The shrill noise of the doorbell went off, causing a major discomfort to my sensitive ears. I shrugged lightly as if willing the tension in my arms to recede. I paused to take a deep breath as I heard muffled permission to let myself inside. Gulping and adorning a fake smile to mask my pale face, I walked in.

Dr Vance looked up from her laptop, her gaze critically scrutinizing my presence. I bowed greeting her, before standing in front of her table.

"I was wondering if you'd gone for a walk after our conversation. Anyways you are late." She leaned back in her chair, staring right through my soul. "Sorry Dr Vance, I was caught up in a sudden urgent phone call."

"Must be mumma." She chuckled, her eyes discomforting in every way possible. I remained silent. "So let's get back to business, shall we?" I nodded, my palms cold and clammy. A dribble of sweat trickled down the side of my temple.

She took a file from her drawer and threw it lightly toward me on her table, motioning me to pick it up. I took it, going through the contents. My brows quirked in epiphany. " Am I in-charge of a single patient for an entire month?" My voice came out as an exclamation more than a question. Dissatisfaction is evident on my face.

" Yes, you do. You came late and naturally, all other recruits who came before got choices as per their experiences. Apparently, he's the last patient left on the list. You'll have to make do with this YN. At least for this month." I bit down my lip, nothing surprised me anymore. I have been used to such treatment ever since childhood.

I nodded, closing the file before making eye contact with her. " Well before you start YN, I need to warn you about this particular patient here. An extraordinary and challenging case indeed." She sighed standing up from her chair as my eyes followed her every move.

"He was one of the very first cases of mine when I joined here. The senior doctors of Mount Hope have seen him grow up in the confines of the white walls of this asylum. He's an orphan...suffering from bipolar and schizophrenia disorder. Acute seizures, social withdrawal, violent instincts, and memory loss. He's prone to more such disorders for which you'll have to keenly observe and counsel him..." She clicked her tongue settling on the edge of the table.

I nodded trying to process the information regarding my first-ever patient. "It won't be an easy dig though, considering his medical history here...most of the doctors assigned to him either got themselves hospitalized or never turned up again. That's why I've high hopes for you, Dr YN." I gulped audibly, knowing things were bound to go south at this pace.

" Are you ready to take up the job or should I say challenge? If you keep up with him for even a fortnight, I shall promote you to a better position, you've my word there." Her eyes glinted with an overpowering esteem.

" Yes Dr Vance, I'm ready for the worst." I smiled glibly knowing I'd embraced 'peace'.

time skip

No time to even shed tears. I stared at the running water in the basin closely, before washing my face and hands thoroughly. My gaze landed on my reflection in the stained mirror, as I unbuttoned my blouse and wore blue scrubs. I failed to recognize myself anymore, long before when I'd not even decided to step into this tested and challenging field. I barely felt the need to look for myself, for the efforts would always end in vain.

I was about to turn the knob of the bathroom door when I caught up on the words exchanged among my new colleagues. I wanted to restrain myself from eavesdropping but since I was their subject of discussion, which was apparently very surprising for me, I decided to hold on.

" Ugh, such a poker face with beautiful features. Dr Lee seems so unfriendly in my opinion..." someone whispered.

"Darn it, she seems close to Dr Vance."

"Oh well, cut the crap. Some people are born with silver spoons in their mouth, she has used elite connections to be here, unlike us."

" What really? I guess then her degree from abroad must be fake too!"

I had it enough as I stormed out of the bathroom, fixing my scrubs, and went to my locker, putting my belongings inside it. They seemed to be caught off guard, coughing as they diverted from the topic. I wore my surgical gloves and was about to leave when one of them interrupted.

"Dr Lee...would you like to have some juice?" One of them asked timidly, pointing to the carton placed on the sterile floor.

" No thanks...you guys continue. My duty hours have kicked in." I muttered, strolling out of the dressing room as I grabbed the patient file.

As I walked down the corridor, I decided to take a brisk look at the patient's file, my fingers skipping to the page of his medical history. Details seemed to be very much the same as Dr Vance had told me, except for a few words that I'd to avoid in order not to trigger him.

Then I saw the photo, only to gasp surprised. It was a standard headshot, probably taken years ago. And it stopped my breath.

He was beautiful. Almost ethereally so. His features were sharp, sculpted, almost angelic. His hair, a dark, tousled mess, framed a face that seemed both innocent and world-weary. And then there were his eyes. Even in the still image, they held a depth that startled me. They seemed to pierce through the photograph, locking onto mine, an unwelcome shiver running down my spine.

This was the monster? The violent, unpredictable patient everyone feared? He looked... vulnerable. Lost. The contrast between the warnings and the image was jarring. Awe warred with disbelief. Could this face belong to someone capable of such harm?

My eyes skimmed the list further by the time I reached his floor, and I was immediately greeted with a whiff of sterile air as soon as the elevator gates opened. I took a deep breath, closing the file as I placed a hand over my beating chest, slowly nearing his room, located at the far corner of the floor. Was it specially designated for him?

There was no sight of any other room around on the floor and it left me with a certain kind of uneasy feeling. I was relieved seeing two guards at the door who scrutinized me with skepticism. I gave them my ID, which they examined and scanned before giving the final nod.

" Are you not going to return it back to me?" I asked confused watching the guard who stuffed my ID in his pocket. "You'll get it once you are outta here." I arched my brow, clearly amused. "Are you sure I'm gonna get outta here in one piece and alive? Coz by the looks of it, it feels like either I've signed up for a death bed or theft of a jackpot." I chuckled, earning glares.

"Guys, chill." I shrugged.

No wonder I was at risk of mental breakdown now. I pushed open the metallic doors, only to be greeted by darkness and the loud clang of the door shutting behind me. Fuck.

My knuckles cracked as I tightened my grip on the file, slowly stepping into more darkness. My senses were on high alert, catching on to even the slightest of commotions, the eerie noise of the dripping tap water, and along with it someone's heavy breathing. A tiny sunshine through a peephole was all that guided me through the dark before my brave fingers flicked on the dim light and I blinked my eyes rapidly, adjusting to the sudden change in scene.

My eyes skimmed my surroundings, before landing on an empty bed located at the corner of the room, a blanket lying on it haphazardly. Oh no. He was there, but not anymore.

I immediately opened the file with my trembling hands, I'd forgotten to look for his name. Great.

His name came suddenly out of my chapped lips in a discordant rattle.

"Kim Taehyung..."