Author's POV:

 

 

"She didn't answer my call." Krystal informed to her anxious sister. That was her third times calling the same number. Each time was left unanswered. "Maybe her phone was on silent mode." She shared her honest opinions to explain the situation, hoping her sister could buy it, somehow. "Or maybe she was busy doing something with her friend."

 

"Did she tell you her friend's name that she's going to meet?" Jessica began biting her nails.

 

She decided to sit back on the bed and tried to relax. Her dizziness come and go in the process. Why her head need to be spinning right now? It bothers her. She felt like she wants to puke because of this. She hopes it’s not Dr.Sunny that Taengoo is seeing right now. They still haven’t talked about the personality that Taengoo was so worried about. What if Taengoo tries to request something crazy like what she overheard secretly before? It gives her a tension to be in this kind of situation. Her kid was with Taengoo. And what if Taengoo changed to some new alter who doesn’t recognize Hyomin? She needs to hear Taengoo's voice before she develops unnecessary anxiety disorder.

 

"I didn't get her friend's name while she was on the phone. Maybe she got caught up in a deep conversation with her friend. I know she will be back soon." Once again Krystal tried to comfort her sister with her reasoning. Her sister still hasn't eaten anything after they secretly run away from the hospital. She got to know, her sister can't eat anything that has a meat in the meal or she will get sick and throw up. She had shared the news with Taengoo whom she knows a vegetarian. Taengoo had made them something to eat. Thus, she hopes her sister will have it soon to fill her empty stomach. "Anyway, she bought a loaf of wholemeal bread and made us pumpkin soup and banana oatmeal muffins. The pumpkin soup is really so tasty to dip together with the bread. I haven’t tried the muffin because I was so full after having three bowls of the creamy pumpkin soup alone. I will reheat it for you. You should eat it while it’s hot. Or do you want me to order you something?"

 

"I have no appetite. Please help me to get my phone." Jessica replied absentmindedly. Her mind can’t concentrate to the foods that Krystal mentioned. She only got Hyomin and Taengoo images in her head right now.

 

"Unnie..." Krystal almost stomps her feet to hear her sister’s response. She was standing right in front of her sister. Jessica looks pale again. That made her worried. She doesn’t like when her sister behaves like this after making her participate in arranging her escape. "You need to eat something. You can't let your stomach empty. You are not depending on any nutrition like when you were in the hospital. You need to eat."

 

"I will eat later, but first, help me to get my phone." Jessica announced still in calmness. Her expression slowly turns dark when her sister still not leaving her to find her phone that she really needs.

 

"I hope you are not lying by saying you will eat later. Because I will not get your phone if you lie."

 

"Good Lord, Krystal! Do you know why I'm so worried? Hyomin is with Taengoo right now. What if she happens to split? I have no time to think about anything else other than to check about Taengoo and my daughter's whereabouts! When I said I will eat, means I will eat! Is that really hard for you to understand?" She lowered down her volume once she noticed her sister is pouting to her sudden outburst. She must have scared her concern sister by being so emotional, she thought. She knew Krystal always wants the best for her. She should not treat her sister like this. So, she begins to speak with Krystal with manners again. "Krystal, I'm sorry for being angry and being bossy at you. You know that I could find my phone on my own if I don't feel dizzy again. Could you help me to get my phone right now, please? I will eat the food if you get my phone."

 

"Forgive me, unnie." Krystal whispered apologetically, feeling really bad when she failed to read her sister's urgency. She truly has forgotten that Taengoo has a D.I.D. Spending time with normal Taengoo while her sister was resting could be the reason why she didn’t feel worried when Taengoo announced she wanted to meet her friend. "I didn't know that was your reason. I will get your phone now."

 

 

*******

 

 

"Why mommy crying?"

 

Tiffany quickly cleaned her face. Not wanting to be seen by their daughter about her struggles from letting Taeyeon go into someone else' hand. She has been through this kind of emotion before. During the time when Taeyeon left her for choosing to live with Seohyun. She should not act like this when they already have a talk about it. Moreover, it was her who gave Taeyeon a green light to follow Jessica. She must look so pathetic in front of Taeyeon to cry about it again. What’s done is done! She tried to tell herself repeatedly. This is not the time to entertain her emotional grievance. She should stay focused and get the answer from Taeyeon why she changed before. If she can't bring Taeyeon and Hyomin back to Seoul, she should at least try to stay near to them. That's the least that she can do if she wants to monitor Taeyeon's progress and if she wants to make sure their daughter's safety.

