~time skip...~

"I wish you'd cover that up. It makes me feel bad looking at it."

"It makes me feel bad too."

Joohyuk sighs as he leans against the doorframe of the bedroom, crossing his arms as he watches Taehyung apply the aloe vera gel to the bruises forming under his eye and on his shoulder. "I said I was sorry, what else do you want me to do?"

"I want you to stop hitting me." The brunette says, his voice small and mellow.

"What?" Joohyuk asks even though he hears him.

Taehyung shakes his head, looking down as he squeezes more aloe vera into his hand.

"It's not my fault that you didn't ask for my permission to use my debit card." Joohyuk shrugs. "I didn't think I'd have to tell you to ask to spend my money."

"It was for the baby~"

"It doesn't matter what it was for. It was still stupid of you."

Taehyung nods, leaning towards the mirror as he carefully applies the gel under his eye. "You're right, Joohyuk. I'm an idiot for thinking I had any right to provide for your child with your money."

"Provide? Really? You want to talk about providing for someone when you don't even have a job to provide for yourself?" Joohyuk asks narrowing his eyes. "You really are just fucking pathetic."

"I had a job until you forced me to keep this fucking baby, Joohyuk." Taehyung says angrily as he faces him.

"I didn't force you to do anything. You could've just went and got an abortion, you're just too weak willed and easily influenced." Joohyuk says rolling his eyes as he turns to leave the bathroom. "Next time you decide to spend my money on some bullshit, buy yourself some concealer. I'm sick of seeing you all bruised up because you can't follow a few simple rules."

Taehyung stands there silently as he watches Joohyuk walk away. He thinks back to a few months ago when Joohyuk first found out about his pregnancy. Could he have still gotten an abortion before he was forced to move away from his apartment? Was there still time that he didn't take advantage of?

The baby moves, the flutters bringing Taehyung back to the present. He was constantly reliving the past, wondering where exactly he went wrong and how he was going fix it.

But he couldn't fix anything, not living in this house. Not when he needed permission to check the mail, or to get something out of the car. Not when all his clothes were picked by Joohyuk and all his shoes were thrown out to keep him from "running away."

There wasn't anything he could do but stay and wait for something to happen. He was constantly waiting for the opportunity to get as far away from Joohyuk as possible. Which he couldn't do right now, not when he was close to six months pregnant.

"Stop standing there looking stupid. Isn't there some house work that you need to catch up on?" Joohyuk asks walking into the bathroom dressed for work.

"What time do you get off?" Taehyung asks looking down at his hands.

"Why? So you can plan your escape accordingly?" The older asks as he starts brushing his teeth.

"No." The brunette mumbles walking out of the bathroom. He wouldn't run away, there wasn't anywhere to go. Who would be run to in this neighborhood?

    "I'll be back tomorrow morning." Joohyuk calls after him. "I'm gonna take you out so be dressed when I get here."

    "I don't have any shoes, Joohyuk." Taehyung says sitting down on the bed, he thought it was ridiculous that he had to remind Joohyuk of the things he did during his fits of rage.

    "I'll bring you some." The older says walking out of the bathroom. "I gotta go, give me a kiss."

Taehyung lifts his head, letting Joohyuk kiss him before he grabs his keys and rushes out.

    "I love you." The older says before he's gone, the front door slamming in his wake.

Taehyung stays there for a few minutes after he hears the car leave the driveway. Staring off into the distance as he repressed his thoughts. Sometimes it was easier not to think at all rather than to be bombarded by the darkness of his thoughts. He decides to finish the laundry, even though all he really wants to do is lie in bed.

As he's doing so he is startled by the door bell ringing. He is hesitant to even see who it could be, no one ever comes to their house. Their house was in a secluded area of the neighborhood, concealed mostly by the trees surrounding the area. All he can think about as he approaches the door is how pissed Joohyuk would be if he answered.

Despite his gut telling him to ignore the person at the door he opens it. Shocked to see a smiling man there holding flyers in his hands.

    "Hello, are you Joohyuk?" The man asks kindly.

    "U-Uhm, no. I'm Taehyung, can I help you?" Taehyung asks, practically hiding behind the door as he spoke to the guy.

    "Yeah, I'm kinda new to the neighborhood. I'm Kevin." The man says bowing, still sporting the same friendly grin on his face.

Taehyung nods, bowing slightly before waiting for him to continue.

    "There's been a few break ins around the neighborhood in the past couple weeks, I don't know if you heard." Kevin starts. "So my wife and I are starting a neighborhood watch. I was hoping you and your partner would join us and a few other families. It's a really affective way to keep the neighborhood safe for everyone. Especially the kids."

Taehyung takes the flyer that Kevin hands him, looking down at it for a moment. "I'll ask Joohyuk if he wants to join."

