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Chapter Text

"What should we do now?" Jungkook asked nervously. Taehyung didn't respond.

The two of them had been walking with Yeontan. Jungkook had only gone along because he was bored and had too much energy. He could have worked out at the gym, of course, but he needed a change of pace, and Yeontan was just too cute.

The walk took about 15 minutes. During that time, someone had left an infant in front of the house.

There was a baby seat there. It was black, and the sunshade was pulled up so that no sunlight could shine in. A light purple blanket sticking out of it was much too warm for the weather. A small foot was sticking out from under the blanket. The infant's shoe seemed to be on the wrong foot and looked more like a slipper.

Yeontan was curious and wanted to get closer to the baby seat, but his owner held him back.

Jungkook still looked nervous. They had never experienced anything like this before. Who should they call? Where was the mother? How could she leave the child out here?

Tae was the first to react. Without thinking twice, he handed the leash of the miniature Spitz to the tattooed man and walked toward the baby seat. He knelt down in front of it, pushing the sunshade back a little to get a better view.

Inside was a toddler. Since Tae was bad at estimating ages, he left it at that. In any case, the toddler didn't look like it had just been born. That relieved him. If the toddler were still a newborn, abandoning it would have been cruel.

The toddler's black hair was messy, and its red eyes looked like they had been rubbed after crying. Speaking of eyes, huge brown eyes stared at the idol as if he were a saint. A white pacifier with a moon and star image on it was in the toddler's mouth.

Tae ran through several possibilities in his head, thinking about the smartest way to handle the situation. But at that moment, his mind went blank.

The idol knew little about children, let alone infants. His mind was racing. Calling the police would be the smartest thing to do, but then the public would find out. That was something their manager wanted to avoid.

Who else was in the house? Namjoon was in the studio with Yoongi, and Hobi was with the choreographers. That left only Jin and Jimin in the house. Jimin was probably in his room, and Jin was probably preparing dinner.

Tae grabbed the baby seat and unlocked the door using his fingerprint. The door opened, and a pleasant scent greeted them immediately. Neither of the two young men could identify the scent exactly.

Without taking off his shoes, Taehyung ran into the kitchen. He was still holding the baby seat. Jin looked up to reprimand the newcomer for not removing his shoes. However, when he saw Tae standing in front of him with the baby seat, he was more than confused. "Explain this, Tae," Jin demanded, putting the knife aside.

While Jin was getting the whole story from Tae, the baby lay quietly in his car seat. Meanwhile, Yeontan had befriended the baby. He stayed close to the car seat and rested.

The infant had to get used to the new environment first. It was much warmer here than where it had been before. Before, it had been in front of the front door. The six-month-old baby had no memory of that place.

It remembered the warmth of the person with whom it had spent a lot of time. But that warmth was gone and would probably never return.

At least, that's how the baby felt at that moment.

Jin nodded to show Tae that he understood. "Understood" was the wrong word for it, though. He couldn't fathom how someone could just leave their baby in front of a door.

His gaze wandered to the baby seat. No one had taken the baby out yet. Maybe they were afraid of hurting the baby or were still too shocked by the news.

Oh, goodness! They didn't even know the baby's gender.

With that thought, Jin stood up and approached the baby. Jungkook looked up. "What are we going to do now? Should we call the police or the manager? Should we wait for the others? Namjoon hyung should decide," he blurted out, seeming to grow increasingly nervous. Why weren't the others here? They had just found a baby!

Tae didn't answer, but watched the oldest as he sat down in front of the baby seat. Yeontan immediately lifted his head and looked at the big man. He seemed to be thinking about what to do, but he didn't bark. Instead, he laid his head back down.

Jin was also stared at by big brown eyes. His hair was still messy, so Jin gently stroked it straight. The pacifier in the infant's mouth moved faster. Jin noticed and became slightly nervous, but he didn't know what to do. So, he acted instinctively.

The black-haired man slowly pulled the purple blanket off the baby. The infant was wearing a red romper with short sleeves. "That's too warm," Jin muttered as he opened the buckle of the baby seat. The baby started playing with the straps. The pacifier in its mouth moved more calmly. This relieved the idol immensely.

"Well, let's see what you are, then," Jin said, smiling as he slowly opened the baby's bodysuit.

++++

When Namjoon and Yoongi drove through the estate's gate—Yoongi was driving, not Namjoon—they weren't expecting to see the house's lights still on. They also didn't expect to see Manager Kim Sejin's car in the courtyard.

"Do you think something happened?" Namjoon asked his colleague, a rapper, as he unbuckled his seatbelt and parked. The last time Manager Sejin had come to see them so late was when Jimin's phone number had been leaked. To this day, no one knew who leaked it. Had another number been leaked? Or had information about their private lives been published?

From the beginning, they had been told that certain things should not be made public. Such as relationships.

That's why Namjoon had a bad feeling when he entered the house.

What he hadn't expected was finding Hobi walking slowly and lightly through the entrance. In his arms was a baby screaming his heart out.

That was certainly not on his bingo card for this year.

Where did this child come from? As if he could read Namjoon's mind, Yoongi asked this question out loud. "Where did the child come from, Hobi?" He sounded incredibly tired, but wasn't he always?

The dancer in front of them laughed softly and lifted the child so he could hold it better. "Tae and Kookie found her at the door. This is Mijoo,” he said, introducing the child as if he were her uncle. He turned around so the other two rappers could see the baby clearly. The baby calmed down a little and tried to look at the two newcomers. Her eyes were red and bloodshot.

But before anyone could say anything, Jimin's voice rang out from the stairs. “We shouldn't give her a name because we probably won't keep her,” said Jimin calmly, who was surfing the internet on a tablet. When Hobi walked over to him and caught a glimpse of the open website, he laughed out loud. “You're telling me that while you're looking for baby stuff?” he asked, receiving a playful slap from the younger man in return. Hobi just kept laughing, still holding the little girl close to him.

Before Namjoon could really intervene, Manager Sejin stepped into the entrance area. “Come into the living room. We have some things to discuss,” the middle-aged man decided and disappeared down the hallway again. Jimin stood up and placed his tray on the dresser. “Now it's my turn to hold little Mijoo,” Jimin challenged the taller man, but he just laughed. "Nope! It's my turn to hold Mijoo. Besides, you already had her,“ Hobi argued, gently stroking the baby's head. ”Right, Mijoo? You want me to hold you, right? I'm your cool uncle!" 

“That's the second strangest thing I've ever seen here,” Yoongi muttered as he took off his shoes. Namjoon looked at him in confusion. “What's stranger than coming home and finding a baby here?” he asked, confused. 

Yoongi didn't respond to his question and went to the living room. Namjoon followed him a little later.

Chapter Text

Jin quickly realized there were many inconsistencies. For one thing, how could Mijoo have gotten to their door? They had a security fence, cameras, and security personnel around their property. How could they not have noticed a child left at their door?

Sejin spoke of a security breach that should not have existed. This scared Jin, even though he wasn't a fearful man—at least according to his own account.

"I've already spoken to an acquaintance in the police force. No child has been reported missing. If anything changes, they will contact me again," the man explained, adjusting his glasses.

No one was missing the little girl.

That broke his heart.

"I'll see that we find a place for the child as soon as possible—"
"Her name is Mijoo," Taehyung interrupted quietly, but everyone could hear him. Sejin stopped his explanation and looked at Taehyung.

"We'll find her parents, and then she'll leave. You can't keep her. We have to be realistic."

He was right that it would cause problems with her work as an idol, but Jin could see that his friends weren't ready for that. How quickly had they taken the little girl into their hearts?

The man seemed to be wrestling with himself. After a moment, he sighed. He ran his hand through his short black hair and closed his eyes briefly. His head dropped a little. After a minute, he raised his head again. His eyes were open, looking tired.

He looked at each of them. His gaze was serious. "Taking care of a child is something else entirely. It's an impulsive decision to think you can handle it," the manager explained. No one said a word.

Mijoo was sleeping peacefully in Hobi's arms. There was no trace of her earlier crying fit.

Then, Namjoon spoke up. "Sometimes, the best decisions are the impulsive ones," he said calmly. Jin's heart swelled. It made him happy that Joon wanted them there, too.

Sejin let out another sigh, as if she were still pondering the matter. "What do you do when you go to work or on tour? None of you really have family here in Seoul,” Sejin asked. Again, the leader answered him. "We'll figure it out. Somehow it'll work out."

Then, there was an exchange between Manager Sejin and the BTS leader. But Jin paid little attention to it. His gaze was fixed on Mijoo, full of concern.

++++

Manager Sejin left Mijoo with them for the night. He said he would contact them again tomorrow to let them know what would happen to the child. This reassured the group somewhat.

The rest of the evening passed peacefully. Little Mijoo stopped crying and enjoyed Jungkook's attempts to entertain her.

However, things did not remain peaceful.

"Where should Mijoo sleep?" Yoongi asked the all-important question as they sat together on the living room couch watching one of Jin's K-dramas.

They were sacred to him, and he insisted on watching his shows every night. No one was allowed to disturb him during this time, or—God forbid—watch anything else.

Mijoo was now sitting with Jimin, and her eyes were growing sleepier and sleepier. It was only a matter of time before she fell asleep. Jimin had held her during dinner and afterward. He only passed her on to Tae or Jin. The others still had to "prove themselves" before they could hold her.

But when Yoongi asked the question, it suddenly became quiet. A deafening silence ensued. Even Jin paused his series.

They hadn't thought about that. Where would baby Mijoo sleep? Certainly not in the living room. It got cold there at night, and she would wake up at every little noise.

The guest room was currently being used as a storage room and was uninhabitable. It was not a suitable place for a child. Besides, they couldn't clear it out quickly.

"Kookie is the only one with a room to himself," Hobi said, breaking the silence. He was right. It was one of the best solutions.

Jin was relieved. Jimin was somewhat relieved, too. Mijoo was in good hands because Jungkook would take the task seriously.

However, he did notice the slightly panicked looks between Tae and Kookie.

What had he missed?

++++

"Jin? Wake up,” Jungkook whispered in his bandmate's ear. Startled awake, Jin, who didn't know he was such a light sleeper, sat up straight in bed. His breathing was rapid, and his eyes darted around wildly, trying to make out Jungkook.

Jungkook stood in front of him, looking tired. In the dim light of his smartphone, Jin couldn't see much. Jungkook's hair was tousled, and light dark shadows had already formed under his eyes.

The older man glanced at the clock. It was 2:27 a.m., and the group had gone to bed three hours ago after putting Mijoo to bed. They all looked incredibly tired. Jimin was the first to fall asleep on the couch. No wonder, since he had held little Mijoo the longest. Shortly after that, they decided to go to sleep.

Although that was a bit of a lie. Yoongi and Joon were still working on a new hit.

