〈 counselors' office

@[w] zhang yixing Taemin's dark eyes trail over the other's face narrowed, his lips were pursed a bit in anger and he felt as if he wanted to just get rid of this counselor. He didnt do anything that Taemin wanted him to, it was frustrating for him he never had someone who so easily just ignored his words. He shakes his head, "theyll never make anything good" He mutters almost growling out his words, "Those stupid es hate us! They dont care what we have to say!" He looks at the other "Ive been polite ive tried being kind and they throw it back in my face like its nothing, next time i think ill just have to threaten them. Im tired of not getting what i want"

After all of his shouting Taemin's head hung and he pulled his knees up to his chest as he sat there on the floor right in front of the desk. He wished he could just run away from there, just break out in some way and run forever, keep running until his feet are raw and bleeding. If only there was a window there that he could open, some door for him to slip through he'd be gone in no time. But of course he was stuck here, kept in his cage like some pathetic little hamster fed whatever the master wants to feed and the master only gives the worst kind of hamster food they can find. He simply sat there for a couple minutes as the man was silent. He'd begun to cry, not exactly knowing why there were tears on his cheeks, real ones this time. He uses the tissue he'd gotten from the other to wipe his face he nods a bit laying his head against the desk a bit, "No mother...." He sighs softly and speaks in a vry soft voice, "I dont even remember my mother anymore... i dont remember her face or her voice... i dont know her birthday or how old she is, i dont remember ever having a father... its been too long and ive been on too many drugs for me to ever remember" He sighs softly, "thats my secret... i want to go to my mommy but i dont even remember her face"

@[f] lee taemin Slightly flinching as the other cursed - Yixing wasn't a very big supporter of profanity - he still made a mental note to speak with the chefs about the cooking, because if it truly was as bad as Taemin made it out to be then he didn't want his patients eating it at all. "I'm sure we can get something done, you just have to give me some time to speak with the chefs." He said calmly despite the fact that Taemin had just, more or less, insulted. However, Yixing was used to insults, matter of fact, he insulted himself all the time, so he wasn't very affected by him, it just lowered his already low self confidence even more. "Maybe if you're polite to them, they will listen more to your complaints?" He suggested, tilting his head. From the side of Taemin he was seeing right now, he figured that if the other was saying these things to their face then it was no wonder the food tasted horrible.

Eyes widening as Taemin began to face his voice to a full on shout, Yixing shook his head, feeling his heart beat a little faster, and the hairs on his arms raise. It was triggering, to have the other raise his voice, as Yixing couldn't even count the number of times that they - he only referred to his past abusers as they - would yell at him for even the tiniest things. Suddenly, Yixing felt small, as he bit his lower lip, trying to seem as professional as possible despite the fact that it felt like he was having a minor heart attack. It was no big deal, he told himself, he could freak out later, just not in front of his patient. "T-taemin." The counselor barely breathed out, his lower lip beginning to tremble as he slipped it from the grasp of his teeth, but he soon enough got control of it again. His eyes were slightly glassy, and his face had paled quite a bit. Yixing suddenly felt the urge to wince and flinch, as he would usually do when in this state of mind, but he held back.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out.

He repeated the exercise to himself a bit as he did just that until he felt like he could function once more. After two or three minutes, he finally got himself back to a functioning state and looked to the other, having missed just about everything he said and feeling regretful. But seeing that the other took him up upon his offer, Yixing felt a little better, and gave a small smile. "Well, I don't even have a mother. I used to.. but I don't know where she is now." He stated, his smile becoming just a bit weaker. "Okay, now you tell me a secret!"

@[w] zhang yixing Taemin narrows his eyes at the man, who in their right mind would ever like the food they get in a place like this? It was just as bad as school food! He scoffs and crosses his arms glaring at the man before him, "Chefs? More like lazy s who throw disgusting old frozen crap that isnt good enough for even dogs into an oven for a while." He shakes his head, "There's no way in hell they'd ever be able to make anything good. I know you're supposed to be all positive or something but thats just too ridiculous You've got to be one of the most idiotic people i've ever met if you think that that garbage can be made to taste good." His words were full of annoyance and anger as he spoke.

The man was only making Taemin angry with his words, try to get better? TRY TO GET BETTER? Taemin wanted to reach across the desk and grab the counselor by the throat for that, he glares coldly at the man. "Tch try to get better? Try to ing get better? Theres nothing wrong with me!" He shouts his hands clutching into fists, "Theres nothing wrong with me aside from being locked up in here left alone in the world." He laughs coldly, "I dont even know if she's alive anymore. I dont know if she cares about me, i havent heard from her since i was taken away. Those things wont help me with anything they'll only depress me and make me wish so very desperately for a bullet to the face" he growls, his temper was starting to get the best of him at this point. "My life is over. Im sixteen and stuck in this ! I havent seen my mother in what... two years? I have no one else the people here dont care about me in the least. It doesnt matter how much i believe in anything you people just want me here" Tears burned in Taemin's eyes as he still glared at the man before him, "What home? I dont have one anymore... you people ripped it away from me" His voice had fallen to hardly a whisper, even as someone who would do anything to manipulate someone his emotions could get the better of him sometimes.

