"Has anyone seen Eli?" Irene disturbed the lazy afternoon happening in the kitchen. All of them had the day off and with everything going on, it was better to stay inside, so none of them made any plans to go out that day. Besides, they've been busy with recordings and all the comeback preparations, so days off like this were really appreciated. 

Joy and Yeri shrugged in response while Wendy looked up from the dinner she was making. "I thought she was in her room?" 

The leader shook her head, eyebrows starting to furrow in concern. "She was when we finished lunch but when I went there just now she's not there. I checked all the bathrooms too and she's not there either." 

They were starting to become concerned. Where could you go? Why did you not tell anyone that you were going somewhere? Were you okay?

Irene was ready to scold you when you get back for sure. 

"Let me ask Seulgi. Maybe she's with her?" Wendy muttered as she busied herself with her phone, fingers working quickly to ask her soulmate if she had seen or talked to you. Ever since Seulgi moved out, you could be found hanging out at her place whenever you felt bored or restless and no one was at the dorm. However, everyone was and plus, Irene was there. It's to be expected you'd turn to her instead of anyone else. 

Irene turned her attention towards the two youngest, seeing them on their phones with concern written all over their faces. 

"Have you talked to her all day?" 

They both looked up from their phones and looked at each other before turning their attention towards their leader, shaking their heads in denial. 

"I've been in my room all day and whenever I went out to get some food or something, no one was outside." 

Joy nodded. "Me too. I've basically been sleeping all day since I went to bed super late last night." 

Irene was starting to worry. It wasn't like you to go out without any notice to anyone, let alone her. Ever since that incident a few years ago, you've been very communicative about your plans and your whereabouts, not wanting to worry the members, specifically the leader. So, this was definitely unprecedented. 

"Unnie," Wendy's deep voice caught Irene's attention, "Seulgi said Eli said something about a walk when she last talked to her. Eli didn't say when and where though, so Seulgi wasn't sure," Wendy sighed, concerned. Where could you go? Why didn't you tell anyone? Did something happen in the span of a few hours that caused you to leave in silence? 

Irene took a deep breath in an attempt to gather her thoughts. It was time to act like the leader she was. "Okay, so let's assume she went out on a walk. Did Seulgi say when Eli said that?" 

"Uh..." Wendy looked down at her phone again before looking back up with a new determined look in her eyes, "at 3 o'clock."

Irene quickly moved her gaze towards the clock in the kitchen, sighing in relief when it showed that it's just almost 4. She turned her attention back towards her members who looked like they were just about ready to drop everything and do whatever she told them to do. 

"Okay. let me try to call her and see if she picks up. If not, I'll contact manager-unnie just in case she said something to her as well."

They all nodded in agreement, Wendy giving the leader a reassuring smile before making her way towards her. "Deep breaths, Unnie, okay? She'll be okay," the main vocalist brought the tiny leader into her embrace, feeling her melt into the touch. Wendy knew your sudden disappearance really spooked the leader, as she was probably reminded of that one time you disappeared for hours with no communication, so she figured calming your guardian was a good first step. 

"Thanks, Seungwan-ah," Irene smiled a little as she pulled back from the hug and Wendy could see the gratefulness she was trying to convey. 

As the leader made her way to her room to call you, she could hear the murmurs of conversation the others were having. 

"What is going on, Unnie?" Joy asked, desperation barely masked in her voice. 

"I don't know, Sooyoung-ah," she heard Wendy heaved a heavy sigh, "I don't know." 

Irene quickly made her way towards her room, reaching for her phone the minute she did. Just as she was about to call you, your special ringtone resonated throughout her room, startling her in the process. 

After the second ring, and after she recovered from the shock which caused her to almost drop her phone, she picked up the call. 

"Eli-ah?" she forewent any kind of greeting, her worry taking over her. 

You knew by the tone and how she greeted you, she had found out. "Unnie," you answered softly, guilt lacing your tone at her worried tone. Though you did not regret taking the much-needed breather, you felt guilty making her worry. Even after all these years, it slipped your mind sometimes that somebody else cared about where you were and how you were doing. 

Irene became even more concerned though she tried to not let her emotions dictated how she acted. Not since last time. "Where are you, sweetheart? Let Unnie come to you." 

You let out an involuntary smile, imagining the care and love the leader would be emitting. You were forever grateful to have somebody like her in your life.

"I'm okay now, Hyun-unnie, sorry I left without telling any of you," you sighed before turning your attention back towards the setting sun in the distance. The pink hues in the sky had helped in calming you down and you knew your soulmate would've loved the sight. 

You could hear the sigh Irene let out on the other side of the phone. "Can I accompany you? I bet the sky is really nice at this time of day." 

Her assumption caused you to smile. She knew where you were after all. "I'll wait for you here, Unnie." 

"Wait for me, Eli-ah. I'll be there," Irene reassured, hoping you'd catch her drift. 

She could hear the smile as you spoke next. "Always, Unnie." 

Irene had racked her brain trying to figure out where you could be when you first evaded the question at first. Where could you go where you could calm down enough without having to worry much about your disguise? After a few seconds she lit up in recognition, testing her theory when she talked about the sky. While it was obvious the sky could be seen from everywhere, there was one spot the two of you would visit once in a while when everything became too hectic and you needed a breather. You both found it during one of your walks and being able to gaze out the horizon while not having to worry much about your disguise due to the lack of commotion, it was the perfect place. 

The leader quickly dressed appropriately, complete with the black cap you had gifted her once upon a time and made her way out with a new purpose. The other members still in the kitchen immediately looked up the second she appeared, eyes lighting up in relief because they knew she knew where you were. 

"Did she pick up?" Yeri was the first to ask, already out of her seat. 