 

"Dust got into mommy's eyes, baby." Tiffany gave a common excuse and changed the topic immediately. "Can you finish mommy's ice-cream?"

 

"Mommy doesn't want it?" Hyomin asked with a blank expression.

 

"You can have it all, baby."

 

"Mama already has some of mama's ice-cream. But Hyomin never sees mommy eats mommy's ice-cream yet." The cute little girl with braid hair stated.

 

She looks ever so adorable with the hair. It was her aunty Krystal whom made it for her. Aunty Krystal said, she looks so much like Princess Elsa with the hair. She knew who Princess Elsa was. She has seen the Disney Frozen cartoon. Instead, she is watching it again on her i-pad right now.

 

The yummy ice-cream that she ate gave her a brain freeze. She can't stand the coldness although she has Princess Elsa's hair. She scoped a big spoon of mint choco ice-cream from the cup and sent it closer to her pretty godmother's lips. It was her attempt to share the coldness of the yummy ice-cream.

 

"Mommy, please have some. Hyomin will eat the rest after mommy tasted it."

 

Tiffany opened and pushed a smile for her daughter's eagerness to make her taste the ice-cream. She tried to savour the flavour, but her brain can’t concentrate to enjoy her favourite dessert.

 

"How was it, mommy? Is it too cold? Or is it too yummy?" She inquired when she can't figure out her pretty godmother's expression.

 

"It's really yummy, baby. It melts perfectly in mommy's mouth. Can you finish them?"

 

"Hyomin will try..." The kid smiles shyly. Though the ice-cream gave her a brain freeze, she doesn’t mind it. She wanted to have it again and again because the ice-cream is too delicious to be wasted. "Will mommy help Hyomin if Hyomin can't finish them?" She added, just in case if she really can’t handle having it alone.

 

"Sure thing, baby. Please eat them slowly while watching the cartoon. Mommy knows mommy's little baby can finish them. We will only leave after you finish them, okay." Tiffany told the smart and talkative kid. She diverted her attention slowly to the other person who was so quiet once she sees her daughter is getting engaged having the dessert and watching the cartoon on her i-pad again. The phone is still ringing. She got to see the caller's name this time. Krystal Jung as what she sees on the screen. The family name that her eyes caught making her aware about the caller. She knew about Krystal. She had done a background check about Jessica's family. Jessica even mentioned about her sister a few times while they have a chat before. "Why don't you answer your phone?"

 

"That can wait." Taeyeon felt devastated for making Tiffany cries and needs to pretend like she was okay in front of their daughter. She doesn't feel alright to answer the phone call when Tiffany is not in her best mood yet. The call that she received stop ringing for the following times. It gives her a room to speak with Tiffany again. She had seen the caller’s name. Definitely, she will make a return call after she had a talk with Tiffany, she thought. She brings her hand forward to touch the other person’s hand on the table. Tiffany’s hand was so cold. She wondered if it's because of the temperature in the restaurant. "Gwenchana?"

 

"You know that I'm not okay, Taeyeon." Tiffany shared the truth. She really got enough hiding her real emotion after seeing Taeyeon physically. The heartwarming gesture that Taeyeon initiated felt so comforting. Taeyeon's hand is giving her enough warmness that she needs. "How can I be okay after seeing your condition like this? What happened while you were on the flight? How did you change? Did you dream something bad?" Tiffany tried to guess.

 

A trigger event has always been the reason why it happens. Furthermore, it's not the first time Taeyeon's time got taken from her sleep. Same thing happens occasionally while they were growing up together. A sleepover with Taeyeon had given her a trouble sometimes. She was the person who encountered more than two alters that Taeyeon's friends and adoptive mother never discovered. Hiding Taeyeon's secret is her best secret. She never shares the findings and information that she gathers all this while to anyone. Not even to Taeyeon, and not even to Taeyeon's adoptive mother who was responsible to record Taeyeon's D.I.D history.

 

Taeyeon nods and recalls the bad dream she has. She felt hesitate to discuss about her dream to anyone. However, she remembers that she always shared her bad dream with Tiffany while they were growing up together. All along she trusted Tiffany when it comes to this. Therefore, she tried to speak and share her story like she used to.

