"So... you're telling me you can't offer me hallucingenic therapy"

 

 

Ningning's expression tightens, a visible annoyance settling over her face. Her eyes twitch, and she starts tapping her pen on her notebook, the rhythm mirroring her growing frustration. Her patient, Mr Anderson, was quite a perculiar figure... being his first time in her psychologist office... NingNing worked professionally and showed the man respect and patience whilst listening to his woes for an hour and a half... only for the session to turn into a weird rant about his interest in psychedelics....

 

 

It made the doctor quite suspicious of his real reason for coming to her....

 

 

Letting out a subtle sigh, Ningning takes off her glasses and leans forward, with a serious, yet composed demeanour. "Mr. Anderson, we've been discussing your concerns and finding healthier coping mechanisms. Introducing hallucinogens into our therapy sessions is not only unconventional but also illegal."

 

 

"Come on, doc! They say this therapy is the most effective, offering fresh perspectives to help you see things differently... can't you just lend a hand to an old soul like me?"
 

"I understand there may be alternative therapeutic approaches, but my role as your psychologist is to guide you through evidence-based methods. Hallucinogenic substances are not a part of that approach, especially when it hasn't even been passed through the legislation system yet within this country. And even if it has, I'm psychologist, not a clinial psychiatrist"

 

 

"Then surely, you can recommend me to a psychiatrist."

 

"Once more, as I've mentioned before, this isn't a legally sanctioned therapeutic approach, and I haven't assessed your situation extensively enough to consider referring you to a psychiatrist at this stage. My aim, Mr. Anderson, is to assist you, but I cannot compromise on ethical or legal principles. If you have any other concerns or queries about our sessions, let's discuss them within these boundaries."

 

 

She fixes him with a pointed stare, the tapping of her pen growing louder, as if silently reprimanding him for crossing a line. However, rather than acknowledging his misstep, the man appeared to grow even more irritated by her response.

 

"You psychologists are all the same. Can't even have a little fun with your patients," he tsked before abruptly rising from his seat and marching towards the door.

 

 

"You still have 30 minutes left to go. Would you like me to adjust the session duration and charge you only for the time you've stayed?"

 

 

"Go to hell" Was the last thing he said before slamming the door behind him.

 

 

"What a rude bastard," Ningning muttered, rolling her eyes. She jotted down a few last notes on her workpad, circling the section where she wrote "Never allowed back" three times.

 

 

The woman typically loved her job... having dedicated years of study that brought her to where she is today... but no matter how much she genuinely enjoys her line of work... there is no denying the inevitable days when unexpected oddballs would go out of their way to grace her office.

 

 

Those days were typically less enjoyable... but definitely more entertaining.

 

 

Finishing off her record, the girl began scanning through the profile of her next patient... she still had hours to go before her mind should even begin thinking about the possibility of dinner.... but alas... the thought of ordering a pizza still nevertheless crossed her mind... when her phone began buzzing with a familiar name of her best friend.

 

 

"Minjeong, well this is a surprise" She kept the phone to her ear while still simultaneously scrolling through her patient's files on her laptop.

 

 

"Surprise? I call you all the time" The blonde responded on the other end.

 

 

"Not recently you haven't, I assume the job's been taking over. Have you returned from New York already?"

 

 

Minjeong leaned her back against the rooftop fence, gazing up to feel Seoul's cold breeze running through her hair. "Yep, arrived just yesterday," she murmured, taking in a deep breath. She relished the chance to have some time for herself and get some fresh air. "And it's back to work already. The CEO called Jimin in today to discuss her performance overseas... I'm legit just her driver for the day."

 

 

"Busy." Placing the phone on speaker, Ningning began quickly typing up some key pointers while speaking. "Although I can't say I'm any different. You don't usually call me during work hours, Minjeong. What is it? Did something happen?"

 

 

"Oh.. no.. all is well actually.. very well- sorry did you have to get back to work?"

 

 

"Well, you have about 15 minutes to tell me exactly what you need before I have no choice but to hang up the phone on you," Ningning retorted, a hint of playful annoyance in her tone.

 

 

"Why would you assume I'm calling you to ask for something and not to check up on you?"

 

 

"Because I've known you for years Minjeong"

 

 

Touche....

 

 

"Now what is it?" Ningning added, glancing over at the time on her wrist watch to make sure she had measured everything correctly.

 

 

"It's nothing huge... just," the blonde began, looking down towards her feet, contemplating the best approach to ask her question. "I just wanted your professional opinion on something... you know, as a clinical psychologist?"

 

 

"My professional opinion?" The doctor stopped scrolling, her interest now piqued. She turned off speakerphone and brought her device close to her ear again, ready to give her full attention.

