The moment I arrived at the university hospital, I followed Chief Kang’s instructions and simply stated my name at the reception desk.
“Go Hana, here for a private room visit.”
The receptionist, upon hearing my name, immediately made a call and then a young male staff member approached me.
He escorted me to the elevator with a level of courtesy that could only be described as extravagant.
I expected the staff member to give me brief instructions and leave once I got into the elevator, but he got in with me.
The elevator doors closed, and silence enveloped the space as it ascended.
Awkward.
Uncomfortable.
It was so awkward that I wondered if I should force a topic of conversation.
‘Should I ask him what games he plays?’
In my previous life, I had slacked off on art and everything else until middle school, so I had knowledge of all the games that would trend for the next four to five years…
-Ding!
“We’ve arrived. Please follow me this way.”
“Oh, uh, sure.”
Yep, brain reset.
Following the staff’s guidance, we reached the hospital’s top floor, where the VIP ward was located.
The entire trip took less than three minutes, or so it felt.
My eyes were immediately drawn to the view of the Han River through the top-floor windows.
‘Wow, I didn’t realize Seoul could look so open.’
The city and its buildings seemed to shrink into puzzle pieces that completed the vast tableau of Seoul.
It was merely a change in perspective, but the emotional satisfaction it provided was immense.
The expansive view and spaciousness made the ambitions of the wealthy easy to understand.
In contrast, the cramped villa clusters looked harshly inferior to this luxurious top-floor space.
‘No wonder successful people put all their energy into living in high-rises or upscale neighborhoods.’
Well.
In my past life, I never escaped the semi-basement life.
Haha.
The year 2004 was such an ambiguous time period.
I couldn’t wait to jump onto the cryptocurrency boom.
Even by 2008, I could have capitalized on the economic issues in a classic regression power play, and beyond that, the vast internet world awaited.
‘In 2008, I’d be a high school girl. Should I stream with a shy high school girl concept?’
In fact, if I started preparing content now, I could even reign as the ancestor of kids’ channels.
I knew better than anyone how video platforms would evolve.
‘I have plenty of options. If it’s just about making money, there’s really no reason to continue with art in the future.’
When I thought about it again, preparing the capital for regression power plays felt like too modest a goal.
Then, for what reason…
Am I pursuing art?
‘I don’t really know.’
Just as I was thinking that, a question from Mari, who had collapsed from an accident, resurfaced in my mind.
-Do you enjoy drawing?
And with that, it felt like my momentarily wavering thoughts realigned.
“…Ha.”
Yeah.
I do enjoy it.
I want to keep doing it.
I want to become a better artist than I was in my previous life.
‘You already knew the answer, didn’t you?’
To think I gained this realization from an injured middle schooler…
Well…
Startled by the sound of my voice, the staff member walking ahead turned around.
“Yes?”
“I forgot something.”
“What did you forget…?”
A get-well gift.
It’s a universal rule.
Forgetting it would feel inconsiderate.
Even though I’m in the body of a young elementary school girl, I can’t let my mind go ‘Hana doesn’t know such things, wahhh…’
I hurriedly scanned the nearby shopping area, but it was too far to read the signs from this top floor.
‘Was there a fruit store nearby? Or should I get a box of juice instead? Now that I think about it, I forgot to fill out the visitation log. I should’ve done that back at the desk.’
Before entering the VIP ward, I explained my situation to the staff.
I didn’t want to be pressed for time, given my later-than-expected arrival.
To my surprise, his response was incredibly accommodating.
“The VIP ward manages separate records, so you don’t have to worry about that. Also, VIP patients are well-provided for by the hospital, so gifts aren’t a big deal here.”
“I-I see. And is there a specific visiting hour policy?”
“Officially, it’s the same as the general ward, but since the professor in charge of the room has approved your visit, you’re free to stay as long as you like.”
“Th-That’s good to know.”
Hmm…
‘So that’s why Chief Kang only told me the date.’
When we parted ways, Chief Kang had only told me the date and nothing more.
No mention of an exact time or any specific details.
The reason for his lack of information was simple.
The place Mari was admitted to was a VIP room, where such things didn’t matter.
If you have money…
The hospital takes care of everything for you.
For the first time, I felt the stark difference in the world Mari lived in.
Feeling slightly intimidated, I arrived at the ward.
As the staff opened the door, the sight that greeted me was…
Mari, sitting at a table in her hospital gown, shoveling chicken porridge into her mouth.