He sinks down onto the floor sitting on his knees his hands over his face. He shakes his head crying more, "L-liar! You just want me to rot here" He ignores the tissue, at least until the man mentioned secrets, Taemin loved secrets. He slowly reaches out taking the tissue and beginning to wipe his face sniffling and slowly looking at the other, "s-secrets.... th-then tell me a secret..." His temper had fizzled out by now, he'd not gotten what he wanted from this man, but the curiosity that the thought of learning a secret made him perk up just a bit.

@[f] lee taemin Maintaining his composure despite the cold tone to Taemin's voice, Yixing only flinched a bit. He never liked having people upset with him, if anything it was one of his biggest weaknesses. He tried so hard to make people happy, so to have someone actually mad with him was enough to make him want to give him. But Yixing had formal training, and while he was on the clock he was to be as professional as possible despite the circumstances. "You don't like the food? I can always talk the chefs and see what I can do to get it changed." He suggested, trying to make some light of the situation. He wanted Taemin to see that he was actually trying to make his life a little better, even if it was only making the food better. He, personally, never ate the cafeteria food because he preferred to cook for himself, but if it was that bad he would definitely ask if they could do something about the taste and quality.

Glancing away as Taemin's voice began to raise and his eyes began to water once more, Yixing shifted a bit in his seat, thinking some motivational words to himself. "I realize you've been here for a while now Taemin, but if you really want to leave you're going to have to really try to get better. I know it seems impossible, but you can do it, I know you can. Just keep those things in mind, the fact that you want to hear your mother's voice again, and that you want to eat your favorite food, use that as motivation to try and improve everyday!" Yixing encouragingly said, giving a thumbs up. "Life isn't over for you. You're still so young, and you still have so much to live for. You just have to believe it." He trailed off, nodding slowly, managing to look the other in the eye once more. "I believe in you Taemin, I believe you can go home."

Eyes widening as the other demanded to see the paper, Yixing promptly shook his head. "Y-you can't!" He replied, his grip on the paper tightening. "It's nothing bad, it's just the things that are necessary to know." He assured, giving a light, comforting smile. He stood up, passing Taemin a tissue. "Please don't cry. Here, how about this? I'll tell you a secret, and you'll tell me one. So then we both know secret things about each other, and you can see I'm not so perfect or good either." He offered, tilting his head.

@[w] zhang yixing Taemin watches the man wondering just what he was thinking. He was hoping that he was feeling guilty, beating himself over the head on the inside, making himself feel completely awful and miserable. He liked to imagine a little storm raging inside the other's head with all kinds of tornadoes and lightening strikes tearing it apart. Maybe it was abnormal to think like that, but who said Taemin had to be normal? Oh, that's right, their government did, they ripped him from his mother and shoved him in this place, and he wanted them to suffer for it. When the man seemed to get control over himself Taemin narrows his eyes at him a bit, a little annoyed that he'd done it. He shakes his head, "I could tell you everything i need, and you would never give it to me, they never do, i never get anything in this hell hole aside from a disgusting meal that isnt good enough to feed a mutt on the streets." His voice was cold and actually had a bit of hurt in it. He never did get to have anything, nothing he wanted was ever given to him.

At the other's words taemin scoffs, "You must not realize how long ive been here.... ive been her for so long i dont remember what my own mother's voice sounds like. I dont know what my favorite food is, i dont know the flavor of anything good!" He looks at the other and tears fill his eyes. He looks at the other giving him the most pitiful depressed broken down and lonely expression he could. "You've condemned me to a life that isnt worth living..." He shakes his head and mutters softly, "Id rather be killed than keep staying here, i hate this life, i hate these people i hate the food here, i hate the beds and the showers, i hate the air here!" The tears started to pour down his cheeks, "you people all just want me to die... but you dont want it on your shoulders, you'd rather let me just kill myself here so you dont send me out and they put me to death" His lips tremble as he speaks, "I want to go home."

When the man denied him the paper he looks at him, still crying and looking miserable, "Why.... its about me, i should know what you're saying about me.... you're putting bad things on it arent you!" He covers his face sobbing softly, of course his tears werent real but he was an amazing actor, "you're writing bad things so that i cant leave! You want me to be stuck here!" He sobs once more trembling a bit, "You're writing all kinds of things that arent true just to hurt me!"

@[f] lee taemin The more emotional, self-conscious side of Yixing was being stomped to the ground with every word the other spoke. The side was being dragged through the dirt and killed by the patient before him, and had this not been a formal setting Yixing would have probably excused himself in order to go sulk for a while. But even with that side of him, Yixing knew that there was a time and place for everything, and while he was truly emotionally weak, he also had been trained in college for these situations, and he wasn't about to let such training go to waste, even if he didn't agree with all of it. He had to push that side away for the moment, shaking off his insecurities, and bringing out the perfect Zhang Yixing that everyone thought he was, the one that the government had approved up and admired. He let out a small sigh, lightly slapping himself in a playful manner. "You'll have to forgive me. I will make sure not to give you any hot drinks from now on. If there is anything else you need, tell me, okay?" Yixing spoke, his voice much more calmer than before, his Korean nearly flawless now.

