Sungmin spread his fingers across the perfect ivory colored keys. His finger tips grazed the solid black half notes. It was a beautiful instrument—old, but its radiance still shown. 

 

However, Sungmin didn't know this. An accident several years ago rendered him sightless. 

 

The 20 year old boy sat at the piano in the music room of his college. He didn't take music, but he had managed to find the room upon hearing someone playing a beautifully sad song on the piano. He never met whoever was playing, but he did find the piano. 

 

He had been coming to visit this piano everyday after his last class. He would sit at the bench and run his fingers along the keys, imagining the magic that could flow from the instrument. 

 

He played one note once; however, he vowed to never do it again. 

 

Before the accident, Sungmin took lessons. And he was good. Hell, he was better than good; he would perform and even won an award. It wasn't just the piano, either. Sungmin could play the saxophone and the guitar like he was born with them. 

 

But that was before the accident. Now...well now, the boy was a mere shell of the vibrant teen with a brilliant future. 

 

People tried to tell him, tried to make him believe that he hadn't lost his talent along with his eyesight, that he could still play if he just tried. People reminded him that even when he could see, he hardly ever looked at the keys. 

 

But he was afraid. Afraid that the blow to the head that had taken his eyesight may have also taken his musical intelligence. 

 

But he found a solution. Never play again. If he didn't play, he would never be sure if he lost the talent. 

 

It would be harder to live knowing that his talent and his passion, was gone. It would be easier if he just never learned the full outcome of his accident. 

 

So Sungmin sat there. He had no idea what else was in the room, as he hadn't cared enough to stumble around, feeling for something he recognized. The piano was enough. 

 

He felt around the rest of the instrument, standing and walking around to the back. The wood was cool to the touch, so cool and so smooth. Out of some sort of instinct, he leaned down and pressed his cheek against smooth, black wood. Closing his eyes, he just breathed, sprawled out against the back of the piano. 

 

He would be lying if he said he didn't dearly miss playing the piano. 

 

Normally, on his daily visits, he would only stay a few minutes—bask in the glory that was this pristine instrument for a few minutes and then leave in order to struggle through whatever homework he had been given that day. 

 

However, today, he must have lost track of the time. 

 

He stood up straight when he heard the door open. 

 

“Oh?” There was surprise and slight confusion evident in the newcomer's voice. “Were you using the piano? I'll...I'll come back in a few minutes th-”

 

“No! No, no; I was just leaving. Sorry.” Sungmin mumbled, making his way back to the stool, one hand in constant contact with the piano. 

 

“Are you sure? I can just come ba-” The boy tried, again. He moved closer to Sungmin, a bit worried at how flustered the boy had suddenly become. 

 

“No, I wasn't playing. I don't...nevermind. I'll leave.” Sungmin mumbled, feeling frantically for his backpack. Once he grabbed it, he reached quickly for his cane. He had leaned it against the bench, but he misjudged exactly where; his fingers bumped into the metal cane, causing it to bounce off the floor. 

 

It was then the newcomer even noticed the cane. “Oh...” The boy mumbled quietly, suddenly interested in fiddling with his fingers. Sungmin heard him. 

 

“I'm sorry...” Sungmin rushed out, crouching now and feeling along the floor frantically for his cane—he just wanted to get out of there now. He hated when people acted weird because of his lack of sight. 

 

At the apology, the boy's attention was drawn back to Sungmin on the floor. 

 

“Ah! Let me help you.” The boy rushed out, rushing to reach the cane.

 

“No, no, it's okay.” Sungmin insisted, still feeling around. 

 

The boy didn't listen, instead he reached the cane, and silently slid it across the floor, just centimeters from Sungmin's fingers. 

 

“I got it!” Sungmin exclaimed when his fingers touched cool metal. “Y-You can play now, I'm sorry for being in your way.”

 

“You weren't in my way.” The boy said, acting as if he hadn't just moved the cane. He turned to place his things on the floor next to the bench, until he realized something. “Oh! I'm...” He trailed off when he realized the boy was no longer in the room. “Well, he moves fast...”

 

The boy hesitated a moment, before he reached into his backpack and pulled out sheet music to practice. 

 

~

 

Sungmin made his hasty retreat down the hallway, cane in front of him, but one hand constantly on the wall for good measure. He didn't want anyone to see him in the music room with the piano; they would only ask questions. Questions Sungmin had no intentions on answering anymore. 

 

~

 

Sungmin sat on his couch, picking at the frozen dinner he had made himself, the TV on in the background simply for the noise. He shifted slightly, scrunching his nose at the bruise he could feel forming on his hip; he had bumped into a table trying to maneuver around his apartment without his cane. His family told him he should live with someone else in case something happened; however, Sungmin didn't want that. He would get used to his furniture—he had gotten used to harder things.

