Dahyun wanders down a corridor with row upon row of wooden cubicles. Then he heard cello music. He's in the music wing of the building and these are practice rooms. He follows the sounds and it leads him to a white wide hallway. He sees an open door and peeks inside. He sighs and leans on the doorframe, closing his eyes as he listens to every note. The notes blend over smoothly into a sweet melody, one that he never heard before. He assumes it's an original piece. As the music slowly comes to an end, Dahyun flutters his eyes open and startles when their eyes meet.
 

"Nice playing" He compliments, taking a step forward as he slips his hands inside his pockets, "Lia right?"
 

The girl sighs and packs her instruments "Yes, and I know who you are but I don't  expect a piano prodigy will be this rude"
 

Dahyun presses his lips in embarrassment,  recalling how he approached her yesterday. It was rush and impolite. Adding to how he is caught peeking and staring at her practising "Forgive me for my action before, and now. You just look like someone I know. I hope you can forget what happened and let's start a new"
 

Lia take a hold of the score and instinctively placed it in her cello case. Carrying the instrument behind her back, she stops her step and gazes at him. Finding no reason to keep bad blood between her and her senior, she nods. Drifting her eyes from him to the door. She's about to leave when Dahyun steps forward.
 

"Do you want to hang out tomorrow, in a friendly way" He suggests, a small smile carved on his pale skin.
 

Lia briefly runs her thoughts whether she has any errands to do and she has none except buying groceries for her empty fridge. "Okay," she agreed.
 

Dahyun leads them for a friendly date and knowing more about each other. He brings her to a Bamboo Forest seeking for nature and peace. Upon entering the forest, they're surrounded by a sea of green bamboo stalks shifting in the breeze. The emerald light dapples the forest floor and infuses the area with a sense of magic and otherworldliness.
 

"Why cello? Why do you choose to play cello instead of other instruments? Is it because the sound is the closest to human voice?" Dahyun begins as they walk side to side, admiring the landscape.
 

"No. There's no particular reason actually. Once I saw someone played Cello on the street, it captivated me and I thought to myself. 'Yes, that's for me.' Since then, I pick up the instrument and it has been my companion for years" Lia answers, recalling the passages that she has printed in her minds. Living in other person memories is harder than she thoughts.
 

Dahyun halts. He glances to his side and secretly examining the girl. How is that possible? From her face, her hobby, her answers, is all the same. As if she is the person from the past. As if she is a reincarnation of his first love. It is a cruelty of life that a heart can keep on beating even after it has been broken in two. It can feel as though it is being gripped in an ice-cold vice and ache as if it will implode in your chest, but still the boom-boom continues. That broken beating heart however can be warmed, can be fixed by another right person. He found it, his wife has been the one who manages to soothe the pain yet now the same pain slowly crawl inside.
 

That heartache.
 

Dahyun doesn't know what happened to him but that smile is so familiar that awaken the long-buried memories. He instinctively reaches out and catches Lia's wrist. With a small tug, he pulls the girl into his embrace. He baths in her warmth and the aquatic scents that smell of sea spray or rain mixed with or oceanic notes. Kenzo l’Eau Par Kenzo. Same perfume, same scent. The feel of her body so close to his doesn't soothe him like how he has expected, it only deepens the pain he feels.
 

"I miss you, Jisu-ah" He murmurs against the crooks of her next, tightening his arms around her.







 

*  *  *  *

"Good morning, I'm Sharon"
 

Chaeyoung stares blankly at the woman standing across him. His eyes are empty, void of emotions while his face remains stoic. Not batting an eye to Kyun Sang who stands beside him, explaining the purpose of the stranger's appearance "I'd called you right, that I'll assign a new nurse to replace Mrs Lee, Miss Sharon here is our new intern that assigned here" Kyun Sang says, gesturing to the woman.
 

