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Prescriptions of suppressants under the disguise of depressants to people with known soulmates is a medical malpractice and punishable by law.
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Her eyes are up looking at sky through the barren branches of a tree. The leaves are nowhere to be seen as the winter cold had made it hibernate for the season. It's gloomy, asleep, more like dead, but certainly, as the season ends, spring will come. It would be green again. Flowers will bloom again.
She sighs.
Though the sun had hidden itself, the early afternoon has become brighter than the past few days. No snowflakes have been falling from the sky. Not one laying on the bushes around. Everything has been melted, yet the gloominess in her heart still solid as ice. In fact, it's denser in the present. The children's giggles can't even make a little crack.
She feels barren like the tree. The children's muffled joyful screaming can't even foothold within her heart. It supposed to be her warmth. It used to be, but today... she doubts to be enjoying her stay.
She's not feeling well. She couldn't even bring herself to step in the orphanage and join the fun. The guilt of last night's event had somehow dissipated, but somehow, it had reborn anew with her check-up. Her head now is swirling, too focused and worried on Dr. Choi's words playing out like a broken record on her head.
"It seems that nobody among you have done any considerable progress with your soul bounds..." The doctor's voice is still fresh, as if she is still on the seat in front of the ever-straightforward doctor. Once again, the scene with her check-up a while ago flashes upon her.
**********
"It's nice to see you Miss Lee." Dr. Choi greeted Daun. "You too Mr. Kim and Mr. Jeon."
The three bowed to him in response.
The doctor then directly proceeded to check their soulmate chart reflected in the monitor of his computer. There were two results flashed on the screen. One was dated almost a week before and the other was dated today.
Before they got inside his clinic, Daun was instructed by a nurse to have a soul lab test where several wires were connected to her chest and back. She was a bit afraid of it but Jin and Jungkook were angels as they never left her side throughout the ordeal. The nurse then guided them back to the office with the doctor already sitting behind his desk.
"It seemed that nobody among you have done any considerable progress with your soul bounds. It is much the same as before except these three here." He pointed on three different colors. It's noticeable how the three had risen a bit compared to the result last week. It had more vibrant color than the washed-out color from before. She thought that the colors were just for aesthetic effects but she felt she was wrong.
Her heart beat in nervousness. She felt like nothing she had done was right.
"What do you think happened here?" Mr. Choi asked. She could hear the concern on the doctor's voice. It seemed that what was being presented on the screen was a disappointment for him.
Her only response was; "I-I don't know."
"But Dr. Choi... she has become healthier." Seokjin interjected.
"We've been talking and... touching..." Jungkook added as he blushed.
"Touching? In what extent? According to the charts... none of those are effective."
"I-I can do better." She whispered, so much more motivated after last night.
Dr. Choi nodded. His face more serious as he observed her fiddling fingers. "It seems you did not thoroughly understand what I said the last time Ms. Lee."
She raised her head in alarm. She felt like she's being scolded by her uncle. He used to be strict with her but she knew that he did it out of love. She bit her lips in a tight line.
"Remember that I told you that your soulmates are in soul enhancers and you need nothing else but more than just physical connection."
She nodded. Her face had starting to get a flame. She was embarrassed on how the conversation was leading to but she knew that she had to listen. This was for them after all.
"I understand how it's a bit difficult for all of you. Especially you, Ms. Lee, to engage in any sexual activities right away. I had also seen their hesitance that was why I had given them such medications." He paused a bit before he continued. "But it should not be that way. If you noticed with your friends and their soulmates, soulmates have a special pull to each other, allowing them to engage readily to sexual intercourse, even in the first meeting. Why do you think so Ms. Lee?"
She whispered with "To establish soul bounds?".
"Yes. Our souls have been fated since our birth. The souls had been matured and always ready for the fated mate even as toddlers. It is just, the body takes some time to mature itself. As its vessel, it had trapped the soul inside without its proper nourishments. Once the soul had its chance it seeks for its mate through soul signs."
The three of them listened attentively on the simplicity of Dr. Choi's explanation.
"Ms. Lee...pardon me with the imagery but I want you to imagine a dog starved for how many years of its life. What do you think will happen if its only salvation, its owner, refuses to feed it? What do you think will happen to the dog? How about the owner?"
"It would be desperate enough to the extent it would bite it's owner's hands." She answered. She could remember the videos about the fighting dogs in organized illegal dog fighting. They would cage the dogs and starve it so that when it went out, it would be hungry enough to kill other dogs.
