Hours before SBS Gayo Daejun

For the last two days Dara wasn’t able to attend their rehearsals. Even Pres YG personally visited and advised her to take a rest for the mean time and leave everything to the girls. For some reason, he finds the timing of changing the line up a blessing in disguise because of Dara’s condition now. They presented the whole dance routine without Dara and since there was only slim changes made on the steps, YG was confident the she would learn it quickly even for a short time.

The weather is still freezing and yet, it’s another outdoor live performance. The girls are extra careful with Dara especially YB who always make sure that she’s covered with thick jackets in between their dress rehearsals.

Jiyong was tensed after watching her fires up the dance floor when Dara started to dance ily on his side. He never seen that and he never imagined she can do that. Still knowing that there are someone who’s watching his moves, he pretend to be bored and acted like he doesn’t care on what she’s doing - but when their hands finally touched one another, all his pretending crumbles easily. His eyes cannot lie anymore. He looked at her lovingly and though he can’t voice out or show how much he cared for her and how much it worry’s him especially when she got sick… he took this chance to shower her his warmth - but Dara, she intentionally avoid his gaze. She promised herself not to look in his eyes anymore.

One by one they hurriedly went to backstage to finally change their clothes for the program. Even she’s shivering, Dara manages to pull off her mini skirt paired up with black stockings while their stylist Yanggae puts on a thick fur blazer on her. From not a far corner of the room, Jiyong can’t help but to frown and starts to feel irritated again - he never wanted to see Dara wearing shorts or skirts with an event like this. Especially with this, knowing that her celebrity fan boys is all around the place. He already talked to his long time friend that he should put on much warmer clothes to Dara since she’s still recovering from her fever but obviously, he ignored his suggestion and let him do his way.

“Dara unnie still looks y!” Minzy exclaimed

CL whistles.

“Fan boys alert”

She chuckles and hugged herself.

“Aigoo! The weather is even worst”

“Put this on noona” YB covered her almost exposed legs with his own jacket and smiled at her.

“Thank you Young Bae-ah”

Thanks to Jiyong’s brilliant mind, he manages to observe Dara’s moves without even noticing by everyone. He used his sunglasses of course.

‘I’m, so brilliant’ he silently praised himself. Jiyong acted like he’s busy fixing his hair while facing the large mirror but his eyes wasn’t fixed on his own reflection, instead, he’s eyes are busy lurking on Dara. His eyes would automatically turn into tiny slits whenever he sees YB being too touchy on her.

“Five minutes to go…”

Bom and YB performed Wedding Dress and You and I, while it was swiftly followed by GD and CL’s song, The Leaders. From backstage where Dara and Minzy are standing, she can’t help but to feel a little bad because it wasn’t Hello that was performed that night.

“Let’s nailed them Dara unnie” the maknae lightly squeezed her hand

“Let’s play!” she smiled at her while the huge screen was slowly opening up, hinting them that it was about time to come out.

Winter breeze embraces them but it was quickly changed as soon as the audience welcomed them warmly. The crowd even cheered more after seeing the two danced and drag YB and GD at the center of the stage. It was another successful YG family collaboration again.

“That was great” being the Leader, GD guided the girls and swiftly congratulates them right after the song ended and bringing the house down.

Dara was slowly walking her way out, spacing out a little after seeing something familiar earlier from where she’s standing.

‘That looks so familiar’ but then she shook her head and trying to convince herself that she was just imagining things while continue to walks absent mindedly .

“Oh!” she snapped out after facing Super Juniors on her way.

“Dara…” GD extended his hands on her after watching her turns to the wrong direction.

She turned her head and just looked at him.

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“Are you sure she seen it?” Jina smiled

“I’ve got the perfect position, I’m sure she saw it”

She chuckles and looked at the large glossy paper resting on the table.

“You’re good” she lifted a champagne glass. The latter did the same also and smile widely at Jina.

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“I heard you’ll be back in Japan”

YB sighed and tightens his grip on his phone.

“We’ll leaving tonight”

Dara frowned. She never likes hearing him in such a sad tone. They can’t send them to the airport since they are on their way to a club show tonight.

“Ya! Do you have colds? Your voice seems off” she chuckles trying to brighten up his mood. “I told you Ssantoki virus is strong!” laughs

YB chuckles.

‘Finally’ Dara thought. Every time the boys are going back to Japan, she can sense that he’s always hesitant to leave.

“Are you sure you’re fine now?”

“Young Bae-ah, I’m really fine now. Don’t worry about me okei?”

“Call me often noona…”

It was now her turn to let out a heavy sigh but she eventually smiles after.

“I will. I promise. So please don’t worry about me. I’m really fine. I’ve already caused trouble to you and - ”

“Not true… that’s not true” he cuts her off.

“I’ll call you as often as possible. I’ll call you every hour even if my phone bills will be expensive. I’ll call you every thirty minutes so you wouldn’t worry. I’ll call you every time I am allowed so make sure that your phone is always full charge. And don’t blame me if you can’t catch enough sleep because I’m calling you…”

He finally laughed out loud which causes to turn their heads on him. He even caught Jiyong looking at him for a swift moment but eventually pulled it back after seeing him looking at him also. YB shook his head lightly and cleared his throat. They are all in the airport waiting for their flight now.

“Promise that noona. I’ll wait for your call” he loudly answered.

“I promise! Don’t forget my chocolates” she laughs

Jiyong doesn’t have to be a genius to guess whose YB talking on his phone. Of course it would only be Dara - the one and only. They are exchanging calls more often than before. He’s a completely different YB when he’s talking to her. He’s glowing and blushing. He really looks so happy.

