The most surreal experience I’ve ever had in my life was to walk alongside my favorite patient and Lee Soon Kyu when the whole Aslyum knew about the “probation” time of Kim Taeyeon. Their looks of envy, spite and hatred towards Taeyeon were visible as she was about to get what no one in the Asylum ever got.

If the courts approves, Taeyeon will now serve the final third of her jail time under probation. That basically means she would have the possibility of living a common life outside the gates of this prison, yet still being an inmate under SM’s Asylum. She now has to abide to a bunch of rules applied by the court and if any transgression is committed, her probation would be put to an end immediately.

Ever since Lee Soon Kyu and Kim Jonghyun invited Taeyeon to participate in the investigation to find the mysterious serial killer, Lee Soon Kyu brought new insides about Taeyeon’s situation whenever she could, and she was really doing her part in trying to rush up the process. She wanted to work with Taeyeon as fast as possible and I could see she was really excited for it. Not only because she was about to begin the search for a serial killer, which she was really thrilled for, but because she was gonna work alongside her favorite one. That really doesn’t happen every day.

And as the days went by, Taeyeon started to feel really anxious and nervous about everything. Seven years. For seven years she had been secluded in this place. She walked inside this penitentiary when she was 22 and now is leaving when she is 29. All her twenty years went by without she could even notice. As of a blink of an eye, Taeyeon missed her youth inside those gates.

But everything would be different now. She would start anew and have her life back. Of course she would still be an inmate from SM’s Asylum for the Criminally Insane for a couple of years, but I’m sure that wouldn’t be a problem. I don’t think she would break the rules under probation, she knows this a chance in a lifetime, and she wouldn’t ruin it just for the sake of breaking the rules.

When the court issued the files, the list of rules were almost endless. “No possession of Alcohol or Drugs during probation. No possession of any fire weapons or white arms. The offender must refrain from contact with the victims or their relatives, (such as former partners in case of domestic abuse) and with known criminals, particularly co-defendants.” “Is it okay to work for the police when it says I should refrain contact with criminals?” She asked turning her eyes to Lee Soon Kyu.

“We’ve explained your situation in details to the court. You’ll work for us in our department, but you’re not supposed to look for the criminal on your own without the surveillance of an officer. You’ll be monitored at all times.”

“All times?” Taeyeon didn’t sound happy for that.

Lee Soon Kyu tapped her index finger on a specific article of the papers. Taeyeon blinked, reading again. “The offender will be fitted with an electronic tag (or monitor) which signals their localization to officials.”

“Your electronic tag have a gps system inbuilt which will tell me, Jonghyun, and Choi Siwon about your location through an app.”

“Who is Choi Siwon?”

“Head of 39th Police Department. It’s where you gonna do your service. He’ll be your commander for all things being around the case and you must report to him all your findings. Not only me and Jonghyun.”

“Why he is on the game?”

“Because he’s the head of the police department you gonna serve. Jonghyun reports to him as well, so it’s not just your duty to do it. He must stay on par about everything on the case, as well as your situation, and that includes, of course, your location. The tag must be on at all times and the moment you leave your house, the app will accuse your localization and movements and we’ll be able to know exactly where you are.”

“My house? I don’t have a house.” Taeyeon said it. I almost had the urge to invite her to live with me.

“Jonghyun is looking for a flat for you.” Oh, dammit.

“He is?

“Your flat will be inspected every week by officials, in search of any contraband, alcohol and drugs. And you must not under any circumstances sleep anywhere else other than your place.”

“Wouldn’t I be able to go to Jeonju to meet my sister?” She asked, not liking that so much.

Lee Soon Kyu shook her head. “No, by the laws of the court, you must not leave Seoul during your probation.”

“Aish, that .”

“Well, your sister can always visit you in the city.”

“It’s not so easy for her. She has college, you know? Taking medic school.” She said that with a pinch of pride that made me chuckle.

“Law of the court. You can’t leave the city of Seoul under any circumstances.” Taeyeon sighed, nodding her head.

“Okay, what else is in here?” Her eyes moved to the federal papers looking for other rules. “Offender must not participate or be involved in riots, fights or any violent act that disturbs the peace of the community. The offender must not have social media. The offender must continue with therapy sessions.” Does that mean I will still be under care of Doc Hwang here?” I surely hoped so.

“We can’t promise you that.” That made my heart beat faster.

“Why not?”

“Doctor Hwang will continue to serve here in the Asylum and as such, it might not meet with your schedule.”

“What will happen then?” This time I was the one asking.

“Worst case scenario, Miss Kim here will be assigned a new doctor...”

“No.” Taeyeon and I both said it in unison.

