Lessons From Romance

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With love comes pain and Namjoo was really never really sure of that. Those who were brave enough to bare their naked souls, unclothe themselves, and allow their lover to take them as is were very courageous in her eyes. Those were things she wouldn't be able to do.

Kim Namjoo thought love was an amazing thing. She always felt touched when she saw lovers holding hands. She also thought that one day she could do that herself with the man of her life, but that time was yet to come. Now she just wanted herself.

The hospital was full of its casual traffic that afternoon. Namjoo was a nurse at Myung Woo Hospital. She'd been working there ever since she graduated from medical school and the hospital was almost like her second home.

The corridor was empty and pausing in her steps turned to glance out the large square window extending down the hallway. The tree leaves were swaying tediously in the wind and she could see the hot afternoon sun sparkling through them. It looked so pretty like sunshine shining off the water.

Namjoo felt at peace and allured for a long while until she remembered she had a patient to visit. Raising the clipboard in her arms up she glanced at the room number and started down the hallway. The scent of freshly washed sheets floated up her nose when she pushed the door open. To her right saw a twin bed with a man deeply asleep. Without glancing at him she walked toward the IV drip to check on it before looking at the young fellow.

He had somewhat dark brownish hair and didn't look at all very old. Observing his state told her that he wasn't brought in from exhaustion. There were dark bags under his eyes, but they weren't that dark. Returning her eyes to the clipboard she flipped through his report.

According to the papers he'd been brought in after slitting his wrist and severe bleeding. The cut was deep but his important vessel was safe from damage, which was a relief. Hugging the clipboard to her chest she glanced down at his left hand where a mass of white bandage was safely hugging his wrist. There was a thin line of red blood and she could only imagine the pain from the cut.

Reaching down to make sure the bandage wouldn't fall off she gently stroked her finger over the tape. The movement of his fingers caught her eyes and she felt him try to reach up for her hand. Upon the stroke of her hand she immediately pulled back surprised. When she glanced over at the patient she realized his eyes were thinly opened; he was looking at her. Namjoo stared at him suddenly blank for a second before regaining her senses.

"Are you awake?" Namjoo questioned. "Wait a moment, I'll get the doctor."

Namjoo immediately dashed out of the room and returned with the doctor a few moments later. Standing behind the doctor she watched the patient who'd fallen back to sleep observantly.

"He should be alright," the doctor turned around after examining him. "He's still probably sleepy from the anesthesia last night. Nurse Ok is making her round in a bit, isn't she?"

"Yes."

"Why don't you get off work now? I know you must be tired from your 10 hours here," the doctor smiled.

Brightly smiling Namjoo nodded and a few moments later was outside of the hospital. Her plans were that she was going to catch up on some sleep before finally meeting up with childhood friend Chae Yoon. From little girls to women Namjoo couldn't recall a moment without her beloved friend, who was now an editor for Korea's hottest fashion magazine.

Namjoo lived alone in an apartment building fifteen floors high. Namjoo was raised by her wealthy mother from young after taken away from her father. He was someone she couldn't remember well because she'd been separated from him for such a long time. Whenever she took to asking her mother about him she tended to change the topic at least ninety-percent of the time. Although she knew nothing about her biological father, she still had her step-father.