Dara was now staying at her hometown, Busan. She managed to convince the president that she needed a time out from everything. She knew that the president must have known what has been going through her nowadays since he agreed without any further questions.

 

She left the dorm without any notices to her friends. She just wanted to stay away from anything related to her and Jiyong. She wanted to get a fresh air and probably think about a lot of things. She was staying at some cheap hostel in Busan and was strolling around with some disguise.

 

Just like this day, she was walking around the park and watching the little children playing at the park. It was a sight that she really enjoyed watching. It makes her remember her good days with her siblings. She was sure that the girls have already contacted her brother and asked if he knew about her whereabouts.

 

“Noona, why do you look so sad?” A little boy with chubby cheeks asked her as he sat beside her.

 

She smiled at the little boy and pinched her cheeks. She saw him winced in pain and pouted that made her remember him. He kind of look like Jiyong to her.

 

“Aww… Noona, that hurts.” The little boy exclaimed as he rubbed the chubby cheeks.

 

“So sorry, you just look like someone I knew of.” Dara apologetically said.

 

“If you are not just a pretty noona, I swear I would have hated you!” The boy told her and playfully laughed.

 

“You think I’m pretty?” Dara asked as she pointed to herself. It really feels good talking to innocent kids since they are so honest.

 

“Yes, noona! You are so pretty unlike someone else I knew!” The boy said loudly enough to be heard by a petite girl on the sandbox.

 

The petite girl glared at the boy in front of him and then rushed towards them to land a punch on the boy’s stomach.

 

“Hmmp! Who are you to say that I am not pretty?!” The petite girl exclaimed and looked at Dara. The little girl blushed upon seeing Dara’s face up close. The little girl muttered, “I may not be as pretty as this unnie but I’m sure Oh Meirun will be beautiful when she grew up! And if I do, I swear I will ignore you and forget that I know a boy named Im YooBaek.”

 

Dara laughed as soon as she saw the expression of the little boy. They looked so cute especially when the boy apologize to the girl and started playing together again. Ah, the innocent world of the children. Why can’t the world of adults be simple as that?

 

If somebody hurts you, why can’t everything be alright after one sincere apology? Why do adults needed to be complicated for their own good? Why can’t love be as simple as counting one to three? She felt her eyes swell again and tears started flowing from her cheeks again.

 

She felt two pairs of little hands tugging her clothes and she saw Meirun and Yoobaek looking at her worriedly. She kneels down and hugged the two kids before whispering, “Thank you for worrying about an old lady…”

 

After a few minutes of calming down herself, she played a little with the kids and went on her way. Her mind is still confused and she needed more time to sort things out. She looked up into the heavens above wishing that everything will be alright.

 

-oOo-

 

The boys are back in Korea after finishing one of their last few engagements in Japan. Everyone is so happy that they were now back in Korea especially Jiyong. He was getting worried after the incident with seeing Jun in one of his little escapades that he truly regretted.

 

He knew that it might have reached Dara’s ears already but he just needed to see her. He excused himself from the boys and dashed towards the girls’ dormitory. He was about to knock when the door suddenly opened and it was Chaerin who opened the door.

 

“Chaerin… Is Dara there?” Jiyong asked nervously.

 

Chaerin glared at the guy In front of their doorstep. Is this guy pretending not to know what happened to the older girl? Dara-unnie wasn’t back yet and she hasn’t contacted anyone yet. It has already been three full days already but there is still no news.

 

“Chaerin, you okay?” Jiyong asked as he snapped a finger in front of Chaerin’s face. He peeked inside the room and saw no signs of her before asking the girl in front of him again, “Chaerin, where’s Dara?”

 

“Are you seriously asking Chaerin that question?” Bom asked as she appeared right behind Jiyong.

 

Jiyong nodded and he saw Minzy staring at him. He met the younger girl’s eyes but Minzy avoided him. His heartbeat started racing as seconds pass by. All of a sudden, he felt nervous for no reason at all, or so he thought.

 

“Dara-unnie’s been missing for three days.” Minzy stated as she pass by the great Kwon leadah.

 

“Missing?” Jiyong thought as if it wasn’t processed on his mind. Missing? Dara has been missing for three days without any notes left behind. He observed the other girls’ and checked whether they were pranking him but the hurt and betrayed look of Minzy gave it all away.

 

They’re serious. She’s been missing. Jiyong didn’t wait for them to drive him away since he runs off towards the president’s office. He might know something about her disappearance and he knew that she would ask permission from the president.

 

He knocked and waited for a few more minutes before he heard a signal to come in. As soon as he opened the door, he saw the other YG family members at the president’s office. Well, it’s only Jinu-hyung, Se7en-hyung and Teddy-hyung. He’s bowed and smiled at them nervously before turning his attention to the president.

 

“What do you need, Ji?” YG asked as he eyed the younger guy. He already knew what the guy needed but he still wanted to hear it out.

 

“Uhmm, hyung… I just heard that Dara is missing… and I was wondering if you knew her whereabouts.” Jiyong asked meekly without looking at the president’s eyes.

 

Dong Wook, aka Se7en, laughed bitterly when he heard Jiyong’s question. It almost made him wanna puke on his question. Seriously, after hurting the girl badly, he would then ask for her whereabouts. If he wasn’t a friend of his, he might have landed a punch or two on Jiyong.

 

“And what will you do after knowing where she is?” YG asked sternly as he pretended to browse some documents in front of him.

 

Jiyong felt the tense atmosphere in the office and his tongue seems to get caught that he wasn’t able to speak up. He looked over the side of his hyungs and he can feel that they were waiting for his answer. He sighed as he doesn’t know why they are being like this.

