"Ohayo Ai-san!" Sayumi greeted with her usual cheerful antics as Ai stepped into the office. Ai nodded her head in response before continuing her way to her work desk. Sayumi followed closely behind her. "Ai-san, it's your last day, isn't it? We are thinking about a farewell lunch for you, you alright with it?" Sayumi asked as she leaned against Ai well organised and empty table.
Ai took out her stack of papers from her locker and wrote on it.
"I see . . ." Sayumi trailed off. "I'm gonna miss you so much, Ai-san." Michishige commented as she sighed deeply, and got angry immediately after that. "Minemura-san is just an idiot, making use of your abilities. He's always like that, taking the advantage of people with disabilities and gets rid of them when the probation period is over. Isn't he a bas-" Before Sayumi could
finish her words, Ai placed her hand over Sayumi's arm, stopping her.
Sayumi shook her head at the reasoning Ai had just written her.
"Sayumi! He's here! Come back!" The both of them heard their colleague calling out for Sayumi as their boss, Minemura Shoujin walked into the office.
"Sheez. He's here. I'll talk to you later." Sayumi whispered, leaving Ai's seat area and rushed back to her own desk.
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'Stupid Risa. I had asked her to wake me up at 7 and to think that she had actually fallen asleep on my sofa. Thankfully, I did set my alarm last night. If not, I am really going to be late for work on my first day.' Eri thought as she stepped into the elevator of the building where the clinic she is going to work in was located. 'I wonder how will my work load be like . . . It's so exciting! Being able to put what I have learnt in college in work, helping the life of others.'
*Ding*
The door of the elevator opened, revealing to Eri the main door of the clinic she is going to work in. Eri walked into the clinic with her usual air and confidence surrounding her. Being the top honours student in Psychology, it was no doubt why she was able to get a job in the clinic just a week after graduation.
"Sorry Miss, we are not in operation timing yet, would you like to come in after 930 AM?" The receptionist situated at the front desk spoke to Eri as she stepped in.
Eri smiled brightly at the receptionist as she answered. "I'm not here for an appointment. It's my first day working her, Kamei Eri desu." Eri introduced herself as she stretch out her hand for a
handshake.
"You are Kamei Eri ?!" The receptionist startled and mumbled under her breath. "I was expecting an old lady to fill in Makoto-san's space. This is the first time the clinic is recruiting such a young psychologist." And when she realised Eri was staring at her actions, she cleared her throat and continued. "I'm Fujimoto Miki, the receptionist here. I have been working here since u graduated from high school. Nice to meet you, Eri-san."
"Nice to meet you too, Fujimoto-san. May I ask where should I report to this morning?" Eri asked politely.
"You are supposed to report to Nakazawa-san's room, which is the second room from your right." Miki informed.
"Alright. Thanks, Fujimoto-san, I'll see you around then." With that, Eri left the receptionist desk and walked towards the door as she was directed to and knocked against it.
"Come in." Sounded a deep and mature voice.
"Sorry to disrupt you." Eri greeted as she entered the room. " I am Kamei Eri, reporting for my first day of work."
"Come in and take a seat over here." Yuko ordered.
"Hai!" Eri responded and walked towards the right chair in front of the desk. She arranged the skirt that she was wearing and sat down gracefully, looking at Yuko eye to eye.
"Welcome. Congratulations for your first day. I am glad to have such a young and promising psychologist working under me." Yuko started, offering a handshake to Eri.
"You have flattered me, Nakazawa-san, I'm just a normal graduate student. I should be thankful that your clinic is willing to give me this chance to learn more about psychology and people." Eri responded.
"Very well said. If there's anything that you don't understand or wish to know more, you can always come over and find me, provided that I'm not seeing any client." Yuko continued. She then took a file with thick stack of paper in it from her front and placed it in
front of Eri. "This will be your first client. And that's all her information in it. It's a pretty tricky case over there."
Eri looked at the file that had the word 'Confidential' running across the top. "But Nakazawa-san, since it's a complicated issue, wouldn't it be more appropriate for you to take the case on your own?" Eri questioned, slightly worried that she would not be able to handle the case well.
"She's about your age. And I guess it would be easier for her to relate you rather than me, this old lady. She used to be under my counselling since she was a little girl, but there hasn't been any improvement in her condition. That's why I'm thinking about passing this case to someone else to see if there would be any improvements." Yuko explained.