“That would meet her at her place at a specific time.” Lee Soon Kyu continued, without minding out interruption.

“Why can’t be Doctor Hwang?” She insisted. “Just make our sessions be on Sunday Morning or something, she doesn’t work here on Sundays.”

Lee Soon Kyu sighed. “It’s not up to us to decide. We can apply our request for Doctor Hwang be your doctor but they will decide who will take you over.”

“I don’t want to have a new doctor.”

“Honestly, Kim, if you want to be serve your time under probation, you’ll have to accept all rules they throw at you. No exception. If the court says Doc Hwang won’t be your Doc anymore, then, there’s nothing you can do. You gotta accept it.”

I munched the insides of my cheeks not pleased with it. After everything, is that how we gonna be? The moment she’s out of these walls, I stop being her doctor? I stop being part of her life? How is that even fair?

“I’m not so sure about that.” She scratched her nape and I gulped, anxiously.

“Don’t worry, Taeyeon.” I tried to ease her. “I’m sure this will end well for you.” For us. It gotta be.

Taeyeon didn’t seem so pleased with that. She sighed, calling her attention back to the papers. “The offender must be at his/her official local address by 11.pm.” “Isn’t that a bit too early?”

“Is it?”

“Hm, lots of crimes, especially murder, happen during dawns, what if you need me past that time?” .

“Well, if you are in the company of officials then there is no problem. What you can’t do is to get caught on the streets after 11.pm far from your place and with no supervision of your superiors.” Taeyeon was getting annoyed by the second as she realized how many rules she had to obey.

“Any violation of those acts will cease the offender’s probation time immediately, and he/she will return to Lee Soo Man’s Asylum for the Criminally Insane where the offender will serve the rest of his/her sentence with no possibility of paroles or compulsory release.” She finished reading.

“Are you ready to sign the papers?” The short woman asked her and Taeyeon didn’t seem so sure. I knew what she was thinking about.

“It’ll be okay, Taeyeon.” I said, making her look at me. “Even if I’m not your doctor anymore, you gotta sign the papers. You can serve your time out there and this is worth a thousand doctors and you know it! Don’t throw away your shot.”

She twisted her lips. And after a couple of seconds, she sighed, agreeing to sign the papers.

“Don’t break our hearts, Kim.” Lee Soon Kyu asked, making Taeyeon chuckle.

“I won’t, Ms Lee.”

~~*~~

“Do you have any questions, Ms Kim?” The warden asked her, the cold tone on his voice clearly showing that he didn’t like that Taeyeon could serve her time under probation.

“No, sir.” She answered, her voice serious, but I was able to see a little curvy in the corner of , indicating that she was actually enjoying that situation.

The warden nodded his head to the Correctional Officer besides us and he removed the electronic tag from a federal bag and put it around Taeyeon’s left ankle, beneath her orange pants.

“This tag will be monitoring all your movements and sending your localization to your superiors. You can’t under any circumstances remove or break the device.”

“Gotcha.” She answered, turning her ankle around, checking it up for any error in that system.

“You’ll also stay with your uniform during your way back to 39th Police Department. And only there, you’ll be free to change your clothes. Am I clear?”

“Crystal.”

And with that being said, the warden exhaled, twisting his lips. “Okay, Kim. Wait at your cell and as soon as the commissioner collects all your belongings, you’ll be free to go. ”

Taeyeon just nodded her head in gratitude and left the office, following the officer upfront of hers.

I was about to move along when his voice called me. “I should warn you, Doctor Hwang, that you have a commitment to this facility and you won’t gain any special treatment regarding Kim Taeyeon.”

“What do you mean?” I asked not understanding.

“That you won’t follow Kim’s little adventures in her service time. You have patients in here and they must not be neglected over Kim Taeyeon.” I wasn’t intending to follow Taeyeon at her crime search job. I’m not a forensic medic, so there wouldn’t be a reason for me to be a nuisance over Taeyeon’s job.

“They won’t.” I said it, firmly. “I just request permission to be at her company for her first day outside this prison, in order to help her setting things out.”

“Lee Soon Kyu have already warned me about this. As well as your situation being Kim Taeyeon’s doctor’s on the line.”

“Do you know anything about this?” I asked, curiously. “Lee Soon Kyu hasn’t told me already if I was assigned to be her doctor by the court or not.”

“This is confidential and I’m pretty sure you’ll find out the answer pretty soon.” I almost had a negative feeling about it. “But due to your services in here and how well you handled that inmate, you’ll receive a day-off to the resident to her local place, accompanied by Inspector Kim Jonghyun.” That was actually better than I have had hoped.