Chaeyoung hums lowly. He put a wide smile across his feature, exposing his dimple. "Son Chaeyoung. Nice to meet you"
 

Kyun Sang sighs and averts his eyes to the intern, "Sharon, you are dismissed for today. You'll start following the schedule tomorrow. You can stay here if you want and talk to Chaeyoung about his medical histories. I'll have to return to the hospital" He turns to his patient, asking for approval. "Is that okay with you Chaeyoung"
 

"Yeah, sure" He answers, not breaking the shared gaze with the brunette. Kyun Sang taps his shoulder and exits the room, leaving Chaeyoung and her alone. A heavy silence settled over them, thicker than the uneasy tension in the atmosphere. Awkward. That will describe the situation perfectly. The villa is located far from the town and surrounded by trees, Mina could hear the birdsong comes in lulls and bursts, the silence and the singing working together as well as any improvised melody. Every twig and blade of grass. The ruffling whispers as the leaves dance to a beat.
 

The man opposite her is immobile as the rest of his face and body. His eyes rest, not unblinking but slowed; yet the effect is soft and inviting instead of harsh. Perhaps it is his lips that give away his intention, not quite smiling but tilting as if they mean to. Mina's mouth is almost too dry to speak. She gulps and fidget nervously like an idiot and then croak out, "Hi"
 

A long silence.
 

"Hi" Chaeyoung greets. His gaze is walking from her hairline to her feet and back up again. In short, he is staring and pondering. He remains frozen for maybe three whole seconds before the corners of his mouth resumed their usual softness and his eyes quit staring.
 

Feeling insecure under his stare, Mina shifts a little. It has been some time she put herself as her priority and she must be looking very disorganized and pathetic. Her current hair lies thick black and poker-straight, yet soft, moving like prairie grass in the wind. It gives contrast to her face, so dark against her dull and pale skin. Her long bangs poking her eyes, almost blinding her vision. Dark circles under her eyes, so dark she looks like she has a double shiner. A decreased appetite and nausea resulting in her to lost weight. No-one's cheekbones should stick out so far. Her face has no trace of life other than not being blue. It's like she is breathing without really being alive. Even the make-up she applied to cover it seems transparent under his gaze.
 

"Miss Sharon? Is it?"
 

Mina being jumpy, flinch from the sudden call that breaks the silence. She admits, it's too fast and unannounced to meet him. But to wait until she has the courage will take forever, it is both a good and bad thing to face him without any warning. She decides to adjust and remains composed yet, it seems to fail. She bites her lips and nods.
 

"Have a seat" Chaeyoung offers, gesturing to the single couch. He lifts his hand and pushes a dark blue button on the side of his wristwatch. Seconds later, a maid attends them and bows. "Prepare Iced Americano for the guest, thank you" He smiles and turns his attention back to the brunette. He knows the name, Sharon and wonders if it the same person or not. His eyes squinted towards her as he hesitantly approaches the matter, "Were you the---"
 

"The Eternal Painting. Yes it's me" Mina interjected, her gummy smiles shown.
 

"Oh God, what a coincidence. I didn't know you are a doctor and...finally, we meet" He chuckles. A knock interrupts them and comes the same maid, serving the drink and bows before leaving the room. Chaeyoung motions the cup for her to take a sip and Mina obliges. "Do you have any questions about my medical histories or anything?"
 

Mina set down the cup "Hmm, not exactly, I've read the folder. All of them even memorize it"
 

Chaeyoung has an amused expression plastered on his feature. He lifts the cup but since his muscle is weak, he supports it with another hand, cupping the ceramic. Taking a small sip, he discreetly glances up towards the brunette. "Anyway, Miss Sharon, have we met before? I remember your face...I just don't know who is it belongs to" 
 

Mina clench her fist and smiles "We might have just crossed path, maybe in your Art Gallery opening."
 

"Ah, yeah. That's possible" Chaeyoung slowly nods in agreement. Chewing his inner cheeks as again he wordlessly stares at her but it only lingers for a blink. "We need an ice breaker" He mutters, noticing the awkwardness that engulfs them. "Do you play Air hockey?"
 

Holding small paddles in their hands, shoving a slate across the table. Rather than a normal air hockey, it's a mini version that place on the wooden table. Both sitting opposites end, behind the end rail and centred behind their goal box they are trying to defend. They hold a mallet in one of their hands and place it in front of their goal box to protect the puck from going in their goal. Once the puck has crossed the centerline on Mina's side of the table, she attempts to strike the puck against her mallet towards Chaeyoung's goal. Yet before it could reach, Chaeyoung successfully defends his goal and the puck goes counter-attack. It has been a few minute