"I see. . . " Eri trailed as picked up the file.
"Have a good read up. She's expected to come in during lunchtime today."Yuko informed.
"Okay. I'll go to my room and read the file up." Eri finished, stood up and retreated from Yuko's consultation room. She was greeted once again by Miki at her desk before she trailed off to the
other corner of the clinic and into her allocated room.
Once she was in the room, she noticed that the room was bare and boring. On the desk, there was only a telephone, a computer, and a pencil holder, with a few pens in it. 'This is so so empty. I really need to decorate this room up.' Eri thought as she placed the file she was holding and her handbag on the desk. She went over to the other side and sat on her chair. 'Start of work life. . . This is definitely going to be interesting!'
Eri opened the file and was welcomed by the information page. The information of her client. 'Takahashi A.'24 years old. Top student in National High School Entrance Examination. Started working after graduation from high school despite amazing results. Unstable job status. Remained rather closed about situation after 20 years of consultation.' Eri stopped and looked up from the file as she was shocked by the information. "20 years?! That meant that she started visiting Nakazawa-san when she's only 4 year old. Then. . . How old was Nakazawa-san when she first took this case?"
Eri shook her head slightly to push away the wave of surprise in her and bow her head down once again, flipping to the next page and continued reading. 'Referred case from Hospital. Orphanage that client lived in took her for medical check up after realising that she had not spoke at all in the three months she came. Medical report showed that vocal cords were normal and undamaged. Positive hearing conditions. Classified as psychological disorder. Primary diagnosis: Selective Mutism.'
'Selective Mutism? That's pretty rare.' Eri thought silently in her mind before continue reading. 'First contact with client: Zero verbal conversation. Show little signs of shyness and anxiety. Unwilling to speak out inner thoughts. Second session: Zero verbal conservation. All through paper and writings. Session 3: Zero verbal conversation. Got to know that client made no verbal conversation with classmates in school and orphanage as well. Secondary Diagnosis: Progressive Mutism.'
Eri's eye shoot open when she saw the secondary diagnosis. 'Isn't that too early to make the secondary diagnosis as progressive mutism?' Eri thought. She flipped through the pages fast and realised that HER client had made no verbal conversation to anyone since her first time here 20 years ago. The something from the last few pages caught her eye. 'Session # 211: Zero verbal conversation. Client rejected idea of machine treatment to vibrate vocal cords. Similar to Session #56 when client rejected the idea of visiting a psychiatrist for drugs treatment. Tertiary diagnosis: traumatic mutism.(possible) Client had good 'social' skills, showed no signs of over shyness and over anxiety in public situation. Able to relate to people through sign language and writings, but not verbally. Time to change psychologist for third opinion.'
'So that's why Nakazawa-san had decided to pass this case to me.' Eri thought as she placed the file back on her desk. "Good challenge." Eri comment ironically before turning to the computer beside her. "Time to do some background reading before she comes then."
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"Stupid Eri. She was the one who said that we are already 22 this year, and I am not supposed to Meme-chan or Kame-chan her. But I wondered who was the childish one among the two of us. I can't believe that she drew my face with the marker to get back on me, for waking her up in the middle of the night. Goodness sake, I spent the whole morning trying to get that marker ink off my face." Risa grumbled as she rubbed gently her face, which were red and sore from the rubbings she did in the morning to wipe away the drawings. "And my face still hurts." Risa
continued. "I'm gonna get her to pay for this by paying me a good lunch today." Risa finished with an evil laughter. 'That will make her be sure that she should not play pranks on me- Niigaki Risa!'
Risa was on her way to Eri's work place when she noticed someone familiar ahead of her. "Ume-san?" Risa called out surprisingly. 'Shit, Risa, what have you done? He's gonna hear you and drag you home. Quick, find a place to hide!' Risa scolded herself internally. She glanced around her surroundings and realised that there's no buildings or area where she could hide herself with. Just then, Ai walked past her. 'No choice. I just got to prevent Ume-san from noticing me.' With that, Risa pulled the girl who had just walked past her back on her right hand and hide behind her physique.
"Cover me, Onegai!" Risa pleaded, couching a little.
