Hey, I know it’s been a while. I apologise.

You might want to read the previous chapter in case you’ve forgotten what this story is all about. And to those who waited, thank you so much for being patient enough with this taking-her-own-time-to-update-her-story author. Hopefully this’ll make up for it!

So...enjoy? And please excuse me for any errors in English and/or Romanised Hangul usages. Give me heads up, if you must. And also, if you’re confused with just anything at all (in regards to the story, of course), feel free to ask. :)

“Very well, you can come with us. He really needs someone right now.”

“Shim Changmin-sshi... Kim Junsu-sshi is stable now. We expect him to gain consciousness in a week, at the latest. So don’t worry too much. But he still needs to stay in the hospital for further check-ups until his injuries are almost healed, or until his family wishes to bring him home. It’s truly a miracle how someone can survive such a terrible crash without sustaining any fatal injuries.”

“But...during the accident Kim Junsu-sshi had hit his head quite hard against a solid surface which...has caused the visual cortex in his brain to enclose a severe trauma.”

“I’m sorry, Shim Changmin-sshi but the impact has caused Kim Junsu-sshi to lose his eyesight permanently. We’d tried what we could but the damage is too severe.”

“However, there...is...a way to get his vision back... And that is through corneal transplant. Yes, we can certainly do that but we need to get a suitable donor first—”

One week later...

Changmin was leaning against the door to Room 16 as he stared absently at the white ceiling high above his head. He felt numerous pair of eyes throwing questioning stares at him. He heard quiet mumbles as those people walked past the hallway where he stood. But the twenty-four-year-old chose to ignore them all. He needed to think.

Should I do it?

What if he doesn’t agree?

Even still, I can’t leave him like this... All alone and vulnerable.

After what felt like an hour, the handsome lad turned around, heaved a deep breath and then reached for the doorknob.

“Now or never, Shim Changmin...” he muttered with a sigh.

The tall man walked into a brilliantly bright, white room, the wooden door shut behind him with a soft click. The whole room smelt mildly like antiseptic...and something else that’s equally strange to his senses. Changmin scrunched his nose. It’s one of the reasons why he had always hated the hospital and after so many years he still hadn’t grown used to it.

When he looked up a quiet gasp lapsed from his throat. He was shocked to see a pair of small eyes plastered open, staring dead on at him. Or so it seemed. Because Changmin knew better; those glassy eyes were not really looking back at him.

Vacant eyes continued to stare unblinkingly right in Changmin’s direction but Changmin didn’t think the man on the cot was even aware of his existence. The older man could have thought that he was still alone in the room, facing nothing but merely an unresponsive wall.

Kim Junsu... Long time no see.

For a moment, it seemed like the two men were having some kind of a staring competition going on until Changmin broke his gaze to look away. Looking at anywhere but that face. Why did it hurt so much to see someone else’s misery?

Releasing a weighty sigh, Changmin returned his attention to the man on the cot.

This time he saw a slight crease marred Junsu’s forehead, as if he had a lot of things running through his mind. Well, why wouldn’t he? The losses....of his family, his eyesight, and his career, probably... It was really all too much to handle in one week.

Changmin swallowed. “Kim Junsu-sshi?”

The sound of his voice and footsteps reverberated off the walls of the hospital room, successfully breaking Junsu’s trance. Junsu jolted slightly at the sudden intrusion to his train of thought, slowly got up from his half-lying position. His eyes were wide open, staring at the area where he believed the sound was coming from.

“Y-Ye...”

Junsu didn’t think he was expecting anyone. He didn’t...have anyone anymore. The thought made his heart clench again. Eomma... 

He waited for a reply, frowning slightly as the person who had called his name chose to remain silent and just kept walking towards his bed. The loud thumps were the only sound that could be heard in the room now, apart from the gentle hum of the air conditioner and the loud ticking of the wall clock. Junsu continued to stare and wait as the steps finally came to a stop near the edge of his bed.

“Nugu...seyo (Who...are you)?” he asked in a quiet voice but audible enough to Changmin’s hearing. “Is that you, doctor-nim?”

“Um, no, I’m not your doctor. My name is Changmin, Shim Changmin.” Junsu furrowed his eyebrows at this, thinking if he could match this name and voice to one of the many faces in his memory.

The utter bemusement in Junsu’s face was crystal clear. Changmin was aware of that. Still, he just couldn’t bring himself to squeak a word. Sure he’s got lots to say but he just couldn’t really decide where to start. He’d just have to wait and see where this conversation would take him.

“Shim Changmin, is it?”

“Yes, that’s me.”

“Aren’t you the one who helped with my family’s funeral?”

