Shock is spread across your features and you find it difficult to mask it as you look at him.

"What?"

"Mom." He says shortly and turns his head back to the TV. Apparently pissed.

"She scared you you said." You defend yourself.

"She did, but she's still my Mom." He shrugs. If he eats and stays on the couch at this rate, he will soon walk out of the door looking like inflated Aunt Marge from Prisoner of Azkaban.

You take his nachos away as you earn a cold look from him. "Stop eating this garbage."

"You can date garbage. I can't eat garbage?" He asks.

"Who told you I date garbage? Jungkook was a pretty decent guy!" You cross your arms over your chest indignantly.

He shrugs and laughs. "Just wanted to know the name."

You're feeling like he recovers pretty quickly and gets upset very quickly. He's showing a very bizarre behaviour and you can't seem to comprehend it.

You look at him for a while and on feeling your gaze on him, he sighs, "Noona. Don't stare. I know I'm handsome."

You laugh with furrowed eyebrows, "Who the hell even told you that? You're ugly."

He looks at you and rolls his big eyes. You feel like punching him for having an attitude as he sighs, "Dr. Jin."

Just then the doorbell rings and you rush to the intercom. "Er-who?"

"Kim Taehyung." A deep voice comes back and your heart jumps in your ribs.

On the small surveillance monitor you see him shrug off his blazer jacket and straighten his tie professionally.

You exhale sharply and punch in the code.

"Hi." You smile awkwardly and he smiles back as his eyes lock with yours.

It feels like he is staring into your soul and reading your deep dark thoughts.

"Come in." You say, unable to look away.

"Sure, if you'll excuse me." He points at how you're blocking the doorway and you nervously laugh before getting out of the way.

He walks in slowly and his eyes fall on San Ji.

"We will need some alone time." He tells you as you pour him a glass of cold water.

"This is San Ji." You tell him as he drinks.

"I know." He nods as if he knows and you raise your eyebrows.

How would he know? Cocky much?

"San Ji, honey this is Taehyung. My friend." You tell him. You don't want to mention that he's a doctor. You don't want San Ji to feel like he's sick and needs treatment or to be cured.

He simply regards Taehyung with a disdainful look and gives a half nod before turning his eyes to the TV.

"Y/N."

"Yes?"

"Please excuse us." Taehyung smiles at you warmly and you're reminded of how much you're obsessed with his perfect flawless features.

How much you never grow tired of looking at him and into his beautiful eyes.

"Noona." San Ji calls. "Why does this friend of yours want to be alone with me?" He asks suspiciously. You rip your eyes away from San Ji and look at Dr. Kim questioningly. You don't know what's the right answer to that.

Dr. Kim nods at you reassuringly and removes his pen and notepad.

"Kang San Ji." He looks down at the notepad. "I'm Dr. Kim Taehyung." He writes something more on the notepad and then clicks his pen.

