Author's Note: (Read to avoid confusion)

This is a special chapter, a filler chapter. This one took place a few weeks/days before the boys got admitted to the mental hospital. This is like a flashback but it does not necessarily mean that the characters are thinking about it. This is the continuation of Hongbin's special chapter in chapter 6.5

Hongbin's Special Chapter

“Mom!” Hongbin exclaimed in surprise when his mom barged into his house the next day. His mother did not look too pleased. “What are you doing here? I thought you went to a trip with your friends. And why do you look angry? You’ll get wrinkles because of that. You will look older than you do now. At this time, you and I should still be sleeping.” He commented. He wanted to sleep more because it was only six in the morning and he needed his beauty sleep to protect his face.

His mom sighed and hugged him. “Our poor handsome baby… What am I going to do with you?” She asked tearfully. “You got your father’s handsomeness and attitude but I didn’t know that things would turn out like this. He loves the mirrors so much that you fell in love with them too. But baby, I never thought that people would not try to understand you.”

“What are you saying?” Hongbin gave his mom a look, pulling away from her embrace. “Did you watch too many variety shows with the dramatic trot singer in there? Or did you watch the news with the musical actor’s monologue again? I told you that those things are not good for your mental health.”

“It’s not that. Mommy’s just worried for her baby. I received a call from your boss last night.” His mom explained.

“Boss? But I don’t have a boss anymore. He fired me the other day.” Hongbin spoke as if it was the most obvious thing. “That bald man surely does not know the importance of beauty because he fired me.” With that, he earned himself a hit from his mother. “Ouch! Why did you hit me?” Hongbin whined.

“This kid! You got fired because of staring at your reflection, aren’t you even embarrassed? At least pretend that you were the one who quit. Lie!” His mom scolded him. “Indeed, you’re just like your father. How come the two of you fell in love with your reflections? What did I do to deserve all of these?”

Hongbin nodded his head in agreement. “Yes, what did you do to deserve such a perfect son? Oh, wait, that does not sound too right coming from my mouth. But what can I do? I am beatiful and tall, a total flower boy. I am also smart and witty. I think ‘perfect’ is an understatement. This is not narcissism but anyone would totally fall for me.” He told his mother.

His mother could only stare at him for a good two seconds. She was lost for words. Where did the kid learn how to be so confident when he used to be such a humble kid? Come to think of it, Hongbin’s father was no different—he was worse even. Hongbin’s mother should be thankful that Hongbin’s confidence was just half his father’s. “Forget it. I want to bring you to a shaman*.” Hongbin’s mother firmly stated.

[A *shaman is a person regarded as having access to, and influence in, the world of good and evil spirits, especially among some peoples of northern Asia and North America.]

“A shaman? What am I? A possessed person?” Hongbin sarcastically asked.

“Oh, how I hope that you’re just possessed! I don’t care if it’s a demonic possession as long as we can still get rid of it.  I am hurt that people view our baby as nothing but a narcissist.” His mother was once again tearful as she spoke.

Hongbin gave his mom a look. Sometimes, he could not help but to wonder if his mom was bipolar or if she was just a very big fan of a certain musical actor. Either way, it was scary. “Why do you care so much about those ugly people? Let them say what they want to. I don’t care. Why would we bother to go to a shaman just because people find me different? Just because I’m perfect, people judge me. They are so jealous of me. People nowadays are really… tsk.” He made a sound of disapproval to show that he was not happy.

“Your optimism flusters me.” His mother commented. “I’m going to give you two choices because you are my precious baby, my lovely son. Decide whether you want to go to a shaman or you want to visit the mental hospital. Personally, I think the latter is much better.”

“Mental hospital? Do you think that I have lost my marbles?” Hongbin asked, he could not believe what was coming out from his mother’s mouth. At first, she was suggesting that Hongbin should visit a shaman and then all of a sudden, she was telling him to go and see a psychiatrist.

His mother rolled her eyes. “Going to see a psychiatrist does not mean that you’re insane. It just means that you are concern for the health of your mind which is a good thing. And also, baby, that’s not very nice of you to speak like that. Your father once visited the mental hospital before too. After that day, he reduced his talking time with the mirror since he used to do that 20 hours per day.”

“He used to sleep for only four hours?! Yuck! That could cause wrinkles!” Hongbin exclaimed.

“That’s not even the problem here, Lee Hongbin.” His mother sighed. “Just go and see the psychiatrist, okay? Then, we’ll show your boss that he was wrong about you and your mental health. Come on, baby, make your mom proud.”

