[Note: Make sure you read the description. It continues from there.]

 

“Get off the side of the road!” a loud and angered voice yelled from out of their car window, followed by the loud honk of the car. Taeyeon turned her head away from the riverside view and glanced over at the man. The man flicked his finger at the young female before driving off down the road at what was certainly not the speed limit.

Taeyeon placed her hands into her pockets and slowly made her way off the side of the road. Cars were driving past her one after the other. Each one displayed a different perspective of the people’s lifestyles. Some cars would whizz by at nearly twice the speed limit with their music blasting through their expensive stereos. Others would drive by casually with either a family, a couple or just one lone person occupying the seats.

A car then came into Taeyeon’s view. It was a black Mercedes car with just barely legal black tinted car windows. She had dreaded seeing that car as it mirrored her family’s lifestyle. It was a luxurious life to the onlookers, but inside the darkly tinted windows there were secrets. No one would see past the dark tinted windows besides the occupants.

“Ma’am Taeyeon, your father and mother wish for you to return home. It is getting rather late and they do not wish for anything to happen to you.” A man in a suit stood before Taeyeon and guided her towards the car. Taeyeon glanced up at the man with a look of disgust and remained in her place. She did not wish to return to the dark interiors of the car. It held too many secrets in which she wished to forget.

“I can walk home by myself. I do not wish to be alone in the car with two men,” Taeyeon gritted back at the man before turning away and making her way towards her home. Behind the black Mercedes, a line of cars was starting to form. The occasional honk from the back could be heard, but the man in the suit did not return into the car. Instead, he followed behind Taeyeon.

Taeyeon could feel the presence of the unwanted male behind her, but she could not do much. Her family did not wish for a repeat of events and therefore, the male behind her was especially cautious that Taeyeon did not do anything rash. Taeyeon turned her head towards the river once more to see a half moon being reflected off the waters of the silent river. There was always a dark side to everything. You cannot have light without shadows. Light shall always cast a shadow behind an object. It was the same with her family.

Taeyeon’s family had two working parents. The father invested in companies whilst the mother owned a café near one of the busiest corners of the city. They were by no means the richest of the rich, but they had enough to enjoy some of life’s luxuries. However, the family held a dark secret; a secret which no one but the family knew. It was a secret which the family was trying to hide except for the youngest daughter of the family.

Another loud honk echoed above the waters of the river. Taeyeon turned around to be faced with a line of cars behind the black Mercedes. She eyed the male behind her questionably.

“Your parents strictly told us to return home with you,” he reasoned. Taeyeon gave a long and heavy sigh. Although the family were trying to forget the dark past, they are doing whatever they could to prevent the event from reoccurring. It created a lot more stress upon the youngest daughter but she never showed it. After the eldest daughter was gone, the younger sibling took it upon herself to take her place. Little, did she know, there was a reason behind her older sister’s departure. The dark secret behind her parents and their actual business is what caused the downfall of the elder sibling.

“Is it another client?” Taeyeon asked dully. The male nodded slowly, almost guiltily. Taeyeon knew the reasons behind his actions. Giving one last sigh, she headed back towards the parked Mercedes and briskly entered the mysterious interior of the car. The door closed behind her, enclosing her away from the open world and giving her a one way ticket towards the dark shadows of her family.

 

 

---

 

 

“I heard that it’s your birthday today,” the gruff smoker voice of the client questioned as Taeyeon slowly buttoned her top. The female reached for her phone to check the date, only to see that it was indeed the ninth of March.

“So it is,” Taeyeon answered back dully. She buttoned up the last of her top and walked over to the mirror nearby. She avoided peering up into the glass in fear of seeing her reflection and instead, picked up the envelope on the table along with her belongings. She then heard the sound of a lighter, followed by the suffocating smell of tobacco.

“Tell your parents that the deal is finalised. Your mother should be able to expand her franchise within three months. It was nice doing business with you,” the male said lazily as he took a puff of his smoke. Taeyeon gritted her teeth slightly at the sight of the man, but nonetheless, she bowed towards him and headed towards the exit.

“Wait. On that other desk is your present. You are now the daughter of my business partner. It would be rude to not celebrate your day of birth,” the male quickly added. Taeyeon looked to her left to see another envelope with her name written messily upon it. She took the envelope slowly and placed it inside her bag.

