In the Seoul Hospital, a six year old girl in Room 405 had a big surgery tomorrow.

Chae Won stared outside window like she was waiting for someone. Her mother asked,

“Chae Won, you’ve been staring out the window like you are waiting for something. Is there anything wrong?” Chae Won gulped and lied,

“No, just-uh. I want to go outside to play a lot.”  Her mother looked at her daughter who stayed in the hospital over a year because of cancer,

“Well, after the surgery, you can go outside whenever you want.”  Chae Won smiled to her mom and agreed,

“Yeah.” Chae Won fidgeted with her stuff animal that she got from the nurse,feeling guilty.

     Since she encountered a boy name Kai who was also had the same age as her, she have been lying more frequently than before. But if she didn’t, she wouldn’t be able to meet him anymore then she wouldn’t have anyone to talk to. Having a friend was wonderful and that’s what Chae Won realized after meeting Kai. Kai listened to her stories and problems carefully. She also liked listening about his life. It was interesting. It was better than hers at least; staying at the same hospital over a year wasn’t that fun.  

“Are you scared?” Her mother asked.

Chae Won shook her head, “Nope. It’s just a surgery. I sleep, doctors take out bad viruses from my body, I wake up and I’m cured, right?”  That was the definition of surgery to six year old. Sounded so simple and it seemed like it wasn’t a big deal, but Chae Won had no idea that it was very dangerous. It it failed, there was a chance that she could turn blind. She didn’t have the faintest idea why her parents were so worried about the surgery. She also didn’t realize how she was losing her hair everyday. But cutting her hair shoulder length covered up the littleness of her hair.

Her father came in with a white teddy bear in his hand.

“Midnight~!” Chae Won’s open widened as she saw the teddy bear. She hugged it tightly.

“While the surgery for tomorrow, Midnight will be right next to you. He missed you too at home.” Her father chuckled.

“You did?” Chae Won talked to Midnight. “I did too~!” Her parents both looked at their daughter with sadness but Chae Won didn’t seem to notice that.

                                                    ***************************

      “So tomorrow is the big day, huh?” Kai said as he entered Chae Won’s room in his usually way; coming through the window.

“Yep.” Chae Won smiled and added, “After the surgery, let’s go to the candy shop that you talked about yesterday! I really want to go there.”  The moonlight shined those two children who were sitting on Chae Won’s bed.

“Yeah, I will buy anything you want from there!” Kai grinned happily, “Also, I found a really place where you can see that stars really clearly at night. My mom told me that when you make a wish there, it really happens! We should go there!”

“Of course! I am so excited. I am pretty sure, the world outside this hospital must be really fun.” Chae Won commented.

“It is! Believe me, you will love it.” Kai guaranteed as he blew a bubble from his bubblegum.

“So then we should go there...” They talked for a bit planning what they were going to do. Chae Won felt so happy and excited. The whole hour just flew by just like that. Kai got up and said,

“I better leave now.” Chae Won looked surprised and asked,

“Why? My parents aren’t coming right now.”

“Yeah, but you better have some rest. You can’t be all tire tomorrow.” Kai replied. Chae Won smiled and agreed,

“You are right. Then see you tomorrow.” Kai grinned and replied back as he hopped out of the room through the window,

“I will be waiting outside. I promise.”

“Mmhmm. Good night!”

“Yeah, you too.”

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

Chae Won didn’t know why she felt so tire as she gained consciousness. It felt like she had no energy in her body but Ha Yeon felt that her body was lighter. She try to move but her head would only tilt.

“Oh my god. Chae Won is awake, Doctor!” That was the sound of her mother’s voice. Her voice a bit higher than usual.

“Chae Won ah! Can you hear me?” Her dad asked frantically. Why was everyone sounding so scared? Chae Won thought. Did anything happen while I was sleeping?

“Her heart rate and blood pressure is perfectly fine.” Doctor said calmly. He was the only one who sounded normal. Chae Won squinted her eyes expecting to see everyone’s face all scared. But she didn’t see any of her parents’ scared faces.

Not even her parents.

Actually not even faces.

She just saw ….

Total pitch black.

“Umma, Appa?” Chae Won asked in the darkness.

“Yes, honey?” Her mother replied.

“Can you turn on the lights?I only see pitch black and I don’t like it.” Chae Won complained. Everyone around was suddenly silent. Not even a single word was heard.The room was completely silent. Too silent. She couldn’t even hear people breathing. She felt that everything has stopped.

