A male unexpectedly knocked on her room as he was answered by a silence. His eyebrows furrowed as he twisted the silver knob by the metal door. He slowly peeked when a fixed bed and thin air greeted him.

He felt a sudden tapped as he flinched and quickly turned around, closing the door rapidly. “Oh! Mr. Kim!” She exclaimed when she saw his familiar face. “Why are you peeking inside Miss Kang’s room?” She curiously asked as he shyly looked down. “Are you looking for Miss Kang awhile ago?” She asked as he rubbed the backed of his neck out of shyness.

Peeking inside a girl’s room is already embarrassing, but getting caught is more humiliating. She giggled, “Don’t worry, Mr. Kim. I didn’t think any bad thoughts about you.” He slightly chuckled getting more embarrassed at what she said.

“Miss Kang is having her lessons right now. You can wait for him by her room if you want.” She said as he shook his hands instantly. “No, no, it’s okay! Ahm, I was just going to ask her if….” He thought of an excuse as he looked down. “….I could borrow some of her crayons.” He snapped as she weirdly looked at him. He mentally facepalmed himself because of his lame excuse.

She nodded unsurely at his ‘answer’ as he meekly looked down. “You could’ve say so, wait here, I’ll get…” He quickly grabbed her wrist to stop her from getting inside her room. “It’s okay, Nurse Jung.” He blurted. “I’ll just wait for her to finish.”

The two were walking on the spotless white hallway as their shoes left tiny marks on the white floor. “I heard what you did to her yesterday on her birthday.” She suddenly brought up as the male snapped out from his long trance. “Oh..Is that so.” He shortly answered.

She smiled as she nodded feeling happy that someone was there to make Sojin’s day feel special. “It was really nice of you to celebrate it with her. Ms. Kang was so happy when she told me about yesterday. She even showed some pictures. You really made it different, Mr. Kim.” She stated as she gave him the most thankful smile that she could ever give.

“It was nothing, really.”

“Well, for her, it was very special.”

As soon as he heard that word, his mind started to progress as he tried to decipher the meaning of it. “For the past 10 years, Ms. Kang had been celebrating her birthday inside the hospital. She would always celebrate it without her parents, or friends. So, I kinda felt bad for Ms. Kang for always being alone.”

He didn’t know how to feel at that time. How can a girl like her carry that kind of loneliness? And he felt guiltier when he thought that he wasn’t there on her exact birthday. What was it like in her past birthday? Day by day, he knew more about her. About her true life.

“I didn’t know.” He muttered as his eyes were glued on the marble floor, feeling guilty as ever.

“It’s okay, Mr. Kim, she doesn’t really think about it that much.” She said as she patted his shoulder as she tried not to make him feel guilty.

“OH! AHJUSSI! NURSE JUNG!”

“Ms. Kang!” She exclaimed when she saw her out from the room. She quickly ran over to them as she carried her things securely around her arms. Her steps echoed around the hall as she giddily ran to them.

“Is your lesson with Teacher Lee done?” She asked as she nodded woozily like a little kid. She turned her attention to the guy beside Nurse Jung as she smiled. “Ahjussi! Let’s go and play!” She cried as she wrapped her hands around his wrist, making the latter looked at her surprised.

“Nurse Jung! We’ll leave first. Bye~”

She started to drag him on the empty hallways as he doesn’t have a clue why he was being dragged by her. After hearing Nurse Jung’s story, he started to feel sorry towards her, and he had the feeling that he should be with her more often.

“Wait here, Ahjussi. I’ll just put this inside my room.” She said as she went inside her room. He mindlessly walked inside her room as his gaze were fixed on her all the time. How can she keep all these things? How can she hide all of it? How can she put the mask on every time, when she’s been hurting all alone?

She waved her hand in front of his face as he snapped out. “What?”

“You’ve been spacing out lately. Are you okay, Ahjussi?” She worriedly asked as she curiously looked at him for any signs of illness. “Yea, I’m fine.” He shortly answered as she pouted. “Ahjussi! Is something bothering you?”

He shook his head as he slightly smiled at her, “I’m fine.”

“Are you sure? Am I disturbing you awhile ago? I could just—“

“No! I’m really fine.”

“Waaa! Unnie! I’m so jealous of you. You celebrated your birthday with the Oppas. I want that too.” Minhee stated as she smiled at her.

The two were at the center to play with the kids that she couldn’t contain her happiness so she told the kids as soon as she entered the room. He sat outside the group’s place as he listened to what they are talking about.

“Oppa, did you really surprised Unnie?” Jimin asked. “No.” He shortly answered as she gasped at his answered. “Yah! Ahjussi! Don’t lie to them!” She shouted as he smirked. “I’m not lying.” He retorted as the female grew more annoyed at him. “Yahhhhh! Ahjussi! Don’t lie!” She cried as she started to punch his arm. The kids giggled at the two fighting, knowing that they look more childish than them.

Ms. Han came in to get the kids back to their room because it was time for them to rest. They all bid their goodbyes to the two as they left one by one. She stuck her tongue out to him before stomping out from the room. He amusedly chuckled as she followed him.

She walked faster than the normal, not wanting to be near to him. He tried to catch up with her steps but he knew that she’s mad at him right now. He inwardly chuckled because of how she was trying to ignore him.

“Yah! Sojin!”

She ignored him as she walked faster. She quickly went inside her room but he stuck his foot in between the doors to stop her from closing it. “Go away!” She cried as she tried to close the door. “Are you angry with me? I was just playing with you.” He said as he held the door with all his strength.

“Go away!”

“I’ll treat you some ice cream tomorrow.” He bribed as her eyes beamed. “Ice cream?” She asked as she peeked through the door. “Yes, you always liked ice cream.” He said as she hesitated at first. “Promise?” She asked as she raised her pinky. He scoffed, “Are you serious?”

“Just to make sure you don’t break it.” She retorted as he rolled his eyes at her childishness. “Okay, I promise.” He intertwined it with his as she smiled. She stepped away from the door as she let him in.

He sat on the couch as he rested his feet on the table. “Yah! Put down your feet!” She scolded as he ignored her. “Yah! I said put it down!” She cried as she tried to remove his feet. The stubborn Kai tried to annoy her more as she battled with him. As he argued with her, he suddenly kicked a book from the table as it landed on the floor, scattering every pieces of pictures.

“Look at what you did!” She bellowed as she went over to pick it up. He helped her over when he saw a familiar picture. It was a girl who was smiling happily while she was playing on the swing; she had her hair tied into two pigtails as she showed those sweet smiles with her two front teeth. Her eyes were crescent shaped as she had a pink, fluffy candy on her hand.

At that picture, he thought she was beautiful with that bright smile that she is radiating. He smiled as he tucked it inside his pocket before helping her.

“Aish! I have to organize it again.” She sneered as she glared at him. He surrendered his arms as he innocently looked at her. She rolled her eyes before walking towards the shelf.

“I’m home.” He shouted as he quickly removed his shoes. “Ohh! He—“The older male was going to greet him but he stop mid –sentence when he just passed by him. He looked down as he sulked, “Am I really that small?” His shoulders deflated as he dragged himself back to the living room.

He threw his bag beside his bed as he crashed on the soft mattress. He put both of his arms under his head as he mindlessly stared at the top bunk of the bed. He unknowingly smiled as the scenes replayed inside his head.

He took a picture out from the pocket of his jacket as he looked at it. It was a picture of her back when she was still a cute, little kid. He grinned as the sweet smile on the picture radiated him.

“I’m going to make sure you’ll smile like this again.”