Jin missed Joon, but he accepted that the work was important. After all, it was important for their new album. Still, a small part of Jin wanted to be selfish and have Namjoon all to himself. Was that wrong?

Now, Jungkook was standing in front of him in the middle of the night while Jin lay alone in bed, seeming desperate. With a strong push, he pushed his thoughts of Joon aside and pulled the blanket off. Jungkook mattered now, even if the feeling was strange.

"What happened, Kookie?" Jin asked quietly of the dark, dimly lit figure in front of him. His gaze fell briefly on the other bed in the room. Yoongi seemed to be sleeping peacefully. A good sign.

Jungkook began to speak in confused gibberish. The only word Jin understood was "Mijoo," as Jungkook often mentioned that name. The man sighed softly and slowly got up. "I'll check on her, okay? Take me to her," Jin whispered to the chick.

Jungkook nodded quickly and moved out of the room as quietly as he could. Jin followed him silently.

The bedside lamp was on in the room. It dimly illuminated the room. Jin did not want to see the mess in the room, and he could not see it anyway.

A travel cot for babies stood a short distance from Jungkook's bed. The 20-year-old collapsed into his bed, exhausted, as Jin approached the cot. He hoped the older man would take care of the baby because Kookie was tired. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to sleep.

Jin looked down at the infant.

Mijoo's eyes were red and puffy. She was only sniffling slightly, but Jin could tell that she had been crying earlier. Probably very badly.

When Jimin put her to bed earlier, she cried loudly but calmed down after a while. It must have been separation anxiety. After all, she had simply been put down, and the only person she had trusted up to that point had been taken away.

His gaze wandered to the tattooed man snoring in his bed. Sighing quietly, Jin turned back to Mijoo and lifted her out of her crib.

The whimpering stopped immediately. Mijoo's eyes were fixed on the man holding her. When she started to whimper again, Jin began to panic slightly. At first, he restlessly rocked the little creature back and forth, but it did little to help. Suddenly, he had a flash of inspiration. He had once seen his aunt calm his cousin with a song and put her to sleep.

He immediately wondered what song he could sing to Mijoo.

He quietly hummed random notes until he found the right song. In the end, he sang "Spring Day."

Mijoo calmed down again, and after a few moments, she clung to him. She held on so tightly that it was clear she didn't want to be let go.

Jin decided it was best to take her with him for the night.

When he turned off the bedside lamp, darkness surrounded him. Since he was holding Mijoo and his cell phone was in the other room, he had no choice but to find his way in the dark.

The hallway floor was cold. A shiver ran through the black-haired man immediately.

Luckily, we didn't let Mijoo sleep in the living room after all, Jin thought as he quietly walked down the hallway.

He paused briefly at one door. It was Tae and Namjoon's room. A faint light shone through the crack under the door.

Jin felt numb. Joon no longer came to his room. When the older boy went to sleep, he was alone because Joon either worked late or went to bed early. Whenever Jin asked him about it, Joon seemed caught red-handed. He always apologized several times and promised that things would change soon.

Was this what heartbreak felt like?

Should I knock on the door or just leave?

After much deliberation, he turned toward the door, raised his right hand, and clenched it into a fist. But he hesitated. He really wanted to knock and ask how he was doing, what he was up to, and if he wanted to sleep over. Kim Seokjin didn't dare confront his loved one.

When Mijoo stirred slightly in his arms, he knew nothing would happen tonight.

Silently, he went back to his room, careful not to wake Yoongi. He laid Mijoo down next to him. Although she whimpered briefly, she quickly calmed down when she realized that Jin was lying next to her.

At least one person is happy when I'm with her.

Chapter Text

Min Yoongi had experienced many strange things in this house with this group. In fact, he had even secretly kept a top five list of the strangest moments. Number two had happened just yesterday, and he would probably keep quiet about number one forever.

But when he opened his eyes and saw Mijoo preoccupied with herself, lying next to his head, it was a whole new level.

She looked like an angel. She was dressed in beige and wore a small bow in her hair. Her hair was neatly combed, and a small braid had been made. Her pacifier was no longer in her mouth—it had probably fallen out—and her lips were covered in drool, which ruined the "angel effect." Why did other people find that cute in babies?

Then, the most important question came to his mind: What was she doing here anyway? Shouldn't she be with Jungkook?

"Mm," Mijoo said as she looked at him. Her big brown eyes fixed on him. It was as if she had just noticed his presence. Without hesitation, Mijoo reached out her little hand toward his face.

Yoongi continued to watch her. He watched her, even when she became frustrated because she couldn't reach his face. Okay, she was kind of cute after all.

The door opened, and Jin entered the room. He was followed by the wonderful smell of breakfast. Or was it already lunch? The rapper didn't know what time it was.

"Oh, you're awake. Good morning, Yoongi," Jin said in surprise as he came over to Mijoo's bed and lifted her up. Without further ado, Yoongi got to the point. "Why was she in my bed? And why isn't she with Jungkook?" Jin laughed softly. "Jungkook gave her to me when she cried during the night and he couldn't sleep anymore," he explained, gently hugging Mijoo.

"I'm so sorry I woke you up and just handed her off to you, hyung!" Jungkook said quickly, tears welling up in his eyes. He felt guilty. Not only had he failed to deal with Mijoo himself, he had also dragged others into it. They must think he was a failure.

But Jin just laughed softly as he dressed Mijoo for the day. "It's not that bad, Kookie. That's what we're all here for: We're here to support each other. If you want, I can take care of Mijoo temporarily. She can sleep in Yoongi and my room,” Jin reassured the younger man, who breathed a sigh of relief.

Jungkook was still young, and he desperately needed his sleep. He had nothing against children.

A small smile appeared on Yoongi's face. "Well, if that's the case, then she can stay," the rapper said, turning onto his back. He rubbed his face with both hands to wake himself up.

Jin nodded happily. "Then come straight to breakfast," the taller one said cheerfully as he left the room with baby Mijoo.

Yoongi thought about it. This morning with Mijoo wouldn't be the strangest thing to happen in this house, but it would definitely be the cutest.

++++

Jung Hoseok was neither an idiot nor blind. He could sense the changes in the house and was fully aware that there were problems.

He noticed all the drama. He noticed the furtive glances that Kookie and Tae exchanged but never discussed, and he knew that his best brother, Yoongi, was in love with his drama accomplice. Anyone with eyes in their head could see it!

But Hobi didn't like this new drama developing. He didn't like it at all.

After all, he was the one who had played Cupid!

The main problem was Jin and Namjoon. They didn't seem to be in love. This bothered Hobi. Everything was different a few weeks ago. They were more stressed back then. The new album, "Love Yourself: Answer was in its final stages of completion. It would soon be announced and released. As inconspicuously as possible, Hobi strolled over to Jin and Mijoo. He made Mijoo laugh by pulling silly faces. "Have you talked to him?" Hobi asked cautiously. Jin, who had managed to hold Mijoo and finish preparing breakfast at the same time, glanced at Hobi briefly. "No," Jin replied curtly, urging Jungkook to set the table.

Hobi sighed softly. "It'll never work like this. You have to take action." Suddenly, Jin became angry and slammed the plate he was holding onto the table. "Why do I always have to do something when he can too?" He almost shouted, staring angrily at Hobi.

Mijoo squealed and kicked hard in Jin's arms. His gaze softened, almost apologetically, as he looked down at the little girl.

"I know he's capable, but I think Joon just doesn't realize it," Hobi said, trying to appease him. "That's why you have to take the first step. I know it's hard, but I don't want the group to break up, so fix it, okay? Okay?"

Before Jin could answer, the group's leader entered the room. "Sejin has come forward," he announced.

This caught the attention of everyone in the room. The alert members—Jin, Hobi, Jungkook, and Jimin—gathered around the dining table, ready to listen to their leader.

" Sejin hasn't been able to locate the mother. Let alone any family members, since we don't have a name,” Joon began, looking around the group. His gaze lingered on Jin and Mijoo. Somehow, he liked the picture. He just couldn't explain why. His gaze wandered away from the two of them. "He can't come by today to discuss how to proceed because he's busy, but he'll be in touch with us in the next few days. Mijoo will stay with us for now, and she will probably stay with us."

Jimin was the first to speak, and he was also the most excited. "Yay! All my orders weren't for nothing!" he exclaimed, performing a "happy dance." Hobi laughed and joined him, not recognizing the pattern of the movements.

Jin looked at the two of them with a smile and lifted Mijoo slightly. She cooed. Jungkook, who looked tired, managed to smile.

Joon smiled, too. He tried to catch Jin's eye, but he wasn't looking at him. After watching the boys, Jin turned his gaze to Mijoo. He felt a slight, unexplainable twinge in his heart.

After breakfast, Mijoo lay on the couch. Next to her was the large stuffed animal that made panting noises and occasionally barked. It was soft and fluffy, similar to the stuffed animal Mijoo had before. It was similar to the stuffed animal Mijoo had before. Only this one moved.

The little girl stroked the creature, unaware that it was a dog. Mijoo was a little moody because the moving stuffed animal was moving.

She missed the warmth the creature had previously radiated and moved to seek it out. Although she couldn't crawl yet, she mainly moved by rolling.

She rolled over once. When she tried to roll over again, she was suddenly grabbed and lifted up. "You have to be careful, Mijoo! You almost fell,” a man said in a panicked voice. Mijoo became moody and started whining. She just wanted to reach the stuffed animal!

She closed her eyes and started to cry. The person took her in their arms and tried to calm her down by humming softly. At first, Mijoo wanted to protest, but she stopped.

She recognized the scent. It smelled like the room where she was supposed to sleep. Somehow, it was soothing. After just a few moments, she calmed down. Her small, chubby hands clung to the man's shirt. Her whining gradually subsided, and she became peaceful and calm.

Mijoo listened to the sound of the man's heartbeat. It was soothing. She squirmed briefly in his arms when she heard a loud noise coming from the large device that she didn't recognize as a television. The image she saw was colorful. It was so colorful that it slightly overwhelmed her. She immediately turned her head away and rested it on the man's chest.

Suddenly, her head felt incredibly heavy, and her limbs grew tired. The idea of a nap sounded tempting. Maybe she could just close her eyes for a moment.

Another person entered the room, but Mijoo was too tired to lift her head and see who it was.

"If you want, I can take her and put her in her crib." "No, it's okay. I'll keep her with me and take care of her," said the man holding her. Mijoo recognized him because his voice caused a slight vibration on her forehead. "Are you sure, Kookie? I can take care of her, too,” the other man said again. There was a brief silence. Mijoo felt her head being gently stroked. She sank further into the embrace, feeling herself falling asleep.

"I want to hold her a little longer. I'll take good care of her, hyung."

Chapter Text

Things changed quickly, and Mijoo found people who became important to her.

