Hongki was exhausted.

After having to considered Myungsoo’s celebrity status, he decided to bring Myungsoo to his and Jaejin’s home on foot; taking the longer route to avoid fans and anti-fans. With a groan, he dropped Myungsoo lopsidedly onto the couch. Then he puffed out a cloud of hot air before he kicked the furniture and muttered, “Did the agency stopped weighing you? You weigh more than Lee Youngja, seriously,”

Raking his sweaty hair back, Hongki glimpsed over to the bed where he caught sight of it being empty. He blinked with departing lips. “What’s this? Where’s Jaejin?” He whispered with panic. Scanning the room thoroughly, he searched for Jaejin. If the place wasn’t already emptied, Hongki would have turned it upside down.

One minute later, he was out the door again calling for his precious Jaejin.

And it took him all night to find his precious Jaejin.

» » » » » » » » » » »

Once the sun rose over the horizon, Myungsoo sat up with a throbbing headache. Groaning, he pressed a hand against his forehead to make it stop as he winched. Then before he could get a good look at where he was, he heard stomping on the other side of the walls. Peeking through one eye, he noticed an unfamiliar door that was only steps away from him.

Then without a knock - or warning - the door was flung open leading a wave of morning breeze to awaken him completely. With droopy eyes, he gasped a little.

Facing him was an emotionless Jaejin while Hongki’s back was to him.

“I-I got him, thank you Ms. Shin. Sorry for bothering you!” Hongki hollered out the door as he had his thumb pressing against Jaejin’s elbow. In a far distant Myungsoo heard an elderly lady voice before Hongki responded with endless bows and nods out the door, “Sure. I’ll come over if we need anything. Thank you! Have a good day Ms. Shin. Make a lot of money!” Then with an energetic wave and grand smile, he was slightly picked off balance when Jaejin walked forward.

Myungsoo looked into Jaejin’s black-coffee-colored eyes for a while until Hongki had shut the door and spun around to notice him.

“Oh, why are you still here?”

Jaejin, who obviously has been clueless by the questioning glance he gave, asked, “Who’s here?”

Hongki shifted his pupils over to Jaejin and quickly lied through his teeth, “Huh? Oh, I was just talking to...to the...dog!” Myungsoo glared at him but Hongki only shook his head, “You see, last night when you fell asleep. I heard scratching outside and when I went to go check it was a lost puppy. I thought he would have been gone by now since uh...since his owner contacted me this morning. But I guess not since he’s still here,”

The celebrity observed as the blind man bought the story and the other gestured for him to get out quietly. But something in him told him he shouldn’t leave, just yet. After all, he was dying to know why he was sleeping there. “What dog? It’s only me,” Myungsoo said. Hongki scowled at him while Jaejin turned his head toward Myungsoo’s voice.

“Myung...soo?”

“Yeah. Did something happen to you? Where are you two coming from and where am I?” Looking around the room calmly, his question seemed to have ignited the fire in Hongki; when he quickly extended his arm and pointed at the seated.

“Oh yeah! You! Why were you drinking yesterday? Do you know what you’ve done?”

Finally, Myungsoo frowned after what has been the longest time since he’s kept a calm face in front of them, “What? Did I do something?” Before Hongki could answer, Myungsoo’s handphone suddenly cut the other off. Pulling his phone from out of his pocket, Myungsoo glanced at the odd caller ID.

“Loan shark Jongie..?” After another two or three rings, Myungsoo swiped the green icon on his screen before bringing the device up to his ear, “Kim Myungsoo speaking,” he answered.

“Good morning Sunshine~! I was waiting for you to call me first but I couldn’t wait. Can we meet? I’m at my uncle’s restaurant right now,”

When the hyped up and sweet voice didn't ring a bell, Myungsoo checked the caller’s name again as he cocked his head in puzzlement, “Who is this psycho…,” then rapidly he brought it back to his right ear, his good ear, “Sorry I think you’ve got the wrong number. I don’t know who you are—”

“No, I know I have the right number. You’re Kim Myungsoo, aren’t you? The actor Kim Myungsoo. The model Kim Myungsoo. 4G leader Kim Myungsoo,”

Beyond recovery, Myungsoo dropped his phone onto the floor and with a racing heart, he looked to the homeowners. “Wh-what is this? D-did you two leak my number out to some psycho?”

Hongki was slightly offended while Jaejin stood still. “Leak? We don’t have your new number. If we did, would we have come to see you in person yesterday?” Hongki put all of his weight on one leg before he added, “I’ve been dying to know what goes through that skull of yours. How can you be so reckless? Do you recall anything from last night? Anything at all?”

On the side, Jaejin couldn’t stand just listening anymore so he carefully interfered, “If you’re not busy, stay for a bit. Hongki will make something for your hangover,” slowly, Jaejin took off his jacket and carried it over his forearm. Then with his other hand, he used the cane in his hand to guide him over to the bed. Meanwhile, Hongki sighed heavily and crossed his arms.

“I’ll be back then. Stay here with Jaejin but if you yell at him or say any nasty things to him I’ll tell your fans you’re here,” Hongki threatened before he circled back around and exit the small building. Once the door was shut with a bang, Myungsoo stood up noiselessly as he pulled down his shirt and turn to Jaejin.

