3 Omen

Han Soojin works as a therapist at Dr. Yang's clinic. The vicinity houses different psychiatrists and psychologists that can help anyone with mental illness and psychological distress. As the center's clinical psychologist, her responsibility is to assess, diagnose, and treat individuals with substance abuse problems, child, adult, and geriatric mental health.

Within an hour, Soojin arrived at the clinic and parked her car at the designated lot in front of the vicinity. The area looks more like a house inside than a center. The vast space at the middle has two circular blue four-seater couches with throw pillows to make the clients experience comfort while waiting for the therapist to call them. In the middle of the sofa set is a round glass table with magazines neatly lined up for patients to read and entertain themselves. At the corner of the room on the left side is the water dispenser with plastic cups on top of it for patrons to use when they want a drink. Beside the dispenser is a plate full of cookies for anyone who wants something to nibble on their stay.

Past the couches is the room for clinic employees to lounge in with a mini kitchen where the oven and microwave are placed near the washbasin. There is a long white wooden table where the staff can freely sit to eat and a private lavatory for them to use whenever needed.

Every employee has space to use for their session. The psychiatrist's rooms are lined up on the first floor to make a manageable admission for disabled and severe cases of mental illness while psychologists are all upstairs to separate them from the patients.

Soojin's room is on the second door on the left. On every door, the therapist's name is displayed in glossy silver embossed letters.

Han Soojin

The door indicates and the young woman comes in to start her work for the day.

While setting up her blue-colored notebook and black pen at the wooden table where she writes notes for every patient, a knock on the door got her attention and made her stop from tidying up the place. She stood up and breathed in while straightening up her shirt under the gray coat she was wearing. Soojin marches towards the door and opens it up for the patient to get in.

"Ms. Han Soojin?" A man wearing clear glasses and a black cap greets the woman with his deep baritone voice and blank expression.

"Please, come in and sit down, Mr. Lee Yejoon." The therapist spread her arms to guide the man inside with her hand. Her smile is subtle, not showing teeth, and not wide to express the professional association with the patient.

"Thank you, Ms. Han." The man follows Soojin inside and sits down immediately after being pointed out in the direction of the chair.

"You sent a message yesterday about asking for an early session with me. Was there any problem you encountered this weekend?" Soojin asks as she settles down at the opposite chair of the patient.

"Yes, there was." Mr. Lee Yejoon replies. His eyes are gazing at the woman but they don't express any emotion.

"Can you tell me what it is?" The young therapist picks up the notebook and pen at the table and opens up the next empty page. Ready to take notes of the details in their session.

"I can't remember." The man confesses. He hunches his back at the couch and feels the comfort of the soft cushion.

"You... can't remember?" The therapist raises her brow, wondering about what happened to the man in front of her.

"I-I got into an accident last night." Mr. Lee Yejoon admits and continues to express a calm face.

"What kind of accident? Are you feeling better now?" Soojin's eyes widen with the unexpected news. She scans the man's face and body but there is no scratch or any indication that he got into an accident.

"I slipped and hit my head. I'm okay now but I can't remember what happened from the last time I visited here." The man answers, shrugging his shoulders to indicate it was nothing life-threatening. He straightens his back and continues to be mysterious.

"Glad to know you are." The female therapist exhales deeply setting her hands on her chest as the heavy news is lifted out of her chest. "You are here because you can't remember anything from the day of our last session?" Soojin asks.

"Specifically, I can't remember what I said about our last session. Can you tell me what I told you at that time?" Mr. Lee Yejoon states, gazing at the woman with his deep dark brown eyes.

"O-Okay." The therapist doubts the man's inquiry. She senses a bizarre aura around the man she never felt before. Soojin cannot point it out but she is certain about it. "In our last session, we talked about your relationship with an older woman," Soojin reveals.

"And?"

"You told me you are finally happy and want to be with her. Do you remember now?" The therapist flips the page back and reads the notes written on the paper.

"No. What else?"

"You mention that you plan to go away with her. Far away from his husband." Soojin discloses the man's plans for his life.

"That doesn't help me at all."

'What do you mean?" The therapist asks, hearing the man's reaction from the last notes she read.

'"Nothing. Do I have other girlfriends?"

"No. You are faithful, sweet, and caring to your lover. You adore her like you respect her son and your best friend." Soojin explains. The notes she had written about the man records every detail of the relationship that troubles her patient greatly.

"My best friend?"

"Yes." The therapist answers, closing the notebook in her hands. The man appears to be satisfied with the information she disclosed about his lover's son.

"I remember now. Thank you, doctor." Mr. Lee Yejoon stood up from the chair and began to walk towards the door.

"I'm not a doctor, I'm a psychologist." Soojin clarifies to the man hurriedly wanting to go out the door.

"What?" The young man raises his brow as the therapist tries to explain her job.

"Psychologists don't have a medical license. We can't prescribe medicines that's why we can't be called doctors." The therapist describes her job. She knows Mr. Yejoon is a nurse at a hospital, he should know that.

"You are not a psychiatrist?" Mr. Lee asks again, the look coming from the woman peers not only through his mind but deep into his soul.

"If you want to go to a psychiatrist, you need a referral from me and I think you need one." Soojin offers to aid the strange patient.

"Thank you, Ms. Han Soojin. I'll think about your offer." The man stretches his arm to offer a handshake.

"Your welcome, Mr. Lee Yejoon." Soojin accepts the young man's hand warmly, smiling at the belief that she helped her patient but the bright gleam soon disappears when the expected memory that she usually experiences now feels empty.

There is nothing to see.

Soojin continues to hold the man's hand tightly in her palm.

Is this a bad omen? Soojin asks herself.