*Three Years Ago*

Baekhyun groaned awake at the sound of a knock at his door, and crawled out of his room, stumbling to his feet as he approached the entrance.

He opened it to see Chanyeol’s never-fading scowl. “God, you’re so sweaty. Shower, you gross.”

“I’ve been sleeping all day.” Baekhyun let Chanyeol in as he walked towards the bathroom. “And since when is gross a noun?”

“Since you left the womb.” Chanyeol plopped down on the couch. “Hurry up, I’m waiting.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Baekhyun went to shower, smiling like a fool.

When he was out, the scent of jajjangmyeon filled up his senses. Chanyeol stood behind the kitchen counter, clad in the Kiss the Chef apron Baekhyun’s mother had sent. He was shaking salt onto the meal, setting the tables and everything else.

“Wow,” Baekhyun clapped. “What fine husband material.”

“Don’t make me laugh.”

“I’m not kidding.” He sat down at the stool in front of the counter. “Would you marry me? I need someone who can cook, since I seriously can’t.”

Chanyeol looked horrified. “No.”

“’Okay. I’ll just find someone else, then.” Baekhyun poured himself a glass of water. “Since I’m at marriageable age.”

Chanyeol’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped ever-so-slightly. “No, don’t.”

Baekhyun raised an eyebrow.

“There’s no point in marrying anyone else,” he blurted. “Since I’m the best cook you’ll ever meet.”

There was a moment of quietness as Chanyeol realized what he said, and Baekhyun laughed. “Is that a proposal?”

-

He was there again the next day, at Chanyeol’s back door, holding the yellow flowers that had been forgotten the day before.

The door opened and Baekhyun’s eyes nearly fell out of his head. “Who are…wait, you’re…what are you doing here?”

The person who answered the door grinned and danced into the house, letting Baekhyun in. “Yeol, your girlfriend’s here!”

Baekhyun walked in awkwardly. He recognized the person as the guy from the hair product warehouse, the one who was ‘too single.’

“I’m the new housekeeper,” Jongdae said. “It gave me a chance to quit my other job. Man, do I hate hairspray.”

Chanyeol was sitting on the couch. As soon as he heard, he jumped up and tripped, but Jongdae caught him. “Easy, man. Don’t hurt yourself.”

He held his hands and led him towards Baekhyun, who was slightly baffled at the sight before him.

“Here,” Baekhyun pried Jongdae’s hands off of Chanyeol. “I’ll take him.”

Jongdae surveyed the situation, and it dawned on him.

Ooh, a jealous boyfriend.

He grinned.

What fun.

“Yeol, I’m gonna make some tea.” He walked into the kitchen as Baekhyun and Chanyeol sat on the couches. Baekhyun twitched at the nickname.

There was a massive array of books on the coffee table, all written in Braille. Chanyeol ran his fingers over the paper. “I’m practicing,” he said.

Baekhyun smiled. He put his hand over Chanyeol’s and they traced the dots on the page together. “What does this word say?”

“Wait, I got this…” Chanyeol focused. “It says ‘I love you.’”

“Wrong.” Baekhyun flicked Chanyeol’s knuckled. “It says ‘worms.’”

“Shh. Same thing.”

Jongdae scrunched up his nose behind the kitchen counter. “Couples.” He brought a tray of cookies and tea and set it on the coffee table, plopping down beside Chanyeol. “My other boss is like that too. Except he isn’t technically dating the guy. I told you about him, right? The coffee-maniac and his deer-faced customer. Well, they-“

“Shut up Jongdae.”

“Aye, boss.” He held up a finger. “Should I make lunch?”

“You just made tea.” Baekhyun pointed out.

“We’re growing boys.” Jongdae got up and ran back to the kitchen. Baekhyun got up after him.

“I’ll help cook,” He urged. “Chanyeol, what do you wanna eat?”

Chanyeol hesitated. “Kimchi!”

Baekhyun opened the fridge. “It’s empty. Seriously?”

“Is it?”

“What have you been eating the past few days?”

Chanyeol shrugged.

Baekhyun sighed and put on his shoes. “Then, I’m going to the grocery store. You,” he pointed to Jongdae. “Are coming with me.”

Jongdae snickered and nodded and they shouted instruction for Chanyeol not to move from the couch until they got back.

In a few seconds he was alone. He could hear a car start somewhere outside, and as they drove away, he couldn’t hear a thing. Running his hands over the pages of his book, he tried to ignore the pitfall in his chest. It happened every time he was alone, every time he realized that there was nothing around him, that it really was as black as he thought.

He’d only been blind a week. And unlike the people in movies and books, he couldn’t feel vibrations or locate easily through other senses.