“Thank you, sir.” He nodded his head, dismissing me from his office.

~~*~~

“Taeyeon?” I called her when it was time for her to leave her cell. She had been looking at the walls of her cell quite attentively. “What is wrong?”

“It’s just weird to leave this place after so long.” She said, her hand touching the cold wall in front of her, smudging one of the drawing she had made it with chalk a couple of days ago. “There were days where I thought I would die in here.”

“I would never allow it.”

She chuckled it. “You are the best doctor that I ever had, Doc.” I smiled it, proud yet emotional. “Thank you for everything.”

“You’re welcome.” I said it. “Now you need to move your outta here, the bus is already waiting.” She giggled, nodding her head.

“So that’s it, huh? Leaving behind this place’s unending sadness...” She took a deep breath and blew the chalk out, making it dissipate in the air, completely erasing the art the once decorated her cell.

“You can take a road of light, now.” I said and she smiled. “Don’t give up on the way.”

“I won’t, Doc.”

“I will be there to help you, no matter what.”

“I know.”

“Together we can make it.”

She left the metallic door of her cell wide open and without looking behind, she walked alongside me, still in silence. I was respecting that moment of hers and didn’t bother to take it away from her.

As we reached the yard, we managed to see Lee Soon Kyu, Jonghyun, Officer Park and Warden Ho Sung. From those people, Jonghyun was the only one to stay in the bus with Taeyeon, as he would introduce her to Choi Siwon, head of the Police Department that they were designated. I wouldn’t be with Taeyeon for the rest of the day as my day-off, according to Ho Sung, would actually be in two days time. But I was fine with that. I trust Taeyeon and I know she will be fine with Jonghyun there at her side.

“Time for you to hop off.” I said. She smiled, shyly, going her way to get on the bus.

She looked back for me and I knew she just wanted to say thank you, though she didn’t need to.

I just nodded in acknowledgment.

She returned the gesture.

Jonghyun hopped on the bus, making her follow him. And when the bus started moving, I felt my eyes getting wet.

“See you later, Doc.” She waved through the window. And I waved back.

“See you later, Taeyeon.” I muttered, wholesome glad for her.

As the bus went moving further away from the Asylum, I exhaled, relieved.

There was so much feelings inside of me that it seemed to numb all my other senses.

Everything went fine.

Thank God everything was fine.

Now Taeyeon will have a chance to live again.

~~*~~

The emptiness that I was feeling for not having my favorite patient around me anymore inside those gates have been replaced by joy for the thought that she now will live a proper life. And when my eyes couldn’t see the bus any more, I turned around and walked towards the Medical Center, reaching for the phone cabinets available. There was only one person I needed to talk to. And this person was Kim Hayeon.

She was already on par with Taeyeon’s probation as I have called her to tell her the news the same day Jonghyun told us, and she was just waiting for it as much as we were. Now that Taeyeon has officially departed from the Asylum, she is ready to meet her little sister as of rightness.

“Wait, you’re telling me that my sister is already out?”

“Yes! She is heading to serve at 39th Police Department in Seoul, where she’s gonna help the police in their search from criminals.”

“Wait, you’re telling me that my sister became a cop?” I chuckled at her squeaky voice.

“Sort of.” I said it smiling.

“When you’ll be able to come to Seoul to meet her?”

“I’ll be there as soon as I can, I promise. I’ll give my best to buy the tickets for the next weekend.”

“That’s great, Hayeon. We’re all very happy about Taeyeon’s situation as well as the approximation with your sister.”

“I’m quite happy as well, Doctor Hwang. Thank you for being there for Taeyeon.”

“You’re welcome.”

~~*~~

The moment I stepped in her new “place” I was taken aback by how different it was from the Asylum. Jonghyun definitely made sure to find her friend a good flat. It wasn’t in the best location possible, nor it was a big apartment like mine, it was small, but it kinda felt cozy and warm; even though her place was a mess. She wasn’t wearing her orange uniform, but rather an old oversize black t-shirt, jeans and socks. And I have never seen her wearing casual clothing, so I was a little shook for how she pretty she looked.

“Welcome to my place, Doc!” She greeted me, opening up her arms wide, smiling from cheek to cheek as soon as I stepped in through the door. “Woah, you’re different.”

I frowned my brows. “Am I? Why?” I looked at myself from neck to toe, trying to find something weird in me.

“You’re not wearing your coat.” She said, making me blink. “You look like a normal person!”

That made me chuckle. “Well, you look like a normal person too, Taeyeon.”

“Because I am!” She said it, firmly. “C’mon in!”

Please Subscribe to read the full chapter