Chapter 37

No one had been prepared for the horrific news. It was like a bullet had pierced through each of their chests, striking them straight through the heart. The pain that came after, words couldn’t explain that pain.

Even breathing became painful as Jiyong tried to process the information in his thoughts. He tried to make sense of the situation but he could only focus on the heart breaking pain that left his body numb.

The bouquet of roses in Jiyong’s hands fell to the floor. He felt this overwhelming feeling of denial and grief wash over him. The world felt like it was frozen yet it continued to spin and time doesn’t stop for anyone. 

“What did you say?!” Sohyun couldn’t hold back her emotions anymore. 

“How did this happen?” Seungsung cried. “Did my...” he paused for a moment unable to bear the thought. Seungsung bit his lip and swallowed back a cry. He tried to compose himself before asking the dreaded question on his mind. “Did my... did my daughter pass away?” 

Jiyong felt like he couldn’t breathe. His body was beginning to feel weak from becoming numb. This couldn’t be happening. He began screaming, crying and praying internally for this to just be a bad dream. He wanted it to be so that when he wakes up, Hyuna would still be here. It hurt. It hurt too much. 

“Who authorized this?!” Gayoon shouted. “The Kims would never allow this! I demand to know!” 

The frightened nurse spoke up, “Because Ms. Kim allowed her family to make the decision in the case where she can not do so herself, a family member authorized the decision for Ms. Kim to no longer be put on life support.” 

Seungsung’s horrified expression was enough to break the heart of anyone who looked his way. The expression of loss, a father’s love for his daughter, no one could understand this pain. He looked to Sohyun who in return gave him the same look of confusion. “We didn’t authorize anything,” Seungsung clarified, voice breaking with pain. 

Upon hearing that, Jiyong’s head rose up slowly. There was only one person he knew that could and would do such a thing. 

“Who authorized it?” Jiyong asked suddenly. His voice was low, almost emotionless. It hurt for him to speak when all he wanted to do was scream. 

The nurse was now frightened to speak but she had to tell them the truth. They deserved that much at least. 

“Her twin sister.”

It was late at night. The nurse knew visiting hours were over yet this young woman was wandering the hall. Her eyes met with the nurse and she approached her.

“Hello, excuse me, nurse?” She spoke softly in a sweet melodious tone.

“Miss, visiting hours are over and we do not allow visitors to stay overnight with patients on this floor. It’s quite late how did you get here?” 

“Please I won’t be long. I am Kim Hyeona. I’m here to see my sister Kim Hyuna. Please let me see her. It will be my last time.” 

Hearing the desperate plea, the nurse allowed Hyeona to enter Hyuna’s room. She followed behind reading the chart on Hyuna’s condition. 

Hyeona could care less but she let the nurse ramble on. Her eyes burned with so much anger and hatred. She targeted it all towards her sister. 

“Hyuna?” Hyeona played along just for the moment. “I’m so sorry. I came too late and now... now this has happened to you. I love you. Please forgive me for following your wishes.” 

The nurse was confused. “Miss?” 

Hyeona turned to face the nurse with tear filled eyes. “My sister doesn’t want to live like this if there is no sign of her getting better. She can’t suffer any more. I’m selfish for wanting her to still be here with me physically but...” Hyeona wanted to throw up from her acting and choice of words but she was going to enjoy what would happen next. “I know she’s no longer with me. I can’t keep her here so I made the hard decision to follow her wishes and stop this. I’m afraid I have to pull the plug on my own sister.” 

“You’re family?”

“Do we not have the same face?” Hyeona asked pointing out the obvious. “Please this is what she wanted. Our family had already agreed to let her go. I came as soon as I could when I heard the news. I... I am the last to say goodbye. Everyone else had done so already. They waited for me to get a chance to say my goodbyes to my sister.” Hyeona turned back to the helpless body of Hyuna.

“This is a difficult decision, miss,” the nurse spoke. “Shouldn’t you wait for the rest of your family?” 

“Please we’ve already decided to let her go,” Hyeona wept. “When can it be done?” 

“Miss...”

“Do it.” 

The nurse nodded. She kept her head down as she exited the room. 

Hyeona grinned at the poor sight of her sister. In a moment, there’d be nothing left of Hyuna. 

