III
Escape From the Mental
“Oh... Hyungs!” he smiled, opening the door to his room, “Come in!”
Yongguk and Himchan sat on the bed. Zelo claimed the chair and climbed his feet up on it while Daehyun and Youngjae sat on the ground.
“The floor might be cold... Don’t you want me to go take some chairs?” Jongup offered.
He didn’t even wait for his hyungs’ answers - he just dashed out of his room, not bothering to listen to them refusing his offer. He walked towards the cafeteria, thinking that they might let him borrow some chairs for his hyungs. On his way, he passed by Minjung’s room and his steps gradually slowed down. Even if he was nearing the next room, his eyes were glued to Minjung’s door. At a certain point, he stopped and contemplated whether to pay her a visit or not; then he thought of his waiting hyungs. He rapidly shook off the thought and walked forward towards the cafeteria. He grabbed two chairs, one in each hand, and carried them back through the long hall. Passing by Minjung’s room again, he noticed that the door was open - she must’ve been brought breakfast and they left her the door open so she could stroll through the sanatorium for a short while.
‘She’s there. Go say hi.’
“No...!” he whispered to himself, “I... I can’t go in there.” he continued with a low voice.
He let both chairs down and looked at the ground.
‘Maybe you should.’
A flashback of the day before shot through his mind, Minjung’s voice echoing endlessly in his mind as he told him never to come back. He sighed and decided to smile it away, picking the chairs back up and mustering up all the courage he had so he could pass by her room without shaking.
“It snowed.”
Once he recognized the voice, he unwillingly stopped in his track and turned his head to his left, towards the open door. His breath hitched, expecting the worst; but Minjung was only sitting on the ground, looking up at the small, high window. Jongup gulped and tried his best to inhale without choking, even if air stuck to his lungs in fear.
“R-… Really?” he stuttered, “I had n-… no idea...”
His feet were immobile. As if something kept him there. He was glued to the ground and his body wouldn’t react to what his mind was dictating it to do. Jongup was so concentrated on trying to regain control over his body that Minjung talking again startled him.
“It’s still snowing. It must be pretty. But I hate sun. There should be no sun in winter,” she turned her upper body so she could meet his eyes, “Don’t you think?”
“Hyung, is everything okay?” a boy’s voice disturbed the awkward silence installed between Minjung and Jongup.
Jongup turned his head towards the source of the voice and let out a sigh of relief at the sight.
“Junhong-ah,” he started, a smile gradually covering his face, “Come help me with these chairs.” Jongup said, putting his hands on his lower back, “I slept in a weird position and my back hurts a bit.”
The younger nodded and stepped towards his hyung to help him. Just as he reached the opened door, curiosity overwhelmed him and he turned his head to see what’s in the room. Upon meeting Minjung’s gaze, he stopped abruptly and kept his eyes fixed on her. After a couple of seconds, his facial expression gradually loosened and smiled her warmly.
“Why don’t you come with us? We won’t stay long.” Junhong said without asking for permission from his hyung first.
Jongup eyed him a bit suspiciously, then clicked his tongue and sighed. Taking a glance at Minjung, she was already smiling ear to ear while getting up from the ground and straightening her clothes.
“I’m not disturbing, right?” she asked with a faint voice as she stood in the doorstep, eyeing Jongup and Junhong each at a time, as if expecting an answer from either of them.
“Nah, of course you aren’t!” Junhong spoke again before Jongup could, “Hyung, I’m going ahead with these chairs and the girl. You should go get her a chair too, right?”
Jongup was left speechless in the middle of the hall, both Junhong and Minjung facing their back to him as they talked and giggled on their way to Jongup’s room. With nothing left to do other than stare into the distance, watching the two of them fade away, he spun on his heels and returned to the cafeteria for yet another chair. On his way back, he heard a familiar voice sing one of his favorite songs; Jongup fastened his pace until he reached his room and saw Yongguk and Himchan sitting up as they let Minjung sit on the bed and Daehyun exposing his vocal talents. He waited for him to finish before letting the chair down and disturbing the atmosphere.
