We all have a wish, don't we?
There isn't a single soul in this world who hasn't longed for something just out of reach — Something that could lift the weight from their shoulders, Something that might, even for a moment, make life a little easier.
Is it wrong to wish for more? I don't think so. Wishing is human. We hope. We ache. We dream. We reach out to the stars, whispering our silent desires into the void, yearning for something better.
And that's what a wish truly is — A quiet rebellion against the burdens we carry.
A spark of hope in a world that often feels heavy.
And just like everyone else, I carried one too.
A wish.
---
The hospital was in chaos.
Few came here by choice — only those who were sick, or the rare few who still carried love deep enough to make the journey. Nurses moved briskly through the corridors, wheeling equipment, responding to alarms. Some people sat hunched over forms, others stood impatiently at the billing counter. The air reeked of antiseptic and exhaustion.
Amidst it all, a boy walked quietly.
Nolan Park.
Young. Gentle. Almost too soft for a place like this. From a distance, he could easily be mistaken for a girl — delicate features, fluffy brown hair, and eyes like a doe's, wide and weary. He wasn't tall, just average. Ordinary, perhaps, if you didn't look closely. But if you did — if you looked into his eyes — you'd see it.
The quiet grief. The ache of someone who had seen too much, too soon.
He had just graduated middle school and was set to begin high school. And yet, the weight he carried gave him the eyes of someone far older.
"Hey, Nolan. Back to see your mother again?"
A warm voice called out. It was Gyejeol — a nurse, and a familiar presence in the sterile halls. A beautiful young woman with wavy black hair that fell to her shoulders and a pale complexion that contrasted her deep grey, almond-shaped eyes. She smiled as he passed, a soft, knowing smile.
She had known Nolan for years. She had watched him grow, suffer, and endure. And she adored him for it.
"Yes," he replied, returning the smile. "And thank you for your hard work today too, noona. Here—your favorite."
He handed her a small paper bag. The aroma of food wafted out.
"Oh my, Nolan, you're so sweet!" she beamed, patting his head. "You spoil me. If you keep this up, I might just gobble you up."
"Please don't," he said, deadpan. "That's what the food's for."
She laughed, and he gave her a sheepish smile before continuing down the hall.
Ward No. 267.
A place he visited far too often. He wouldn't say he liked coming here — how could he? But he had no choice. Because in that room lay his entire world. His reason for living.
With a quiet breath, Nolan pushed open the door.
"I'm back, Mom. Did you rest well?"
Silence.
"I made a little more money today," he continued softly, slipping into the chair beside the bed. "Some uncle tipped me for sneaking him a drink. Don't worry, I didn't get caught."
Still silence.
"And... oh, there was this snobbish woman today. Real pretty, but a nightmare. Claimed her food was late and refused to pay. We argued for half an hour."
He laughed faintly. "Total mess."
Silence.
.
..
...
"…Mom. When will you wake up?"
She lay peacefully on the bed — beautiful even in her unconscious state. As if simply asleep. But her stillness hurt more than any wound. Nolan's gaze settled on her, soft and conflicted. His eyes shimmered with the kind of sorrow that had long stopped hoping — and yet couldn't stop trying.
If he lost her too... what would he even have left?
"…Working jobs and doing school—it's… it's really hard, Mom…"
His voice cracked. His fists clenched, and tears spilled onto them, warm and quiet. He rarely let himself break down. But in this room, with her, he could be vulnerable. She was the last reminder.
That something once felt safe. That someone once cared.
"…I'm trying. I really am. But this place... it's too small for me to survive. If I want to earn more… I have to move."
He reached out and gently held her hand. It felt light. Fragile.
"For your sake, I have to go. I found a good school in Seoul. I'll be moving there next week, once I've wrapped things up here." He gave a soft chuckle. "I don't really want to leave. But I don't have a choice, right?"
He bowed his head, lips trembling. She had been in this coma since he was thirteen — an accident that stole everything in an instant.
Since then, Nolan had worked nonstop. Delivery boy. Janitor. Waiter. He did it all. Whatever it took to pay the bills. To keep her alive.
"This time, I'll study properly. I won't let myself get distracted," he said with a quiet resolve. Then, he leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "And don't worry. I'll visit every month. Noona will take care of you while I'm gone."
As he walked to the door, he glanced back once more.
"…And Mom?" he paused, hand on the handle. "I promise I won't get into fights. I hate violence, remember?"
He smiled.
That same soft, angelic smile he always wore for her.
Then, he stepped out.
And the door closed behind him.
---
That was the day I made a wish.
I felt lost — completely, utterly defeated. All I wanted was to go home and not be met with silence. Not walk into an empty house filled only with the sound of a leaking ceiling and the weight of loneliness.
That day... I wished.
I wished for things to get better.
For life to finally show me a little kindness.
For something — anything — to go right.
But I had no idea...
That going to Seoul would mark the beginning of a journey I never asked for.
A path I was never meant to walk.