 

When the accident first happened, he was a junior in high school; he already had plans for college; he already had his life planned out, and he was happy with it. He was excited to live on his own; he was excited to finally be able to study what he chose. 

 

After the accident, he no longer wanted to do any of what he had planned; he felt he couldn't do it. But his friends and family had pushed him and pushed him, and he relented: he would go to college and live there as well. He couldn't just turn off the road he planned to take just because of a speed bump.

 

Originally, his plan was to live in a dorm with many other kids his age, but now that he couldn't see, he had become a bit anti-social and no longer wanted to be surrounded by so many people. His new plan was to rent an apartment and live by himself. 

 

People had been afraid that he would only hurt himself or get into difficult situations if he lived on his own, but he took actions to prepare himself. For the majority of the year and a half he had before going off to college, Sungmin had ordered his parents and his brother to not help him at all, unless specifically addressed. He needed to learn that he could survive in a house on his own. 

 

Once he was comfortable, he even asked his mother to let him cook some things for himself. That had been a bit disastrous; however, he was able to make himself frozen dinners and sandwiches. 

 

It was because of this 'training' that Sungmin felt confident enough that he could live on his own. He adjusted quite well. 

 

Because it was a new apartment for his sophomore year, he was still trying to get used to the new placement of furniture and things, but he was getting there. It would just take time, like everything else. 

 

~

 

After his classes the next day, Sungmin made his way back to the music room. He took his usual seat at the bench and ran his fingers lightly against the keys. 

 

In his head, he heard the music he used to play, subconsciously swaying along with his imaginary music. 

 

Once again, he lost himself too deeply in his thoughts and memories that he didn't realize someone had come into the room.

 

“Do you play?” A voice rang out. 

 

Sungmin nearly jumped out of his skin, but he relaxed slightly when he recognized the voice to be that of the boy from the day before. 

 

Sungmin shook his head quickly in response to the question. He reached down and grabbed his backpack before he reached for his cane, which he had rested against the side of the piano this time. 

 

He went to stand up, but a light hand on his shoulder stopped him. He flinched away at first—even when he knew people were in the same room as him, it always frightened him when they were close enough to touch him, and he hadn't even realized. He relaxed quickly, but the boy had already apologized and retracted his hand. 

 

“It's okay...” Sungmin mumbled, trying to stand again, this time unhindered. 

 

“You...You don't have to go, you know.” The boy said. 

 

“I-It's okay...” Sungmin repeated, trying to make his way towards the door. 

 

“Do you come everyday?” The boy asked quickly, trying to make Sungmin, who had almost reached the door, stay a bit longer. 

 

Sungmin nodded, but kept on his mission. Just as he reached the doorway, the boy's voice rang out again.

 

“My name is Kyuhyun, by the way. I come everyday, too. I figured I could at least introduce myself.”

 

Sungmin paused for a moment. He didn't want to talk, but it would be rude for him not to respond. “M-My name is Sungmin. Do...Do you come at the same time everyday?”

 

Kyuhyun smiled: he was getting responses. “Yeah. I always come after my last music class so I can practice on my own.”

 

Sungmin nodded before he began to move out of the room. 

 

“Oh...Well, I'll see you tomorrow then!” Kyuhyun yelled to Sungmin before he was completely out of the room. 

 

“Uh...yeah.” Sungmin responded before letting the door close behind him. He had no intentions on seeing the boy, Kyuhyun, again. He would just have to work around Kyuhyun's schedule. 

 

Kyuhyun stared at the closed door for a moment. He let out a sigh before turning to his backpack and pulling out new sheet music. 

 

Kyuhyun was a freshman music major. Although, he was already taking higher level courses than most freshman. You could say he was technically at a junior's level—he had taken many, many college courses throughout high school, and they carried over to his actual college career, giving him the ability to graduate in two and a half years. Everyone said he was a genius and could do great things in the world of science and math; however, Kyuhyun had very different intentions. 

 

He loved music, more than he liked most people. It was music that he wanted his future to be molded around. 

 

As he stared at his sheet music, going over the notes, he thought of the boy he had met laying on the piano. He felt a bit strange for knowing exactly who Sungmin was the moment he saw his cane—a blind sophomore living in his apartment complex had been the topic of much talk. He had known who he was, but had never actually seen him before. 

 

He had been a bit flustered, to be honest. From the people he heard talking about him, Sungmin was supposed to be very pretty, with flawless skin; no one talked about his eyes, because they were always hidden behind large black sunglasses. But what all these people played Sungmin up to be could not even compare to what Kyuhyun had seen. Pretty with flawless skin did not even scratch the surface of what made the beauty of Sungmin. 

