1. Shadows

She was having nightmares again; nightmares of her past and they bothered her to no end. It was less than three weeks since it happened and she thought her condition would improve, hoping the memories would go away but sadly, it continued to linger inside her head.

“Aki?” Lee Aki’s eyes fluttered open and realized she was sitting across her therapist, Choi Min Young.

She must’ve spaced out or dozed off, she thought. With the nightmares bothering her, she hadn’t been in her best state. Her eyes were red and swollen, and dark circles began to form below them. She was paler and her long dark brown hair was tied up in a messy bun and it looked very similar to a bird’s nest and it looked quite sad, to be frank. She could easily be mistaken for a zombie except she was more harmless.

She leaned forward, placing her elbows on her knees as she rubbed her face tiredly. “I’m sorry, what was that?” she asked in a hoarse weak voice. Min Young tilted her head. She had been with her since it happened; it had been an extremely short time but being a therapist she had grown accustomed to Aki’s unusual behavior as to all her patients. Aki was nothing more but another patient, temporarily lost in depression and anxiety. A therapist's job was to pull them back up and rebuild them, and that was honestly the hardest part because each was different.

Min Young wore a smart looking dress with her white coat on and her hair was neatly tied up in a ponytail as she looked curiously at Aki.

“Have you started to paint again?”

Aki nodded. “I have.” She replied, her eyes intentionally gazing at the ground, never leaving the charismatic dark carpet out of her sight. It seemed the most interesting thing to her at the moment because she always felt uncomfortable when she talked to someone about her situation, especially to her therapist.

“And?” voiced out Min Young, pulling Aki from her trance.

Aki fiddled with her fingers nervously as she looked out of the window beside her. It was raining miserably, it reminded her of her life: cold and miserable. She thought if she could escape everything in a blink of an eye, A great escape of the seemingly deranged young widow.

Suicide was out of her list, killing herself never once cross her mind. Sure, the problems would go away but she would go away too and that was increasingly stupid.

Hurt herself? No, that was out as well. She didn’t like pain. 

Run away to the country and live as a normal girl? She wished, but she could be mistaken as an absolutely damaged soul, destined to live the rest of her life in a mental hospital.

Everything was out of her list, and she didn’t know how to take the pain away or how to escape it.

“At first, it was working but the dreams began to look so vivid-“ She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, indicating that she didn’t want to continue anymore.

Min Young nodded and mimicked her, placing her elbows on her knees the same way Aki did.

“Aki, I think it is time for you to find a new place and a roommate.”

Finally, Aki responded to this. She took her eyes off the ground and looked at Min Young with an intent stare.

“Why? And what do I do with a roommate for? Your advice is completely absurd.” She almost laughed at the thought.

“It is basically one of the things that could help you; your nightmares are possibly triggered by the mere sight of your house where it happened. A new place will be definitely good for you.” Aki tried to interrupt Min Young but she continued. “As for a roommate, someone could check up on you. It’s not for me, Aki, but for you. You have all the freedom to look for a suitable roommate, be it stranger or close friend.”

Aki flashed Min Young a knowing glare, which made the therapist smirk in amusement. “They all have their respective homes. What makes you think they'd give that up for me?” She stubbornly retorted.

“A stranger, then. Of course you must pick the most decent-looking but don’t be too picky, your landlady or landlord will surely suffer from your fussy behavior.”

Aki wasn’t so sure of Min Young’s advice. Ever since the day it happened, she seemed different.

She smiled, laughed and interacted with people less due to the consuming influence of despair. Day by day, her condition became worse. She seldom heard his voice, memories of them flashing before her eyes, hearing his voice call her name; it was beginning to drown her with its nostalgic charm.

Aki sighed deeply, “Who would want me for a roommate?” she asked with much seriousness in her voice. She stared at Min Young with a piercing gaze, eager to hear her therapist’s brilliant retort.

“It is simply a necessity for your condition right now. It has been less than three weeks, and painting hasn’t helped you nor did writing. It’s really going to take you a while to adjust a life without him. This will seriously help you. I guarantee it. It might not help you right away, but it will help you as time goes by.”

Aki wanted so much to move on, to continue her life but she wasn’t happy without him. He was always the source of her happiness and he was taken deliberately away from her but life was unfair like that. Death was inevitable and so was depression in her state of being.

 “Can’t I buy a pet instead?” Aki suggested with a hopeful twinkle in her eyes.

Min Young sighed, “I told you a thousand times now, that buying a pet in this situation will only lead to extreme depression and I don’t want that to happen to you.”

“Gee, thanks.” Aki replied sarcastically as Min Young smiled. “Have faith, Aki.”

Aki stayed silent and looked away once again. 

A/N: Hello! I'm really touched when I already saw an upvote.

Really, that was a first time. 

The main protagonist's first appearance: Lee Aki!

Her name seems weird, I know but there is an explanation at the next chappie, so don't worry.

Byun Baekhyun? Oh don't worry 'bout him, he's also the main, you just hafta be patient. 

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God bless my dear lovelies!