(Background Music: Claire De Lune - Debussy || https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvFH_6DNRCY)
 
 
Days passed by.

Gray came back from Jeju 2 days after Dara's departure. He continued his trip with his friends and took the flight to Seoul together with them. After that, he went on with his life, doing his ordinary routine, performing and producing songs and albums. He worked himself to death, doing overtime, sacrificing sleep and social life—almost living in his studio.
He worked twice as hard among AOMG members but no one bothered to ask how he was doing. He was the type to burrow into his emotions and the master of hiding whatever it is that was happening in his life. Therefore, he took the path of living privately and lowkey, without anyone minding his business.
Through that, he reclaimed his power. He embraced who he is and stopped identifying his worth with the mainstream idea of achievements and material possessions or even on how he was valued by some people. From then on, he chose to move towards his personal freedom with courage and strength, like the mighty man he is.

While Jiyong, on the flip side, maintained his relationship with Jennie and took care of her just like what he promised her parents when she finally told them about their affair. However, they kept their relationship private and denied the dating rumor that surfaced around the internet to keep people away from their business and maintain their peace. He took a long time on the low instead while focusing on improving his mental health, with her not leaving his side.
Little by little, he saw himself exiting his dark shell and breaking out of it. Like he was reborn, he became excited about life once again. He believed that life would always work out, that things would always turn out in his favor, even if it doesn’t go according to his original plan. He accepted what the present moment contains because he had chosen it. 
Happiness only follows after acceptance, that he told himself. Not even Jennie must be appointed to give him happiness. He had to work for it himself. With that, he found comfort in knowing that all he’s experiencing was a transition and a transformation period that was leading him to his bliss and abundance.
That being the case, he kept on with the habit of going out for a walk alone and other activities like biking alone to enjoy the natural gifts from God almost everyday. Through that way, he appreciated what he had more and lessened his depression. 
 
On the other hand, Dara worked on herself after she experienced an immense heartbreak because later on, she realized that sometimes it's better to let things be, let people go, don't change answers and don't expect people to understand you. She slowly learned that life was better lived when she didn't center it on what's happening around her and center it on what's happening inside her instead. Thus, she worked her fingers to the bone for her inner peace. 
She spent her time wisely, to let go, to create space for the things she really wanted and for what mattered most. 
 
Donghae worked on himself as well. He maintained good health physically and mentally for himself and to have the agility to participate in Super Junior's group activities.
It didn't become easy for him to forget and undo the pain he felt from Dara but he did eventually. After all the lonely and sleepless nights, the random flashbacks that brought tears in his eyes, the painful words he tried to bury deep in his mind, he finally erased all the painful memories of her in his mind. It was a hard task but he took his time as he thought that he couldn't force it at a given time. He believed he would be ready to love again and risk again once he had recovered. And for him, that was the harder part.
 
 

Days turned to weeks.

Weeks turned to months.

Until a year had already passed.
 
 

Seasons had also passed and it was winter again. Time flew so quickly and a lot had changed; some no one ever saw coming. Unexpected things happened that would really make you think of what a year could possibly do.

They had carried on with their careers in their own ways. Though they had their highs and lows, they still got where they needed to be and they had moved on with their lives just like the way they had to. Because they were so busy, the nights changed fast and a year passed by in a snap. Unaware due to the time passing by, they rode along with the time and got hit by the waves of changes that came through. As normal as human nature, they also changed and developed as a person. 

Time apart with less communication and personal interactions had done some of them well while some had reconnection which was somehow essential.  
Dara was one to be happy with how things had turned out. The universe had its ways with things and she was more than content with how it played things out. It goes without saying that she was treated well and taken care of by someone special in her life. Never did she regret listening to her heart and go to who it was really yearning for. Only after she let go and finally surrendered, there she realized she was free.
 
Challenges came her way before they were both happy but she learned one important thing. It was that life circumstances wouldn't be perfect but if she could get into the right space, only then she could get to the understanding that everything happens for a reason and become at peace with that. 
They made it through and they were now at peace, finally. 
 
It was that one night when she was driving her car, with overwhelming happiness displaying on her face, looking forward to seeing the man in her life. 
She was headed to a K-pop concert where many artists and groups from different generations would perform. BigBang was in the line-up. She had always been present in their concerts as she was one of their strongest sources of support so she cleared all her schedules that day not to miss it.   

She was humming one of their songs while she was driving when she thought of calling someone.
After dialling his number from her speed dial, it rang and the man picked up the call in a blink of an eye, like he had been anticipating her call.
She gleefully greeted “Annyeong! I’m on my way to the stadium. Are you there yet?”

The man on the other line replied, “I’m on my way too. Please take care. Don’t come too early.”

“Then you should go here quickly.” ,she said after chuckling.

“Drive slowly and walk slowly." ,he jested. 
 
Then they laughed at each other for how they suddenly raced their way to the stadium. Right after their laughter, he added "Are you dressed warmly? I don’t want you catching a cold.”

“I am dressed warmly.”

“If you come early, please wait for me in a safe area. Don’t wander alone too much. You know it’s dangerous when you’re left alone. You're troublesome.” ,he ordered with an attempt of an insult by slightly scolding her.

Hearing his concern for her as if he’d warned her about it so many times already, she replied, “I get it. I get it. I heard you loud and clear. Just please be safe on your way too, okay?”

“Ye… ye. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

They disconnected the call and within a few minutes, Dara arrived outside of the stadium first. She smiled as if she already expected it to happen and waited for him patiently as ordered.
There were a lot of people in front of the stadium so she hid herself and walked her way near the entrance to backstage to have more exclusivity from people around before the concert started, then she texted him that she already arrived and informed him where she was at the moment.

The man replied, “Okay! I’ll be there in a few.”

She was typing on her phone to reply when she saw Donghae already coming through.

He was gasping for breath like he just ran a mile. He stopped and stared at her when he saw her. 

The way he puffs and blows becomes slower when he's already looking right at her. 
 

He was about to greet her when Elkie(former member of CLC) approached him with a big smile. She walked to him and leaned for a kiss. 

After they kissed, she said, “Oppa! Good luck on your performance! I’ll be watching!”

Donghae replied, “Ne~ Enjoy yourself!”

Just when Elkie had already cheered for him, she happily walked away and proceeded to the entrance of the stadium to go inside and join the audience. The staff were cramming to go inside the backstage area for the upcoming performances they had to work on and the people outside were dashing to get inside the stadium as soon as possible because the concert was about to start in minutes. It was a busy and poor environment but the two of them were frozen in their position.

While they were left at the backstage area, he immediately turned to her to see if she witne