No Longer Mine

4

"Depression is contagious," Jungkook declares to the class. "I've experienced firsthand myself. I've seen what it does to people. How the virus roots itself into people's brains and slowly deteriorates them in plain sight."

This is where the Curing is fundamentally wrong. They've treated depression as if it's a virus, not a mental disorder. And now, they take students who are "infected", regardless if they're professionally diagnosed with depression or not.

I feel sick as I watch Jungkook up on the slightly raised podium in front of the class. Two Curing Officials stand behind him, silent but watching. The weight of their gazes lies heavily on everyone.

"Thankfully, the Curing is a program built on the foundations of science and psychology," he continues, voice loud and clear. "The facility is run by top notch and certified doctors."

The Curing is built on the foundations of pseudoscience and idiocy, and run by doctors with a collective IQ of negative one.

"It's taken a long time for the program to be approved and initiated. My only regret is that the program wasn't formed earlier. So many young lives lost when they could've been prevented." Jungkook shakes his head.

I want to whack my head against the desk. Around me, the simmering anger is beyond palpable. The students glare at Jungkook, some of them unable to hide their hatred.

"I am grateful for the Curing." Jungkook smiles, tranquil, completely oblivious to the poisonous glares being shot his way. "It helped me when I was drowning. Before, I was miserable. I wasn't living."

The Before Jungkook was ten times more alive than the one who stands in front of the classroom.

"I was a hazard to those around me. Thankfully, the Curing rescued me. They threw me a lifesaver when I needed it."

Now my face threatens to turn into a sneer. The Curing didn't rescue him. They broke into his house in the middle of the night and dragged him kicking and screaming out. He fought them to the very end until they knocked him out in the middle of the streets.

"Brainwashed moron," someone daringly whispers behind me.

Despite myself, I can't help but agree. He is being used as a minion of the Curing to try and 'preach' to the rest of us.

"Now, I am healthy and clear of mind," says Jungkook.

A few students almost look ready to leap over their desks and strangle him. I'm not the only one who knew Jungkook before he was taken. He was a fighter, a leader, popular among all of us; never conforming to the system. Now, to see him like this, passive and a mindless obedient creature to said system, betrayal and hate courses through everyone; even if it's not his fault.

"The Curing usually doesn't do this, but I was a special case: they told me a little about my dark past after I was finally Cured. The therapists said I had a girlfriend."

Pen-dropping silence falls on everyone. I freeze.

"They told me that she and I had been in a very toxic relationship. This just goes to show that even the people whom you might think you're closest to can be the source of infection. I encourage you guys to be mindful of the environments you put yourselves in."

"And what happened to this girlfriend of yours?" The professor calls out to Jungkook.

I'm going to kill that weasel-eyed bastard.

Jungkook shrugs. For some reason, his eyes find mine right as he says, "I don't know. I only hope that whoever or wherever she is, she's getting help like I did."

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