All that can be heard within the office are the sounds of fingers rapidly typing on keyboards with an occasional click of the mouse. Data entry is what this department specializes in. Phone calls chime in every few minutes as employees roll their eyes or sigh before they answer.

 

If someone asked Taeyeon what she was good at, she would have to say that she excelled at Microsoft Excel. Spreadsheets upon spreadsheets were opened up on the desktop of every employee’s computer, including hers.

 

She takes her glasses off, massaging the bridge of her nose. Her cubicle is making her feel considerably smaller than usual today. With tired eyes, she glances at the time on her computer.

 

It’s a good time to take a break and it is only 9:57 A.M.

 

--

 

“Morning,” Sooyoung greets as she leans against the countertop in the break room. She sips the instant coffee from the styrofoam cup, eyes looking wired as ever.

 

“Morning,” Taeyeon mutters as she grabs her own cup of coffee from the instant machine. She almost spits it back out immediately as the disgusting liquid hits her tongue, but refrains from doing so. “Blegh. Why do I always think the coffee is going to be good someday?”

 

Sooyoung just chuckles lightly, “Food is food.” She downs the rest of the liquid in one shot.

 

Taeyeon’s face scrunches up as she heads towards the sink. “Coffee is a drink.”

 

“You know what I could go for? A real drink. Let’s grab one, tonight.” 

 

“Can’t tonight.” She dumps out the contents of the cup without remorse into the sink.

 

“What did I say about using that word?” Sooyoung squeezes the empty cup jokingly as she chastises Taeyeon. “It’s taboo to use that word!” 

 

“Alright, sorry. I forgot you dislike hearing the word ‘can’t.’ I won’t be going to tonight.”

 

Sooyoung throws the crumpled cup across the room, shooting it like it’s a basketball, “Why not?”

 

She misses, much to her dismay while Taeyeon laughs a little. The shorter girl walks over to the trash can and picks up her friend’s newfound litter.

 

“It’s Tuesday.”

 

She tosses both cups into the trashcan, ending the conversation there.

 

--

 

Taeyeon arrives at the hospital, 6 o’clock on the dot. By the time she’s on the 3rd floor, she has already been sanitized and ready to spend the next few hours here. She opens the familiar door, a soft smile on her face.

 

“Ahjumma!”

 

Four kids surround her like cubs anticipating their mother bear returning home. Toothless smiles and full sets of baby teeth greet her as she hugs them each individually.

 

“We missed you.” The oldest girl out of the bunch, being eight years old, Dajung, says.

 

“How is everyone doing today?” Taeyeon asks sweetly as she pats the youngest boy’s head, Kyungsan.

 

“Nurse Lee said we’re all getting better!” The seven year old Jiyoo replies as she hugs Taeyeon’s leg. There is so much hope laced within Jiyoo’s voice.

 

A pang of guilt hits Taeyeon in the chest as she kneels to meet Jiyoo’s eye level. As an adult, she knows better than to be too hopeful of the children’s recovery.

 

“That’s good to hear Jiyoo… Shall we play today?” The kids cheer as Taeyeon pulls out a notebook from her purse. “Today I’m going to teach everyone something really cool. Let’s sit down.”

 

The children follow her instructions without protest, planting their butts down quicker than she anticipates. It causes her to smile widely.

 

“Does anyone know what origami is?”

 

Dajung nods, while the rest look at Taeyeon with scrunched eyebrows.

 

“Nuh uh.” Jinsu shakes her head cutely. She is only six.

 

“Origami is when we fold papers into cute things. Today I’m going to teach you guys how to fold paper cranes.” Some of the kids ooh and ahh, “But first! Should I tell you a story about paper cranes?”

 

“Story time!” Jiyoo shouts.

 

“You tell the best stories, Ahjumma.” Kyungsan says as he tugs on her shirt.

 

“Okay, okay,” Taeyeon puts her finger to her lips, shushing them cutely. “There is a legend that if you fold a thousand origami cranes, you can have your wish granted by a crane. Isn’t that cool?”

 

They all nod excitedly.

 

“How much is a thousand?” Jinsu asks shyly.

 

All four of the children start to count on their fingers.

 

“One, two, three…”

 

Taeyeon just laughs. “It’s much more than we can count on our fingers. How about we fold some cranes?”

 

All of them nod except Jinsu who is still trying to count.

 

Taeyeon rips out a sheet of paper from the notebook as Kyungsan suddenly speaks up, eyes glancing towards the door frame behind Taeyeon.

 

“Sleepy Ahjumma.”

 

Taeyeon turns around to see who Kyungsan is speaking to, but only a lock of blonde hair swishes in the wind as the stranger walks away. She thinks nothing of it as she begins to teach the children.

 

--

 

The vending machine gives a low rumble as Taeyeon punches in the code for a drink. The clink of the can hitting the opening jolts her more awake.

 

Playing with the children can be tiresome at times.

 

She picks up the can of peach juice, opening it and taking a sip as Nurse Lee rounds the corner, greeting her.

 

“Hello Taeyeon.”

 

“Hello Nurse Lee.”

 

“The children enjoy your visits.”

 

It was a roundabout way of saying ‘thank you’ for Nurse Lee, but Taeyeon has learned she was indirect when it came to things like that. Nurse Lee may dress like a nurse and help those in need, but in no way was she the cliché nice girl in town. Frequent smoke breaks and glares at rowdy visitors hinted so as Taeyeon observed these things over the weeks.

 

“No problem.”