His eyebrows lightly furrowed at Taemin's question and he bit down on his lower lip his facade faltering. "I know you don't like it here, but you will soon enough. Everyone here is very kind!" Yixing assured, giving a thumbs up although he knew he probably had given Taemin the impression that all the workers here were out to get him when that was not the case. "I'm sorry, I can't just send you home. You're not ready yet Taemin, and if I did, that would end up in consequences for the both of us." Yixing said apologetically, though he told himself it was for the better. Even though he would love to put the patients back with their family, he knew that if they weren't truly ready, that they could both get jail time or even be put to death. It just wasn't worth it, and Yixing was sure that Taemin thought the same way. If it was so simple to send the patients back, then Yixing would have sent so many patients home by now that the asylum would be nearly empty. Unfortunately though, they were still flawed, and thus unfit for society.

Snapping out of his thoughts as he noticed Taemin beside his desk, Yixing glanced up to him and immediately shook his head. The daily reports were only for the eyes of therapists and counselors, no other worker could see them, and especially not one of the patients. Yixing quickly pulled the paper into his lap. "No, you can't actually. I'm sorry, it's just a rule here that what we write is only for fellow counselors or therapists to see." He explained, smiling slightly as he quickly wrote down more proof of the personality change that may have taken place.

@[w] im jinah Same old, same old. It was just his luck that he didn't have to actually try to explain that he's muteㅡthe moment Sunggyu sat down to Jinah's request, he felt slightly relieved. The first hurdle's out, thanks to the understanding counselor... but this was just the beginning.

Pulling the notebook and pen closer, he bit his lower lip and nodded. Writing takes more time, but signing tire him quicklyㅡit wasn't as if he was well-exercised, after all. One would expect him to grow obese given how he hadn't done any exercise for the last seven years or so, but no, he was lean, and the tight sweater shows his build quite accurately.

Opening the notebook, the male stared at the blank paper for a moment. What was he going to write? How he felt... well, he wasn't going to lie.

'I'm nervous. Trying to adapt to this place,' he wrote. 'The problem... I cannot go into. I haven't been able to tell anyone. I doubt I'll ever be able to... without...'

It's not like he didn't know what was going to happen if he tried to remember the details. Next time he wakes, he's going to wake up from being sedated. No, he couldn't. It was already hard enough keeping the thought at bay.

And he didn't continue the sentence when he turned the notebook to face her.

@[w] im jinah A female, by her voice. Sunggyu took a deep breath and pushed the door open, keeping his eyes on the female figure behind the table as he closed the door behind him. On first impression, she was striking—her features were easy to spot and easy to remember, though that was all he could glean from the female aside of her friendly smile.

The moment he heard the click of the door, he took another deep breath and tried to smile back—though he wasn't really sure if he actually smiled or what. Can your muscles simply forget how to smile, the way they forgot how to speak? Somehow, he wondered.

Bowing slightly the moment he came face to face with her, he stood within a comfortable distance (for him, that is), waiting for what could either be her first order, or her first question.

@[w] im jinah First schedule. The firsts are always hard, so they say, and Sunggyu believed it more or less. The male was wrapped in a tight-knit sweater, white in color, symbol of purity—ironic how he was nothing but pure, really. Sometimes, he couldn't help but feel under those gazes people threw him, exposed to the core of his own weakness.

He hated it.

Silently, he walked to the counselor's office, trying hard not to shudder. He knew what he was going to face, more or less. Whoever's in there would be questioning him, and he never responded well to questions. not after—

Calm, Sunggyu, calm.

Swallowing hard, he knocked at the door, two times, faintly.

@[w] zhang yixing Taemin could see that his words were getting to the man, that was good, that would mean he'd be so much easier to control. Guilt was his favorite tool to use and it was certainly working. He sniffles just to upset the other more and he rubs one of his eyes, "Y-yes why did you make me drink something so hot" He lets out a little sad whimper, "my tongue hurts a lot still." He sniffles once more and lets out another little sob, "Y-you're very scary.... i d-dont wanna be here I wanna leave!" He shakes his head, "I wanna leave this place and go far far away! Everyone here tried to hurt me" He sobs softly covering his face, then he peeks at the older man through his fingers, "h-how will you make it up to me... will you let me go home?" He rubs both of his eyes once more sniffling.

He starts wiping all the tears off his face sniffling again, his nose had started to run from his crying. He stands up slowly holding his head with one hand trying to get past the dizziness that he felt from his hyperventilating when the other had come in. He walks slowly toward the man and his desk one hand still on his head and the other rubbing one of his eyes before it drops to his side. He comes to the edge of the desk and stops looking at the other, "Can i see what you're writing?" He asks leaning over the table a bit trying to see the paper. He was so very curious about it and wanted to see it now so he could see what the man was thinking and not telling him. He slowly reaches out for the paper, he didnt want to snatch it away or anything but rather hoped that the other would give it to him.