All he really knew was that

a) He had glaucoma

b) He was a nuisance

c) Baekhyun would eventually get annoyed

He sighed and closed his book and stood up, knocking his knee on the coffee table. He yelped and sat back down.

He waited.

And waited.

And he listened to the clock tick. Finally, he heard the door open and jumped up, hitting his knee again. He forgot his situation and pounced towards the entrance. “Baekhyun!” He grabbed someone and kissed his forehead, hugging him tightly. “You have no idea how lonely I was. How long was it? An hour?”

Jongdae pushed Chanyeol away. “Yeol, I love you man, but what the hell.”

Chanyeol gasped. Baekhyun coughed. He was standing on Jongdae’s left, holding four overfilled plastic bags, staring at the awkward scene as it played out before him. Chanyeol felt the air for a minute before gripping Baekhyun’s arm and pulling him into an embrace.

“I’msorryI’msorryI’msorryIhadnoideaIswearI’mjustblindasaingbatpleaseforgiveme.”

Baekhyun laughed nervously. “Uh-huh. Don’t worry about it.”

Chanyeol gulped as Jongdae ushered him back to the couch, and Baekhyun made his way to the fridge, unloading the shopping bags.

As unskilled as he was in a kitchen, Baekhyun was dead-set on being the one who cooks, mainly because he wanted to something other than sit on the couch and wait. He brought out the ingredients and Jongdae excused himself for the washroom, and Chanyeol staggered uncomfortably towards the kitchen. He found the stool and hopped onto it to watch with his elbows leaned on the counter where Baekhyun was cooking rice.

As he chopped vegetables, he studied Chanyeol’s expressions. Chanyeol, who could probably only hear the sound of a knife against a cutting board, flinched slightly every time there was a loud hit. He cocked his head as Baekhyun tried sautéing the pork and vegetables, and he sniffed around like a squirrel while Baekhyun fried an egg.

Finally, Baek brought out the plates and served the kimchi with his fingers crossed – because this could well be the first time he’d ever really cooked.

Chanyeol felt around for the chopsticks and as he brought the food to his mouth, Baekhyun didn’t even breathe.

”It , right?”

“No, actually,” Chanyeol munched it down. “It’s perfect. I think this is the first time I’ve tried your cooking.”

“Seriously?” Baekhyun picked up his own chopsticks and tasted his own cooking. “Oh, wow. It doesn’t !”

“It wasn’t going to. Hey,” Chanyeol beamed. “Lemme show you a new trick I learned.”

He told Baekhyun to bring out a jug of water and a glass, and Baek obeyed. Chanyeol felt around the table for the jug with one hands, and for the glass with another. He enclosed his fingers around them both and slowly lifted the jug, tilting it, and calmly pouring the water into his glass. He put the jug down and sipped the water.

“What do you think?”

Baekhyun grinned. “That was brilliant.”

“Really?” He finished his food. “Then, I’ll learn better tricks, too. To impress you.”

“You don’t need to do it to impress me.” Baekhyun put the dishes in the sink. “Do it to make your life easier.”

“My life will be easy as soon as I learn Braille.” Chanyeol stood up. “I should get back to practicing.”

Just then, Jongdae walked into the living room, holding his phone to his ear. “Is he okay? No, Minseok, it’ll take me like an hour to get there….yeah, I’m coming…which hospital? Okay…okay, see you.” He turned his phone off and shoved it into his pocket. “Hey, Yeol, I gotta go. I’ll be back tomorrow, though.” He looked at Baekhyun pleadingly. “Can you cover for me?”

“Don’t worry, this isn’t a part-time job.” Chanyeol waved him off and Jongdae looked relieved. “See ya.”

Jongdae nodded and left, and Baekhyun walked around the counter and stood in front of Chanyeol. “How about we take a break from Braille for now?”

-

Soon, the curtains were closed, and even though it was still bright outside, the room was dark. They were lying on the couch, their legs tangled together, Baekhyun’s head on Chanyeol’s shoulder. Chanyeol played with Baekhyun’s long, pretty fingers.

“How long will you have Jongdae around?” Baekhyun asked.

“I dunno.” Chanyeol said. “Until I can get around my house with no worries.”

Baekhyun buried his face in Chanyeol’s t-shirt. “That’s too long.”

“Hey, Jongdae didn’t…do anything to you, right?” Chanyeol folded his fingers around Baekhyun’s. “I mean, just because I can’t see…”

Baekhyun laughed. “Are you jealous?”

Chanyeol pouted.

“Don’t worry,” Baekhyun didn’t mention his own jealousy. “I told you, you’re the only star I see.”

