Melodies of Life

Chapter 4. Beautiful in White

As I step inside the gates of the orphanage we once called home, bittersweet memories come flashing in my head one by one.

"Hurry up you rascal!" My sister Maedy scolds me as we make our way to the hallway.

"As usual the Kangs are late." A familiar authoritative voice speaks from behind us.

"I'm very sorry, eonnie. It's Ming's fault this time. He stayed up all night banging on his drums." Maedy points at me accusingly.

"So what are you playing later, Ming?" Dawn smiles at me warmly.

I try to think but my mind fails me.

"Judging on the very disturbing noise he created last night, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Nirvana version." Maedy answers for me.

"That's too much rage, how about Maroon 5 instead?" Dawn laughs.

I force a laugh too. What they didn't know is that I was really angry last night. Angry at myself for making the girl that I like cry.

"Oh they're here already. Come, both of you, let's welcome them." Dawn leads us to the group of approaching people.

"Good morning. We're the volunteers. I'm doctor Seth Park and here are my students, Cris Jung and Kit Shim." A young man garbed in white coat on top of expensive clothes bows formally at us.

I look at Cris only to see the same surprise mirrored back in her eyes.

"Dawn Choi. Thanks for coming and no need to be formal." She laughs then turns to us. "These are my co, I mean the ex-orphans from here, Mae and Ming."

I swear I saw Cris suppress a laugh. I know for a fact that my nickname sounds funny, but I didn't know it was that funny, to the extent that she would laugh despite of what I did to her yesterday. Now I'm regretting that I didn't stop Dawn from introducing me like that. Maybe I should stop using that stupid nickname. Totally.

"Let's go see the kids." Dawn walks towards a room and we follow.

As soon as we set foot in the room, doctor Seth begins instructing Cris and Kit.

It was new to me seeing Cris in a white coat. She just looks so serious and focused today as compared to the cheerful and carefree girl I met yesterday. It was like seeing two different persons. But that doesn't make me like her less. It made me like her even more.

"Everyone is fine." Cris says with a confident tone.

"I think mine has asthma." Kit frantically looks at the booklet she is holding.

"Okay, Cris go help them. Kit, you stay with me. Let's prove your asthma theory. If it isn't, you know what to do." Doctor Seth laughs diabolically.

"I'll be watching the kids. It's only cooking and laundry today for you two." Dawn waves her hand dismissively.

I put out my closed fist towards Maedy's.

"Aren't you tired?" She giggles with a hint of insult.

"No. I'll use stone." I grin at her.

"You always do." Maedy laughs. "Here we go."

"Rock, paper, scissors!" We both chant.

As always, I pull out a stone while it is paper for her. It has always been like that, let her win, or else she'll ask for a rematch. Again and again, until she wins. Then the game never ends.

"Time to use these muscles on those big bed sheets, Ming." She squeezes my arms playfully.

"Make sure whatever you cook will be edible." I make fun of her.

She rolls her eyes, then punches my arm. I laugh at her. She's always been like that. Never a good sport.

"Ummm, excuse me..." Cris lets out a shy smile towards Maedy. Only to her. "What can I do to help?"

"Oh, we're alright. We can handle. Besides you're a doctor, you're not supposed to do these kinds of things." Maedy answers with a smile.

Cris giggles. "I'm not yet a doctor. And I came here as a volunteer, so I should help."

"Well, if you insist. Why don't you help Ming?" Maedy suggests.

The expression on Cris' face suddenly changes.

"Sure." She smiles. A half- baked one.

-

Cris and I stay in deafening silence as we do the laundry. Good thing, she was ignoring me, so I get the chance to stare at her longer. She looks more beautiful with her hair tied up, I'm finding it hard to take my eyes off her. I was enjoying my view of her face when suddenly she wince as some soap suds got caught in her eye. I immediately get the water hose and spray it on her face. I was shocked to see the water pressure was so strong, she was even blocking it. I quickly turn it off. And as I see her crumpled, wet face and unruly hair, I burst into thunders of laughter. Despite the couple of death glares she shot me, I continue to laugh. Her face was so hilarious.

"I'm sorry." I manage to utter in between my successive laughter.