Mr. Choi ones again nodded. "The eight of you are the dogs, at the same time, each other's owners. There will be consequences if you stay reluctant to establish your soul bounds." His eyes pierced to the three of them. "You are Multiples. Naturally, you have to work much harder than the other couples in establishing yours. Without immediate action, problems may occur with the eight of you. You are making yourselves sick. Health problems may not surface now, other than Ms. Lee not having any physical soul signs that she supposed to have." He paused once again as he solemnly looked to Jin and Jungkook, as if telling them that they have to do their own part too.
"Malnutrition in souls is real and will cause illness to the body. There will be soon irreversible problems."
"Then... what is the use of the soul enhancers if I may ask?" Seokjin asked.
"You are in the age where you soul is too much starved Mr. Kim. There are times that you feel and act unusually unlike yourself. Your thinking patterns more desperate. Jealousy arousing even in irrational things. Your emotionally imbalanced. I had been a witness of that. It doesn't help that you have soul feel. That is why, you are the first one affected with the recent incident. Your soul easily blacks out with just a bit of Ms. Lee's denials and doubts. What do you think will happen if Ms. Lee ultimately denies your souls?"
"Death." She shakenly uttered. The memories of her mom and her soulmates came into her mind. That was why her mom died. Her soul was denied.
"I think you are familiar with that?" Dr. Choi assumes as he observed her shaking. Her eyes were wet with tears. Her mind was chanting of her mistakes. Fear was engulfing her body.
Jin and Jungkook immediately stood to her sides as they held her hands.
"Daun-ah... shshh..." Jungkook and Jin both soothed.
"It's just been a week Dr. Choi." Jin started. "Perhaps it's not yet too late."
"I can refer Ms. Lee to a psychiatrist. It seems that there are other things that she has to consult about. Maybe she needs a therapy?" Dr. Choi gave a business card to the eldest who readily accepted it. "Or, she can confide it with the seven of you. It's better that way. Mates has the responsibility to each other's mental health after all. Knowing all of you, you are perfect for that." He suggested. "It's important too that the eight of you can talk with the expert to make you understand your relationships better. Just think of him as a friend not a doctor."
The three of them nodded.
"I told you that soul problems are easy to mend but take note that it is much easier to destroy...Soul enhancers can prevent this with multiples like yours. It prevents any animosity among the seven of you, as your starved souls would wire up your head in weird ways. Trust me, this type of soul bounds often times destroyed especially in our monopolistic society." He explained further.
She gasped as she related everything to her parents. How her biological father was tricked to deny his soul bounds even with the contact with her mother. How her papa been blinded with his wrong beliefs. Everything somehow clicked. Everything making her heart heavy with dread. She sniffed as she couldn't help her eyes from tearing up sad tears.
"Maybe you couldn't feel the starvation in your soul Ms. Lee." Dr. Choi said with a kind voice. "In fact, among the eight of you, you are most starved but the soul suppressants still in your blood and the soul neutralizer has somehow calmed you down. You don't feel the need of physical connection that much as the others. But hope you understand, that they might do something that perhaps violating for you. Please understand that as much as they want to control it, their souls need the completion of your bounds." Dr. Choi looks at her with the tenderness of a loving father to his daughter. "The seven of them has been my patients ever since the signs had immerged. Please... ease their pain. The sooner the better."
She wiped her tears as she could only nod.
"Jin-ssi and Jungkook-ssi... please tell the rest to continue taking the soul enhancers. We can't risk your soul meters to lower down even a bit. You need it to fuel your souls." He advised Jin and Jungkook.
"And Ms. Lee. Whenever you feel the intense headaches once again. Please don't hesitate to take the soul neutralizer. No skips. No stopping until you feel all the soul senses that you ought to feel." The information alarmed the two. "If you think you have to take it more than the intended schedule, I allow you to. There are no adverse effects over it. It is like a supplement for your suppressed soul, so it is safe."
"What headaches. So what happened at dawn was not a first?" Jin finally voiced out. Their gazes were hot on hers.
"I-I- always feel it at night. I sometimes woke up with it. Sometimes I..." She confessed. She sighed. She didn't know why Dr. Choi knew about those episodes. Maybe one of them noticed and confide with the doctor.
"It's not good to hide the effects from your soulmates Ms. Lee. I am surprised how you hide it even with the seven of them surrounding you." Dr. Choi was once again in his scolding voice. "You may faint without them knowing and it could be fatal." He squinted to the men beside her. "And you." His gaze was reprimanding like a father to his sons. "Do better! You are no longer boys. Be man enough to confide on her and take good care of her. Be honest first to her. She can't be honest with you if you yourselves are not doing the same. You are all her partners. Do your part."
The two of them nodded.
"I hope next time I can see a considerable increase of your soul bounds. Work for it." The doctor says after giving them more instructions, more doses and more medications, and they left his clinic.
**********
"Daun-ah, dear." A voice snaps her back to the present.
"Yes, Nana?" She timidly smiles. No matter how she would like to appear bright, she can't.