Jungkook, in particular, became important to her. This was not only because she was staying in his room, but also because she felt very safe with him. The same was true of Tae because he was always around Jungkook and her. So this change was only natural for her. 

Jin was important to her too, but more as someone who took care of her when neither Jungkook nor Tae were home. She had a neutral relationship with Namjoon. He was only allowed to watch her under strict supervision because everyone was afraid he might drop her. 

Jimin spoiled her a lot, and he was happy to do so. Yesterday, the first items from his huge order arrived, and he dressed Mijoo up like a doll. Mijoo didn't complain; she just let it happen. Yoongi was good for quiet moments and brought her a certain calm.

Hobi immediately took on the role of the "funny uncle." He always tried to keep Mijoo's spirits up, but it was rarely useful. 

In general, the roles were well distributed, and everyone seemed happy with theirs.

Jungkook played a special role in little Mijoo's life, and he probably had the most contact with her. When he wasn't around, the little girl became moody. Then, only Taehyung or Hobi could usually calm her down. Even Jin had trouble keeping her quiet.

It quickly became apparent that Mijoo loved music. She fell asleep to "Spring Day" and laughed and wiggled wildly to other songs, such as "Not Today," "Dope," and "Fire." "Mic Drop" evoked mixed feelings in her. When it was "too loud," she became restless and whined. However, when it was "quieter," she enjoyed the song. 

Hobi proudly called her the best little dancer in the world. Mijoo didn't understand a word of it, but she always laughed about it. 

It was unexpected, but it happened. One morning, Jimin woke her up, helped her get dressed, and took her to breakfast. She was served sweet porridge that Jin had cooked. But it was difficult.

Whenever Jimin held out a spoonful of porridge, she turned away as if she were looking for someone else. As if she were looking for Jungkook. Or Tae. Jimin smiled at her and softly spoke her name. "Mijoo. We can play in a minute, but first, we have to eat something.” The blond-haired man tried to calm her down, but she quickly started whining again. 

Jimin looked at his phone. He was the only one in the house at the moment. Jungkook had left for a photo shoot; Hobi, Taehyung, and Jin were at an interview; and Yoongi and Namjoon were in the studio. 

Since he was the only one available, Jimin was tasked with taking care of Mijoo. It wasn't a difficult task, but he hadn't expected such a change in her mood. 

Lost in thought, he shook his head. No, he would manage without help. After all, he wanted to be Mijoo's favorite uncle!

++++

Park Jimin experienced three nervous breakdowns, two escape attempts, and five failed attempts to put Mijoo down for a nap. She screamed loudly when it was time to lie down; she was exhausted. Music didn't calm her down. 

Park Jimin took out his cell phone and dialed Jungkook's number. Maybe the younger one could calm the little girl down. Jimin was exhausted.

He didn't dislike Mijoo; he just didn't know what else to do. 

In fact, it took several rings before Jungkook answered. There were many voices in the background. "Hey, hyung, what's up?" the unsuspecting Jungkook asked quickly, seeming to move away from the crowd. Jimin's gaze wandered briefly to Mijoo, who was, fortunately, already asleep again. 

"You have to come home, Kookie. Mijoo is really cute, but she's also very moody right now. I think she misses you,” Jimin added and waited for Jungkook to respond. There was silence on the other end. Jungkook seemed to be thinking.

"What about the others?" he asked. Apparently, he was looking for alternatives. Jimin snorted. "Yoongi and Namjoon aren't answering their phones. The interview will go on for a while. Are you coming now?” Jimin asked quietly but angrily. He didn't want to wake the little girl under any circumstances.

Silence returned. "Jungkook?" Jimin asked again, trying not to sound irritated. After another pause, Jimin wondered if he could punch Jungkook, even though they were far apart. The logical answer was no.

The next thing Jimin heard was the beep announcing that Jungkook had ended the call. The young man cursed quietly, getting angry at his bandmate. 

Then, his gaze fell back on Mijoo, who was still asleep. She was lying on the couch, covered up, with a pacifier in her mouth. He would survive the afternoon somehow. Somehow.

++++

Half an hour later, the front door opened and slammed shut quickly but not loudly. Jimin heard someone throw their shoes into the corner, followed by something else falling on the floor. 

Mijoo was awake again. She was whining and fussing. Jimin held her in his arms and walked up and down to calm her down. She should go back to sleep. One of the parenting books he had read said sleep was very important at this stage of life.

Suddenly, he heard quick footsteps and someone enter the room, slightly out of breath. When Jimin turned around, he was shocked to see the youngest member of their group, to say the least. 

Jungkook came straight up to the older man and motioned for him to hand over Mijoo. Annoyed by the sudden interruption of his phone call and without thinking, Jimin handed Mijoo to him. 

She continued to whine a little. Jungkook picked her up again and changed her position so that she would be more comfortable. "Hello, Mijoo. Are you tired? Oh, yes, you're so tired," he cooed in her ear, smiling gently. Mijoo's whining briefly turned into crying before turning back into whining, which then became quieter and quieter. 

Jungkook rocked her gently back and forth. Her red, swollen eyes grew smaller. The whimpering stopped completely, and the only sound was the sucking of her pacifier.

Jimin watched the whole thing with confusion and a hint of jealousy. Mijoo hadn't fallen asleep so easily with him. The two of them seemed to have a special relationship that the others couldn't replicate.

"I came as fast as I could," Jungkook apologized. Jimin tried to make sense of it all. 

Did Jungkook push him away just to get here faster? Honestly, Jimin hadn't expected that. Meanwhile, he thought Jungkook wanted to shirk his responsibility. 

He did indeed return, and he had hurried. Jimin's gaze rested on the two of them as he sat down on the couch and watched them silently. If Mijoo ever had to leave, it would be especially hard on the two of them.

++++

A few hours later, Manager Sejin was sitting in his office, staring at his computer.

Three days had passed since the incident with the child, and the parents had still not been located. My God! The child hadn't even been reported missing! It was truly terrible. The thought that the parents had most likely voluntarily left their child somewhere was unbearable. 

One question the manager asked himself was how the parents managed to leave the child in front of the band's door. Everything was monitored by video surveillance, and there were security guards. The house was also protected by a surrounding wall to ensure the idols' privacy. This also saved him work. How else could he explain to the Army that two of their favorite idols were in a gay relationship?

The video tapes from the day of the drop-off were checked. Unfortunately, the tapes were incomplete. The security system was being serviced that day, so nothing could be seen except V and Jungkook leaving the house. According to their statements, the baby must have been left there after they left. 

V and Jungkook left the house at 6:40 p.m. for a short walk with Yeontan, V's dog. Two minutes later, Jimin left the house briefly through the front door to go to the garage, where he got something from his car. A security guard approached him and offered to help carry it. Two minutes later, at 6:44 p.m., Jimin reentered the house and closed the door. 

"You know, Sejin-ssi, we're all very fond of Mijoo. Jungkook, in particular, is crazy about her. I don't mean to question your decisions, but wouldn't it be a good idea to let Mijoo stay with us? Either one of us could be there for her, or you could hire someone to look after her. Wouldn't that be a good idea?"

Sejin sighed. Unfortunately, Namjoon was a great speaker and knew exactly what he was talking about. Maybe he was right. Perhaps he should leave Mijoo with them after all. But first, he wanted to find her parents and get some answers.

A knock on the door snapped him out of his thoughts. He sat up and glanced at his screen. The details for the release of the new BTS album, Love Yourself: Answer, as well as the email correspondence between him and the marketing department, who were supposed to present and promote the album on social media.

Everything was secure, and it looked like he had been working.

"Come in," he said to the guest knocking on the door. 

Mr. Choi entered through the door. He was a slender, middle-aged man who wore thick glasses and was always very neatly dressed. Sejin didn't have much to do with him. 

"Is there something important? I'm busy," Sejin said, trying to end the conversation quickly. 

The man nodded. "Yes, well, My neighbor's sister..." the man began, sounding hesitant.  Sejjin interrupted him quickly. "If she wants the nanny position, she has to apply officially," Sejin explained, turning back to the computer. "No, that's not what I mean," the man said firmly. Sejin looked at him, somewhat surprised. "Then what?"

"My neighbor's sister has a child the same age as the child found at Bts. She visited my neighbor yesterday without the child,” the man explained. Sejin looked at him in confusion for a moment. “What are you trying to tell me?” "I believe my neighbor's sister is the mother."

Chapter Text

The next day, it was Jin's turn to look after Mijoo. Jimin had appointments, so Jin called in sick. Unlike Jimin, Jin was a pro. Mijoo was particularly cuddly that day, snuggling up to the oldest member of the boy band.

Maybe it was because of the weather. It was very cloudy, with intermittent rain. Mijoo seemed to really feel the bad weather. She pressed herself close to the older man, grumbling at every seemingly unnecessary movement. But it hardly bothered Jin. 

He was busy doing the laundry because he was in charge of it that week. Meanwhile, Mijoo lay a little further away from him in the hallway on her play mat, which Jimin had bought for her. 

She held a teething ring in her little hands. Of course, she didn't really know what it was. But she could hold and bite it. She decided it was useful. Yeontan was lying next to her, keeping a close eye on her. He was crazy about her. Wherever she went, he went too. He tried hard to take good care of her. For the past few days, he had gotten into the habit of sleeping in the room with the little girl and Jungkook. He was surprised, though, when his owner and father Tae sometimes came into their room at night to sleep there, too.

Whenever Mijoo threw something away, Yeontan would get up and fetch it for her. He really enjoyed it. 

Mijoo laughed a lot and cuddled up to the dog, too. 

Jin kept looking over at them and smiling. Hearing Mijoo laugh seemed to make him forget his worries about his relationship with Namjoon.

++++

Meanwhile, Manager Kim Sejin rang the doorbell of a house on the other side of Seoul. It wasn't a wealthy neighborhood, but a middle-class one. 

The front yard was mostly stones, yet it still looked inviting. Mr. Choi waited in the car behind him, unwilling to get out. Perhaps he didn't want to be remembered "negatively" in future meetings.

The door opened less than five minutes later. A woman in her late twenties appeared. Sejin tried to take a closer look at her to compare her to Mijoo, but he couldn't help but notice how tired she looked. Her eyes were dull, and she had large, dark circles under them. Her hair was slightly messy, and her clothes weren't quite as clean as usual. 

Sejin cleared his throat. "Hello. My name is Kim Sejin. I'm from HYBE Entertainment, and I have a few questions for you. You are Ms. Lee, right?” He asked, not giving up hope that he had finally found the mother. The woman looked him over briefly, nodded, and let him in. 

"It's not tidy," she commented dryly. She walked silently down the hallway before turning into a room. 

Sejin watched her, then entered and quickly closed the door behind him. The entrance area was really messy. It was also slightly dirty. Without meaning to, Sejin judged the woman, grateful that Mijoo hadn't grown up in such a household.

