Chapter 12: Fall

"When I'm far away from where you are, it's ok, cause we're under the same stars."

“Where are we, Imo?” The boy asked, looking up at his aunt who was holding his hand. After quite a long journey in the car, finally they had arrived at a white building about three levels tall. He’d asked his aunt in the car earlier about where they were going, but his aunt only kept a tight upper lip and said that he’ll see.

Well, he saw the building now and wondered why they were here. He didn’t even know what this building was for anyway. But suddenly something attacked his mind, and old memory, which he was sure he would never disremember.

“Are you going to leave me here, just like Papa did?” The boy asked. “Are you getting tired of me too, like Papa?”

The aunt gasped in shock and bent down to match his height, which, in just a matter of years, would be the same as hers. “No, dear, I’m not going to leave you here. I’m not going to leave you anywhere. Why would you think that?”

The boy lifted his shoulders and looked at his aunt in the eyes. “I’m just reminded of the day when Papa left me at your house. The car ride was long and he too didn’t answer my question on where we were headed.”

His aunt ruffled his hair and smiled, “I won’t leave you, love, ever. In fact, the very reason why we are here is because you’re going to meet a new friend.” She explained.

The boy frowned. “A friend? What for? I don’t need a friend.”

His aunt continued smiling and said, “Well, this friend you’re going to meet is simply going to have a small chat with you. Maybe if you have some problems that you don’t want to tell me, or you think I won’t understand, well, you can tell this new friend.”

“But why would I want to tell a stranger my problems?” He asked, not really seeing the point of going.

His aunt thought for a while before saying with a small shrug. “Well, he might be a stranger but he could be a good listener. Besides, I’m sure that there are some things that you prefer not to tell me but you want to let it out somehow. Well, this person will not only listen to you, but he will keep your secret as well. He won’t say a word to anyone about what you said, even to me.”

“So you’re sending me here just so I could talk about whatever I want with this person? Don’t you think that that is a waste of time, and money, if you’re paying for it?” The boy asked with crossed arms, his face showing how ludicrous it was this matter.

The aunt sighed and looked at him pleadingly. “It won’t be a waste of time and money. I just want you to have someone you can talk to other than just me. I don’t want you to keep everything bottled inside. If you have a problem and you think I can’t help, this person might.”

The boy groaned at her insistence of him meeting this new friend, but he knew that if he didn’t do as he was told, it wouldn’t stop her from bringing him here anyway.

“Fine.” He grumbled, and his aunt can’t be happier that he agreed.

This counselling may or may not help her nephew, but at least she tried to do something for him. She’d noticed that he’d spent a lot of time with himself now, he didn’t socialize nor did he speak very much. She was concerned about whatever was going on in his mind, and she knew that he wouldn’t want to tell her even if she asked.

Deep down, she actually knew the cause of him being that way. He had a chip on his shoulder ever since the things that had happened to him as a child. Sadly enough, he couldn’t seem to get out of it until now.

He went inside, as requested, and met the stranger whom his aunt said could be a friend that he could share his secrets with, or any stories, for that matter. There were only the two of them, and his aunt waited outside.

He sat in front of this person, who was wearing a white coat while scribbling something on a piece of paper. Not too long after he sat down, White Coat put his pen down and looked at him with a smile. He seemed nice enough, the boy thought. But looks can be deceiving, and he must’ve been paid to do this job, whatever he was doing.

“Hi, I’m Dr. KangJun. You can call me KangJun hyung if you’d like. What’s your name?” White Coat, now introduced himself as KangJun, asked.

The boy raised an eyebrow before shrugging, “I don’t intend to share that piece of information with a stranger. Giving your name to a person you don’t know is like giving them the chance to take advantage of it, good or bad. Besides, I’m sure you’ve already known my name, from that paper in your hand.”

KangJun seemed to be stunned by this, but quickly recovered his composure. This boy was different, unlike his previous patients. “Very well, then. So how are we feeling today? Isn’t it chilly outside, since winter is just around the corner?”

