Can it be possible that you met someone you were utterly attracted to from the very moment you first laid eyes on them? Someone that you couldn’t take your eyes off her but feeling your heart pounding within your chest and hands trembling because the blood was pulsing so badly in your veins. Someone, whose presence makes you feel nervous, caught off guard, weak, anxious and dizzy.

 I think I met one… or… I found one. This woman is dangerously beautiful, attractive and smart. At first, I thought it was because of the way she handles my situation is different from Professor Kim and it attracts my attention. But after the second time I met her, I guess I thought wrongly.

The moment she entered my study room, my heart started to beat unevenly and when my gaze met that big beautiful yet dangerous eyes of hers, my senses was completely dulled by her. I couldn’t feel my surrounding and my concentration were fully captured by her. She smiled when our eyes met. She talked and no matter what came out from her very kissable lips, it just makes my mood better by seconds. Her sweet and gentle voice was like silver bells ringing in my ears. Professor Kim should have sent her to me earlier. I fell in love with this therapy and I’m quite sure I was addicted to it, to her.

I hate it when people talk. In fact, I hate when there are people around me. Their voice worsens my already messed-up emotions. I hate people ask me questions and I have to write it down to reply them. But it was different when it comes to her. I suddenly have a habit of holding a pen and a notepad with me whenever she is around, prepared to write down whatever she wanted to know.

She surprised me again today. She wants me to ask her three questions. This is new. Professor Kim used to ask me a lot of questions but this was the first time someone makes it the other way round. But I’m not complaining. I’m dying to know more about her. I wanted to know why she wants to be a psychiatrist. I know she is good at it but she is smart enough to take other profession that can make her career brighter. And I’m surprised again with her answer. She said she loves to hear story. But… am I just a story to her?

I was curious that a rookie like her dare to accept and follow-up with my case without any fear and hesitation. I don’t need anyone to tell me how troublesome and difficult I can be. But she was here, sitting right in front of me and said she want to help me. She said she is different because the wall I built in between us is tearing apart. She can make things different between us. I can’t deny that she was right. In front of her, I’m letting my guard down.

And the final question… the one and only question that I wanted to know badly about her. ‘Do you have a boyfriend?’. I laughed at my own childishness. The moment she read the question, I saw the surprise expression spread across her face. To be honest, I’m surprised with myself too. But her answer brightens my mood like sunshine in the sky. I don’t know what it means but I just feel good about it.

I laughed at myself again. But this time I was laughing at my own carelessness and stupidity. She was right… again. When someone gives you something, they always want something back in returns. And she wants three answers from me for her questions. Her first question make my heart skipped a beat. Why does she even bother whether I have dated or not? She laughed when I said no. I was confused. Confused with the meaning behind her laughter. Is that laughter of happiness or laughter of teasing? Does she feel happy that I never dated or she just thinks it’s funny that I never dated?

The second question was weird. My favourite colour? It used to be white but now… I can’t see colour anymore except black. It’s just like my life. It’s black and it’s dark. Everything she said about black was right. It keeps thing bottled up inside and hidden from the world. How long has it been? 16 years? I have been hiding from the real world for 16 years. With just one word, she was able to see through me like a crystal clear glass.

Every little thing she said amazed me. I have never met someone like her before. The more she talk, the more she attracts me. But just when the conversation got me relax and comfortable, her next question brought me back to my rational senses, to my real world. The heart fluttering moment, the smiles, the laughter, the attraction, the sweet feeling… all were gone with a gust of wind.

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“Tell me about your sister.”

Park Shin Hye asked with a wary voice, looking at him with a cautious gaze. Her heart hammered vigorously against her chest, threatening to burst through her ribcage. The relentless pounding of each beat almost deafened her as she continued to stare at him, at his scary darkened eyes. She knows a dangerous and dark emotion was triggered inside of him. He is struggling to fight with it.

Min Ho held her gaze for a very long moment and he can tell that she could hardly breathe because of him. His lips were pressed into a thin line, his expression as intense as his emotions. The pen was clutching tightly in his palm before he looked down at the notepad and started to write.

“To be honest, I was amazed by your braveness.”

Shin Hye inhaled a deep breath, looking at the wordings he wrote on the notepad. His handwriting has turned messier and filled with rage. His anger must have started the moment that question slipped through her lips. She is scared with his reaction but she have to remain calm in front of him. She needs him to know that she is the master here. He needs to obey her and follow the way she wants it to be in order to make this work.

