"Does the name register anything?" Dr Kim asked you when he saw that you looked dazed.

 

"I-I guess... so I said something about Chanyeol's brother?"

"I think that is the name, yes."

 

"I see..."

Dr Kim noted your darkened gaze and continued.

 

"Well, _____________ , I think you should have guessed by now that, mind reading isn't all that omniscient after all. It's like we all dream we can fly right? But with the airplane invented, people don't think so much about the novelty of it anymore. Even though that is the closest we can get to flying. It's also the same for mind reading, science will only serve to imitate, but even with it, you will find that it sometimes hinders, rather than perpetuates what you perceived to do."

You glanced at Dr Kim, surprised at this revelation that seemed to contradict his field of expertise.

"Dr Wu was the first, and I'm the second subject of this experiment. If I may, I'll just like to share with you my own thoughts on this experience, is that ok?"

 

You nodded.

"I believe there is a reason we are not made to hear each other's thoughts. Firstly, the truth hurts. Of course with free will, we can choose to either avoid it or face it and bear the consequences. But with mind reading like this, there's no reigns, no firewalls for personal attacks. We become vulnerable. Sometimes, the so called truth is really the result of other's bias opinions of you. And secondly, some people call it fate and some God's hand, but I think there's a time for everything, for every season, every blessings, every unfortunates. Knowing something beforehand might not necessarily be beneficial if the time isn't ripe yet. Human manipulation with the natural course and cycle of things usually destroys more than it preserves.

So, no matter what was the answer you seek to look out for, I sincerely hope it is with your own ability. Before this mind reading chip was invented, we already have mirror neurons inbuilt in us to help us observe and draw conclusions from certain situations and elements, and in turn, make the informed decision to behave the way we wanted to. This is something that Dr Wu and I constantly had arguments about, but I still feel strongly about it, so i thought I should just let you know."

"Thanks..." You smiled, grateful for the exchange.

"I should leave you to rest, if there's anything you need, just call the nurse, she'll be taking you to your ward shortly."

 

The words rang in your head as he walked out.

Everything in its time.

 

_________________

 

When you were wheeled to the single ward, Kyungsoo was waiting at the door, a distance away from you.

 

He knew.

 

Silently, he was hating himself for not keeping a distance. When he received your call in the morning, only to hear a thud at the end of the receiver and nothing else, he panicked and rushed down to your apartment. After banging on the door with no response, he broke it down to find you unconscious. The ambulance came and he sat by your side, his hands clammy but not daring to let yours go.

He had shouted your name, again and again, but your pretty eyes didn't flutter open. He lightly swept the wet bangs off your forehead and prayed.

When Dr Kim approached him with Dr Wu to tell him about the experiment, he had recognized the latter straight away. Comprehending was easy, but grappling with the current situation wasn't.

 

He hadn't wanted to hurt you, but he felt he was the culprit who made you like that.

 

The nurse settled you comfortably in bed, telling you that dinner would be in ten minutes time. The two of you were separated by the glass windows, three metres away. You sat up cross legged on the bed and raised your voice so he could hear you.

"Go get dinner! I'll be fine!"

He nodded, but didn't budged.

 

"Are you ok?" He mouthed.

You gave him an "ok" gesture. Kyungsoo smiled and suddenly looked around as if searching for something.

"I'll be back." He mouthed again and disappeared from sight.

 

Moments later, he returned with the nurse as she passed a walkie talkie to you, smiling senselessly at this weird idea as she walked away.

 

Kyungsoo pointed to the walkie talkie and spoke: "Are you ok?"

"Yes." came the raspy reply.

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. I'll be fine anyway."

"Dr Kim told me you'll be operating tomorrow morning, you need any stuff I'll bring over?"

 

You shook your head.

"They have most of the essentials here, the nurse told me just now, just a set of clothes for me to change when I finish tomorrow night."

"Right, I'll bring that, anything else?"

"No, I guess." You paused. "Say, Kyungsoo ah, the doctor said we had our own reasons for volunteering to this experiment. What is yours?"

"... I dunno. What about you?"

"They said I mentioned I wanted to know the answer to a question."

"What is the question?"

"I don't know."

"Ok... do you need anything else?"

 

"It's alright, you better go get some dinner."

"I'll wait after you finish yours."

You looked at the clock. It was 4pm.

"Did you have lunch?"

"Y-yes."

 

Even without mind reading, you knew he was lying.

"I won't eat my dinner if you won't leave for yours now."

"But I ate!" He protested.

"Kyungsoo, you know how I feel about liars... "

He relented.

"Ok, so I didn't had lunch, but I feel perfectly fine."

"I'm burdened enough with all this talk about mind reading, so I'd prefer not to worry about you too, Kyungsoo ah. Just go get something to eat, I'll see you in the morning tomorrow ok? After the op?"

 

He gripped the walkie talkie more tightly.

"I'll come back after I ate something, is that alright?"

You pondered over the compromisation.

"Ok..."

He grinned.

"I'll be back as soon as possible." He leant on the glass and blew hard. White breath fogged the cool glass and he quickly drew a heart in it.

He made the same heart shape with his hands and mouthed: "Heart."

You giggled at this immature yet heartwarming gesture, making a heart shape with your hands in return.

 

The nurse came in at this moment with dinner and he spoke into the walkie talkie.

"See you later."

 

______________