Ha Yoon greets his colleagues with a polite smile, settling into his seat in front of the computer. Staff login. Password. The default wallpaper welcomes him. Contrary to his past, his desk is organised in a tidy fashion with receipts stacked in a basket, patient documents stored in a low file cabinet, stationeries hiding in the desk drawer. Post-it notes line the sides of his monitor screen with scribbles of reminders and smiley faces to keep him encouraged.

Ha Yoon is a changed man.

He’s no longer the most ruthless female delinquent in the area, but a customer-facing receptionist at the hospital.

And he quite likes it.

No more worries about fighting other school gangs. No more riding a motorbike illegally. No more injuries after nights of scuffles because of some dude whose silly little pride got hurt. Now all he has to worry about is inputting patient data into the computer accurately.

Both Dae Won and him have menial jobs but he's fine with it. As long as he can stay with Dae Won, it doesn't matter how boring his daily life is. When he gets home, Dae Won's bright smile will be waiting for him.

The thought brings a tug to the corner of his lips.

Maybe he will buy some cakes to celebrate their new apartment. Dae Won prefers strawberry cakes. Despite his dirty desires, Ha Yoon loves how sweet and pure Dae Won is. An angelic being that shines like a radiant star who’s ready to face the world with the energy of a young man. As though they’ve never really grown up. Just like old times.

The entrance door opens and the first patients start to file in.

Ha Yoon puts the cake idea aside and readies himself for another day of customer service. It is all the same, mostly. Greeting, asking for the patient’s name, inputting data into the computer, and directing the patient to sit in the waiting area. Time slowly ticks by as the hospital begins to grow a crowd.

“Next please,” Ha Yoon calls out to the line.

A tall man clad in black walks up; a confident gait in his stance. Sleeveless vest reveals the dragon tattoos on his pale skin and a brace on his left forearm. A bottom lip piercing. Two eyebrow piercings. Dark eyes hidden underneath long bangs. His entire demeanor contrasts the stark whiteness of the hospital.

Ha Yoon carefully studies the man, unable to hide his curiosity. If Dae Won and he hadn’t cleaned up their act, perhaps they will look just like this man.

“Your name, please, sir?” Ha Yoon smiles.

The man shifts his weight and in a husky voice, says, “Cho Ki Tae.”

Cho Ki Tae.

The name hits Ha Yoon with a whiplash.

A name he doesn’t expect to hear after all these years.

A name from their high school days.

Ha Yoon looks up from the computer screen and makes eye contact with Ki Tae. The brief moment when their gazes meet, Ha Yoon’s eyes widen. Time stops. No, time rewinds to the days long forgotten. The days of freedom and running around without a care in the world.

Ki Tae’s pale lips part. “Yu Ha Yoon?”

“Cho Ki Tae?” Ha Yoon murmurs in disbelief. “Is it really you?”

“Wow!” Ki Tae’s sullen look breaks into a wide smile. “How long has it been? Four years? Five?”

“Five years!” Ha Yoon returns the playful smile. A nostalgic excitement bubbles inside him. “It’s really been that long! How have you been?”

The nurse next to him coughs to get his attention. “Ha Yoon, we’ve got a line.”

“Oh, sorry!” Ha Yoon returns his attention to his work. “Do you have an appointment?”

“Yeah, with the physio. I’m getting this taken off. Can’t wait to get back to playing guitar properly.” Ki Tae indicates the brace. The wide smile never leaves his lips. “We oughta catch up. When are you free?”

While Ha Yoon has changed so much since high school, time seems to have stopped for Ki Tae. Long, messy dark hair framing pale, chiseled face. A low, raspy voice that hasn’t lost its rugged charms. The same aloof air of confidence that is only a second away from turning him into the Mad Dog of the streets.

Ha Yoon chooses to ignore the heat on his cheeks and the little jump of his heart.