Panchali’s POV

We were walking behind Dr. Hyukjae and he asked us “Do you know what hexakosiohexekontahexaphobia is?”

“The fear of the number 666!” Kai and I answered together and I glared at him while he seemed amused.

I wanted to impress Dr. Hyukjae after yesterday’s fiasco. My cheeks started heating up just thinking about it.

I could see Kai roll his eyes beside me.

I pouted. He was so mean.

“And how can a person suffering from this syndrome be cured?” Dr. Hyukjae asked.

I perked up and answered before Kai could open his mouth “They can’t. Its just one of the phobias which can’t be countered. Patients are known to lose all sense of judgment when the number 666 is involved and will go to extraordinary lengths to avoid it.”

“Very good Dr. Panchali!” he said and gave me a dazzling smile which made me all jelly inside.

“Now this particular patient is being charged with a murder attempt.” Dr. Hyukjae explained and Kai and I gasped.

“He was sitting in a movie theater and someone in front of him had a tattoo of the number 999. He raised his hand and then our patient, Mr. Kim Kwangsoo, 42, tried to strangle him. Since this disease is so rare there is no known way to test. All we can do is give him various references to the number 666 and see how he responds.”

Both of us nodded and Dr. Hyukjae opened the door to a room where a meek, frail man was sitting on the bed and two police officers were standing in a corner.

Dr. Hyukjae nodded at the policemen and they went past us and out the door.

“Right then Mr. Kim! Lets get started. I just need some help from you first. Can you please dial something for me?” Dr. Hyukjae asked the man and he nodded in response.

He handed him a phone and our patient looked at him expectantly.

“Okay. 09…” The man started dialing

“…821347…” He kept dialing

…666.” The man dropped the phone as if it had burned him and started flailing.

“Dr. Kai. Please hold him.”

Kai ran forward and held the guy from behind.

“Dr. Panchali. Calm him down.”

I took a deep breath in and said in the calmest voice possible “Mr. Kim Kwangsoo, we will not hurt you. We are here to help you. Please calm down. Yes, nice and easy. Just stay calm.”

Talking calmly could calm another person’s senses. Psychology 101.

He stopped flailing and leaned against Kai who supported him.

Dr. Hyukjae took a small painting from a cupboard. It was of a normal scenery but the guy started flailing and yelling again.

I wouldn’t have been able to tell why if I hadn’t seen this before.

This painting was a classic test for patients of hexakosiohexekontahexaphobia (pronounced heck-sa-ko-see-oh-heck-se-kon-tah-hexa-fo-bee-ah). It was a normal scenery of a lake except that right in the middle between a pair of weeds was a tiny 666.

Only patients would be able to identify it as their brain would react violently to it.

I once again calmed him down as Kai held him.

“One last time now.” Dr. Hyukjae said and we heard a knock on the door.

He went to open the door and we found to our surprise that it was a bowl of spaghetti.

“There. Thank you for cooperating with us. This is a gift from the hospital.” He said and passed it to the guy but he wouldn’t touch it and buried his face in Kai’s shoulder. That’s when I noticed that in between the spaghetti was a strand of noodle forming 666.

Dr. Hyukjae sighed and said “I can clear him.”

He took the pasta away, handed it to me, said “Eat it.” and went outside to talk to the police.

The man had calmed down by now and let Kai go.

I grinned at him and said “Free spaghetti?”

“Darn right!” he said, getting off the bed and leading me out.

We swallowed the delicious preparation as Dr. Hyukjae talked to the police.

We hadn’t been able to grab a bite in the morning and this was very welcome.

“Okay Drs. Kai and Panchali lets get to the patient with Alien Hand syndrome!” he said rubbing his hands together enthusiastically.

Kai and I hurriedly handed the bowl over to a passing nurse, who seemed very agitated at this 'preposterous abuse on the service of nurses', and followed him into a room nearby.

“Oh god!” Kai said and diverted his gaze instantly. What a pabo!