Hongbin sighed, knowing that he would not have a choice. “Fine. But this will be the first and the last time that I’m doing this.”

“People tell me that I’m like a flower that blossomed in ice. I know that they want me but they’ll end up with cold hands, what to do?” Hongbin started speaking the moment he sat down on the couch in the office of the psychiatrist called Dr. Choi. It had been two days since his mother started bothering him to go to the hospital. In the end, Hongbin could only give in.

Dr. Choi cleared his throat. “Isn’t that some lyrics of a song of Stellar?” He kindly asked.

“How did you know? I see, doctors also listen to K-pop, huh?” Hongbin commented. “Anyway, I honestly don’t see any reason why I had to come here. But my mom wants me to have a check up so I came anyway. I realized that visiting here is a good thing because at least, people in this ugly place would have the honor to see my handsome face. I see why mom decided to send me here. She should have just said so earlier.” He chuckled.

“Oh… but do you have any idea why both your boss and your mom want you to come here? I mean, other than showing off your face?” Dr. Choi asked.

Hongbin shook his head. “I don’t see any reason because I am perfectly perfect. So, let’s just conclude things like this: I wasted your time and you wasted mine, end of story.” He firmly stated. He was about to stand up and leave when a certain mirror caught his eyes. “Is that mirror yours?” He asked, pointing at the mirror.

Dr. Choi looked at the mirror then back at Hongbin. “Yes, why?”

Hongbin chuckled then grinned. “Nothing, he just looks like my mirror that passed away two days ago. His name is N and he had been with me since, like, forever!”

“Why did he… pass away?” Dr. Choi asked.

“Well, you see, some crazy guy bumped into me so N fell on the floor and he was badly injured. I tried saving his life by trying to stick him back together with tape and glue but I failed. So, yeah, he’s dead. Don’t worry about me though, I’ve moved on.” Hongbin narrated. “But still, sometimes, I cannot help but to reminisce my times with him. He was, no, he is a lovely mirror after all. I guess he got his loveliness from me since we’re always together. It’s a pity that he lived such a short life.”

“I see, I see.” Dr. Choi nodded his head, jolting down on a piece of paper. “This N… can you describe him for me? I am really curious.”

“Sure, since I got nothing to do because I was fired by a bald boss.” Hongbin immediately agreed. “That mirror, N, he’s a bit… how do I put this? Annoying? Irritating? Tiring? He was so clingy and he talks a lot. He always tells me how he was so famous in his school before. Also, he does not want me to leave without him. So, sometimes, I lock him up inside the cabinet.”

“Clingy? How can a mirror be so clingy?” Dr. Choi asked.

“Is this your first time hearing about such thing? What planet are you from?” Hongbin gave the doctor a look. “Do you live under a rock or something?”

Dr. Choi shook his head. “Do you often talk to N?”

“Used to. He’s dead now. I cannot see dead mirrors.” Hongbin replied then his phone rang. “Oh, it’s my alarm. I have to drink my detox water and apply the mask on my face! I totally forgot about that! I should leave now.” He stood up. “It was nice wasting time here.”

“I’m so sorry, Mr. Lee Hongbin, but I believe that you should stay here for a while.” Dr. Choi said. “We have to observe you closely.”

“Observe me closely? But I’m not crazy!” Hongbin protested.

“I’m not saying that you’re crazy. I just believe that you need help. We’ll help you here. You can also rest here.” Dr. Choi tried to convince Hongbin.

Hongbin snorted. He did not want to stay in a mental hospital. They can beg and yell but the perfect Lee Hongbin would never—

“Resting here can reduce the chance of having wrinkles, you know?” Dr. Choi said. Then, the perfect Lee Hongbin gave in.

Author's Note: (New One-shot story & Writer's block T_T)

Hello! How are you, guys? So, I posted a new one-shot story called "Letters to Santa" as a part of my VIXX Kindergarten One-shots. Originally, I was planning on writing two more one-shots but the writer's block is ruining everything for me! >.< (I struggled in updating this chapter and the two earlier chapters so they're a bit ish). I might update next week if I managed to make my brain work once again. ^-^

Happy Holidays~! Merry Christmas!

Special thanks to all those who commented. And to those who upvoted, marlia91, LeeJi98, Karenkitty1092, Taotic, Sweatervest_Suho, hongbeann, love_kris, Hala-bear, Zhuchu, Lola20, and pink_baekbaek thank you so much! It means a lot to me.