I'd Go Insane for You

Chapter 1: Realization

           

Yifan is known to be a risk taker and a challenger. He would always agree on crazy things that no one else would dare do. Like living in the woods for a week with nothing but a pillow, or go halfway across the world to hunt for artifacts. That's why he chose to be a reporter and investigator, he was always up for a challenge, if it meant bringing a good story to write for Park Entertainment, the entertainment company he works for. He has done it all, as many would agree. However, he had not expected that his next story would pop up from a place like this. 

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"An asylum?", Yifan asked the man behind the desk. This was something new for him. Throughout his years of investigation and journalism, he had never faced a scenario like this.

"Not just any asylum, an abandoned one." The man supplied. Said man turned around on his chair so that he was facing Yifan, who looked quite astonished. Yifan was always enthusiastic about these things, 'the more bizarre, the more thrilling' was what Yifan had said when he first signed up for the job. He was somewhat fearless, asylums had never scared him. Why would they? It's no different from a normal hospital, except for the fact that some patients might be bonkers, but nonetheless, an asylum is still technically just a hospital.

"But sir--", Yifan began as he read through the files on the table,

"Didn't I tell you not to use formalities with me? I'm younger than you, remember?"

Yifan sighed. "Sorry Chanyeol. Anyways, shouldn't everything in said asylum be gone? Since it has been abandoned for over 5 years now," Yifan was not refusing the deal, he just thought there was something strange happening. What scoops can be gathered in an asylum that has been left alone for half a decade? Shouldn't all the patients be either gone or dead? Shouldn't everyone have fled the scene since the fire that had started everything?

"That's the point," Chanyeol shrugged. He leaned closer towards Yifan and smirked, "Some patients are still there, the government has sent rescue teams into the asylum before, but none of them came out with any patients. They said that the patients simply refused. They tried confronting them once more but the patients turned aggressive and forced them out."

Yifan returned with a questioning gaze, "and you want me to go there because?"

"C'mon Yifan, I know you're itching to go, just imagine all the publicity you'll receive upon returning from the asylum! You always wanted to be the one to bring the biggest scoop and allow Park Entertainment to rise to fame! And besides," Chanyeol paused, his devious look had swapped for a more sincere and worried one, his eyes had softened and he turned his gaze away from Yifan, "Yixing is there. I...I don't know if he's okay... B-But all I know is that he volunteered to go and convince some of the patients to return to civilization with him, he left last week, but there's no sign of him at all, not even the police force could find him in there, they didn't even make it through the front gate, the patients scared them off".

Yifan's mouth hung agape. Yixing is a doctor at a hospital near the Park Ent. building, Yifan would often bump into him in the café down the street. It was nothing at first, just casual glances and small talk (Yixing made the first move, surprisingly). But it soon grew to an inseparable bond, they would always look for each other during their lunch breaks and would chat until they had to resume work shift. Occasionally, Chanyeol would drop by and join the conversation. And thus, a mutual friendship was formed. As they grew closer, Yifan realized that he had developed a crush on Yixing, but he didn't know how to express his feelings, as he had no idea if Yixing was interested in men or not.

It wasn't like Yifan had not noticed Yixing's absence the past week, he had just assumed that the hospital was in need of overtime, as the patient count had increased generously. Thus, he never pondered over it much. However, he did feel quite lonely.

Yifan was speechless, fear and nervousness consumed his thoughts. He was scared, not because of the asylum but for Yixing's well-being.

Chanyeol's voice had slowly died down to a mere whisper, "Look, Yifan, I know you have a crush on him, it's obvious, the way you could stare at him during break time is, well, self-explanatory."

"But," Yifan whispered, he couldn't pinpoint the exact emotion he was feeling. Hopeless? Worried? Heartbroken? Or was it all three? "how on earth am I going to find him? not even the police are able to locate him in that building" he exhaled, slowly. Yifan was downcast.

Silence crept into the room shortly afterwards, both men were dumbstruck. Yifan drew his arms under his head and rested it on the table. They both knew that there is still a chance that Yixing is completely fine, but there has yet to be any evidence to justify their predictions. At first, the asylum case seemed simple and interesting to Yifan: Go in, look around, document it, possibly interview someone, then leave. But now that Yixing was somehow involved with this, the initial plan was now corrupted. Yifan wants to go, for he loves an adventure, but now he isn't sure if he wants to go on behalf of his own interest. But if the police can't even locate Yixing, what is the probability that Yifan could? Darkness loomed over his thoughts and he is desperate for someone to shed some light on it.

"Wait, there were never reports about non-authorities entering the establishment, right? I mean, the majority of the rescue forces that entered the facility didn't even make it through the front gates!" Chanyeol stated, Yifan shot him a glance and he recognized the look on the former's face, Chanyeol has an idea.

"So?"

"You don't get it do you", Chanyeol exclaimed, almost facepalming. Almost. Yifan shook his head.

"Yixing was the only one that managed to get through the second gate and into the building, and he was alone. Without any governmental authorities." Chanyeol exhaled. He nudged Yifan's elbow with his own.

That's when it clicked. Yifan shot up from where he was and he looked at Chanyeol with wide, understanding eyes. This is it! No one but Yixing actually made it into the building, which meant that the patients there has some sort of grudge against large governmental parties. Chanyeol noted the silence in the room and spoke again, with a cheeky grin.

"I bet if you were to go there, on your own, with nothing that will pose a threat to the patients, you would be let in, just like Yixing. Then you could find him! As well as gather information no one else has dared to collect."

Yifan hummed, to inform Chanyeol that he was indeed thinking things over. The patients there are known to be aggressive, and very physical. Yifan was not a fighter, even with his tall frame and subtle muscles. He has zero experience on combat and self-defense, and he doubts Yixing would have either. This would be dangerous, especially if he were to avoid bringing items that would anger the patients. But this was for his career, for the company he works for, for Yixing. Yifan cares about him, a lot, and he would surely blame himself if anything happened to the latter.

It isn't the first time he has been asked to go someplace crazy and unthinkable. However, it is his first time going to a place that might cause him to put his life on the line as well as someone else's. This is crazy. He thought. But isn't crazy his specialty? Yifan looked up and his eyes met the CEO's expectant ones, he sighed.

"Okay," Yifan finally said after what felt like an eternity. "I'll go."