“Thank you,” Taeyeon forced through her teeth. A husky chuckle was all she heard before she closed the door behind her. A sigh of relief had escaped her lips when the walls and door separated her from the man inside the room. She glanced up at the clock that was hung on the wall just before her to see that she had finished earlier than expected.

“He’s more premature than I expected,” Taeyeon whispered to herself before quickly making her way to the exit. With the extra time that she had, she would use her chance to visit her sister.

Flagging down a cab, she quickly ordered the driver to take her down to the river. Upon reaching her destination, she opened the envelope with her name on it and took out a few of the bills to hand it to the driver, not bothering to receive any of the change. She did not care if she had given the driver too much; she knew that she would be given more next time. All she wanted was to step out into the fresh breeze and listen to the calm waters of the river.

Upon reaching her destination, she stood on the side of the bridge and closed her eyes to relax her senses.

“Happy birthday,” a soft voice filled Taeyeon’s ears. Taeyeon opened her eyes and looked to the side to see her sister standing beside her. A small smile showed itself upon the younger sibling’s face but it was short lived.

“Thank you,” Taeyeon whispered back, not wanting any passers to hear her.

“You have not been taking your sanity pills, Taeyeon. Why am I still standing here next to you?” the elder questioned with a laugh. Taeyeon shrugged her shoulders. She knew that there was no one beside her. She knew that her sister was not standing beside her, talking to her. She knew why and she could never forget how.

“It’s a good thing. I get to escape the sane world for a short while,” Taeyeon answered briskly. “I thought you were going to rest peacefully now. Why do you still visit me?”

“I’m here because your ‘sane’ mind of yours dragged me back. And I’m here because I came to wish you a happy birthday. Did mother and father send you their wishes?”

“They didn’t remember.”

“I figured. Did he remember?”

Taeyeon reached into her bag where her envelope was and held it up. A soft sigh was released from Taeyeon’s sister. Silence followed their small conversation. Taeyeon tried to drown the sound of the cars behind her and focus on the water brushing up against the rocks of the riverbanks.

“Taeyeon, how long will it take before I’m free?” the elder sibling suddenly asked. Taeyeon closed her eyes and shrugged. She knew that until she was able to let go of her older sister, she would keep having these small meetings.

“Until I become sane,” Taeyeon answered. The elder sibling just laughed silently.

“Then remain insane for the rest of your life. I actually enjoy these talks we have, even if you do receive a few stares and glances from passers.”

“I threw away my sanity pills long ago. You’re pretty much stuck with me forever,” Taeyeon answered with a smile.

“Well aren’t I lucky?” the elder answered sarcastically. Taeyeon nodded briskly.

“Say, isn’t that the girl that we saw the other few times?” the elder suddenly blurted whilst pointing down the bridge towards an unknown figure. Taeyeon followed her sister’s direction and saw a girl standing, staring into the wide open river as she was. She had seen the same girls many times recently and her curiosity for the girl grew each time she saw her.

“Tiffany Hwang was her name, right?” Taeyeon’s elder sister questioned. Taeyeon nodded, remembering to the time when she spotted a name tag upon the girl. The elder sibling started walking towards the other female and waved her hands furiously in front of her. Taeyeon rolled her eyes at her sister’s acts and returned to watching the calming scene. In some ways, she was glad that she was the only one to see her sister, but it always made her question whether others cared enough to see what she could see. Maybe if the family weren’t always trying to forget her, her sister would be visible to other family members.

“Taeyeon! Come over here. I think she’s crying,” the elder sister called. Taeyeon turned her head once again to the Tiffany girl, only to see the moon’s light reflect off the girl’s cheek. Taeyeon looked at her sister questionably but only received a shrug in return. The elder sister then quickly walked back to Taeyeon’s side and bit her lower lip.

“We probably shouldn’t hassle her. She obviously needs time to think,” Taeyeon whispered. Her older sister just shrugged and sat on the railing of the bridge with her legs swinging off the side.

“Oh right,” she suddenly exclaimed. “Did you bring the stuff? Where’s the cupcake, the candle, the hat and lighter?”

Taeyeon chuckled slightly, wondering how she was visualising her sister as a child but nevertheless, she reached into her bag to bring out a three-pack of cupcakes, a party hat, a candle and a lighter. She looked at her sister to see her clapping excitedly.

