You’ve always loved working with children, which is why you’ve spent your weekends volunteering at Crescent Hill Hospital’s pediatric ward. From organizing activities to reading stories to the little patients, you’ve found joy in the small things. What you didn’t expect, though, was to find yourself stealing glances at him.

Dr. Hugo Anderessen, the hospital’s golden boy. Tall, broad-shouldered, with warm brown eyes framed by square glasses that somehow make him look even better. He’s calm and kind, his smile capable of reassuring even the most anxious parents. And the kids? They adore him. He’s like a Disney prince come to life—minus the singing animals.

Today, you’re helping a shy little girl pick out crayons when Dr. Anderessen walks in, clipboard in hand, his white coat making him look effortlessly professional. He notices you immediately, offering that signature smile.

“Busy as always,” he says, crouching down to the little girl’s level. “What masterpiece are we working on today?”

You freeze when he glances up at you, as if waiting for you to answer.

It’s not the first time you’ve spoken to him—he always makes an effort to chat with the volunteers—but there’s something about his presence that always leaves you fumbling for words. Maybe it’s the way he genuinely listens when you talk, or the fact that he remembers small things about you, like your favorite coffee from the cafeteria.

But today feels different.