Jimin's short stay at Namjoon's mansion ended when Joeun asked him to send her to the airport. Without much question, Jimin gathered his stuff and Mari's stuff that she left when she went home with Hoseok. He tried his best to fold Mari's clothes and belonging without Joeun knowing. Knowing Joeun for almost a decade, Jimin knows that Joeun is not someone who can tolerate jealousy. 

The drive to Gimpo airport was filled with light conversations and laughter. Jimin glances at his smart watch once in a while. Noticing Jimin's behaviour that sometimes distracted him from their conversation, he glanced down at his watch as if waiting for a notification. 

"Are you waiting for someone to text you?" Joeun crossed her arms, totally disliking the idea of Jimin not focusing on her. 

"Oh, it's nothing," He replied nonchalantly. 

"I knew that you've been taking care of that Mari girl," Joeun spat as she grunted in annoyance. 

"W-what? How do you know this?" Jimin asked as his face started to lose its colour. Joeun just shook her head in annoyance as she looked out at the scenery. It is not like he will be losing her because of a young girl like Mari. They've been together for many years. Knowing Jimin, she was sure he would never even glance at Mari in normal circumstances. 

"I know everything about you, Jimin. I don't understand why you would do stupid things like taking care of a pregnant teenager under your care," Joeun sighed as she looked at Jimin's face. Jimin tightened his grip on his steering as he continued to drive his car. Based on her intonation, he could tell that she was disliking it. Disliking that he was taking care of Mari. 

"Did you know that she is the fill-in-bride?"

"Fill-in-bride?" 

"The one that walked down the alter with me on the day that was supposed to be our wedding," 

"..." Unable to be in another fight with Jimin, she shut shut as she looked out at the scenery. 

Mari was half asleep in the back seat of Hoseok's car as they headed back to Seoul. She had been sleepy for the past few weeks. Pregnancy fatigue hit her hard. Is pregnancy supposed to be this hard? She winced slightly as the baby in her tummy kicked the lower part of her lung. Suddenly, her phone rang, and an unknown number was displayed on her screen.

"Hello?" She picked up the phone with hesitation. 

"Mari-ah~! Is Jimin with you right now? He didn't pick up his phone," Mari took some time to recognize the voice from the other side of the call. 

"Omma?" She asked in hesitation. It was just a random guess, but relief washed over her when the woman on the other side hummed when she called Omma. 

"Luckily, I got your number. It's okay. Can you come over to my house right now?"  

"R-right now? But, Omma, Jimin is not around," She replied innocently. 

"It's okay if he's not around. Can you come over?" 

"S-sure, I'll be there in an hour," Mari stuttered as she replied. The older woman hung up her phone when Mari agreed to come over to her house. Mari then asked Hoseok to drop her off at Jimin's mother's house. Hoseok didn't asked a lot, and he obediently sent Mari to Miss Min Yewon or Jimin's mother's house. The mansion that she only went to once. 

"My daughter-in-law~!" Yewon greeted as she opened the gate for Mari. 

"Omma, how are you?" Mari bowed her head respectfully to the mother-in-law. 

"I'm good. The last time we met each other was two months ago right?" Yewon's words cut short when her eyes saw the baby bump. She gasped as she cover with the palm of her hand in shock. Her eyes doubled in size as she gasped as pulled Mari into a hug. "You're pregnant? My dear?" 

"Y-yes," Mari cursed at the back of her mind. Things might be more complicated if his parents think this baby belongs to Jimin. 

"Oh my goodness, I am going to be a grandmother?!?!" She asked, squeezing Mari in her embracement. Yewon, her eyes filled with affection, spoke softly, "Mari, dear, this news about the baby is such a delight! Let's go in. I wanted to introduce you to my friends. Today is  my husband's birthday, so we're having a little feast right now, and suddenly, I remembered that I didn't invite Jimin," 

"Thank you for inviting me and Jimin," Mari muttered lowly. 

"Everyone, let me introduce you guys to my daughter-in-law, Kwon Mari," Yewon announced proudly as she guided Mari through her friends and shook hands with every one of them. Yewon's radiant smile softened, and she placed a hand on Mari's arm; her gestures were affectionate.  The middle age woman proudly told everyone that she was going to be a grandmother soon, and everyone could not help but to congratulate her and be happy for her, which caused Mari to feel uncomfortable inside. Mari excused herself from the crowd once her mother-in-law was distracted by her friends. 

Securing herself in a space away from the crowd, Mari found a quiet spot and dialled Jimin’s number. He was driving to the airport with Joeun and didn't answer Mari's calls, rejecting them a couple of times. As more people arrived at her mother-in-law's grand mansion to celebrate Mr Min's birthday, Mari couldn't help but feel a bit isolated.

