“You’re moving to a new ward today, Youngjae?”

I smiled at the psychiatrist and nodded. I told him that the previous patient that I took care of was finally discharged yesterday and that he was happily welcomed by his loving kids.

“What about his wife?” He asked.

I smiled at him apologetically and shook my head, “He passed away, remember?”

He placed his hand on my shoulder and told me he forgot about that. He told me that he hoped for the former psychotic patient to find happiness and cure within his love ones that still remains. That as we woke up to a new breath every morning, we should be thankful to those who are still around while not forgetting about those who left.

I hummed in agreement. I took a crumpled letter from the pocket of my white tunic and stretched out my hands to give it to him. A folded piece of paper that scribbled the word Dr. Bang on it.

“He told me to give this to you. You’re his favorite doctor.”

He flashed a friendly gummy smile before taking it from me, “That’s really sweet, Youngjae.”

I nodded and turned my heels, ready to greet my new case. I walked along the clamorous hallway filled with the screams of patients refusing to take their daily injection, the frequent nags from the nurses and the running and chasing between mentally disorder patients themselves and sometimes even the nurses. As I finally reached the end of the passageway, I turned to the room on the left and looked up to the chart board attached to the wall beside the door and read it thoroughly just to make sure I was in the right place.  

“Jung Daehyun.” I muttered to myself. I took a deep breath, repressed a smile on my face and exhaled softly but deeply. I knocked on the door three times before turning the door knob. I let out a loud sigh when I saw that nobody was there. Where could he be at a time like this? Was he perhaps the moonshine smile kid almost bumping into me while running around the hallway a while ago? I shook my head as I entered the empty room leaving the door open behind me. I walked over to the desk located next to his bed and trailed my hand on the pile of books stacked there looking as if they’ve been siting there not living to their full purposes.

I grabbed the book on the top most and took a seat on his bed. I almost shouted when I saw a silhouette standing behind the door. Following that, I accidently tossed the book on the floor as I covered my mouth with a hand to suppress myself from squealing and another hand placed on my chest feeling my heart raced from that little shock.   

I got up from my seat. “Daehyun? Is that you? Have you been there the whole time?”

His head peeked from behind the door upon hearing me. He sent me a dangerous glare that makes me shiver from the intenseness. He was gorgeous. Pillow like lips and a handsome nose to go with it. His eyes scream sensual. His whole face was an alluring picture, seducing me to do nothing but stare.

“Who are you?” He spoke with a handsome voice. Never in my life have I heard such a provocative voice. It vibrated in my system and it knocked down all my senses.

I, who never believed in such thing as love at first sight, am now contemplating on it. Wondered if those few seconds of staring at him was all it takes for me to deny my own life long theory.

He dragged his feet against the tiled floor and squatted down to take the book I previously threw. He handed them to me from a far distance. I took it finally after shaking my head trying my best to keep my bubbling feelings inside of me not letting even a tiniest drop of it pour out of me. I managed a smile as I stretched out my hand to the patient in front me, grabbing his hand firmly.

“Daehyun, I’m your new nurse, Youngjae. Nurse Kim told me you weren’t so fond of him. Is that true?” I paused to receive an enthusiast nod from him. “Why is that?”

He pointed to the book in my hand, “He doesn’t have time to read for me, always.”

“Well Daehyun, I happened to really love to read.” I stated. His eyes widened in excitement, lips bestowing a glowing smile showing off his squishy cheeks. He pulled me by my arm and seated me on his bedside. He asked me to read him one now. I chuckled at this adorableness. Feeling suddenly blessed that I’m a nurse at a psychiatric hospital despite all the whining I’ve divulged throughout the whole year since I’ve started working here last December. I seated him comfortably on the bed before I read him the first chapter of the book from earlier.

It was a tragedy. A story of a young boy who desperately reached out for his other half who was thrown into another universe unknown to time and space. They were separated because the entire universe was jealous of them, of their undying love. It’s a tale about how the boy lived his days begging the for sun to have some mercy on him and his nights raging at the stars for being so shamelessly beautiful not knowing what the ground below it did to his lover.

I closed the book once I finished reading it. I saw Daehyun sleep with a tear rolling down his cheek. I wipe it and whispered to him telling him that it’s okay, that I won’t ever let it happen to him. I stood up to leave but halted when I saw Dr. Bang leaning on the door frame with a clipboard in his hands.  