Taemin's eyes go to Yixing's face as he reaches, where he once could hardly even look at the other let alone look him in the eyes he was watching the other with dark curious eyes of his own. He planned on pushing it with this man to see what he could get out of him, if he could get him to say he was okay and let him go home to his umma or at the very least to get things put in his room so he wasnt always in a box or maybe he'd at least have something to cuddle with at night.

@[f] lee taemin As soon as Yixing saw the tears welling up in the patient's eyes, his heart cracked a bit more. He had never meant to hurt him, especially not this badly. Yixing absolutely hated making people cry, and so seeing a patient cry, someone he was supposed to take care of, because of him, killed him on the inside. He would never forgive himself. He couldn't. He had failed. He only had one job, and that was to keep the patients happy, but he couldn't even do that. He could never do anything right, and that was why he despised himself so much. Yixing suddenly felt the urge to go home, lay in his bed, curl into a ball, and sob quietly as he beat himself up over what happened, but he knew that would only make it worse. No, he had to stick through this, even if he was terrified that he would mess up. He couldn't just ditch and go home, that would make his existence even more pathetic than it already was, and his mind told him that the last thing he needed was to be more pitiful. His mind was jumbling with a lot of things right now, and Yixing had to take the time to get it all sorted out, so that he would at least be able to function properly.

Just as Yixing managed to calm his thoughts, tears actually started to fall down the other's face. "It is..?" Yixing whispered, more of to himself. The low self esteem he had already went even lower. His mind was going on a ball, taking the chance to conjure up more insults directed towards him. Yixing fiddled with the pencil in his hand, taking in slow deep breaths, and blowing them out. He could feel a break down coming, and he didn't want it to happen, at least not here. He had to save those things for home. Although Yixing didn't consider himself to be the best counselor in the world, he did know that there was a time and a place for everything, and right now this was not the time nor the place for him to shut down. "I'm so sorry Taemin. I-I didn't mean to scare you. I would never want to do something like that. I just-" He cut himself off, getting a bit choked up, but managing to swallow it down and hold back. "I just don't know what came over me. But I will definitely make up for it."

Shaking his head a bit, Yixing went back to writing, trying his best to focus on the other's new behavior. He was just a bit confused over whether a change had happened or not, if so it had been one of the smoothest transitions Yixing had ever seen. Or maybe he didn't get to see it, because he had been out of the room for at least two or three minutes, there was a chance that Taemin had changed personalities and he hadn't been there to see it. "Just writing stuff." He vaguely replied, trying his best to give a smile. "You don't have to worry, it's nothing necessarily negative." He assured.

@[w] zhang yixing As the man sat there in silence, seeming to be realizing what he'd done wrong Taemin watches him wondering what he'd been thinking. Though the second the man seemed to snap out of it and he spoke up once more Taemin let his hands drop from his face having a distressed expression on his face, "Yes i feel sick..." When the counselor touches him the boy doesnt pull back from the touch and he looks up at the other tears in his dark eyes as he meets the other man's eyes. When the other speaks about the maid Taemin looks at it and frowns a bit then looks at the other, "You made me drop it" He mutters, as if he just wanted to make sure he wasnt going to get in trouble. He pulls himself up off the floor and back onto the chair he'd been in the beginning brushing his clothes off.

Taemin settles into the chair and crosses his legs in a feminine manner his eyes still on Yixing. He nods slowly, "I did hurt myself... it's your fault" He mumbles looking away from the man crossing his arms, "And you do scare me.... you're a scary man just like everyone else who works here.... why do you all try to hurt me?" He asks making himself tear up and a couple tears roll down his cheeks. He wanted to make this man feel bad for what had happened, to make him feel as guilty as he could to get something he wanted, anything really. The boy would be happy with some sweets that he never got in a place like this but of course he'd have to get the other to get it for him... somehow.

He watches his counselor walk to his desk and sit there writing something, making him curious. He his head to the side a bit, "what are you writing" He asks, though it was in a bit more of a demanding tone. "Are you writing down what you did?" Sitting up a little in his seat Taemin's eyes trail over the whole desk falling on the paper that he wanted to read, but would never be able to from this distance. It was tempting for him to just get up and go take the paper, but that could be a bad move... counterproductive for him. But curiosity was such a burden, he wanted to know so very badly.

Not even feeling the wetness on the ground, Yixing only continued to hold the ice to the other's mouth, noticing the way he shrank back. It was only after a few seconds that he realized that Taemin was probably terrified. After all, the counselor had just spontaneously hopped up, freaking out about Taemin burning his mouth and then sprinting out. *I can't do anything right.* He thought, frowning a bit and having to bite down on his quivering lower lip to keep himself calm. He didn't want to shed tears, although it was tempting. He felt horrible, because the other would probably never feel relaxed around him now, and he was to blame because he had failed as a counselor. Although he could obviously make it up to the other, Yixing was still stuck on the fact that their first meeting was going down hill so fast. He had had such high expectations for this meeting, and now if he could even get a simple gesture out of Taemin he would consider himself to be very lucky.