“Bravery can only come from having something to be brave about.” She said, trying to keep her voice calm and not shaky. Even if she is not brave, she has to pretend that she is. She gulped silently as she forced a slight smile on her face. “I asked myself to wait a little longer before I push you this far. But I think 16 years is way too long already. I don’t want to wait and I don’t want to make you wait either.” She added as her eyes narrowed. “I have answered all your questions and you have to answer mine too. This is a fair deal.”

She paused for a moment as she bit her lip. “Tell me about your sister.” She asked again, looking fearlessly into his eyes. 

A sharp breath was forced out from behind his clenched teeth. He felt the blood boiling and burning in his veins upon hearing the same question again. The instability of his emotions make his breath hitched in his chest. And all this was caused by her. The urge of punishing her is building inside of him.

“I must have done something that make you have a misunderstanding.”

Min Ho tore the page out from the notepad and threw it harshly on the floor after she read it. He wrote again as he stood up of his chair, slowly walking towards where Shin Hye was sitting. His lips curled up slightly when he saw the nervousness on her face.

“I smile doesn’t mean I’m happy. I play the game along with you doesn’t mean I let my guard down and give you the right to ask whatever you want. I couldn’t shout doesn’t mean I’m not yelling at you in my mind now.”

After Shin Hye finished reading that sentence, he tore the page away and continued to write again.

“You are crossing the dangerous line by asking that question. You are trespassing my limit and I don’t know what I will do to you if you continue.”

Shin Hye’s body stiffened in an instant when Min Ho placed both his hands onto the arm of the chair, leaning down over her to be at eye level. She held her breath and her fingers were clenching tightly to the soft cotton of her skirt. Their faces were so close that she could clearly feel his warm breaths curling around her skin.

After the long staring contest between them, Shin Hye bit her lower lip, released it quickly and braved herself, smiled at him. “I didn’t know talking about your sister consider as trespassing your limit. In fact, I don’t even know there is a limit in you.” She said softly, trying to hide her nervousness. “Why talking about her is crossing a dangerous line? Why did you put your sister behind that line and buried her inside your dark world?” She continued to ask without breaking their eye contact.

Min Ho’s eyes were covered with burning rage as he glared at her. “Stop.” He mouthed the word dangerously at her.

Stop?! Shin Hye smirked. She makes him wanted to speak again. Bringing up his sister is a right choice. She is his biggest weakness and also the key to untangle the knot in his heart. In a very slow and gentle movement, she extends her hand to the table and took the strawberry candy, holding it tightly in her hand. And then, with her other free hand, she slowly moved it up to his chest, pushing him away from her.

Shin Hye let out a sigh of relief when he pulled away from her, straightened himself up, standing right there, still looking at her. Ignoring his intense gaze, she stood up from her hair, slowly walked towards the standing art easel at the corner. The drawing of a beautiful child was pinned neatly on the board. She has long hairs, big round eyes, and chubby cute face. Looking at the drawing, Shin Hye guess the little girl is around 10 years old and she must be Min Ho’s dead sister.

Bringing her hand to the drawing, she gently touched the surface of the drawing block, trailing her fingers along the face of the little girl. “She is very beautiful.” She paused and smiled. “She must be someone very important that you could draw such a beautiful sketch of her.” She paused again when she felt someone standing behind her. The tension was so strong that she could already feel his anger without needing to look at him. Is this really the right way to help him? She wasn’t sure. But she needs to try, trying to pull him out from that dark place he created for himself, a little bit a days.

“I advice you not to mess up with me anymore. You couldn’t bear the consequences. Leave the drawing alone. Stop touching it!”

Min Ho brought his notepad to her and the words he wrote on it was a warning, a last warning before he lost it completely. But he didn’t see any fear or worry in her eyes. She even grinned at him and her smile felt like sandpaper scratching against his burning veins. She is frustrating, very frustrating.

Shin Hye looked at other drawings that were lying on the floor. There were a lot and all are the same little girl as the one on the standing art easel. “She must be someone you adores dearly and love her very much. I notice the sketches in this room are all her.” She paused as she bit her lip. “If I guess correctly, she must be your… ahhh…” Her incomplete sentence was ended with a loud scream from her when the standing art easel was suddenly smashed violently to the floor and the next second; he pressed her body hard against the wall.