“Brava, brava!” Minjung exclaimed, clapping her hands as a big smile covered her face, “You have such a nice voice!”
Daehyun smiled warmly and thanked her, then took his seat back. Everyone’s attention turned back to Jongup, who was awkwardly standing next to the window with his arms crossed, searching for something interesting.
“Jongup-yah,” Yongguk broke the silence, “We talked to your psychiatrist.”
Jongup turned his attention towards the deep-voiced male and soundlessly waited for an answer, giving him the ‘Yes, continue’ look.
“He said that we might be able to get you out by next week or so.”
“He always says that.” Jongup said with a blunt, emotionless voice. He let his hands fall next to his body as he looked back out the window with a loud sigh. “He’s been saying that for the last few years,” he paused, looking back at his friend with cold eyes, “Didn’t he, hyung?”
Himchan swallowed the lump in his throat while everyone tried their best to avoid the subject - Youngjae cleared his throat, Junhong seemed like searching for something on the walls, Daehyun started fiddling with his fingers while Yongguk just stood there, his breath hitched. Not knowing what was going on, Minjung just kept kicking her legs back and forth, making the springs in Jongup’s mattress screech slightly with every move. The atmosphere was literally clogged with awkwardness and a heavy feeling that blocked everyone’s flow of thoughts. Nobody could arrange some words together to form a coherent phrase without being all awkward again.
“But it’s okay, y’know.” Jongup started, “I finally got used to this place.”
His friends looked at each other skeptically before looking at Minjung all at the same time. Oblivious to everything happening around her, she just continued kicking her feet, slightly disconnected from the World.
“People aren’t as bad as they seem, yeah.”
Minjung suddenly stopped her feet in mid air, turning everyone’s attention back to her. The smile on her face didn’t fade one inch as she lifter her gaze from the ground to meet Jongup’s eyes.
“People... Aren’t bad?”
Jongup opened his mouth to say something and took a deep breath, as if he was ready to explain some sort of rocketscience, but Youngjae cut him short as he stood up and walked up to Minjung, crouching in front of her and taking one of her hands in his.
“Of course people aren’t bad,” he started, “Some of them are, indeed, bad, but we’re good guys, don’t you think?”
Jongup closed his mouth and swallowed his words, slightly annoyed at his friend’s cheesiness. Minjung just kept looking back and forth between Jongup and Youngjae, waiting for something from either part.
“Good... guys...” she told herself, taking a good look around the room to remember everyone’s face. “Good guys.” she reassured and sealed it with a nod.
“Look, beautiful,” Himchan broke the moment, “We would’ve wanted to stay more, but we kinda have to go.”
“Good guys are always welcome.” Minjung smiled widely, earning a silent chuckle from Jongup. “Take care on your way home. The ground is icy and slippery.”
Seeing her motherly concern, everyone was in slight awe. After bidding her new friends goodbye, she turned towards Jongup, who was still by the window, following his friends with his eyes.
“Not everyone is bad. You said it. I’m not bad. Remember it.”
Jongup smiled, “Of course you aren’t bad. You’re innocent.”
Minjung nodded and left his room, closing the door behind her.
“We’ll see.”
Jongup could’ve sworn he heard her voice close, as if she was still in the room. He looked around, yet he was alone between the four white walls.
“Was it my imagination?” he thought aloud, “I mean, I’m here for a reason... Right?”
‘Jongup... It was her.’ a faint voice told him as a girl’s silhouette appeared in front of his eyes, ‘It’s your choice whether you believe her or not. Carefully pick your choice,’ she then shook her head, ‘You’ll never be able to take it back.’
“What do you mean?” Jongup sat on the bed, looking at the ground, “What will I have to pick? Is something right and something wrong?” he waved his hands as if he weighed something, “Something good and something bad?”
‘We’ll see.’ both Minjung’s and the girl’s voices answered in unison with the same strength, resonating like an echo.
Yongguk and Himchan sat on the bed. Zelo claimed the chair and climbed his feet up on it while Daehyun and Youngjae sat on the ground.
