S City is a renowned playground, a place where grand casinos, bustling bars, and lavish hotels draw people in. Life there is notoriously expensive, surrounded by towering skyscrapers and majestic, castle-like buildings that captivate all who pass by. Luxurious cars line the streets. By day, it’s a picture of wealth, but at night, the city truly comes alive as its casinos and bars open their doors. Yet, beneath this glamorous facade lies a hub of illegal activity. Besides gambling, the city is a breeding ground for drug trafficking, prostitution, and even murder. Despite this dark reputation, people flock to S City for its entertainment.
Across the major newspapers, a young doctor's genius was once celebrated. He graduated from medical school years ahead of schedule, becoming a full-fledged doctor at just 18. However, an incident at his hospital led to a devastating fall from grace. He lost his license at the peak of his career. Now, he is a shadow of his former self, haunted by the insults and contempt of those who once praised him. They now see him as a weak coward who values money over a patient's life.
In the shadows of S City, a rumor circulates about a man named Leidende, a brilliant doctor who demands an exorbitant fee for his services. In a warehouse belonging to a paper company, a surgery is underway. The doctor administers a local anesthetic and begins an intravenous drip. After stopping the patient’s heart, he connects them to a heart-lung machine to keep their organs alive. He sterilizes the surgical site, carefully making an incision down the center of the sternum. Blood seeps from the cut as he uses surgical instruments to expose the heart. A quick assessment tells him the problem. He reaches the heart valve, carefully excising the damaged leaflet and setting it aside. Choosing the right suture, he begins to stitch the edges back together. The doctor finishes the surgery, collapsing on a sofa from exhaustion.
A woman emerges from the operating room and looks at the young man slumped on the couch. "The surgery was a success. I'll transfer the money we agreed on, Leidende."
The Joy Hotel is known for its five-star service and massive revenue. Inside its banquet hall, a luxurious class reunion is in full swing, attended by some of the most influential people in society. Though called a reunion, it’s really a chance for everyone to show off their success. "I think Hy is missing," someone says. "I heard he's a back-alley doctor now, a real quack," another chimes in. "Didn't he get fired for killing a patient?" "Yeah, and that guy still has the nerve to show up here." They all look toward the young man, who is chatting with his close friends. Luckily for him, he has people who still believe in him.
"He's adorable! Is he your son?" a group of people say, gathering around a little boy in front of the doctor. The doctor looks at the cute child and gently ruffles his hair. "Yes, he's my beloved son. His name is Felix."
The slums stand in stark contrast to S City’s prosperity. It’s a neighborhood for the poor, often described as such by the wealthy. It's home to thieves, addicts, and sex workers. At 11:30 PM, the city is cloaked in darkness. The doctor and his friend stop at a bus station before heading to the slums. A man in his 40s or 50s approaches them. He’s thin, with frail arms visible through his worn shirt, and walks with a limp due to his old wooden prosthetic leg. His face is not one you'd easily trust. As they enter the slums, the doctor steps on something wet and red. It splashes onto his eyes and shoes. The ground is slick and sticky. The man says, "You just stepped on a dead rat. No one cleans up around here. You'd be safer hiring me as a guide." They decline and use a flashlight to navigate the slum, following a map to their pre-booked hotel. They have no idea what awaits them.
The slums are worlds away from S City's grandeur. Shacks are crammed together, and open acts of theft and pedophilia are common. The sounds of suffering echo from a nearby house. Finally, they reach a hotel called Liberi.
After checking in, they head toward their room. As they walk, the doctor's friend points to a sound coming from a half-open door down the hall. They approach room 34. Inside, a little boy, no older than elementary school age, is being attacked by a man who is tearing off his clothes. The boy’s cries for help are weak. The two men rush in to stop the attacker. The doctor scoops up the boy and his friend follows. They quickly take the child to an empty room.
The doctor tells his friend to take the child away quickly. The boy is frail and covered in scabs and old wounds. A quick look tells the doctor what has happened; he has a badly broken arm and leg. They break into a hotel room, taking the child inside. "Is the boy okay?" his friend asks. "He's lucky the man didn't do much harm." "What about the case?" "The boy is the last witness. All the other children have disappeared. The hotel employee committed suicide." "That's awful. Let's get him home."
In the doctor's room, the boy lies peacefully on the bed. A soft sunlight streams in, creating a warm atmosphere. The boy wakes up and looks around, his weary expression suggesting that waking up in a strange place is not new to him. The doctor and his friend enter the room. "Are you okay?" his friend asks. The boy doesn't respond, pulling the blanket tight around himself, a slight tremor in his movements. "Do you want to go out and play?" "When you feel better, we'll go out and play, okay?" The boy remains silent, trembling under the blanket. They hadn't considered his feelings. "Meow~" The boy peeks out from the blanket, looking at a cat. He picks it up and a small smile appears on his face. The doctor and his friend, watching through a crack in the door, feel a sense of warmth.
A few days later, his friend leaves. The friend and a psychologist visit the boy three times a week. The doctor waits patiently by the door for the boy to come get his food. A hand reaches out from the door. "I didn't know what you liked, so I cooked some of the things you've been eating a lot lately. Tell me what you like, and I'll cook it for you." The hand retreats, and the door slams shut. The boy still isn't ready to open up. Every time this happens, the doctor sits there and talks, almost to himself, bringing food and water, telling stories and reassuring the boy that what happened was not his fault. Using the boy’s love for the cat, the doctor slowly wins his trust.
One day, the door opens and the boy sits down next to him. "I still don't know your name," the doctor says. "...How about I call you Felix, or whatever you'd like? Just between us two."
One night, a thunderstorm rages outside, and the thunder and pouring rain frighten the boy. He holds the cat tightly, unable to sleep. The doctor rushes to his room and holds the scared child, who is curled up like a cat in his arms. The next morning, after the rain has stopped, the doctor wakes up with the boy and the cat nestled in his embrace. The boy wakes up and looks out the window. "You see? After the rain, the sky is clearer and brighter, right? Overcoming your difficulties is how you will truly shine."
