Break The Silence

Kim Taehyung stepped out of his black SUV, his gaze fixed at the four floor rusty looking building. Shredded paint that revealed the bricks, explaining it's old age.

"Yeosan Mental Hospital" Taehyung read, as he took the cigarette stick out his lips and tossed to the trash cane. The guard bowed him respectfully, he quickly recognized the youngest psychologist, Kim Taehyung, who just won an award for best performance.

Taehyung frowned his brows, and he naturally bowed in return,as he retrieved to the tall iron gate, letting him stepped inside.

The front yard was not crowded, merely few patients with their caretakers roaming around, some talking to themselves, and some seemed lost in their own imaginary world.

Taehyung walked through the narrow walkway leading to the pair of stairs. As soon as he stepped inside the building, a large waiting lounge loomed to his sight.

Taehyung approached the hallway,"Excuse me, Dr. Lee Donghyun, I have to meet him." He said dabbing on the counter, to get the receptionist's attention, who busy on phone.

"Do you have an appointment sir?" The lady receptionist asked, looking at Taehyung in puzzlement.

Taehyung raised his brows, amazed at the unexpected treatment by the receptionist. These days hospital staff mostly recognized him, he had not just won an award but given a full interview to a broadcast channel.

"Do I need an appointment?" Taehyung replied, waving his identity card swinging with his neck.

"Oh Dr. Kim! My bad sir, I didn't recognize you." The receptionist apologized, "You can meet Dr. Lee in his office, Mr. Kwon would escort you." She said pressing the bell button.

" Thank you for your time." Taehyung greeted. He turned back and waited for Mr. Kwon.

After few seconds, a tall and mascular man in his forty appeared before him.

"Woah I saw you on the tv." Mr. Kwon said, "And you're more handsome than you appeared on the camera." He said, extending his hand to shake.

Taehyung carved a smile on his face, "I heard this a lot." He replied, shaking hand with Mr. Kwon.

Mr. Kwon led Taehyung to the elevator and pressed the button for the third floor. The ride was quiet as Taehyung kept himself busy on his phone. He hated unnecessary interaction with strangers, specially when people wanted to make connections.

The doors opened, Mr. Kwon gestured for Taehyung to follow him to the dimly lit hallway. The walls were painted a pale green, with peeling edges that hinted at the hospital's age.

They passed a few rooms with small windows, where patients could be seen sitting or lying down, lost in their own worlds. At the end of the hallway, Mr. Kwon stopped in front of a door with a plaque that read, Dr. Lee Donghyun.

He knocked lightly, then opened the door and stepped aside, allowing Taehyung to enter. "Dr. Lee, Dr. Kim has arrived," Mr. Kwon announced before bowing and leaving.

Taehyung stepped inside a Large office, with tall sash windows that allowed the fresh cold wind streamed inside.

Dr. Lee sat across the table, a good looking man around sixty's with gray and black hair. He warmly smiled, "Welcome Dr. Kim." He greeted. "We're glad to have such a young and talented doctor."

Taehyung widened his smile, his cheek flushed,"It's an opportunity to work with my idol. " He said, heading to chair.

Dr. Lee gestured his hands to sit, as he stood up and shared a warm handshake with Taehyung.

Taehyung respectfully bowed, he settled himself on the chair, feeling the joy to encounter a man, he had been idolizing since a long.

Dr. Lee was one of the best psychologist of the country, working in the Yeosan hospital since last thirty years. He had a record with the most success ratio, treating uncountable patients with no hope and solving criminal cases alongside of police officers, Dr. Lee had achieved almost everything in his thirty years of long career.

Taehyung had studied all the books about human mind written by Dr. Lee. He admired how Dr. Lee believed that being friends with patients, is the key to solve the darkest mysteries, they hide in the depth of their mind.

"I wonder why a popular doctor like you chose this small hospital to work on." Said Dr. Lee, he adjusted himself back in his chair and pressed his cigar between his wrinkled lips.

"Why a successful doctor like you, still spending his life in such a small hospital?" Taehyung answered bluntly.

Dr. Lee cackled a small laughter in his husky voice, exhaling a puff of smoke. "How can I forget that you're smart enough to dodge most complicated questions." He said, then after a few minutes of pause, Dr. Lee began to speak, "I worked here since last thirty years, I saw people leaving with a will of living their lives, and dying after rotting into their rooms. I have unexplainable attachment with this hospital." He said.

Taehyung praised the old man, but he couldn't lower his guard. "If I speak honestly, I don't have any goal in my mind, I don't want to work for money, but I want to achieve something that not all doctors can achieve." He said serenely.

"And what is that?" Asked Dr. Lee.

Taehyung shrugged his shoulders, "Patients' trust." He shortly answered.

Dr. Lee cackled another cackle, "I see why you're being considered a best doctor of your generations." He said, "Well then, you're welcome and I hope you get succeeded in your goals."