Sejin followed her into the room where she had disappeared. It was a living room. A side table was covered with plates, glasses, cups, and a packet of pills. 

There was a pillow and a blanket on the sofa. Piles of clothes were next to it.

Sejin sat on the part of the sofa that wasn't covered while Mrs. Lee sat on the blanket.

"So? What do you want?" Mrs. Lee asked almost impatiently. She didn't even bother to feign hospitality, but Sejin accepted it silently. 

"Almost a week ago, a six-month-old baby was left on the doorstep of one of our bands," Sejin began, watching the woman's movements. She paused briefly, then continued. 

"We're currently looking for the parents to reunite the girl with her family. Thanks to a tip we received, we know that they also recently had a child of this age. That's why we believe—"

"So you think I'm the heartless mother who gave her child away?" Mrs. Lee barked at him. She rocked her right leg back and forth and fidgeted wildly with her fingers. After laughing dryly for a moment, tears of rage ran down her cheeks. 

Mrs. Lee ran her hand through her hair several times and shook her head. "I'm not the mother. I would never be that cold and sick.”

Sejin tilted her head slightly and watched the outburst.

"Besides, my baby, my wonderful, beloved baby, was a boy. Not a girl,” the woman added.

Sejin paused.

Was? Her baby was a boy?

"What happened, if I may ask?" Sejin asked calmly, not wanting to upset her further. He reached into his jacket pocket, took out a handkerchief, and handed it to her.

The woman quietly accepted it and used it, thanking him. Then she paused for a moment.

“Do you know what sudden infant death syndrome is?”

His stomach turned. "My condolences," Sejin said. The woman fell silent.

He deeply regretted any negative thoughts he had had about the woman or the state of her home. 

To prove that she had really had a son, she showed the manager the old nursery. Nothing in that room had changed since she lost the child. 

Before Sejin left the house, Mrs. Lee spoke to him one last time.

"But what about this child now? What about the girl?"

Sejin thought for a moment. "She's in good hands where she is right now."

++++

At the same time, a young woman was sitting there who had actually come by chance. She had seen the nanny job description and thought she could do it. After all, looking after a child wasn't difficult, and she could use the money because studying was expensive. 

The waiting area was neutral in design. Apart from a flower in the corner, there was nothing special about it. There were some pictures hanging on the wall, but no matter how she turned her head, the student couldn't understand their meaning. 

The secretary entered the waiting area, and the student stood up straight away, adjusting her blouse. The brunette tried not to smile artificially. She wanted to appear genuine.

"Mr. Kim will see you now. If you would kindly follow me," the woman announced cheerfully, setting off. She had a damn bad memory for names. 

The brunette followed her quickly but tried not to be intrusive or draw negative attention.

When she applied for the job, at least 50 other people were at the initial interviews with her. She was on day two of three. By the second interview, there were significantly fewer people. Of the twenty people in her group, only seven were admitted to the final interview. 

The young student was thrilled to be one of them.

However, she couldn't really explain why. After all, her initial group consisted of trained professionals. How could HYBE reject them and advance her? 

The secretary stopped in front of a door and knocked. The student became slightly nervous. "Mr. Kim? Ms. Kang is ready for the interview,” the lady said, nodding briefly. The secretary turned around and smiled radiantly at the brunette. "You can go in now." 

From the student's perspective, the interview went quite well. She was asked questions and answered each one confidently. She had a clear goal in mind. She really wanted the job. After all, the job paid well, and she could take care of a child. 

But she had questions. Lots of them.

First, she wanted to know which idol group the child belonged to. Second, she wanted to know why they were hiring someone from outside the company when there was a higher risk of this information becoming public.

Wasn't that risky?

By the end of the interview, the student had a good feeling. The salary was right, and they promised to give her time for her studies. 

She had insisted on this because it was important to her that she complete her degree. Additionally, a driver would pick her up and take her home. She would have to accompany them on longer trips. No arguments. Apparently, two of the band members had agreed to be parental figures for the child, so they wanted her to accompany them on longer trips. 

"By the way, the little one is six months old. Hopefully, that won't be a problem, right?” the manager asked. The student stiffened slightly.

"The job description said 'child.' Anything under a year old is an infant," she told the man, who sighed. Had she already alienated her potential new employer?

There was a brief silence.

"Her name is Mijoo. At least, that's what the boys named her. I don't know which one of them it was, but that's her name now,” Mr. Kim began suddenly. “She gets fussy when her caregivers aren't around. She also sleeps a lot and has separation anxiety. Can you handle that?"

The student thought for a moment. What was he trying to achieve with this question? Did she already have the job? That was clearly moving too fast. 

She nodded hesitantly. 

"Good. A driver will be at your apartment tomorrow morning to pick you up. That will be your trial day. After that, we'll decide,” the manager explained. The brunette stared at him in disbelief.

What was the catch?

++++

"Have you seen her lately? Do you know if she's okay?"

"Considering you abandoned your child, you're asking a lot of questions," chuckled a young man in a security uniform as he lit a cigarette. He didn't feel like arguing with his ex today. He would rather fuck some stupid girl from a club. That was all he wanted.

So he wasn't happy that his ex-girlfriend had shown up outside his apartment.

Why couldn't she just leave him alone? 

He had already done her a favor by dropping off her annoying kid at her idol's door. What else was he supposed to do?

"Oh, and you're a model father? I want to know how my child is doing," the young woman continued. 

The man stared at her before sighing inwardly. “Just as sweet as you remember her.” She's messing up the boys' whole plan. By the way, one of their managers is looking for the mother," he explained, running his hand through his hair.

The woman froze. "W-what?" "Relax. He's not after you. He was with another woman today. Far away from you," he said, annoyed, trying to reassure her. This only worked to a limited extent. 

"Thanks for the info. I won't bother you anymore," the young woman said, bowing briefly. 

The young security guard watched her walk away. 

Suddenly, he didn't feel like fucking stupid girls tonight anymore.

Chapter Text

Taehyung stayed home today. He was probably more nervous than Mijoo, which the little girl could hardly understand. After all, she didn't know a babysitter was coming today. Mijoo didn't even know what that was.

When the doorbell rang, Taehyung became increasingly nervous. He quickly checked her outfit one last time and then walked with her to the door. Yeontan followed him immediately.

This would be fine, right?

His eyes were fixed on the young woman, Kang Yiseo. Kang Yiseo. According to Sejin, she was a student with experience caring for and raising children through her social circle.

Although she tried to look good, she was not particularly striking in appearance. She was a little overweight around her stomach, and her face looked tired. Nevertheless, he did not want to judge her. 

Her gentle gaze was fixed on Mijoo throughout the conversation. She only looked up at Sejin or him when she was addressed. Mijoo, on the other hand, seemed to have eyes only for Tae and his hair, occasionally tugging at it. Yeontan sat on the couch and watched closely. 

Tae's smartphone vibrated on the side table. It was probably Kookie, wanting information about the babysitter. Although the others didn't know about their relationship yet, the two were happy together. After all, they were in a relationship. Just not officially, at least not yet. 

But Mijoo seemed to understand. She felt most comfortable around both of them, and she was very happy whenever Tae slept in Kookie's room. 

"That's it for now," Sejin interrupted his thoughts. "She'll stay here today and look after Mijoo. After that, Taehyung, I want to hear from you how she did. Please be very honest and precise."

Taehyung nodded. That should be pretty easy.

"This is Mijoo. She's six months old and can't crawl or walk yet. She can't stand up either, but she can roll over. That's why you have to be careful she doesn't fall. Mijoo is currently eating porridge. She prefers sweet porridge. She drinks cold tea or water. She also sometimes drinks banana milk, but don't give her too much, or she'll become dependent on it. She also really likes physical contact. Her mother left her at our door, so she hates being alone for long periods of time," the singer explained after Sejin left. Yiseo nodded, her eyes wandering back and forth between the idol and the baby.

"Mijoo usually sleeps between one and three p.m. That's when she takes her afternoon nap. That might be a good time for you to study.”

The student nodded and hummed in agreement. 

"If she cries a lot and can't be calmed down, call us. Preferably Jungkook or me. We have the best rapport with her. You'll get our numbers later. Do you have any questions?” Tae asked, satisfied with his explanation. He believed he hadn't forgotten anything.

The student nodded again. "Can I hold her?"

The idol hesitated briefly but then nodded. He carefully handed her to the babysitter, expecting her to start crying immediately. 

But she didn't. On the contrary, she smiled. Mijoo was cheerful, reaching out to touch the young woman's face. The brunette laughed softly and greeted her in a sweet, baby-like voice. Taehyung relaxed a little. He watched the interaction closely. 

++++

The morning went well. At lunchtime, Yiseo fed the little girl patiently and then put her down for a nap. She seemed to be a natural. Taehyung was sure that she would make a good mother one day.

While she wasn't looking, he sent Kookie a message updating him on everything that had happened so far. 

TaeTae
So far, she's doing well. Mijoo seems to like her.

Kookie:
That's good. Luckily, Princess isn't very picky.

Taehyung smiled and opened Instagram. He entered her name and searched for her. However, her profile was set to private, so he couldn't find much information about her. Sighing, Taehyung put his phone aside. He would have liked to find out more about her. 

Then, his gaze fell on her bag. She had brought it so she could study during a quiet period, which didn't bother Tae. But his curiosity was piqued. What if he could find information about her in the bag?

He quietly opened the bag and examined its contents. There were textbooks and notebooks. There was also a small pencil case. But what caught his eye was a small stuffed animal. It looked new but had definitely been used. It was a small, white stuffed rabbit. It was very soft. When he held it closer, he could smell something familiar. However, Taehyung couldn't remember where he had smelled it before. Or when.

When he heard a door close, he quickly put the rabbit back in the bag and closed it. Then, he sat back down and pretended to be busy on his phone. 

Yiseo came into the living room with a smile. "She's asleep," she announced as she sat down at the table. Taehyung was a little confused by her statement. When Mijoo first came to live with them, no one could get her to sleep when strangers put her to bed. Ultimately, she fell asleep from exhaustion after crying so much.

What was this woman's trick?

"Oh, um. Well done?” he said hesitantly. The brunette giggled. "No problem. I'm just good with kids," she explained casually as she opened her bag and took out her things. Taehyung watched her quietly. "How old are you, anyway?" he asked after a while. Yiseo looked up briefly from her work and then back down again. "Twenty-one," she replied curtly. Taehyung nodded.

For some reason, he had thought she was older.

++++

The other members arrived in the evening. Despite being BTS, the young woman seemed unimpressed. 

"I've been an Army and a BTS fangirl since 'No More Dreams,' but I'm here to take care of Mijoo, not to fangirl out," Yiseo Tae explained with a smile. After many conversations, the idol felt good about leaving his foster daughter with her.