It wasn't until the other finally spoke up that Yixing managed to yank himself out of his thoughts. "You feel sick?" He asked worriedly, standing up all the way. He set the bag down, and wiped his hands off before placing one of his cool palms against the other's forehead. His eyebrows furrowed as he kept it there. "You feel fine to me, but who knows? Do you want to go to the clinic Taemin?" He asked, allowing his hand to drop back to his side as he bent down to pick up the bag, only then noticing the coffee stain on the floor along with the cup. His eyes widened and he looked towards the patient. "I'll have to get a maid to clean that." He mumbled more of to himself, feeling bad because he never liked being an inconvenience to anyone, even if it was their job to help him in these situations. Yixing always tried to keep his office clean so that it would be easier on the maids when it came to cleaning it, even if it meant staying after and doing so. He liked to think he was making their lives just a little bit easier, and he was just used to picking up after himself. He had been doing it since the day he was born, more or less.

"I'm sorry about that freak out. I was afraid you had hurt yourself. No worries, it won't happen again, and if I ever scare you, just tell me!" Yixing said, trying hard to bounce back strongly despite the low thoughts in his mind about how idiotic he was. He picked up the cup and walked over to his desk, setting it down. He then looked towards the other, feeling that there was something just a bit different about him. The feeling he gave off was different, and as Yixing sat down, he immediately wrote it down, feeling like a change, thinking that maybe the other's mental disorder had kicked in, but he didn't say anything about it just yet. He wanted to at least be sure of it.

@[w] zhang yixing Taemin wondered why the other was watching him so intently and he squirms just a bit in his seat. His eyes widen as the man suddenly stands up making the boy's whole body go tense. He stares at him his dark eyes wide and full of fright as the man starts to yell at him. He squeezes the coffee more his heart racing fast and he was more tempted than ever to bolt. When Yixing suddenly started to run the boy's whole body went into protection mode, even as the other ran out of the room Taemin dropped the coffee and it spilled all over the floor. He curls up in a ball and shakes his head a bit his hands going up into his hair pulling it into a tight fist as he sat there.

He was starting to feel dizzy as he sat there, his heart racing and his breath quickening. He began to hyperventilate as he sat there alone in the office. He was becoming more and more dizzy and he felt a bit sick and the room slowly began to spin. He blinks and stares around looking around in a panic now the walls wouldnt sit still and he started to sway a bit in his seat. This was always scary, very very scary for him, but it only happened when he was in so much of a panic that he started to hyperventilate and he would end up blacking out for a moment. Hearing the footsteps in the room Taemin grabs the arms of the chair holding onto them tightly his eyes wide with fear as the councilor walks in and he stares at him. He attempts to get up to scramble away from Yixing but instantly his body crumples onto the ground and everything goes black.

Only a few moments later Taemin groans and he shakes his head just a bit his eyes opening slowly. He stares ahead and puts a hand on his stomach groaning again and blinking a few times looking around before his eyes fall on the councilor. He stares at the man before a tiny smirk tugs at the corners of his lips. He then puts his hands over his face, "i-i think im gonna be sick" He mumbles pulling his legs up to his stomach, though there was no air of nervousness about him anymore. He wasnt terrified, he didnt want to run, instead he wanted to see what he could get out of Yixing now, what good this councilor would be to him.

With an inaudible sigh, Yixing tried not to be too disappointed with the lack of response. After all, it was only their first meeting so he couldn't exactly expect for the other to just be all open and ready to talk about anything and everything. Although he had been hoping that he would at least get vocal responses to his questions and statements, but for now Yixing would be content with even getting a nod, shake of the head, or a shrug of the shoulder. He now knew he couldn't have high expectations just yet, though he did hope to hear the other talking one of these days. But, Yixing would have to be patient, and luckily, patience was something he had a lot of. He was sure that with some time and dedication that he would have Taemin talking, or at least able to look him in the eyes. Yixing was quite understanding of it, because he too had been shy before and very afraid to look others in the eye, so he knew that the other wasn't just going to feel comfortable around him so soon, and it definitely wouldn't happen overnight. Though Yixing was determined to make it happen eventually, preferably sooner than later of course.

Eyes locked on the younger as he sipped from the cup of coffee, Yixing bit down on his lower lip instinctively as he watched carefully, hoping to see some type of reaction, though he got none. It was only as the male took another sip that Yixing noticed the fact that he hadn't been blowing on the hot drink at all. His jaw dropped and he hopped up quickly. "Wait! Make sure you blow on it, your tongue is probably all burned. And, just stay here, okay? If anyone comes in, tell them I told you to stay here. I'll be right back! Don't move!" Yixing rambled, his Korean coming out much more accented and choppy as he was panicking. He had been completely alarmed and terrified as he saw Taemin drinking the hot coffee without cooling it a bit, and immediately thought the worst; that the other had severely burned his taste buds and would never be able to taste anything ever again. Yixing would never forgive himself if that were to happen, and was immediately mentally scolding himself for giving the other hot coffee, he immediately made a mental note to go for the alternative: Iced Coffee. That was safe, iced stuff was always safe.

