It was nice knowing that someone waited for her at the old tree, that someone would always be there, that she wasn’t going to be alone. And also because it was him that was waiting for her, in his crisp suits and polished dress shoes. With his gentle gaze and sweet smile.

Knowing that their relationship was simple, she never expected it to last this long. It was the end of autumn, the winter chill was starting to seep through her poorly insulated doctors’ coat but she was wearing a sweater underneath so she guessed she would survive.

Sitting under the tree with Hakyeon was nice, he would tell stories about his workplace, where most people were stupid and didn’t even know how to do their job properly and he’d share his frustration with her, how hard it was to work with grown-ups who think they were smarter. She understood every part of it since she went through it at work as well.

Where senior surgeons would mock her due to her young age and that she got this far this fast because of her father but that was a load of bull crap since none of it was true. She got to her place through sheer hard work and determination. And she wasn’t going to let some haughty grown-up stop her.

“So why did you want to become a surgeon?” Hakyeon asked, he was staring at the branches of the old tree, stripped of any leaves as it prepared for the harsh colds of winter that was coming.

“It’s a long story,” she started, not really wanting to share that part of her life, “maybe some other day.”

His eyes moved to her, to meet her own. He seemed to be staring into her soul and she wanted, so bad, to lay it all bare for him to see. Let him see the horrors that she had seen through her eyes.

“Is it personal? I’m sorry if I intruded too much.” He apologised, his eyes showed genuine worry; worry that he might’ve pushed a bit too far for comfort since they were barely considered friends, yet.

“It is. But it’s not that I don’t want to share, it’s just that I’m not really ready. All I can say is that I wanted to become a doctor because of my mother.”

“She must be a great woman, to raise you up into someone of your calibre.”

“What calibre?”

“Eighteen and already a surgeon in training?” he said, brows raised, “Don’t tell me that’s not something to awe about.” His eyes roamed her face in pure admiration. Admiration for the features of her face or for the so called calibre he claimed she had, she didn’t know but either way it felt nice.

She could feel a slight warmth fill her cheeks, how easily he could make her heart flutter like the young, inexperienced little girl she really was inside.

“You’re not that bad yourself, Hakyeon,” she loved how his name just rolled off her tongue, like silk, “Eighteen and working in a multi-million company. I’m surprised myself that you’re willing to breathe the same air with me, under this shabby tree on a worn out bench.”

A chuckle left his soft lips and she couldn’t help but stare at them, at the warm breath that escaped into the cool air. Wondering if they felt as soft as they looked.

“I like your presence. It’s very calming, especially when things at the office are tasking.” He gave a shy smile, rubbing the back of his neck, “You’re very beautiful as well. I like looking at your face.”

“You really know