My Little Sun

12: A day in a life of a medical student

It's been three years since I started college and the word easy was never part of it.

I'm waking up at 4 am to study my notes and read books in advance then cook some simple dish for my breakfast. Mostly, sandwiches and oats mixed with fruits.

My class starts at 7 and will end at 6 pm. 

From school, I always make sure to visit the hospital and check on Aelia. Yes, after 3 years, she's still not waking up. I would stay there for a few hours, just talking to her and sometimes, study with her. After that,  I'll go home and change into my running clothes. I need to stay fit if I want to survive college and besides, running relieves a lot of stress from my brain and body.

After an hour of run, I'll take a short rest then take a bath, eat dinner, and study again before sleeping.

The same routine happens every day.

I'm doing my best but unfortunately, it's not enough to put me on top. Well, it's not that I'm really aiming to be on top. Learning a lot of things inside the classroom and being able to apply what we learned in real situations, are enough for me.

Yes, my three years are full of challenges and it was tiring, sometimes, depressing and frustrating but I never thought of giving up. I know Aelia's fighting too so I must do the same.

My birthday came once again and I got used to celebrating it like a normal day. Sleeping, ordering food, or doing my rounds as an intern. Yet this year is different.

While I was doing my report in the college library, I received a call from Doctor Kim. Something happened to Aelia and everyone, including her relatives, was asked to go to the hospital.

I kept on praying on the way to her room.

When I arrived, I saw the doctors and nurses, taking away the machines and wires that had kept her alive for many years. The bed too was emptied. 

"Tristan---I'm sorry--" 

I grabbed Doctor Kim's coat and pulled him to me. "No, where is she?" 

He pushed me away. "Calm down, Tristan---" 

"Calm down? Calm down?! Doc---you told me yesterday that she's doing okay but now--" 

He smiled. "Exactly! She's doing okay--no, she's actually better, Tristan. Look behind you." 

I turned behind me.

She's sitting in a wheelchair, smiling at me as if nothing bad happened to her. "Hi, Tree. I'm back. Hehe..." 

After 10 years, I cried in front of her for the first time.