Hurrying out of the office, Yixing ran down the hall, avoiding people who gave him weird looks, starting to question if he was sane in the mind. Busting into the clinic, Yixing waved his arms around as he frantically asked for a bag of ice, though had to repeat himself several times, correcting himself as he had initially asked in Mandarin, the second time he asked, his Korean was terribly flawed, the third he had used the wrong word, and finally the fourth time he got it right. The nurse gave him the bag, and with a short thank you, Yixing had jolted out of the clinic and was sprinting down the hall to his office once more. Entering, Yixing closed the door behind him and hurriedly approached Taemin. "Okay, I'm back!" He breathed out, his breath short and quick. He bent down in front of the other, holding the bag to his mouth. "Open up." His eyes were staring at the other in concern as he waited for him to comply. "This will rid of the pain."

@[w] zhang yixing Taemin watches as the other watches him, though he was hidden behind his bangs. He didnt like being watched it made him feel like running and hiding, disappearing so no one would ever be able to stare at him again. He wondered what the man was thinking, why he was here and why he was being kind to Taemin, or at least why he was pretending to be kind. He looks at the coffee in his hands frowning but he doesnt speak again, his mind was so busy with trying to figure out if he was going to be hurt or if he should try to run. He takes a deep breath once more and slowly, he lowers his legs so his feet rest on the floor. The man before him seemed to be so kind, and happy maybe too happy for Taemin's liking not that he'd ever say anything. He chews on his lip a bit watching the other through his bangs still while the other moved to his desk to sit.

Once the man was across the room taemin looks at the coffee once more and smells it, taking in the scent of coffee, he'd never had it before but he'd smelled it. Many of the workers had coffee in the morning and the smell was so strong. He sniffs the drink once more and even after the other's warning on the hot drink he sips it wincing as the liquid burns his tongue bringing tears to his eyes almost instantly. Though the pain made him tear up he didnt make a single noise, he was still trembling a bit and he takes another sip wincing from the hot drink once more. If there in fact WAS something bad in the drink then maybe he was just supposed to be poisoned... or drugged, whichever it could be. He sniffles softly blinking away the tears in his eyes.

When the other asked him questions he became more and more nervous, his words were making Taemin more and more nervous he didnt know what he should say or what the councilor wanted him to say. Instead of speaking he looks at the man lifting his head just a bit to see past the bangs so everything wasnt red, though a moment later his eyes drop to the front of the other's desk. He swallows nervously and shakes his head slowly squeezing the cup just a bit as he sits there, not even caring what could happen if he squeezed it too much, he had nothing else to do with it and he needed to squeeze something so he wouldnt panic. He didnt want to be there anymore, didnt want to talk to this man or be seen by him.

@[f] lee taemin Not failing to notice the way the other was trembling, Yixing mentally marked it down, making sure he would remember to write that down in Taemin's profile. When in his shy personality, he was quite introverted and timid, not even able to look Yixing in the eye. The counselor was wondering if this was his strongest personality, it this was the true Lee Taemin, and if so, how long this side would show? Yixing wanted to keep Taemin like this for as long as possible, after all, his biggest part of being a counselor was keeping the patients in a calm, happy state at all times. He didn't want to bring out the more dangerous sides of Taemin, and in order to make sure he didn't, he would have to figure out what triggered them to come out. However, that was easier said than done, because the thought of provoking Taemin was not a pleasant one. No, he would just let fate take the reigns for now and run it's course, if he happened to get a glimpse at what triggered Taemin's other sides, then he would be grateful, if not, he would be relieved that nothing he did brought them on.

"Lee Taemin?" Yixing repeated as if he didn't know the other's name already. It meant a lot more however to have the other introduce himself, because that meant they now officially knew each other. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Taemin!" Yixing said, giving a prompt nod and another bow of the head. His words were honest at least, he was truly happy to be able to meet Taemin, because many of the guards had tried to advise him against it, saying the young boy was psychotic and should just be kept in his room all day and warning him about the tantrums he had thrown in the past, although he had been behaving well lately. Yixing quickly chided at them though, saying how they were here to get better, and that's all that mattered, and that Taemin probably just needed a chance. It was obvious the other was making some type of progress, at least Yixing thought so. He had spoken with a few of the maids and nurses and they all said that Taemin had been calm lately, and had been acting good. Yixing was already thinking over an incentive Taemin could get for good behavior. He was sure that the other's room was dull since he lived on the fourth floor, so maybe he could be given some of his personal items that had come with him, or maybe something his mother had sent; Yixing was sure the latter would like that.

Heading back to his desk, Yixing sat down behind it and hummed a bit as he scribbled down on sheet of paper momentarily. "Careful with the coffee, it's hot. Make sure you blow on it before drinking from it." He warned, glancing to the other as he finished writing and set down his pencil. "You don't have to be afraid Taemin, I swear I didn't put anything in it. I will even drink from it first if it will make you feel better." He exclaimed, reaching for his own drink and blowing a bit before sipping on it. "Is there anything specific you want to tell me? Like, your opinion of the food here or something. I swear, everything between you and me will be kept private." Giving an assuring smile, Yixing held a finger to his lips.

