Paper Cranes

Part 1

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 Chaeyoung 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,” Lisa 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,” Chaeyoung 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?”

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

Chaeyoung’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?” Lisa squeezes the empty cup jokingly as she chastises Chaeyoung. “It’s taboo to use that word!”

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

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

She misses, much to her dismay while Chaeyoung laughs a little. The taller 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.

-/-/-/-

Chaeyoung 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.

“Eonnie!”

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, Irene, says.

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

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

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

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