“That’s still the cheesiest thing you’ve ever said.”

They both laughed, and Baekhyun snuggled closer – as close as he could get – and they stayed like that, playing with each other’s fingers and talking about nothing in particular until the sun set.

-

Once Baekhyun went to work the next morning and Chanyeol was left to wait for Jongdae, he fell into another state of gloom, wallowing in his own darkness.

-

*Three Years Ago*

Chanyeol ran around the campus, looking for the golden-haired boy he’d been looking for a lot these days. He found him leaning against a tree, his legs stretched out and his eyes half-open. Chanyeol walked up to him.

“Hey,” he said.

Baekhyun groaned awake. “How was your first hair-styling course?”

“Not that bad.”

“I thought so,” Baekhyun laughed half-heartedly. “Hey, do me a favor. Sit beside me.”

Chanyeol furrowed his eyebrows and sat, leaning against the tree, beside Baekhyun.

“Closer.”

He blinked and scooted closer, so their legs were touching.

“Good.” Baekhyun yawned and leaned his head on Chanyeol’s shoulder, and once again – he stiffened.

“Hey-”

“This is nice,” Baekhyun said sleepily. He was probably already asleep by the time he said, “Much better than the tree bark.”

Chanyeol tch-ed and relaxed, letting Baekhyun nap.

He noticed Baekhyun’s hands, white and soft-looking, resting on the grass, and quietly held it, lifting it and playing with the fingers.

“So this is what an artist’s hands are like,” he muttered. He ran his hand over Baekhyun’s fingers and tried intertwining their fingers – purely for his own curiosity.

Baekhyun stirred.

“I forgot to ask you,” Chanyeol whispered. He knew he could be heard. “What does ‘the lion and the lamb’ even mean?”

Baekhyun chuckled in his half-asleep state. “Haven’t you read the Bible? Or Twilight?”

“Ew, gross, you’re quoting Twilight at me?”

There was a silence and Chanyeol looked down at Baekhyun, who was once again, fast asleep.

-

Three days had passed. Baekhyun worked every day, went to the hospital every night.

Chanyeol stayed home and taught himself to read again.

-

Baekhyun came back to Chanyeol’s apartment again on a Wednesday. Jongdae answered again, and Chanyeol invited him again.

“I have a proposal,” Baekhyun said, sitting on the couch. “Well, kinda. It wasn’t my idea, it was Junmyeon’s.”

“Your boss?” Chanyeol closed his Braille book.

Baek nodded. “He wants to have a picnic.”

“Outdoors?” Jongdae shivered. He was sitting cross-legged on the couch, on Baekhyun’s left.

“He wants to invite you.” Baekhyun looked at Jongdae. “Both of you.”

Chanyeol coughed. He wasn’t the fondest of Baekhyun’s Hollister model boss. “Like…today?”

“Today.”

“…Outdoors?”

“Yes, Jongdae.” Baekhyun sipped the last of his orange juice. “Outdoors.”

-

Although the whole world was black to him, Chanyeol could feel the sunlight on his skin as he sat in the grass. He was greeted by Junmyeon and one of his employees, who said they were going to set up they barbeque. Baekhyun sat beside him.

He felt someone cover his eyes, and yell, “Guess whoooo.”

“Jongin, I’m not deaf. I know your voice.”

“At least I tried.”

“That was pointless,” a voice said. It was Yifan. They both greeted Junmyeon, who said something to Yifan which made him curse.

He heard Baekhyun’s roommate scream something, which made Baekhyun yell, “Hey!” and get up.

He sat in confusion as everything around him played out.

“So, how’ve you been?” Jongin opened a pack of something salty, and the three of them munched it down.

“I’ve been somewhat busy. How’s your shop?”

“Our shop, is fine. It’s hard, though, with only two stylists.”

“Are you sure you can’t come back?” Yifan said, crunching on the snack.

Chanyeol shook his head. “Would you let a blind guy do your hair?”

Yifan sighed.

“So, guess whose hair is starting to get back to normal?” Jongin sang.

“Really? Wow, I thought you’d never recover.”

“Well, I did.” Jongin laughed. “I can’t say the same for the Gabonese flag, though.”

-

Kyungsoo ran past the people sitting in the grass, pulling Baekhyun’s hat off his head and sprinting away. He shoved the beanie on his green-and-yellow head.

“Hey!” Baekhyun got up and chased him halfway around the picnic sight.

Junmyeon started the barbeque.

Cast aside, Jongdae started conversation with Yixing.

“So…how do you know these people?”

“I only want their money.” Yixing shrugged.

Jongdae gaped. “Same!”