“A party, yay,” she exclaimed. Taeyeon placed the cupcakes on the floor to secure the hat on her head before opening the plastic of the cupcakes and placing a candle on them. Taeyeon then took the lighter and lit the candle, holding it before her sister.

“Wow, you’re actually going through with this,” the elder laughed.

“It’s only a one-time thing. You went nuts last year when I didn’t do it,” Taeyeon retaliated. The elder sister jumped off the railing and smiled brightly.

“Should I do the honours of singing then? It would save you a lot of embarrassment.”

“If you don’t mind,” Taeyeon answered with a smile. Her smile grew slightly when she saw her sister clearing and taking on a confident posture. As the elder sibling began to sing the traditional birthday song, Taeyeon couldn’t help but feel at ease. She would rarely feel this, but with the voice of her sister singing to her, it made her feel as though everything was normal once more. No dark secrets, no dark pasts and certainly no dark businesses.

“Blow out the candles, quick. I don’t want you to be eating that wax,” the elder quickly ushered as the candle was melting away. Taking a deep breath, Taeyeon blew out the candle as her sister clapped on the side.

“Did you make a wish?”

“Of course I did.”

“What was it?”

“If I tell you it won’t come true.”

“Taeyeon, I don’t think that applies to me. If you tell me, it would just be like telling yourself.”

“Thanks for reminding me of my sanity,” Taeyeon chuckled. She didn’t mind if she was insane. She depended on seeing her older sister to keep herself sane.

“Hey, why don’t you offer that girl a cupcake? I don’t want to find those cupcakes in a bin nearby,” the elder suggested. Taeyeon looked down at the cupcakes and felt herself slightly repulsed by the sweets. She didn’t quite like sweet confectionaries, but she hated wasting money even more. She glanced back at the foreign girl down the bridge and hummed silently.

“You don’t think she’ll call the cops on me?” Taeyeon asked thoughtfully. The elder sister laughed at her sister’s question and shook her head. She then turned around to watch the girl again and stopped laughing instantly. Taeyeon gave the older sister a questionable glance. The smile was wiped clean off her sister and was only left with a blank expression.

“What’s wrong?” Taeyeon questioned. The elder sister did not answer. Instead, she quickly walked over to the other girl’s side and stared intently at her. Taeyeon furrowed her eyebrows at her sister’s actions. Even if she was not visible to any other human’s eye, she found it rude to be staring so closely at someone.

“Taeyeon, quickly. Bring the cakes here and offer her one,” the elder suddenly called out. Taeyeon opened her eyes with surprise and raised an eyebrow of questioning. The elder sister waved her hand quickly for Taeyeon to follow, but the younger did not wish to make a fool of herself by walking up in a paper party hat, offering the stranger a cupcake.

“Taeyeon, just do as I say,” the elder said sternly. Taeyeon pouted slightly but sighed in defeat. She knew that her sister must have a reason for ordering so and complied reluctantly.

Taking slow steps, she prepared a quick greeting. Breathing in sharply for a few moments, Taeyeon took on large breath and confronted the girl that was standing next to her sister.

“Excuse me, Miss? Would you like a cupcake? I thought I should share it rather than eat it by myself.” Taeyeon pulled off the best innocent smile she could, but she could feel the sides of her lips tug uncomfortably at the unnatural smile. The foreign girl looked at Taeyeon with a surprised expression whilst the elder sister chuckled at her younger sister’s greeting. Taeyeon made a note to herself to control her visions of her sister later on, but right now she was confronted with another situation.

“I beg your pardon?” the confronted girl questioned. Taeyeon could feel her arms grow weak with the awkward situation but she tried to keep herself calm. The elder sister walked beside Taeyeon’s side and laughed as she poked at Taeyeon’s arm.

“I had a few cupcakes and thought you might like one. It’s nothing suspicious I swear. I just, thought it would be better sharing it with others rather than selfishly making me eat more calories,” Taeyeon continued nervously. This time, the elder sister burst out into a loud hearty laughter. Taeyeon bit her lower lip nervously, waiting for a reply.

A soft chuckle was emitted from the foreign girl as she took upon Taeyeon’s offer and took a cupcake from the tray.

“Thank you,” she thanked. Taeyeon smiled brightly and nodded. The elder sister watched from the side and smiled proudly along. She had recognised the look upon Tiffany’s face. It mirrored her own many years ago. She was grateful that Taeyeon had listened to her.

