The Bangtan Baby

12 weeks

It had been hard—nearly impossible—keeping the secret of the century. Harder still when your partner was practically vibrating with excitement, ready to blurt it out to anyone who so much as glanced in his direction.

Grace had lost count of how many times she'd had to nudge Seokjin under the table or shoot him the look in group settings: eyebrows raised, jaw tight, that subtle but unmistakable "shut up before you ruin everything" expression.

And every single time, Seokjin would flash her that soft, goofy smile. The one that screamed: I have a secret and I don't want to keep it anymore.

But they'd made a promise—to each other and to the tiny life growing inside her. As her doctor had gently advised during that first early scan, they were waiting until the twelve-week appointment to share the news. That first confirmation, when she saw the tiny bean on the screen, was enough to make her believe it was real. But this scan? This one would show a baby. A heartbeat. Arms. Legs. Movement. Life.

It wasn't superstition. It was a precaution. After everything they had both been through, separately and together, this needed to be theirs for just a little longer. A private joy, unshaken by the noise of the world.

Seokjin had taken the waiting game in stride... or tried to. In truth, he'd been counting down the days like it was a second debut. He had a sticky note countdown on the fridge, complete with doodles and motivational quotes like "You're doing amazing, fetus!" He had multiple reminders set on his phone, and at one point, he even updated BTS's shared calendar with the phrase "BABY BLAST OFF" stamped across the date. Grace quickly deleted it before anyone could see.

The appointment had been booked weeks in advance at Asan Medical Center. Seokjin had done his research—poring over forums, texting quietly through his connections, asking for recommendations under fake names—wanting nothing but the best.

And, as always, Hana had pulled off a miracle. Grace's entire schedule was cleared: no interviews, no rehearsals, no shoots, no press. A miracle in the middle of comeback prep. Somehow, she made it happen.

The rest of BTS had also been given the day off under the vague and harmless excuse of "rest and recovery." Taehyung had booked a massage and facial. Jungkook made early tattoo plans. Yoongi disappeared into the studio without explanation. Namjoon packed up and vanished into the mountains before sunrise. No one suspected a thing.

The morning had started early, not because they had to, but because neither could sleep. Grace had wandered into the kitchen before the sun rose, barefoot, half-distractedly making toast she didn't eat. Seokjin emerged minutes later, hoodie slung loosely over his frame, blinking at her like a sleepy puppy. He didn't say a word, just wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face into the crook of her neck, letting out a hum that vibrated through her back.

Now, just after 10 a.m., they were in the car and on the way. The roads were quiet, and autumn had arrived in full. Yellow leaves drifted lazily across the asphalt as Seokjin took the longer route, just for the extra minutes.

He drove one-handed, the other resting on her thigh, thumb rubbing small, even circles into the denim of her jeans. The stereo played low, some instrumental piano piece Grace couldn't name, but had been the only thing soothing enough to make it onto the drive-to-the-scan playlist.

Every now and then, Seokjin glanced sideways, checking on her, checking that she was still breathing, still okay, still real. And every time, she'd give him a soft smile, squeezed his hand and anchored him.

Neither spoke much, but they didn't need to.

Today, they would hear their baby's heartbeat. Today, they would see the shape of something they'd barely dared to hope for. Not just an idea or a dream whispered in the dark. But a real, living, growing someone. The first chapter of everything that was still to come.