 

"I was in the dark place. I heard my mother's voice… She was crying my name." She knew the dream that she had was the reason why the others come out again. It wasn't the first time it happened. Her hand begins to tremble gradually. She doesn’t know if she can complete her story. She thought to end the story just like that. Tiffany whom reacts to hold her hand strongly encourage her to continue again. "I... I got hurt by someone... I feel the pain... like everything was real, Fany-ah." She can’t describe the whole situation like what she really wants. Afraid if someone will take her time again by recalling it.

 

"I’m sorry to hear about that." Tiffany announced quietly. She always felt bad about what happen to Taeyeon and her family. She knew it would be her who experienced this if Taeyeon didn’t hide her well and if Taeyeon didn’t show herself till the kidnapper took her friend and leave her alone. "Have you told your mom or Sunny about this?"

 

"Only Soonkyu. I texted her an hour ago, before you called me. I haven’t got a reply. Maybe she hasn’t checked her phone yet."

 

"You know... I always don’t like when you involved them each time when you have changed." Tiffany revealed. She knew the reason why Taeyeon didn't want her to get involve last time, but this time, Taeyeon has no more excuses. TY has shared them the story. Even if she can't give a proof about the accident that killed the two men, but they all know, TY will never try to harm her and Hyomin like what Taeyeon was so afraid last time. "Can we try to handle it between us? I mean, just enough with me and Jessica." She has done secretly helping Taeyeon after she changed when they were a kid and a teen. During those times, she has no access to medication and sedative like what they use right now. She knew that she can help Taeyeon again. Giving a freedom to the other personality and treat them equally always worked to make them disappear on their own as what she remembers. Of course, they need to be careful with some of the alters, but not all of them. "Honestly, I don’t want you to be kept in the confinement room and I don't want you to request them to make you sleep. That’s not the right way to handle them. They need to be free like us."

 

"I thought that would be the safest for me and for everyone, Fany-ah. Don't you remember the gift that we have? I don't want them to kill or hurt anyone again." Taeyeon argued. She thought she always has a reason why she agrees to stay in a place like that. Now, she got to know about another dangerous alter. She doesn't know how to extend the news to Tiffany. "This is what happen to me when I let them be free. Luckily, we were only caught in a minor accident. And, I really felt sorry and embarrassed for making Jessica passed out for handling one of them. I don’t think I want to burden her more. I should get the sedative from Soonkyu and asked Jessica to inject me if I change. That's my plan after choosing to stay with her."

 

"No! Please don't ever think like that. I will tell Jessica not to entertain your request. Jessica should be ready to accept them if she really loves you. That's part of the reason why I agree to let you go into her hand. I will never let you go if you behave like this! Are you out of your mind? Jessica is not a certified doctor to inject you! What if she overdose injecting you? Eventually, your request will end up killing you. It's not going to help you like what you thought, TaeTae. And you know what? They can argue the same thing just like you." Tiffany explained more. "Remember when you were caught in the accident? Do you think they will be happy to see the bruises on your body if ever they were aware about the injury? They could think the same way as you and label you as dangerous."

 

Taeyeon retreated her hand and checked Tiffany’s face. She wants to see how serious is her friend for saying something like that so carelessly. Tiffany’s argument makes her sadden for awhile, but the feeling didn’t last long. It went away on its own. Tiffany was right. She has a point when she brought up the topic. Accident meant something that they never expected it to happen, but it happens. In addition, Byuntae is not a suicidal alter as what she knows.

 

"Whose side are you, right now? I thought you dislike seeing me getting hurt like this."

 

Despite not feeling bad anymore on the topic, she tried to friend by making a joke that Tiffany took so seriously.

 

"Oh, my goodness. Of course I love to see you and I don’t like when you get hurt. Don’t get me wrong. I just want you to see the situation. I never meant---"

 

"Ara-yo… That’s a joke."

 

Tiffany heaved a sigh after seeing Taeyeon’s smile. Taeyeon almost made her raising her husky voice in the restaurant to give her disagreement points. "You should answer the phone call!" She released her annoyance back to the noisy phone. "Or do you want me to answer on your behalf? I can make a raspy moan and hang up the phone so the caller can stop calling you."

 

Taeyeon tried to snatch her phone on the table, but Tiffany already has it before her hand could touch her phone. Her expression is so priceless when Tiffany’s eyes were checking the caller’s name on the screen of her phone. She shook her head repeatedly when Tif