 

 

"Yes... it's about a friend of a friend..." Minjeong hesitated, her voice betraying a hint of uncertainty.

 

...

 

...

 

 

"A friend of a friend..?" Ningning repeated, her eyebrow raised in curiosity, even though neither woman could see each other.

 

 

"Yep.. so my friend had been talking to me recently... telling me about how they suspect... their other friend may have never really experienced being properly loved before.... and she just wanted to know... what kind of impact would that have on the person if that was the case?"

 

 

... Ningning, to say the least was quite suspicious of the way Minjeong was carrying out this conversation, but chose to humor her friend momentarily.. just to see how everything will unvail.

 

 

"Well, it depends on the circumstances. If this issue stemmed from childhood, it becomes extremely likely for that child to grow up with a weakened sense of self. They may be unstable, unable to comfort themselves, and have trouble trusting others... but most importantly, they may find difficulties loving themselves... and thus be unable to open up to love others,"

 

 

".. I see.."

 

"Of course, everyone is different, and what I said here may not apply to every individual with similar experiences... but generally speaking, what we typically see is that the impact of a lack of genuine love can manifest into three main categories: low self-esteem, emotional detachment, and a fear of trust,"

 

 

"And..." The blonde's tone sounded serious, as if she had been diligently taking notes while listening to her friend. "What would you say someone should do... if they have wanted to show that person... there are people out there who are trustworthy and willing to love them for who they are?"

 

 

"Minjeong," Ningning said, tired of beating around the bush and wanting to get straight to the point. "Who is this? Why are you asking all of a sudden... wait," she paused, putting two and two together. "This isn't about Jimin, is it?"

 

 

"What! No!"   Yes!    "Like I said, it's a friend of a friend!"

 

 

"Right... well... for your friend of a friend, just know if it's important to understand that if they exhibit closed-off behaviors like lashing out, it could be a sign of limited coping skills due to their past experiences. Things that might seem minor to others could trigger strong reactions in them. The key is patience; offer support even if it's from a distance and always respect their boundaries. Encourage them to open up in their own time."

 

 

"Do you think anything can be done to show them that someone is there for them, and simply wants them to feel free to be themselves whenever they're together?"

 

 

"Minjeong," Ningning almost chuckled, "You're taking time out of both your and my schedule to discuss the best way for you to support Jimin. I reckon with this alone, she'll be able to see just how much you care for her."

 

 

"Huh- Wait! This isn't about me or Jimin! This is about-"

 

 

"A friend of a friend, yes I know, I need to go now, my patient is about to walk in" And with that the doctor promptly hangs up her phone and places it down.. but not before shaking her head slightly in amusement... "Oh Minjeong... you are so whipped.."

 

 

"Hello? Hello?" The girl holds down her phone and stares at her screen to confirm the hang up. Turning off her device and shoving it in her pocket, she once again leaned back on the fence again... pondering what Ningning has said to her... and how she was going to translate all that into action.

 

 

Letting out a small sigh... her brain went into overdrive as those neuro-network gears continued to spin...

 

 

She just wanted nothing else but for Jimin to be truly happy, to feel the warmth of her support and let her know that no matter what, Minjeong was committed to always be there for her...

 

 

But reality was still reality...

 

 

No matter what had transpired between them, nothing of substantial foundation had been established just yet.

 

 

So with that being said, Minjeong found herself navigating through a maze of uncertainty, unsure of the boundaries of actions she was allowed to take.

 

 

Patience huh...

 

 

Well.. the blonde had been prepared for that...

 

 

And if there's one thing she was definitely sure about... it's that for Jimin...

 

 

She was just that worth it... no matter how long...

 

 

Checking the time quickly, the blonde noted it was almost time to drop Jimin home.. so with a newfound determination, she got ready to begin walking back downstairs, when a familiar voice infiltrated her focus.

 

 

"Minjeong!" She turned around, startled, only to be met with a set of excited eyes. She felt the urge to take a few steps back, but she was already on the edge of the roof.

 

 

"Jae... what are you doing up here?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern.

 

 

 

 

 

⋇⊶⊰❣⊱⊷⋇


 

 

 

Jimin couldn't concentrate.

 

 

Not one bit.

 

 

As Junwoo spoke about the newly arisen opportunities for the company since her New York trip with Minjeong, the actress found herself staring at his mouth, her mind elsewhere. His words seemed to go in one ear and out the other, as she struggled to pay attention on the conversation.

 

 

It's kind of strange really...

 

 

The way her brain seemed to have a mind of its own, fixating solely on her manager, of all people, as if determined to ignore everything else around her.

 

 

Little blondie Minjeong.

 

 

And her stupid contageous smile...