I woke up with the sun shining in my eyes. I knew it was another beautiful day. Smelling the flowers surrounding my ward, I could feel the hope in life. I smiled upon waking up and said good morning to my ward mates beside me. They were also smiling at me with hopeful faces.

Brushing my thin hair gently and doing some light stretches, I was already ready to go for my daily morning stroll. It became my routine after I was admitted here. Even though it is a hospital, it had become my home.

The nurse grinned at me sweetly and greeted me warmly, “Aigo, Hara. You are looking better by the day. I hope you’re feeling fine today.”

“Of course, Nurse Park. I’m feeling good every day! Did you see the weather outside? It’s perfect for a morning stroll.” I pointed at the window with anticipation. Nurse Park or rather Park Bom was rolling her eyes at me.

She laughed along with me and commented, “No matter what the weather is like, you still go out for a stroll anyway, Hara. If only every patient is as sweet as you… Aigo…”

Nurse Park started to sigh and I questioned her with concern. It was a rare sight to see Nurse Park in dejection and so much worries, “What’s worrying my favourite nurse?”

“I’m assigned to a new patient who just admitted yesterday night. I heard he’s a son of a wealthy businessman. And he just threw off his bandages and shouted at me today morning. He even wrestled with the doctor last night. It was a horrible sight.” She complained to me as if we are friends, well, I think we are.

“I see you have a challenge ahead… Ah, Nurse Park is troubled over a patient. A rare sight indeed.” I teased.

She shook her head, “Even if someone is rich and wealthy, he does not need to act like that. Anyway, Hara, I need to go now. Enjoy your morning stroll.”

I nodded as I saw her walking out. Shrugging my shoulders, I followed the exact same route on the hallways to lead me outside.

Suddenly, I heard clanking sounds from a V.I.P ward. Some screaming and yelling were heard from the ward. Even the patients walking past were shocked but were too scared to see what was happening.

At the moment I was at the door, two nurses came out running in fear with trays. They bumped into me and said, “Ah Hara!” I had been in this hospital for two months so almost all the doctors and nurses know me.

“What’s happening?”

“This patient… Aigo… He’s a mess! He’s rich and… crazy!” The nurse hissed and I could see her uniform splattered with the food. Perhaps thrown by the patient inside. He had to be the one Nurse Park was talking about.

After the nurses left, I peeked in to see his back facing the door. Without a thought, my legs led me into the room.

The next day, I felt the bandage around my eyes. I ripped it apart because it was hindering my movements. Again, the nurses bandaged it up again to only have me ripping it off. Finally, I gave in when my mum started to beg me and I was getting sick of her sobbing. The last thing I needed her to do was to nag at me.

“I don’t want to eat! Go away!” Throwing the tray of food at the nurse, I rejected eating again. For some reasons, I had no appetite and the smell of food would turn me off. I simply lied on the bed and turned my face away from everyone.

I was in a V.I.P ward and the best nurses, and so I heard, were here to take care of me. I did not care if they showered me with the best food, ward or care because all of that were not sincere and it was disgusting. I overheard the nurses gossiping about me and my family relations. Apparently, they thought my hearing skills became worse with my vision.

After the sickening nurses went away, I finally had the silence to myself.

Until I sensed someone walking into the room again.

“I said I won’t eat!” I growled and covered my face with the blanket.

“Wow, you have an amazing view from here!”

The sound of the voice was different and much more angelic. It was high-pitched but not to the point that it was annoying. It was soothing to listen to and her giggles made it even better. I mumbled under my blanket, “Go away…”

“It’s a pity my ward doesn’t have such pretty sights.” After she stayed silent for a while, I could feel soft thuds on my bed. She talked again, “Wow, your bed is so comfortable – just like a hotel’s!”

“Who are you?!” I yelled at the woman who intruded my privacy and spouted nonsense.

“Hello! My name is Hara!” She talked in the animated and cheery voice again. From the tone that she spoke, I could not tell how old she was or how she looked like. I felt like my eyes strained from trying to see who she was but I knew it was futile.

“Shake my hand!” The girl who claimed to be Hara said to me, “Hello?”

“I can’t see a thing, dammit! I’m blind, okay?!” I was impatient when she was still here. No doubt her voice was the most beautiful thing I ever heard but she was getting on my nerves.

I could feel her hand dropped down and her voice was of so much sympathy for me, “You’re blind? I’m sorry. What happened?”

“I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t want to talk. Who are you anyway?!”

“I said I’m Hara.”

“I know that! I heard that!”

“You asked me!”

“I mean… who are you? Another annoying nurse hired by my nurse to babysit me?” I blurted out.

She stood up from my bed and continued, “No. I would like to be a nurse but I’m not one. And I don’t think I will ever have a chance to be one. I mean… yeah, I can’t. Aren’t you too old to be babysat? I think you’re at least 25…”

“I’m only 23!” I answered her back. I had no idea why I was still talking to her. If she was another nurse, I would have grabbed the nearest object and flung it on her face.

“Really? You act like you’re three. You just threw temper at the nurses who care for you and I don’t think patients who are 23 act like you do.” Hara said to me as if she was lecturing me. At the same time, she laughed again, “I can’t see your eyes but I know you’re frowning.”

“How do you know?” My bandage was large enough to cover my eyes and eyebrows. Even though the conversation did not make any sense, I was still entertained by her words.

