He could hear everything but dare not open his eyes. What difference will it make? He’s visually impaired.

He kept absolutely still as the footsteps grew louder. As soon as they stopped, he felt another person’s weight collapsed on the bench he was sitting on. Judging by the gruff huffing and puffing, he knew it was none other than Lee Hongki.

“No luck?” he guessed as he opened his eyes.

Hongki did not take the bait, instead, he clicked his tongue violently and turned to confide in the blind man, “Jaejin. In situations like this, you tend to know best so answer me this. It’s been what—roughly three years now since you and I have been enduring all the hate and nasty comments on our own, right? Don’t you think that’s more than enough? Is what the public doing legal? It’s not like we committed a heinous crime, yet, they’re unnecessarily abusing and bullying us. So, say, to make a living again I think we should just go back to making music.” When the one being questioned readily opened his mouth to answer, Hongki pulled him closer by the arm and sneakily added, “Think about it again. We don’t have to use our names, we can adopt a nickname or something. Or, or that thing—a stage name!”

Unlike the desperate and energetic Hongki, Jaejin remained cool-headed and collected as he posed the obvious yet deadly question, “And who would release our music?”

His sole question seemed to have KO'd the lad as Hongki did not comment. Then sluggishly Hongki retracted his grip, which told Jaejin that he was disappointed. Less than a second later Hongki noisily kicked the gravel under them as he asked, “Then what do you propose we do? If we continue down this path, where no one will hire us, we won’t be able to cover rent next month.”

Jaejin had an answer prepared though he knew Hongki wouldn’t appreciate it, “Try looking through our room again. Maybe, this time you’ll find something worth taking to the pawn shop,”

“No. What we have left, aside from the few clothes and crummy small items, is your guitar and we’re never selling it.” Whenever Hongki put his foot down, Jaejin knows it’s a lost cause.

“Then, let’s go home for now. Maybe we’ll think of something then.” This time Hongki obeyed the other’s words, after all, he’s been wanting to leave the streets and public’s eye.

Planted near Jaejin was his white cane; the handle poking him at the knee in case he mishandled or loses it. Hongki sprung up first so he could assist Jaejin. He brought Jaejin’s free hand up and linked it around his sleeved arm. Then he led the taller male away with a signature, bright smile on his face.

Together, they took the longer and back road home to avoid attention.

Once they arrived at their doorstep, Hongki’s stomach growled and it brought a genuine smile to Jaejin’s face. Afraid he would be teased, Hongki instantly stood up for himself by slightly smacking Jaejin’s chest first, “Don’t laugh. Whose fault is it that I’m starving?”

When Jaejin goes to cover his widening lips, Hongki glowered at him briefly before he spun around to get the door. Once the door was unlocked and open, the sulky man hurried across to the tiny kitchen that housed a tiny refrigerator. As he searched through the nearly-emptied appliance, he heard Jaejin lock the front door. Hongki heaved a sharp sigh then he reached in and grabbed himself a half-drank water bottle.

Then as he turned around and noticed Jaejin settling down on the discolored brown sofa, Hongki observed Jaejin stripping himself of his jacket and cane before leaning back. He was facing the dull glass window with missing old stickers when Hongki dropped onto the cushion beside him.

Hongki took a sip of his water as he cuddled up against Jaejin, whose arm was now around his shoulders and hand rubbing up and down his arm. Hongki could feel Jaejin’s jaw resting on his crown, as he played with the buttons on Jaejin’s button-up shirt. “Since we’re at a dead end I was thinking about calling up some of our friends. Maybe we could get a small loan from someone and pay him or her back when we get back on our feet,”

Jaejin rests his eyes as he takes in the lavender shampoo Hongki proudly uses, “Leave it alone. I know you, it’ll only hurt your pride to call and beg. Besides, you know I don’t like seeing you beg,”

It was true. Hongki has the most pride out of everyone they both knew. Which was why Jaejin often worries about Hongki and how he was doing, given their current situation. “I’ll just ask. I won’t beg,” then with that Hongki gave Jaejin a quick peck on the cheek before he shot up. “I’m going out for a bit, I’ll ask Ms. Shin to bring you something to eat.”

“How about you?”

“I grabbed something from the fridge so I’m fine,” Hongki said, gripping the bottle in his hand.

Jaejin trusted his words and nodded, “Hurry back then,”

» » » » » » » » » » »

Hongki hurried through a narrow, dirty path until he came to an open space and was greeted by a Golden Retriever. Hongki immediately got down on his knees as he groomed and smiled at the animal. “Googoo, how are you? Did you lose weight too?” He joked then noticed that the dog was sniffing at his bottle. Hongki instantly popped the lid off and shared it. As the dog drank the rest of it, Hongki’s laughter caught the attention of an elderly woman coming out of the house nearby.