Hobi was one of the first to talk to her and introduce himself. He engaged her in various conversations. Yiseo smiled a lot and tried to answer everything Hobi and the others asked her.

It was clear to Tae and Kookie that she was perfect for the job.

"Hey, Yiseo! Wait a minute," she heard someone call from behind her. Yiseo was on her way to the car to drive back to her apartment. After all, her trial day was over and she had class again tomorrow. 

When she turned around, she saw Yoongi standing behind her. He was looking her over. "You seem to get along really well with Mijoo. You really have a knack for it. Do you have experience with children?" the rapper asked, putting his hands in his pants pockets. 

Yiseo nodded slightly. "I have children among my acquaintances," she explained briefly, pulling her bag closer. Yoongi looked directly at her. "You established a good relationship with Mijoo quite quickly. Do you know her from somewhere?" Yoongi asked. Yiseo paused for a moment and shook her head. "No, but babies are all similar," the student replied, quickly saying goodbye to head to the car. She was tired and just wanted to sleep.

"Mijoo is actually always afraid of strangers," the rapper said suddenly. 

The student stopped and turned back to the idol. "Well, maybe she's gotten used to the idea that she has to get along with strangers. Besides, Taehyung was there, too, and she seems to have a good relationship with him."

Yoongi raised his eyebrow. He didn't think that was the reason.

"I have to go now. I have class again tomorrow,” she said goodbye and got into the car.

Yoongi watched her leave and came up with his own theory as to why Mijoo had behaved that way.

Chapter Text

The news came quickly the next morning. She received an email confirming her position as a nanny at BTS. 

She was in the middle of reading something, so she tried not to get too excited. Attached was a document containing the contract. 

The hours were tailored to her reading schedule. On Mondays and Tuesdays, she was to look after Mijoo from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and she could attend her readings online on both days. On Wednesdays, she worked from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., as she had readings in the morning. She had Thursdays off because she had readings all day. On Fridays, she was with Mijoo from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. She was to be deployed as needed on weekends. 

When traveling abroad or on tours, she was required to fly with them. Manager Kim Sejin would clarify this with her university. Yiseo read the document several times.

It was exactly what she wanted. The money was right, too.

In the evening, the student sat down at her laptop again. She signed the form digitally and sent it back to Mr. Kim. Simple. Besides, she was good at organizing her life. She had no other obligations and was no longer in a relationship.

Silently, she thought about the previous day. It had been nice to spend time with Mijoo. Mijoo. A really good name. 

Her gaze fell on the documents containing the information she had received from the manager. 

In particular, the phrases "was abandoned by her parents" and "suffers from separation anxiety" pierced her heart. Poor little thing.

I didn't want that.

Her train of thought was interrupted when the young woman's cell phone started ringing. 

She looked at it and saw that it was her ex-boyfriend calling. Yiseo sighed loudly and dismissed the call. She didn't want to talk to him. Why should she? He would only insult and ridicule her. The whole relationship was a joke. She should be the one laughing at this sick joke. At this sick, humorless joke.

When he tried to call again, she turned her phone over. She neither wanted nor had the strength to talk to him today. Their last conversation had made her cry.

"Your ex again?" her roommate suddenly asked. Yiseo closed her laptop halfway and sat up straighter. She nodded. "Yes, he's annoying," the student commented, switching her phone to silent. 

Her roommate laughed softly. "I still don't understand what you saw in that guy," her classmate said. 

Yiseo remained silent. 

Her roommate looked at the document on her laptop. "Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked, sounding worried. "I mean, because of your history..." "It's okay. I'm doing it. I want to,” she replied quickly, smiling.

Her friend sighed. "I'm just saying," she began again, but Yiseo shook her head. Her friend fell silent again. 

"I really want to do this. It makes me feel like I'm doing something good," Yiseo explained, leaning back in her chair. Her friend put her hand on her arm. "I wish I could have prevented this," the young woman murmured, looking at Yiseo apologetically.

The young student hated seeing that expression on her face.

++++

Mijoo's stay at Yoongi's studio was an exception. Yiseo wouldn't start until Monday, so they had to figure out how to get through the next three days. But they would manage somehow.

Today was already tight. No one could stay home. So Mijoo had to go with someone. Jungkook and Taehyung didn't have time for her because they had to train for the new choreography. Jimin was there too, and Jin had an appointment elsewhere. 

That left only the rap line. 

They decided to take turns. First was Joon, then Yoongi, and finally, Hobi. However, the latter was difficult to locate because he started wandering the hallways at some point. 

He said he was looking for inspiration.

Yoongi called it a lame excuse to get out of babysitting.

At some point, Mijoo ended up with him. He had been observing the child for a long time, trying to reinforce his theory somehow.

Visually, the girl bore little resemblance to the student. At least, he couldn't see any exact resemblance. But what baby looks exactly like its parent? Maybe she took after her father. At least, that's what Yoongi thought.

He had a very specific theory. Kang Yiseo was Mijoo's mother. 

However, his confusion deepened when she offered to babysit. Was she too cowardly to take responsibility? Or did she feel guilty and want to make amends?

Besides, it fit. Mijoo liked listening to BTS, and Yiseo was part of the Army. After extensive research and at least two coffees, Yoongi learned that babies in the womb recognize music later on.

Everything pointed to it. 

However, her behavior was contradictory, as was Mijoo's. Shouldn't she recognize her mother? Even though she was only six months old, she should be able to recognize important caregivers.

But she was calm. However, she seemed to enjoy being close to the woman. Moreover, she didn't cry when she was with her. These were clear signs that this woman was no stranger to her.

Then Yoongi thought further. If she was her mother, Yiseo must have been 19 when she became pregnant with Mijoo.

++++

Hey.
I just wanted to tell you that I was wrong for how I behaved towards you. Ultimately, the situation was just as difficult for you as it was for me. You can take my word for it.
(Delivered at 10:09 p.m.)

There was no response from the other side in the chat.

I don't want to be the heartless one in this story, but ultimately, it was best for us to give Jisoo away. We just couldn't have done it: With my job and your studies, it just wasn't possible. 
We had no money.
(Delivered at 10:12 p.m.)

The man sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. He tried to convince himself that it was best to leave Jisoo with this boy band. BTS had more money and a better support system than they could ever have had. 

Although he never wanted to admit it, the security guard missed his ex-girlfriend very much. She was his first love. His one true love. He would probably never find anyone like her again. 

He ran his hand through his hair.

If only they had used birth control that night! Pulling out beforehand wasn't ideal. She had told him several times before that it was a bad idea. Why had he listened this one time?

"The baby is ruining your life? How am I supposed to continue my studies while pregnant?!" she yelled at him through tears. 

They were both too emotional that evening. It took the young man far too long to realize that he shouldn't have yelled at her.

"And once again, it's all about your damn studies! You think you're so special just because you're going to college. Other people have to work for their money, but she doesn't know that from her sheltered home where everything is handed to her,” he yelled, ignoring her tears.

That evening, only his own life mattered to him. He didn't care about his girlfriend or Jisoo. He despised that child at that moment. It was only now, after Jisoo was gone, that he missed her laughter.

"You know that's not true. I work part-time at that café,” she explained, her voice growing calmer but still tremulous.

Even now, he could still see her in his dreams. Her eyes were red from crying, and her voice trembled. 

"Then get rid of it! Our life would be so much better if you finally got rid of this thing!" he shouted. Unlike her, he couldn't calm down.

"You know I can't do that," she whispered, choking back tears. 

Furious, he looked at her. "And why not?" 

He reached for his phone again, unlocking it after it had turned off. 

The chat was still unanswered, and he had a feeling it would stay that way. He really messed up.

He just wanted to make things right again. Now we have money. I'm making good money, and you can study from home. I looked into it. Your university offers online courses, and if you want to go, I can find someone to watch Jisoo. We can do this!
(Delivered at 10:15 p.m.)

We will bring Jisoo back, too. After all, she is our daughter. If we tell Manager Kim Sejin that we are her parents, he has to return her to us. Then, we can be a family again.
(Delivered at 10:15 p.m.)

"My parents would never agree to an abortion, and we need money to pay for it. Besides," she began, placing her hands on her stomach, "I heard the heartbeat. It's our baby. I want to keep her."

Suddenly, something the security guard never expected appeared: A message. 

His cell phone vibrated.

The man pounced on his phone and clicked on the chat. All of his messages had been read.

His heart sank as he read it.

Her name is Mijoo now, and she has a real family that loves her.
(Delivered at 10:16 p.m.)

Chapter Text

It was dark by the time Mijoo woke up. Her breathing was rapid, and her vision was blurry. 

She began to whimper, and, as usual, Yeontan let out a loud cry. He was always very concerned about his human sister. If not for that stupid fence, he would lie down next to her and lick her face. 

As Mijoo's whimpering grew louder, there was movement in the bed. A moment later, she was lifted out of her crib. She continued to whimper until she was held close.

"Psst, it's okay, Mijoo. I'm here," Taehyung said, rocking the girl back and forth. "It was just a nightmare." The girl began to calm down when Taehyung started humming "Spring Day." 

He was exhausted himself. His day had been filled with training and rehearsing choreography. But for Mijoo, he got up and let Kookie sleep. 

Silently, he took her with him and laid her down between Jungkook and himself. Only after Mijoo fell asleep again did the idol close his eyes. 

When morning came, Jin wanted to wake up little Mijoo. After all, Yiseo would be looking after Mijoo from that day forward, and Jin wanted to make sure everything was ready. Although it was Yiseo's job to take care of Mijoo, Jin and Yiseo didn't want to scare her off on her first day.

Jin quietly knocked on the door and opened it. He hadn't expected Jungkook to be up already. For the past few nights, the youngest of them had enjoyed sleeping in. It wasn't because he wanted to avoid taking care of Mijoo; it was because he had to take care of her every night. 

At first, he wasn't interested in the bed Jungkook slept in. His eyes were fixed on the travel cot next to the large bed. 

When he couldn't see Mijoo in it, he became slightly concerned.

Where is she? Wait a minute. Doesn't Jungkook sometimes bring her to his bed at night when she has nightmares?

With that thought, Jin turned to the large bed and froze.

It didn't happen often, but that morning, Hobi had set his alarm early. An outfit was laid out on the dresser. After making sure several times that Jimin was still asleep, Hobi left the room. 

The night before, he had asked Yoongi for help. 

"Yoongi, I need your help," Hobi began seriously. His hyung simply had to help him. After all, he seemed to know the most about it. Hobi had to know that. He had googled it. Hobi had read that fans liked Yoongi and his style.

Yoongi looked up from his work. Lately, he had been preoccupied with topics like inheritance. Hoseok had noticed, and probably not only him. 