Ai looked surprisingly at Risa as Risa had just pulled her back. She turned her head slightly and saw the guy Risa was trying to avoid turned back for a while before continuing forward towards the common building that the three of them are heading to. 'He's gone. I can leave now.' Ai thought as she tried to peel Risa's hand off hers. But Risa held her hand firm on the Ai while trying to peek over Ai's shoulder.
"Please. Until he's out of the building." Risa begged with her vision never left the building Eri is
working in." Sorry to trouble you, but I really can't let him see me. He's running after me." Risa lied partially.
Ai nodded her head slightly. She lifted her left hand in front of her face and glanced at her watch to check the time. 'I'm going to be late for my appointment.' She then glanced at Risa who was
busying peeking over her shoulder to check out the building and the guy who was running after Risa's life. 'How am I supposed to inform her. She looks serious about what she had just said. I should just stay and help her up.'
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"Sorry, is there a Kamei Eri working here?" Ume asked Miki who was seated at the reception desk.
"Yes. Are you looking her for consultation? She will only be free 2 hours after lunch time as she has a lunch consultation with another patient." Miki asked as she looked through the record book that was situated right in front of her.
"Actually, I'm just looking her for a short moment. Can you help me inform her that I'm here? Just say that Ume is looking for her." Ume requested.
"Okay. . . " Miki agreed reluctantly as she picked up the receiver and called Eri's extension. "Eri-san, there's a guy named Ume looking for you."
"Let him in!" Eri sounded from the other end of the receiver before cursing softly under her breath. 'You owed me this one, Risa.'
"Eri . . ." Ume called out as he entered Eri's office. "Have you seen Risa? She ran away from home yesterday . . . again."
"She did?" Eri tried to sound as shocked and puzzled as she could to prevent Ume from growing suspicion on her. "I haven’t seen Risa for the week, ever since I moved over to Tokyo. What
happened this time round again?"
Ume sighed deeply before continuing. "She left a note, saying that she wants her freedom and she's gone. Her parents are making a ruckus out of it now."
"That's Risa you see, Ume-san. She has always been against the idea of taking over Niigaki Corporation since the day she entered university." Eri explained. "If Risa was to accept the
idea, she's no longer the Risa that we both knew."
"I understand." Ume nodded his head in agreement. "Sorry to disturb, Eri-chan. Enjoy your work. If you see Risa, tell her that I will try to convince her parents about the issue." With
that, Ume left Eri's office.
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"He's coming!" Risa whispered out as she noticed Ume walking out of the building and was coming in her direction. 'Sheez. Did he saw me?' Realising that Ume was getting closer and closer to them, Risa pulled Ai's neck closer to her and place her lip on hers, trying hard to hide her face and not being too suspicious by just hiding under Ai's physique.
'What is she doing?' Ai thought with her eyes wide opened.
When Ume walked past them, Risa let go her hold on Ai's neck and turned in the direction Ume had went, making sure that he's really gone. And when she turned back, Ai was gone. 'Where is she? I haven't got to know her name, nor thanked her for her help.' Risa thought as she continued her way to Eri's workplace. Then she stopped in her steps. 'WAIT. Did I kiss her just now? What have you been thinking, Risa?! Yes you need to get away from Ume-san, but that doesn't mean that you can take advantage of the stranger you have just met!' Realisation filled her and Risa scolded herself mentally. 'I hope that she won't get the wrong idea.' Risa reflected as she continued moving, occasionally turning around to see if she could see the lady she had grabbed to help her previously. 'I hope I'll get to see her once more, to explain my actions just now.'
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(Gomen Miki-chan) Ai signed as she entered the clinic frantically, had not gotten over the sudden intimate action the stranger did to her. (I was caught up with a situation just now.)
"Ai-san . . ." Miki called out. "I thought you are not coming anymore. You're 15 minutes late. That's so unlike of you." Miki continued.
(Gomen Gomen. I will get going now) Ai finished signing and proceeded towards Yuko's door where Miki stopped her.
"Not that room, that one." Miki pointed at Eri's door. "You've changed counsellor, you remember?" Miki reminded.
(Ah. Gomen) Ai turned her direction back and paced towards Eri room, knocking on the door lightly to inform Eri that she was here.
"Come in" Eri acknowledged.
Ai bowed as she entered Eri's room. (Sorry. I was caught up with some stuff. Sorry for that I was late.) Ai expressed her apologies.
