T H R E E 

Mrs Kim smoothened her black knee-length dress once more as she stood at the centre of their home while waiting for her younger daughter to finish getting ready.

“Kim Ayla, are you ready?” Mrs Kim called out once more – noticing that Ayla was not responding to her calls as usual since breakfast.

She assumed that Ayla was tired from all the preparations that she had been doing for the past 2 weeks as it was noticeable that her younger daughter had felt fatigue easily the couple of weeks. A worried frown replaced Mrs Kim’s beautiful face as she felt queasy. Ayla rarely never respond to any of her calls.

Mrs Kim glanced at the clock once more, it was 15 minutes to 9 and Ayla was still not responding. They were supposed to be at the hotel at 9 am for rehearsal. Today would be a busy day for all of them as it was the day her eldest daughter, Kim Riann, would be walking down the aisle. As a mother, Mrs Kim was the happiest for her eldest daughter but at the same time saddest for her youngest daughter.

The bittersweet feeling was not something that Mrs Kim could ignore easily. The man Riann had chosen to walk down the aisle with was someone that had unconsciously made Ayla’s heart ripped into pieces – Oh Sehun. Sehun had been Ayla’s comfort for the longest time and the young man had been placed in a position that no men had been at. Ayla was deeply in love with Sehun.

It was not a mystery between their family members that Ayla had been silently taking care of Sehun without the man’s knowledge even till his own wedding day. Whenever Riann would be busy with her work as a fashion designer or just busy connecting with her celebrity friends, Ayla was the one that took over her sister’s place to be a part of every milestone of Sehun’s. It was still baffling them on how Sehun never noticed Ayla’s effort at all.

Years ago, everyone had assumed that Sehun and Ayla would end up being together as they had always been with each other, but it seemed like fate has written otherwise for the two of them. The man that Ayla had ever loved was getting married to her own sister today. It could be tragic. Mrs Kim and the others were always in awe how Ayla could keep her feelings to herself without feeling sad for the couple. If it was Mrs Kim, she would have been devastated.  

Of course, Mrs Kim was still heartbroken for Ayla, but she was still proud of her too. Mrs Kim had been a spectator at the side-line, watching how Ayla chose to love Sehun with all her heart selflessly without asking for returns. It was an eye opener for Mrs Kim as she learnt that love did not need any expectations.

The mid-forties woman let out a small sad sigh once more when she realised that there was still no response from Ayla. Ayla must be devastated, Mrs Kim thought sadly. Taking heavy steps towards Ayla’s room, Mrs Kim’s heart was thumping loud, and unease spread through her body.

As soon as she reached Ayla’s room door, Mrs Kim hesitated as a sudden sense of guilt engulfed her once more. Four years ago, when Riann confessed to Sehun, she saw how badly Ayla broke apart, but Mrs Kim was a mother – she was unable to encourage Ayla to chase for her love. Instead, she prayed that Ayla would learn to let Sehun go and be happy for her sister as it was already written by fate that they were not meant to be. She did not want to pick sides, but did she already had picked a side from the start? Mrs Kim wondered.

“Darling…” Mrs Kim gently knocked against the white door.

Her eyes casually roamed around the door while waiting for Ayla to respond before they stopped over an empty photo frame that had been hanging on the door for more than 8 years – it was a picture of Ayla, Sehun and Riann when they were in middle school. It was never taken down by Ayla before but today it the frame was empty.

Mrs Kim started to feel uneasy. She tried twisting the doorknob anxiously and it came as a surprise when it creaked open. The older Kim flustered as she knew that her youngest daughter would never leave the door unlocked when she was in her room. Carefully, Mrs Kim pushed the door wider, and her eyes swept around the neatly arranged room that had nothing out of its place. However, her heart was feeling anxious.

Ayla was not in the room.

Mrs Kim entered the room and made her way towards Ayla’s walk-in wardrobe. It was a while before reality sunk into Mrs Kim’s mind. Ayla was gone.

Her tears fell fast – soaking the top of her dress. Kim Ayla left.

The girl that excitingly planned her eldest sister’s and future brother-in-law’s wedding had left on the day itself. It was as if she finally gave in, and the wedding was her last gift. Mrs Kim’s eyes swept around and noticed that not even a piece of her clothes was left behind. It was as if Ayla had erased every trace of herself.

Mrs Kim’s chest tightened as guilt crept into her heart. Her hands were busy rummaging through the drawers of Ayla’s office table, but nothing was left behind. Every document, every certificate, every picture, every item that Ayla owned was not where they always been at.

Except, the neatly arranged bed was filled with gifts that Sehun had given her over the years – still in mint condition. A slow sob erupted as Mrs Kim imagined the times Ayla had cried alone in the room while hiding her pain away from them. If only as a mother, she could be fair to tell the girls to compete fairly. If only she had helped Sehun to see that Ayla was always by his side during both his tough and happy times.

But it was a mistake she could not take back – Mrs Kim did not do anything. She assumed Ayla would be alright somehow.

“Honey!” Mrs Kim’s voice croaked as she called her husband that was patiently waiting for her in the living room of their penthouse, “Kim Daniel!” She called out once more as her vision started being blurred by her tears.

The tears were ruining her makeup but the mother could care less about that. She was more concern that her daughter had left them because they did nothing to help her.

“Are you alright, dear?” The deep voice of Mr Kim echoed through the hallway as a late forties man entered the room – surprised that his wife was bawling her heart out on Ayla’s bed.

His step hastened before pulling Mrs Kim into his arms to sooth her crying. Mr Kim eyes took a double glance around the room before noticing the empty desk at the corner of Ayla’s room. His voice was soft as he asked Mrs Kim where their daughter was. Mrs Kim’s body shook and she shook her