Pushing around the food on his dinner plate, Taehyung is unaware of the concerned eyes of his hyungs on him. He's been more quiet than usual since calling Jungkook last week, and the stress had made his nausea worse. He kept replaying the woman's voice as she'd introduced herself as "Jeon Lisa".

'He really went and got married already.' Despite the fact he'd known about the engagement, he hadn't expected the wedding to happen so soon. And somehow, some part of him had hoped the other man would change his mind. 'How stupid of me. He's moved on and is ready to settle down with his perfect little wife and have a perfect little family.' His stomach twists at the thought.

That was another issue that was contributing to his stress. Why would Jungkook tell his precious new bride about V? And why would she say he was searching for the pregnant man, and worried about him and the baby? Unless...'Does he believe me now? But if he believes me, what does he want now? To take the baby?' His heart pounded at the idea of Jungkook taking his daughter away. 'Never!'

"Taehyung!" Jimin's exasperated voice cuts into his thoughts, the older lightly shaking his shoulder.

Looking up, he sees an anxious frown on his best friend's face. "Hmm? Yes Chim?"

"I've been trying to get your attention but you weren't even listening! Why aren't you eating? Is it your stomach still? You haven't been eating enough at all!," the older gasps, "Do we need to take you to the doctor?" He turns wide eyes to his face-palming husband, "Yoongi, go get the car!"

"Jimin!", Tae internally rolls his eyes at his precious friend's dramatics, "I'm fine, really, just a little distracted and nauseous! You know it's normal for mpregs to be more bothered by morning sickness."

"Yeah, but you barely eat Tae!" the older whines. "You have to take better care of yourself and your baby!"

The younger smiles, "I know Chim. Try not to worry so much, please? I'm not going to let anything happen to her."

Clearing his throat, Yoongi tries to distract his hubby with a change of topic. "So Tae, have you picked out what you're wearing to the company party tomorrow night?"

The youngest groans, "I can't believe you two are forcing me to go with you to that thing. I don't work there or anything. Why do I have to go?"

Jimin's expression is mulish as he sits back down, "You hardly go out anymore Tae, you need a break! You need something fun to distract you!"

"I do go out! I went to visit Grandma yesterday, remember?"

Yoongi's eyes roll, "Visiting your grandma, going to the doctor, and the occasional meeting with Hoseok aren't the kind of fun we're talking about Tae. A party will be a nice break."

Tae's teeth dig into his lip as he ponders, "But what if someone recognizes me? I don't want anyone connecting me with Min Vante."

"Tae," Jimin shakes his head, "Between the belly, the glasses, the hair change, and everything, only people who really knew you would be able to recognize you now. And you said nobody was that close to you as V. Heck, at the shop yesterday you were standing right in front of a giant picture of yourself and the shop assistants still didn't recognize you as the model!"

The pregnant man gave a small smile at that. Jimin had dragged him into the Gucci shop determined to find an outfit for the party, and at first he'd been horrified to see the giant picture of his former self modelling on the wall. He'd been convinced that at any moment someone would point him out, and his quiet life would blow up. Still, the idea of risking his peaceful anonymity was nerve wracking...

Turning, he sees his bestie giving him big puppydog eyes, his pink full lips pouting. "Please TaeTae?"

Internally groaning, he sighs heavily, unable to resist his soulmate's begging. "Fine, I'll go!"

"Yay!", cheering, the older jumps up to hug his best friend. "You'll have fun, just wait and see!"

Elsewhere

Jungkook stares out the glass at the city below him, the stars in the night sky barely visible thanks to the shining lights. 'Where are you V?' He'd been beyond frustrated when his sister had informed him of the call he'd missed from the missing model. If only he hadn't forgotten his phone in his office! He'd immediately sicced Namjoon on tracing the source of the call, but the only thing the older man had been able to determine was that the call came from North America.

It was purely a coincidence that his current travel required him to come to the United States. Lisa was busy planning their parents' anniversary party the next month, along with her recent engagement to her fiance, and had been unable to come negotiate with their new partners herself. He'd still tried to refuse, but he was always weak where his sister was concerned.

Hearing a knock at the door, he turned away from the view of the city. "Come in."

Striding in, Namjoon quietly took in the tired and defeated looking ravenette. "Hey Kook. I emailed you the information on your new partners so you're familiar with everything you need to know before the party tomorrow."

Nodding, the younger goes to sit down at the hotel room desk. "Thanks hyung."

"How you holding up?"

Raking his fingers through his hair, he heaves a sigh. "I'm fine, just...I don't know. I'm worried about him. And the baby. I don't want to be here dealing with stuff for the company; I want to be out finding him."

"I know Kook," the older man pats his back, "We'll find him. Don't give up."

Straightening up, Namjoon looks at his watch. "I'm gonna head to my hotel room for the night. I'm really glad Jin was able to get away from work and come along, but he's pretty stubborn about me not staying out late." The busy obstetrician was rarely able to come along on trips with his husband, but had been able to arrange for his partner to cover for him. He'd been furious when Jungkook had first told him about the argument with Vante, berating him for walking out on his pregnant lover. He'd also educated him on how male pregnancies differed from female pregnancies, and on how he'd basically been an ignorant asshole for assuming the model had cheated on him.

"Is he looking forward to the party?", the younger's lips tug into a half-smile.

"It's Seokjin," Joon shrugs and grins, "You know he has a flare for the dramatic. He's determined to be the handsomest man at the party. He will be too."

Jungkook gives a small chuckle, "I think you might just be whipped."

"Sure I am," the older laughs, "But still, I think the party might be a nice distraction for you. You need a break. Try to have some fun, ok?"

Shrugging, the ravenette waves him off, "Night hyung".

After he's left, the man pulls his phone out, looking at the wallpaper of him and V together on a visit to Rome. The model looked stunning, as usual, and was beaming happily at the camera with Jungkook's arms around him. 'How could I possibly enjoy a party when I don't know where you are?'

AN: Merry belated Christmas! I know I take way too long to update; please forgive me! I am so thrilled and happy for our boys! I keep rewatching the clip of them finding out they were nominated for a Grammy over and over. They're like my happy pill (along with my babies!) I hope you're enjoying this story so far, I'm really looking forward to the next chapter! I purple you! 💜