"Is she alright?" Taehyung inquired of the family doctor who had made a sudden visit to Taehyung's family home in response to the distressing incident. The doctor sighed, his gaze shifting to the lady lying unconscious on the king-sized bed. "Did something happen to her earlier?"

"She was crying too hard just now," Taehyung admitted, lowering his voice to ensure his father and grandfather remained oblivious to their conversation. The doctor nodded understandingly and explained, "Her oxygen is low, probably due to prolonged crying, while her heartbeat has increased. I've fitted her with an oxygen mask, and the nurse will closely monitor her. Once her blood pressure, heartbeat, and oxygen levels stabilize, she'll regain consciousness. Don't worry," the doctor reassured before leaving the room.

Left alone with Mari, Taehyung's gaze lingered on her flushed face, the aftermath of her prolonged tears. Her eyelids were slightly swollen from the emotional ordeal. Taehyung ran a hand through his hair in frustration. Earlier that morning, his father had informed him that he knew Mari's whereabouts and intended to bring her back. After careful consideration, Taehyung had decided to visit Mari's house himself, revealing to her grandmother the truth about the baby in her womb and clearing Jimin's name. Little did he anticipate the extent of the turmoil that would unfold.

The room, adorned with the lavish surroundings typical of Taehyung's family home, felt sombre. The sterile scent of the medical equipment contrasted sharply with the elegance of the furnishings. Taehyung remained by Mari's side, caught in a whirlwind of emotions—regret, frustration, and concern etched across his features. As he observed Mari's unconscious form, he couldn't help but feel a sense of responsibility for the chain of events that had unfolded, inadvertently causing Mari's distress. He knows that he already become such a douche to Mari for denying the baby and trapping her to be a filled-in bride for Jimin. But now, their situation had escalated to a level beyond his ability to solve it. 

Jimin dragged his luggage through the entrance of his opulent condominium. The spacious living area, adorned with lavish furnishings, now felt alien and devoid of the warmth he had grown accustomed to at Mari's grandmother's house. The absence of the comforting aroma of home-cooked meals and the faint scent of old mothballs left the luxurious condo feeling impersonal.

Sighing heavily, Jimin collapsed onto his white fluffy couch, his gaze fixated on the dangling chandelier overhead. The emptiness of his mind contrasted sharply with the grandeur of his surroundings. The truth had unfolded sooner than he expected. Mari's words echoed in his head – "Jimin-shi if you're too tired, you can just go back to your home." Now, he was home, but it offered no solace.

Feeling a surge of discomfort, Jimin abruptly rose from the couch, pulling out his phone to dial Taehyung's number. The need to ensure Mari's well-being gnawed at him.

"Taehyung-ah!" Jimin's voice called out anxiously as soon as Taehyung answered.

"Hmmm, Jimin-ah," Taehyung responded, his tone subdued.

"Where is Mari? She hasn't replied to any of my messages. Is everything okay?" Jimin's worry was palpable, his concern for Mari evident in his voice.

"She's sleeping right now."

"Really? It's pretty early—"

"She was tired from crying. So, she's resting right now."

"Did she eat her dinner? Make sure she didn't skip any meals, or else her blood—"

"I know, Jimin-ah. She's fine. Don't worry. I wanted to thank you for taking good care of her this far, but now, you should let her go. You are the reason Joeun spilt everything about this pregnancy to my father. Now, you should go back to your previous life and remain loyal to Joy." Taehyung's words dripped with suppressed anger and frustration, reflecting the turmoil of his own emotions. Now, he is trapped in a thing called commitment and marriage. Something that he vowed to never commit in his life. His grandfather threatened to remove him from the family registry if he didn't bring Mari home with him today. The call ended abruptly, leaving Jimin staring at his phone, puzzled by Taehyung's unexpected outburst. 

