“Lee Chae Won, time for a shot.” The nurse came into a white bright cleanse room where a pale girl with brown shoulder length hair was in. The girl was sitting down by the window staring outside a bit sadly in her white pajamas.

“I wonder when I get to go outside again.” The girl sighed and glanced at the nurse who was watching pitifully holding the shot.

“Chae Won ah, time for a shot.” The nurse said softer. Chae Won looked down at the shot scaredly and glance at the nurse,

“When do I get to go outside?”

The nurse sighed, “ You went to outside last week. You know your body can’t handle-”

“Yes it can! So can we please go after taking the shot? I will be sitting in the wheelchair too!” The girl name Chae Won pleaded as she sat on her bed.

“Chae Won, mianhe*. You can’t. The doctor specifically told you not to go outside oftenly. Staying in the clean hospital is the best for you and your body. Be a good girl.” The nurse shook her head prepared the shot. “Stay still.” She inserted the shot on Chae Won’s left arm.

“Hm,, Ouch! I can never get use to this stupid shot.” Chae Won grumbled as she tried moving her arm and it just made the pain worse.

“But you are holding it well. A normal six year old girl wouldn’t.” The nurse complemented as she squat down.

“Hehe. When I am going to get out of this hospital? When is my body going to get better?” Chae Won asked with curious innocent eyes. The nurse sadly smiled and didn’t reply anything because the doctor came in.

“Uh! Doctor! Annyeonghaseyo!” Chae Won waved brightly showing her teeth.

“Ah~ Ha Yeon ah, how are you?” Doctor smiled as he slid the door behind him.

“Good! You?”

“I am fine. Listen, we have a good news and a not so good news for you.” Doctor also squat down with his clipboard. He continued,

“We can operate a surgery that will cure your cancer.”

“That means I can go outside everyday, hurray!” Chae Won exclaimed as threw herself on the bed. Doctor and the nurse exchanged a glance,

“But there is a chance that it might not succeed.” Doctor finished sadly. Chae Won was silent for a moment and opened ,

“So what happens if doesn’t work?”  Doctor and nurse looked at each other again and the nurse whispered to Doctor, “Don’t tell her. She is going to get scared. She is just a child.” Doctor nodded and changed the subject,

“It’s up to your mommy and daddy to decide if you are going to do it. They haven’t told me their answer yet. How about you? Do you want to do it?” Doctor asked carefully to Chae Won who was fiddling with her rubic box.

“Mollayo*.” Chae Won shrugged care freely.

“Will you be scared if we perform the surgery on you?”

“No,” Chae Won shook her head, “You said that in surgery, you just fall asleep, the doctors take out bad viruses that hurts my body, and I wake up. Nothing to be scared of,right? ” Chae Won seem to forgot about a chance not succeeding. Who could blame her? She was just a six year old girl who was always enthusiastic and curious. She never let anything bother her.

“Technically- I mean right.” Doctor nodded and got up, “Well I guess I will be going-” The door slid open and Ha Yeon’s parents were standing in front of the door. Chae Won smiled.

“Umma, appa~!” Chae Won ran up to them and both of the parents hugged their daughter tightly.

“Aigoo. My Chae Won, how are you?” Her dad rubbed her nose. She sniffled and replied, “Jiang!!”

   While the dad and the daughter were talking freely, her mother came up to the doctor secretly and whispered,

“My husband and I agreed to do it.”

“You know that your daughter might lose her sight if it doesn’t succeed, right?” Doctor whispered back.

“Yes, we decided to take the risk. What did Chae Won say?” The mother asked carefully.

“She said she didn’t care.” Doctor chuckled and she chuckled with him,

“Haha, that is so like our Chae Won.”

                                                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Few days later....

Chae Won was just laying down her bed reading a picture book that she loved. The room 405 was filled with sunshine and lights. She tilted her head to the closest window which was right next to her bed. Her room was at the very back of the hospital, first floor in the Intensive Care unit so she could see the small garden behind the hospital. Her parents had no choice but to work to support the hospital fee plus Chae Won’s private tutor. Of course Chae Won couldn’t go to school and she couldn’t just sit around while everyone else at her age was learning. No children around her age was in the Intensive Care unit section (CCU) so Chae Won was bored most of the times. Even her favorite books and movies couldn’t entertain her all the time. Ha Yeon closed her picture book and began to hum a melody. She lightly twirl around the room with her bare feet.

    Suddenly, she heard a banging noise. Chae Won turned around and a boy about her age was pounding against the window that was the closest to her bed.. It seemed like he was mouthing something like ‘open the window’.

    Chae Won pointed at herself and he nodded impatiently. A new exciting feeling was in her mind. Chae Won swallowed, walked over to the window by her bed, and slid the window up. Right away, the boy jumped through the window into Chae Won’s bed.

“Close it!” The boy commanded as he laid down on her bed. Ha Yeon obediently did what he exactly said without a word. She glanced outside and a man with a black suit ran across the garden looking for someone. Then she looked at the boy.

So this boy is being chased by that man, why? Chae Won thought. They both stared at each other for a second. Chae Won began,

“Uh... Were you being chased by that guy in the suit?”    The boy looked at her,

“Yeah.”  His voice was soft and mellow.

Chae Won brightened, “Well, you can stay here as long as you want! But don’t let Doctor, the nurse, and my parents find out. I’m pretty sure they won’t let someone in here.” It was true. People could only get into the CCU section with a pass.

Maybe this boy and I can be friends! Chae Won thought excitedly. She never really had a chance to make friends.

“Ok.” The boy just shrugged but it was clear that he brightened up too.

“What’s your name? My name is Lee Chae Won!” Chae Won smiled. The boy pretty seem to be surprised by her random introduction.

“uh.. Kim Jong In. But call me Kai.” The boy scratched his dark brown hair. He had brown eyes like hers, symmetrical nose, a bit dark than pale smooth skin, and not a single extra fat in his face. Chae Won handed him a dark chocolate that she received from the nurse,

“Want some?” Kai nodded and she gave him half and she took the other half.

“So why are you here?” Kai asked as he took a bite of the chocolate.

“Doctor said I have this disease called cancer. So I can’t go outside very oftenly. He said my body can’t handle which isn’t totally not true. My body is perfectly fine! So I am taking a surgery next week. Then I will be able to go to school and play outside much as I want.” Chae Won grinned and asked, “Are you a patient in this hospital?’

“Nah... My dad just works here and he made me study in his office with my private tutor. I didn’t want to, so I ran away.” Kai shrugged.

“Oh, you also have a private tutor! Why though? You can go to school right?” Chae Won’s eyes widened.

“Yeah, but you learn faster when you have a private tutor according to my dad. So he wants me to... yeah...” Kai laid down on her bed still nibbling on his chocolate.

Those two started to talk like they’ve known each other since they were born. The kids talked about their problems and funny stories. Chae Won felt so good having a person around her age to talk to. Kai got up and jumped down to the ground as he heard footsteps from the hallway,

“Ha Yeon, I will see you tomorrow. Um, I don’t have anything to do so yeah.”

“Of course. I will be waiting. I am going to tell you this funny story tomorrow!” Chae Won waved grinning wide. Right after she close the window, the doctor came in with her parents.

“Ha Yeon, you seem to be way happier than usual! Did anything happen?” Doctor asked smiling.

“Oh really? You are probably just imagining it.” Chae Won smiled as she looked out the window.

And that day was the day when she had her first encounter with Kai.