The boy shrugged, looking everywhere but KangJun. “I don’t really understand why I am here. Is there anything I’m supposed to say to you? Or is there anything that you want to hear from me?” He asked, face looking completely bored.

KangJun chuckled. “Well, the reason you’re here is just so that we can have a talk, you and I. You don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to, but if there’s anything you’d like to say, I’m all ears.”

The boy raised an eyebrow again. “I have nothing to entertain you with. Does that mean we’re going to spend the next hour in silence in this beautiful room?”

“Well, if that’s what you want, although it’s actually good to talk things out. Don’t keep your feelings bottled up is what’s best.” KangJun said, and the boy almost laughed aloud upon hearing that. He knew what KangJun wanted to hear, but he definitely won’t tell KangJun that.

“Very well, then. KangJun-ssi, what is your opinion on death?” the boy asked, catching KangJun off guard.

“Death will occur to everyone. It’s because of either a disease, an accident, or even your carelessness. You could wake up one morning and fall down the stairs because you trip while on your way for breakfast.” KangJun said.

“The point is, you die.” The boy said, and KangJun nodded hesitantly.

“How about a death caused by certain someone, KangJun-ssi?” The boy asked again. “Well, not that that someone murders that other person anything, but because of that someone, that other person kills himself because of what that someone had done. What do you make of that?”

KangJun pondered this question, not extremely comfortable with their subject. He doubted that anyone would be, though. This is going to be harder than he thought.

“All right, YeonAe, we can do this. There is no need to prolong this, since the principal already told you that it is time to empty the locker.” YeonAe mumbled to herself, while standing in front of a locker that hadn’t been opened for so long.

She knew that someday, this day would come but she never seemed to prepare herself now that the day was finally here. Even standing in front of it now ripped her heart apart, let alone when she finally turned the lock and looked at what was inside.

YeonAe looked to her right and left, only to see that there was nobody else there other than her. The other students already left, and she purposely chose to empty the locker when there was no one around. YeonAe didn’t want any of the students to watch her while she emptied the locker. She didn’t want to see their pitiful glances, or even hear their words of empathy.

She took a deep breath; hand was ready on the locker handle and steadied herself for what she might find inside. Most probably some old books, and some stack of papers. Her job was actually simple, open the locker, clear all the things in there and she was good to go.

But if it was already difficult to open the locker itself, how can she endure the next couple of hours sorting out all the things in there without being carried away? Anyhow, this must be done, and she’d been delaying it for so long now.

YeonAe sighed again for God knows how many times, and as her hand was about to turn the handle, a voice called her from behind. “YeonAe?”

She knew that voice, and slowly turned around only to see TaeHyung looking at her with a puzzled expression. “Why are you still here? Aren’t you supposed to be home?” He asked, taking in the sight of some boxes as well as a trash bag.

YeonAe looked at the locker before turning back to TaeHyung, and said while lifting her left shoulder, “I have to empty YiXing’s locker. The principal said it’s time and I can’t keep deferring it. It’s either me or someone else will do the job. Why aren’t you back yet?”

“I had a meeting with the club just now, and it took quite a drag.” He explained, and pointed at the two small sized boxes at YeonAe’s side. “Do you need a hand? I am in no rush.”

YeonAe looked at YiXing’s locker again before sighing softly. To be honest, she would’ve liked it to do it herself, but who was to say that she can get it done quickly without breaking down? Perhaps having TaeHyung around would make the process faster and she could have someone to talk to while clearing out the locker, at the same time keeping her distracted.

“Sure, thank you.” She simply said, and turned the handle before pulling it, revealing what was inside YiXing’s locker. As expected, everything in there was neat and tidy. His books were well organized according to the days and there was a small timetable glued to the locker, under a picture of him, her and Ms. Zhang.

YeonAe still remembered the days when she forgot to bring a certain book to school, she would run to YiXing’s class, asking him to lend her that particular book, and she would follow him to his locker before running back to her class after getting the book from him.

And he would wait for her in front of his locker every single day after school ended, just as how they said goodbye to each other at YeonAe’s own lock