 

He looked perfect. 

 

Now, Kyuhyun had been taught, and knew, that no one was perfect, not even himself. However, when he saw Sungmin, those lessons went completely out of his mind. Sungmin just may have been perfect. 

 

He wanted to get to know the boy; he was very curious about him. He had heard that he was blind because of some sort of 'accident.' He also heard that he was once a very talented musician with a bright future and that he used to have loads of friends. But that everything had changed because of whatever the 'accident' was. 

 

He wanted to get to know the boy, but Sungmin clearly seemed to have no interest in getting to know him, if his frantic exits were anything to go by. 

 

But Kyuhyun was a stubborn person. 

 

~

 

Sungmin stepped into the music room, again, the next day. He promised himself he would only stay for five minute. He clicked a button on his watch that spoke out the time for him—3:24pm. 

 

He made his way to the bench and sat down. He took a breath before spreading his fingers over the keys, the cool wood a nice shock to his system. 

 

Today, he moved his fingers as if he was playing notes. He could hear the song in his head, and by god, it was beautiful. He hummed along to the music only he could hear, swaying to the beat. His eyes fell closed, completely falling into himself. 

 

Again, he lost himself too much, that he didn't hear someone walking into the room: his usual visitor. 

 

Kyuhyun stayed silent, moving only when Sungmin's humming became loud enough to hide his movement. Eventually he made it all the way to the bench Sungmin sat at. 

 

He would have thought he was creepy, had he not been so uncontrollably wrapped up in the man humming and swaying before him, that is. 

 

Kyuhyun stood, just two feet from Sungmin. He tried not to breath for fear of revealing his presence, for fear of disturbing the peaceful boy in front of him. 

 

Kyuhyun jumped and squeaked; however, when an electronic beeping sounded through the room. 

 

Sungmin jumped, too, quickly turning the alarm on his watch off. However, he froze when he realized he wasn't the only one in the room.

 

Kyuhyun watched as the boy froze, seemingly trying to look around for the intruder. 

 

“You don't have to leave.” Kyuhyun mumbled, finally making his presence known. He didn't intend to frighten Sungmin.

 

Sungmin visibly relaxed upon recognition, but he still reached for his backpack and cane, quickly getting to his feet. “It's okay, I wasn't playing anyway.” He could feel a blush forming on his cheeks at having been caught in a moment. 

 

“You were pretending to, though.” Kyuhyun said, as if that was enough to make Sungmin stay. 

 

“Yeah...” Sungmin muttered as he walked to the door. 

 

“You don't have to leave.” Kyuhyun said a bit desperately this time. 

 

Sungmin could hear the slight desperation, but he knew staying would only bring him question upon uncomfortable question. “It's okay...”

 

Sungmin reached the door, but a gentle hand on his wrist made him freeze. 

 

“Will you stay?” Kyuhyun asked, letting go of Sungmin's wrist. He could understand Sungmin's hesitation, but that wasn't going to stop him. 

 

“I...I...” Sungmin tried to come up with a good excuse, but nothing came quick enough. Besides, anything he said was going to be a lie—all he ever did was go home and stay there. His parents had told him he should find a friend, and he agreed. But there were always the questions; they were unavoidable when dealing with new people. Sungmin hated the questions. 

 

“Please? We don't have to talk if you don't want. Just let me play the piano for you.” Kyuhyun tried. 

 

“Just...Just for a few minutes.” Sungmin spoke before he fully grasped what he was committing himself to. 

 

“Great!” Kyuhyun exclaimed. He reached out and took a light hold of Sungmin's wrist to help him back to the bench, but quickly let go when he felt the boy tug away.

 

“I can do it.” Sungmin mumbled, pushing his cane in front of him and counting the steps as he made his way to the piano bench. 

 

Once seated, he pushed himself to the very edge of the bench, almost to the point of falling off. 

 

“You don't have to sit that far away, you know.” Kyuhyun said, taking a seat next to Sungmin, a grin forever plastered on his face. 

 

“You need room, though; I don't want to get in your way.” Sungmin said. 

 

“I don't need that much room. You're gonna fall off.” Kyuhyun said as he pulled out the sheet music he played the day before.

 

Sungmin shuffled over slightly, freezing when his thigh bumped into Kyuhyun's.

 

Neither of the boys acknowledged the touch, but Kyuhyun's grin widened and Sungmin felt a blush touch his cheeks.

 

“Ready?” Kyuhyun asked as he stretched his fingers over the keys.

 

Sungmin kept his head down and nodded. He wasn't sure if he would be ready to hear this piano play right in front of him.

 

Kyuhyun sensed Sungmin's discomfort, but began to play anyway. 

