Elliot was having a tough time, coping with Rei's suicide attempt and having to visit the girl's dormitory especially with Sylvie falling under depression when the male haven't woke up for the past few days.
"Is she- is she at least doing well?" He asked Eunji who was standing outside the hallway, "For now. If I was not able to talk her out of it, she would've collapsed from malnutrition." The strawberry blonde answered while the male could only clench his fists.
"Anyways, aren't you supposed to be with the headmaster by now?" She asked, which confused the male nurse, "Well, Sylvie, Rinka and I were contacted by Eto to attend something important since it's related to Rei…" Eunji explained as the male nurse could only nod his head before saying his goodbyes while letting the strawberry blonde relay his message to Sylvie as he left to go to the headmaster's office earlier than them.
...…
The atmosphere in the headmaster's office was intense and gloomy upon every person that was called had arrived. The magenta haired girl was surprised to see Rei's therapist then another person who she doesn't recognise.
"This is important information that should be discussed upon all of you. I'll notify the staff after this brief meeting…" Sho said as he pinched the bridge of his nose, completely distressed as they wondered what got the old man stressing so much aside from the recent incident.
"Oh!? Sylvie?! How are you, young lady?" The black haired woman asked as Eunji looked at Sylvie for her answer, to which she replied immediately, "I'm fine, Miss Wong." Sylvie said before telling the tall sorceress that she was Rei's therapist.
"I'm Xiao Mei Wong. A therapist from the Hong Kong Health Association Public Centre for late awakeners." She introduced herself as Eunji, Rinka, Eri and Elliot introduced themselves to her before they started their discussion.
"Anyways, Let's go on with the topic of Rei. Shall we?" Xiao asked as they all complied although the other person didn't introduce themselves but had allowed for her to continue.
"Rei was a difficult person when he started to attend my sessions. There are times he'll get very emotional, hateful, and have difficulty with managing his anger that tends to lash out a lot then lastly, depressed as if something was taken away from him." She explained while Rinka sighed which confirmed her suspicions with Rei bottling his emotions up.
"From the conclusion that I've made from every session, he's been forced to bottle up his emotions and to pretend that he's fixed rather than needing time to heal." Xiao stated before Sylvie started talking, confused with her as Rei had told her a different story.
"Miss Wong, How did you come up with the conclusion of him pretending when he is healing?" The magenta haired girl asked while the woman sighed in a depressed manner.
"Sylvie. There are types of people when lying. One who lies to everyone then the latter that lies to themselves." Xiao answered which made Sylvie start to understand what she meant but the other person, the male that she didn't know, had interrupted.
"I believe this is where I have to tell them his story. Do I have your permission? After all, he's your patient." They said while Xiao nodded her head although she had to let a few more statements out of her.
"While he did tell me his entire childhood which included his late awakening, everything is a mess from what he had provided me with since it didn't sum up to what I have concluded till now." Xiao stated while the male was allowed to have his turn.
"Apologies for such a late introduction. I'm Keon Kennedy. Former Re-Adjustment officer from the Philippines. Currently, I'm a detective in Ethereal's backup sorcerer unit." The male with the red hair introduced himself as Sylvie's eyes widened, "You?! You're the officer that Rei had to deal with for a month?!" She screamed in surprise which confused the red head before she explained.
"Rei had told me that during his late transfer, he had attended some Re-Adjustment courses to reflect on his mistakes. He's traumatised from those courses from what he had told me!" Sylvie stated while Keon sighed before he started to explain things to let them understand each other without putting a mislead to all of them.
"It's true that he's traumatised… but the lessons weren't the one that broke him… It was his memories that played a part in it…" He said which confused her as Keon explained himself, "You see. I have looked after late bloomers since I was one myself and had been fighting for their rights especially when we were ignored due to our status of not fitting the hierarchy."
"When Rei was sent to the Re-Adjustment course, I was his officer as I tried to talk with him… but…" Keon took a deep breath, letting out a big sigh before continuing, "he continued to resist answering my question and had insisted that it was his fault… It got me wondering why would such a great kid blame himself when the report that I've received from his middle school had described him as a good hearted kid that had a lot of future but had problems with handling emotions?"
The group was waiting for a bombshell but Sho had taken the opportunity to ask the officer. "So, what did you do?" He asked as Keon's face turned grim, signalling that whatever he said would put them all off guard or in total disbelief.
"I-I used my prowess to search through his memories…" he uttered weakly but audible enough for them to hear, "I saw what happened with the incident in his middle school but it was completely different from what the kid was insisting especially when Rei had tried his best to help a lot of people and did his best to use his late awakened prowess to do good…"
Sylvie knew that Rei wasn't taught at home from what he had said during his first day in Sir Ellis Kadoorie High especially when his grades were average or sometimes had a great score if effort was put into it but she still listened to whatever Keon would say next since she wanted to help Rei as much as possible.
"In his memories… his father found out what happened… it's just… it's unfair…" Keon sighed as he clenched his fists, struggling to get the words out.
...…
Rei, on the other hand, was fighting himself in his head. "You bastard! Just leave me the fxck alone!" He said before sending out a wave of glacier to either stab or pin the latter.
"Why should I? Isn't it time for you to grow up?" The other version of him said with a mocking tone before changing their form as Rei immediately powered up and tried to use Haru or Keitaro's flames, sending waves after waves as he finally managed to catch up to the transforming figure of himself.
"Now… It's time for you to sleep…" He uttered weakly before raising his hand, his prowess didn't flicker as he deactivated it.
His hand was still in the air, struggling to pull it down after seeing the form that it took.
"Y-You…" Rei's eyes widened, anger immediately boiling up as he raised his hand even higher while pinning the other version of him beneath him.
"Of all the things you had to take… you take that?" He uttered weakly, looking at the child version of himself with the same innocent and naive look compared to what he is now.
"Why? What's wrong? Can't hit me if you're supposed to hate me that much?" It asked with a mocking tone as Rei choked the latter as hard as he could.
"Just die… Just fxcking die and let me live my life!!!" Rei screamed, slamming the child version of himself onto the floor over and over again.
"Oh come on… Just do it…" the child version of himself mocked him as Rei finally held his hand high but before he could even get to hit them, a memory surfaced right in front of them.
"Don't be such a loser… Just hit me like he did…." It mocked him again while chuckling as Rei started to let his tears out.
...…
Keon was struggling to let the words exit his mouth, the memory was fresh to him as if it was just yesterday. His actions made Xiao sighed, not telling the rest why the red headed male was having troubles.
"You see… His father… Wasn't what he described to be someone that he told any of you about if Rei had told anything about his family." His words confused Sylvie, she had known the man from Rei's video calls before he passed away a few months ago which was utterly confusing of what Keon was struggling to say but what he said next made her heart sink down deeply.
"Rei was abused physically, mentally and verbally… by his own father…"
...…
Rei cried out as he stared at the memory, watching himself as a child who was getting punched, thrown then hit on the head with a belt.
"I'm sorry! I won't do it again!"
"I love you, dad! I won't do it again!"
"I'm sorry…"
The latter could only cry and sobbed loudly, screaming and letting himself break instantly.
...…
...…
...…