"What?" he asked. Hobi held out two outfits for him to choose from. "Choose one of these. What would you wear to please Jimin?" he asked directly, earning a killer look from Yoongi. Hobi chuckled slightly and sat down more comfortably on the couch. He turned back to his laptop for a moment, then looked at the man in front of him. 

Yoongi didn't know much about clothes, so he chose the second outfit. "Wear that," he said. 

Hobi was happy and got up from the couch again. Yoongi asked why he needed fashion advice, but Hobi was already on his way back to his room.

He hummed a song happily in the bathroom, which he shared with Jimin, and sprayed himself with Terre d'Hermès perfume. But not too much. He didn't want to smell overpowering.

Then, he quickly combed his hair and left.

His next stop was Jungkook's room to pick up Mijoo. During their last conversation, his sister had told him that women like men who are good with children. Mijoo was supposed to be his ticket to getting with Yiseo. 

He had also seen a K-drama in which a man got together with a beautiful woman because he was good with her child. Mijoo wasn't Yiseo's daughter, but Yiseo was beautiful, and he was good with children. So what could go wrong?

The open door to Kookie's room confused him, so he went in. 

When he saw Jin, he wanted to say hello. However, his gaze followed that of the group's oldest member. When he saw Jungkook and Taehyung lying in bed, he was speechless.

When the hell did this happen? And why didn't I know anything about it?!

The two men sat silently at the dining table. Mijoo was lying in Jin's arms, already dressed for the day. 

"Did you know about this?" Jin asked the rapper in front of him. The rapper shook his head. "No, but I would have liked to know. How long do you think this has been going on between the two of them?" the dancer asked.

Jin sighed. He adjusted Mijoo's position and shrugged. "I don't know, but that would explain why Mijoo feels so comfortable around Tae," he said, reaching for his coffee. Mijoo's porridge was still cooling down, so she couldn't eat yet and was whining about it. 

Mijoo was nicknamed “Princess” and “Glutton” for good reason.

It was only when Jin put his cup down again that a question came to mind. "What were you doing in Kookie's room?" he asked calmly. Hobi leaned back in his chair. 

"I wanted to get Mijoo and get her ready for the day," he explained matter-of-factly to his senior. He flashed Mijoo a bright smile to distract her from her food. 

Jin raised his eyebrow. "But you've never dressed Mijoo voluntarily before," he replied, puzzled.

He responded with silence. You could practically see the gears turning above Hobi's head. 

"Just like that," he said cautiously, trying to hold Jin's gaze. But Jin didn't believe him for a second. 

Luckily, Hobi had an escape plan. Distraction.

"Before you start with me, you should take care of your relationship with Namjoon," he said so quickly that Jin almost didn't understand him. Then, the rapper got up and left the confused Jin. Before Jin could react, Mijoo started complaining again. The porridge was ready, and Mijoo didn't want to wait any longer.

++++

Jimin and Taehyung saw Seokjin and Namjoon as an example of “true love.” 

They may have also inspired Taehyung and Jungkook to become brave enough to sleep in each other's rooms. Jungkook was afraid of being judged for his sexuality, and Taehyung was under pressure as well. After all, he had the most Instagram followers and received a lot of praise.

However, when tensions suddenly arose between the two, everyone knew that something had happened.

Jin and Namjoon hardly spoke to each other, and whenever Jin was asked about the situation, he became more hesitant. He usually tried to change the subject and end the conversation altogether. 

No one knew exactly what the problem was, but it seemed serious to everyone. Otherwise, they would have made up long ago.

Namjoon wanted to take the first step. Someone had to do it; knowing Jin, he wasn't going to.

When Namjoon entered the kitchen, Jin was pouring tea into Mijoo's small cup. The weather forecast for today wasn't good. Although it was September and the weather had been nice for the past few days, it was cooling down significantly. It was cold this morning. In fact, it was so cold that they turned on the heater for Mijoo. Nobody wanted the little girl to get sick.

Namjoon remained at a safe distance. "Good morning," he said cheerfully. Jin turned briefly and glanced at him. "Morning," he muttered curtly, turning to check the warmth of the bottle.

Joon watched him briefly, then began to speak. "I think we need to talk," he said, noticing Jin tense up slightly. "Not today," Jin said curtly. "Our schedule is crazy today, and Yiseo will be here soon to look after Mijoo."

Jin turned off the bottle and tried to quickly leave the kitchen. Joon gently held him back. "I'd like to talk to you, and I'm going to do it now, okay?" You're mad at me because I've hardly paid any attention to you the last few weeks. I'm really sorry about that. I can't undo my mistakes, but I want to make things better. For you, and for us." From now on, I'll make more time for us. I won't overlook or ignore any calls or messages anymore. Will you forgive me?” Joon asked cautiously, his expression reminding the singer of a puppy. 

Despite his inner struggle, the man sighed and hugged him. "I forgive you, but don't ever do that again, understand?" Jin said sharply. The leader nodded quickly and returned the hug as if he needed air to breathe.

The two enjoyed this brief moment. Just as they began to kiss gently, the doorbell rang. Jin pulled away in alarm, then seemed to remember. "Oh, right. That must be Yiseo,” he explained, resting his head on Joon's shoulder. Joon beamed. "That means we have to leave soon," Joon said, making his friend sigh.

"I'll get it!" they heard Hobi shout through the house. "Leave Mijoo with me! You don't have to take her to the door!" Jimin complained as he ran after the man with the baby in his arms. 

It looked more like Hobi was kidnapping Mijoo, and Jimin was trying to save her.

Sleepy-eyed, Jungkook came down the stairs, confused by all the fuss. Meanwhile, Taehyung sat quietly at the table, eating his food. 

Yoongi wondered what he had done to end up in this madhouse. 

Chapter Text

When the door opened, the first thing Yiseo saw was J-Hope carrying Mijoo and Jimin yelling at the rapper. 

Yiseo was slightly taken aback but smiled. 

Although today was supposed to be her first day as a nanny, she still had an online lecture to attend. Luckily, the lecture was scheduled for Mijoo's bedtime, so Yiseo could attend in peace. The brunette had therefore packed all her university things and was ready to do her homework.

She looked from the BTS members to Mijoo, who was hanging somewhat uncomfortably in Hoseok's arms and whining unhappily. Yiseo chuckled softly and gently freed Mijoo from the rapper's grip. She held the little girl so that she was hanging at her side, and Mijoo seemed happier about it. As soon as she was let in, she could feel Suga's scrutinizing gaze on her. Yiseo decided not to respond to it for the time being.

"Welcome to our home, Yiseo," Jimin said happily. Hobi also seemed very happy.

"I'm good with kids. Did I mention that?" the dancer asked, stepping closer to Yiseo. "Okay," Yiseo said, smiling. Then, she listened to Jin and Tae tell her about Mijoo's night and morning. 

Hobi floated around her, constantly trying to get her attention.

She hardly paid any attention to the rapper, not because she was indifferent, but because she hadn't expected so much attention from her bias.

++++

Tae had been nervous all day. Today was the first day since Mijoo joined them that none of the group was with her. Although Tae trusted Yiseo—or rather, was forced to trust her—he still missed Mijoo. 

He was simply worried. He was as concerned for the child as if she were his own. 

Maybe Mijoo should adopt her. Then he remembered that they had simply given Mijoo a first name because it sounded nice; no one had thought to give her a last name. Maybe he should adopt her after all. Then she could be called Kim Mijoo. But would Kookie agree to that? It was a big step.

During the interview, the man hardly listened. His eyes kept returning to his cell phone, hoping Yiseo would text him. But nothing came. Nothing at all.

That could be a good or a bad sign. 

Suddenly, he felt someone sit down next to him. He lifted his head and recognized Kookie, who also seemed slightly nervous. 

"I'm worried, too, but I think everything will be fine," he said, smiling nervously as he reassured his senior. Tae smiled slightly and nodded. "You're right," he replied briefly, putting his phone away. 

But something was bothering him.

Was it the fact that Jin and Hobi were staring at them? Or was it because he couldn't stop thinking about the stuffed animal in Yiseo's bag?

++++

In the days that followed, strange events began to pile up. One morning, Hoseok found a brown envelope in the mailbox.

After much deliberation, Namjoon opened it. Inside was a small book about examining a baby. The name had been blacked out on every page. Even the parents' names were missing. 

They assumed it must have been the mother who brought them the letter. The band was certain that it was Mijoo's book about her exams.

In the corner of the book was the phrase, "It belongs to her," written in neat handwriting.

That was all the clue they needed.

After a long Google search, they discovered that Mijoo had received some essential vaccinations but was missing others. They were probably too expensive. 

"We should make an appointment with a doctor," Taehyung began, looking down at the girl with a smile. "We need to make sure she's not seriously ill."

The others nodded. "Maybe Yiseo should make the appointment and go with her. After all, she's the nanny and isn't well-known,” Jimin suggested. However, Jungkook and Taehyung shook their heads. "One of us will go with her," Jungkook said seriously, looking at each of them. 

Namjoon sighed. That made everything more complicated. "We'll see what we can do, okay?" the leader conceded. Jungkook seemed happy.

Taehyung and Jungkook looked happy and relieved.

Hobi and Jin continued to watch the couple in silence.

Taehyung didn't think about that for a moment, though. Instead, he wondered what Mijoo was doing at that moment. When he glanced at his expensive watch, he realized Mijoo would soon be going to bed. He wouldn't get to see the little girl before she went to sleep.

This made him a little sad, but he planned to make up for it by spending more time with her the following morning.

After all, Thursday was Yiseo's day off. From now on, Taehyung loved Thursdays. He could spend the whole day with his "daughter."

She was his and Jungkook's daughter. She was his and Jungkook's daughter.

++++

Mijoo really enjoyed her time with Yiseo. She recognized their scent and warmth, but the little girl wasn't interested in them. She wanted and needed the warmth of Jungkook and Taehyung more.

She played around a lot with Yeontan. While she lay on the floor, the miniature Spitz ran around her. Mijoo laughed loudly. She cuddled with Yeontan again and again while Yiseo smiled and watched the child. 

She held the stuffed rabbit in her hands. Her fingers gently ran over the soft fabric. She would have liked to give the stuffed animal back to the girl, but the mere fact that her exam book had turned up caused unrest. Manager Kim Sejin had asked her to watch for unauthorized persons on the premises. If she saw anyone, she was to inform security and Manager Kim.

However, Yiseo was quite sure that nothing would happen. 

Besides, she had promised to stay out of it, even though she had already broken part of the agreement. She didn't want to break any more promises.

It was late, and Yiseo was about to put the girl to bed when she saw a shadow flit past out of the corner of her eye. She looked anxiously at the window, but she couldn't see anyone. Yeontan seemed to become restless. He ran quickly to the patio door and surveyed the outside world. 

