Sun Woo paused for a moment as he reached out to put on a new glove. His hand, which was heading towards the glove, changed direction towards the handset of the internal phone.

“Nurse, just a moment please.”
As soon as he put down the handset, Sun Woo, who had picked up his mobile phone, called Eun Jae.

After a brief series of dial tones, the woman’s voice came through. Her voice was soft and sweet, like flower fragrance dispersing from the tip of the nose.

He had been feeling heavy all morning, thinking he might have hurt her with unnecessary words, but he was relieved to hear her voice sounding quite alright.

[Yes, doctor.] That darn ‘doctor’ reference.

Sun Woo snorted quietly and asked.

“Where are you?”
[I was just about to visit my mother’s hospital. I just came out.] He heard a sound as if a cold wind at the threshold of spring was brushing past her.

Was it because he saw the cherry blossoms blooming at the entrance of his apartment this morning? Or was it because the cherry blossoms, which didn’t impress him even after 10 years, looked beautiful today.

The image of her walking under a disheveled cherry blossom tree, talking on the phone, was vivid in his mind.

“Your aunt came home.”
[Ah. I was actually going to tell you, but I thought you might be busy. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you in advance.] She seemed to sigh as if she had forgotten what had happened in the morning.

She must have been flustered, surprised.

[I didn’t know what to tell her…….] The woman hesitated for a moment before trailing off in her response.

[I did tell her that we’re seeing each other in a good way.] Even though it was just a call, it felt as if she was standing right in front of him.

Would she have placed her hands on her cheeks flushed like a peach, or perhaps lowered her head in shyness? If she had been in front of him, he might have patted her head.

“You did well.”
[Huh?] “You did well, Miss Ji Eun Jae.”
Upon hearing her flustered, rising voice, Sun Woo laughed again, realizing he was laughing only when he looked at the mirror placed diagonally.

He found his reflection in the mirror unfamiliar, but he didn’t particularly dislike it.

After hanging up the phone, Eun Jae cooled her hot face with a hand fan.

“Why does he keep doing this?”
Is it because he is blinded by the hospital now? What can’t he do? It wouldn’t be difficult for him to please me.

In her ceaseless thoughts, she almost missed the bus to the hospital. Eun Jae hastily boarded the bus, resting her head against the window and gazing absently at the scenery outside.

The cherry blossom petals fluttering in the wind seemed a lot like her.

They were falling helplessly even at a small breeze, much like how her mood fluctuated with the man’s slight actions.

Thinking of the man who looked as if he would easily fall over no matter what he did, Eun Jae thought it was unfair.

And she made a resolution to keep a proper distance before facing a tragedy.

Don’t be fooled by the man’s light laughter.

You won’t fall for your superficial tricks.

Arriving at the hospital to pay her mother’s hospital bill, she was told that the settlement had already been made. Furthermore, she was told that her mother had been moved to a VIP ward today.

She laughed dryly.

The moment she heard that story, one person’s face popped into Eun Jae’s mind. There was only one person who would do such a thing,

Yoon Sun Woo. It was only him.

Reaching for her phone in her pocket to make a call, Eun Jae paused realizing it was consultation time, and then she wrote a text message.

While waiting for the man’s response, Eun Jae followed the nurse’s instructions and headed towards the VIP ward where her mother was admitted.

It was a VIP ward, so luxury emanated from the entrance itself. Next to the door, a card with her mother’s name was inserted.

Jung Mi Ran F/58

At her mother’s threeletter name, a strange prickling sensation stung her nose.

She just inserted her hand into the door handle and pushed it slightly, but the door opened smoothly.

Stepping into the room, the luxurious scene that unfolded in front of her made Eun Jae’s mouth open automatically. It felt more like entering a splendid hotel rather than a hospital room.

Her mother was lying facing the window with the bed head up, facing the cloudy humidifier.

Outside the window, cherry blossom petals were scattered in the wind.

It looked like a painting.

“Mom.”
“Oh, Eun Jae!”
At Eun Jae’s voice, Mi Ran’s head turned towards Eun Jae. There was an inexplicable joy on Mi Ran’s face calling for Eun Jae.

Eun Jae hastily walked towards Mi Ran, swallowing the rising emotions. They grabbed each other’s arms and were too busy examining each other’s complexions.

Her mother had Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). This disease is where lung function gradually decreases due to airway obstruction.

At first, she thought it was just a cold, and later, she thought it was asthma. She had undergone treatment, but there was no improvement.