Her cheeks bulged as she stuffed herself.
She had a white plastic brace around her waist and her right hand was secured in a cast.
Struggling to eat with her left hand, she ended up smearing porridge on her cheeks.
Mari looked at me with wide, surprised eyes.
“Mm?”
Oh.
She’s in the middle of a meal.
“…Hi. Sorry for dropping by while you’re eating.”
“Hi!”
Mari beamed, her eyes sparkling.
“Nom nom, Hana! Your outfit’s super cute! Want to eat with me?”
“Og…?”
How is that related to my outfit, or her meal…?
“It’s fine. I’d feel bad taking your food.”
As soon as I said that, Mari turned to the staff and declared, “One more serving here, please!”
“Right away, miss.”
“Wait, hold on…! That quickly?!”
“Huh? You’re not eating? Did you already have lunch?”
“No, I haven’t eaten yet.”
“Why not? Skipping meals isn’t good for growing.”
“It wasn’t intentional. I just got on the wrong bus…”
“A bus? You ride those alone? Wow, that’s amazing. Can you even tie your own shoelaces by yourself?”
“Uh, y-yeah.”
“Wow… I still get confused if it’s not a familiar road. The flowers and plants look different and confuse me. And shoelaces? Just looking at them makes my head spin… Isn’t that weird?”
I heard there are surprisingly many people like her.
Something about their brains taking in too much unnecessary information.
Whether it’s emotions or sensations, life only works if you filter them properly.
‘There are even more eccentric professors and artists out there, so this isn’t a big deal…’
I nodded in agreement.
“It’s not weird. I’ve heard of people like that. They say landscapes or objects look chaotic, like letters all jumbled together, and it’s hard to tell them apart…”
“Ahh! Mmmph…!”
‘What’s with her? Calm down…?’
Mari, visibly delighted, pointed at the porridge bowl and then at me with a finger.
Her motions grew quicker and more urgent.
The staff, seemingly accustomed to this, smiled wryly.
“I’ll bring it right away.”
“Thank you!”
Mari nodded vigorously, then looked straight at me.
“Actually, I just want to eat with Hana.”
With that, Mari unhesitatingly put down her spoon and patted the seat next to her.
“Mm-hmm~!”
‘She wants me to sit next to her? This kid sure uses a lot of nonverbal expressions.’
Having no choice, I sat beside her.
Mari suddenly put her arm around my shoulder and pulled me into a hug.
‘What’s going on…?!’
Then she sniffed me.
“Sniff…
‘What now… Is she a puppy?’
While I was still in shock over the lack of boundaries, Mari tilted her head.
“Your shampoo smells like mint. Something floral would be cuter and suit you better.”
“Uh, yeah. I use the same one as my uncle…”
“Really? You must be close with your uncle! Do you ever think about drawing sunflowers?”
Sunflowers, out of nowhere? How did the topic jump from my uncle to sunflowers?
The combination of sunflowers and uncle reminded me of someone.
‘Vincent van Gogh? Is she joking about Gogh being close with his uncle? What a random subject.’
And yet, the mention of Vincent van Gogh, the epitome of a “genius unrecognized until death,” felt ironically poignant.
Though I knew she meant no harm, it still stung a little.
‘Gogh… ouch. I’m not a genius like him, but still.’
But I responded in a way that wouldn’t embarrass Mari.
“If I drew that, I’d probably fight with a friend. I don’t want that.”
Mari beamed with the brightest smile possible.
Van Gogh had painted sunflowers, but he ended up seeing them as a mockery.
This led to an emotional fallout with his friend Gauguin, culminating in their separation.
Recognizing that her response referenced the earlier statement, Mari spoke.
“Hmm, hmm… then there’s no helping it. I don’t use the same shampoo as my dad, but should I start tomorrow? What do you think?”
“Huh? Uh, I mean, you don’t have to…”
“I want to try doing it like you.”
“Um… I wouldn’t really recommend it.”
“Why not?”
‘What should I say? Should I tell her it’s because we can’t afford different shampoos?’
Feeling the warmth of Mari’s presence from behind my shoulder, I organized my thoughts.
There was no malice in her words, but I couldn’t help but wonder if she had a talent for stepping right into awkward situations.
At the same time, I started to understand the peculiar cause of Mari’s behavior.
‘She doesn’t have friends, does she?’