I wondered what was wrong and peeked into the room.

A woman was pacing around the room. Only her right hand was ing her shirt.

She didn’t seem to notice and just glanced at us as we opened the door.

Dr. Hyukjae too diverted his gaze. Such a gentleman!

“Ah doctors! I have a business meeting to get to so can we please get this over quickly?”

“Uh ma’am. Your right hand.” I said and pointed.

It was then that she glanced down and realized what her hand was doing. She yelped and covered herself hurriedly.

Kai and Dr. Hyukjae exited the room as I rushed in and helped her get her flailing hand under control.

“What the hell is this!?” she asked “The hospital across town said that I had this Alien Hand Syndrome and had me sent here to get tested by a specialist!”

Her hand was now slapping me across the face and opening the buttons of my shirt.

The poor lady was in tears and was clinging onto the right hand with her left one in a desperate attempt to get it to stop moving.

“I’m so sorry!” she said.

“Its not your fault.” I said turning away to close the top button that her hand had opened.

“Please come in Dr. Hyukjae and Dr. Kai.” I called out and they came inside in an instant and after making sure the situation was under control, stepped closer to the lady.

“Ms. Kwon Chaerin, 32, has been sent over from Blessed East Hospital to confirm her Alien Hand Syndrome.” Kai said.

“Dr. Panchali, please explain this syndrome.” Dr. Hyukjae said looking at the lady’s file.

“Alien Hand Syndrome is the syndrome in which patients lose all control over their hands at some points in time. They can’t in any way monitor what their hand is doing. Most patients don’t even feel their hand is doing something unnatural. The alien hand can do many things like tie shoelaces, open them, cook, scribble, pick things up and er, open clothes.”

The poor lady bowed her head away at this.

“Well Ms. Kwon I will have to do a CT and I need the X-rays of your brain.” Dr. Hyukjae said “And do you have any children?”

She shook her head.

“Well hormonal imbalances could be a part of the problem. Dr. Kai please take Ms. Kwon for a CT and Dr. Panchali please find Dr. Diksha. She isn’t answering her page. Check her office.” Dr. Hyukjae said and turned to leave but he stopped, turned and said “On second thought check Dr. Donghae’s room first.”

He grinned as if at a private joke and left.

I wondered why.

                                                                ~~~

I hurried to Dr. Donghae’s room. I hadn’t been able to find Dr. Diksha anywhere in the OB/GYN ward.

I had already received a page from Dr. Hyukjae to hurry.

I quickened my steps and opened the door to Dr. Donghae’s room.

“Dr. Donghae do you have any idea where Dr. Diksha… will be…” I muttered, my voice trailing off.

He DID have much more than a clue where Dr. Diksha was.

At the current moment she was kissing him but they broke apart as soon as they saw me.

“Oh GOD OH. I will- uh-wait. Outside.” I said hurriedly closing the door.

I had no clue what to do but I kind of pitied Dr. Diksha. I mean she was always so stoic. Must get very tiring.

2 minutes later Dr. Donghae came out and said, not looking at me “I’ll get going now. Patients.”

“Yes sir.” I nodded and he left, fixing his tie.

Dr. Diksha came out next and said without looking at me “I have a 2 year old daughter. I am 30. I am still a teen and my hormones are still raging. So I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone. And don't judge me.”

“Absolutely not ma’am.” I mumbled.

“Good. Now lets go.” She said and walked ahead of me then turned and said

“My mother makes very good Indian food so if you want to come over sometime then you’re very welcome.”

I gave her a genuine smile. I missed my own grandmother’s cooking. “Yes ma’am.”

“You can call me Diksha.” She said and smiled “Or when we’re alone unnie is okay.”

I smiled wider “Neh unnie.” And to my surprise she smiled too. 

wokay bro! I have badly bruised my knee and cannot move 1mm without experiencing pain at the moment. I cannot walk and if my mum had her way I wouldn't even be allowed to talk xD 

Pray for me please! ;_;