    "That'd be great. You can always join alone if he isn't interested. We need all the people we can get." Kevin chuckles warmly.

    "Yeah, I'd still have to ask." Taehyung says, his expression the same as its been since he answered the door. "I-I'll let you know."

    "Great." The man smiles as he prepares to walk away. "Also, I'd recommend some vitamin k cream for your eye. It'll lighten that bruise right up."

Taehyung watches Kevin walk away before shutting the door. Sighing as he pressed his fingers against his bruised eye.

He didn't know what to feel anymore. He didn't even care enough to think about it. He was just trying to survive at this point, but not for himself, for his kids.

He had to survive for his children.

~Jeongguk's house~

"Absolutely not, Jaehyung."

Jeongguk sighs as he takes Hanjae's lollipop from Jaehyung, handing it back to Hanjae. Jaehyung starts to fuss but Jeongguk ignores him as he focuses on his laptop.

"Appa!" Jaehyung screams as he plops down on the ground throwing a fit.

"I know right." Jeongguk says without looking at him. He was used to his temper tantrums by now, his pediatrician said that he'd grow out of it eventually.

Jaehyung's screams suddenly die down, grabbing Jeongguk's attention. He smiles softly when he sees Hanjae offering his lollipop to his brother.

"Don't spoil him rotten, Hanie." He chuckles before returning to his work.

Over the past five months he's been helping his brother to locate Taehyung, which was proving to be nearly impossible.

Days following the brunette's "disappearance" his debit and credit cards were cancelled, his car was impounded, and his phone was disconnected. And on top of all of that he was no longer teaching at the primary school.

Even though he was originally discouraged by this information it gave him hope that Taehyung was still alive. Jihyuk was convinced that he'd be dead by now if something bad happened to him, but Jeongguk had hope. He wasn't giving up on him.

"It's me, Jeongguk." Seokjin says as he walks into the house. "I brought Saebin too."

"I'm in the kitchen, hyung." Jeongguk says, smiling when Saebin rushes up to him.

"Jk, guess what. Guess, guess, guess." The seven year old says excitedly as he climbs into Jeongguk's lap.

     "Tell me, tell me, tell me." Jeongguk says with equal enthusiasm.

    "I know a secret that nobody else does, not even daddy or Joon. Wanna hear it?" Saebin says leaning in with a mysterious smile.

    "The whole point of a secret is to not tell anyone, Saebin." Seokjin says walking into the kitchen. "You promised you wouldn't tell anyone, remember?"

    "But Jk's my best friend." Saebin pouts looking up at Seokjin. "You're supposed to tell your best friend everything."

    "Don't you want Jeongguk to be surprised like everyone else?" Seokjin asks sitting down at the kitchen table.

    "Fine." Saebin pouts. "But can I give him a hint?"

    "Go play with the twins." Jeongguk chuckles as he sits Saebin down. "Tell them your secret, they won't tell anybody."

    "Okay!" The seven year old says going to the living room to play with the boys.

    "Any good news today, Gguk?" Seokjin asks.

    "Not really." Jeongguk sighs shutting his laptop. "I'm still not sure what to think other than that Nam Joohyuk isn't this guy's real name."

    "Your brother still hasn't found anything?" Seokjin asks, he was starting to feel like Taehyung would never come back.

    "No, he's working with some people to figure some stuff out though." The ravenette says. "I'm not giving up on him. I know Taehyung, and he wouldn't do this shit. That asshole he was dating did something to him."

Seokjin nods. "You'll find him."

    "I hope so." Jeongguk sighs. "How are things with Namjoon? Are you guys engaged yet?"

    "No." Seokjin laughs. "I wish you'd stop saying that."

    "It's gonna happen any day now." Jeongguk sings with a teasing smile.

    "You're ridiculous." Seokjin laughs. "I'm having a baby in less than three months, I don't have time to worry about getting married right now. Namjoon feels the same way."

    "Who says you have to get married any time soon?" Jeongguk asks. "Some people stay engaged for years before they get married."

    "Now just isn't the time." Seokjin chuckles. "Maybe after the baby is here."

Jeongguk nods in understanding before his phone vibrates against the table, interrupting their conversation. "Sorry, hyung, I gotta take this."

"No, you're fine." Seokjin says waving him on.

Jeongguk stands as he answers his brother's call. "Yes?"

"Come to the house. You're going to want to see this." Jihyuk says with a weird tone in his voice.

"See wha~"

"Just come to the house. Now, please."

The line drops before Jeongguk can question his brother any further.

    "I'm sorry, hyung. I have to run." Jeongguk sighs, already preparing to leave. "That was my brother, I think it's about Taehyung."

    "Okay, go. I can stay with the boys."

    "Will you?"

    "Yeah, go."

Jeongguk thanks Seokjin before rushing out of the house. He was anxious to see what Jihyuk found.

He just prayed that it was good news.