Present Day
22-Years-Old

"Yoongs!"

Aera barreled into Yoongi's studio without even bothering to knock. To her surprise, two other people looked over at her at the same time Yoongi did.

"Aera? Is everything okay?"

"Uh, yeah. I just...needed to talk to you."

"Okay... Can it wait a few minutes?"

"It's pretty urgent."

Yoongi glanced up at the other man and woman standing in the room. "Um, would it be okay if I talked to my fiancee for just a second?"

"FIANCEE?!"

Aera jumped as the woman screeched. Yoongi scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, uh, did I forget to mention I'm engaged now?"

"Um, yes! You did!"

"Sorry," Yoongi said sheepishly, though he smiled slightly.

The woman turned to Aera. "And you're the fiancee?"

Aera smiled an awkward smile. "Yeah, that's me."

"It's lovely to meet you! Aera, was it?"

"Yeah."

The woman snatched up Aera's hand and shook it excitedly. "I always figured Yoongi was a perpetual bachelor!"

Yoongi's cheeks went pink behind her. "A, this is my boss, Lee Nari."

"Hello," Aera said, trying not to bounce on the spot as Nari continue to shake her hand furiously.

"He calls you 'A'?! Oh my god, that's adorable!"

"Uh, thanks?" Aera was still unsure of what to do, as she felt very awkward.

"I'm so sorry," Nari suddenly said. "Yoongi, this is so exciting! But I'm sorry, you needed to talk to him! Go on, go on! We can come back!" She then grabbed the other man's arm and pulled him out of Yoongi's studio.

Aera stood, slightly stunned. Yoongi chuckled at her reaction.

"Sorry about her," he said. "We've worked together for a few years now and know each other pretty well. I'll never hear the end of it that I didn't tell her immediately that I was engaged."

"Sorry," Aera said sheepishly. "I didn't mean to interrupt – "

"It's okay," Yoongi assured her. "Is everything alright, though?"

"Um, I have some forms I need you to fill out. As soon as possible, if you can."

"Forms?"

Aera handed them to him. Yoongi looked them over, then looked at Aera again.

"Y-You...want me to adopt Jungkook, too?" he asked quietly.

"Well...yeah."

"I..." Yoongi didn't know what to say. He felt simultaneously honored, scared, excited and anxious.

"Do you... Do you want to?"

"Well, yeah, of course." Yoongi looked down at the forms again. "I mean, it's kinda scary. But..."

"But?"

"I love him."

A fond smile spread across Aera's face. "Then you need to fill out your application as soon as possible. I'll fill out this one and then we both can sign it."

"Okay," Yoongi said. "I'll take you to an office where you can work on yours. I have to finish up this meeting I was having, but then I'll work on my form here. Does that all sound okay?"

"Yeah, of course," Aera said. "I just want to get these back to the caseworker quickly. She said that as soon as she has them, she'll deliver them directly to the judge to attach them to my application."

"Well then, c'mon, let's get to it!"

Yoongi stood and took Aera's hand. He squeezed it, then bent down and kissed her cheek. Then, he peeked his head out of the studio and saw Nari and the man that had also been in their meeting standing a ways away. "Nari," he said as he waved her over.

"Aera and I have some really important paperwork we need to fill out. I'm going to finish up this meeting with you two, then work on my stuff in here. In the meantime, can Aera use your office to fill out her stuff?"

"Oh my god, of course!" Nari exclaimed. "Here, Aera, I'll show you to my office!"

Aera followed Nari to a very large, very nice office. "You can sit here at this table," she said, gesturing to a coffee table in front of a couch. "Or, if it's more comfortable, feel free to use my desk!"

"Thank you so much," Aera said. "I really appreciate this."

"Of course! Yoongi's one, if not the most, of my favorite employees, you know. I'm happy to help him – and so also you – out!"

Aera bowed politely as Nari left the office. Then she settled down in the large chair behind the desk and began work on her form.

-

"I'm here!" Aera exclaimed as she knocked on Mrs. Kang's office door. "I have the forms!"

"Ms. Seong?"

Aera spun around. The judge from Jungkook's case was standing behind her.

"Oh! Hello, your honor."

"Hello," he replied conversationally. "I'm here because Mrs. Kang stated she needed me," he said as he gestured at her office. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"She knows I'm coming, but didn't know when," Aera told him. "I can certainly wait while you two do your business."

"Well, according to her, it has to do with you."

Aera blinked. "S-She already told you?"

"Told me what?"

"Oh, uh, nevermind."

The judge looked down at the papers in Aera's hand. "Is this about Jungkook?" he asked.

"Well... Um, yes, actually."

"May I?" he asked as he reached for the forms. Aera's eyes widened, but she didn't object as he pulled the papers from her hand.

He glanced over them and a small smile played at his lips. "Congratulations, Ms. Seong. I had no idea you were getting married."

"Thank you," Aera answered. "It's a pretty recent development."

"How did you meet your fiance?"

"We've actually been best friends for fifteen years," Aera admitted. "Everything just kind of fell into place for us to realize now that we love each other."

The judge raised an eyebrow. "Is this your character witness?" he asked as he held up Yoongi's application.

"Y-Yes, actually."

"I see. Well, fifteen years is a long time."

"Yes, it is, your honor. And I'm pretty sure I've loved him all along, since I was seven-years-old."

The judge smiled. "Well, if it's all the same to you, I'll take these. I'm assuming she wanted to see me regarding this situation anyway," he said, gesturing to Mrs. Kang's door.

"Um, that's okay with me," Aera answered. "I just wanted to make sure they ended up in the right hands in the end, and those hands are yours."

The judge nodded. "You'll be hearing from us soon, Ms. Seong. I can't promise what you'll hear, but rest assured, your questions will be answered."

Aera wasn't sure how the way he'd worded that made her feel, but it wasn't exactly 100% great. But still she bowed politely and nodded.

"Thank you, your honor."

-

Aera entered the daycare a couple of hours early. The director was at the front desk, and was surprised to see her.

"Hello, Ms. Seong. Are you here to check Jungkook out?"

"Yes," Aera confirmed. "I was off work today and figured I'd pick him up a bit early."

"I'll go get him," the director said.

Aera looked around as she waited. There were pictures and drawings all over the walls. She examined them all until she found a couple with Jungkook's name on them. To her delight, she saw one he'd drawn of three stick figures, two taller ones on either side of a shorter one, all holding hands. 'Momey' was written above one. 'Dadey' above the other. And 'Me' above the one in the middle. Happy tears filled Aera's eyes as she grinned at the picture.

"Mommy!"

Aera turned to see the daycare director open the child gate to allow Jungkook to run to Aera. He threw himself at her, and Aera laughed.

"Don't knock me over, Jungkookie!" she said as she picked him up.

"Mommy! I wan' go pway wif you!"

"Well, lucky for you, we're going to the park! How does that sound?"

Jungkook threw his hands over his head. "Yay!"

"I love this drawing, Jungkookie," Aera said, pointing to the one of her, Yoongi and Jungkook. Jungkook looked away shyly. "It's beautiful. Do you think we could hang it on the wall at home?"

"'Kay," Jungkook replied quietly.

Aera grinned. "Okay, let's go to the park."

"Yay!"