STIGMA

Shot 五

   Jimin stared out the van window, giving the world an emotionless glare. It had been almost a week since Taehyung had jumped, and he had just woken up. When the manager had arrived earlier in the morning to tell them that they were finally allowed to visit him, the guys were frozen with shock until Hoseok rushed out the door and to the van; completely forcing everyone out their shock and to follow his lead.

   Jimin was brought out of his thoughts when the manager turned around to address them. He only paid half attention to him, but Jimin knew that he had to pay close attention to what the doctors told them.

   Once they had arrived at the front and main entrance of the hospital, they all got off one by one. As the last to jump off the van, Jumin had a few spare seconds to look at his surroundings. On his left, he noticed a couple of girls a few feet away with their phones pointing at them. He tried to signal them to top taking photos but the manager pushed him forward and guided him into the hospital.

   They were led through the maze of halls until they came to a stop in front of a glossy wood door. It slid open, allowing two doctors to step through its frame. Jimin looked at their names tags. One was Dr. EunWoo and the other Woobin They both seemed stressed, but they smiled reassuringly at the worried visitors, and asked them to follow them. Jimin

   Once in the doctor's office, Jungkook  broke the silence by asking the question that was on everyone's minds.

   "Is he okay?"

   "It's quite difficult to determine what he is at this point," Dr. Eun Wu explained, "physically, his body is making a rather quick recovery, but-"

   "But I fear his mentality isn't holding on."

   "And you are?" Hoseok asked.

   "Oh, my apologies," he said. "I'm Dr. WooBin. I'm Taehyung psychiatrist. Earlier today, I was conducting a few test on him to see where his mental health stood, but what I found was not what I expected. He's so deep into depressions, it's a mystery to me what could held his sanity for so long before he snapped."

   There was a long pause full of tension-filled expectation. Dr. WooBin looked at the six young boys and then at the managers.  

   "If I may ask," Dr. WooBin began with hesitant words. "Would you happen to know what his depression derives from?" 

   The six boys shared glances with their managers and then each other. They all seemed hesitant t speak at first, but Manager Sejin surprised everyone by speaking up first.

   "His step-father abused him physically, mentally, and emotionally as a child and up until recently." Manager Sejin sighed. "A few months ago, Taehyung went home only to return with a punctured lung that we didn't know he had until he collapsed."

   "I remember this," Dr. Eun Wu murmured. "he claimed that he injured himself while rock climbing."

   The manager nodded. "In reality, the cause had been his step-father. When we sent him back with his family so he could rest, Taehyung said he witnessed his mother being physically abused, and..."

   The manager took a break, not knowing how to word the idol's actions. 

   "He killed him," Yoongi bluntly said. "Taehyung was declared innocent with his action being  affirmed as an act of defense. When he jumped at the pier and I caught him, he said that nothing could justify what he did."

   "Guilt-induced depression pair of with traumas from his childhood will be hard to push through," Dr. Woo Bin stated, "but it can be done so long as the cooperation, patience, and love of his family, and friends are included."