Chorong POV

My name is Park Chorong. I have a stepsister named Son Naeun. I am a weak and sickly kid. No, scratch that. I USED to be weak and sickly. And I am nine years old. Wait. No, I am 24 years old. Right, I AM 24. Other memories? None.

I woke up from the same hospital bed, same white ceiling and same white walls. I roamed my eyes on the whole room and spotted a person sitting beside my bed. It was the same person that greeted me after my long years of slumber. She use to greet me with tears but now wide grin is plastered on her face.

"Good morning Chorong-ah. Did you sleep well?" She greeted me like usual. Every morning, as I open my eyes to see the bright world unfold in front of me, she's the first person to greet me. The reason? I would be dying to know why.

It's not that it bothers me to have no one by my side. I was use to it. My mother lives in a different home together with her new husband and new daughter. I was abandoned, well to me I was, in a separate house away from my own mother. They provided me with everything though, food, shelter, luxuries, name it all but one thing. Health and love.

The hospital became my second home. I was use to it like always. Though my life can be referred to be dead for some, I have my own way to bring the positive side on everything. My sister, she was my everything, when everyone turned their backs against me, she was the only one who stayed. We only share half of our blood but to me it was more. If only I could stay by her side everyday, I would be the happiest older sister in the world but life sure is mean, so unfair, so stupid.

When I thought that Naeun was enough to be my light on this dark world, she was taken from me. No she's not dead, but I heard she found a new friend. She rarely visit anymore and this cause my stupid depression to kick in. I was just a kid, what am I supposed to do? I found myself sneaking out of the hospital, only to find my long lost father reaching out his hand to me. I found a new hope, new light, but life sure mess everything up. I was use as a bait to lure my rich mother for ransom. After that, everything became hazy on my vision, I can't think straight and the next thing I new, the world that I always portrayed as dark soon engulf me on its despair, literally.

I woke up from what felt like years, I never thought it really was, until this person who always greeted me sobbed hard on my shoulders. She spoke words I wasn't able to comprehend. Like being thankful of me returning to her, something about heaven and lying to her. I was lost but I decided to soothe this crying girl. She recovered from her wailing and I was able to ask her who she was.

She looked at me with confuse eyes, mark with pain and agony. She questioned my memories and I told her everything that I remembered. From her clothes, she looks like a doctor. Well, she did introduce her as one, but something about her is bugging me. Some kind of familiarity, comfort and serenity, I can feel those things from her. I don't recognize her but my heart is whispering that she holds a piece of it.

The familiar doctor stood up and took a mirror hanging near the door of my room. She showed me my reflection and I almost broke down in shock. My face, my skin, everything change. My head began to hurt, my heart being squeezed I tried to fight it but I didn't realize I was already in a berserk. I felt something injected to me, like a tranquilizer, it made the pain lesser. My eyelids began to feel heavy and I drifted again to the familiar slumber. Before I fully succumbed to the peaceful place I was being dragged, I felt a soft touch from someone, like a kiss, but I wasn't sure if it was. Then, I heard a voice wishing a peaceful rest.

"Same as always." I responded to the person who greeted me.

"Is that so? Do you want to have your breakfast? What do you want to eat?" Her questions began to start, like a moving train, rushing for answers.

"I don't want any." I responded meakly. 

"I see." She murmured.

I glance at her and saw the dejected look on her eyes. I don't know but somehow I knew she sighed inwardly.

"I want to take a walk." I uttered to somehow brighten the atmosphere between us. And instantly, her face lit up  at my suggestion. I want to chuckle at the sight but held it in to avoid any misconception.

"R-really? T-then, I 'll accompany you." She stood up immediately and offered her arms at me for support. I took it willingly and leaned my weight at her comfortably. What's with this? I'm not the type who gets too comfortable with strangers but I find myself being one with her.

"Maybe because she's a doctor." I whispered. I clamp my hands on my stupid mouth for letting that out. I peek at her and silently prayed she didn't hear that. But to my luck, I found her already staring at me.

"I'm doctor and what?" She tilted her head in confusion to my sudden words.

"N-nothing. I-I was just wondering. Y-your name." I mentally facepalmed at the worst excuse that I could think of. Genius. Really genius for thinking that.

"Ahh my name.." she smiled warmly at me as she help me take my steps. It's not been a week since I woke up from reality and taking a walk really drains most of my energy. It was a good thing that this doctor was always beside me to assist. I wonder why she would always visit my room and look after me when there are a lot more patients that needs better attention.

"Bomi." She turned her head to me as she slid open the door.

"Yoon Bomi. That's my name." 