He watched how the blind spread out the sheets with his hands before he took a seat at the feet of the bed. Has Jaejin gotten skinnier and shorter? Myungsoo wondered. Then once their gazes nearly locked, Myungsoo was amused. Just yesterday he was fuming. He was so angry at Jaejin and Hongki. Uncontrollably he spewed only hatred and hurtful words at his friends and especially his long time ago best friend.

“Is-is…,” Myungsoo began softly before raising his voice, “is this place really where you and he live now?” It pained him to see how poor Jaejin has become. In the back of his head, he can’t forget the mansion-like home Jaejin has shown him nearly a decade ago. Jaejin’s family was so well off that even Myungsoo envied him. But now there was nothing to admire.

Jaejin merely hummed at Myungsoo’s question.

The look on Jaejin’s face made Myungsoo pity him. “Are you...happy?”

In front of Myungsoo, Jaejin wore a sad smile. “Honestly, I was happy. Because I was blind, I won’t be able to see the dirty looks people gave me. I was happy to be blind because I couldn’t see Hongki sell our things just so we could eat. But recently,” Jaejin swallowed when he could feel his throat drying up, “I’ve been having bad thoughts. I feel bad for Hongki. He’s so positive that it makes me feel bad…,” Jaejin stopped briefly when he felt choked up.

Myungsoo watched as those sightless, not working eyes of Jaejin welled up.

“What should I do..? I’m with Hongki all day and every day but what should I do? I’m starting to forget his - his face. His smile that comforted me is now blurry. His ugly face when he cried for me and because of me is...hard to imagine. What do I do?” Slowly, Jaejin grabbed ahold of his shirt collar and tightened his hand into a ball. “What should I do that wouldn’t hurt Hongki? I’ve become so useless to him. I’m an obstacle. Handicap. A rock in the road. Unnecessary. Worthless. A pain. Stupid, Just a disabled ,” Jaejin muttered.

There was a long silence before Myungsoo spoke with a heavy heart, “I… I didn’t mean it when I called you that...,” there was a pause before Myungsoo asked, “if I agree to recruit you two into my new band will it make you happy?”

Jaejin glanced up with tears now rolling down his cheeks, “...happiness. I think I’m forgetting what that was like too,”

» » » » » » » » » » »

After what felt like forever, the ringing of Myungsoo’s phone disturbed the silence. Myungsoo, who has relocated himself to Jaejin’s side sighed as he stood up and walked over. He noticed it was the same caller from earlier. As he bent over to pick up the vibrating and ringing electronic, he answered the call with annoyance, “Hang up if you’re just another crazy fan. I don’t have the energy to deal withー”

“I only ask to meet people in person if it’s really important and even if it isn’t to me, it may be for you, Kim Myungsoo,”

Myungsoo glimpsed over to a calmer Jaejin before focusing on his call, “How come?”

“Well, I have your wallet here and you owe me for what I did for you last night,”

He scratched just above his eyebrow, a sign Jaejin would have recognized if the latter could see; Myungsoo does it whenever he’s stressed or impatient. “Where are you again? I’ll send my manager over to settle with you,”

“That won’t do. If I can’t meet you in person, I’ll hide from whoever you send to me,”

So stubborn, Myungsoo thought. “Fine, where are you then?”

“I told you before, my uncle’s restaurant,”

“And how do you expect me to know what restaurant that is?”

There was a short pause on the other end as if the stranger was mocking him, “You ate and drink here last night. See you soon,” then the caller hung up before Myungsoo could answer. The male exhaled sharply and loud enough for Jaejin to catch it.

“If you have to leave, wait for Hongki to bring you the things first. He should be back anytime now,” Jaejin insisted.

“It’s fine. My headache is subsiding. I should get going since my wallet is in that person’s care,” as Myungsoo pocketed his phone, something clicked in his head, “oh and since I’m on a break, I’ll come back later. That’s fine, right?”

Jaejin nodded with a weak smile.

» » » » » » » » » » »

In less than ten minutes, Hongki ran into the house and slammed the door shut, with his back pressing against it, “Gosh those crazy paparazzi,”

Looking around, Hongki only saw Jaejin who stood up from the sudden noise.

“Oh, did Myungsoo leave already?” Hongki walked in and raise the plastic, black bag in his hand as if to show it to the blind. “I bought him some medicine and soup, and I got us breakfast too,” Hongki took the bag over to the kitchen and dropped it on the counter Then he walked over to Jaejin and planted a kiss on the man’s cheek, surprising him. Without warning, Hongki locked his arms around Jaejin’s waist and rest his head against the taller’s shoulder. “I need to recharge. Running away from those relentless paparazzi first thing in the morning is tiring,”

As Hongki’s warmth engulfed Jaejin, the blind felt like he was melting.

Can they really go on even if they find a spot in Myungsoo’s new band?

Will the people accept them?

Can he fight through today and tomorrow for Hongki? For himself?

Quietly, Jaejin was searching for the light. But only darkness seemed to be paving the dead road for him.

Has he given up? Was he giving up?

“Hongki…,” Jaejin whispered, “I’m sorry,”