November 17, 2020

"I think you need to rest, Miss Ari" Mrs. Jiang gently grabbed her armpit and helped her to the nearest seat. Izeul tilted her head, dragging a box of toys behind her, trying to help with the new room.

Ari smiled gratefully and looked at Izeul, who was watching her curiously. "What are you wearing sweetie?" Ari asked and Izeul smiled. "Toys, there's no more room in my room, so I'll leave them here," she explained sweetly, dropping the box near the baby crib Ari was struggling to put together.

She looked with a smile at the little girl who came running out of the room, hopping from foot to foot and singing something to herself. Ari had explained to her that she was going to be a big sister now, but Izeul either didn't seem to understand or didn't really care.

Ari could find a thousand excuses for her behavior, but none for Namjoon's behavior. He had clearly warned Mrs. Jiang to keep Izeul away from Ari and refused to give an explanation for it.

Right now she was punishing him with silence and he didn't like it at all, but they were both stubborn and the situation was only getting worse.

She bent down slightly, rubbing her back. A slight pain had been shooting down her lower back and moving to her stomach since the morning, but Ari ignored it considering it only appeared for a short time and every few hours.

Leaning back comfortably again, she stroked her enormous belly, smiling proudly. The babies were behaving, she was already at the beginning of 36 weeks, 4 more weeks until her scheduled c-section and she was hoping they would wait and dispel the myth of premature birth with twins.

"Hey miss mommy, how are you?" Ari smiled at Hoseok, who leaned down and kissed her on the forehead, then looked around the room with his hands on his hips. "It's going really well, but I think you should rest and leave it to us" he shook his head and Ari shrugged.

"I'm fine, besides, I've had enough lays for a lifetime," Ari replied slightly annoyed, also looking around at her work. "Where's Namjoon?" she asked and Hoseok glared at her.

"Don't you know?" he asked raising an eyebrow and Ari shook her head. "We're not talking" Ari explained to his questioning look and he snorted. "What did the idiot do again?" Hoseok asked irritably and Ari rolled her eyes.

“He told Mrs. Jiang to keep Izeul away from me” Ari sighed and closed her eyes, rubbing her forehead. "Why is he doing it, Hoseok, why does he want his daughter to stay away from me and the babies?" Ari asked, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Maybe he's just worried that Izeul is too energetic and tiring you out?" Hobi suggested and Ari shook her head. "That's no excuse, I may not be her biological mother, but I adore her as much as babies, she's my daughter too" Ari wailed and Hoseok crouched down next to her, stroking her back soothingly.

"Now should be the time for Izeul and the babies to bond, for her to feel like their sister, and he's keeping her away from me!" Ari sobbed, crumpling the hem of her baggy maternity shirt.

"Did you tell him?" Hoseok took her hand and tried to wipe away her tears. "He wouldn't let me explain to him" Ari shook her head and sniffed heartbreakingly. "He's one stubborn ass!" she hissed and Hoseok let out a small laugh.

"So that's why Namjoon has been like a storm cloud lately?" he asked and she nodded. Hoseok laughed again. "He loves you, Ari, he's just worried too much" Hoseok tried to justify Namjoon, but Ari gave him a sharp look.

"Hobi hyung?" Taehyung flew into the room, but when he saw Ari, he forced a smile. "What?" Hoseok stood up and looked at him. Taehyung looked from Ari to Hoseok, then back to Ari and nodded that he wanted to talk to him outside.

Hoseok lowered his eyebrows but turned to Ari with a smile and leaned down, kissing her forehead again. "Make Namjoon hear you, if you can't, no one will" he advised her, then sighed. "Debt calls, I'm back to work and you rest" he smiled, caressing her belly gently and followed Taehyung.

"Are you out of your mind? How does a man like Kim Namjoon just disappear!" Hoseok roared. Seokjin shook his head and handed him his phone, Hoseok took it and looked at him, brow furrowed.