“Ah, it’s only you Hongki,” she said with a bright smile as she walked toward him.

“Ms. Shin, good morning. Is Googoo sick? She’s a bit less hyper and skinny,”

The woman heaved a sigh, “I don’t know what’s wrong with her. Probably lovesick,”

Hongki let out an ugly disbelief noise, “Eh? Lovesick? Googoo is?”

The elderly came to Hongki’s side and patted the dog’s back, “Remember the stray I told you about? Well, it has been a few days since he has gone missing. I’ve looked around the neighborhood but have had no luck finding him. I don’t know if something bad may have happened to him but Googoo has been down since then,”

“Ohh,” Hongki said with a low voice. He felt bad as he sort of misses the days he’d come by and see the stray hiding from him. “Well, I hope he comes back so Googoo won’t be lonely,”

Ms. Shin hummed as she smacked her lips together, then seconds later she turned to him, “But why are you here? Is Jaejin at home alone again?”

Hongki nodded and mustered the courage to carry on, “Actually we’re broke and out of food to eat. Today I went to the shops but words of us residing here have already spread, like wildfire, so no one would hire me. That’s why I’m here, I was hoping you can bring Jaejin lunch. I’m on my way back to town and if I earn something I’ll be sure to repay you,”

The woman hefted a sigh again; however, this time it was deeper and louder, “I don’t understand today’s generation and society. We’re so Western influence, yet, we circle around and hate on our own. Love is love. What these people are doing is not right and they should know better,” she nagged and worked herself up. As Hongki kept still, she instantly moved on to answer his plea, “I’ll bring Jaejin food. You should hurry before it gets late. I hope you find something or that someone hires you. Geez, why are businesses these days so picky and selfish.” Without further ado she patted Hongki on the arm, to reassure him that he can rely on her whenever.

After he parted ways with Ms. Shin and Googoo, Hongki found himself in the middle of a busy street. Around the corner, a random individual handed him a leaflet, “Please Sir, take a look at this and pass the words around for me,”

Hongki caught a glimpse of the young man as he took the paper. Then he bowed a little and left the site. At a light post, Hongki leaned against it before he opened up the leaflet. Immediately his heart began to pump rapidly and his blood boiled. He recognized the model on the page, someone who he once held dear. Then he mumbled out the large, bolded words, “Solo Artist Kim Myungsoo looking to start his own rock band,”

Hongki’s jaw dropped a little. He couldn’t believe his eyes. Then carefully he read on, except quietly to himself this time.

Some time passed by when Hongki realized he has been re-reading the content over and over again. Then it hit him, “I must show this to Jaejin,” he said as he folded the paper up again and ran back the direction he came from.

» » » » » » » » » » »

The front door was busted wide open and staring at an exhausted Hongki was a startled Ms. Shin frozen in the kitchen, and a clueless Jaejin reaching for his water bottle on the coffee table. “Jaejin!” This time Hongki announced his arrival verbally before rushing in and jumping into the seat next to Jaejin. He had the paper spread out and open for them, “Look Jaejin! Look at this!”

The lad blinked, blankly, “And what am I looking at?” he asked casually. His question brought out a funny chuckle from Hongki.

“Oh right, sorry. But look what I found! Myungsoo is looking for members to start his own group!”

Jaejin choked a little hearing that name. “A-and?”

“It says here that Myungsoo himself will be going through certain provinces to seek out these members, and one of them is here! The date when he will arrive is written here, it’s three days from now at the plaza! I think we should go, maybe he’s forgiven us!”

As if Jaejin was never blind in the first place, he instantly reached over and tore the paper out of Hongki’s hands, “I said forget it Hongki! I’m never going to seek help from him,”

The shorter male frowned, “Why are you getting mad?! I thought you said you understood his reaction back then—?”

“Sure, I understood his reaction. He’s homophobic so I get it. But I can’t forgive him for insulting us and putting us on blast during his public announcement,” Jaejin diverted his whole body away from Hongki, hoping the lad would get his point and drop the subject.

“No Jaejin, we cannot miss this chance. Other than him, I don’t know of anyone else who will be willing to produce our music. Plus our bills need to be paid off on time this time. I won’t ask you to forgive him, but for our sake, for our lives, please cooperate. Myungsoo was your best friend when we were trainees, if you talk to him I’m sure he will help us. You used to brag about how easy it was to talk to him, so, please. Do this for us,”

After listening to Hongki’s words, Jaejin knew this was an opportunity he cannot sit idly by. “Fine, we’ll go. But, prepare something to present to him. He wouldn’t blindly help us if we don’t remind him our passion,”

Hongki nodded with a big smile on his face, then he turned to Ms. Shin and grinned even wider. The woman returned a kind smile as she wiped her hands down with her dirty apron.

"Yay to us opportunists!" Hongki cheered, arms up and all.