 

“How many more volunteer hours do you need?”

 

Taeyeon shakes her head.

 

“I am not volunteering for hours.”

 

“Oh?” Nurse Lee a brow up. “What brings you here then?”

 

Before an answer can be given, another nurse walks by calling for Nurse Lee’s attention.

 

Taeyeon begins walking, waving a hand up in the air as a goodbye as Nurse Lee looks at her disappearing back.

 

--

 

The can is almost empty as Taeyeon makes her way back to the children’s room for a quick goodbye. As she passes the room next to her destination, she hears a faint voice singing softly. She stops in her tracks, ears intently focusing on the sweet voice.

 

 

 

I miss the times that we never had

What happened to us we were almost there

Whoever said it's impossible to miss when you never had

Never almost had you

 

 

The girl’s voice is teetering on the edge of desperation and absolute perfection, passion laced into the notes. The sad song and beautiful singing makes Taeyeon wonder if the patient behind those doors was dying from a heartbreak instead of a disease.

 

--

 

“One day, I’m going to quit this job.” Sooyoung mumbles as she stands next to Taeyeon, gazing out the break room’s window. The streets look so far away as people mirror ants.

 

“Me too.” Taeyeon responds into her cup as her teeth nibble onto the rim.

 

“There’s gotta be more to life than this crap, right?”

 

“Maybe.”

 

Sooyoung stretches and lets out a huge yawn before asking her next question.

 

“How are the kids?”

 

“They’re getting a bit better, but who knows with that kind of stuff.” Taeyeon responds as she makes her way to the garbage can.

 

“Won’t it be hard?”

 

“What?” She’s almost there.

 

“Saying goodbye.”

 

Taeyeon stops in front of the trashcan.

 

“We all have to say goodbye someday. Some prematurely and some a little too late.”

 

“Ehh, that’s true, but you didn’t answer my question.”

 

The cup falls from her hands into the trashcan.

 

“I’ll let you know when it happens.”

 

--

 

The silence of an empty apartment greets Taeyeon as she takes off her shoes, door shutting behind her. She tilts her head to the side, hand massaging her neck as the keys are tossed onto the kitchen table. Making her way to the fridge, leftovers are heated up from a take-out box.

 

She stands in front of the microwave, eyes watching the red numbers tick by.

 

Dinner for one.

 

Always one.

 

--

 

“Ahjumma, look at my crane!” Jiyoo holds up a crinkly blue paper in the shape of a crane.

 

Taeyeon laughs softly as she picks up the crane and frays out the rough edges of the wings.

 

“There, all better.”

 

The four kids are surrounding Taeyeon again, colorful paper littered all over the floor. It is endearing as Taeyeon watches fondly over them. They are being a bit louder tonight, overjoyed to have learned how to properly fold the cranes. Jiyoo sticks her tongue out in concentration while Dajung is making perfect, neatly folded cranes. Kyungsan and Jinsu are still struggling, but that’s okay.

 

“This is hard.” Jinsu shyly says.

 

Taeyeon pats her head and picks her up to place her in her lap.

 

“Can I help you?”

 

She folds the paper carefully and slowly so Jinsu can observe and learn.

 

Suddenly, the sliding door opens.

 

“What is this ruckus?”

 

Taeyeon stops folding and glances up at the doorway. Dark brown eyes greet her as an annoyed look is splayed on the stranger’s face. Her blonde locks fall graciously past her shoulders as she leans onto the door frame with crossed arms. The hospital gown she is donning raises a red flag for Taeyeon.

 

“Sleepy Ahjumma.” Kyungsan whispers.

 

“Can’t a girl get any beauty sleep around here?” She says while yawning into the palm of her hand.

 

“Sorry,” Taeyeon immediately apologizes, “Did we wake you?”

 

“No ****, Sherlock.”

 

Taeyeon’s first instinct is to cover Jinsu’s ears, but all she can do is gape at the snarky reply.

 

“Keep it down, will ya?” The blonde’s got her pinky finger in her ear now as she scrapes at some ear wax. She flicks it off casually. “Some people are trying to rest. It’s a hospital after all.”

 

The way she says it seeps with sarcasm.

 

And with that, she walks away.

 

Taeyeon picks up Jinsu off her lap and carefully sets her down.

 

“Okay, let’s all be a bit quieter. I will go apologize to Sleepy Ahjumma, okay?”

 

“Yes, Ahjumma.”

 

--

 

Deciding that the girl couldn’t have gotten far, Taeyeon figures the blonde must be one of the next door neighbors. She takes a guess at the one on the right, hitting the jackpot. The door to ‘Sleepy Ahjumma’s’ room is left ajar so Taeyeon lets herself in after a little knock.

 

“Sorry about earlier.”

 

The other woman is already back in bed, under her covers comfortably as she sits upright.

 

“Yeah, yeah.”

 

“The kids just get excited sometimes.”

 

“Uh huh.” She’s replying with closed eyes.

 

“In fact, if you want to fold with us next time, I’m sure they’d appreciate that.”

 

“Over my dead body.”

 

She says it so casually causing Taeyeon to gape again. It almost sounds like a joke, except Taeyeon remembers they’re in a hospital and that this person is probably dying. And yet, there is no bitterness in her voice, just haughtiness.

 

“I’ll let you rest then.”

 

“You were excused a minute ago. Close the door after you let yourself out.”

 

Taeyeon follows the orders, then chuckles to herself in the hallway.

 

Who knew the next door neighbor to the kids’ room was so *****y?