-

It made his heart a bit heavy, to not be able to see. He thought he’d be less depressed about it, but Chanyeol was starting to see why people were afraid of the dark.

Someone put their arms around his neck, kissing his cheek before sitting down beside him.

He heard Baekhyun’s laughter, and the heaviness faded.

-

Chanyeol was gloomy again the next day, when Jongin came to visit him, lying flat on the couch with his glasses off.

“Aish, you look like a dead animal.”

“I am a dead animal.”

Jongin sat on the couch across from him. “What’s wrong with you, man?”

Chanyeol heaved a sigh. He stretched himself out like a starfish and stared at the ceiling for the longest time.

“I can’t see Baek.” He wailed.

“Yeah, you can, as soon as he gets off work.”

“I CAN’T SEE BAEK.”

Jongin whistled. “Ooh.”

“I wanna see him.” Chanyeol blubbered. “I wanna see his puppy eyes and his curly hair and his rectangular smile.”

“Ah, pitiful.” Jongin took off his jacket and lied down on the other couch the same way as Chanyeol, with his legs and arms stretched out like a star.

He stayed the whole day, brewing a plan to cheer up his friend.

-

“Get dressed, you insufferable brats.” Yifan spat at Chanyeol and Jongin, who were symmetrically passed out on the couches.

“We can’t see Baek,” Jongin moaned.

Yifan face-palmed.

“You can see him after work.”

“No, but,” Chanyeol held up a finger. “We can’t see him.”

Yifan looked at Jongin, who shrugged.

“Get off your asses, we have somewhere to go.”

Chanyeol sat up. “Where?”

“I’ll tell you when we get there, just change.”

Chanyeol got up and felt around the walls, until Yifan grabbed his shoulders and pushed him towards his closet. He pulled out a button-down shirt and dress-pants. “Put this on.”

Chanyeol felt the fabric. “Is this….?”

“It is. Now change, or we’re gonna be late.”

Twenty minutes later, the three of them were in Yifan’s car, playing crap music and listening to Jongin attempt to sing along. They parked by a quiet street, where they led Chanyeol into a café.

”Okay, tell us how the date goes. We’ll be cheering for you.” Yifan said.

Chanyeol’s jaw dropped. “Date? What date?”

“We set you up.” Jongin explained. “On a blind date.”

“Do you think this is funny? I have Baek!”

Yifan put his hand on Chanyeol’s shoulder. “Don’t we all? Now, all you have to do is sit there, and talk. Okay? It’ll be over before you know it.”

They manhandled him onto a seat in the far corner of the café, and left him there and ran. He protested, but they were already gone.

Now, he could try to escape. But how far could a newly blinded guy get when he didn’t even know where he was?

He tried to calm himself down. He breathed in the café air, the sweet smells of baking and the scent of coffees filling up his senses. It was awfully quiet, but he could the conversations around him.

The voices of what Chanyeol guessed were the employees, were the loudest.

“Look, Sehun, Minseok’s looking at his phone again.”

“When’s he gonna stop staring at Luhan’s picture?”

“Shh, just let him.”

Chanyeol tuned them out as he heard the chair in front of him skid. Someone sat down, and he tensed.

“Hey,” a familiar voice said. Chanyeol gasped.

“Baek! I’m so sorry I swear this wasn’t my idea I had no say in this they forced me to I would never go on a date with someone else off my own free will I love you I love you I would never cheat on you.”

“Idiot,” Baekhyun laughed. “Who do you think planned this?”

There was moment of hesitation before Chanyeol said, “Oooooh.”

“I’m kidding, Jongin planned it.” Baekhyun pulled his chair closer. “He thought it would be hilarious to take you out on a ‘blind date.’”

Chanyeol smiled. “At least it was you.”

Baekhyun picked up one of the little cards on the table. They were cute little menus. “What do you want to order?”

“What kinda stuff is there?”

“I’ll give you a choice. Cheesecake or pie?”

“Pie, of course.”

Baekhyun nodded and took Chanyeol’s hand across the table. He rubbed his thumb along Chanyeol’s palm. “So, this is the part where you tell me about yourself.”

“What?”

“This is a blind date, we’re supposed to get to know each other.”

Chanyeol nodded slowly. He didn’t really get it.  “I’m Park Chanyeol,” he said. “I’m – was – a hairstylist. I like noodles and I don’t like moths. ”

“Nice to meet you,” Baekhyun said, smiling. “I’m Byun Baekhyun. I like ice cream and I don’t like cooking. I’m an artist and you’re my muse.”

-

*Three Years Ago*

Chanyeol sat in front of his college’s library computers, tapping