@[w] zhang yixing Once he was there in the seat Taemin felt like he could calm down, at least a little, at least he was in a room not a hallway, hallways made him nervous when he was scared, they made him feel like he needed to run away down them. He'd heard a lot of things about councilors, that they were scary, that they were smart, they could see through your lies, that they could force you to tell them everything they wanted to know no matter what you wanted or how much you tried to hide it. They could hypnotize you or trick you into doing things. Some people said they would make you do things for the government and use you as a disposable weapon. He'd heard that some of them would torture you with electricity saying that they were 'fixing' you, but really they just liked to hear patients scream. It made Taemin feel all the more scared. He never did hear anything good about them here, and none of the workers spoke to him like he was a human being, they all acted like he was some kind of animal or a baby. He wasnt a baby, and he wasnt an animal, it upset him when they did that, they made him feel like he wasnt human and he was sure that this experience wasnt going to be a good one.

When the man looked at him Taemin's whole body went tense, he could feel the other's eyes on him. His breathing was shallow but quick, his chest hardly moving but the movement it made was quick, as his breathing was. He looked almost like a scared bunny, not helping his 'im not an animal' type of thoughts. He looks down at his lap but his dark eyes look through his bangs at the counselor, following his movements closely, so very nervously. He didnt know what theman would do, he didnt even know what he'd say. Was he going to tell Taemin he was too messed up and he couldnt even stay there, that he'd be put somewhere even worse than here? He hadnt done anything bad for a while, he hadnt had any fits or hurt anyone but himself and even the nurses didnt know he'd hurt himself because they hadnt been checking because of his good behavior. Why was this man calling him in now though, was he in trouble? did he do something wrong? Or maybe, his mother was back, and she was going to take him home so he could be with his family again, that thought made Taemin feel a tiny bit better.

When a coffee was offered to him and the man moves closer to him Taemin stopped breathing. He held his breath and stared through his bangs at the coffee held out to him. The man's voice was nice enough, and what Taemin could see through the red veil of hair the mans face was nice too... for now at least. Taemin could have a nice face sometimes... and sometimes he could be very bad and mean. He slowly took the coffee with both hands, even as he holds it his hands, and the coffee, trembled. He was scared, and this coffee didnt help, what if it was poisoned? Wht if there was medicine in it? What if this man was trying to hurt him, or drug him up to kidnap him from this place he now called home. He doesnt speak though, he couldnt speak nor did he want to. He chews on his bottom lip sitting there and after a minute he mumbles nervously, the first word was just a tiny breath of a whisper, "Im....L-lee Taemin...."

@[f] lee taemin Allowing the other to pass him, Yixing had to bite his lower lip to swallow back his excitement. Most people wouldn't be very excited about meeting a boy with multiple personalities, one of them being a murderous one. But Yixing wasn't like most people, he was quite different, and he found the other, for lack of a better word, quite a fascinating person. Fascinating in a good way though. Yixing had read about people with multiple personalities, and the books he had read gave him a specific way of dealing with them. Although Yixing liked to consider himself a good student and the such, he wanted to do it his own way. He felt like books were good, but real life experience was even better. The last thing he wanted to do was patronize Taemin as that was what the book had practically told him to do. He could still remember all the steps he had read, and what his professor had taught him to do. Back then, he had taken it serious. But now being Taemin's presence, he felt like the steps were a bit stupid.

1. Approach the patient carefully, you never know what state they are in.

2. Give a comforting smile and sit exactly across from them, don't get too close though, but still show they are in a safe environment.

3. Gently ask who you are talking to. Never assume it is just the actual person.

4. Address that personality, try and talk to the other ones if you can. But never force it. Remember, the ABCs of counseling. Always Be Careful.

Now that Yixing thought about it, the books almost made the patients seem like wild animals, and that was slightly upsetting to him. They were people, deemed flawed by the government, but people nonetheless. The counselor made a mental note about that in his mind. Even though these people were deemed unsuitable for society didn't mean they were any less human. With that in mind, Yixing looked to Taemin, noticing the shy way he was seated upon the chair. *He's scared.* The male thought, but immediately mentally slapped himself. Of course Taemin would be afraid. After all, he was a patient in an asylum, in a room alone with a counselor he had never met; he had every right to be afraid. Yixing was sure that if he was in the other's position that he too would be afraid right now. Yixing would just have to show that there was nothing to be afraid of, that he was here to help, not hurt. And he was hoping the coffee would help show that.

Going over to his desk, Yixing carefully picked up one of the cups, grabbing a few napkins off the side of his desk. He looked to the other, a soft smile on his face as he took slow steps towards him. He didn't want to alarm Taemin. "I'm Zhang Yixing, one of the counselors." He introduced himself. "I brought you some coffee. It's a french vanilla latte, one of my favorites. Do you like coffee?" He asked, as he slowly walked over, holding out the cup towards the other. He was effortlessly starting a conversation now, and actually had to keep himself from speaking any further. This was not the time for him to ramble, he was here to listen, not talk over him.

