XXXXX𝓣ypically, the annual Xiang family trip to South Korea lasted for the entirety of the summer break. To Meiyu's surprise, the trip had unfortunately been cut far too short for her own liking — lasting merely two weeks in Seoul's blazing heat. Naturally, the reason behind their return had included her intrusive mother, disclosing Meiyu's peculiar behaviour over the course of the last seven to eight months to the medics within the Xiang family, Meiyu's paternal grandmother and her only aunt. A few days prior, the barbaric voice had returned, succumbing Meiyu to a dreamlike trance, wandering around the kitchen knifes in adoration and lightly grazing her fingertips amongst a few at midnight. She had been compromised when her aunt had come down for a refreshment, only making her presence known with a piercing screech in fear at what the young girl was doing, thus escalating the scene further and prompting the young girl to lunge at her beloved aunt.

Meiyu, accompanied by her mother, tread slowly into the entrance of St. Mungos, a frown evident on the young girl's face as her eyes darted around the reception hall, noting the scarce staff roaming around albeit the grandiose scale of the hospital. She stood behind as her mother moved forward, as though a premeditated intervention in the works, forcing the girl into a coup, much to her dismay. Her irritation had only grown to an unbearable level at the betrayal from her conniving mother. She had lured Meiyu under the guise of tagging along for some errands, only to appear in the reception of the hospital faster than she could comprehend — besides, she had mentally checked out whilst strolling the streets of London, paying little to no mind to where she was going and overall, growing eager to return home. As she stood, brows furrowed with discontent, Meiyu's mother marched to the young woman who worked the reception desk, exchanging a few sentences before her eyes darted and met Meiyu's for a few seconds.

Though nothing stood in her way to leave, Meiyu refused to budge, acknowledging she did need help especially if it meant that putting her pride aside for one day. In the grand scheme of things, she had yet to heal from the immense trauma endured over the course of the past few months. Drowning in her own thoughts, she failed to recognise her mother stood before her once more, her expression almost unreadable as her lips parted, searching for the right words to console her only daughter.

"We've agreed to admit you. It's for the best." Elizabeth commented blankly, almost mimicking the tone her grandmother frequently used when communicating with her. Clearly rehearsed and in-genuine.

"By we, you mean whom exactly?" Meiyu scoffed in response, her arms instinctively folding in disapproval towards the entire ordeal. The incident in Seoul had only served as the final catalyst for her sudden arrival at St. Mungo's, prompting her to squint her eyes and divert her gaze to others loitering around the reception hall. She was not sick. There was no reason she should be shunned away and left to rot in an even worse institution than Hogwarts, though, perhaps it was what she needed. Over the course of the past seven months, she had failed to succumb to sleep, attack creatures, attack people and attempt an escapade from her family who desired nothing more than to wedge themselves into her personal endeavours.

"Your father and I. This is no longer up for discussion, we have dealt with this for too long, you need professional help." Elizabeth affirmed with a small smile, despite her eyes beginning to tear up. Meiyu glared at her mother, brows furrowing in confusion until her mother pulled her into an embrace, savouring a final touch before she would depart, leaving her in the hands of professionals, or in Meiyu's eyes, quack doctors.

Soon, a nurse arrived and stood silently by their side, prompting Meiyu's mother to release her daughter from her embrace, speaking with a warm tone to make her presence known, "She will be in good hands. Please return to the reception area to fill out the remaining forms. Miss Xiang, please follow me." With a turn on her heel that echoed through the hall, Meiyu rolled her eyes and followed the nurse through the halls, aimlessly following the stranger in silence until they arrived at a private room, a name plate in black on silver metal engraved onto the door titling 'MXIANG-1031', only aiding Meiyu's belief of the staged coup for her involuntary admission into the ancient hospital, against her own will.

"I am Nurse Lockett, for transparency, your supervising nurse whom we report to is Daphne Pendrake. She will handle your case alongside Nurse Sabo, perhaps you are familiar with her as she was your school nurse at one point."

XXXXX𝓦ithout a second to spare, another nurse had made her introductions, an alumnus from the wretched castle she desired nothing more than to escape the vicinity of. Though surely a familiar face would be somewhat better than whatever faux facade was thrust upon her from the latter two nurses. The nurse who stood before her had what appeared to Meiyu, a brief time at Hogwarts, their paths fortunately barely crossing during her time as the school nurse. At the very least, Meiyu could award the nurse with some kindness, despite her being reclusive behind her forceful admission to the psychiatric ward.

Slipping into the room with almost no sense of urgency, it had only taken mere seconds for the young girl to feel bare — as though the four walls were as unwelcoming as her bedroom within Knight Manor. The stone white walls and metallic-hued furniture consisting of a bed and a singular chair, were no match to the comfort she had built over the years. She was no longer shielded in the vicinity of her four walls back at home in Oxfordshire, for she did not know where she was. Her wand had been confiscated, her belongings were yet to arrive, and there was no discharge date in sight.

Excruciating.

Turning on her heel, Meiyu's face morphed into one of minimal expression, her eye bags worsening her appearance as fatigue immediately washed over her. "I don't think our getting along is in question here, though, you are different from what I had initially thought." She affirmed, nodding slowly as she tried to recall the few instances they would have crossed paths, instances she could count on a singular hand. She had recalled during her admission to that horrid establishment, she had almost escorted a girl to the nurse, fortunately her dramatics had spared them both the trip and amidst all the madness that had ensured following the incident, she had refused to visit that gremlin of a male nurse — formerly the Astronomy teacher, at some point during his sudden career change, only aiding her belief that the institution did no actual background checks when hiring faculty.

Meiyu's recluse only heightened the mere minutes that passed following her admission. Her paranoia sparked up once more, fearing what was to come and how long she would be trapped in the vicinity of those four walls. Surely it would be enough to drive her insane, or better, more insane that help would be futile. "Do you have an idea of how long I'll be here for? I'd like to state my desires now, if possible." She began, turning once more to face the delicate nurse whose features were fortunately not off-putting.

"Firstly, I do not wish to be included in a group activity. Forgive my tone, but do not group me with poorly people. Secondly, I require the finest fruits of the season. I have taken a liking to flat peaches this year, and I do enjoy strawberries in large amounts, so they would pair well together. Thirdly, I would like daily strolls unattended. I'm not entirely sure what foreign regime is run here, but it will not bode well with me if I am restricted to these ghastly walls all day. Lastly, do not inform me of any mail; should I receive any, it is imperative that I only receive word of Kensington. I can imagine he is unhappy at home with my siblings." Meiyu had rambled whilst slowly moving around the room, very rarely looking at Nurse Sabo, mentally noting whether she had disclosed all her wishes prior to being subjected to what she could only describe as a modern-day prison.