He grinned proudly at me, “Good job, Youngjae. You did really well.”

I shrugged.

Weeks gone by, and every afternoon and night I read Daehyun a new story. The themes of the stories were always the same. Love and Separation. And every time I finished, I turned to look at the door, Dr. Bang would always be there telling me I did a good job. And every time he told me that, I shrugged.

After a month of our first meeting, I asked Daehyun why he loves this kind of story so much. He glanced at me sadly and stared down at his own hands.

“It’s fine. You don’t have to tell me. Would you like me to read you this today?” I asked displaying one of the books I took from the stack on the desk.  I started reading after receiving his approving nod.

“The title of this book is The rose I love. Sounds magical huh?”  I questioned glancing at him who nodded in anticipation.

“Once upon a time, there lived a boy name Youngjae.” I said before glancing at him again. He chuckled flashing his pearly whites. “Youngjae lived alone in a lonely planet. Sure he has neighbors, but none of them ever talk to him. One day while he was plucking some obnoxious weed in his front lawn, he saw a beautiful rose growing majestically under a shady tree among the yellowish weeds. He immediately fell in love with the rose.” I pause to look at him. His smile never disappears. “He carefully approached the magnificent creature and stood by it in awe. Drawn to the grace it beholds. ‘Hi there little rose.’ He said. ‘What are you doing here in my garden?’ The rose answered in a most delicate voice, ‘I woke up finding myself growing in your beautiful garden. It must be fate.’ The boy was happy to hear that. He plucked the weed surrounding the beauty and showers her with water and love. The two of them were in love. Every day, he took care of the rose, providing her with warmth and care. And the rose loved him for it.  But as days goes by, the rose was starting to demand for more. They grew further apart. The boy then left her and went out on a journey to look for another meaning to life. After months of travelling, he found himself in an enchanting garden. And he was truly amazed when he saw bushes of roses lining up the aisle. He thought about his rose he left at home, and how much he ached for her. The beautiful blooming roses called out for him, but he was not interested for he only longed for that one rose. ‘There are so many roses. But none of you are my rose’ he wept.  He decided to go back home which took him months of travelling. And when he finally reached home, his beloved rose, once red and vibrant, rest a repulsive brown, limp. He called out for her but she has left. He cursed the wind and the sky and the heaven above. He cursed at himself for looking for something that he already had.”

I looked at Daehyun who is now sleeping, a tear trickling down his handsome face. I glanced over my shoulder only to find Dr. Bang standing there with another guy. A very tall guy. Said tall guy approached me and boldly grabbed my shoulder. “Hyung.” He said voice filled with concern. He took the book from my hands, “Why are you like this?” His voice was shaky. “What are you reading? Why are you reading a story from an old dictionary?” He started to sob as he gazed over at Dr. Bang then back at me. “Hyung, I miss you.” He squatted down to hug me while me on the back. His wailing filled the entire room.

“Keep it down. You’re waking Daehyun up.” I whispered furiously pushing him away motioning to the sleeping boy on the bed.

The tall guy looked over to the bed, “Hyung, Daehyun’s gone. Please stop with all this and come home. He’s gone. He’s not coming back.” He sobbed. “He’s gone.”

“You’re moving to a new ward today, Youngjae?”

I smiled at the psychiatrist and nodded. I told him that the previous patient that I took care of was finally discharged yesterday and that he was happily welcomed by his loving kids.

“What about his wife?” He asked.

I smiled at him apologetically and shook my head, “He passed away, remember?”

He placed his hand on my shoulder and told me he forgot about that. He told me that he hoped for the former psychotic patient to find happiness and cure within his love ones that still remains. That as we woke up to a new breath every morning, we should be thankful to those who are still around while not forgetting about those who left.

I hummed in agreement. I took a crumpled letter from the pocket of my white tunic and stretched out my hands to give it to him. A folded piece of paper that scribbled the word Dr. Bang on it.

“He told me to give this to you. You’re his favorite doctor.”

He flashed a friendly gummy smile before taking it from me, “That’s really sweet, Youngjae.”

A/N: Yes, the story of the boy and the rose is from The little prince only I changed it a bit.