Distorted Dreams

How We Started

This chapter is about how Namjoon and Jin met. It's told in Jin's POV, just a heads up. Prepare for a long chapter.

"Jin?" My teacher asked, making me look up from my cleaning of the chalk boards. "I have a patient who seems really jittery when it's just the two of us. I was thinking that he would feel more comfortable with two other people there instead of one. This can be a reward for helping me and being the top of your class. It'll get you experience too."

"Sure, I'll come. When's the next meeting?"

"Tomorrow at six."

"Are they always on Saturdays?"

"The first Saturday a month. He has a bit of a hectic schedule as do I, so it's hard to line up meetings."

"Yeah, I'll try to come tomorrow. I'm not sure, though, but I'll ask my parents if I can go. They're visiting this weekend."

"Ah. Okay. If you can't come, we still have next month."

I nodded and went back to cleaning the boards.

The next day:

"Of course you can go!" Mom exclaimed. "Shoo! Your teacher will be waiting, go."

I waved to them and drove to the therapy office that my teacher worked in the days she didn't have much to do. It was attached to the school building, so I didn't have to go to a new place either, so that was cool. Running inside, I waved to the receptionist and she grinned back at me.

"Hi Jin!"

"Hi Lisa. What room is Mrs. Choi in? She asked me to help today."

"Room three. Two doors to your right in that hallway."

"Alright thank you!"

"Bye!"

I bolted down the hall and composed myself before knocking.

"Come in," I heard Mrs. Choi say. I opened the door after fixing my pink cap over my black hair and walked in. Mrs. Choi was in the chair at the head of a sofa, an empty one. "Ah, Jin. The patient hasn't arrived just yet, so if you'll sit right there, he should be here any minute now."

I guess I didn't have to run, I thought sourly.

There was a knock on the door a few moments later and the door opened to show a shaking man—no a boy—right? It was hard to tell with his messy gray hair highlighting his boyish features, but he was tall and well built, so I'm not sure what to believe. His hands were large and might've been less clumsy before nervous shakes shook through his body. I wasn't sure if he was shivering because he was cold or shaking because of anxiety. His eyes darted from the floor to the teacher as if he were scared of Mrs. Choi but too ashamed to stare at the floor for long. A hoodie hung off his torso, skinny jeans clinging to his legs.

"Hello, Namjoon. Lie down and we can begin," Mrs. Choi said in a soothing voice. As Namjoon went to the couch, he passed by me and made eye contact. He stopped and just stared at me. "This is my top student, Jin. He'll be watching and hopefully making you comfortable."

I smiled at him and he looked away, fumbling with his sleeves. He laid down on his back, head closer to Mrs. Choi. She went over things they must've talked about in past appointments, and started asking him about his stress.

"There's a lot," he said quietly. His voice was so sweet and strong, but unsure and it made him sound like a lost puppy. "From school to friends, to family standards, it all stresses me out."

"Okay, can you elaborate?"

"I spend so much time on my studies that I can't be with my friends often. And even if I try for good grades in certain classes, I can't meet my parents' expectations. They want me to be a doctor or something with a high paying job. I want to be a translator and help tourists or people going to other countries."