 

“Because I’m missing her?” Jiyong answered unsurely earning raised eyebrows and snorts from Jinu and Dong Wook. Teddy was just eyeing him and further observing his moves.

 

“Missing her? Ah, is that reason why she was always crying in some corner?” Dong Wook asked while gritting his teeth.

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, hyung. We’re okay.” Jiyong defended himself and has forgotten about his latest and last escapade in Japan.

 

“I don’t know, Ji if I should believe you or not…” Dong Wook answered as he shook his head in disappointment. “She was always crying…”

 

“Eh? I have nothing to do about it!” Jiyong exclaimed.

 

The older guys eyed the younger guy as if checking whether he was lying or not. Jiyong doesn’t know why they think it was his fault and then remembered that he has forgotten to respond to some of her messages. It might be that reason but he has explained it to her already on what happened.

 

“Ehem…” YG faked a cough to get the attention of the people inside the room.

 

“Hyung, where is she?” Jiyong asked once again in a pleading voice. He really wanted to talk to her right now and get rid all of her insecurities or fears. He wanted to erase all of her remaining doubts with her.

 

“She asked for an indefinite vacation…” YG answered surprising everyone.

 

A vacation was not a surprise but the timeframe she asked for. An indefinite vacation means she needs more time to think and reflect on everything that had happened. All of them were thinking if she has been hurting all along without anyone noticing.

 

“But… Indefinite vacation? You agreed?” Jiyong gasped as the thoughts of her alone in some place that he never knew scared him.

 

YG nodded as he recall the image of the four dimensional girl looking all so broken and confused. This was the reason why he cannot deny the vacation she asked for. For him, Dara is a strong girl but to look like she was a lost child means she needs time for herself.

 

“Why did you agree? Do you know where she is now? She needs me now.” Jiyong stated as he closed his eyes imagining her crying her hearts out without anyone to comfort her.

 

“Well, let me ask you, Jiyong. If you find her, what will you do? Can you stop her from crying? Can you undo all the pain she felt? Can you bring back her smile that we all miss a lot?” Jinu asked, speaking his mind for the first time.

 

JIyong gulped as this was the first time that Jinu-hyung spoke about their issue. He was really nervous whenever Jinu would asked or speak about the two of them since it’s a very rare occasion for him to advise them about it.

 

“I never want to hurt her and I want to clear all the misunderstandings that we had… This is why I wanted to find her now and speak with her so that we can resolve our problems… “ Jiyong muttered without looking at Jinu and turned his attention towards the president. He pleadingly looked at the president and then begged, “Hyung… where is she now?”

 

YG shook his head and stood up while looking at the weak, tiresome guy. As much as he wanted to help this guy out, Dara needs time for herself and he knew it. Even if it means breaking his son’s hope, he needed to do this for the two of them.

 

“I’m sorry, Ji. I promised Dara not to tell anyone her whereabouts. She’ll be back in no time… She needed time for herself…” YG answered and leaving the great Kwon leader helpless. In YG’s mind, he thought, “… time will heal everything, just be patient my son.”

 

-oOo-

 

Minzy was sitting in one of the gym equipment while staring blankly at the open space. She was thinking on how her unnie was doing right now. Is she crying again? Is she eating properly? Is she getting enough sleep? Those thoughts occupy her young mind lately ever since Dara-unnie disappeared out of nowhere.

 

“Minzy-ah…” Dong Wook called the girl’s attention as soon as he noticed that the maknae was spacing out.

 

“Oppa?” Minzy responded as she snapped out of her dazed self.

 

“Are you alright? You seem to be spacing out lately. Any problems?” Dong Wook asked as he occupied the open space beside the maknae.

 

Minzy sighed as she remembered her favorite unnie. Dong Wook put his hands on Minzy’s shoulder as he figured out that the younger girl was probably thinking of Dara. He squeezed Minzy’s shoulder as if a way of him comforting her.

 

“You shouldn’t worry too much. You’ll look older than your age if you worry too much.” Dong Wook stated as an attempt to cheer up the younger girl.

 

Minzy smiled weakly at the older guy.

 

“I know… But why did she disappear like that? She should at least contact any of us… How is she? When will she come back? Those thoughts are occupying my mind lately, oppa.” Minzy mumbled like she was talking to herself more than talking to Dong Wook.

 

“Your unnie is a big girl already. She’ll be back… She is just sorting or rather reflecting on things that recently happened.” Dong Wook tried to explain with words that the maknae can relate to.

 

“If this how love goes, I rather not experience it. I don’t want to hurt like that…” Minzy thought aloud surprising the older guy.

 

Dong Wook messed up the hair of the younger girl and let out a chuckle. He whispered as he continued to comfort the younger girl, “Don’t say that… Love is a wonderful thing to experience.”

 

“If it’s wonderful then why is Dara-unnie hurting like that? Why is Jiyong-oppa looking so tired?” Minzy asked in confusion as she remembered her two most favorite people in YG looking tired and out of it.

 

“Ah, it’s just those two people has misunderstandings that made it all complicated. In time, everything will be resolved by the two of them… They just needed time… Don’t worry too much.” Dong Wook exclaimed.

 

“I hope so, oppa.” Minzy muttered while closing her eyes as if praying to the heavens above.

 

-oOo-

 

“I miss you… I seriously miss you… Come back to me now…” Jiyong thought while looking at their photo together wearing a tux and wedding dress for his concert. He traced Dara’s smile with his finger as he sighed before whispering again, “Did I really take away your beautiful smile?”

 

He looked up and embraced the framed photo while closing his eyes.

 

“Maybe, we just needed time away from each other… A space to think through things but I know nothing will change inside me… “ Jiyong whispered into the thin air.

 

“My heart will always be with you…” Jiyong said as he kiss Dara’s framed photo.