~TAEYEON~

I sat up in the bed with a start, wondering what had awakened me. Glancing at the clock on my bedside table, I saw it was a little after six. The chimes of the doorbell suddenly echoed through the house.

Pushing the covers aside, I grabbed my sweater from the foot of the bed. I opened my bedroom door in time to see Jiyong, wearing only his pants, hurrying down the hallway.

“Dammit! Who can that be at this hour?!” he mumbled as he disappeared downstairs.

I came to a halt at the top of the stairs, wondering if Taerin was our early-morning visitor.

“Detective Song! Good morning. Is there any problem?” I heard Jiyong ask.

“I’m sorry to disturb you, Mr. Kwon.” Came the reply. “But it’s very important. Do you know Miss Erica Kim Taerin?”

“Yes.” Jiyong replied cautiously.

“Your name and address were found amongst Miss Kim’s belongings. Are you, by any chance, a relative?”

“In a manner of speaking, yes.” Jiyong hedged. “Why?” he asked before darting a glance towards the stairs.

“Would you happen to know how we could get in touch with Miss Kim’s family?” Detective Song continued.

“You’d better come in.” Jiyong stood aside. Closing the outer door, he turned to see me making my way down the stairs, an anxious expression on my face. “Detective Song, this is Kim Taeyeon. She’s Erica’s twin sister.” Jiyong explained.

The detective looked at me with a solemn gaze. “Miss Kim.”

“Detective, what is it? What’s happened?” I asked, sensing from the somber look on the man’s face that something was dreadfully wrong.

“There’s been an accident.”

“An accident? My sister? Is she alright?” I took a step towards the detective.

Detective Song met my gaze and slowly shook his head. “I’m sorry to gave tell you, miss, but your sister passed away last night.”

I gasped and took a step back, “No! There’s been a mistake.” I darted a frightened glance at Jiyong. “I talked to her yesterday. She was fine. She’s coming here today. Please, there must be some mistake.” I repeated, as if saying the words would somehow make them true.

Jiyong crossed to where I stood shivering, my face ashen, my expression a mixture of shock and disbelief. Putting his arm around me, he urged me to lean on him.

“Detective Song,” Jiyong said, turning to the office. “Could you tell us what happened? Was it a car accident?”

“No.” The detective replied. “A call came through my office a little while ago from an officer in Tokyo. Apparently Miss Kim had been celebrating with a few friends last night. They’d been drinking in the hotel bar and had moved outside to the hotel grounds where they started creating quite a disturbance.”

“Several hotel guests called the front desk to complain and the police were called in. When the two patrolmen got there, Miss Kim, whom they described to be in highly intoxicated state, had climbed up one of the large concrete fountains in the garden.”

“What happened?” Jiyong asked, urgency in his voice.

“According to the witnesses, she turned to wave to her friends and lost her footing. She fell, hitting her head on the concrete. She was pronounced dead at the scene.”

“No! No…!” I sagged against Jiyong. I could imagine Taerin behaving foolishly, but to risk her life!

“I’m sorry for you loss, miss.” The detective said but I was too shocked to answer.

“Thank you, Detective.” Jiyong tightened his hold on me.

At that moment, Hayi started crying. I automatically turned towards the sound.

 “Why don’t you go upstairs and take care of Hayi?” Jiyong suggested. “I’ll be up in a minute, once I see the detective out.”

I drew a steadying breath, blinking back the tears gathering in my eyes. “Okay.” Moving out of the shelter of his arms, I turned and climbed the stairs.

Up in the nursery, I deliberately pushed all thoughts of Taerin from my mind.

Lifting Hayi from the crib, I held her against my and murmured soft words of comfort. Crossing to the rocking chair, I sat down, wondering for a moment if the reason Hayi had awakened was that she’d somehow sensed the horrible tragedy that had befallen her mother.

It couldn’t be true!

Taerin wasn’t dead!

It had to be a mistake!

But while my brain desperately tried to deny it, I knew in my heart it was ture.

Drawing a deep, ragged breath, I fought to keep the pain and sorrow threatening to swamp me at bay.

Though our relationship hadn’t been as close as some twins enjoyed, the realization that I would never again see my beautiful, talented sister, that Taerin’s dreams of stardom were lost forever, evoked a deep and profound sadness.

“Is Hayi alright?” Jiyong’s softly spoken question cut through my musings. Unable to speak, I simply nodded. “Should I warm a bottle for her?” he asked.

This time I shook my head. Tears were gathering in my eyes but I blinked them away, fearful that once I started to cry, I might never stop.

Hayi had fallen back to sleep, but I was reluctant to relinquish my hold on her. I lingered for a few moments more, then rising from the chair, I returned Hayi to the comfort of her crib.

After covering her with her blanket, I stood staring d