"Polly!" Polly's Head Nurse yelled after catching her dozing off while writing on the patient's chart.

"Sorry." she mumbled an apology then sat up straight to finish her documentation.

! This is killing me. Polly thought to herself after summing up her first patient's chart. She has been lacking sleep for a week now since she needed to go to her Aunt May's company after shift in the City's general hospital. 

Polly is an E.R. nurse for well over 5 years now, lives in the comfort of her mom's house doing basically the same routine every day. Wakes up at 5 in the morning, takes a bath, eats a quick breakfast before driving to the hospital, works for 9 hours straight, heads home enduring the traffic, takes a bath again, watches the evening news, eats dinner with her mom then go to sleep. Her father passed away when she was only 7 and her mom raised her by herself. No siblings, just cousins mostly guys older than her except the young girl, Yeye, who seemed to idolize her for being able to speak Korean. She was crafted to be a nurse, as what she often hears from her mentors. She studied well, got good grades, gotten into different volunteer and medical missions before graduating with honors. It was a typical life as per se, she listened to her mom always, didn’t become a burden to any one of their relatives, didn’t put shame in the family, stood up being a good friend and now serves her country by working in the public hospital despite several opportunities abroad, that including being offered a job in one of Korea’s prestigious hospitals. She tried it though, for at least 6 months, she stayed in Korea, lived and worked under a different environment but the feeling of comfort still goes to her mother’s home made food, the soft bed and pillows which aged along with her and the smell of their house. Simple yet gratifying, that’s what she opted instead of a grandeur lifestyle.

Currently in her late twenties, people around seemed to expect more, asking her every now and then if she has plans of becoming a head nurse or would rather pursue a career being a doctor and sort of the likes. However the most intense of all would be the nagging of her mother about having a boyfriend. Yes, no boyfriend since birth for she doesn’t see herself in the light of any man romantically. Not a tomboy but in her perspective she hasn’t encountered that guy who would make her emotions go haywire.

Now that Polly doesn’t have any plan whatsoever, her mother and Aunt May deemed a resolution. She has been asked to assist her Aunt with an upcoming event for her company. Refute as she might, her mother volunteered her without hearing out her complaints upon the knowledge that it’s a boy group concert her Aunt May is organizing. Her routine got all messed up though the task given to her was easy but driving for an hour to her Aunt's company after 9 hours of work is something she can't pull off.

“Yo girl, still doing that thing for your Aunt?” asked her friend whom finds her being multi-lingual amusing.

“Yeah and I swear after it’s all done I’m going to file a week’s leave.” Sighing in defeat, Polly could think of only just the beach on a week-long rest.

“Sure you can file but never expect it to be approved, Ms.Head Nurse.” Snorting as she made fun of Polly’s aghast reaction.

“Wha-“ Polly unable to finish questioning her friend when the Head Nurse called her out.

“Polly come here for a moment.” The older woman ushered Polly to follow her.

“Polly please come to the office now! I can’t believe this is happening.” Aunt May’s voice over the phone sounded desperate and hopeless.

“What happened though? Aunt May, I just came out from a two-hour long meeting and you nagging me to go there don’t sound a very good idea. Can we just discuss it over the phone?” Polly pleaded as she can’t bear the idea of driving under the dense traffic just right after a toxic meeting with the administrative staff of the hospital. First day of being a head nurse has to be tough not flattering they say.

“No we can’t! EXO is arriving this very evening and none of my staff available now can speak Korean! My goodness! This is so not in the plan!” her aunt exasperated with the announcement. True to it not being in the plan, the said boy group’s schedule of arrival is tomorrow evening but for unknown reason they have arrived 24 hours early.

“What do you want me to do then?” feeling out of energy because of the sudden turn of events, Polly sounded transactional.

“Just pick them from the airport and accompany them to the hotel. The hotel manager would take it from there. The transportation they’re going to use has been set to go straight to the airport now and…” her aunt paused for a while.

“And what?” Polly creased her brows in confusion.

“And I’ve advised the drivers to get in touch with you soon as they’ve arrived. I have given them your number.” Her aunt’s voice faded a little at the end knowing how too much of a favor it is for Polly.

“Fine, I’ll just sign a few documentations then I’m heading to the airport. I’ll call when I get there.” Polly couldn’t contain the sigh she has been holding since earlier. Feeling heavily burdened by the tasks she have no means to say no, she just carried on like usual.

Gosh, why is life being harsh on me. Putting her phone in her pocket after hanging up with her aunt, Polly felt again the sudden surge of pain on the right side of her head. Same as the previous occurrences, the pain lasts for only few seconds and vision of a clouded meadow comes into view. She has never seen that meadow ever her entire life but sure it looked mesmerizing, the only thing she couldn’t understand is that whenever the same pain surges that meadow comes into view.

“Odd. I really need a week’s leave.” Polly sighed for the nth time and head on with a long, painful evening.