“The floor might be cold... Don’t you want me to go take some chairs?” Jongup offered.
He didn’t even wait for his hyungs’ answers - he just dashed out of his room, not bothering to listen to them refusing his offer. He walked towards the cafeteria, thinking that they might let him borrow some chairs for his hyungs. On his way, he passed by Minjung’s room and his steps gradually slowed down. Even if he was nearing the next room, his eyes were glued to Minjung’s door. At a certain point, he stopped and contemplated whether to pay her a visit or not; then he thought of his waiting hyungs. He rapidly shook off the thought and walked forward towards the cafeteria. He grabbed two chairs, one in each hand, and carried them back through the long hall. Passing by Minjung’s room again, he noticed that the door was open - she must’ve been brought breakfast and they left her the door open so she could stroll through the sanatorium for a short while.
‘She’s there. Go say hi.’
“No...!” he whispered to himself, “I... I can’t go in there.” he continued with a low voice.
He let both chairs down and looked at the ground.
‘Maybe you should.’
A flashback of the day before shot through his mind, Minjung’s voice echoing endlessly in his mind as he told him never to come back. He sighed and decided to smile it away, picking the chairs back up and mustering up all the courage he had so he could pass by her room without shaking.
“It snowed.”
Once he recognized the voice, he unwillingly stopped in his track and turned his head to his left, towards the open door. His breath hitched, expecting the worst; but Minjung was only sitting on the ground, looking up at the small, high window. Jongup gulped and tried his best to inhale without choking, even if air stuck to his lungs in fear.
“R-… Really?” he stuttered, “I had n-… no idea...”
His feet were immobile. As if something kept him there. He was glued to the ground and his body wouldn’t react to what his mind was dictating it to do. Jongup was so concentrated on trying to regain control over his body that Minjung talking again startled him.
“It’s still snowing. It must be pretty. But I hate sun. There should be no sun in winter,” she turned her upper body so she could meet his eyes, “Don’t you think?”
“Hyung, is everything okay?” a boy’s voice disturbed the awkward silence installed between Minjung and Jongup.
Jongup turned his head towards the source of the voice and let out a sigh of relief at the sight.
“Junhong-ah,” he started, a smile gradually covering his face, “Come help me with these chairs.” Jongup said, putting his hands on his lower back, “I slept in a weird position and my back hurts a bit.”
The younger nodded and stepped towards his hyung to help him. Just as he reached the opened door, curiosity overwhelmed him and he turned his head to see what’s in the room. Upon meeting Minjung’s gaze, he stopped abruptly and kept his eyes fixed on her. After a couple of seconds, his facial expression gradually loosened and smiled her warmly.
“Why don’t you come with us? We won’t stay long.” Junhong said without asking for permission from his hyung first.
Jongup eyed him a bit suspiciously, then clicked his tongue and sighed. Taking a glance at Minjung, she was already smiling ear to ear while getting up from the ground and straightening her clothes.
“I’m not disturbing, right?” she asked with a faint voice as she stood in the doorstep, eyeing Jongup and Junhong each at a time, as if expecting an answer from either of them.
“Nah, of course you aren’t!” Junhong spoke again before Jongup could, “Hyung, I’m going ahead with these chairs and the girl. You should go get her a chair too, right?”
Jongup was left speechless in the middle of the hall, both Junhong and Minjung facing their back to him as they talked and giggled on their way to Jongup’s room. With nothing left to do other than stare into the distance, watching the two of them fade away, he spun on his heels and returned to the cafeteria for yet another chair. On his way back, he heard a familiar voice sing one of his favorite songs; Jongup fastened his pace until he reached his room and saw Yongguk and Himchan sitting up as they let Minjung sit on the bed and Daehyun exposing his vocal talents. He waited for him to finish before letting the chair down and disturbing the atmosphere.
“Brava, brava!” Minjung exclaimed, clapping her hands as a big smile covered her face, “You have such a nice voice!”
Daehyun smiled warmly and thanked her, then took his seat back. Everyone’s attention turned back to Jongup, who was awkwardly standing next to the window with his arms crossed, searching for something interesting.