 

The song was slow, but fast, and so melodic. It was emotional, and the way Kyuhyun played it with such care forced the two boys to instantly fall into the emotion of it all. Kyuhyun's eyes closed and he moved with the beat, leaning into the piano. Sungmin's eyes also closed as he hummed along softly—he recognized the song. 

 

It was beautiful. 

 

Neither of the boys spoke or moved more than their swaying to the music. 

 

Kyuhyun slowed to the end of the song, finally opening his eyes and peeking at Sungmin. His head hung low, and his body moved side to side. He still had his sunglasses on, but Kyuhyun imagined the boy had his eyes closed. Sungmin clearly still had a passion for music. It was tragic that he didn't play anymore. 

 

The song came to a close, and Sungmin slowly opened his eyes, coming back to the present moment.

 

“What do you think?” Kyuhyun asked. He didn't mean for it to be a whisper, but it felt strange to speak loud.

 

“It was...It was really beautiful. I remember the song. You played it really well.” Sungmin said, his head still hanging low. 

 

“You know it? Do you remember how to play it? We can play it together.” Kyuhyun said excitedly.

 

“No, no. I don't play the piano, anymore.” Sungmin rushed out.

 

“Oh, okay.” Kyuhyun said, a bit of disappointment evident in his voice.

 

Suddenly Sungmin began reaching for his backpack and cane—it was usually at this point in a conversation that the questions would begin.

 

“I have to go, now.” Sungmin said quickly. 

 

“You do? Okay...” Disappointment was very clear in Kyuhyun's voice this time. 

 

“Sorry...” Sungmin didn't know what he was apologizing for. Maybe it was because of how sad Kyuhyun suddenly sounded. 

 

“No, it's okay. Can...Can I walk home with you?” Kyuhyun tried. It was a leap, but he figured, why not?

 

“Ha...I don't need your help.” Sungmin let out an awkward chuckle. Now, he needed to leave. He didn't want anyone's help; he didn't need anyone's help. 

 

“I didn't say I would help.” Kyuhyun said. “I just asked if I could walk with you. We live in the same apartment building.”

 

“Oh...But I don't need anyone to walk with me. I'm fine.” Sungmin said as he made his way to the door. He had paused a moment when Kyuhyun clarified his question, but he was still sure it was because the boy thought he needed help.

 

“But I get lonely. So, will you walk with me?” Kyuhyun reworded his question. He was already packing his bag and getting to his feet. 

 

“Will you?” Kyuhyun asked again once he made it, swiftly, to Sungmin's side. 

 

Sungmin bit his lip in thought. He wanted to say no, that he liked being alone—but that would be a lie. 

 

He didn't like being alone. He liked being independent, but that was different. His independence was the most important thing to him since the accident; he needed to make sure that he never became a burden to anyone. However, with how intensely he took his independence and with how much he hated those intruding questions, came a severe loneliness. For this, he only had himself to blame.

 

But this boy, Kyuhyun, was doing more than what anyone else had done in the past. Spoken to him, several times now, without once mentioning his blindness. Maybe...maybe Kyuhyun was different.

 

“O-Okay.” Sungmin said softly with a slight nod. Kyuhyun barely heard it, but a smile claimed his face when he saw Sungmin nod. 

 

“Great!” Kyuhyun exclaimed. “Let me get the door.” 

 

Kyuhyun moved to the door, but stopped at Sungmin's voice.

 

“No. I can get it.” Sungmin said sternly. His need for independence was kicking in, again.

 

“A-Alright.” Kyuhyun said, stepping back. From the way Sungmin had reacted to his question about walking with him, Kyuhyun was beginning to get the impression that Sungmin didn't need any help from people, nor did the boy want any help. 

 

Sungmin stepped ahead of Kyuhyun and used his cane to judge where the door was. Opening it, he held it open until he felt Kyuhyun take it from him. 

 

They walked down the hallway in silence. That is until Sungmin misjudged where the water fountain that was exactly 36 steps from the door to the music room was—walking with Kyuhyun was distracting him, even if they weren't talking. 

 

Sungmin grunted as his hip slammed, painfully and audibly into the water fountain. He stepped to the side, slightly hunched over, trying to catch his breath. Kyuhyun stood to his side, waiting for the other to begin walking again.

 

Sungmin stood straight, adjusting his shirt and backpack after a moment. 

 

“Why didn't you warn me?” Sungmin asked, a bit annoyed.

 

“You said you didn't need any help. Am I supposed to guess when you want it and when you don't?” Kyuhyun shot back, a small smirk taking over his face.

 

Sungmin paused for a moment, his mouth opened slightly in shock. A small smirk took over Sungmin's face, as well, as he hummed in response and began walking, again. 

 

Yes, Kyuhyun was different.