credits: ISHIEMARU

credits: darapls

credits: dgactivist

credits: kei_is_crazy

credits: kirarin_005

credits: teamb_ikon7

credits: BBtxp

credits: ISHIEMARU

"Boss, get down!" TOP shouted as all of them ducked down and took cover when their enemies fired back.

All of them were shocked when their boss remained standing out in the open while shooting back at their opponents. Jiyong's blank eyes were scary, as if he had completely shut down the world around him. He didn't even care about the guns aimed at his direction.

He jerked back when a bullet grazed his arm and his leg. The Dragon Head unit immediately covered their boss and shoot blindly just to make sure that their opponents wouldn't be able to get him. The walls and pillars of the old building where they were currently at were already filled with bullet holes, but the unit members did not stop. It was as if their boss wished to be killed by a bullet from their enemies. But they would rather die than bear the shame of letting their leader fall. They were all bound by the Triad's oath when they entered the Hung Gates, and they planned on keeping their word.

They would never abandon their boss, the Dragon Head, especially during his trying times. It had been almost a week since Dara left, and Jiyong busied himself in driving aimlessly around the city and wrecking havoc in almost all places trying to find her or challenging the death god by placing himself in the line of danger. Just like today.

"DAMN IT!" TOP cursed as he stood beside Jiyong and furiously returned fire on their enemies. When the gunshots finally ceased and he saw that their boss had an addition to his collection of wounds, another string of curses escaped his mouth.

Jiyong had been teasing death multiple times, insisting in joining their operations even if they refused to bring him along. They knew he would do this again. The things he did to get himself killed for the past days were hair-raising. He jumped over the next building while chasing an escaping adversary, charged towards an exploding car and now, he was even trying to catch the bullets with his body.

"You're ing bleeding!" TOP hissed.

Jiyong's gun hung limply on his hand as he wiped the side of his cheek with the back of his hand, his eyes still focused on the corpses of their enemies. "These tards don't know how to properly aim," he mumbled, unmindful of his bleeding arm and leg.

"Be thankful they don't know how to aim!" TOP shot back in frustration. "You could've died with what you did! Boss, you-..."

"Is there any news about Dara?" He asked, cutting him off.

"N-None. As I've told you, the car she used was abandoned in a parking lot and there was still no footage of her anywhere. Even her credit card was unused. And her phone could not be traced."

"Okay," he said flatly. His face devoid of emotion was becoming alarming. It was as if Jiyong had completely given up the will to live. Perhaps the only reason stopping him from taking his own life was his pride as the Dragon Head and his hope that Dara will come back.

"Is there any other missions left for tonight?" He asked.

"Boss, please stop this," Youngbae pleaded as he approached the two while Daesung and Seungri were casting them worried glances in a nearby distance. Even the maknae line was getting uneasy with their boss' behaviour.

"You're our leader. You're the one running the Triads empire. Please bear that in mind."

"I'll just drive around the city to see if I could find her," Jiyong mumbled, ignoring the guy's pleas.

"Boss… Jiyong!" Youngbae called out, but it had fallen on deaf ears.

"I'll follow him," TOP said. "This is ing killing me!"

_____________________________________________________________

"How are you feeling today?" Haejin asked as they sat on the balcony under the beautiful night sky. There were plenty of stars that night and the full moon was huge, looking like a big plate. Dara tore her gaze from the sky and smiled at the guy.

"I'm feeling great. This vacation therapy works like magic. I feel relieved and stress-free, not having to look at laptop screens and TV screens and just enjoying the nature," she replied. "But am I still not allowed to call Bom? She must be really worried since I haven't contacted her since I last sent the message that I'm going on vacation. I didn't even tell her where I was going."

"No, you can't contact anyone. This is part of your vacation therapy. Didn't you want to escape the suffocating busy life at the office and the city? You're the one who asked for my help, why won't you listen to me?"

"Fine," Dara grumbled. "Jeez. Bom will kill me once I see her. She will be asking a lot of questions!"

"I told you before, if anyone asks, just tell them you went on a retreat by yourself. Tell them you traveled the countryside."

"Okay. But why would you be in trouble if anyone finds out that I was staying in your safehouse? Is it like a Triad thing? Is this safehouse supposed to be a top secret?"

"Do you want me killed, Dara?" Haejin asked as he picked up his cup of tea and sipped it.

"Of course not!"

"If your tongue slips, can you bear the idea of someone being killed just because you're not able to hold your tongue?"           

"Haejin," the girl sighed. "I promise I won't tell anyone, okay?"

"Promises are useless. I don't need you to promise me. I want you to remember that my life is in your hands and if anything happens to me because you didn't withhold the fact that we were together during your vacation therapy and that you stayed here in my safehouse, I want you to drill in your head that my death will be your fault. Yes, this is a Triad thing. We are very touchy when it comes to secrecy."

"Gosh, stop that!" She huffed in annoyance. "I get it, okay? This Triad stuff is really scary. Is your life always like this? How can you live on the edge every day?"

"I got used to it."

"The mobster figures in the Triad party were not how I pictured them to be, though. I thought all of you were scary and had yellow teeth and-..."

"Gross. Stop watching mobster movies."

"Anime. I watch anime, not mobster movies," she corrected him.

"I can't believe you're watching something as stupid as anim-..." Haejin clamped his mouth shut when the girl glared sharply at him. He had no doubt Dara would destroy his face with the tea cup she was holding if he finished uttering blasphemous words about her anime religion.