"Mari-ah! Come here! My dear, take a seat and eat something," Yewon called out, noticing Mari heading to the lawn where the birthday party was underway. Seated between Jimin's stepbrother, Min Yoongi, and Jimin's half-sister, Min Yuna, it was the first time she had met Yuna. As Jimin rarely shared much about his family, getting to know Yuna, she could see the resemblance between her and Jimin.

"How old are you, Yuna-shi?" Mari tried to start a conversation.

"I'm 15 this year," Yuna replied with a shy smile.

"Did you come to our wedding a few months ago? I don't think we had a chance to talk," Mari asked.

"No, I didn't attend. Suga-oppa and I were in Switzerland for skiing," Yuna replied innocently. Mari exchanged a few light conversations with Yuna about her schools and interest. 

As the conversation hit an awkward pause, Yoongi turned to Mari, pointing at her belly, "How far along are you?"

"Six months," Mari replied casually, not dwelling on the complexity of her situation.

Yoongi's words, however, struck a chord. "So you walked down the aisle with a baby in your belly? I didn't think Jimin would do that. He's usually so respectful. I can't believe he’d get you pregnant before marriage."

Mari smiled awkwardly, realizing she should not have come. It might complicate things further. The truth was that her child wasn't Jimin's. Knowing Jimin’s respectful boundaries, the realization hit her that he had never crossed those lines.

"Mari-ah, can you help me? Can you go to the kitchen and ask the maid to bring out more dessert to the table?" Yewon asked, appearing at the table.

"Sure, Omma. I'll inform the staff," Mari replied before heading to the kitchen, bustling with waitresses and maids preparing food for the guests.

After the reminders, Mari went back to the lawn to check on the buffet table, ensuring everything was in order. "Omma, I’ll ask the butler to bring out more wine for you and your friends. Is that okay?" she inquired, noticing the dwindling wine supply.

"Thank you, my dear," Yewon responded, giving Mari a brief side hug before returning to her guests. Mari continued shuttling between the kitchen and the lawn, assisting the staff.

Meanwhile, Jimin, having just seen Joy off at the airport, finally opened the messages sent by his mother. She attached a picture of Mari arranging food trays, describing her as an "angel sent by God." Speeding to the mansion, he arrived in less than an hour, moving through the house like a gust of wind, appearing rushed. Yewon stood up as she saw Jimin heading to the lawn.

"Everyone, this is my son—" Yewon started to introduce him to her friends, but Jimin passed by without much attention.

"Mari-shi, why are you here?" Jimin asked, perplexed.

"It's your stepfather's birthday," Mari replied with a smile, happy to see Jimin's face after hours of not meeting him.

"Why are you doing all this work?" Jimin inquired, attempting to keep his composure. Sensing his unease, Mari slowly put down the food tray she was holding and swiftly offered him a plate filled with dessert.

"Come here, I know you haven't eaten yet," Mari said, taking Jimin's hand and guiding him into the mansion, away from the guests. Jimin sighed, following her penguin-like steps.

Settling in a secluded area of the mansion, Mari sat down on the sofa, patting the seat beside her, inviting Jimin to join her. He rolled his eyes, smiling at the adorable sight of the pregnant lady in her loose pants and pink jumper.

"You didn't change your clothes?" Jimin chuckled.

"No, I rushed here. Do I smell bad?" Mari teased, sniffing her jumper.

"You do," Jimin laughed, settling beside her.

In the midst of their playful banter, Jimin's attention briefly wandered, taking in the beauty of the celebration, but his gaze inevitably returned to Mari, lingering with a warmth that spoke volumes. "You look stunning in that pink jumper and loose pants," he remarked, his voice soft and laced with admiration.

Mari chuckled, her cheeks colouring faintly at the unexpected praise. "If you ever met me before I was pregnant, I could guarantee that I am a hundred times better looking than I am now," she joked, leaning back into the plush couch, a playful glint in her eye.

"Oh yeah? I don't believe you," Jimin teased, inching closer, his face mirroring his playful demeanour.

In a teasing move, Mari playfully pushed Jimin's forehead away as he leaned in close. His forehead gently rested against her cheek, a sudden and affectionate gesture that caused a flutter in Mari's heart. Trying to maintain her composure, she requested, "Jimin-shi, can you make some space for me? Aren't we too close right now?"

"Why?" Jimin's voice was laced with humour as he remained close, his forehead resting against Mari's cheek.

"Just give me some space," Mari chuckled, pushing his forehead away playfully. "I just know my little baby boy doesn't like other men touching his mother."

Jimin raised an eyebrow, propping his elbow on the sofa's headrest, his gaze fixed on Mari's face. "Is that so?" he queried, his eyes reflecting a mix of amusement and tenderness.