In just a cue, their manager showed up and motioned to them that they are ready to go. YB nods his head after seeing him.

“Noona we’ve got to go… Good luck on your show and enjoy”

“Have a safe trip. Send my regards to the boys” she chuckles and then ended the call.

BACKSTAGE

“I wish our maknae’s here” Dara whispered.

They are now currently resting after another wonderful show. She already misses their sweet maknae even they just left her few hours ago. Since she’s under age, she wasn’t able to join the rest of 2NE1 at the club show. But even she’s not there, they dedicated their show to their little Minzy.

“I’m sure she’ll be touched if she saw and how the crowd keeps on chanting her name” Bom agreed

CL excitedly rushed to them after ending a call from their manager. She’s beaming brightly and can’t help to start jumping up and down before giving them the good news.

“CL-roo, you look so happy. Kya! Let me guess… Seungri-ah called you right?” Dara teased

It made the latter smirked immediately as if Seungri was the nastiest pest she ever heard.

“Eww… You’re really a scattered brain unnie”

“Then why do you look so happy?”

She composed herself, held each hand of her unnie and gasped before giving them the good news.

“We’re going to Japan for a vacation! For five days!”

“Really? Is that true?”

CL happily nod her head while looking at the surprised and excited faces of her unnie’s

“Kya! I’m excited! I can finally bring Tamtamie in Japan!” Dara happily squealed while jumping up and down.

“Aigoo! A vacation again! Finally!” Bom joined her.

“Thanks to Dara unnie, Pres YG gave us vacation” CL turned to the jumping Ssantoki. “He became worried about our health after you collapsed and he’s giving us a break now” she continues.

“Kya!” Dara laughs

“We’ll be leaving in three days from now…we just have to finish everything and then we’re good to go!”

“Vacation! Vacation! Vacation!” the three of them happily chanted.

JAPAN, Bigbang’s Practice Room

Three days swiftly passed but it’s like forever to YB. Since the day they arrived in Japan, he never received any phone calls or even text messages from Dara. It’s a puzzle on him why the three girls also stop answering his calls who even promised him that they will keep on updating when they leave.

For Jiyong, who somehow adopt the observant attitude of TOP sees how his best friend YB tries to look normal but became very anxious whenever his phone will ring and his face will fell immediately after seeing that it wasn’t the call he’s been waiting for. He’s been like that since they move back in Japan.

“You looked flushed. Anything wrong?” he put his arms around his best friend during their break time.

“Nothing” YB weakly smiled at him while flipping his phone up and down.

“Really? You’re not a good actor you know” he chuckles.

YB heavily sighed.

“It’s been three days but still I haven’t received any call from Dara”

Jiyong frowned a little.

‘Dara? Since when he stopped calling her noona?’ he asked himself. But then put on his well rehearsed face and looked at YB.

“You know her, she’s really scattered brain maybe - ”

“But she promised she will call me. I’m beginning to worry on her. Something might be wrong”

For the first time, the always calmed and relaxed Dong Young Bae looked so worried and agitated. He started to feel alarmed also. He knew it’s something serious. Even Seungri, TOP and Daesung tried to cheer YB, it doesn’t work. He can’t crack even a smile for them. He’s always quiet and absent minded. How can he blame him, he feels something for the girl. He saw how he purposely tried to tire himself by dancing for hours without taking a rest. He timidly went back to their apartment and heard from Daesung that he always locked himself to his room since they share the same apartment.

It’s getting darker and colder outside. Jiyong was trying to catch a sleep also. He’s feeling stressed out after hearing what YB just told him earlier. It was a tiring day - both physical and mental state. His mind is running faster and faster and thinking on what possibly happened to Dara. He’s been tossing on his bed for hours until finally - he felt his eyes becoming heavy.

Then, their buzzer rings. He was planning to ignore it thinking that I was just Daesung or TOP who will bugs him so he continued to sleep. It rings again. Jiyong concluded that the maknae was sleeping soundly now because he was the one who normally opens their door every time it rings. He ignored it again but their visitor was persistent. She pressed again their buzzer.

Jiyong irritatedly get up from his bed and looked at the time. It’s past 10 pm now.

‘Do they know what time is it?’ he furiously asked himself and went outside of his room.

 He was actually planning to scold the irritating visitor who doesn’t know how to look at the time because it’s too late for invading their peaceful rest time but he froze as soon as he opened their door.

“Kya! Annyeonghasayoe Jiyong sunbae-nim” Dara bowed at him while smiling widely.

Jiyong can’t believe what he just saw. He closed his eyes thinking that he’s just imagining the fragile looking girl standing in front of him, holding his scared looking baby doll Tamtam while her other hand was holding her pick stroller bag - but when he opened his eyes, Dara was still there.

‘Ah, I’ve already have an eye problem now? I keep on seeing things here’ he thought himself and closed his eyes once more. But as soon as he opened his eyes again, Dara was indeed standing in front of him… at their doorstep… at their apartment… in Japan…

 These words screams all over his head.

“Do you have eye problem now?” Dara chuckles while looking at him weirdly.

He instantly shook his head, he looked at the hall way and saw no one but her - only her, her famous apple hair, her baby doll, her smile, her scent. He finally smiled at her, one sided smile to be exact.

“Dara… I mean… Dara… what are you doing here?” Jiyong can’t hide the happiness on his voice and even on his cute face.

“Aigoo! It’s so cold out here. I’ve been knocking for quite some time now” she chuckles while hugging herself.