"Are you okay? Any piece to share?" The middle-aged nun gently reaches out her hand. Her face solemn with kindness and tenderness of a mother she never has. The two of them sitting underneath the lone huge tree of the backyard. The same tree where Jin and her had first exchanged thoughts.
"I'm sorry, Nana. I have a lot of things in my mind."
"It's okay. I know you for too long. I know something is burdening you. Don't hesitate to share it with me. Tell me."
She nods. She really likes to, but how should she say it?
Daun feels the light tap of her Nana on the table as the latter gestures the men held up with the orphans. "You have very kind soulmates, Daun-ah." The woman's thin lips are stretched into a smile. Her eyes crinkle with amusement.
She follows her sight. She can see the obvious sweat of the eldest as he seems to escape from the children's grasp. Her eyes then widen. "H-how d-do you know they are my soulmates?"
"How else you are here together, arriving in the same car? I saw how sweet they opened the door for you, how they gaze at you. It's obvious how the boys treasure you on how they can't help steal glances on you in any second they can." Nana's orbs glisten with something akin to adoration. "Soulmates has this kind of intimacy and gentleness with their every move, especially the new ones, even without trying."
"Nana." She softly whines with a flushed face.
"Now... with how kind hearted these men are, I wonder why such gray clouds are hovering your head." The older woman side eyes and sighs with Daun's prolonged silence. She then pulls Daun's both hands to hers. "Sometimes what our minds and hearts want and need is entirely different, dear. Our mind is always governed with logic while the heart is with emotion. I know how those two are right now not harmonious in each other. It's obvious how conflicted you are on something. Knowing you, I have a hunch of what that is. Think it over." Her hands then are brought upon to her chest. "Listen to your heart. What do you really need?"
"I don't know." She confesses. Daun's chest heaves with a sigh.
"Aren't they kind to you.?" Nana inquires.
"They are. The seven of them are. Too kind in fact."
"Ohhh... the seven of them?" The older woman chuckles.
Daun's cheeks light a brighter red.
"You know, they have been with the orphanage during their trainee years. Even when they didn't have the money to donate, they had offered their time for the children." Nana smiles as she looks into her eyes. "Don't you want to be with such loving, generous men in your life?" Her orbs solemn, pleading for her to say yes.
"I do." Daun softly nods and smiles as a lone tear drops. "I really do."
"Be kind to yourself, Daun dear. Don't punish yourself on the past. They are worth to be trusted. They are your soulmates after all. They are your partners in life. If you can't tell me your worries, tell them. Free yourself to them."
Daun's lips curves into a small smile as she looks at the two men as the words of her Nana smoothly melts into consciousness. They are like hot liquid that slowly melts the ice in her heart. The warmth, slowly soaks into her bones. Her heart no longer erratically beating with worries and guilt. The clouds above her head had somehow cleared. It may have come again, after all, she ultimately freeing herself is a long journey to take, but she knows she has seven men to be with.
**********
"Hey... I think you need me with the way you are smiling darling." Jin comes winking as he finally tossed all the children's focus to the newly arrived food that he had personally ordered. He is so handsome with his casual attire with white shirt and blue jeans.
"Jin-oppa." She blushes with how loud he is. Her eyes downcast with how embarrassed she is with her Nana around.
"I like that..." He leans over her ears and whispers. "But, you calling me that makes me horny darling, so better do it when we are in bed." He playfully winks.
"Stop that..." She pouts. His playfulness has been more rated since this morning. There is an easiness in both of their gazes. The ice wall had ultimately shattered between them.
Her Nana immediately excuses herself with his entrance, feeling so amused with how the eldest behaves. Jin however, didn't forget to be polite with the nun and greets her with enthusiasm. Daun can see how close Jin is with her. He shares a joke and both of them laughs.
"I'll leave the two of you." Daun can't mistake the glint of approval on the nun.
As soon as her Nana turns her back, Daun squints into Jin, frowning.
"What?" He innocently asks as he walks to the back of her chair, his hands massaging her arms. "I'm just telling the truth. Don't want to have some problems arising... Don't we?" He snickers, very much pleased with his pun.
"Ohhh... Come on... Let's help Kookie with the kids." She groans as she stands and holds his hands, pulling him towards the backdoor entrance.
He stiffens a moment as he realizes how she initiated the gesture first. "I like this. Kids. Seems like we are talking about our own. Remember how you want a dozen of them?"
She groans, remembering how they had talked about children underneath the same tree a month ago. "If you're not stopping, I'll leave you here." She responds pouting.
She is about to let go when Jin pulls her arms and tucks it on his. He dares to lightly give her a peck on the cheeks. "Let's go and have a grand entrance for our children darling."
"Silly!" She can't help but heartily laughs.