Although her smile was covered by the mask she already had on, they could see her eyes closing slightly as she did. "She was the one who called, actually. I'm picking her up." 

"Is she okay?" Wendy was slightly bewildered. Why did you need to be picked up? Were you drunk? No, that's impossible. You didn't even drink. By the look on the younger members' faces, they probably had the same thought. 

Irene nodded whilst making her way towards the front door to put on her shoes, listening to the footsteps of her members as they followed her. 

"She just didn't want to leave yet so I thought it's better for me to just go to her instead. Please let Seulgi know that I'm on my way to Eli, Seungwan-ah," the leader looked up at the mentioned girl and she nodded, phone already in her hand. 

"Will do, Unnie. Be careful and let us know if we need to do anything." 

She smiled and nodded once again, standing up from where she was seated before making her way to the door, waving her way out.

"Bring her back safely, please, Unnie!" Joy waved back, causing her to chuckle. 

"I will!" 

You shook your head as you chuckled in amusement. How could you think you could just get out and went back home without anyone noticing you were out? Although it was normal for any of you to not run into one another even when you were living in the same space, you've been together a lot for the past few weeks during rehearsals and recordings and whatnot, so somebody was bound to look for you even if everyone was minding their own business. Plus, Irene was home; she was bound to look for you because she wanted cuddles or watch a film together, or even sharing funny videos or memes that she found randomly.

You truly didn't mean to worry anyone. You thought it would only be a short walk and you'd be back in no time but the desire to stay a little longer had won you over and here you were, waiting for the leader to come to pick you up. Although you knew from her tone that she wasn't angry, not like last time anyway, you still prayed that she wouldn't be too angry. 

After some time and as you lost yourself to the calm atmosphere, you heard your guardian's signature light footsteps, prompting a sincere smile on your face. You could just imagine how quickly she was walking. 

You turned around to greet her before she could even reach you. "Unnie," you took off your mask so you could talk clearer, as no one was around you, and gave her your special smile, although slightly dimmed.

Irene sighed in relief as she quickened her step, wrapping her arms around your taller figure the second she reached you. "Eli-ah, you're okay," she breathed into your chest and you wrapped your arms around her tightly, swallowing her into your embrace. 

The warmth that she brought spread inside you, making you sigh in relief. You were grateful that she understood you enough to come to you instead of making you come home the minute you called. 

"I'm okay, Hyun-unnie, I'm okay," you whispered reassuringly, kissing the top of her head. 

You hugged a little longer before she gave you a light squeeze, pulling back slightly from the hug with her arms still wrapped loosely around your waist. 

"Did something happen? Is your family okay?" Irene figured the only reason why you would just walk out so suddenly and without telling anyone was because something had happened to your loved ones. 

You smiled at her, feeling a little lighter at her presence. "They're okay." 

She raised her eyebrow in question and you could tell she was asking why you left. You sighed in defeat before bringing her into your arms again. 

"I just felt so overwhelmed with everything going on, I guess. This is our comeback after almost two years and I know people are expecting a lot from us, so I kept thinking about it and I felt so pressured from everything and I thought a short walk would calm me down," you tried to explain what you were feeling, "I guess the walk went a little longer than I thought it would," you chuckled slightly.

The leader pulled back, her right eyebrow raising in question. "You think?" she asked sarcastically. 

You laughed at her expression, throwing your head back in reflex. She watched in wonder as you laughed freely, thinking how happiness looked the best on you. 

"I'm sorry, Unnie," you continued to giggle, lightness back in your eyes, "I really thought I would be back in half an hour or something. That way if you looked for me, I'd already been home." 

She slapped your arm lightly though you could feel her worry had already lessened. "Yah, are you saying I'm clingy?!" 

You laughed again as you shook your head no repeatedly, wanting to appease the playfully agitated leader. "No, no, no, that's not what I said! You concluded that yourself!" 

"Yah!" she shouted as she slapped your arm again, harder this time. 

Your giggles continued. "Have mercy on me, leader-nim!" 

She continued to laugh as she punched your arms, glad that you were feeling better. If you joked around like this, that meant you almost felt normal. No matter how much you had tried to mask your emotions in the past, you could never lie to her so your reaction must've been genuine.

"Are you really feeling better? Is there anything we can do to help?" she questioned after you both had calmed down, worry present in her doe-like eyes. 

You smiled as you looked at her, that special smile of yours assuring her that you were okay. "Just by being here with me already helps, Unnie. I guess because we've been so busy, today was the first time I had time to digest everything and it got too overwhelming. The walk really helped release all the tension and you being here as well is just what I need," you smiled warmly, "thank you for being here." 

She looked up at you with love in her eyes. "You know I'll always be, El, always." You knew her 'I love you' was in there too.

"I know," you her cheek and watched as she leaned into your touch. The two of you just stared at each other, having a silent conversation before she fully pulled back from the hug to offer you her hand. 

"Come on," she watched as you put your mask back on before wrapping her hand with your larger one, "let's bring back some ice cream and watch a film together with the others." 

You took that as a signal that everyone was rightfully worried and you needed to make it up for them too. You smiled at the thought of a family night.

"Can we buy that popcorn too?" 

She looked at you with mischief in her eyes. "Ice cream and popcorn? You just get weirder and weirder, El." 

You looked at her with wide eyes, appalled at the insinuation. "Who are you calling weird, huh?" you stepped closer to her to tickle her with your free hand, "huh? huh?" you continued to tickle her as she let out her dolphin laugh, trying to get away from your fingers without actually having to let go of your hand.

"No! Stop! I'm sorry!"

Even though you knew days like this or thoughts like this would still exist somewhere in the future, you knew your members would always be there to get you out of it. Always.