A gentle zephyr swirling through the summer leaves of a tree, caused a few senescent ones to shed and fly away with it.
While the weaker ones rested on the streets, one petal held on the flight and entered an open window. The soft sheer curtains, swaying along the breeze, gave it a smooth landing on the table inside the room.
The petal felt the delicate pat of a finger and sensed two mortals seated across the table. The female looking down at her hands, while the male watched over to find the right moment as he carefully patted the leaf.
Even the miniature life at its last moments felt the comfort of the space. The warm atmosphere that the psychiatrist has built around; it was serene.
Dr.Ban finally shifting his sight back to his outpatient, gently began with the fundamentals.
Dr.Ban : So, Ms. Baek Dan Hwa, how are you today?
There was a second of silence before she answered him with a straight face.
Dan Hwa : I am fine.
He nodded in response with a slight smile, not countering her airy statements.
She made a fist under the table, seeing the doctor easily buy her words. For one thing, Dan Hwa acknowledged that her feigning to him would not help either of them.
Just the guilt of deception brought her to reluctantly push herself a little.
Dan Hwa : I lied.
Distracted from studying her previous prescription, he gazed up at her with a casual expression.
Dr.Ban : Yes. I figured.
Dan Hwa : (-flustered-) Huh?
Briefed on her file, the professional leaned back on his chair.
Dr.Ban : Well, inside these confines, "I am fine" is not a very trustworthy sentence.
Dan Hwa : If you knew I was lying, why didn't you question me on it?
Each still carrying a hue of mystery to each other, the doctor tried to give the patient an edge. A very quick and shrewd psychological ploy that instantly makes one ease in the confessions when confessed to, by the other side. In other words, the psychiatrist revealing his ideas first shall indefinitely ease Dan Hwa into sharing her tightly guarded thoughts, too.
Dr.Ban : Well...I felt, answering would have been difficult, and thus lying appeared more convenient to you.
Dan Hwa's impression of him was caught off balance at his empathetic words. But it was too soon to judge—she thought, and spoke after an arduous effort to voice her mind.
Dan Hwa : I wanted to say otherwise, but...
Her words trailed off; she avoided a straight sight with flickering blinks. Dr.Ban patiently waited for a moment to see if she picked up the leash of her words again.
However, having her holding tight on a silence, the psychiatrist guided her around.
Dr.Ban : ...but it's hard to accurately phrase the reason why. And hence, you simply state "I am fine" to escape answering it. Is that what you wanted to say?
Rather than freaking out at him reading her emotions which were beyond her own grip, Dan Hwa experienced something unbind in her. It dispelled her out of a confusion, she would otherwise feel with his question.
Dan Hwa : Y-yes...
Dr.Ban : It's all right. It's one of the most common afflictions here. I personally call it the IAF syndrome. We find it easier to pretend what we don't feel, than enacting what we actually do. Even if we are not okay, it is easier to pretend so. Because often times, it's difficult to self-analyze your own emotions.
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Phoenix : TPB || PJM 🔛
Fanfiction"Equality seems unjust to those accustomed to privilege : a painful curse." • • • Park Jimin(박지민) and Baek Dan Hwa(백단화) meet at the psychiatrist's cabin for the first time. But was it really the first? Both had everything they chased for : money...