“Taeyeon, you do not know how much that cupcake means to her,” she whispered. Taeyeon tried her best not to glance over at her sister but just nodded slightly in response. She then took one cupcake from the tray, leaving the one with the candle. Taeyeon placed the candle upon the railing of the bridge and nodded her head towards the singular bakery left.

“There’s your share,” Taeyeon whispered ever so slightly. The elder sister gave Taeyeon a questionable glance before waving her hands sarcastically around Taeyeon.

“Well dur, if you haven’t noticed. No physical body here,” the elder mocked. Taeyeon just shrugged and smiled warmly at her sister.

“It’s the thoughts that count.”

“I’m sorry?” Tiffany questioned, thinking that Taeyeon was speaking to her. The elder sister rolled her eyes and walked over to the cupcake, waving her hand through the cupcake in an attempt to pick it up. Taeyeon grimaced awkwardly at Tiffany and shrugged.

“I said it was the thought that counts,” Taeyeon said nervously. Tiffany nodded her head slowly and smiled as she peeled the paper from the side of the cupcake. She then glanced up to notice the party hat upon Taeyeon’s head and could not help but chuckle slightly at the fully grown female’s childish features.

“I presume it’s your birthday?”

“Yeah, I thought I should at least spread the joy of growing old with someone else.”

“Congratulations then. Happy birthday, dear stranger,” Tiffany beamed. Taeyeon nodded in thanks before taking a small bite out of the sweet cupcake in her hands. The taste was unsettlingly sweet, but she manfully swallowed and kept the food down without gagging.

“It’s like feeding you poison,” the elder sister commented on the side as she sat dejectedly next to the cupcake she could not hold. Taeyeon placed her cupcake back into the tray and stuck her tongue out at her sister quickly, making sure that the other girl did not catch sight of her insane acts.

“You’re not going to finish?” Tiffany questioned upon seeing Taeyeon returning the cake.

Taeyeon shook her head and replied, “I don’t really have a sweet tooth. It makes me feel sick afterwards.”

Tiffany nodded her head slowly and took a bite from the gift she was given. She chewed upon it slowly and paused after she had swallowed her portion. The elder sister could see the thoughts that Tiffany was having through her expression and just smiled softly as Taeyeon looked upon her with confusion.

“You have no idea what you’ve done,” the elder sister chuckled.

“Did I do something wrong?” Taeyeon answered back instinctively. Tiffany broke away from her thoughts upon Taeyeon’s question, which was not meant for her. She then shook her head quickly and laughed nervously as Taeyeon mirrored her actions.

“You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s just… you have no idea what you’ve just done for me,” Tiffany almost repeated the elder sister. Taeyeon tilted her head to the side questionably. She then turned to her older sister who was standing on the side of the bridge.

The elder sister pointed to Tiffany and jumped off the bridge. Taeyeon furrowed her eyebrows with confusion as the elder sister returned to the side of the bridge. The older sister then pointed at Tiffany once again and dragged her thumb across her neck, hinting at the other girl’s plans. Taeyeon finally caught onto the hint and dropped her jaw.

“She had the look, Taeyeon. I would know better than anyone else what thoughts go through your head before you jump,” the elder sister said slowly. Taeyeon slowly turned back to Tiffany to see her tear stained face reflecting off some of the moon’s rays.

“Is life unfair to you?” Taeyeon questioned quietly. Tiffany looked up from her cupcake with a slightly surprised expression.

“Right now, if I hadn’t offered you a cupcake, would you have jumped?” Taeyeon asked seriously. Tiffany was slightly surprised at Taeyeon’s questioned but lowered her head upon interpreting the meaning behind the words.

“Before you answer, if someone wanted you to jump, would you jump?” Taeyeon questioned. The elder sister smiled softly on the side, understanding fully where Taeyeon was directing the conversation. Tiffany on the other hand, bit her lower lip nervously. She felt bare underneath Taeyeon’s gaze and was nervous as to what the girl before her had to say.

“Yes,” Tiffany answered briskly. Taeyeon nodded slowly. She turned around and faced the open river once more.

“If you were to jump for that reason, then I shall follow suit,” Taeyeon pronounced proudly. This time even the elder sister was surprised. The older sister whipped her head back to Tiffany worriedly and saw that the girl had mirrored her expression.