@[w] zhang yixing When a man rushed past Taemin into the office he was sitting outside of the nervousness was getting worse. Taemin's heart was racing even more and his breathing quickened a bit. The boy closes his eyes and takes a deep breath his shoulders raising with the breath, then lowering slowly as he let it out. He assumed that the man who'd went past him was the worker he was supposed to be meeting. He had to be, no one was aloud to go in those rooms without a worker there with them. He knew that, and he knew that he would soon be called into the room with the stranger all alone and terrified of what would be said. He chews on his lower lip a bit squirming in the seat now fidgeting with his shirt more to take his mind off it. He hoped that the man was nice, and wouldnt make him talk a lot, but he figured he wouldnt be so lucky, sure he may be nice but there was no way he'd be aloud to just sit there silently.

When suddenly the door opened beside him Taemin flinched and bit his lip hard. He swallows nervously and nods standing, keeping his eyes down on the ground. He nods a bit and bows at a 90 degree angle to the man, staying silent. 'its fine, thank you' is what the boy wanted to say, but it was like his lips were sewn shut so he couldnt say a word. He glances for just a second at the man before slipping past him into the room. Going to the first chair he saw and sitting in it without a word. He curled up in the chair, it was a little more comfy than the one he'd been in before. He pulls his knees up to his chest holding it close to him his heart still racing. 'Okay Taemin. You did it. Youre in the office, you're here and you're going to be okay.... maybe' he thinks to himself staring down at the floor taking another deep breath settling his racing heart. He didnt know if he should say his name, or even say hello so instead of that he simply stays silent willing the butterflies in his tummy go away. He takes a deep breath once more and takes a slow glance around the room, holding tightly onto his knees curled in a ball in the chair, avoiding looking at the counselor.

@[f] lee taemin Yixing was late.

Zhang Yixing was late to an appointment that he had set up himself. He nearly wanted to smack himself, because he had told himself that he would be extra early so that he could be the one to say hello first and so the other wouldn't have to wait. But obvious that didn't work out because here he was now, scrambling across the courtyard to the asylum. He mentally thanked god that the asylum was in walking distance, only being across the courtyard from the workers' quarters. However, that didn't give him any excuse to be so careless with his time. He was stupid, so so stupid for thinking he only had to set one alarm clock. He would make sure to set two from now on so that this would never ever happen again. Hissing a bit as his hand was burned by the cups from him holding onto it so tightly, he loosened his grip up. He had gotten coffee as a sort of token of friendship to show that he meant no harm. He figured there would be nothing wrong with him giving the patient coffee, he didn't have adhd or anything so Yixing just assumed that he would be fine with a little coffee.

Finally entering the asylum, Yixing mumbled a string of apologies as he hurried down the halls, swerving by the maids doing last minute cleaning and the tired workers walking to their posts. A few people groaned and mumbled curse words under their breath at him, but Yixing couldn't care less, he was in too much of a rush to let their comments bother him. Besides, he knew that they were just grumpy because it was morning. He turned corners sharply, making sure not to spill any of the coffee, he was sure he already had some minor burns on his hand, he didn't need any third degrees ones. He let out a sigh as he finally spotted the counselors' office, seeing the door of his office and someone sitting just outside it. He hurried into his office, closing the door behind him, as the words of the guards from the night before repeated in his mind. "Careful. He may look innocent, but he isn't. If you need anything at all, press the button. I cannot stress it enough; be careful." Yixing had barely taken the words to heart. He had read through the patient's file numerous times, he wasn't too nervous.

The door closed behind him, and Yixing immediately let out a sigh of relief as he entered. His eyes glanced towards the clock on the wall momentarily. He was eight minutes late. He took a few seconds to beat himself up over that, groaning inwardly. *Never again.* He scolded himself mentally as he walked over to his desk and sat down both the cups. He unwrapped his scarf from his neck and sighed lightly as he laid it across his chair. He then shrugged off his light coat, running a hand through his hair as he straightened up his desk and appearance a bit before finally heading back to his office door and opening it up as he poked his head out the door.

"You can come in now Taemin. Sorry I'm late." Yixing said, opening the door up a little more with a sheepish smile.

@[w] zhang yixing The room around him was quiet, so very quiet, it was almost maddening to only hear the ticking of a clock the occasional footsteps or cough. No one was around, he didnt like it but of course he wasnt going to say anything. Taemin sat in a chair outside the office, his head was down his red hair hanging in his face to hide him away from any peering eyes. His hands were folded in his lap, a bit of his shirt between them where he could mess with it without moving much. His heart was racing and he had nervous butterflies in his stomach now that he was waiting here. He'd been called up to the counselors office to talk to one of the councelors for the first time. He was scared of what could happen, what may be said, who may be there. Not to mention, Taemin would have to speak to this worker, he'd have to be looked at and spoke to, this worker was going to talk to him and about him and want to know about him and want Taemin to talk to him, just knowing that was making the boy all the more nervous. He was sixteen, but his mind was everywhere, he could act like a child, and like a man far older than he truly was, but now he felt like a child, a small lonely scared child about to be given to the big bad wolf.