Waiting Game | pjm ✓

039. Reunion

Aera had no idea what she expected to see when she walked into the mental hospital, but it certainly wasn't the calm tranquility she was met with. There was no screaming, no running, no people strapped down to electric chairs. The doors had handles. The walls were painted a pleasant baby blue instead of the depressing white hue she imagined. The only difference between doctors and patients was that the latter didn't have white coats. Everyone was calm and there was a sense of serenity filling the air.

When she asked Dr. Choi about it, he offered her a genuine laugh.

"You expected to see something horrifying, didn't you?" he asked, biting back another chuckle.

She nodded, feeling stupid as ever.

"Most people have that image in their head, yeah. It's what most movies suggest psychiatric hospitals look like, but the reality is very different. Restriction by bedrail and belts is very rare now and it's reserved to those patients who the drugs still haven't started working on. Constraint clothing is very old-school. It was used mainly in the 50s and 60s where most of the drugs we have now weren't discovered yet. Electroshock therapy is outdated and many countries don't practice it anymore. Now we know most disorders come from a biochemical dysfunction in the brain's neurotransmitters and we have all this medication we can use to prevent violent outbursts smoothly. Things aren't as barbaric as movies show them to be."

"But doctor, aren't most psychiatric patients violent?" Aera continued to interrogate. "It's really weird seeing them walk around among the staff here. Aren't you afraid they might hurt you?"

Dr. Choi sighed, writing something down in a file. "That's one of the biggest myths about mental illnesses ever. People who have mental illnesses aren't violent; they are much more prone to becoming victims of violence."

"I'm learning so much," she gawked, fascinated.

"The important thing is to be understanding and patient. It can get overwhelming here real quick. These people's illnesses aren't visible but still, they're illnesses like any other." Dr. Choi explained.

"I see." Aera nodded. Observing the faces that passed her by in the corridors, she tried not to stare too openly. Many of them were smiling, chatting and patting each other on the back. She realized that if she were to spot them talking in the street for example, she'd never suspect them to be mentally ill.

"We'll take the stairs and in a couple of minutes we're going to reach the garden," Dr. Choi announced. Aera appreciated how soothing his aura was and despite the danger of them getting caught, she still felt calm. In this sense he reminded her of Namjoon. It was like he was the combination of her closest friends mixed in one person.

"This is where I leave you," Dr. Choi said once they were out in the sun. "But rest assured, I'll be right here paying close attention to everything, so if you need me just look at me and give a single nod."