Dara's mom came soon after and together with Seungri, they brought Dara back to her house, tucking her in bed and ordering her to rest.
  Dara didn't want to rest. She wanted to get started on her quest to get Jiyong to speak with her. Regardless of what anyone says, she doesn't want to give Jiyong too much space. She knows he has changed and she knows that he doesn't deserve the doubt but a very small part of her is afraid that if Jiyong is drunk enough and angry enough, he might revert to his old ways and find comfort in other women.
  It's an unfair thought because Jiyong has never cheated on her when they were together. Even when they weren't, for that matter. He partied hard when they officially cut their ties with each other.
  She knows all this and yet, she can't help the feeling of dread that came with this crisis. She knows that if he does react to this badly, it would be her fault too. No, that isn't entirely accurate, Dara thought. It will be her fault if Jiyong's feelings for her change or if he decides he wants to break up with her. If he cheats on her, then that's on him.
  But please don't let him give up on us. Dara prayed silently. Please let him hear me out.
  "Sandara." her mother called her attention. "You rest now, you hear? I talked to your manager and he was able to move some things around for the next couple of days to give you enough time to recover." She brushed the hair off Dara's face with a gentleness that is completely her.
  "Omma.." Dara said softly. "I messed up."
  "I know but you'll fix it." Her mom's voice was filled with certainty.
  Dara gave a reluctant laugh. "How do you know?"
  "Don't you know mother knows best?" Her mom answered with a cheeky smile. She ran her hand through Dara's hair again. "But seriously, I know because I know you. And I know Kwon Jiyong. He loves you."
  "Promise?" she asked childishly.
  "Do you seriously need my assurance?" Her mom smiled indulgently as Dara pouted. "Ah.. My first-born. You are my first-loved." She placed a comforting hand on Dara's cheek. "You took the burden of taking care of us at such a young age and you're still doing it now. I only want your happiness. If that happiness rests with Kwon Jiyong, then fight for him, Dara-ya. Make him listen. If you're not sure, let him go." Dara protested her mother's words. "I know you love him and I know he loves you but I want you to be 100% certain it's him you want waiting for you when you finally walk down the aisle." She paused as she studied her daughter's mulish expression. "You know I love that boy. He's proven his love for you countless times and he has also shown his love for us as well, but like I said earlier, it's your happiness that I'm most concerned about. If you're not sure, the kindest thing would be to let him go."
  "I don't want to." Dara answered stubbornly. "I won't let him go. He's IT for me, mama."
  Her mother smiled at the moniker they used to call her back in the Philippines, proving just how exhausted her daughter must feel. She often reverts to habits she got used to growing up in times of stress. "Then I support you fully, daughter. Now, rest." 
  "Don't want to." Dara said defiantly but her eyes were already drooping, "I need to keep calling Jiyong. Otherwise he might forget about me."
  "I highly doubt that." Dara's mom went to the door and closed the light. "Sleep. Don't make me call Sanghyun and ask him to guard you. You know he'll sit on you if that's what needed."
  "Dog poop-ah. I miss him, mama." Dara answered sleepily. "He could make Jiyong listen. Tie him up.."
 

At her daughter's sleepy words, she made a mental note to speak with Seungri and Sanghyun to remind them that they can't do anything illegal or scandalous. Given free reign, if those two join forces with Sandara, their desire to help their beloved noona could cause unspeakable chaos to the general population.

____________________________________________

 

"You okay, man?" Youngbae asked as Jiyong entered the recording studio. He, TOP and Daesung have been waiting for Jiyong and Seungri for about fifteen minutes already. They're scheduled to record a new song before the whole Dispatch scandal and since they didn't hear anything from Jiyong about cancelling, they showed up ready to work.
  Jiyong grunted as he took a seat. "Of course not. I'm not drunk enough to be okay."
  "Jiyong.. You know Dara isn't cheating on you." TOP reminded him gently. When Jiyong only scoffed, TOP stared at him intently. "Seriously? You think she's cheating on you?"
  "Hyung, that's like the last thing Dara noona would do to you." Daesung added.
  "They're right, Ji." Youngbae joined in when Jiyong still wouldn't speak.
  "We had plans that night." Jiyong said quietly, silencing the other three. "I.. I wanted to surprise her.. just because, you know?" He looked at s and for a moment they could see the extent of their leader's pain before he masked it. "She didn't show up. At first I was worried, and then those photos came out.."
  "Jiyong.." TOP didn't know what to say. Neither did Youngbae or Daesung. So Youngbae just patted Jiyong's shoulder twice in a gesture of manly support.
  They sat there in silence until Seungri came stomping in.
  "Hyung!" He called when he saw Jiyong. "I was looking everywhere for you! Where have you been?"
  "What do you mean where has he been?" TOP asked in a booming voice. "He's been here waiting for you to show up because we have a recording remember?"
  Seungri covered his ear with one hand. "Ehhh.. TOP hyung don't be so noisy."
  "Why you little-"
  "Why are you late, maknae?" Youngbae asked hoping to divert the topic. 