“Jongup-yah,” Yongguk broke the silence, “We talked to your psychiatrist.”
Jongup turned his attention towards the deep-voiced male and soundlessly waited for an answer, giving him the ‘Yes, continue’ look.
“He said that we might be able to get you out by next week or so.”
“He always says that.” Jongup said with a blunt, emotionless voice. He let his hands fall next to his body as he looked back out the window with a loud sigh. “He’s been saying that for the last few years,” he paused, looking back at his friend with cold eyes, “Didn’t he, hyung?”
Himchan swallowed the lump in his throat while everyone tried their best to avoid the subject - Youngjae cleared his throat, Junhong seemed like searching for something on the walls, Daehyun started fiddling with his fingers while Yongguk just stood there, his breath hitched. Not knowing what was going on, Minjung just kept kicking her legs back and forth, making the springs in Jongup’s mattress screech slightly with every move. The atmosphere was literally clogged with awkwardness and a heavy feeling that blocked everyone’s flow of thoughts. Nobody could arrange some words together to form a coherent phrase without being all awkward again.
“But it’s okay, y’know.” Jongup started, “I finally got used to this place.”
His friends looked at each other skeptically before looking at Minjung all at the same time. Oblivious to everything happening around her, she just continued kicking her feet, slightly disconnected from the World.
“People aren’t as bad as they seem, yeah.”
Minjung suddenly stopped her feet in mid air, turning everyone’s attention back to her. The smile on her face didn’t fade one inch as she lifter her gaze from the ground to meet Jongup’s eyes.
“People... Aren’t bad?”
Jongup opened his mouth to say something and took a deep breath, as if he was ready to explain some sort of rocketscience, but Youngjae cut him short as he stood up and walked up to Minjung, crouching in front of her and taking one of her hands in his.
“Of course people aren’t bad,” he started, “Some of them are, indeed, bad, but we’re good guys, don’t you think?”
Jongup closed his mouth and swallowed his words, slightly annoyed at his friend’s cheesiness. Minjung just kept looking back and forth between Jongup and Youngjae, waiting for something from either part.
“Good... guys...” she told herself, taking a good look around the room to remember everyone’s face. “Good guys.” she reassured and sealed it with a nod.
“Look, beautiful,” Himchan broke the moment, “We would’ve wanted to stay more, but we kinda have to go.”
“Good guys are always welcome.” Minjung smiled widely, earning a silent chuckle from Jongup. “Take care on your way home. The ground is icy and slippery.”
Seeing her motherly concern, everyone was in slight awe. After bidding her new friends goodbye, she turned towards Jongup, who was still by the window, following his friends with his eyes.
“Not everyone is bad. You said it. I’m not bad. Remember it.”
Jongup smiled, “Of course you aren’t bad. You’re innocent.”
Minjung nodded and left his room, closing the door behind her.
“We’ll see.”
Jongup could’ve sworn he heard her voice close, as if she was still in the room. He looked around, yet he was alone between the four white walls.
“Was it my imagination?” he thought aloud, “I mean, I’m here for a reason... Right?”
‘Jongup... It was her.’ a faint voice told him as a girl’s silhouette appeared in front of his eyes, ‘It’s your choice whether you believe her or not. Carefully pick your choice,’ she then shook her head, ‘You’ll never be able to take it back.’
“What do you mean?” Jongup sat on the bed, looking at the ground, “What will I have to pick? Is something right and something wrong?” he waved his hands as if he weighed something, “Something good and something bad?”
‘We’ll see.’ both Minjung’s and the girl’s voices answered in unison with the same strength, resonating like an echo.
Oh LAWD. I finally updated. ish chapter, I know.
LAST MINUTE CHANGE OF PLOT! This story will have certain chapters rated M later (not for , though...). Also, I changed Minjung's mental disorder from depression to split personality disorder.
In the meantime, thanks to EVERYONE who decided to still cope up with my painfully slow updates and reading this. I love you all ; 3 ;
Chapter has not been proofread, I'm tired as hell so please excuse any mistakes. I might correct them in the morning. = 3 =
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