“Are you happy?”

Chaeyoung’s brows shot up in surprise at Mrs. Jeon’s sudden question. It was just after supper time and Mrs. Jeon and Chaeyoung were standing side-by-side in front of the sink, washing the dishes while the rest of the Jeons continued to play with the children at the orphanage. The sink was situated right in front of the kitchen counter, providing a clear view of the main living area, where Mr. Jeon was dressed up as Santa Clause and handing out presents he’d apparently prepared months ago.

“Sorry,” Mrs. Jeon smiled at Chaeyoung as she continued rinsing the dishes, “I don’t mean to pry, but I’m just curious.”

“Happy?” Chaeyoung mused about the word for a second, her eyes fixated on the soapy water, “that’s a hard question to answer.”

“It’s actually a very simple question, honey,” Mrs. Jeon replied gently.

Just then, the sound of shrill laughter followed by excited screams tore Chaeyoung’s attention from the dishes towards where Jungkook was play-wrestling with dozens of children, gently pushing them onto the couch as they clung to his body.

Chaeyoung’s eyes softened as she watched, “I’m happy right now.”

Mrs. Jeon followed her gaze and laughed lightly, “Jungkook is too.”

Chaeyoung chuckled as they continued to watch the children overpowering Jungkook to the point where he was lying on the floor pretending to be dead, “ya, it looks like he’s having a good time.”

“I don’t mean just right now, Chaeyoung. This whole Christmas, he’s been the happiest I’ve ever seen him. It’s a complete contrast to last Christmas when he barely spoke 3 sentences the entire time.”

Chaeyoung’s eyes began to tear up as memories of last winter when they’d broken up flooded her mind, “I’m sorry.”

Mrs. Jeon smiled at her warmly, “it’s not your fault. I know you were both looking out for each other’s best interests. You were young and trying to fulfill your dreams. And that worked out pretty well, I mean you’re both very famous and well-payed singers. When you work so hard and put your career above everything else, you eventually achieve what you sought out for… but the problem is all the things you lose along the way. All the things you thought you could do without.”

At that point, Chaeyoung’s tears were freely streaming down her face as every word Mrs. Jeon spoke rang true to her. Last winter was a critical point in both their careers with Blackpink embarking on their first world tour while BTS was plastered all over the media for the Oscar they’d just won. Instead of celebrating these successes together, Chaeyoung and Jungkook had tearfully agreed to end their relationship. Back then, their jobs and their groupmates meant everything to them. They’d worked so incredibly hard to get to where they were that they just couldn’t risk news of their relationship ruining everything. But now that a year had passed, their careers successful and their bank accounts full, why was it that Chaeyoung couldn’t confidently state that she was happy? Why was it that despite the achievements they’d accomplished this year, this was the happiest Jungkook’s mother had ever seen him?

Chaeyoung knew, as she considered all this, that the truest happiness she’d ever felt was loving Jungkook while knowing that he loved her back. She would give anything to experience that irreplaceable feeling again.

“But it’s too late, Mrs. Jeon,” she turned the tap off and covered her face with her hands as she sobbed, causing Mrs. Jeon to pull her into her warm embrace, “he’s already moved on.”

Mrs. Jeon scoffed at that, patting her back gently, “no he hasn’t.”

“No, I saw him with another girl. I think he’s in a new relationship,” Chaeyoung sniffled, her words muffled against Mrs. Jeon’s shoulder.

“Well then he needs to end it right now, because the way he looks at you alone is enough to be considered cheating.”

Chaeyoung laughed through her sobs, starting to feel better in Mrs. Jeon’s comforting embrace, but a big part of her still confused about everything.

“Trust me, Chaeyoung. I know my son,” Mrs. Jeon whispered as they pulled apart, “he hasn’t spent a single day not loving you.”

<><><>

“That’s not how you wrap a present!” Chaeyoung exclaimed, half-amused and half-concerned, as she watched Jungkook cut several tiny pieces of wrapping paper and tape them around the gifts he’d bought earlier that day.

They had just arrived at his house after spending hours playing and eating with the children at the orphanage. Chaeyoung had an incredible time giving out an endless supply of hugs, helping Mrs. Jeon make hot chocolate, playing board games, and teaching the children dance moves with Jungkook. For the majority of the night she’d tried to avoid Jungkook, because she needed alone time to think about Mrs. Jeon’s words and she clearly couldn’t control herself around him.

But, she couldn’t avoid him any longer now that they were cooped up together in his room to finish wrapping their last-minute gifts wh