After the maknae's had left the CEO's office, Dae had demanded the truth, and he got just that.

The CEO told him of how he'd requested that Ellie get rid of the child, and leave the country, offering her money.

Worse yet, he also found out that the CEO had told her this was all being done at Dae's request.

Daehyun didn't remember much after that except that Yongguk and Himchan were holding him back by his arms as he yelled at the CEO.

Words flew out of his mouth faster than his mind could process.

He'd become hysterical and Himchan had to remove him from the room, dragging him as he yelled.

He couldn't believe how completely out of control this whole thing had become.

It just seemed to be one thing after another and just when he thought there might be some hope, something would come along and ruin it.

Himchan pulled him outside into the cold were he finally stopped struggling, letting himself collapse to the ground, and began sobbing.

He crouched next to him, placing a hand on his back, trying to consol him.

Himchan had told him to let Yongguk handle it, and offered to take him to see Ellie.

He'd held him as he cried and stopped him from punching the cement path he sat on before he bloodied his knuckles.

It was too much...all this...was just too much.

And when he thought about what Ellie must have been through...he couldn't bear it.

He had returned to the dorm with Himchan, quickly throwing a couple things in his duffle bag, his cheeks wet with tears as Himchan followed him around the dorm offering to drive him home, but Dae declined. 

He needed to do this alone.

Once his bag was packed, he said a quick good-bye and left.

He had to control himself to keep from speeding on his way back to Busan.

The last thing he needed was to get pulled over or get into an accident.

The closer he got to home, the more his stomach churned. 

What was he going to say? What could he possibly say to make things better?

'Sorry' just didn't seem to cut it....

Would she have done as the CEO asked?

Did she believe he really wanted her to get rid of it, to leave?

Dae pulled into his mother's driveway and grabbed his duffle bag.

He greeted his mother with a hug, and she held him tightly. 

"You surprised me, I wasn't expecting to see you for quite some time! Did you boys just get back?"

He lingered for a moment, silent, comforted by his mother's embrace.

"You've lost weight again." she said.

He forced a smile."I've been busy."

"I know it. I've been watching you on tv. You still look so sad. Is your father's death still bothering you?"

His smile faded. "That, and other things..." he trailed off. "Hey mom, i'm gonna head over to Ellie's for a little bit, i'll be back for dinner ok?"

"Ellie's?" she said, her expression changing to one of confusion. "Daehyun...you know Ellie isn't there anymore right?"

Dae froze, panic rising in his chest.

He turned to his mother and looked at her, his eyes filled with fear. "What do you mean she isn't there anymore..where else would she go?"

"She didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" 

"She came home one day a couple weeks ago...said she was going to the states for school."

"What?!" he said trying to register what she was telling him.

"I thought it was odd, I didn't even know she was looking into schools, much less in the U.S. I...I thought you knew Daehyun, I'm sorry."

"Are you sure?" he said not wanting to believe it.

She nodded slowly. "The house is for sale."

He looked at her, fear on his face as he ran out of the house to Ellie's yard. 

"Daehyun!" his mother called after him as he ran.

Sure enough, out in front of her gate was a realty sign.

He ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head. 

"No...why....I told her to wait for me....i don't understand..." he said, a lump catching in his throat.

He ran to the side gate, reaching over to undo the latch and going to the back porch. 

He retrieved the spare key in the fake rock in the garden and unlocked the back door, heading inside.

"Ellie!" he called out as he entered.

It was dark, so he fumbled about for the nearest light switch.

As soon as the lights flicked on, his heart sank.

The furniture was covered in sheets, and all the pictures that had been on the wall were now gone.

"No.." he whispered.

He moved about, going room to room, looking for any sign that she may still be there...or that she might come back.

But each room was the same. Furniture covered, personal belongings missing. 

No photos, nothing.

He ran up the stairs and checked the spare bedroom where he'd spent the night when he'd gotten drunk on Ellie's back porch.

It was bare except for the plain mattress in the middle of the room.

He went down the hall and stopped in front of Ellie's bedroom.

He held his breath and slowly turned the knob, entering inside.

Her bed was there, the dresser was there, but everything else was gone.

No clothes in the closet, no stuffed animals, no pictures, nothing.

"No.." he said again, his heart aching in his chest.

