Saiko had never felt so energized, so driven. As he went from room to room, dutifully attending to each patient, he wore a bright smile, his single eye lighting up with pride as he adjusted pillows, poured water, and changed sheets. He'd finally begun to master the little tasks the doctor gave him, and every small success filled him with a hopeful warmth, a wish that maybe the doctor would notice his progress and offer him even the smallest bit of praise.
But amid his duties, he noticed someone new.
In the dim, sterile light of the hospital hallway, Saiko caught sight of a woman sitting on the edge of a patient's bed. Her features were delicate, her long, flowing hair framing her face with an ethereal grace that seemed to shine even in the gloom. She wore a simple dress, but the way she held herself—the elegance, the calmness—made her look like someone out of a storybook.
He wasn't the only one mesmerized; Dr. Shuu, standing nearby, had stopped what he was doing, his gaze lingering on her with a look Saiko had never seen before. The doctor's eyes softened, his posture loosening, as if the woman's beauty had some spellbinding effect. Saiko felt his heart ache, watching as the doctor, so cold and stoic with him, seemed to look at this stranger with a quiet fascination.
When the doctor finally pulled himself away, his face returned to its usual, unreadable sternness, and he left the room without a word, his footsteps fading down the hallway. But Saiko remained behind, unable to tear his gaze from the woman. He felt a pang of envy—a strange, unfamiliar feeling that gnawed at him from the inside, mingling with his admiration for her beauty.
Before he realized what he was doing, he found himself standing next to her, his hands wringing the hem of his apron nervously. He cleared his throat, his voice a soft, shaky whisper. "E-excuse... Saiko... wants to know..."
The woman turned to look at him, her gentle smile melting some of his nerves. She raised a brow, curiosity glimmering in her eyes as she waited for him to speak.
"Um, Saiko... uh... wants to learn to be beautiful, like lady," he stammered, his words tumbling out in a rush. "Saiko knows... just a silly-silly, wibbly-wobbly cyclops... but maybe lady can teach Saiko? Make Saiko... less... monster?"
The woman's gaze softened, a faint pity in her eyes as she studied him. She reached out, her hand gentle as she touched his shoulder, her voice a soft murmur. "Oh, sweetheart... why would you ever think you're a monster?"
Saiko's eye widened, his hands still clinging to his apron. "B-because... Saiko's just... not like others." He hesitated, his gaze flicking to the floor. "Doctor... Doctor looks at Saiko, and... it's like Saiko is just a... mistake."
The woman's gentle smile never faltered, her hand resting lightly on his shoulder. "Being beautiful isn't about what you look like on the outside," she said, her voice calm and reassuring. "It's about what's in here." She tapped his chest lightly, where his heart would be.
"But..." Saiko stammered, his gaze flickering uncertainly between her and the floor. "But Doctor... Doctor looked at lady with... with soft-soft eyes. Doctor never looks at Saiko that way."
Her eyes grew a little sad as she took in his trembling form, but she kept her voice gentle. "You deserve someone who looks at you with soft eyes because they love what's in here," she said, tapping his chest again. "Not because of how you look."
For a moment, Saiko felt a flicker of understanding—a tiny flame of warmth blossoming in his heart. But then he shook his head, his voice desperate as he whispered, "Please... just... teach Saiko to be beautiful, like lady. So Doctor... will see Saiko too."
The woman sighed softly, pity pooling in her gaze as she looked at him. She lifted her hand to his face, tucking a stray lock of his hair behind his ear. "All right," she murmured. "I can't make you see what you're worth, but I can help you learn a little about beauty if it will make you happy."