"I had some errands to run." He said evasively.
  "Errands?!" TOP shouted. "We have a schedule and you decide to run errands."
  "Don't shout at me. It's important." He pouted. "Jiyongie hyung.. I bet you want to know where I was, huh?" At Jiyong's cold stare he continued. "Well.. after the hospital -"
  "Why were you in the hospital?" Youngbae interjected.
  "Oh because Dara noona was there. I had to wait until she was discharged." Seungri said casually. "As I was - "
  "What happened to noona?" Daesung interrupted this time.
  "Sheesh. Didin't you tell them, hyung?" Seungri turned to face Jiyong, then turned back to face their other members. "Okay, so Jiyong hyung and I get drunk after Dispatch released the photos, right? Then when I wake up, I found Dara noona passed out in my kitchen - "
  "What?!"
  Seungri continued, discreetly watching Jiyong. He decided to play this as casually as he could. "Yeah. She was dehydrated and over-fatigued and some other stuff I don't really understand, but she's okay. She's okay, Jiyong hyung. She's resting and I left her with her mom who understood everything the doctors said and promised to explain the doctor's instructions to anyone interested in knowing about it. So back to my story, so after she was discharged, I tagged along with them to help her mom get her home and sober up more, cause I was still like too drunk to drive.."
  Seungri was in the back seat as Dara's mom drove them. He was really ashamed that he was being driven by Dara's mom but he was still drunk so he can't really do anything about it. He apologized several times, until she told him that holding on to Dara when she didn't want to keep still was more difficult that he imagined.
  She was right. Dara kept fidgeting until he finally trapped her to his side and forced her to lean on him. "Noona, behave." Seungri whispered. "You need to get better so that we can implement our plans. Unless you want to go the I'm-dying-please-love-me route?"
  Dara glared at him, causing her mom, who was keeping an eye on them through the rear view mirror to chuckle. "Sandara, get some rest. We have a long drive."
   "Seungri.."
  "Yes?" he asked cautiously, knowing from experience that when she uses that tone of voice she needs something from him.
  "I need you to go and buy something, okay?" She told him exactly what she wanted.
  He listened intently until she finished. "But why?"
  "Jiyong will know." She whispered. The next words were accompanied with a disgruntled huff since she has been given strict instructions to be on bed rest. "I need you to give it to him personally and beg him to come see me."   "Beg?" Seungri coughed.
  "You know how stubborn he could be." Dara faced said. Then she faced him and her sad-eyes. Right then, Seungri knew she was getting serious. "If I was allowed to go to him, I would. You know I would but you said, give him space. So this is me giving him space without giving him too much space. You promised you'd help me, baby panda. You promised."
  "Aarrgh. Fine. Fine." Seungri finally agreed. "But you also have to promise that you will obey the doctor's orders. No cheating!"
  "But - "
  "No cheating." Seungri repeated. He didn't budge until she finally agreed.
  "Okay. I promise." Seungri felt her leaning on him more, signalling that she has almost exhausted what little energy she has. "Tell him I love him, okay? So very much."
  "She made me promise to give you that." Seungri continued pointing to a paper bag that he set down near Jiyong when he sat down. "Oh, this is important. She said to tell you that she loves you so very much. Emphasis on the so."
  They all watched as Jiyong eyed the paper bag. He tried to act nonchalant but would gaze at the paper bag every few seconds until TOP finally had enough.
  "Oh for goodness' sake." TOP snatched the paper bag and opened it. He stared at the contents in confusion. He turned to Seungri, "Does she want him to go camping?"
  "She wouldn't do that. Dara noona knows Jiyong hyung would die if he goes camping." Daesung answered TOP.
  "What are you talking about, hyung? How did you get camping from the contents of that bag?" Seungri demanded.
  TOP lifted the item from the bag: a pack of marshmallows. "I thought they made smores or something."
  Youngbae chuckled, knowing the significance of the gesture. He could remember how Jiyong pouted when fans started calling him a marshmallow because he thought they were saying he was chubby but when he found out that they meant he turns gooey and soft and clingy around Dara, he accepted the new nickname with a giddy smile. 
  Seungri looked at Jiyong expectantly but the older guy was avoiding looking at the bag of marshmallows in TOP's hands. "You don't want it, hyung?" At Jiyong's silence, Seungri grabbed the bag from TOP. "Okay, I'll just give it to Winner. Dara noona would be so sad if she found out you just threw this out. This way, she'll be happy because I fed it to her babies."
  "You make them sound like they're her pets." Daesung commented.
  "Aren't they?" Seungri asks. "She pets them and cuddles them and talks silly to the-"
  "Winner's on a diet." Jiyong told them casually as he put the bag of marshmallows out of reach of s.
  "You should thank her for the marshmallows, hyung." Seungri suggested.
  "You bought it." Jiyong pointed out.
  "Because she asked me to." Seunrgi countered. "She's on bed rest so she couldn't really go out or she might collapse again." Jiyong remained silent. "You should go see her, hyung. See how she's doing. When I left her place, she was really out of it but she was asking for you." Seungri was laying on the guilt really heavily now. "She could barely stay awake but she kept asking for you, asking her mom if you still love her and if you'll listen to her." He whispered the last part guiltily, not sure if he should be revealing Dara's not quite conscious words but, he thought what the hell and decided to go for broke.
  Everyone was staring at Jiyong waiting for his answer. Normally, at any hint that Dara wanted or needed to see him, he'd be out the door in a flash. This time he slumped further in his seat and turned tired, defeated eyes towards their maknae. "I can't."
  They expected Seungri to insist, to badger his way until he gets so annoying Jiyong either throws him out of the recording studio or actually gives in. Much to their surprise, the younger man backed down. "Okay. So, are we recording?"
  Jiyong nodded slowly and asked Youngbae to get in the booth. Slowly, they got to work but it didn't escape anyone's attention how Jiyong's gaze would rest on the bag of marshmallows he placed near him.

_____________________

  When Dara next opened her eyes, she found Park Bom sitting on the bed next to her, eating some of the fruits that Seungri brought for her. Right now, she was busy on her phone as she was happily munching on a banana.
  Dara watched her with an amused smile for a bit, waiting for her to notice. Bom was oblivious. Once she finished her banana, she grabbed an orange and started peeling. How she was able to do so without breaking a nail was a puzzle to Dara.
  "Yummy?" Dara asked.