He moved to her bed and sat down on the edge, his face in his hands.

The CEO had told her to leave...but Dae hadn't expected that she'd actually leave.

Why would she go? Where would she go? The States? Really?

He slowly lay down on her bed and curled up on his side.

"god i'm sorry Ellie." he cried as tears began to roll down his cheeks, making a faint sound as they dropped to the bare mattress. "This is all my fault...what a mess i've made...."

"I'm sorry Daehyun," Ellie's mother said. "I wish i could tell you more. She just called me one day and said she was leaving. Said she wanted to attend school..so we put the house up for sale."

"Do you have her address or any contact info?" Dae asked, hopeful.

"She said she was going to switch phones, and she'd call me with her new number when she did. I don't have an address yet, she's still trying to get settled, she was going to be staying with a friend while she looked for a place." She noted the worry in his voice. "Is everything okay Daehyun?"

Daehyun's mother watched from the next room as he paced the floor with the phone to his ear.

"Can you..if she calls, can you get an address and let me know please?"

"Sure, i can do that." Ellie's mother replied.

"Thank you Omma. I have to get going now. Oh, and don't tell her I want the address please. I know this doesn't make any sense, but i'll explain later, i promise."

He hung up the phone and sat down in the nearest chair.

 He felt empty and broken. He couldn't believe this was happening.

A million thoughts swirled in his head.

"Daehyun?" his mother called out, pulling him from his thoughts as she took a seat at the table.

"Mm?" he said looking up from the floor.

"What's wrong?"

"Hm? Ah," he shook his head, putting on another fake smile. "It's nothing Omma, don't worry."

She gave him a look, unsatisfied with his answer.

"I'm your mother Dae..i know better than that." she said.

He sighed deeply, setting the phone down on the table and leaning forward to place his head in his hands.

"What happened with Ellie?" she asked.

He glanced up, meeting her eyes for a brief moment before looking away as he chewed on his lip.

"I screwed up Mom..." he said aloud. "After Dad died...I pushed her away...I ignored her...and now she's gone. She left because of me...it's all my fault."

"Oh Daehyun, I doubt that."

He shook his head vigorously. "It is, I know it is. I can't explain it all...it's a really long and complicated story...i just know that i have to find her and i have to bring her home."

Dae had spent the night before in Ellie's bed, sobbing for most of the night. 

Today his eyes were puffy, and bloodshot. 

He felt drained, and lost, not sure what to do now.

And hating himself for what had happened.

His mom cleared , wanting to say something, but hesitating.

"Don't worry Omma." Dae tried to reassure her.

She'd been through enough lately, she didn't need to deal with his problems too.

"You know she loves you right?" she said suddenly.

"What?" he said confused.

"Ellie." his mom said gently.

She got up from the table, pulling her chair over to sit in front of Dae, taking her hands in his.

"That girl has had eyes for you for years."

How did she know? He wasn't even sure how Ellie felt about him.

He looked at her, a confused expression on his face.

"Dummy." she teased shaking her head. "You haven't even noticed have you."

"Omma." he whined. 

"Don't give up on her Dae. I don't know what happened between the two of you, but i've known since the two of you were small, that you would be together someday."

Dae bit his lip, and unable to look into his mother's face, dropped his gaze to the floor.

"I'm scared....i'm afraid i've ruined everything, I promised her if nothing else we'd always be friends...but i know now that i want so much more. I think i hurt her....I think she hates me." he said, his voice trailing off in the end as a tear rolled down his cheek. "I was so used to being around her...she was comfortable to me...like home. She makes me feel safe...normal...and happy. No matter how much time passed between visits, we always picked up like no time had passed at all. I didn't realize when it had changed from us being best friends to something more...and by the time i realized it...she was gone."

He was crying again.

"I tried...I tried to tell her, i was going to...but things just became a mess."

"Daehyun.." she cooed softly seeing his distress. "You poor thing. So much heartache in so little time."

Dae sniffed, and wiped his cheeks, trying to put on a smile. 

"No matter what has happened Dae...find her, tell her how you feel. I don't know what's going on, but i'm sure, even though she may be hesitant at first...it will be okay in the end. Find her. That's the start. And when you do Daehyun, you tell her exactly what she means to you."