His bloodshot eyes were daggered at her as his chest rose and fell so rapidly, he felt like exploding. She is really pushing him over the edge without realizing that she has also put herself in danger at the same time. He felt like murdering someone now.

Shin Hye held his dangerous gaze and swallowed hard. “I told you that I’m not scared of you. The more angry you are, the more successful I am.” She said as she looked into his eyes fearlessly. “You are so angry… because… she is your sister, right?” She bit her lip hard as her face twisted when the pain on her wrist increased. He was grabbing it so hard and his powerful strength is hurting her. 

“Stop.” He mouthed silently at her again.    

Shin Hye shook her head. “I’m not going to stop. You need help and I’m here to help you.” She said, looking deep into his eyes. “Don’t fight it. The emotion that surging inside of you… let it in and feel it. Don’t fight against it.” She released a soft breath when she felt the pressure on her wrist loosened. She slowly pulled her hand away from his grip and moved it to his heaving chest.

Min Ho’s breath stuck in his throat when he felt her hand on him. She his chest soothingly and with her gentle touch, the inner beast inside his dark world was slowly calming down.

“Breathe…” She whispered as her hand continued to work its magic. Without tearing their eye contact, she continued to speak. “I know how it feel when someone is trying to dig something that you have tried so hard to hide. It angers you, it make you feel suffocated and feel like tearing something apart. The pain was like rubbing salt in the wound.” She paused and pursed her lips. “But hiding it is a not a solution. It’s avoidance. Burying her inside your own world is not a right way to deal with your grief. It’s not healthy.”

Min Ho parted his lips, as if trying to speak but nothing came out. He then pursed his lips sceptically. He closed his eyes briefly before it fluttered open again.

“I’m not healthy.” He mouthed silently, painfully.

A pang of pain hit her in the chest when she saw the movement of his lips, when she saw the words he was trying to say. She gazed up at his eyes again. “Then let me heal you.” She said and her voice was almost pleading. “Let me make you healthy again.”

Min Ho looked at her for a long moment before he averted his gaze and clenched his jaw. He was trying to fight everything she said from influencing his mind. He needs to push her out from his comfort and secure zone that he has been hiding inside all these years.

Shin Hye saw the straining veins throbbing violently against the skin of his forehead. He was fighting it, restraining it. She sighed silently as her hand slowly moved to caress his forehead and her action startled him.

“Breathe…” She commands softly once again. She smiled when he turned back to her, looking at her with his eyes widened.  With him caught off guard again and his lips parted slightly, she quickly moved her other hand to his lip and put a candy into his mouth. She laughed when he almost choked with the sudden intrusion.    

“Keep calm and eat candy.” Shin Hye said with a smile.

Min Ho exhaled a helpless breath. The burning rage inside of him slowly disappears when he saw the smile on her face. The smile is just as sweet as the strawberry candy that was melting in his mouth, melting his heart at the same time. His eyes slowly dropped to her hand that was still pressed against his chest. His brows furrowed immediately when he saw her redden wrist.

Shin Hye followed his gaze and she quickly understands what is bothering him. But before she could pull her hand away, Min Ho was faster and held her wrist again; firm but gentle. A soft gasp escaped her lips with his touch. It felt like burning her skin. 

He caressed the red mark on her wrist and inhaled a sharp breath. He looked at her again and his gaze was full of guilt. “I’m sorry.” He mouthed the words silently.  

Shin Hye parted her lips but sank her teeth into the flesh when no word could form in . She just shook her head and looked away. Her cheeks were already burning in blush. Why does she feel the intensity between them was so strong? He is just a patient, a case that she handles for her job. She should stay controlled and not to get too involve in this man that was making her nervous all the time. She needs to concentrate because she couldn’t afford to lose the concentration that required in her job. She can’t let her personal feeling affects her judgement.

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Two weeks has passed and every day when there was a schedule for the therapy, Shin Hye will be at Min Ho’s penthouse punctually. Since the incident that day, neither of them dares to touch any sensitive topic that will trigger his anger reaction. She figured that she might have rush things with him and should take a step back, slowing it down.

Instead of concentrating on his emotion issue, she diverts the strategy to Speech-Language therapy where they communicate by drawing or writing, pointing, gesturing or nodding using games or age-appropriate projects. To her surprise, Min Ho was quite cooperative but she also knows that he is back to his old self again; the one that he used to face Professor Kim.

Shin Hye leaned her back against the headboard as her eyes were darted at the drawing she