The others in the asylum wasn’t something I thought of often. If I got a nightmare or flashback of the asylum, they would often be there. If I saw a street magician or pink hair, I would often do a double take thinking that it was Yongseok. Sometimes street graffiti would remind me of Seyoung but only if it involved lots of circles. These were rare occasions. I hadn’t seen them in a while. I probably saw them last at Ms Kim’s trial. We were all required to be witnesses apart from Wonho but when we were there, none of us spoke one word to another.

I never saw any of them afterwards. That wasn’t surprising though. They probably had family to return to. I didn’t and neither did Wonho. My mother was still in Japan, I don’t speak to my father although I know that I probably should try to build that relationship. No one has been able to track down Wonho’s family. He was most likely orphaned. Even he can’t remember his family or if he does, he doesn’t want to remember.

I think that maybe Casper went back to China. Yongseok probably went back to his family and started to try living a normal life again. Sangmin definitely would’ve definitely got rid of those dreads, well I hope he has. Seyoung probably would’ve been like Yongseok, back with his family and I imagine that he doesn’t draw on walls anymore. I took Wonho to his hospital appointment like always. He had an appointment twice a week and I’d always wait outside unless the doctor wanted me in there. This time I waited outside. I was sat on my phone, scrolling through the news until I heard a familiar voice. 

“Guys I’m telling you it’s real! Casper, Sangmin, Seyoung, believe me! Whatever she did back then, it worked! I can do magic! Look!” That insistent voice sounded familiar but the names hit me the most. No one else could have that combination of names and talk about magic like that.

My head snapped up from my phone, my thumb immediately pressing the lock button as I did so. I look left and right down the corridor to see a group of 4 people walking towards me, one of them walking backwards. The one walking backwards had pink hair, I could tell that it was Yongseok. Casper walked with his head down, his snapback turned backwards whilst shaking his head in Yongseok’s general direction. Sangmin looked like he wanted to hit Yongseok, if he was still like this, it was most likely to knock some sense into him. Seyoung was the quietest there. He kept a pace behind the group and he just had a look on his face that seemed to say “Here he goes again.” I didn’t really care to talk to them, I was just impatient to get out of here really. But then Yongseok had to fall flat on his right in front of me.

“Seriously guys, I’m not lying! You’ve got to tru… Shoot, that hurt. Give me a hand, someone.” Yongseok said as he tripped, probably on his untied shoelace. I thought they hadn’t noticed me because they started to walk away. However it seemed that I hadn’t had a lucky escape because Seyoung turned his head as he passed me and he called out to the others after stopping in shock for a few seconds.

“Hey you lot, guess who I’ve just found! It’s Takuya!” Seyoung called out to the other three. The others stop and turn, probably in confusion before walking back to confirm what Seyoung said. As they got nearer, their faces immediately lit up with recognition.

“Hey guys, how’ve you been?” was probably the least awkward thing I could say right now so that’s what I did. I didn’t get a response because Seyoung butted in before anyone else could. 

“You guys walked right past him, Yongseok, you even fell over right in front of him and none of you noticed him. What are you doing here, Takuya?” he said, almost like he was chastising them.

“I’m waiting for Wonho to come out from his appointment. What happened screwed him up really badly so to cut a long story short, I’m his ‘carer.’ We live in an apartment together, I bring him to his appointments and I just generally help him. He’s improved a lot since though. Why are you guys here? And especially, all together. I thought you would’ve all gone down your separate paths.” I explained, I was curious about why they were here.

"Group therapy. To make sure we don't have any side effects of the post-hypnotic suggestion. We don't want to end up crazy like... Ouch! Casper! That was right in the ribs! What was that fo... Oh!" Yongseok spoke without thinking, only realising when Casper elbowed him in the side.

"I was expecting you to be there, Takuya. I thought you might have been there. I wasn't expecting Wonho to be there but I thought you would’ve been there." Sangmin said to prevent Yongseok running off his mouth again. "I guess I was pre occupied with helping Wonho that I didn't go to any of my sessions. It's likely that I would've been in those session but I promised Wonho that I'd help him." I explained.

As I finished explaining, the door opened and Wonho stepped out. He immediately saw the others and he cowered back. He clearly hadn't counted on seeing them. The last time he saw them was back at the asylum when they knocked him out.

I immediately move to his side to calm him. "Wonho, it's okay. They're not going to hurt you. They don't want to hurt you. They're your friends, they didn't want to hurt you back then." I comfort him, he backed against the wall but he gripped my shoulder tight. He didn't want to let go but eventually he dropped his grip.

"Can we just go? Please? I can't face them, not yet." He whispered, voice shaking and low enough for them not to hear. I nod, understanding his request. 

I turn back to the others and say that we're leaving and tell them that I'll hopefully see them soon. I take a pen from my pocket and write my number on the back of the nearest hand, which happened to be Seyoung's.

Not five minutes later, multiple messages make by phone light up for minutes on end. Multiple emojis and kisses end Yongseok's whilst Casper keeps him messages blunt and short. Sangmin uses text speak and one simple emoji, like a smiley face, and Seyoung just replies to everything with a picture, whether it's a photo of him or it's downloaded from the Internet, it doesn't matter, if he can send it, he will.

I eventually arranged to meet them, Wonho wanted to come too. He wanted to make amends and build bridges. As we sat in the coffee shop waiting, Wonho's leg started bouncing out of nerves. I didn't want to force him here but he insisted on coming. I'd already told them that if Wonho felt uncomfortable with the situation, I'd have to leave with him. They understood, maybe they had been the same as him at one point.

Slowly, they drifted in one by one. Sangmin first, then Yongseok and Casper, Seyoung drifting in about ten minutes late. We just talked generally, found out what they were doing now and the like. I also started to notice little things about how they acted.

Maybe it was a subconscious habit but they were too similar to the post-hypnotic suggestions that it wasn't a coincidence. Yongseok was flipping a coin, moving it from palm to palm and rolling it across his knuckles like a street magician you'd see on a city corner. Seyoung's wasn't so obvious. He just moved his thumb round and round in perfect circles on anything it rested on, his drink, the table or the back of his hand. Casper just kept his fists clenched, like he was waiting for a fight. Sangmin was probably the most unusual of them all. He naturally rested his hand on the back of his head, like he was making sure he didn't have dreads anymore. Maybe because he associated them with being in the asylum.

We drank our drinks and talked for a couple of hours. We only split paths when I had to leave to go to work, Wonho following me. He hadn't spoken more than a few words to anyone there, not even to me.

"Are you okay Wonho? You didn't talk much. Were you nervous?" I asked.

He shook his head, "I just wanted to listen. What could I say? I don't have a job, I don't have a family. I didn't say anything because I didn't have anything to contribute." I guess I could understand but he shouldn't have to feel isolated because of it.

We meet the others a lot. We do nearly every week. Wonho talks to them more, nearly as much as Seyoung does. Things are improving, maybe it's good that we're friends. We all only had each other to rely on before so maybe now, we should still help each other out.

Friends are always there for each other.