In this new arc, everything changes.
Jiwoo and his eight companions vanish from the public eye. No governments, no speeches, no interviews. Their systems deactivate. Their hideout is sold.
The world is left searching—wondering where they went.
But they didn't disappear.
They simply chose to live.
Not for others anymore.
Just for themselves.
---
Location: Global News Network HQ – Breaking Report
> "In an unexpected twist, the elusive Peace Architect known as Jiwoo Kim, along with his sister and eight companions, have disappeared without a trace. Their iconic Aurora Hills estate has been sold to a silent buyer. All Peace Nodes have gone dark. Their digital traces… erased."
> "Authorities suspect digital relocation. But no country has claimed their presence."
> "Wherever they are… the world may never know."
---
One Week Earlier – Final Night at Aurora Hills
The fire crackled softly. Their mugs steamed with cinnamon cocoa. A cold breeze rolled in from the north windows. Jihae sat with her knees tucked up, smiling quietly.
Mirae strummed a lazy tune on her guitar. Yoori sipped slowly from a floral teacup. Baek was coding nothing for the first time in years.
Jihye stood up, tablet in hand.
> "Every trace of us—gone. Bank transactions rerouted through 14 nations. Nodes powered down. Servers burned. We don't exist anymore."
Eunsol raised her cup. "To non-existence."
Sena added, "To peace that needs no proving."
Noeun: "To living for us."
And Jiwoo?
He just smiled.
> "Let's vanish."
---
Location: Unknown Private Island – Present Day
Azure waters kissed the sand like whispers.
A grand minimalist villa stood against a green mountainside, hidden by forest, fronted by an endless infinity pool that touched the sea.
There were no cameras.
No drones.
No satellite pings.
Just laughter.
And freedom.
---
The New Life Begins
They didn't set rules.
They didn't set goals.
They just lived.
Jihae spent her mornings painting sunrises.
Sena ran barefoot across the cliffs, wind in her hair.
Yoori set up a private flower shop on the east garden, but only gave the bouquets to the other girls.
Eunsol built the perfect breakfast nook.
Baek read novels beside waterfalls and finally stopped checking clocks.
Noeun learned to swim.
Mirae hosted twilight concerts, audience: 8.
And Jiwoo?
He stopped thinking about systems, and started thinking about moments.
---
A Day in the Island Life
Morning: Orange juice made fresh, no alarm clocks.
Afternoon: A hike across a jungle trail, discovering a hidden spring.
Evening: Cooking competition. Mirae lost again—on purpose.
Night: Rooftop movie night, projected on the clouds, courtesy of portable holo-tech Jiwoo built just for fun.
There was no schedule.
Just smiles.
Just belonging.
---
Location: Global News – Two Weeks Later
> "Our sources confirm: every known bank account linked to Jiwoo has been closed.
Every wallet burned.
His fortune, however, appears untouched—stored in non-fiat vaults we still can't access."
> "He could be anywhere. He could be everywhere."
> "And yet—he is nowhere."
The reporter sighed.
> "For a man who once tried to save the world… he now lives only for himself."
---
They Were Wrong
He wasn't selfish.
He just finally stopped proving he had to exist.
---
Three Months Later – Mediterranean Cruise Ship
Disguised under aliases and dressed like any other couple, Jiwoo and Mirae walked hand-in-hand down a private dock.
"Do you ever feel guilty?" she asked.
Jiwoo shrugged. "Sometimes. But then I remember—we gave everything."
She smiled. "And now we give ourselves."
Their ship was modest—by billionaire standards. But its silence was wealth in itself.
---
Jihae's Journal Entry – Month 4
> Today we snorkeled. Sena thought the fish were judging her diving form. Mirae sang underwater again. Baek tried to find coral Wi-Fi (fail). Jiwoo made us laugh until I cried.
> Nobody called us heroes.
> Nobody asked us to save the world.
> And it feels good.
---
Meanwhile – The World Keeps Searching
Conspiracies bloomed.
> "They live in a city under the sea!"
"No, a floating palace in Antarctica."
"He built a spaceship. Left Earth."
They were all wrong.
The nine of them were just…
Happy.
---
One Year Later – Secret Birthday Dinner
Mirae turned 22.
The dining room was lit with paper lanterns. Jiwoo cooked her favorite—spicy noodles and peach sorbet.
Eunsol made her a dress.
Jihye gave her a custom e-book of everyone's memories.
Jihae performed a skit.
Baek baked a cake.
Yoori planted a tree just for her.
Sena lit the fireworks.
Mirae cried. "I don't deserve this much peace."
Jiwoo kissed her forehead gently.
> "We all do. We just never let ourselves believe it."
---
System Message (Private – Jiwoo Only)
> [Status: Permanently Offline]
[Legacy Complete – The World Moved On Peacefully]
[New Mode: Life Mode – No Missions, No Metrics, Only Moments]
[Spend Freely. Feel Fully. Smile Often.]
Jiwoo closed the screen and smiled at the sea.
---
Final Scene – Distant Shores
A drone passed overhead.
No one noticed.
No data transmitted.
The island remained unnamed.
The nine of them remained unseen.
But for the first time in a lifetime…
They weren't forgotten.
They were free.
And that—was peace.
--