“I too, have someone who wants me to jump. If you were to jump because someone wants you to, then I shall do the same,” Taeyeon continued.

“Taeyeon, I know I want you to jump, but that does not mean you should,” the elder sister huffed. Taeyeon ignored her older sister for a moment and turned around to glance back at Tiffany.

“So? Shall we go?” Taeyeon challenged as she propped herself up upon the bridge’s railing. The elder sister quickly moved behind Taeyeon to push her back to safety but her attempts were useless. Instead, Tiffany quickly pulled upon Taeyeon’s arm to bring her back to the safety of the ground.

“Don’t do that,” Tiffany said unstably.

“Why not? I’m only doing what you would do,” Taeyeon questioned innocently. Tiffany shook her head furiously.

“It wouldn’t make a difference if I was to jump but I’m sure that there are people who still need you in this world,” Tiffany reasoned. Taeyeon just laughed at Tiffany’s answer.

“Of course. My father and my mother need me for many things. What if their needs were things that I did not wish to do?” Taeyeon challenged. The elder sister sighed heavily upon Taeyeon’s tone. She knew what the younger sister was going through and could understand as she too had gone through the same experience. She did not think that it would be effective upon their current situation and would wish that Taeyeon would stop exposing their family secrets.

“Then don’t follow their needs,” Tiffany answered back naïvely. Taeyeon propped herself upon the bridge railing again and started swinging her legs dangerously.

“Then I can just jump now and not follow their needs,” Taeyeon said cheerfully. Tiffany pulled Taeyeon down once more and shook her head.

“Find something else in life to do then. Someone like you should not end their life so,” Tiffany said rather loudly.

“Someone like me?”

“You were the one who stopped me from jumping earlier. That alone proves that you have a purpose in life. You could do many more things if you just continued,” Tiffany said desperately. Taeyeon chuckled and flicked Tiffany in the forehead childishly.

“Then I shall ask this again, if someone were to want you to jump, would you jump?”

“No! Now please, don’t do anything rash,” Tiffany answered almost instantaneously, still gripping tightly onto Taeyeon’s arm to prevent her from jumping upon the railing again. Taeyeon smiled and placed her hand upon Tiffany’s head, patting it gently.

“Then all I have to say is, thank you,” Taeyeon whispered. Tiffany looked up with confusion at Taeyeon and slowly released her grip on Taeyeon’s hand.

“I say we’re even. You stopped me from jumping by not jumping yourself. I would say you now have a purpose to your life. Your theory must be true then. You can do more things if you just continue,” Taeyeon quoted. Tiffany’s body tensed slightly upon hearing her words being repeated. She came to realise what she had said and found her contradicting herself.

“But I—”

“I have just as much reason to jump as you do. If you were to end yours, I shall end mine along with yours. By continuing, you now serve a purpose to your life and also become the saviour of my own. Therefore, by not jumping, you save a life,” Taeyeon continued. Tiffany opened to argue back but she did not have any reason to do so. Taeyeon had completely cornered her.

“In return for being my saviour, I shall be yours.” Taeyeon extended her hand towards Tiffany’s and gestured towards it welcomingly. “So long as you continue to live, I shall as well. In return, I shall make the world slightly fair for you. I may not be able to change everything, but I shall try.”

Tiffany stared at the hand extended towards her. She could feel herself slowly feeling lighter with some of the pressure being lifted off her. She slowly reached for Taeyeon’s hand hesitantly. Just before their hands touched, Tiffany quickly changed her mind and threw her arms around Taeyeon and hugged her gratefully.

“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you,” Tiffany repeated over and over as she finally released all her emotions. Tears were falling from her eyes once more. The moon above the river waters reflected off the girl’s tears as they fell freely onto Taeyeon’s shoulder. Taeyeon awkwardly patted Tiffany’s back and chuckled slightly.

“Oh my, I think my little sister had grown up,” the elder sister smiled before Taeyeon. Taeyeon beamed a proud smile and nodded.

“Say, would you mind keeping your insanity for just a day longer? I wish to say my proper good byes and I do not wish to do it on your birthday,” the elder asked thoughtfully. Taeyeon chuckled slightly and nodded as she felt some warm roll down the side of her cheek.

“I will miss you,” Taeyeon whispered. The elder sister just laughed and nodded.