You don't know why, but the moment he does that, you and your brother both fall into a slumber.

~~~

"Y/N."

You open your eyes and the first thing you see instead of the ceiling is Dr. Kim Taehyung's pretty big eyes looking at you worriedly.

"Are you okay?" He whispers and touches your forehead with the back of his hand.

You nod your head. "What just happened?"

"I don't think I can say. Although, your brother will be relaxed for a long time from now on. He will occasionally need therapy. But, I simply have to teach you the process and you can work it out with him the way you are comfortable." You nod.

"How did I get on my bed?" You ask as you sit up and look around.

He laughs a low laugh, "You practically fainted on the floor. There's very little room for San Ji to lie down in, let alone for you." He nudges you lightly to lie back down.

You feel the blood rush up to your ears and you nod. "Thank you for coming up here. Dr. Kim. I'm grateful." It's just natural for you to feel embarrassed when someone does something kind for you and you barely give attention to details.

"Taehyung." He corrects you in a feathery whisper and his fingers come to delicately brush the hair off your forehead. You realise you're burning, the hair is matting at your forehead with the new beads of sweat forming there. You're just frozen at his gentle touch. You close your eyes slowly and just inhale deeply.

There's some odd affection in his touch that is making your heart ache. You don't even know why.

It's been so long since someone stroked your hair. The last time someone did it, it was your mom to wake you up for your exam.

She had stroked your hair and smiled down at you. The moment your eyes had flown open, she had pulled back and yelled at you for being irresponsible and sleeping in late. You had grabbed her waist and made her sit down as you snuggled into her lap and when you spoke, she covered her nose and threw you a disgusted look.

"I'll die of suffocation. Speak to me after you wash your trashy mouth." She said.

You laugh at the memory for a second and then your lips just crumple together and hot stinging tears start welling up and rolling down your cheeks. You don't know what to do as you just lay there with tears rolling down continuously.

That gaping hole in your chest that had remained empty for all these months felt even more heavy and empty. It felt like it was a big black hole sucking in all your happiness. A greedy hole that ate everything and still made you feel empty.

His fingers had been brushing your hair, but now he just lets his palm curve and rest on your head as he stays still.

"Cry, Y/N. It's okay to cry."

You just needed that little push. And you break down.

The strong facade that you had managed to set up and held on to for such a long time, for months even, comes crumbling down and for the first time in all these months you actually cry with your voice.

You're a weeping mess and he's not saying anything as he runs his hand with such a soft and gentle affection over your head that you feel like you are safe now and it's safe to break down.

You don't know why, but suddenly you've chosen to trust this company.

As you finally lift your head and look at him, he simply looks back. His eyebrows slightly pulled together. But, his eyes are focused on something very distant.

"Sorry, that was embarrassing." You speak with an awkward smile forming on your lips.

He shakes his head and takes a strand of your hair, tucking it behind your ear, "Being a human is embarrassing?" He feigns surprise.

"Why are you touching me? I am your lab rat, but only in the lab." You reply as you push his hand away.

"You needed it." He says simply as he gets up, "Also.. Y/N. You're not my lab rat. You're my research partner."

"How much did my brother's session cost?" You change the topic as you sit up and grab the glass by the bedside table.

"Getting to stroke your hair and watch you heal a little was my payment." He stands by the door and you get up to walk out too. You need to know what San Ji is up to.

It's around 9 PM and Leena hasn't come, yet. This bothers you. You are not sure how long she's gonna party, but you don't want them to forget your little brother is home so they can't come after getting wasted or do anything adult when he's present in the house.

"Why don't you take money? I hate to be served and give no fee." Seriously, it's bugging you now. Even though you have found out he needs a research partner that you already feel is a polite word for lab rat, you don't want to be under anybody's debt.

"I have so much of it, Y/N. I'm sick of it." He laughs as he pushes his hands in his pockets and walks out in the living room.

You follow quickly and look around for San Ji. He's sitting in front of the TV and watching some animé.

"Then why are you working?" You cock an eyebrow, crossing your arms over your chest and tilting your head slightly to look up at him.

"I'm simply doing what I love." He shrugs and then points at your brother quietly, as he scratches his nose with a finger and says, "About your brother.."

"Yeah?"

"He has developed a tendency to hallucinate. Was he by any chance around when your Mom was murdered? Did he see it happen?"

"No. What do you mean?" You only remember him standing downstairs and pointing at the direction of the store room and bawling his eyes out.

"Did your Mom.. I'm sorry if I'm asking these questions.." you shake your head instantly, you're strong to not blubber over the mention of her murder.

He takes that as a hint to go on and clears his throat before whispering, "Did she have some sort of wounds on her.. neck?"

You frown. You are not so sure anymore.

You went upstairs alone to discover her dead body, so how does he know that?

Even though, most common wound to find on a murder victim is on the neck, you're sure your brother wouldn't have simply guessed it.

You recall suddenly that you did run to Jungkook's house and on returning you had discovered her body.

"He couldn't have seen her." You shake your head finally. "If he went up there to see her being murdered, he wouldn't be alive today."

"How can you be sure?" He asks.

What? His questions are confusing you.

"There were no bodies retrieved from the house set on fire on the night of the murder per s-"

"How do you know?" You interrupt him. You don't remember discussing the details of that night. You don't remember telling him anything about what happened later.

He seems taken off guard and he slowly responds after a minute, "Umm, I did my research..? Obviously..?" He raises his eyebrows. As if waiting for you to buy that.

"Why?"

"Y/N. You're my client. I have to know your history to know what broke you. I have to contribute in your healing and get you your missing pieces."

Suddenly, there's a lump in your throat. Your vision is blurry as tears threaten to well up in your eyes again.

You don't need to be reminded how broken you are. He can't make you cry twice in a day. You refuse to let him have that much control over you.

"What are you trying to say anyway?"

"That the murderer was under hypnosis."