Giving food to someone suddenly, trying to understand someone through all five senses, and diving straight into sensitive topics during conversations—all of it resembled the basic stages of making friends as a child.
With that understanding, everything clicked into place.
This girl… she had an outgoing personality, but her ability to form friendships was hopeless.
‘So that’s why she was sitting in the corner during the competition.’
Mari’s school life played out in my mind, and I couldn’t help but smile bitterly as I replied.
In situations like this, the best approach was just to nod and agree.
“Alright, let’s use the same shampoo from now on.”
“Wow! Which one? Do you have a favorite?”
“I’m not good at picking stuff like clothes or beauty products. Can you pick one for me?”
“Sure! I’d love to!”
Mari clenched her fists in determination, and I couldn’t help but find her adorable.
‘Yes, grow up bright and cheerful. There’s plenty of time to learn how to make friends and to grow as a person.’
Mari suddenly looked at me.
“How’s the fit of the clothes?”
“Huh? Uh… they fit fine.”
I did wonder, though. How did she figure out my exact size when we’d only seen each other briefly before?
“Hehe, I’ve always been good at estimating sizes and proportions. I could tell your size at a glance. But now that I look closely, your chest is smaller than I thought… maybe I got tricked by your slim waist. It’s strange—at your age, there should be a bit more development. Anyway, now that I’ve gotten a closer look, I won’t get it wrong next time!”
What…?
That’s scary.
‘Wahhh, Hana doesn’t know about those things…!’
And so, we spent a noisy lunch together.
“What should we do now?”
“Not sure…”
I scratched my cheek and said, “Should we draw?”
Mari nodded vigorously, like a monkey doll sold at rest stops.
We spent the next two hours drawing.
It wasn’t about creating serious works of art but doodling casually.
We took turns being each other’s models, sketched the scenery reflected in the large windows, and played around with art.
Time flew by as we drew quietly without much conversation.
The hospital room floor was soon covered with countless sheets of paper filled with drawings.
“Wow… we used up so much paper.”
“Do you want to keep going?”
“No, let’s stop for today.”
“Alright…”
Mari sighed with disappointment and sat on a chair by the window.
The evening sunlight streaming through illuminated her cast and brace.
“…Mari.”
“Yeah, Hana?”
She didn’t mind me speaking informally to her; in fact, she seemed happy about it, so I continued.
“Does it hurt a lot?”
“Hmm, not really? I can still draw, but it’s not the same as before. When I put pressure on it, it tingles and hurts.”
“The doctor said they’d monitor it until the end of the year, and my dad suggested I take a year off from school.”
“Then rest well.”
Mari stared blankly out the window for a while before murmuring, “I don’t want to go back to school.”
“Huh?”
“I don’t want to go.”
Hanul Arts School…?
“Why?”
“Just… everyone looks at me strangely when I’m there. And it’s cold. Yeah, the dormitory is so cold.”
“That’s why I don’t want to go.”
“America is too cold, too. But on snowy days, it feels less cold, so it’s alright.”
Mari looked at me and smiled faintly.
“Honestly, I just want to stay in this hospital room forever. Even after the surgery, even after a year passes… I just want to live quietly here.”
She turned to me with a sly grin.
“And you’d visit me sometimes. No, every day! Every single day!”
“Promise me you’ll keep coming.”
“Of course, we’re…”
Friends.
Mari looked back at the sunset.
Seeing her like that made me feel a little sad.
‘Her heart must be deeply… hurt.’
A genius.
A genius whose spirit had been crushed.
Can a crushed genius continue to live?
Would she just stay cooped up in this hospital?
‘I don’t like the idea of that.’
So I said it.
“Mari.”
“Yeah? What is it?”
“Would you be happy if I went to Hanul?”
“And would you still want to draw there?”
“Yes, but Hana, your age…”
“That’s easy—I just need to get there faster.”
Mari pulled her gaze away from the sunset and looked at me.
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
Her eyes sparkled with hope, filled with expectation for the future.
Seeing that look, I couldn’t help but make up my mind.
‘So that’s how it is.’
I had decided.
‘It’s about time I skipped elementary school.’
I had determined the next step on my path.
It was a place I would eventually need to visit anyway.
A friend I’d met just a day ago.
And the idol who had been the start of my dream for the past twenty years.
For her, and toward her, I decided to take my steps sooner than expected.
‘This must be fate.’
And on that day, under the setting sun…