It didn’t take long before the room was filled with doctors and nurses. Hyeona watched as the nurses and doctors surrounded Hyuna. Her tear filled eyes lit up as soon as the machines were unplugged. The tubes were being removed. Hyuna’s chest no longer rose up and down. Her lips couldn’t help but curve upward slightly when she heard that flatline. 

“I’m sorry,” the doctors and nurses each said.

Wiping away her fake tears, Hyeona made her way to Hyuna. She placed a hand onto Hyuna’s cheek. Her sister’s skin was cold and it only continued to grow colder. She removed her hand from Hyuna’s cheek once her confirmation was confirmed. 

“Can I have a moment alone?” 

The doctors and nurses one by one left the room leaving the sisters alone. The door was shut closed behind them.

Once Hyeona was sure that everyone had gone. Her sad face turned into a stone cold, expressionless one. 

“I told them I’d take away the person that they love most. This is the price they pay. Your life, my sister is the best form of revenge I could seek against them all. You were basically dead anyway I just...” Hyeona let out a small chuckle. “I just wanted to take your life with my own hands.” 

Hyeona stepped away from Hyuna. She walked towards the door where the doctors and nurses stood. She nodded for them to go and take Hyuna. Instead of waiting around, Hyeona left. 

“She said she was Kim Hyuna’s sister. They were twins. We asked for ID, proof of relationship and everything. She authorized for Hyuna to be removed from life support.” 

“No!” Sohyun sobbed. “How could you... how could you let her kill my sister?!” 

Seungsung was too shocked. He tried his best to comfort Sohyun but it was just as hard for him as it was for her. 

“How could you allow this to happen?!” Gayoon was shouting. Her tears fell from her eyes. 

Jiyong let his tears fall. He could not hold them in. He angrily kicked the bouquet of roses with his foot. His emotions were no longer in his control anymore. It was all to much at this point. His heart couldn’t take it anymore. There was a mix of emotions  he was feeling. 

“Mr. Kim, I’m so sorry,” Gayoon apologized. “I—I can’t forgive myself. I wasn’t there to stop—I should’ve—”

“I do not blame you, my dear.” 

“Are you the family of Kim Hyuna?” A doctor approached the grieving family. “Follow me please.” 

“Are you taking me to my daughter?” Seungsung asked. 

“Please follow me,” the doctor said. 

Jiyong picked up the broken bouquet. He held it in his hands like a child after it was first born. The petals fell but the flower endured his wrath. 

Jiyong, Gayoon, Seungsung and Sohyun followed the doctor. Together they took the elevator up a few floors. Inside the elevator was complete silence. No one spoke a word. All eyes remained onto the ground with heads down. Slight sniffles came from Sohyun who shook with anger and much sadness. 

Once the elevator reached its designated floor, all of them stepped out following the doctor. They stopped when they reached a room at the end of the hall. 

“You may enter, Ms. Kim is waiting for you.” The doctor spoke with her head down. She motioned with her arm for them to enter. 

Jiyong hesitates to enter. He couldn’t. He just couldn’t see her like this. With the little strength he had left in him, Jiyong stepped aside. 

His eyes looked at the people who loved Hyuna the most. Suddenly he felt his heart break again. Jiyong blamed himself for this. Hyuna’s life became like this because he had in her life. Her life ended because of him. 

If Hyuna had never met him, Jiyong thought, she would still be alive. Breathing, smiling and happy without him. He took it all from her due to his own obsession and selfishness for a woman who didn’t even love him. 

The worst part is Jiyong had fallen for Hyuna fueling his selfishness even more. 

This is what Hyeona meant. This was her revenge. She took away what could never be replaced. 

What could he do now? 

The tears seeped past his cheeks as these thoughts continued to run through his mind. He looked at all those who cherished and loved Hyuna and could not stop thinking that he did this to them. 

“I can’t,” he said looking into Seungsung’s eyes. “I’m so sorry. I’m sorry for everything, Mr. Kim.”

Jiyong clenched his jaw to stop himself from breaking down. His eyes shut tightly to keep the tears from falling down his cheeks. 

“Jiyong,” Seungsung said placing a hand onto Jiyong’s shoulder. “I never hated you. I never blamed you. Do not blame yourself. This wasn’t you.”

Jiyong’s lips parted to speak but before he could get a word out, a voice stopped him. 

“Father?” 

A/N: Not edited. A bit short? Might change the chapter. Eh. Sorry for the lack of updates. Life keeps getting in the way.