"Yeah, I already told my baby that if anybody ever tried to touch me, he should punch them in the face," Mari laughed, a mix of jest and genuine protectiveness. She then lightened the mood, "Don't worry, Jimin-shi. In just another 15 weeks, he'll be out, and you don't have to be my guardian anymore." Her fingers gently caressed her baby bump.

"15 weeks?" Jimin echoed softly, the realization of time passing hitting him.

"Yeah, I'm sure it felt long to you. But I think the baby might arrive at least two weeks earlier," Mari mentioned, her words causing Jimin to gaze at her, a silent understanding dawning upon him, realizing that what once seemed an extended period now felt too short. His gaze drifted from her bump to her face, the concern evident in his eyes.

As emotions began to well up within him, Jimin felt a mixture of worry, relief, and a strange pang of sadness at the thought of Mari giving birth. Unable to articulate his emotions, he softly asked, "Mari-shi, can I hug you right now?" His gaze held a mix of vulnerability and a desire to protect her, his concern for her and their unborn child evident in his eyes.

Before Mari could respond, Jimin gently enveloped her in a warm embrace. Like before, he rested his forehead against her cheek, seeking comfort in their closeness on the plush sofa.

"I wish you a safe delivery. I can't bear to imagine it yet, but please, be safe, Mari-shi," he whispered, his eyes closing as he inhaled her natural scent, a comforting aroma that always seemed pleasant to him despite her lack of fragrances. His worry for her safety, the unknowns of the future, and the desire for her well-being were wrapped in the quiet embrace. 

"Jimin-shi, it's not like I'm giving birth tomorrow. You're overreacting," Mari tilted her face upward as a pool of tears started to form at the bottom lid of her eyes. "So, Jimin-shi, don't let me rely too much on you. I appreciate your help so far, but this has to stop, right? I'm just a temporary fill-in wife, and I think it's time for you to be honest with your mother." 

"What are you talking about?" Jimin asked as he tightened his arm around Mari. "I want you to rely on me. Just rely on me, Mari-shi. Let's not talk about this for the time being. I don't think I have a solution to it yet," Mari nodded her head; parting with a person you had lived with for the past months is not easy. Of course, he would feel sad; she, too, felt sad thinking that she'd be parting ways with Jimin.

"Gosh~! You guys should at least go to the guest room if you guys want to ," Yoongi appeared into the space as he accidentally passed by the solemn family hall. 

"Yoongi-shi, don't be jealous. Omma wants to see you get married. She told everyone something might have gone wrong with you; better go to Omma and make her stop talking about it," Mari jokes as she, too, wraps her arm around Jimin with a proud smirk on her face, as if showing off to Yoongi. 

"You're lucky that you're my sister-in-law, or else, I'm going to pull your hair," Yoongi replied as he walked away from the space, followed by Yuna, who was making two thumbs up to Mari. 

"So, have you guys decided on this baby's name?" Yuna asked shyly. She rarely talked to Jimin as she didn't grow up with Jimin around. Hence, it is not easy to make conversation with him because Jimin rarely pays a visit to their family's house. Jimin looked at his sister with a gentle face. 

"I wanted to name him Doyeon or Junyeong," He replied as he let go of Mari from his embracement, and now, his fingers brushed tenderly over her baby bump. Mari shook her head as she looked at Jimin. 

"I wanted to name him Jiyong with my surname, Kwon. His name will be Kwon Jiyong, exactly like G-Dragon," Mari said with a proud smile, which caused Jimin to shake his head. "Oh, I like that!" Yuna cheered before she took a few steps closer to Mari. 

"You want to feel the baby?"  Jimin asked. Yuna nodded; for the first time, she talked more than one sentence to Jimin. Mari just smiled as the young girl kneeled in front of her and touched her baby bump. Even though the bump was not big, it was visible, and the movement of the baby could be felt.  

"Hello, there. I'm Min Yuna, your aunty," Yuna whispered shyly to the tummy before she stood up and went away.  "Jimin-oppa, congratulations," She added before going out of the family hall, leaving Mari and Jimin to be alone again. Jimin held his breath as he nodded his head to Yuna. In that silence, suddenly, Mari burst out crying. 

"Why?" Jimin panicked when he saw Mari sobbing beside him. 

"Everyone is congratulating me and excited for the baby to come out. But..." Tears flew down her flawless face as she looked at Jimin with guilt. Now, it will be harder for them to clear out the misunderstanding. 

"Let's go home right now. I think you're too tired," Jimin said as he stood up, helping Mari to stand up from the sofa. Jimin inhaled deeply as he pulled Mari into another hug, trying to calm the crying woman. He pulled her face, hid it at the nook of his neck, and patted her back as she continued to cry. It was he who put her into such a difficult position. He was the one who made her lie to her grandmother and his family. "I'm sorry, it's my fault," He sighed as he continued to pat Mari's back until she calmed down.