That name, the moment I heard that familiar name, it rang the bell of my memories. Of course, I can't possibly forgot that name. The name of the girl that my sister Naeun would always blabber whenever she would visit me. So she became a doctor, from what I remember from my minimal amount of memories she was younger than me.

I glance at her as we sauntered our way to the garden of the hospital. Our heights were almost the same, her facial features are mature and to be honest she's really cute. Shoot. What am I thinking!? Have I gone crazy after all those years of sleep?

I shook my head to remove the crazy ideas polluting my mind causing the girl beside me stare at me weirdly.

"Is something wrong?" She halted as she notice the distorted expression on my face.

"N-nothing. It's just I realize, I-I know you." I mumbled.

"I know. I'm friends with your sister and I believe she already told you about me." Her smile returned and I can't help but notice how pretty they are. She's like a sun, a dazzling sun shining on all the humans living on Earth.

"I'm older than you, correct?" I spoke while we continued to stroll on the way to the garden.

"That's right. You're older than me but I'm older than Naeun. So, that makes you older than Naeun!" She joked so obviously.

"Well duh, she's my younger sister." I smiled from the stupid joke.

"Success! Hahahah" She suddenly laughed as we reached the garden where most patients are taking their time appeciating the nature.

I frowned at her sudden outburst wondering what's so successful about. She must've notice my expression so she quickly explained right away.

"You smiled. For the first time after you woke up." She grinned and guided me to a nearby bench to take a rest.

"Ahh.." I mouthed from the realization.

"I don't find anything worth the smile in this hospital. It would be really weird if I end up smiling to the wind. I might end up transferred to the ward for patient with mental disabilities." I continued.

"That makes sense. But now, I hope you found your reason to smile." 

I glance at her but she quickly diverted her attention in front, watching the other patients leisure time.

"I have my reason. Naeun. She's my only reason to smile. By the way, where is she? It's been years right? Is she studying?" I bombarded the doctor beside me with questions. It's been minutes but she's still not responding so I tap her shoulders gently causing her to flinch due to shock.

"I-It's been years and a lot has changed. I-I'll tell you everything next time ok?" 

I notice the sudden change of her voice, her face became pale and beads of sweat is evident on her forehead. I wonder what's wrong? I have a bad feeling about this but I shrugged the idea off. After all, it's not good for recovering patients to think of negative things.

"Then I shall wait for it then."

We remained sitting there just letting our bodies relax and let the nature take away all of our stress. It was hard for me living each day with only memories equivalent to less than half of my age. It gives me the creeps and everything and everyone around me is foreign. But not this person beside me staring on the wide sky with deep thoughts occupying her mind. I was intrigued, what could she be thinking to have that face that words can't even describe? I was also lost in my train of thoughts, that the wind blowing directly to us lulled me to lean on her and prompt me to close my eyes. 

The dream came. Like usual, the same dream I had before waking up in this hospital as a fully grown adult. The dream that continued to visit me everytime I'll close my eyes. It was dark but I was not alone. There was a voice speaking to me but I can't comprehend what those words are. It was dark and I can't see the person's face. I should feel scared but there was nothing. Then I realize myself falling. In a hole so deep and never-ending. I look up and the person's body began to take its form but I was falling too fast that the face remained blurry and hazy. The words the person spoke began to sound coherent on my ears.  She made a pact, to look for me. To search the whole world if I ever I got lost.

Then I realized who it was. That person is someone important to me. Someone that meant the whole world to me. My lover. I squinted my eyes to take a better picture of her but what I only caught was her smirk. And her words, promising to find my lost body.

I fluttered my eyes open when I felt the pillow I was leaning move on its own. 

"Oh, sorry. Did I wake you? I just moved a bit to get this ball." My eyes darted to the voice and I saw the same doctor with a worried look on her face as she returned the ball she was holding to the kids who came to get it.

"N-No. It's fine. Sorry, I slept on you." I said bashfully hiding my reddening cheeks. Gosh. How can I fall asleep on her shoulders that easily? I mentally scolded my stupid self.

"It's fine. You didn't drool anyway haha." She laugh heartily as she stood up and did some stretching to loosen up her stiff body.

"You must be tired. I want to return to my room now. So, take a break after you me." I said concernly but sounded off more like an order.

"I see. Then, I shall you back princess." She smug and bowed like how a prince would do to his beloved princess.

Bomi escorted me back to my room and left to do her job to other patients. Everyday she would drop by to check on me both morning and before she leaves for the night. I came to get accustomed to her presence and she would tell me things about the world that happened all these years. 

Until one day, she finally found the courage to tell me the question I've been constantly asking her about.

"Naeun is dead."

Those words left and the smile on my face turned upside down. It rang on my ears, those curse words. My body began to shake and I laugh in disbelief.