Jimin looks at the blank screen. He could not understand the anger that Taehyung was expressing just now.  Jimin stared at his phone for a few minutes, contemplating whether he should really move forward and tell the truth about his marriage to his mother. Or should he remain silent and carry on? It would probably be better if his family didn't know about Mari's real situation, as he knows their complicated relationship is difficult for people to understand. Maybe this is the right ending for him and Mari. At least her child is now acknowledged by his biological father. 

"Mari-shi, are you okay?" Taehyung asked after he rushed back to the room when the nurse told him that she was awake. His eye was searching for hers, but Mari kept her eyes low as she stared at her hand blankly. 

"Mari-shi, what would you want to eat for dinner? I'll ask the maid to prepare it for you," Taehyung asked another question after the failed attempt to make her talk earlier.

"Porridge? Or short rib stew? Kimchi fried rice?" 

"... ," 

"Or, fried egg? Grilled beef? Steak?" 

"... ,"

"Yah!!! Now, you're mute? Yah! Do you know what kind of trouble that you had brought me into?" Taehyung yelled in anger as all of his questions were ignored by Mari. 

Taehyung's frustration intensified as he glared at Mari, who seemed utterly unfazed by his words. He ruffled his hair in exasperation, a visible expression of his internal turmoil.

The tension escalated when his father entered the room, observing Taehyung's evident frustration. "She didn't want to eat?" his father inquired, diverting his attention to Mari.

"No," Taehyung sighed, shaking his head in resignation.

His father approached Mari with a paternal concern, attempting to bridge the gap. "Aigo, my dear. Mari-ah, what if your baby is hungry? Just tell me what you want to eat," he urged, sitting beside Mari, who remained stoic. "From today onward, you should call me Dad. We are going to be a family soon."

Mari, however, maintained her silence, neither acknowledging nor reacting to the attempts to engage her. Her unmoved demeanour only fueled Taehyung's frustration.

"See, she does not even budge to look at you," Taehyung exclaimed, his agitation reaching its peak. He stormed out of the room, unable to tolerate the silent standoff any longer. As he left, he couldn't help but wonder how Jimin had endured Mari's unresponsive behaviour. The stark contrast to Mari's usual lively self perplexed and irritated Taehyung even more. 

A few hours later, 

Mari walked out of the room when she received a call from her best friend, Yubin. It turns out Taehyung called Yubin, asking her to help him make Mari at least eat something today. She walked to the living room of the luxurious condominium, and a bitter smile made it on her face when she saw Yubin waiting for her in the living room. 

"Mari-ah! Taehyung-oppa told me that you're moving into his house," 

"Yeah...," 

"I heard everything from Namjoon-oppa and Taehyung-oppa. I'm sorry that you have to go through this," 

"My grandma... she was so dis-" 

"Mari-ah, everything is going to be okay. Just let her cool down a little bit, and let's take care of this silly baby first," Yubin smiled as she hugged Mari tightly. 

"Don't call my baby a silly baby," Mari stated as she saw a teasing smile appear on Yubin's face. 

"Yah! I always heard you talking about the silly baby and his silly daddy on your phone." Yubin nudged Mari's elbow with her elbow. "And now, I finally know the silly daddy is actually Kim Taehyung. I didn't know that you had that kind of relationship with my brother's friend. I felt bad for introducing you to work at Hoseok-oppa's cafe," 

"What happened to me is totally my own fault," Mari looked down at her hand as she touched her bulging tummy. Yubin sighed as she nodded her head. Taehyung's father and grandfather walked to the living room with warm smiles on their face. Not wanting to scare Mari away. Hence, they put up their most welcoming face for her. Taehyung already told them a couple of times, that Mari was brought here to their luxurious condominium out of her willingness. 

"Mari-ah, Yubin-ah, let go to the dining room and eat dinner together with us. That little baby in your tummy needs to eat too," Kim Gunwook, the grandfather of Taehyung, said as he guided Yubin and Mari to their dining hall, where multiple Korean dishes spread out across the table. 

