Sunggyu lightly traced the night sky through the glass.  He clasped his hands together, bowed his head, and waited for a sign.  He didn’t get one.

--

He visited the seven-year-old girl next door, the one diagnosed with cancer.  She made room for him on her bed, and he sat down next to her.

“I’m leaving soon,” she whispered.

Sunggyu smiled.  “You’re checking out?”

“No.” The sadness in her tone was evident.

And then, Sunggyu understood.  That night, as he leaned over his diary, he wept.  Then, he put his hands together and closed his eyes.  Still, no sign.

--

Sunggyu’s dad wanted to see his son.  Sunggyu refused visitors that day.

--

His dad visited again, one week later, and Sunggyu agreed to see him.  The two talked about a variety of things, neither mentioning what they really wanted to say.  Sunggyu wished that his dad wouldn’t suffer anymore because of him.

He stared out his window once again, noticing the beauty of the stars.

--

I wonder what it’s like up there.

Sunggyu realized that the stars had disappeared. 

--

A new development in Sunggyu’s illness had him bedridden for a while.  He spent most of the time with his eyes closed.

Father, please give me strength.

Doctors came the following week, shocked to find Sunggyu walking around in his room. 

--

Sunggyu was jealous of Woohyun, the boy he sometimes shared a room with.  Woohyun got to go home.  Sunggyu couldn’t.  Woohyun got to go to other floors.  Sunggyu wasn’t allowed to.  But most of all, Woohyun had hope. 

“Hyung, you should really start smiling,” Woohyun said one day.

Sunggyu looked up from his diary.  “Why?”

“That way, you don’t lose hope.”

“Okay.”

Woohyun shook his head.  “I’m serious, hyung." 

“Okay.” Sunggyu forced his lips to curl up.  It felt sort of nice.

--

The next month, Woohyun was discharged, leaving Sunggyu alone again.  He folded his hands neatly in his lap and sat cross-legged on his bed.  He thanked God for sending Woohyun to him.  This time, he didn’t wait for a sign.

A nurse walked in with a bag.  He took the bag from her with pale hands.  Inside, the note read:

            I noticed that you like to pray.  Don’t lose hope.

            -Woohyun

Sunggyu peered into the packaging and pulled out a miniature copy of the Bible.  He brought it close to his chest and smiled.

--

Father, I want to thank you for everything.  The doctors are preparing me for surgery right now, but they say that I have a twenty percent chance of making it.  I’m not afraid anymore.  But, if I really don’t make it, watch over my own dad and take care of him. 

Amen.

As Sunggyu’s vision started to blur from the anesthesia, he felt relieved that he had prayed every night. 

He never opened his eyes again.

--

Sunggyu woke up in a room filled with bright lights.  Another person stood in the room, clothed in a white robe, with white feathery wings sticking out of his back.  He walked over to Sunggyu.

“W-Woohyun?” Sunggyu stuttered.

“Yes.”

“You’re…an angel.”

Woohyun smiled.  “That I am, Sunggyu.”

“So does that mean…?”

“You didn’t survive.”

Sunggyu bit his lip.  “Oh.”

Woohyun took Sunggyu’s arm.  “Let’s go see Him.”

“You mean…?”

“He wants to meet you,” Woohyun replied.  “He told me that you prayed every night.”

Tears welled up in Sunggyu’s eyes, threatening to spill over.  “He heard me?”

“Of course, Sunggyu.  He always did.”

And Sunggyu never felt more relieved to hear those words.

--