25 CONFUSED

"Good morning, please come in and have a seat." Soojin welcomed her eighth client.

Mrs. Bang Seoyeon, age fifty, felt depressed after her son became sick. The cause of the deteriorating condition was unknown by the doctors who treated him and was referred to see a psychiatrist. Dr. Ma attended to her son and resulted in mild anxiety but Mrs. Bang insisted there was something wrong with the findings. In a frantic moment of hopelessness, Mrs. Bang had a breakdown at the hospital and was forced to undergo a mild treatment for depression. Dr. Ma referred the woman to a psychologist.

Ms. Han Soojin

"How are you today, Mrs. Bang?" She asked.

"I'm quite well. I had a long rest this weekend. Dr. Ma called me the other day to cancel our session. I felt bad. I was looking forward to talking to you about my son, Sangwook."

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Bang. It was a family-related emergency." She explained

"It's okay, Soojin… Uhm is it okay if I call you by your name… I've been talking to you three times a week and I have been in session with you for a month now."

"I prefer you call me Ms. Han. I don't want you to feel frustrated, Mrs. Bang, but it's better if we remain to have a professional relationship." Soojin explained, "I'm not your friend. I'm your therapist. I'm here to assess what emotions you have to work on. To help you manage them.

The woman nodded and hid her frown. The session ended within an hour and Soojin reached for Mrs. Bang's hand to shake.

Nothing.

No feelings. No memories.

Her body felt strange from the emptiness. She was used to the electrifying sensation in her body. The ability to see memories was not a "superpower" she detests, instead, she embraced it and used it for good. To treat her clients better. To learn what bothers them. To understand their needs.

Now that she cant use it. She felt like she lost one eye or an ear.

"What will I say to Detective Sungmin now???" She sighed.

π - π - π

"Are you sure???" Detective Sungmin asked.

His jaw dropped from his face from the surprising news. Soojin nodded her head. She could barely admit that she has no ability now, and telling the investigator does sound shocking to accept.

"I think so…" She answered.

She remembered watching the memory of her neighbor's baby. An innocent memory, almost unfilled with any thoughts. Soojin doesn't know if it counts as an ability or her memory repeating a previous scene.

"You think so???" He exclaimed.

Soojin slouched down her shoulder and squinted.

"I… could read… a.. baby's memory???"

"What would a baby's memory do in our case???" The detective shrugged his head.

"I'm sorry Detective Sungmin. I don't know what happened and I don't know if I can get it back." She confessed.

Her eyes began to moisten for disappointment. Not only that she failed the investigator, but she also felt that she failed herself.

"You should kick me out of your team, I m-mean… you can—

"No. You are part of my investigation team, you could still be an advisor in other cases." Detective Sungmin cuts in.

He scratched his thin white beard and pursed his lips, thinking of what to say next to the therapist.

"Maybe it's better if you rest in the meantime. It's too dangerous for you to get involved in the new case I'm handling."

"What's your new case???" Soojin asked.

"The daughter of the mafia boss Ryeo Wonshik is missing."

"Ryeo Sun Ah???" She exclaimed.

"You know her???"

"I-I m-met her before" She answered.

She went to the same university as Sun Ah. The woman was wealthy and famous for being the daughter of the Mafia Boss but it didn't stop the woman from wanting a proper education. Strong, smart, and cunning. The one who kidnapped Sun Ah should know their dead if the woman escapes from their hands.

"Since his daughter went missing, crimes skyrocketed. Another mafia gang is accused of kidnapping her daughter and innocent people are being accused of association. It's a mess right now." Detective Sungmin shrugged his head.

"What about Ghost???" Soojin asked.

The investigator raised his brow. He already expected the psychologist would ask about Ghost.

"He's doing what he needs to do."

"I mean… whose face is he now???" She inquired.

"Don't worry. It's very unlikely for you to encounter him with his new case."

"Ohhh…"

"You sound disappointed."

"N-No… no-no." She smiled.

She stood up from the chair and leaned her head.

"See you around, Detective Sungmin."

"I'll call you when we need a psychologist. Take care of yourself, Ms. Han." The investigator smiled.

"You too, detective."

Soojin veered around and walked towards the door.

"And Soojin…"

She paused and turned her face when the detective called her name.

"Yes???"

"Don't look for him." Detective Sungmin advised.

She nodded her head and gleamed before opening the door to leave the investigator's office.

Waiting on the bus going home, made Soojins stare at the people passing by her.

A couple walking by, the woman held the man's arm while they laughed about something funny they encountered together. They gazed at each other's eyes while they talk.

Soojin lifted her hands and stared at her palms. She didn't feel alone when she saw other people's memories. She felt their presence inside her mind. She felt like she was part of them. Now that's gone. She felt alone in her mind.

Her phone sounded its message tone inside her sling bag. The message came from the man that Joomi gave her number to. She has forgotten all about it after discovering Gil Youngjae was not Ghost. Though she was thankful that the entity was probably not Dr. Ma Dohyun, she still hoped they would encounter each other again.

She opened the message:

Hi!

It was the message yesterday that she didn't open.

My name is Gil Youngjae. Nice to meet you Ms. Han Soojin.