Suddenly, his head jerked in one direction, and the miniature spitz began to bark as if out of nowhere. Yiseo put the stuffed rabbit aside and stood up cautiously. Startled by the sudden barking, Mijoo began to cry loudly.

Perhaps it was just an animal or one of the security guards making their rounds.

Yiseo tried to calm herself with this thought. Exactly! It must have been a security guard. He was just checking to make sure everything was okay. She went over to reassure Mijoo.

Then, she suddenly remembered Manager Kim telling her that security guards were not allowed to enter the property, except on special occasions such as security system checks. The manager had also told her that such checks were announced in advance. 

But before she could pick Mijoo up and comfort her, a shadow appeared outside the window. Yeontan alternated between barking and growling. Despite his tiny size, the miniature Spitz seemed ready to defend Mijoo and Yiseo. 

Yiseo's breathing quickened. Her heart pounded against her chest. 

Suddenly, she remembered that she couldn't say for sure whether the patio door was locked. She quickly ran to the door to check. It was. Yiseo would have loved to breathe a sigh of relief, but she decided to lower the shutters first. 

As they slowly descended—too slowly for Yiseo's liking—she could see someone approaching the patio. The last thing she saw before the shutter closed completely were legs. The person was now standing very close to the patio. Yiseo tried not to scream.

Once Mijoo was sure the intruder couldn't reach them through the patio door, Yiseo quickly checked all the windows before breathing a sigh of relief.

She was shaking all over now. Tears burned her eyes, and she hoped this person would go away. 

Maybe she had just seen too many horror movies.

Or maybe not.

She could hardly think straight anymore. 

The student quickly picked Mijoo up off the floor and dialed security, informing them of the incident. 

Mijoo continued to scream, and only then did Yiseo seem to regain her composure. She carefully picked up the girl and rocked her gently back and forth. 

"It's okay, Mijoo."

Yiseo still had to inform Manager Kim, as well as the boys.

"The bad man is gone. There's nothing to be afraid of anymore."

How would they react? Had she blown her job? Would she be fired? She loved her job and didn't want to give it up.

"I'm here now. Everything will be fine," she said, comforting the girl and kissing her on the head. Mijoo calmed down slowly.

"Eomma is here."

Chapter Text

Yoongi watched quietly as Yiseo reported the incident to the detective.

Manager Kim was angry, but not with Yiseo. He was angry with the security staff because no one could explain how an unauthorized person had entered the premises. This was the third time it had happened. The second time was bad enough.

The rapper could see that she was genuinely afraid. Apparently, she didn't know who he was. Or maybe she was pretending in front of everyone. Yoongi couldn't really tell.

She couldn't describe the person exactly. It would have been too dark. 

Meanwhile, Taehyung held Mijoo in his arms and whispered his thanks that she was unharmed. 

Yoongi's gaze wandered around the room. His eyes fell on Jimin. Jimin viewed the situation critically while also viewing Yoongi critically. 

++++

The next few weeks passed quietly. There were no more strange situations. There was no man waiting in the dark in the garden, no letters in the mailbox, and no more security breaches.

It was the end of September—about three weeks after the last incident—when a new email appeared in Manager Kim's inbox. 

At first glance, the email address didn't look legitimate, but after further investigation, it became clear that it wasn't junk mail. An IT specialist confirmed this. 

The subject line read: "Note about the mother." 

It could have been a macabre joke, but not many people knew about the girl.

He skimmed through the text the first time. Then, he read it more carefully.

Good afternoon,

I have a possible lead on the mother's identity. I received her contact information from an acquaintance.

There was a pregnant student at ***** University who took a break from her studies and then returned. According to my informant, she does not currently have her child.

It would be best to contact one of the professors. They may be able to help you. 

For Mijoo.

Best regards,
Not relevant.

++++

Meanwhile, Yiseo was busy babysitting while listening to her lecture. Today was particularly easy because Mijoo was quiet and hardly demanded any attention. 

When the professor repeated a familiar topic, the brunette sighed quietly and picked up the girl. Since she had been on mute the whole time, she could chat with Mijoo without worrying.

"You're getting a new diaper now, Mijoo," she said with a smile as she lifted the girl out of her chair. Since last week, Mijoo had been trying to sit up by herself. She still needed help, but she was improving every day.

Together, they walked into the nursery, which belonged to the seven-month-old baby. However, the baby showed no signs of leaving Jungkook's room. She probably liked being close to the man she seemed to regard as her father. 

As Yiseo understood it, Jungkook and Taehyung were the ones who had found the girl. She was glad it wasn't one of the security guards.

While the student changed the girl's diaper on the changing table, Yiseo could hear the front door opening and closing in the background. She could tell because the door was particularly heavy. 

But who could it be? She guessed it was Taehyung, who couldn't stand being away from Mijoo. He had come back from work a few times to take care of Mijoo before.

He was just a very concerned father.

If only Mijoo had always had a father like this.

The seven-month-old baby smiled as the adults changed her diaper, occasionally raising her hands to touch the mobile. Yiseo finished her work.

Smiling, she picked the girl up and blew raspberries on her chubby cheeks. The girl laughed, and Yiseo smiled happily.

When she arrived in the living room, the student was shocked. Yoongi was studying her university notes closely.

She walked up to him, smiling slightly. "I didn't know you were coming home early today," she said cheerfully. Yoongi looked up at her expressionlessly.

Her gaze wandered to the notebooks, books, and folders, and then she froze.

Next to the notebooks, books, and folders was Mijoo's exam book. Her hands became sweaty, and her breathing quickened slightly. 

"You owe us an explanation."

++++

An hour later, Manager Kim arrived at the university to which he had been directed by the "disposable email." 

He was quickly arranged to meet with the director. They sat together in the office and talked. 

"We did indeed have a pregnant student at our university. It actually happens more often than you might think," the director told Manager Kim. The manager nodded. "What about the last student who got pregnant? Is she still studying here?" the manager asked. 

The director nodded. "She's currently top of her class. She's switched to part-time, though, and only comes in on Wednesdays and Thursdays and for the late lectures on Fridays. She works to make ends meet,” the man explained. 

Manager Kim nodded again. 

He was certain that this woman was not the mother. She was earning money to support herself and her baby.

So the tip was wrong.

"Okay. Thank you for your time anyway.”
“I should mention that the student gave her child up for adoption.”

These words startled the manager again. "What?" he asked immediately. The director nodded.

"Yes, about a month ago she came back. She had been taking online classes, but she wanted to return to the university. She had given her child up for adoption," the manager explained, leaning forward. "If you ask me, the child's father was responsible for that. He was an unpleasant fellow, I tell you."

Sejin nodded slightly. That fit perfectly. "Can you tell me the student's name?" he asked, taking his notepad out of his jacket pocket.

The director shook his head. "Unfortunately not. We respect and protect the privacy of our students," he explained matter-of-factly. Sejin sighed. 

"Can you at least tell me which class she's in? I'd then like to talk to the professor and ask her to come in for a chat,” the manager requested. The director nodded. Strangely enough, this was allowed.

While the director looked up the student in his system, the manager waited patiently. His cell phone in his pocket began to vibrate. When he took it out silently, the ID "Kim Namjoon" lit up. He dismissed the call. He would talk to the idol later. First, he wanted to locate the mother. He could always call Namjoon back later.

The director stopped in his tracks. His face contorted into a confused expression. Sejin put away his cell phone and looked at the director in confusion. 

"What's going on?" he asked, tilting his head slightly. The director looked at him strangely. "Mr. Kim, The student you're looking for works for you," the man explained, turning his screen so that Sejin could see it. 

When Sejin looked at the screen, he saw the name "Kang Yiseo."

++++

At the same time, Namjoon returned to the living room. "He's not answering," he announced as he looked around.

The whole group was present. Yiseo sat on a chair in front of the group while the others spread out around her. Taehyung and Jungkook were sitting next to each other. They both looked slightly annoyed, but Tae's eyes revealed a hint of disappointment. 

Yoongi sat directly opposite her. Her university documents were in front of him, and Mijoo's examination book was next to them. Everyone had seen the comparison, and they all agreed that the handwriting matched. 

Jimin stood in the background, leaning against the wall. His arms were crossed in front of his chest, and he looked angry. Namjoon was certain that if Yiseo tried to deny anything, he would confront her. 

Jin sat at the end of the couch near Yoongi. When Yoongi called the group to the house, the two of them were making out. At first, they made fun of it, since the news came at the most inopportune moment. They joked about Yoongi's "sixth sense" for such situations. However, as soon as they arrived, the leader and oldest member realized the seriousness of the situation. 

Almost all of them were angry. One might think so, too. But Namjoon hadn't formed an opinion yet. He wanted to hear the whole story first because there had to be a reason behind it all.

Hobi was the only one who didn't say a word; he didn't seem to know what to contribute to the conversation. Since Joon was infatuated with the nanny eomma it must have hit him hard.

The rapper hadn't been idle in recent weeks. He had bought gifts for the younger woman, helped her a lot, and flirted constantly. Everyone was happy for him because he seemed to have fallen seriously in love. And Yiseo didn't seem averse to it. 

In a private conversation, Jin told him because he was so excited, the student confessed that she had always had a crush on Hoseok. Since then, Jin had been plotting to set Hobi and Yiseo up. 

He was sure that Yoongi and, for whatever reason, Jimin had already judged them. What the rapper didn't understand was why Yoongi kept giving him angry looks.

Jungkook and Taehyung seemed more hurt or fearful. They were probably afraid that Yiseo would take their daughter away. However, when they looked at it logically, Yiseo had several opportunities to do so while she was with them. 

That's why the whole thing didn't make sense to him. If she had given up the child voluntarily, why was she acting as her own child's nanny?

Hobi just looked hurt. It was as if his heart had shattered into a thousand tiny pieces. He probably thought Yiseo was putting on an act, but Namjoon didn't believe that. Her feelings seemed genuine.

Then again, maybe she was a good actress.

"Then let's settle this," Yoongi said, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

Namjoon could clearly see the student in front of him playing with her nails. She was probably scared by the situation and might be overwhelmed, too. Had she expected that it would never be discovered? 

"Do you want to take her away from us?" Taehyung asked, looking directly at the woman. She looked up, but before she could respond, Taehyung continued. "You're not going to get her! Mijo belongs to us now. I'm adopting her, and you know it!"

Yiseo flinched at his tone and volume. She had probably never heard Taehyung speak this way during her time here. Namjoon hadn't heard Taehyung shout like that in a long time, either.

The student tried to speak again but was interrupted. Namjoon felt bad that the others weren't giving her a chance to explain.

"Maybe she should first confirm to us that she's the terrible mother who irresponsibly left her child on a doorstep!" Yoongi demanded, looking at her angrily. "I want you to say it. I want you to admit it. No more lies."

