Sentience

46

Changmin hadn't moved from the chair he seated in the waiting room, staring into space with zero thought occupying his head. He didn't know what to think or feel, he was in denial.

He seemed unable to accept the fact that someone sweet like Arabelle would have thought to kill someone. On top of everything, the person was her own mother; someone who had brought her into the world.

Changmin wanted to argue so badly with the police officers. He wanted to yell to their faces that Arabelle wasn't a murderer, so they should just let her be treated in the hospital without being guarded, and they should just close the case. However, he couldn't because since the investigation started, they somehow had collected as much evidence to prove that Belle was a criminal.

The fact that Belle made a call to the police by herself, admitting that she had been killing her mother was the biggest supportive evidence the detectives could point out. Perhaps she was surrounded by guilt after committing the crime that she decided to come forward to the authorities.

Changmin's head felt heavy. His chest felt too suffocated as well. What will happen after this? He thought as he buried his face into his hands.

Mother was in a critical condition due to the excessive blood loss. The surgery went well, but it would take a big timeline for her to gain consciousness; if only she woke up. The police were eagerly waiting for Mother to wake up to record her statement about what happened. But, Changmin was waiting for a different reason.

For, Arabelle wouldn't be charged with murder if the victim was alive.

Thus, the boy had been praying nonstop in his head; eyes shut, for luck to be fallen on Belle.

"Changmin," a soft voice then broke from his right side, making the boy open his eyes real quick and whip his head in the direction. A comforting smile from Belle's stepmother greeted him. "You must be worried about Belle."

"Is she... okay?" He hesitantly questioned, heaving a large amount of oxygen next as the mother hummed and nodded. "Thank God..."

"There are several cuts on her body which... the police said that she..." the lady paused for what seemed like it pained her too to admit. "There was a physical fight between them both."

The lady then breathed out, feeling too heavy on her shoulder. Which, Ji Changmin could've told that the two of them were in the same boat. That it felt wrong just to admit that Belle had committed a crime.

"Has she... woken up?" Changmin asked, his eyes were full of anticipation.

"Mhm... The doctor said she was exhausted," she assured. "Belle is okay now."

"Can I see her?"

"Why not?"

Then, the two jolted up, walking side by side along the hallway leading to the ward where they placed Belle. Just as they turned a corner, Changmin's feet immediately halted in the track upon seeing two police officers standing in front of the ward.

Unknowingly, he gritted on his teeth, his hands clenched fists beside his frame. It didn't faze him to see this sight. It didn't feel right.

She's not guilty. Until the end, he gaslit himself.

"It's a procedure," the lady softly rubbed his arm, soothing the unsettling feelings that bloomed inside him. "The investigation is still ongoing so they have to follow the rules."

The moment Changmin met the lady's misty eyes, he unknowingly spoke up, "You believe that Belle is innocent, right?"

A swift move of the lady's lips to form a smile. "I might have never birthed her, Changmin. But she's still my daughter, and I know my daughter would never do that."

The boy nodded, feeling reassured. For, he had someone with him along this journey.

"Mom!"

The loud shriek was then heard, breaking their mood; a small figure of Jinwoo appeared in the hallway after coming out from the room where his sister was and running towards her mother. Behind, his father was talking to the two officers, looking nervous as well while glancing back into the room.

Ji Changmin assumed that the situation wasn't pretty. Thus, he distracted himself from paying attention to the adults.

"Were you with Belle?" Changmin asked the 5-year-old toddler.

"Yes!" The small boy beamed. "But, Belle can't move."

"Can't move?" Changmin found himself getting down on his knees to match his eye level with the toddler. "Why?"

"Her hand is tied."

"Tied?"

Instinctively, Changmin shifted his focus to Jinwoo's mother, asking for just a small hint of what was happening. Nonetheless, the lady was confused as well, the frown on her face proved it well.

But then, she looked ahead at the demeanour who was striding towards them; her husband. Belle's father looked tired which was truly understandable. He wasn't only using his energy but also his mental.

"What does Jinwoo mean by Belle is tied?" The lady asked her husband. "What's happening inside there?"

Belle's father breathed out, raking his hair in the process. "It's the procedure, you know that too."

"What is the procedure?" Changmin was then questioned, rising on his feet. "What did they do to her?"

"They... need to cuff her," Belle's father squeezed his eyes tight as he delivered the news.

From a simple glance, Changmin could see how devastated he was. No father in the world would like to see their child being cuffed. No father in the world wanted to see their child suffer. And right now, Changmin was so sure that Belle's father had started working on finding ways of how to lighten the punishment; if Belle was truly wrong.

However, Ji Changmin was only thinking about Belle's current condition. She must have been so scared right now to be treated like a true criminal.

Therefore, the boy fastened his step towards the room. What was planted inside his brain right now was only to accompany Belle and convince her that he would never leave. He would stay by her side no matter what the outcome would be later. Yes or no, she was a criminal; he would be the same Ji Changmin she knew, the same Ji Changmin who Brianna had trusted.

"Changmin, wait," but Belle's father stopped his intention before he could go further; the man's grasp around his wrist was firm. "Don't see her."

"Why?"

"Belle doesn't want to see you," the reason thrown cracked Changmin's heart. "Don't get me wrong. She doesn't want to see anyone."

"But why?" He sternly asked, the anger bubbling inside him. "She has always needed me."

"Understand her situation, Changmin," the father assured by holding both of his shoulders. "She doesn't want you to see her in her worst condition."

Softly, Changmin shoved the father's hands off him, taking a step back. "It's absurd. Belle would never throw me away. In any condition or situation."

Then, Changmin spun on his heels, proceeding with his intention to see the girl despite the stern call from the father. He didn't care. Even when the two officers in front of the door looked at him weirdly, he could just fight their stare with his killing one.

But, when he stood facing the officers, peeking through the small glass on the door over their shoulders, he found himself losing all the confidence. He could see Belle inside, on the bed, soullessly staring at her hand which was cuffed to the railing of the bed. She looked distressed as she was unable to move freely but somehow, she didn't retaliate brutally about it.

She softly shook her hand just to test the sturdiness of the metal cuff and realised that she was truly tied to it; then she just sighed, willingly announcing her defeat. That, her life would be changing wholly. From being a simple young adult to being a murderer.