"Anyway," Dara started. "I'm really grateful that you helped me out to fulfill my wish of having some time to breathe and a time away from work."

Dara stretched her arms and shut her eyes, breathing deeply with a smile on her face. "This is life!" She exclaimed and giggled as she grabbed her cup of tea again. "Who would've thought I would become friends with a mobster during the Product Convention."     

Haejin focused his gaze on the girl, his tea cup hovering near his mouth. "What do you remember before the Product Convention? Do you remember packing your stuff?"

The girl furrowed her eyebrows, as if remembering something extraordinary. "Yeah, but it was odd. I don't think I packed my luggage in my apartment."

The guy set down his cup on the table and slowly stood up. "Join me in the library, Dara," he said and started walking ahead. It was time for another session of the girl's therapy.

_____________________________________________________________

"WHERE IS SHE?!" Jiyong yelled and punched the guy who was slumped on the floor, begging for his life. Unconscious bodies were scattered inside the bar when Jiyong suddenly attacked an unsuspecting gang that was seated on the next table. Shards of glasses and broken chairs were everywhere but the owner as well as the bouncers didn't dare stop the mad Dragon Head.

"WHERE IS SHE?!" He growled, still grabbing the thug by the collar.

TOP stepped inside and roamed his eyes around. The bar was almost unrecognizable, as if it was hit by a hurricane. It was a complete disaster. He then fixed his gaze on Jiyong who was trying to kill the poor guy.

"P-Please. I don't know who you're talking about," the guy pleaded.

"You were talking about a girl who ran away a while ago!"

"You mean Jihyeon? She-..."

Jiyong let go of him upon hearing a different name and walked over the pile of unconscious bodies on the floor, his eyebrows mashed together. "Wrong girl," he muttered as he brushed past TOP and headed towards the door.

"Boss," TOP called out as they exited the bar.

Jiyong turned around to face him, his tormented eyes a mirror of a man who was struggling to live through the pain he was feeling. TOP dragged his gaze on the wounds on his arm and leg due to the bullet that grazed him during their mission a while ago. He then shifted his eyes at his bloody fist, clicking his tongue in frustration.

"Not my blood," Jiyong said nonchalantly.

"Stop this, Jiyong. When was the last time you slept?"

"I nap whenever I can," he shrugged.

"That's not enough! Are you even in your right mind?" TOP snarled. Their boss had been running around the city, destroying everything he saw. It was getting out of hand and the entire unit was really worried for their leader's well-being. He has to get a grip of himself and has to stop trying to get himself killed.

Jiyong shoved his hands inside his pockets and remained silent. It was obvious he didn't care about anything anymore, and it was painful for TOP to see their sworn brother behaving that way.

"The location and date for the Auction by the Candle were already announced. We have to win the Dragon fountainhead statue and we also have to find the culprit who stole it," TOP informed him.

"We will win it. I don't care what request that damn item owner has. I can give it to him. If he wants my head, then fine by me."

"Jiyong!" TOP hissed. "No one among us will die in Auction by the Candle. Wasn't it why you had Nana prepare the list of Triad relics that we can use as a bargaining chip to get the statue back?"

"Is there any news about Dara?"

TOP rubbed the back of his neck, inexplicable exhaustion washing over him. "Jiyong, you have to take care of yourself. What if Dara comes back and sees you like this?"

"Do you believe she's coming back, hyung?" He asked with a deadpan expression. It was all too much for TOP. He couldn't bear the sight of their leader self-destructing.

Jiyong did not wait for his reply and turned around to leave, his steps slow and heavy. It was getting worse day by day. The fact that Dara was not by his side was getting so real that he couldn't delude himself any longer. Jiyong pounded his chest with his closed fist and exhaled loudly as he looked up the night sky. He bit his bottom lip firmly until he tasted blood, his heart aching as he looked at the stars. When was the last time that he and Dara took a night walk together? The sky would have been a beautiful sight if she was with him.

He continued to walk away, his shoulders slumped and his head hung low. He was afraid to face another day...another day of not having her by his side.

_____________________________________________________________

credits: tarozuki

"Hi babe," he whispered in a pained voice before pushing the door open. Unlike before, there was no Dara waiting at the other side of the door. He heaved a deep sigh and roamed his eyes around the dark living room. It was the same place he comes home to for years, but it was a lot different now. It felt so empty and cold.

He trudged towards the bedroom, ignoring Kung Pao who was clucking incessantly to get his attention. As he sat on the edge of the bed, he stared blankly at the dried blood on his fist. It would have been better if the s at the bar put up a good fight and kept him busy. He dreaded coming home. Could he still call it a home?

He pulled out his phone and dialed Dara's number. As expected, his call went directly to voicemail again. He waited for the beep, which was the indication that the message was being recorded.

"Hi babe," he said in a raspy voice. "How's your day?" He asked, swallowing hard for he knew he wouldn't hear an answer from her. He ignored the seething pain in his chest and continued speaking. "Mine was boring. I just stayed home and played with Kung Pao. We're waiting for you. Kung Pao was throwing tantrums because you left her. But I already explained to her that you needed a break. I hope you're enjoying your vacation." He covered the phone's mouthpiece with his hand, his breathing becoming ragged as his heart squeezed painfully. He knew very well she didn't go on a vacation. She ran away. She chose to escape the kind of life she had with him.

"B-Babe, can you at least send me a message to assure me that you're fine? I'm going crazy thinking of you. Please? I know you're still mad and yo