Crazy Baby

Chapter 9; Kim Namjoon

      "Excuse me, Dr. Kim?"
      I turn around with a big smile to see a young man a little younger than me looking up at me nervously.
      "Yes?"
       He tugs his bottom lip between his teeth and kicks absentmindedly at the ground. "I w-was wondering if anyone has heard anything about my friend?" His voice is small and young sounding.
      My eyebrows raise. "Who?"
      He swallows hard. "Jin. Kim Seokjin." He rubs his arm anxiously.
      Inside I tense up but on the outside I keep my smile in place and ruffle his hair. "Are you, per chance, Park Jimin? He'd talked about you during some of our sessions." I say gently.
      His eyes tear up. "I m-miss him so bad. What if something h-happened to him." He begins to sob. I take his hand and take him to my office, sitting him down in my chair while I sit across from him.
     "Jimin...I'm sure your friend will be fine. As far as I know he was transferred to another hospital." I lie smoothly.
      He shakes his head. "No! They wouldn't have done that! He was never supposed to leave and he left so suddenly!" He cries.
      I stare down in contemplation. Never supposed to leave? "Why wasn't he supposed to leave?" I ask softly. "You can talk to me. I'll keep your secrets." I smile conspiratorially.
      He eyes me for a minute before scooting closer. "I know things that the doctors don't want me to. About him. The reason no would really tried to cure him until you came." He sniffles.
Jackpot.
     I lean down to him and wait, intrigued.
     "I know where they put his real file. It has everything in it. He doesn't know about it or that I knew why he was here. I didn't care, really. He was my best friend-still is." He sighs.
      Frowning, I press on. "Where is it? Can I see it?"
      He nods. "They keep the files down in the basement. No one but the file keeper is allowed down there, though."
      I raise a brow. "How did you get down there then?"
      He cracks a mischievous smile. "Jin and I loved exploring. We fought a way into the basement without worrying about locked doors." He explains.
     I study him in a new light. What a maniacal boy. I like him. A lot. Maybe I should take him too...for Jin. He needs someone while I'm at work. I'd have to be really careful, though.
     I lean down even closer and rest my hand on his knee. "Would you like to see Jin again?" I ask hesitantly.
     His eyes widen in shock. "Y-you can do that?"
      I nod, serious. "But you can never tell anyone. Ever. And if you leave with me you can't come back. You have to stay with Jin. Permanently." I stress. He thinks it over with a seriousness I hadn't expected of the kid.
     "Ok. I hate it here since my other friends went back to their ward. It's lonely now." He gives a small sad smile.
      "Alright then. Tomorrow. I have to prepare everything today. Do you think you can sneak down and grab his file? I'll schedule you an appointment with me tomorrow morning and I'll get you out to see him." I whisper and he nods solemnly.
     "Dr. Kim?"
     "Yes, Jimin?"
     He hesitates. "Is he taking his meds? He can't stop taking them." He hedges, nervous once again.
      "Why not?" Feeling on the verge of another mystery solved.
       He looks down. "It's in his file. You can read it. He's taking them right?"
       No, he's not. I need to get some for him then. Looks like I'll be raiding the pharmacy later. "It's all taken care of." I pause in thought. "What are you here for?"
     He stares ahead blankly for a long minute. "I have a brain tumor. I'm just here until..."
     I narrow my eyes. "Are you dying?"
     He smirks. "Aren't we all dying?"
     "Touché."
     "Will you need anything when we leave?" I ask.
      He licks his lips before shaking his head. "I'll be fine. I'm ready to go."
      I sense a double meaning but I let it go as I stand and lead him out of my office. I remind him to grab Jin's file while I leave him to grab his own file. I sit back down in my locked office and flu open Park Jimin's documents.

Park Jimin.

      Born: October 13, 1995

      Age: 22
     
      Mental disorder: Child regression caused by terminal brain tumor.
     
      Date admitted: August 12, 2013
 
      Discretions/problem areas: Frequently wanders off to unauthorized locations, kleptomaniac, refuses therapeutic sessions, and refuses to take his medication. Frequently needs to be held down and sent to isolation. Regressed to age 10.

        Medications: brain supplements, mood stabilizers, and growth hormones.

Success: no cure for terminal illness but mood has seen improvement. Child regression success- n/a

     Interesting. Very interesting. He says he knows things about my little patient that others don't eat revealed? And he still wants to be his best friend...I don't know if Park Jimin Just has a death wish or if he's as crazy as me. I have a feeling it could go either way. Guess I'll just have to see when I get those files.