“Umma? Appa? Why aren’t you answering me?” Chae Won asked again this time, her voice was trembling. She felt that her parents were gone.

“We are still here, Chae Won ah.” Her father’s voice trembled. He sounded like he was holding back something. Chae Won also heard faint whimper next to her. It was probably her mom.

“Umma? Are you ok?” She tried to reach out her mom from the darkness. She touched her mom’s face and it was wet.... Like she have been crying.

“Umma? Why are you crying?” Chae Won was scared now. Everyone around was either crying or silent. She could feel it. Chae Won was desperate to know what was going on,

“Doctor? Can you please turn on the light? I want to see my parents’ faces. I want to see mommy and daddy~~~ ” Chae Won wailed which was very unusual.

“Chae Won ah...” Even the calm cool Doctor was sounding abnormal. Chae Won suddenly got scared. Did I do anything wrong? What happened? Chae Won thought.

“Yes?”

“ Are you sure you can’t see anything?” Doctor asked.

“Yes, I can only see black. Nothing else. So can you turn on the lights? You know I get scared if  I am in the dark for a long time.” Chae Won replied innocently.

“Chae Won, we have turn on the light already. It was on before you opened your eyes. It’s only you who are seeing darkness.” Doctor’s voice trembled.

                                                         ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

        Chae Won screamed, kicked, yelled threw anything she touched in Room 405. She was acting like a wild beast.

“YAAAAAAAAAA!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH~~~!!!!!!!!!!” Chae Won screamed and cried. Tears were flowing down and her parents couldn’t do anything. They were crying silently watching their daughter screaming on the bed. Even though Chae Won was screaming, she couldn’t turn on the switch. Everything was just dark. She was afraid. She couldn’t see a single ray of light. The darkness wouldn’t just budge. Chae Won was rubbing her eyes like crazy. The happy lively "bright" room was gone and darkness replaced it instead.

“Now Chae Won. Calm down first.” Doctor tried to calm Chae Won down who just lost control. She looked like a mental girl.

“No! No darkness! Go away!!!” Chae Won cried, “Umma! Appa!! Where are you?!” Chae Won’s voice trembled from fear. She pushed Doctor away and reached out for her parents. She waved her arms in the air.

“We are... We are right here.” Her mother croaked as she hugged her blind daughter. Chae Won calm down in her mom’s lap. Chae Won hiccupped and the room was silent again.

“Umma, am I... I going to be b-b-blind for m-my rest of my life?” Chae Won hiccuped. Her mother couldn’t answer because of the tears so her dad replied firmly,

“Chae Won, you are not going to be blind for the rest of your life? You understand. Umma and Appa are going to try everything to get your sight back. We will. I promise you that.” Chae Won reached out for her dad with her right arm. He squeezed her six year old daughter’s hand lightly. He ruffled her hair which wasn't that much. Ha Yeon felt her dad’s warm rough hand and she knew that both of her parents were right next to her; it was just that she couldn't see them but she could feel them.

    "Even though the cancer is gone she still needs to stay in the hospital for a bit longer. Her body is still weak but she can go outside." Doctor said to her parents outside the room. Chae Won’s ears became more sensitive after she became blind. She heard three of them walk away from her room and Kai came in. He was silent for a moment. Chae Won didn't know where to look so she just look straight forward.

"You saw me. I was acting like a bad girl. I was screaming and yelling. I heard them that I need to stay in the hospital a bit longer but I can go outside." Chae Won wasn't that enthusiastic like usual.

"So it is true that you can't see. You are blind now." Kai said weakly.

"Yeah, mianhe*. I couldn't make it." Chae Won replied bitterly. Kai was surprised by Chae Won's bitter sad voice.

"It's alright. I will wait. I mean it is not like I have anything to do. I am just.. just killing time. Anyway I will try to visit you everyday like before. I promise." Kai said. Chae Won brightened up, turning her head to Kai's voice direction. Chae Won searched for his hand and squeezed it lightly,

"Seriously? Numoo gomawu*! I am so glad to have a friend like you. You are such a nice person." Chae Won exclaimed and added, "You know you don't have to go through the window. I am switching room. My new room is 512. Visit me there from now on." Chae Won giggled, " I told my parents about you about an hour ago. They probably will welcome you."

"Cool." Kai shrugged cooly.