In the dimly lit music room, Mrs. Baek discreetly observed Taeyeon as she poured her emotions into the piano keys, creating a hauntingly beautiful melody that echoed through the space. Positioned near the back door, Mrs. Baek felt a quiet melancholy hanging in the air, a delicate dance between the beauty of the music and the sadness it conveyed.

 

If Tiffany were to express her admiration for Taeyeon's voice, Mrs. Baek wouldn't be surprised. The ethereal atmosphere seemed to amplify every note, creating an enchanting yet somber ambiance.

 

As Taeyeon abruptly ceased playing, the lingering echoes filled the room, creating an eerie silence. Mrs. Baek approached, her footsteps barely audible on the polished floor. She placed a bottle of mineral water on the piano, the only sound breaking the stillness.

 

Taeyeon turned to her music teacher with confusion, her eyes reflecting the emotional intensity of the music. Their gaze met briefly, and as soon as they did, Taeyeon looked away, wiping away tears that seemed to be an inseparable part of the poignant atmosphere.

 

"Mrs. Baek? Why are you here?" Taeyeon asked, the words carrying a subtle awkwardness, the emotions lingering in the air.

 

"Nothing... just checking on you."

 

"I'm fine," Taeyeon whispered, her voice blending with the haunting melody that still hung in the room.

 

"Then, why the tears?" Mrs. Baek, who had known Taeyeon for years, wasn't easily deceived by her attempts to conceal her emotions.

 

Taeyeon chose silence over explaining, aware that Mrs. Baek already knew the depth of her feelings.

 

Mrs. Baek smiled, nodding in understanding. "I heard she got in an accident..."

 

The room seemed to hold its breath as Taeyeon hesitated to speak, a delicate tension mingling with the melodies that lingered in the air.

 

"How is she? Is she okay?"

 

Once again, Taeyeon fell into silence, the poignant notes of the piano still resonating.

 

Mrs. Baek chuckled, breaking the emotional spell. She reached out to touch Taeyeon's shoulder from behind. "Go visit her and then give me the answer, okay?"

 

With a gentle to the back of Taeyeon's head, Mrs. Baek left, leaving the music room enveloped in its beautiful yet sorrowful atmosphere.

 

As Taeyeon pondered, a question lingered.

 

Should she visit just to find the answer?

 

—

 

Taeyeon slowly pushed open the door to Jessica's ward, revealing a room draped in melancholy. The pale light filtered through half-closed blinds, casting a somber glow and accentuating the emptiness that engulfed the space. The once-occupied bed sat untouched, sheets neatly arranged, and the vacant chair by the bedside echoed the absence of its previous occupant.

 

With a slightly bitter heart, she left the gloomy room and approached the hospital clerk at the receptionist desk to confirm Jessica's departure.

 

"Ms. Jessica Jung?" the female clerk asked, a little surprised.

 

Taeyeon nodded. "Where is she? I've checked her ward, but she wasn't there."

 

"Oh! Hmm, this morning her sister had brought her home."

 

"Her sister?"

 

"Yes. If I'm not mistaken, her name is Krystal."

 

Silence hung in the air, the gloom of the room intensifying the heaviness in Taeyeon's heart.

 

The clerk attempted to meet Taeyeon's eyes, sensing her gloomy demeanor. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

 

"No, thanks," Taeyeon replied, offering a forced smile before turning away.

 

A deep sigh escaped her.

 

With her heart feeling heavy, she took her first step to leave the place. The room seemed to retain the echo of a shared pain, as if the very walls held the emotional residue of recent events.

 

In the second step...

 

It felt even harder and heavier to walk away just like that. The emptiness of the room echoed the void left by Jessica's absence, intensifying the sadness that enveloped Taeyeon.

 

Finally, in the third step...

 

She couldn't bear to continue and abruptly turned back toward the clerk.

 

"Give... give me the address."

 

"Huh?"

 

—

 

Krystal immediately brought Jessica back to their home after she regained consciousness in the hospital. The room they were in held a heavy atmosphere, as if the weight of Jessica's pain lingered in the air. Krystal, aware of the impossibility of seeking comfort from Taeyeon, tried her best to create a comforting space for her sister.

 

"How do you feel now?" Krystal asked, settling on the bed next to Jessica.

 

"I will always feel better as long as you're here," Jessica answered softly. The room seemed to echo with the unspoken sadness that filled Jessica's words, a subtle plea for solace.

 

"Are you sure?" Krystal inquired, sensing the fragility of her sister's emotions.

 

Jessica nodded, a forced smile on her lips, masking the deeper pain beneath.

 

"Then... is it okay if I knock the crown of your head like I used to?"

 

"Hey..." Jessica whined. "Don't you think you're being too much right now?" Despite the heaviness in the room, a faint giggle escaped Krystal, a gentle attempt to bring a touch of normality to the somber setting.

 

Even with the pain lingering in Jessica's eyes, she managed to act as if things were normal. Krystal understood it was a facade, a coping mechanism to shield each other from the raw emotions that threatened to surface.

 

"I wonder... why aren't you asking about her?" Krystal spoke up after a moment of heavy silence between them, the room seemingly holding its breath.

 

"Who?" Jessica pretended not to understand, a deliberate choice to avoid delving into the complexities of her feelings for Taeyeon.

 

Krystal sensed her sister's awkward acting. "Well... she did visit you, but I kicked her out." The room absorbed the revelation, a surprising note of warmth amidst the sadness.

 

It was surprising.

 

Who would have thought that Taeyeon, who was always rude and cold, bothered to visit her? It made no sense, but it happened. Now that Jessica knew, it was hard to decide whether to frown or smile. Perhaps silence was the better option.