Eri stared blankly at Ai's actions. "Sorry, I don't understand sign language. " Eri expressed as she
snapped out of her shock and back to her professionalism. "Take your seat." Eri offered as she placed fresh pieces of paper and pen she had prepared in front of Ai.
Ai picked up the pen and started writing on the paper.
"It's alright. I'm glad that you still came even though you were caught up with stuffs. I was so afraid that you will not come, after knowing that your new psychologist is a fresh graduate from
college." Eri joked slightly, hoping that it would help Ai a little with the anxiety she may had at that moment. "Anyway, my name is Kamei Eri, but I would rather call me Eri, since is sounds closer and calling me Kamei-san just made me feel old, Takahashi-san."
Ai smiled a little.
"Indeed." Eri responded as she nodded her head. "Ai-san then." Eri continued with a smile. 'She is indeed sociable. No signs of anxiety or shyness for someone she had just met. That could be because she knew that I'm a psychologist. With her level of intelligence, she could pretty well fake it to make things easier.'
Ai realised Eri was reading her, analysing her actions.
'Straightforward. I like it.' Eri thought. "Why wouldn't you talk?" Eri asked right to the spot, hoping that she would give out reasons why she could not talk.
Eri thought quietly for a while before continuing, "Have you tried talking before?"
Ai tensed up and pondered for a while. "Pa . . .pa . . .Ma . . . ma. . ."
'She's hiding something. But that's what most clients do, don't they? Most of them who came, they are forced to be here. Thus leading to the unwillingness to talk. For her case, I can guess the same as well. Especially after 20 years. Apparently, she is not as straightforward as she was trying to display to me.' Eri thought in her mind. "I see. . . Since this is the first session you have with me, shall we start all over from the top? Why don't you tell me more about yourself?"
Eri closed the file in front of her. "You are a person, not an item. I would like to know more of your through communications rather than written information. And in order to write new assessment, I need to know you more personally." Eri explained. 'I wondered was she so tough when she was with Nakazawa-san, or was it because I'm new, that's why she is so reluctant to speak?'
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"Sorry, is Kamei Eri still in her office or have she gone for lunch?" Risa asked Miki as she stepped into the clinic.
'Not another one. That girl is really popular, isn't she?' Miki thought as she stared at Risa. "She
is in. But she's seeing a client now. Please wait outside for her."
"Thanks . . ." Risa trailed off, sensing the tinge of unfriendliness coming out of Miki. 'Did I step onto her tail or something else?' Risa sat down and the waiting area, back facing the door of Eri's room.
"I will text you the meeting time and place" Risa heard Eri's voice sounded as the door opened. Risa turned around and saw a familiar back view leaving the clinic. 'It's her! So she's Eri's client.'
(Miki-chan, I'm running late. Will contact you again) Ai signed as she rushed out of the clinic, missing Risa who was seated at the waiting area.
"Risa?" Eri called out to the familiar back that was facing her. Risa turned back and face Eri. "What are you doing here? It's dangerous here!" Eri reprimanded as she went forward and grabbed Risa back into her office.
"I have to get back at the girl who actually had the guts to draw on my precious face you see." Risa replied sarcastically while Eri glazed on the ground. Risa then continued. "And that girl . . . Is she your client?" Risa asked, completely ignoring the question Eri had put across a while ago.
"What girl? Her? You know her?" Eri asked curiously.
"Not really. But I want to know her better . . ." Risa trailed off. "Why is she here anyway?"
"Are you trying to get me to break my professional ethnics on my first day of work? You very well should know that all information is confidential, don't you?" Eri scolded. "And, you should have text me or call me to inform that you are coming. So you know that it's dangerous over here?"
"I know. . . I saw Ume-san coming in to find you. How was it?" Risa interrupted Eri's scolding.
"You saw him?" Eri questioned.
"Yupps. I kind of manage to hide from him . . . I guess he didn't saw me . . ." Risa answered with uncertainties. "I'm hungry, ready to go? You are going to pay for what you have done to my face."
'There goes my first pay.' Eri thought as she nodded her head. "Before that, you have to return a favour to me. For helping you to ditch away Ume-san."
"And that is?" Risa asked while raising one of her eyebrow.
"You will know then." came the victory reply of Eri.
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