Wendy takes a look at the attendance list. She is expecting ten attendees. It is a pretty good response considering not many find gardening interesting. She finds it therapeutic to be surrounded by nature.

To work with nature. Humans talk about how they're blessed with the beauty of nature. They talk about the importance of preserving nature.

Hypocrites.

Funny how we escape to nature - snow capped mountains, iridescent sapphire waters of the sea, eden-green meadows that stretch to the horizon and seem never ending - when we only have ourselves to blame for setting the path to destruction.

But it can't be helped, can it? It's human nature to be selfish. We compete to have the best. Survival of the fittest, they say. One misstep and you fall behind the rest. Some can run to catch up, but not everyone is equipped with the same ability or even tools to propel them forward.

"Wendy."

"Yes, Dr Song?"

"I need you to help me monitor Irene. I know this is beyond your duties as a volunteer, but she's been flagged as high risk so I would need you to just check up on her when she joins your class."

Wendy glances at the attendance list, sliding her pen down and stops when it reaches an intended name - Bae Joohyun (Irene). She clicks her pen and draws a star next to the name. "Am I supposed to know some background info?"

"Well, she's very noticeable. Long jet-black hair. Curt. She can be offensive if she wants to be so just keep a look out on her in case any residents blow her fuse. The last time someone pissed her off, she got sent straight to the isolated specialised ward."

Wendy breathes in sharply. Being sent to the specialised ward requires a lot of care and attention. An isolated one needs an even greater surveillance. Only experienced nurses and psychiatrists are allowed to tend to the patients. "Is she warded here often?"

"Only once. Toughest time of my life as a doctor here, to be honest," Mino chuckles at the memory of having to manhandle Irene because she turned ballistic and was simply out of control.

"Did you recommend my class to her?" Wendy asks.

"She chose your class. I also told her that you might be her cup of tea, so maybe you just need to watch out in case she tries to flirt." Mino grins. He wonders how things would play out later when Irene comes.

Irene is very particular when it comes to working with people. Only if it concerns her psychological well-being. Apparently, she insisted on a screening process for all the psychiatrists in the institution, and chose Mino because "his thick eyebrows and gentle smile make him the most trustworthy one". Mino isn't quite sure how his thick eyebrows or gentle smile say anything about his personality, but if those two features have earned the trust of difficult-to-please Irene, then he will take it honourably.

"Why would you even tell your patient that a volunteer could be her cup of tea?" Wendy asks, puzzled that Mino would even suggest such inappropriate things to a patient.

"She needs a friend. You're the youngest volunteer here. We have never had a volunteer your age before. Irene likes things that are not the norm. I know her well enough to know that she is going to show interest in you."

"Interesting patient you have here, Dr Song." Wendy says, feeling a little nervous about what's to come in an hour's time. "Wait," she frowns, eyebrows slanting like downward slopes. "If she's high risk, why is she not admitted here?"

"I can't force her to get herself checked in here. She's more receptive when we talk to her politely. She's always deflecting, and can't seem to get past the denial stage. I have a lot of work when it comes to her. She's been surpressing a lot. I'm worried she might snap soon. Right now, I am just starting slow again and see where this leads me to."

"Such a dedicated doctor. I can see why you're next in line to take the throne as the institution director."

"Of course, you would know that."

"So you're Wendy, the spearheader," Irene says, lips curled into a broad smile. She's delighted to meet someone like Wendy. Wendy the new volunteer is young. Aesthetically pleasing to the eyes as well.

Saturday classes are definitely something to look forward to now.

"If by spearheader you mean the person who started this class, then yes I am Wendy the spearheader."

"Mino's right. You are my cup of tea."

"That's good to know," Wendy replies. She wants to steer the conversation away from such an irrelevant topic. "Have you done gardening before?"

"If you mean plucking out petals from fresh flowers, snipping stalks when they grow too tall and spraying insecticide on plants infested with pests, then yes I have done it."

"That's not gardening."

"I was being sarcastic, Wendy."

A smile threatens to surface, but level-headed Wendy has no problem keeping herself in check. "I know, Irene," she answers casually.

"Ha, Mino that shrink must have badmouthed about me to you, hasn't he?" Irene makes a face, feeling slightly spiteful towards Mino. "I'm going to sue him for divulging confidential information to a stranger."

"He did nothing sort of that, Irene. You're the last one to arrive, so you're the only one who've yet to mark the attendance."

"Oh." The snappy girl's cheeks turn into reddish hue. "Okay."

"Are you ready to start? You're ten minutes behind your peers, Irene," Wendy says, pointing to her watch.

"Okay, I'm paying attention now."

Irene struggles to keep herself awake. She isn't into gardening. However, she is into the gardener.

Wendy.

Wendy the new volunteer.

Wendy the pretty gardener.

She repeats the name to herself as she pats the soil in her pot lightly, following the instructions given.

Gardening is a foolproof activity. It's just sprinkling some seeds on the soil, making sure they're spread apart, cover them with some soil again, pat the soil lightly and spray some water. Nothing too difficult.

She catches up with the others pretty