“Hey, we’ll bid our farewells tomorrow. Just don’t return to the sane world just yet. I shall see you tomorrow,” the elder sister waved quickly before fading away into the scenery.

 

 

---

 

 

“I’m glad you’ve found your pills Taeyeon,” the elder sister sighed. Taeyeon stood beside her as they watched the sun slowly sinking. She knew that it would be the last time she would be able to keep her insanity. She had held onto her sister for too long, she wanted her older sister to rest soon. She had never found a reason to before the night before.

“Do you still wish for me to jump?” Taeyeon questioned. The elder sister just laughed.

“Depends, do you still help with the family income?”

“I hardly think that would matter in this situation.”

“It does.”

Taeyeon chuckled slightly upon recognising the course of their conversation. The elder sister followed suit but the atmosphere was serious once more. The sun was sinking into the horizon of the river and their time left was limited.

“I’m able to withdraw whatever I have now. Over the years, I’m sure that I have more than enough. Father and mother would send their dogs to search for me for maybe a month or so, but after that I am free,” Taeyeon answered slowly. The elder sister nodded slowly.

“Then no, I do not wish for you to jump anymore,” she said confidently. “I did not wish for you to continue the family’s dark secrets and wished for you to jump so that I could take care of you. It was selfish I know, but I had my reason. Now that I see that you are changing the course, I no longer wish for you to join me.”

“Then I shall not jump.”

“I thought others’ opinions do not matter to you.”

“They don’t. I shall not jump because I do not wish to. However, if I do wish to jump, will you return?” Taeyeon questioned.

“Well it depends. If your insanity returns, you shall drag me back no matter what and then we shall repeat this cycle,” the elder shrugged. Taeyeon nodded solemnly and sighed.

“It would be a long time.”

“I know.”

“I’ll miss you.”

“As will I.”

“Are you happy?” Taeyeon watched intently at the sun slowly disappearing. From the side, she could see her sister slowly fading along with the sunlight.

“I am now.”

“What’s death like?”

“It’s lonely. You cannot do what you wish as you cannot be with the ones you cherish,” the elder sighed. “But, with the knowledge that the ones you love are safe, the darkness is welcoming. I guess we all wish to die happy as we do not wish to have our last thoughts being filled with negativity. The darkness is a way to assure us that the happy thoughts will be the last thoughts.”

“Do you regret anything?”

“I regret that I was not able to enter the darkness without regret.”

The sun had only a glimmer of light left. Taeyeon sighed heavily as she faced her sister. She was only barely visible as the sun. Once the sunlight was to disappear, so would her sister.

“I guess this is farewell, Taeyeon.”

“I will miss you,” Taeyeon repeated for umpteenth time. The elder sister stood upon the railing with perfect balance and breathed in deeply.

“Stay strong, Taeyeon. I do not wish to see you until at least sixty years later.”

“Have you had enough of your annoying younger sister already?” Taeyeon chuckled. The elder followed suit and nodded.

“My insane sister is driving me insane,” she mocked. Taeyeon took a deep breath as the last glimmer of sunlight was slowly disappearing.

“Good night, Taeyeon,” the elder sister whispered.

“Good night, sister,” Taeyeon answered back before the figure of her sister slowly faded away as the sun was no longer in sight.

 

“Taeyeon!” a voice called from behind. Taeyeon turned around to see a taxi parked beside her. The passenger at the front had their windows rolled down and half their body sticking outside. Taeyeon immediately recognised the passenger at the front and smiled.

“Are you ready to start anew, Tiffany?” Taeyeon questioned. Tiffany, at the front of the taxi, smiled and nodded once confidently. Taeyeon could feel her heart beat faster at the anticipation of her new life. She stepped into the taxi and sat down comfortably in the back seat.

A taxi was a public car. Anyone could have been in the taxi. Unlike the black Mercedes, the taxi was accessible to the public. She was no longer confined with her dark family secrets. Instead, she was part of the public. She was exploring the open world with a companion on the same mission as she.

Taeyeon turned her attention to the river beside her as the taxi took off. She smiled to herself before resting her head onto the chair.

“I’m glad I didn’t jump.”

 

 

 

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A/N

 

Okay so the explanation.

Taeyeon has an older sister who remains unnamed throughout the fanfic. Her family has a dark secret in which they would use their daughter as a way of securing business deals (ual favours). Taeyeon's sister was the one whom had to experience all that and as a result, suffered depression and ended her life (hinted to have ended it by the bridge).

