She had left…
Yet I still couldn't take my eyes off the empty hallway.
She came and went like a breeze.
Slowly, I turned my gaze away—calmly, but firmly.
As if those few short minutes had already turned into a memory that belonged to the past.
My eyes landed on the door.
A sturdy wooden door.
But not sturdy enough to completely silence the voices inside.
It was the same patient I had saved yesterday.
The one whose surgery had gone well, yet still wasn't entirely out of danger.
I lowered the handle and stepped inside.
The sunlight from the window hit my face instantly.
And a little farther ahead—
A bright, sunlit smile.
A smile filled with relief.
The moment I saw it, a strange warmth settled in my chest.
And once again, I was reminded why I became a doctor.
I stepped closer and finally noticed his wife.
She was holding his hand tightly.
As if she had been waiting forever to touch him like this again.
It was beautiful.
So beautiful that, for a moment, I wanted to stand inside the warmth surrounding them.
My feet carried me to the bedside.
"Dr. Kai… thank you. I truly mean it, son."
Tears rolled down the man's face.
As if even he had lost hope of surviving.
Then his wife softly spoke.
"We were so worried… thank you so much. More than anything, he was afraid he wouldn't make it to our son Soho's wedding."
For a moment—
Time stopped.
My heart began beating again after years.
Just because of that name.
Soho.
The person I still couldn't decide was my nightmare or my dream.
My hands trembled.
The patient file slipped from my fingers and hit the floor.
I stood there, frozen.
A heavy lump tightened around my throat.
Just hearing his name…
"Dr. Kai? Are you alright? You look pale…"
The patient's voice pulled me back to reality.
I inhaled sharply.
Tried to pull myself together.
To hide my emotions.
But every time I heard his name, the mask of my smile cracked.
Shattered.
Like a key unlocking every memory I had buried.
I swallowed hard.
"I'm… fine. There's just something I need to take care of. Please excuse me."
My voice trembled.
Before they could reply, I left the room.
I could still hear their voices behind me.
But I couldn't stop.
It was strange…
After all these years,
just one small name
was enough to completely break me apart.
I hurried toward the elevator.
Pressed the button for the top floor.
The rooftop.
I just wanted to be alone.
Just for a few minutes.
To breathe.
By the time the elevator stopped, breathing already felt harder.
I climbed the metal stairs.
And pushed open the rooftop door.
A cold breeze crashed into me.
As if something inside my chest had been shoved backward.
It still hurt.
But softer this time.
I walked toward the edge and rested my hands against the short concrete wall.
The city breathed beneath me.
Tall buildings.
People endlessly coming and going.
Life moved on.
As if everything around me whispered:
Move on.
But I was still trapped in the past.
"Soho… I'm still the same weak person."
I grabbed my chest tightly and dropped to my knees.
My breathing grew heavier.
And the memories came rushing back.
"Kai."
"Kai…"
"Kaiii—"
His voice.
The same voice that used to call my name.
"Hey… are you okay?"
A worried voice suddenly broke through.
But before I could react—
Small arms wrapped tightly around me.
Firmly.
As if they refused to let go.
As if silently saying:
You're not alone.
Little by little, my breathing steadied.
My heartbeat slowed.
And then—
I smelled it again.
That fragrance.
Stronger than before.
But for the first time…
I didn't care.
I just wanted to stay like that for a little longer.
A few minutes passed.
Slowly, I pulled away.
And when I looked up—
I froze.
The same face.
The same girl I had seen that morning.
Long chestnut hair.
That same sunlit smile.
"Hey mister… can doctors get sick too?"
She asked with a grin.
I didn't know why…
But I found myself drawn to that smile.
And somehow—
It hurt at the same time.
I stood up and looked at her.
"To be honest… I don't know why doctors get sick either."
I said with a bitter smile.
"But don't worry, mister. Just like I made you feel better today… I'll make you better again."
For a moment, I was caught off guard.
"Hey… what's your name—?"
Ding. Ding.
My phone interrupted me.
It was the hospital director.
He never called without a reason.
I answered.
"Kai, come to my office. Now. I need to talk to you."
Before I could ask anything, he hung up.
His tone was serious.
Too serious.
It was rare for him not to even greet me.
When the call ended, I looked back in front of me.
But the girl was gone.
As if she had never been there at all.
I glanced around.
No one.
Quietly, I left the rooftop.
The whole way, I kept wondering what the director could possibly want.
When I reached his office door, I took a slow breath and stepped inside.
The room was decorated in black, gray, and white.
The only living color was the green of the plants beside the black sofas.
The director sat behind his desk.
His back facing me.
But he wasn't alone.
An older woman sat nearby.
Her clothes told me she wasn't ordinary.
Yet the thing that caught my attention—
Was her smile.
Strangely unfamiliar.
Yet oddly familiar.
"Kai, sit down. This is important."
His voice was unusually serious.
I sat.
The woman gently placed a file on the glass table.
"Actually… I wanted to ask you for a favor."
She spoke softly.
But this time, her smile had faded.
Only worry remained.
I opened the file.
Medical record.
And the condition was severe.
Very severe.
Patient Name: Florence Aster
Age: 8
Medical History: Brain tumor since age three
Current Condition: Rapid progression, worsening neurological symptoms, severe physical weakness, limited response to treatment
Estimated Prognosis: Critical
The woman took a deep breath.
"She's been fighting this illness for five years… I know maybe I shouldn't hope anymore… but when my son talked about you, something inside me told me I had to come find you."
She paused.
"Even my daughter-in-law and younger son have given up on her… she has no one."
Something inside my chest ached.
Being alone…
In a world where nobody waits for you—
That kind of loneliness hurts.
I looked up.
"I'll do everything I can."
Then added firmly:
"And I'll save her."
For the first time, hope trembled inside her eyes.
A hope too afraid to fully exist.
She smiled softly.
"My granddaughter's name…"
She paused.
"…is Florence."
I didn't know why.
But hearing her name—
A strange warmth settled inside me.
As if…
I had known someone for a very long time—
Someone I hadn't truly met yet.