"When the cat sleeps, the mice dance. First Kim Namjoon, then Kim Izeul, then the little pregnant lady, and finally, all of Bangtan! The war isn't over until the last Kang dies!!!"

"That's bullshit, we killed Kang!" Hoseok growled, handing the phone back to Seokjin. “Looks like we missed someone” Yoongi replied thoughtfully.

"But who, Namjoon didn't even spare the servants" Jimin leaned against the wall, banging his head noisily and staring at the ceiling. "Are you still keeping the information on Kang?" Seokjin asked and Hoseok nodded with a frown.

"Alright, go over it carefully, see what we might have missed" Jin began. "Yoongi, Jungkook, you look around Namjoon's car, see if there are any marks, as well as where we found it." they both nodded.

"Taehyung and Jimin, you two organize our men, the moment we know something we will attack." he bit his lip thoughtfully. "I'll make sure to organize some of the families we work with in case we need more people" Jin finished and looked around the five men.

"And under no circumstances, remember, absolutely under no circumstances should Ari find out that Namjoon is missing!" he growled and everyone nodded. "They've had a fight, so she won't know until tonight, but what are we going to tell her when he doesn't come home?" Hoseok asked worriedly.

"Tell her something urgent came up, that he had to go to… Kaesong! Yeah, she won't question that, knowing what the place means to Namjoon and Bangtan" Seokjin shook his head feeling guilty , that she had to lie to Ari, but it was for her own good.

"I don't like to lie, my ears turn red and Ari always catches me..." Jungkook muttered, looking at Seokjin sullenly. "Then avoid her, Jimin, you too, you're both terrible at keeping secrets!" Yoongi ordered and they both nodded.

"We were so focused on keeping Ari and Izeul safe while we investigated, that we didn't think about Namjoon" Hoseok sighed, shaking his head. "Who would have thought that someone would dare to attack Bangtan's devil directly?!" Yoongi growled and everyone looked down.

"Let's act before we have to explain to the devil woman!" Seokjin clapped his hands and stood up. Everyone started for the door except Yoongi. "Jin, Hoseok, can I talk to you?" he asked and they both nodded, waiting for Taehyung, Jimin and Jungkook to come out.

"What's wrong?" Seokjin asked once the younger ones came out. "Did any of you find out who was the person who kidnapped Ari?" Yoongi asked and Seokjin and Hoseok looked at each other shaking their heads.

"I didn't even talk to her. First because she got into that state and then her pregnancy..." Seokjin looked at him with raised eyebrows. "Why did you think of that now?" Jin asked and Yoongi shrugged.

“I just thought it might have been the last Kang in question…” Yoongi replied and Hoseok gasped in surprise. "Do you think she might know who it is?" Hobi asked and Yoongi looked at him thoughtfully.

"Not out of the question, but how do we ask her without arousing her suspicions or having to tell her about Namjoon?" Yoongi bit his lower lip, frowning.

"No, she's too sensitive right now. Besides, she's too smart, she'll know something's up if we suddenly start questioning her" Hoseok shook his head. "But it might help?" Yoongi added.

"I agree, but if she doesn't react well and something happens? Namjoon will flay us alive when he gets home…" Seokjin gritted his teeth. "And then we never found out who her kidnapper might be, the police didn't have any leads either" Seokjin looked at Hoseok and Yoongi thoughtfully.

"Looking at it that way, the possibility of it being the same person is huge. But when she was kidnapped, she came back on her own…" Yoongi answered his look. "Maybe someone helped her?" Hoseok suggested. "Yes, but who? Who knew she was kidnapped, and who she was?" Seokjin sat down on the edge of the desk.

"Didn't a car bring her?" Hoseok asked suddenly, looking at Seokjin. "Question the guards who were at the gate at the time, there's no way they'd miss a car if they didn't know whose it was" Seokjin sighed and Hoseok nodded.

"So it's decided, let's act. And make sure Ari doesn't find out, at least until we have no other choice…" Seokjin finished, standing up and heading for the door. Yoongi and Hoseok looked at each other, but followed him in silence.