"I'm about to tell you a secret."

"What?"

With a smile, Tàiyáng pulls me toward a small dvd player that was in my brother's room. Plugging it in, he takes out a blank cd from his backpack.

"This is a secret that only four souls have ever known at once. When one of them died, the remaining three souls promised to keep the secret to themselves.

Before the second one died, he gave the remaining two permission to tell at least one person in order to keep the secret between four people." Placing the cd inside, he closed the lid and pressed play.

"Hello? Is this working? All well. Hello, Meriem here. I've been feeling extra depressed today, so I decided to come clean with this secret of mine. While cleaning the Headmaster's room, I came across a book that talks about the origins of Lacerta. Lacerta is based on an ancient legend about four friends who were forever bound to each other by the secrets of their hearts. Unfortunately, when one member shared the secret, the other three murdered him. And the cycle has continued like this until now. Recently the secret has been passed down to me....."  A girl's voice could be heard throughout the room.

"... the secrets of our hearts can be defined as a dream that is not only worth dying for but also worth killing for. When a person tells of their dreams to someone else, their punishment is death. Since I am now bound by this curse...I would rather die for a dream than a secret. So instead, I shall call it the Song of Our Hearts. It sounds better... the girl said wistfully.

Pressing pause, Tàiyáng turned to me in order to explain.

"The Headmaster of Lacerta, Sēnlín, Rén and Meriem became the four who carried the secret or the Song. Meriem kept the secret in her heart until the guilt ate through her. She eventually told someone the secret.

In order to fulfill the legend, Jīngxì planned on murdering Meriem. And that's when Lacerta fell because this was the first time that the remaining three did not unanimously want to kill the "traitor."

Knowing that Rén and Sēnlín would never agree, Jīngxì murdered Meriem in secret and framed Sēnlín. When Sēnlín found her body, he decided to take down Lacerta.

Unfortunately, Rén had believe Jīngxì and stayed in Lacerta when we fled from America to China. After a few months from our escape, Sēnlín told me the Song and made me the fourth person who became bound by the secret. And now that Jīngxì is dead, we are free from the curse.

Shocked, I shake my head in confusement. "What kind of Song would be worth so many deaths?"

"No secret is worth a life." Tàiyáng said sadly. Do you want to know the secret? Or would you prefer to live your life without knowing?

What should I do? I'm curious but what kind of secret could be so vile that it killed many lives in order to stay hidden? Is it worth knowing?

**********

Grinning at our hands,  Sēnlín leans back in his chair to carefully watch us. We were sitting on a picnic table eating cold sandwiches for our lunch.

"So it's official? I'm finally getting a little sister." Sēnlín winked as he watched me blush.

"Did Tàiyáng tell you the Song of Our Hearts?"

Nodding my head, my eyes held a distant look as I thought about what happened to Meriem.

"To think that Rén was planning this before he even knew about what would happen..." Tàiyáng said as he tried to divert my thoughts from the Song.

"All of our dreams...hidden in this little box." I said as I played with the now empty wooden box.

"Can I see?" Sēnlín asked me. Surprised, I slid it over the table on his open hand. Opening it, he taps the bottom and frowns. "May I?"

Nodding my head, I watch in fascination as Sēnlín removes the bottom of the box to reveal another note.

After reading it, Sēnlín suddenly drops the box as if it was on fire.

"What?!" Tàiyáng and I both asked in confusion as Sēnlín looked down in horror at the note.

"Rén ....he had a family."

"Who?" Tàiyáng asked as he grabbed the note from Sēnlín's hand and leaned over so I could read with him.

Final Mission. Find My Family.

Grace is going to be so happy when she hears that I found you. Here is her address down below. Make sure you say "hi"to little Yona in case I m still in China while you're doing this mission.

"Grace....no. it can't be the same girl.." Tàiyáng whispered in horror

"I'm confused, shouldn't we be happy. This Grace might know more about my brother. Let's go!"

Tàiyáng stopped me, as he was still in shock. Looking up, he explained to me the reason why he was in shock. And the reason why Sēnlín looked like he was going to throw up.

"Songbird,......Grace is Meriem's sister. The reason Meriem was murdered was because she told her sister the Song."

******

Knocking on the door that had the written address, I held my breath. This woman is my brother's wife. What if she doesn't like me?

"Coming!" A young woman's voice yelled. Opening the door, a pretty woman who looked like she was barely nineteen. "Can I help you?" She asked questioning.

"Are you Grace Li?"

The woman nods her head as she looks down at me. Slowly her eyes wander until they land on Tàiyáng and Sēnlín.

"Sēnlín!" Relief spread throughout her face as she widens the door and allows us to come inside.

"It's been a while. " She laughed as she motions for us to sit down.

"Yona is sleeping right now, so I'm free to help you with anything." She said

"You look so much like Meriem..." Sēnlín whispered as pain was laced in his words.

Startled, sadness was reflected in Grace's eyes. "Sometimes...I wish I was the one who had died. But Rén helped me come to terms with my grief."

"Did you....

"Yes, I received the news yesterday." Grace said as her voice wobbled. "Sorry....I still feel like he will just walk in like he always does. I still haven't told Yona yet..."

"I'm sorry, Gracie." Sēnlín said softly.

"It's not your fault, Sēnlín. And if it helps...I never once believe that you were responsible for my sister's death. I know you loved her..... Oh, speaking of that!" Grace said as she jumped up. Rushing into another room, she returned with a bulky leather journal.

"Meriem would have wanted you to have this."

Nodding his head, Sēnlín silently opens the journal. Watching him, Sēnlín's hands begin to tremble as he brushes his arm over his eyes. My heart breaks as I watch him caresses his lovers beautiful handwriting as if he was caressing her. On the inside of the journal, it reads:

The Promise We Made Underneath the Stars.