Taeyeon who was left behind was naive and did not understand her sister's actions. She then took it upon herself to take over her sister's responsibility. Little did she know of the ‘business deals’ and ended up having to secure the deals in her sister’s place.

Taeyeon finally realised the dark secrets of her family and slowly falls into depression. As a result of this, she sees her sister at the bridge. She converses with her sister as with any other human and is very much aware that her sister is not an actual person. The fanfic starts off with the two of them debating on whether Taeyeon would jump and follow her sister’s path.

Taeyeon’s sister wanted Taeyeon to jump as she did not wish for Taeyeon to continue suffering, but Taeyeon was still not to the point where she was suicidal. Instead of following what her sister wanted, she wanted some sense of independence and decided to retaliate against her sister to reassure herself that she still had some rights, some control over her life.

As the story progresses, Taeyeon is questioning her sanity. She knows that her sister is dead but yet she still talks to her as a normal person. After Taeyeon received her birthday present from her client, she came to realise that she, in that moment, had no control over her life. Whilst she was conversing with her sister on her birthday, Tiffany is introduced.

Tiffany’s reason is not explored but she is hinted to be ‘not wanted’ and ‘useless’ with her speech she made to Taeyeon. Taeyeon’s sister is a figment of her imagination, but even so, she recognises the agony in Tiffany’s expression and it is Taeyeon’s sub conscience which tells her to stop Tiffany. With the small act of offering a cupcake, Taeyeon had prevented Tiffany from leaping off the bridge.

Taeyeon then challenges Tiffany’s reason for jumping and is willing to follow suit if Tiffany were to decide to jump. It is implied that Taeyeon was no longer willing to live and was gambling her chances with Tiffany. Tiffany, who sees Taeyeon as her saviour, does not wish for such a person to end their life because of her. She sees Taeyeon as someone who is worth living and does not understand why Taeyeon would gamble her life so.

Because she did not wish for the world to be one less of a good Samaritan, Tiffany unconsciously contradicts herself. She says that if Taeyeon were to continue with life she would find a reason or meaning which contradicts her own thoughts that she is not worth or of use to anything. She then realises the mind game that Taeyeon had played with her and feels lighter as her thoughts of jumping were now irrelevant.

Taeyeon then sees that with the gamble she has taken, that she had just saved someone from taking a leap off the bridge. She then sees that even small acts could be able to change someone’s life and applies it to her own life.

The next day, she withdrawals all she has and decides to start anew with Tiffany. Taeyeon’s sister then bids farewell to Taeyeon in the ending scene, but not before they replay the first conversation.

This time, Taeyeon does not purposely go against her sister to prove her independence. She realises that she should not just go against something to prove that she is independent and it is then that Taeyeon’s sister slowly starts to fade.

Taeyeon no longer has a need for her sister to be there to prove her independence and instead, relies upon herself. With the last farewell, the older sister explains how the afterlife is like for her and makes it even more unappealing to Taeyeon. She also says that she regrets dying with no regrets.

This is Taeyeon’s thoughts on death as she no longer finds it as an appealing solution to her problems. Instead, she bids her sister farewell and continues on with her life with Tiffany.

 

 

Main ideas of the story:

-          Not everyone who is cheerful is happy. They may be suffering from much more then you but they do not show it [Taeyeon’s character]

-          A small act of kindness could save someone’s life [Taeyeon offering a cupcake]

-          Independence does not mean going against someone’s wishes. It means doing what you want for yourself [Taeyeon and her sister’s first and last conversation]

-          If you think carefully about your thoughts, you may find yourself contradicting your own thoughts. Think carefully and you will see what is really important to you and you alone [Tiffany’s character]

-          There is no such thing as fate. You control your life the way you want. If your life is not fitting for you, you can change it yourself. Your surroundings should not determine the way you live on with your life. [Taeyeon’s family]

-          Death is not the answer to everything. You leave behind many things including grieve and heartache for many. Suicide will always end in regret. Try to live life to the end without having to regret having no regrets. [Taeyeon’s older sister]

 

I hope that explains a bit ^^

Remember ideas are not always the same for everyone. These were the ideas that I had but you can have many other ideas or even contradict my own. Not everyone is alike :)

 

 

 

I hope you enjoyed this one shot.

Till next time

Bubbles out~

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