"Yubin told me you always eat Korean food for dinner and rarely eat alone. So, from this day onwards, Grandpa will eat with you," Gunwook added as he smiled at his new family member. Mari just nodded her head without saying much as she sat down at one of the chairs at the huge table. Yubin sat beside Mari and kept the dining hall atmosphere lively with her nonstop chatter. Taehyung's father, Kim Taeho, joins the dinner session with Mari, Yubin and his father, Kim Gunwook. Even though the dinner session was a little bit less awkward because of Yubin, Mari still remained distant and just ate without making much noise. 

"My dear, Mari. Tomorrow, I want you to register your marriage with Taehyung. Taehyung told me you're just 14 weeks away. I think it is best to register the marriage now before you deliver the baby," Taeho said, finally talking about his intention after a few hours of pondering when is the right time to talk to her about this. 

"Do I have to marry him?" Mari asked as she put down her utensils. 

"Do you hate my son that much, Mari?" 

"I'm sorry, sir. But he didn't want this baby when I begged for his responsibility. He denied this baby. I don't think I can marry a man who hates me and my baby," 

"My dear... I'm sorry if he hurt you. You know, Taehyung was not born into a perfect family. I was young when he was born. I was busy with my work, and so was my wife. I barely have time for my family, so, my wife and I were divorced when he was 3 years old. He's been growing up alone because of me, which is why he didn't want to have kids. Because he was afraid that the kid would grow up like him," Kim Taeho stated, his face gloomed over his bitter past.

He was not the best father to Kim Taehyung, but every day of his life, he tried his best to be a better father to his son. But due to his hectic schedule and work responsibilities, he only got to meet his son for less than 5 minutes each day, and by the time he got home, Taehyung was already tight asleep. Once Taehyung turned into a teenager, that's when their relationship got worse as Taehyung started to rebel and express his emotions harshly. He thought leaving Taehyung to ponder on his emotions until his rebellious age was done was a better approach, but it made his son feel lonely and left out while growing up. The dinner ended shortly after Kim Taeho expressed his regret about raising Taehyung as a single father.   

The next day,

Taehyung and Mari succeeded in registering their marriage with the help of Mr. Seo, Taehyung's family's lawyer. Taehyung took out his phone, took a picture of his marriage registration form and sent it to his father as proof that he did as he told. A frown formed on Taehyung's face as he looked down at his phone. His father makes another ridiculous instruction. 

", my father booked a photography session and wanted us to take some decent wedding photos. I don't think this is necessary. I never even looked at my parents' wedding picture. Why would this kid want to see our wedding picture anyway? Let me warn you Kwon Mari, our marriage will not stay," He blabbered as he crossed his arms in annoyance.  On the other hand, Mari didn't say anything and just looked at the passing scenery through the car's window. She gave up. She didn't have a say in her life anymore. Does she have any choice right now? She's already legally married to Kim Taehyung, and there's no turning back. 

Before long, both of them arrived at a wedding studio where married couples usually go to take their wedding photos. Mari was brought to a changing room and changed into a long-sleeved wedding gown that was suitable for a pregnant lady. Her face was then decorated with make-up, enhancing her beautiful face and round eyes.  Her glowing, pinkish skin makes her look innocent while wearing a white wedding gown.

"Why is it taking so long to dress her up?" Taehyung sighed as he got ready in front of the camera. 

"Sorry, the bride is here!!" The make-up artist came while guiding Mari into the studio. Taehyung was about to spit some angry words before he turned his head to look at her. Gulping his saliva, his eyes moved from her face down to her bulging tummy that was now covered underneath the white wedding gown. He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. She looks ethereal in those simple wedding gowns.

"Now, bride and groom, can you guys look forward and smile?" the photographer instructed, adjusting the lighting to capture the perfect shot. Mari and Taehyung stood side by side, but the tension between them was palpable. Mari, in her wedding gown, tried to muster a polite smile, but her eyes betrayed the underlying unease. Taehyung, standing tall and imposing, wore an insincere grin, a stark contrast to the romantic atmosphere the photographer aimed to create.