Yiseo's gaze shifted from fear and uncertainty to hurt. "I'm not a bad mother," the brunette tried to defend herself, but no one in the room was on her side, so she was interrupted once again.

"Good mothers don't leave their children on a random doorstep. Good mothers would never voluntarily give up their children," Jungkook commented. Although he was usually calm and friendly, Namjoon felt that Jungkook's fear of losing Mijoo had taken over his entire personality.

"I—" Yiseo began, then stopped herself. "I didn't know what else to do. I had no other choice."

Jimin laughed dryly. "That's a weak excuse! You're a bad person and a bad mother. It's best if—"

But before Joon could intervene, Hobi stood up. "That's enough!" he suddenly shouted. Everyone fell silent. His eyes were filled with rage—something they had never seen from their ray of sunshine before.

"Let her explain herself! We can only understand her motives if she tells us why she did it! If she didn't want Mijoo, she could have left her with us and never come back. But now she's here, taking care of Mijoo. What parent who voluntarily gives up their child would do such a thing?” 

His tirade ended and was met with silence. Yoongi looked ready to say something else, but instead, Hobi turned to Jimin. "Go get a Band-Aid, Jimin. I need something for my finger," he instructed the younger man, crouching down in front of the student. 

At first, she didn't seem to notice the man in front of her. Then, Hobi grabbed her left hand to prevent her from hurting her finger further. Their eyes met, and Namjoon could have sworn she calmed down under his grip, almost relaxing a little. It was probably because she no longer felt like she had to fight seven people alone. 

When Jimin reentered the room and handed Hobi the Band-Aid, Namjoon spoke up.

"Hobi is right. We should let her talk. After all, she has a right to explain herself.” The leader agreed with Hobi in front of everyone and sat down next to Jin. The group grumbled, but no one contradicted him. Jimin sat down a little distance away from Yoongi. This was strange, as Jimin usually enjoyed Yoongi's company. What had happened between them?

Hobi helped Yiseo out of her chair and sat her down next to him on the couch. He wanted to change the seating arrangement to make Yiseo more comfortable.

Yiseo needed a moment to compose herself.

Then, Namjoon spoke to her gently again. "As Yoongi said, we would like you to confirm that you are Mijoo's mother. I would also like to hear your story," the man began. He glanced briefly around the group and back at her. "I'm sure you have a lot to tell us."

Yiseo seemed lost, but she nodded slightly. At first, she didn't know where or how to start. Namjoon quickly noticed this. He assumed it would be a long story. Everyone waited for her to speak, but Tae and Jungkook seemed restless.

Then, she looked up. First, she looked at Jimin, Jin, and Namjoon. Then she looked at Taehyung and Jungkook. Finally, she gave Hoseok a long look before opening her mouth to speak.

Her voice was clear and certain. It probably took her some effort to say these words.

"I am Mijoo's biological mother."

Chapter Text

Yiseo was 19 years old, just one month shy of her twentieth birthday, when she found out she was pregnant. Her parents were upset, and her partner abandoned her.

Since she couldn't afford an abortion and her parents refused to pay for it, Yiseo was forced to carry the child to term. "You'll learn from this mistake," her mother said maliciously. 

It was a shock to Yiseo, but what could she do? She just had to accept it. What else could she have done? She was still living with her parents and didn't have any money. How else could she have paid for it?

When she started college, she moved into a shared apartment. The girl she moved in with was very nice. Yiseo told her about her situation. She felt connected to her. She was like a sister she never had. 

Her ex kept coming back into her life. Most of the time, he would ask her how she was doing, and most of the time, they would have sex. In hindsight, Yiseo wasn't so sure if she had chosen this, but she went along with it. At least she felt loved in those moments.

The physical changes bothered her the most. She felt she was gaining too much weight. From the doctors' point of view, dieting was not a good idea and would only harm the baby. 

However, no one had prepared her for the birth itself. After fourteen hours of labor, she was even more emotional. Apart from a nurse who felt sorry for her, no one was there. Not her parents, not the father, and not even her roommate because she had an exam the next day.

She was alone. Although everything frightened her, she survived and was finally able to hold her child. She realized that she would protect this child. After all, everything would work out somehow, and Jisoo was hers. Her little girl was all alone.

++++

"But it was really hard. I had no support, and after six months, I couldn't take it anymore. My grades were slipping, and I felt like I wasn't good enough for her. I simply couldn't afford her treatments anymore. Then I thought to myself that I had failed.”

As Yiseo told her story, the room was silent. No one interrupted her. No one dared to because Hobi had made it clear that he would speak out against them.

The student's face was streaked with tears. Jin sat down next to her and held her gently in his arms. He was disgusted by her ex-boyfriend. Even though Yiseo wasn't sure if the sex was consensual, it was clear that he had taken advantage of her. 

Once Yiseo was more stable, she would report the man.

"I looked for a suitable place and brought Jisoo—now Mijoo—here. She has a better life here. One that I could never offer her," Yiseo said, her voice growing quieter. It seemed as if she had reached the end of her story. 

"If I may ask," Manager Kim interjected, leaning forward slightly. “How could you leave her outside? How did you know about the security test?"

Suddenly, Yiseo became restless again. She began to fiddle with her right middle finger. Before it could bleed, Hobi pulled her hand away. When she looked at him, he silently let her know that he would not tolerate this behavior.

“My... An acquaintance of mine works for HYBE and knew about the security test. He wanted to help me get rid of Mijoo. He suggested bringing her to a group he worked with. He only told me later that it was BTS. Since I could only imagine how wealthy they must be, I agreed to it. But he didn't actually give me any other choice. "Either we hand her over here, or she has to go into the system. I didn't want to give her up," Yiseo explained, looking cautiously at the manager. He nodded understandingly. "And this acquaintance is your ex-boyfriend?" he asked, noticing that Yiseo tensed up. This confirmed his suspicion, but he didn't press the issue for the time being.

"Who else knows she's here?" Sejin asked. Yiseo shook her head. "Just him and me," she replied simply.

She took a short breath.

"When I found out that Mijoo could stay here and that they were looking for a nanny, I applied immediately. To be honest, I lied a bit in my letter. I'm an only child, and apart from Mijoo, I don't have much experience with children. However, I know how to sell myself. I knew what I had to do to make a good impression, so I did it and got the job. I'm not here to take Mijoo back with me because I know she's better off here than with me. But I still want to play a small part in her life,” she continued. Then she quickly added, “If I may.”

Lost in thought, Jungkook nodded slightly, while Taehyung processed the information. Jimin was quiet, and Yoongi looked apologetic.

"How did you find out that we were looking for a nanny?" Manager Kim asked. Yiseo calmed down again. Sejin looked at her briefly. "Did he give you the information?"

Yiseo took another short breath. "I slept with him to get the information. Otherwise, he would never have given it to me," she explained to the manager, who turned as pale as a sheet.

Hobi tensed with rage. He really couldn't stand the guy.

The manager waited a moment. "If you prefer, we can continue the interview tomorrow. All I care about is how this security breach happened,” Sejin suggested. Yiseo looked relieved. 

Again, she just nodded in response to his question. She knew she was out of a job now. 

++++

The next day, Yiseo distanced herself from it all. She continued to attend her online classes. Her heart ached. Sometimes she wanted to cry. 

Was it inappropriate for her to mourn a child she had abandoned? 

When her phone started exploding with notifications, she finally looked at it. 

The first thing she noticed was that she had been added to a group.

The name was "Group has no name yet." Very creative. Whoever came up with that name should consider studying creative arts.

Even though she hadn't opened the group yet, there were already 30 messages. The group had been created just five minutes ago.

She had four other chats besides this one.

One was from her roommate, who asked if she could cook. Her roommate didn't have the time or desire to do anything today. Yiseo briefly ignored this chat because she found others more important. 

For example, Jungkook had asked if she could come over on Saturday because they had a spontaneous rehearsal. 

Then, Taehyung asked her frantically if she would come over at 1 p.m., as they had agreed. He didn't just ask once, but several times. His last message, which came a minute ago, said that Hoseok was on his way to pick her up because she wasn't home at 1 p.m., as agreed, and that everyone was worried. 

This confused her deeply. After all, she had assumed that she had lost the job. How could she keep the job despite this lie and deception?

Yiseo didn't know exactly what was said after she left yesterday. She imagined that immediate dismissal had been discussed.

But apparently, that wasn't the case. It was strange when she thought about it. 

She didn't reply to Taehyung either but closed the chat to look at Hoseok's. His message was older and therefore farther down. 

Just as she opened it, an email notification popped up at the top of her phone. A small window briefly appeared in the right corner of her laptop screen showing the email.

It was an email from Manager Kim. 

She immediately turned away from her phone and looked at her laptop. She was no longer listening to the lecture. She quickly minimized the screen and opened the email.

The subject line read "Contract Adjustments."

Dear Kang Yiseo,

Due to the new situation that has arisen, I have met with the group and our legal department. There will be changes in the future.

This was done at the group's request and in my own interest.

From now on, your working hours will be more flexible. You will have more time with Mijoo, and you will be able to see her whenever you want. However, we still need to clarify your role with the group. 

The group would like to see closer cooperation and possibly longer working hours. Overnight stays are acceptable.

Additionally, you will no longer be listed as a nanny but will continue to be paid. 

Mr. Jung and Mr. Kim would like more support with Mijoo because they have no experience with children. 

Furthermore, I have made an appointment with a psychiatrist for you, as you mentioned several times during our conversation that you would like to see one.

I have also contacted a police officer I know. If you wish to file a complaint against your ex-boyfriend, it will be filed.

Additionally, your university has been contacted. You are now approved for additional online readings. However, if you would like to visit the university, that is also possible.

We hope for better cooperation.

Please feel free to let me know at any time if you have any further wishes or requests.

Sincerely,
Kim Sejin

Joy spread through Yiseo. She was allowed to stay.

Shortly after, her phone started ringing. The caller ID showed Hoseok.

Damn! Only in her wildest dreams and the fan fiction she had read did Y/N get a call from her bias. 

She was truly in seventh heaven. Was she dreaming, or had she confused reality with the fan fiction she had read?

Hesitantly, she answered her phone. 

"Hello?" the brunette asked cautiously. She could hear soft music playing in the background. But the music wasn't intrusive. It was more like quiet music. 

"Hey, I'm standing in front of your apartment. Are you coming out? We're late, and the others want to leave," Hobi announced. He didn't seem pushy, though. Actually, she didn't care how he talked to her. She loved that he was paying attention to her at all and talking to her.

She was living in Y/N heaven. 

"Oh, I... Um, I'll be ready in a minute. Can you wait?" she asked cautiously. The rapper laughed a little. "Sure."

After a quick goodbye, she hung up. A grin distorted her face. 

Yiseo started to scream and giggle.