L. Joe ran until he could reach Hana’s house.

Yes: RAN.

He was too excited to care about transportation at this moment. He would not mind getting tired, breathless and exhausted if he could see the girl of his dreams.

Yes: He would do everything.

He stood dumbfounded at the façade of the Kim’s house.

If not for the maid coming out, he wouldn’t even move in his place. He is excited but nervous at the same time. He doesn’t even know what to feel.

Emotions just build up inside him all at the same time. All different emotions.

I know, it’s weird.

But maybe this is what a mixed emotion feeling is like.

The maid blinked at L. Joe. “Who are you?” She asked, with her eyes twinkling at seeing such a beautiful sight.

L. Joe rubbed the back of his neck and smiled, speaking reluctantly. “Uhm, is Hana here?” He asked.

The maid cocked her head. “Hana?” She asked, looking confused.

L. Joe looked back and began to think that he went on the wrong house. “Uhm, Kim Hana?” He asked, praying that he was right at the address.

The maid smiled and nodded. “Ahhh.” She replied in understanding. “Yeah. She lives here.” She continued.

L. Joe smiled and nodded. “That’s great.” He shot back with an irresistible smile on his face. “Can I talk to her?” He asked.

The maid frowned at him. “She is not here now.” She replied.

L. Joe narrowed his eyes on her. “Where is she?” He asked curiously.

“She was rushed to the hospital this morning.” She replied weakly. “Her stomach had been hurting so bad. And we thought she has her recurrent ulcer attacks again.” She narrated.

L. Joe’s eyes widened. “Hospital?!” He shrieked. “Ulcer attacks?” He asked further.

The maid nodded, unmoved by the overreacting L. Joe. “She had been having her ulcer attacks since she’s 8.” She replied. “It usually happens when she skips 2 consecutive meals.” She explained.

L. Joe nodded but still feeling anxious. “What hospital is she in?” He asked.

The maid smiled. “The XXXXXXXX Hospital.” She replied.

L. Joe nodded, smiled. “Thank you, Miss. I’ll see you around.” He said as he ran to where the hospital is.

“Nurse, patient Kim Hana.” He beamed at the nurses’ station.

The female nurses stared at him in awe, admiring his perfect face – even if he is somewhat sweaty because he ran a mile.

L. Joe grew irritated at the nurses and asked the question again. “Can you tell me, Kim Hana’s room number please?” He asked one more time.

The nurses snapped out of their thoughts and went on to what they are doing.

“Sorry, what is your relation to him, sir?” One of the head nurses asked.

L. Joe stopped. *Yes, what is my relation to her? She is the girl of my dreams and my future wife. But I can’t tell them that.* He thought as he smiled at the nurse. “I am her friend.” He replied the safest answer.

The nurse nodded and looked into the records. “Room 502.” She replied.

L. Joe nodded and thanked them before running to the stairs again.

Again, no one could ever imagine how L. Joe had exerted all his energy just to see Hana. But he never gets tired. Not when the price of all the hard work is to see Hana.

Sure, he is a bad boy.

Sure, he is cold.

Sure, he is moody.

But when it comes to Hana, he is just so fragile. Since the first he set his eyes on her, he felt this certain urge, this certain oof feeling that makes him long for her more each passing day.

Yes, he is caught off guard.

Hana has caught him off guard.

So off guard that he didn’t even thought of what he is doing and just kissed Hana and confessed to her in some kind of project day for them.

All his defenses are broken.

All by Kim Hana.

He breathed hard as he faced the door with a sign “502”. “This is it, Byunghun. She is here.” He mumbled as he knocked on the door.

Someone opened the door.

L. Joe stayed still. He didn’t expect that.

And worse, he is empty handed.

HE shut his eyes as he bit his lip. *You stupid Lee Byunghun! You should’ve brought something!* He scolded himself in his mind.

A fair looking woman in her 30’s opened the door and blinked at L. Joe. “You are?” She asked.

L. Joe smiled and bowed politely. “I am Lee Byunghun, Hana’s project partner and friend.” He introduced himself.

The woman nodded and smiled at them as he opened the door wider. “Come in, Byunghun.” She said as L. Joe smiled and went in.

“Take a sit.” She said as she prepared a glass of water and handed it to L. Joe.

L. Joe stood up and politely took the glass of water.

Mrs. Kim smiled. “You look like you ran a mile.” She said.

L. Joe grinned and rubbed the back of his neck. “Y-yeah.” He shyly said.

Mrs. Kim smiled. “Hana’s fine now, if that’s what you are going to ask.” She informed. “She was rushed to the hospital just in time.” She added.

L. Joe smiled as he glanced at the sweet – looking sleeping face of Hana.

Mrs. Kim watched him stare at her daughter. There, she could see affection radiating from his heart to his eyes as he looked at Hana.

She smiled and knew everything. “You know Hana has always believed in dreams.” She started, making L. Joe look at her in shock.

*Even her mother knew?* HE thought as he started to listen to her story.

Mrs. Kim smiled and looked at Hana. “When I ask her why she doesn’t get a boyfriend, she always replies ‘I am waiting for the man in my dreams’.” She chuckled at her daughter. “She keeps on telling me and her dad that she would not let anyone else be her boyfriend, unless, he is the man of her dreams.”

L. Joe smiled. *That’s what I thought too.* He replied in his mind.

“She had always had those shares of good dreams for the past two years. She is very open about it. And I might add, serious about it.” Mrs. Kim continued.

“We, her parents, just let her do what she liked. We let her believe in her dreams, because we know that she is happy with those. She is happy to be with that man, whoever he is.” She added.

L. Joe nodded and listened attentively. “Did she ever tell you how he looked like, Ma’am?” He asked.

Mrs. Kim shook her head. “But I got this.” She said as she brought out something in her bag.

L. Joe’s eyes widened. It was a sketch of a couple in a garden full of flowers and full of children playing, watching the sunset.

This was the place in his dreams. This was the place they were at yesterday.

When he carelessly and recklessly confessed to her.

Mrs. Kim smiled at the sketch. “She drew this few months ago. She had personally gave me this for me to believe that she is having her dreams and her dreams are true.” She explained.

L. Joe nodded.

Mrs. Kim looked at L. Joe and at the boy in the sketch. “If my eyes are blurry, I might think that the man in this picture is you, Byunghun.” She said making L. Joe straighten up.

L. Joe grinned. *That’s because I am really that man, Mrs. Kim.* He thought.

Mrs. Kim smiled. “Anyways, why am I telling Hana’s past again?” She asked as she chuckled.

L. Joe smiled and shrugged. “I don’t know, Ma’am.” He replied. “But I enjoyed listening to it.” He added. *Now, all I have to do is to make her remember me.* He thought.