After the formal straight poses, the photographer, sensing the need to add a personal touch, suggested highlighting the baby bump. Mari hesitated, her hand subconsciously resting on her burgeoning belly as if to shield it from the intrusive lens.

"No, that's enough," Mari stated, her voice a mixture of weariness and resistance to the growing intrusion into her personal life. Taehyung, however, disregarded her plea, insisting, "Sure, can you take a few maternity pictures? So maybe this child, at least, will think he existed out of our burning love."

Taehyung, standing behind Mari, took the opportunity to wrap his arm around her, placing his hand gently on her tummy. His touch, though intended to be affectionate, felt more like a possessive claim. He whispered into her ear, "Smile, wifey~," his words carrying an undercurrent of mockery.

"Nice!! Can we do another pose? Can the groom kneel down and kiss the baby bump?" the photographer suggested, hoping to capture a moment of tenderness. Taehyung, reluctantly complying, knelt in front of Mari. As he planted a kiss on her tummy, there was a subtle shift in Mari's expression. Feeling a kick from inside, Taehyung lifted his head to look at her, excitement replacing the usual indifference.

"He's kicking, right?" he asked, genuine enthusiasm replacing his earlier insincerity.

"Yeah," Mari winced at the movement, her hand instinctively protecting the unborn child. "Son... can you kick more?" Taehyung playfully addressed her tummy, attempting to mask the underlying tension with humour.

"Let me put my ear on your tummy. I want to hear him," Taehyung said with genuine excitement, eager to connect with his unborn child. Mari, still guarded, allowed him to lean in, their interactions captured by the watchful lens.

"Nice!!! Both of you look good in the pictures," the photographer praised as the two-hour photography session concluded, the frozen moments hiding the complex emotions and unspoken conflicts between the newlyweds.

Jimin went to his office with an unkempt appearance. He barely got any sleep last night. His mind wanders off to the thought of Mari giving birth in the nearest time and Joeun's intention when she tells everything about the pregnancy to Taehyung's father. He walked into his office like a soulless body, causing his colleagues to look at him in wonder. 

It had been a while since they had seen him in that state. Since the news of his wife's pregnancy spread across the entire floor of the building, he always came to the office while looking cheerful and organised. But today, it was a total opposite of his usual appearance for the last four months. 

"Bro? Is there anything wrong at home?" Seokjin walked into Jimin's office as curiosity ate him. Jimin rarely looks like this. 

"I got kicked out of home," Jimin muttered. 

"What!?! What did you do?" Seokjin gasped as he sat on the chair before Jimin's table. 

"Lie... ?" 

"Bro, lying was a very dangerous thing to do when you are married. You're putting your marriage at stake right now," Seokjin shook his head as he sighed before adding "It's okay. Today, bring home a bouquet of flowers. She'll forgive you in an instant," Seokjin smiled warmly before making his way to his office.

Jimin just nodded his head as he his desktop. His eyes were then directed to a picture frame beside his computer. It was the recent ultrasound picture of Mari's baby. It had become a routine to make a morning call check to Mari after he sent her to her campus or as soon as he arrived at his office. Now, those responsibilities do not belong to him anymore. He took out his phone and opened the gallery of his phone. 

It was filled with pictures of Mari eating the food that she craves, especially at the short rib restaurant. He scrolled down the picture gallery, only to discover more pictures of Kwon Mari that he had taken without him remembering it. A picture of Mari hugging her grandma in their small kitchen is a picture that makes him smile at the same time, feel sad.  Without thinking much, he dialled for Mari's number. 

"Hello? Mari-shi?"

"Jimin-shi?" 

"Mari-shi, how are you today?" 

"Jimin-shi... I miss you," She replied shortly before the call ended. Jimin looks at the blank screen of his phone, while his brain is processing her words. Did he hear her right? Did she miss him? Should he go to her now? Jimin blinks his eyes a couple of times.