Hara spoke, “You have eye wrinkles!”

“I do not!” I denied but unconsciously touched the sides of my eyes, “You lied. You can’t even see them when my eyes are covered!”

“Gotcha!” She laughed like a little child when she realized I was tricked by her. Somehow, I could not help but smile a little – just a little.

I got curious at this random stranger who talked to me out of nowhere, “Okay, you claim I act like three but your voice sounds like three. How old are you?”

“I’m old enough to be your grandmother.”

“What?!”

“I’m kidding! Gotcha!” She laughed again when I fell for her stupid trick. I would go and strangle her if I could. She was really immature. She sensed I was irritated and coughed, “I’m just a year younger than you. I’m 22.”

“I knew it.” I smirked.

“How do you know, Mr. Smarty Pants?” Her little nickname for me reminded me that I had not introduced myself. Besides, I thought I was pretty famous. She should know who I am but till now, she had not mentioned my name.

“Well, you don’t sound like a grandmother…”

“I don’t sound like one but I do behave like one!” Hara chirped, “The nurses say I act like a granny who always make her bed perfectly and going out for morning strolls. I also like talking to the grannies in my ward and watching soap operas with them. Well, even my stamina is like a granny now.”

“You’re… a patient here?” I asked carefully, afraid I would hurt her feelings.

“Yes! For two months? Wow, thinking of it, I have been here a really long time. I bet the doctors and nurses are getting sick of my presence. I’m always running around and disturbing their peace!” She giggled again and sighed. It was not a sad sigh but a comforting sigh.

I sat comfortably with my head resting on the pillow. She did not feel the least offended by my question… I think. It was hard interpreting people’s thoughts with just hearing. I could feel her hand adjusting the position of the pillow. I gulped and asked again, “Why are you here for a long time?”

“I’m… sick?” Hara answered obviously, “Well, everyone is sick in some ways to be in a hospital right? But I don’t think I’m ill. I’m still hopping around, walking and appreciating everything around me.”

She did not answer my question at all but it was okay. One day, I would get down to asking her. What illness actually had her living in the hospital for such a long time? I wondered.

“I was going to go for a morning stroll today but I ended up here today.” Hara continued with her ramblings which I did not really mind. Her words really took my burdens away and I was just listening, “Then I saw the commotion here and decided to have a change of plans. Why are you screaming like you’re giving birth a while ago?”

I could not help but to roll my eyes on that statement, “I… I just don’t like them caring for me. It seems fake. I hate it. I hate it.”

“They’re the nicest nurses around – especially Nurse Park. You can’t see it but she has really long red hair which is very striking. She is also the best nurse of the whole hospital. I remember she stumbling over her words when she received flowers from some doctor, it was hilarious!” Hara was sitting beside me and talking about whatever she wanted again.

She started to calm herself and said, “You got to stop thinking everyone owes you a living. There are actually people around who are actually sincere in their actions. Sure, there are bad people around but I believe everyone is born with a pure heart. You got to have an accepting heart and open up to everyone.”

“You don’t understand.”

“You think I don’t understand.” Hara emphasized. After I tilted my head to show my confusion, I heard screeching noises and realized she had moved her chair closer to me. “I was once rich too. Perhaps even richer than you are! My father is a very strict and disciplined person. He had never allowed me to do anything because he believed I would make mistakes. There was once I was into racing and joined a team. Even my brother got angry at me but he was still supportive. My father was so angry that he slapped me.” She huffed, “Well, it was the first time he slapped me so I left home.”

She was tapping on the table and suddenly, she stopped, “And it was the last time he slapped me.”

I kept quiet as I sensed her tone getting duller. She tried to cover up her sadness and continued, “He died of a after I left home. I only found out two weeks later when my mother found me working at a convenience store.”

I could feel her breathing in my face. It was then I realized she had moved her face right in front of mine for some reasons. I frowned and backed away, “What are you doing?!” I was actually stuttering. A playboy who frequents the clubs and is popular with the ladies like me was actually stuttering in front of a woman whom I did not know of.

She gave off a small laughter and said with her lavender scent breath, “You do resemble me a little. I see traces of my old self in you. I’m pretty famous in school with boys swooning over me and a little brat who wants everything in her way. You’re something like that, aren’t you?”

I gulped at her words. No doubt she was right but I had too much pride to admit it. Instead, I looked away from her to signal her to move away from me.

“One day, you will realize that your parents are the most important to you and whatever they do, they have a reason to do so. I only found out my dad was strict on me was because I was nearly kidnapped when I was young. I couldn’t remember any of it but the doctor said it was because the incident had traumatized me too much.”

I stayed silent again. I did not know why she had told me her stories but it was hard to detect from her voice that she had such background. I had always thought I was suffering but apparently, she had it more than I did.

Suddenly, I heard the chair moved and she exclaimed, “Ah! I should head back now. Nurse Park must be looking for me!”

“Wait!” I grabbed the bed sheet when I heard her feet shuffling and hurrying out of the room.

Hearing the click of the door, she raised her voice at me, “Don’t worry, I’ll be back! I like talking to you.”

Before I could ask her an important question, she slammed the door shut. I muttered to myself, “You don’t even know my name…”

All of a sudden, the door opened again and I heard her angelic voice, “Yong Jun Hyung!”

“Eh?”

“Yong Jun Hyung,” She giggled, “I know who you are. Yong Jun Hyung.”