Okay, that was unexpected. Changmin had made sure he only told Doctor Lee about it and there’s absolutely no way Junsu could find that out. Unless...of course.

“Uh, I...yes. I apologise that the cremation and the funeral had to be carried out when you were still under the knife but it couldn’t be pushed back to any other date later than that. I hope you understand.”

Junsu smiled. But it wasn’t a happy one. “Kamsahamnida (Thank you), Shim Changmin-sshi. It’s really nice of you.”

“Hyu— Kim Junsu-sshi... Doctor Lee said you’ll be discharged tomorrow.”

“I know.”

The bed creaked as Changmin dipped his weight on it, just by Junsu’s feet. “Are you planning to visit your parents’ and sister’s graves? I can drive you there if you like.”

Junsu frowned. There was a long pause. “No.”

“No?” Changmin repeated, his eyebrows arched upwards in confusion.

“...I’m not ready.” Another long pause. “Shim Changmin-sshi... Why?”

“What do you mean?”

“Why did you help me? I heard from the doctor, a ‘friend’ of mine helped to pay all of the expenses. I’m not trying to sound ungrateful but just... Why?”

Changmin sighed, realising that he couldn’t blame the doctor. Junsu must’ve been the one who insisted to know. “I...”

“Is it out of pity?”

“No! I mean, I want to help you, Kim Junsu-sshi. That’s all. I happened to be at the scene when the accident happened—slight change in Junsu’s expression— I didn’t know it was you at first. I didn’t know what hit me to follow the ambulance. And then they told me your name...”

“Wait. You...know me?”

“I...yeah.”

Junsu brought his hands to his face, sighing heavily. Changmin stayed put until Junsu removed his hands again. “This is too much. I don’t want to hear any more of it for now.”

“Kim Junsu—”

“Shim Changmin-sshi, if you come here because you wanna ask me to pay back the money I owe you, believe me when I say that I will. Just...wait until I get a job.”

“No, that’s...really not the reason why I came here.”

“Keureom waeyo (Then why)?”

“I want you to stay with me from now on.”

The face Junsu was giving him now was somewhere between shocked and disbelieving. “You want me to live with you?”

“I didn’t stutter, did I?”

“But why?”

Changmin shrugged. “Because I want you to.”

“That’s not good enough. Why would you want an incapable like me inside your house? Why? I’ll be nothing but a mere trouble to you, Shim Changmin-sshi. A burden. Why waste your time and money on someone like me?”

“I just think that you’ll be better off living with someone and as far as I know you don’t have any other close relatives.”

He’s right; I have no one else to go to now and with my condition, living alone would be hell.

“I’ll have to think about it.”

“Well actually, you don’t have the time to. I’ve gone to your house last week and packed up your stuff. You’ll be moving in tomorrow.”

“W-What? How did you find out where I lived?”

“I have reliable sources,” Changmin answered, grinning happily.

Junsu sighed lowly, rubbing his temple. He’d barely known this person but he’s already giving him headaches. Imagine living with him, he wouldn’t even want to start imagining that.

“I...I think I can manage myself. Please, Shim Changmin-sshi, I don’t need your sympathy.”

“Aish, Kim Junsu-sshi, I cannot accept ‘no’ as an answer. You’re moving in with me and that’s final. No buts, no whys, nothing. Am I clear?”

Silence. Junsu looked like he was a verge of crying and screaming at Changmin.

“Okay, if it makes things easier then I’ll say this: I’m not doing this out of pity.”

At that, Junsu fisted the sheets and uttered a loud frustrated cry. “Andwaeyo (No). Shim Changmin-sshi, neo wae iraeseyo (Why are you like this)? Please, don’t do this to me. I’m not that weak. I have my hands on my shoulders pretty well, I...don’t need your help. I don’t want your help.”

“Well, Kim Junsu-sshi, I never asked you if you want my help or not. My intention is purely to help you. Is that so hard to understand?”

Tears accumulated on Junsu’s eyes, waiting to brim over. “I just don’t want to burden you anymore, more than I already have. What you did was more than enough and I thank you for that. But please, you don’t have to do this. Really, I can take care of myself.”

Changmin sighed but smiled nonetheless. His tone was light, matter-of-fact and somewhat euphoric as he responded easily, “Think of it this way then. Think of me as your new family. And you are mine. Family members stand by each other. It’s a logical fact, isn’t it?”

Junsu sighed for a hundredth time that day. This kid sure was stubborn.

“...I’ll think about it.”

MinSu quote:

“I hope I’ll always have Junsu by my side.”  - Changmin

“He’s always pestering me. Lately he doesn’t try to annoy me and I feel a little lonely. We have a very unusual relationship.” - Junsu