaeyoung."

Even now he wonders how it was possible that his heart skipped a beat, as she welcomed him inside and invited him for coffee because she had a lot of questions about being a first-time foster care parent. She asked him whether there was anything she should've prepared in advance, but he'd find out that she'd gone far and beyond already including safe-proofing the house, a clean bedroom, sanitary products, snacks, clean clothes etc. Jeon Jungkook admits it put his heart at ease, knowing that a child was in good hands until they'd find a permanent home.

But his crush on her intensely grew one day when he dropped off one of the children who were severely neglected. The young child barely spoke, had bruises all over her skin and was shaking. Furthermore, the girl had head lice all over her hair and clothes.

But when Jeon Jungkook notified her that the girl was in particularly bad condition and that the specialised salon that usually handled things wasn't available for another day, he watched as she nodded and smiled.

"It's okay, cancel the appointment and leave it to me," she replied, and he watched as she rushed to her bathroom and pulled out a couple of packs of lice medicine and a brush, "... I'll make it a girl's night with her."

The rain was particularly hard that day and she'd told him to wait till it died down, but even from the living room he could hear her caring tone as she spoke softly to the girl as brushed through her hair, speaking words of affirmation while singing softly. By the time the rain stopped, the girl who barely spoke a word in the car was giggling loudly. When he notified her that he was leaving, she quickly rushed out and sent him a hot chocolate, telling him to stay out of the rain.

It was at that moment that he knew she was special.

She had a special place too in her heart.

-

Jeon Jungkook decides to ask her out.

It happens when he meets her again, as the adoptive parents of the girl she looked after come to pick her up.

He notices that the girl was radiant, hair in pig tails and clearly well looked after. Park Chaeyoung stands beside her, holding back tears in her eyes, but when the time comes, she bends over and tells the young girl to be good and to live well. The pair have a silent prayer before the girl meets her forever home. When the girl leaves, it's only then that he turns to see Park Chaeyoung with tears running down her cheek.

"This is always the hardest part," she pouts, "... but I'm glad."

"You looked after her well," he responds, "... she seemed so happy."

She simply nods, "... thank you."

Just as he was about to leave, it rains.

Park Chaeyoung chuckles and looks at him, "... seems like you have bad luck. Do you want to wait inside with a hot chocolate?"

He thinks she's wrong.

If anything, he's lucky that the rain came so that he has a reason to speak to her more.

He learns that she's an elementary teacher at a school nearby from his place and that she's an overseas graduate.

When the rain stops, she looks out at the window.

"There's always sunshine after rain."

It's then and there that he asks her on a date, saying that he wanted to pay her back for the "two hot chocolates."

She giggles.

"I'm free on weekends and I like to eat pasta."