 

"But... don't you think she's better than Mom and Dad?" Krystal cautiously introduced a comparison, the room taking on a deeper shade of sadness.

 

"Why are you saying that?"

 

"Don't act like you don't know."

 

"Soojung..."

 

"They didn't even visit you." Krystal paused, revealing resentment in her teary eyes. "They just told me to take care of you while they take care of their... their wealth out there." The room absorbed the bitterness, the pain palpable in Krystal's eyes.

 

To prevent her sister from further anguish, Jessica grabbed Krystal's hand and pulled her into a tight hug. The room seemed to embrace the shared sorrow, the connection between the sisters a beacon of comfort in the melancholic space.

 

"It's because they trust you, Soojung. And it doesn't matter to me as long as I have you."

 

"I'm sorry... because of me, you have to go through all this."

 

"No..."

 

"I love you. I really love you, sis."

 

"I know..." The room held onto the words, a tender moment of shared affection in the midst of their collective sadness.

 

—

 

Disregarding the coolness of the soft breeze, Taeyeon leaned heavily against the front of her car, absorbing the haunting silence of the night. An hour had dragged by since Taeyeon first fixed her gaze on an unfamiliar house—the Jung's house.

 

It marked her initial intrusion onto their property. A genuine first-time experience. A heavy sigh escaped Taeyeon's lips.

 

You fool...

 

What are you doing in there?

 

Are you sleeping?

 

I hope you're sleeping on your cozy bed, wearing your thick blanket. Don't sleep on the couch, or you'll hurt yourself with the hardness of the floor when you accidently fall and the coldness of the air conditioner when you forget to turn if off.

 

Or, are you eating?

 

I hope your family is there to accompany you and help you to eat comfortably. If your hands are still sore, I hope they're feeding you instead of telling you to eat on your own in a dining room filled with silence surrounded by darkness.

 

They asked me if you're okay.

 

But I don't know.

 

This is why I came.

 

To find the answer.

 

So please...

 

Give me the answer so I can go.

 

It's not that hard, right?

 

"Right..." Taeyeon mumbled to herself and began the somber walk toward the house. She knocked, shattering the stillness of the night. After a prolonged hesitation, she finally found the courage to rap on the door.

 

A few agonizing seconds later, Krystal, appearing anguished, swung the door open. Their eyes locked, carrying conflicting emotions in each heartbeat.

 

Anger and guilt.

 

Yet, if truth be told, guilt alone couldn't encapsulate the turmoil within.

 

"What are you doing here? What more do you want?" Krystal's voice cut through the chilly air.

 

Taeyeon, though prepared for this confrontation, found herself inexplicably tongue-tied. Why did answering suddenly become an insurmountable task? Why did the words seem to stick in ?

 

"I thought this is what you wanted... for her to leave you and let you live your life by yourself," Krystal taunted, seizing the opportunity Taeyeon unintentionally presented.

 

"Just so you know, she's fine, and I won't let you hurt her again," Krystal added with a cold edge. "You can go now. I feel like vomiting just by looking at your face, and thank you for not saying anything because... I might get the urge to kill you if you did."

 

"And I'm dead serious about that," Krystal declared before slamming the door shut.

 

You've got the answer.

 

She's fine.

 

Don't hurt her again.

 

"Yeah..." was all Taeyeon managed, exhaling deeply. She forced a strained smile to ward off the tears threatening to spill in vain.

 

Once again burdened with a heavy heart, she turned away, reluctantly taking her first step to retreat into her agonizing existence.

 

Just then, the door creaked open again, revealing Jessica.

 

"Taeyeon."

 

Taeyeon nearly turned around but resisted the impulse.

 

No.

 

She's fine.

 

You can leave now.

 

"Taeyeon! Wait!" Jessica pursued Taeyeon despite the persistent pain from the accident hindering her movements. "Taeyeon!"

 

"Taeyeon, please..." Jessica stopped, wincing in pain.

 

Taeyeon also halted, sensing Jessica's true condition.

 

"Tae–"

 

"How are you?" Taeyeon abruptly asked.

 

Jessica, surprised by Taeyeon's sudden concern, silently teared up. She replied with her customary soft voice, "I'm fine."

 

Taeyeon nodded slightly. "Of course, you are."

 

"Tae..."

 

"Thank you," Taeyeon said, cutting off Jessica's attempt to speak.

 

"For what?" Jessica asked, puzzled, but she patiently awaited Taeyeon's next words.

 

"For giving me the opportunity to experience the true sense of serenity," Taeyeon closed her eyes, managing a faint smile.

 

At the mention of serenity, the air thickened with an unbearable silence.

 

Serenity...

 

How did it feel?

 

Jessica delved into her thoughts, struggling to articulate her feelings.

 

Without uttering a word or bidding farewell, Taeyeon resumed her departure. Despite Jessica's calls urging her to stop, Taeyeon steeled her heart, fragile as a shattered mirror.

 

In the end, Jessica mustered the strength to run toward Taeyeon, embracing her tightly from behind, her cheek pressed against Taeyeon's back.

 

Time stood still, enveloping them in a realm of their own. For the first time, Taeyeon received a sincere hug from the person who loved her deeply.

 

Sincere.

 

Why did Jessica's sincerity suddenly feel so palpable?

 

Taeyeon raised her hand, pressing it against her chest, crumpling her shirt as though crushing her own heart.

 

"Tell me..." Jessica bared her soul.

 

"Tell me how it felt... The serenity..." Jessica's soft voice grew hoarse as tears, once again, streamed down her cheeks. "I want to feel it too... Together with you, Taeyeon."

 

Taeyeon bit her bottom lip, tears silently escaping her eyes.

 

You fool...

 

Why are you acting like you're in pain?

 

"Fool..."