Chapter 4

“God, what is wrong with me?” Zitao mumbled, turning on the bathroom faucet and running it over his hand. “Why was I getting worked up over a simple question? How hard can it be to tell someone what you think about them?”

He winced in pain as the hot water hit the small cut on his hand. He was pretty stupid for hurting his own pet and causing her to hurt him in return. Sure, it was a common thing, but he hadn’t meant to hurt poor Candy. His heart was racing so fast at the time, and it was annoying and confusing him. The stress must’ve caused him to accidentally squeeze Candy too hard.

He ran his free hand through his blond hair in annoyance and dried his other hand on a towel. He probably should’ve done more, but he didn’t want to keep Jongdae waiting, seeing as he was probably already confused enough. He sighed and turned off the faucet, then left the bathroom, turning out the light as he passed by.

“Sorry about that.” He apologized again to Jongdae as he sat back on the couch.

“What happened?” Jongdae asked. “Are you okay?”

Zitao nodded, again forgetting Jongdae couldn’t see it. “Yeah. I’m fine. I guess I accidentally spooked Candy, causing her to scratch me.”

Jongdae held the puppy up. “Do you want her back?”

“No. You can keep her for now.” Zitao replied. “I don’t know how she feels about me right now. She seems comfortable with you anyways.”

Jongdae smiled. “I like her.”

“That’s good.” Zitao smiled slightly as well. “Anyways. Do you need anything? A drink? Something to eat?”

Jongdae tilted his head. “Uhm…I am kind of hungry…”

“Well, it is almost dinner time. Why don’t I make us dinner?” Zitao suggested.

Jongdae nodded. “That sounds good.”

Zitao smiled and stood up. “C’mon. Let’s go to the dining room. You can bring Candy too for now, I guess.”

Jongdae reached up and Zitao took his hand and helped him onto his feet. Then, Zitao led him into the dining room and gently sat him onto a chair. Jongdae placed the puppy in his lap and petted it gently. Zitao smiled then turned to go into the kitchen and try to make something that first, Jongdae would be able to eat easily, and would actually taste good.

Zitao ended up just making anything he could with the fruits, vegetables, and bread he had lying around. Because those were easy to pick up and eat. He thought. Which made Zitao wonder how hard it was to eat if you’re blind. Maybe Jongdae knew where his mouth was by now. Zitao didn’t know. But he did find the whole visually impaired thing very…mysterious.

“Sorry…it’s not really much.” Zitao said, walking out of the kitchen with a salad, a bowl of fruit, and some various types of bread. “I didn’t know what you’d like. So I just got some fruit, vegetables, and bread…because that’s all I really have besides instant ramen. It’s not much of a dinner…but it’s filling at least.”

Zitao put the food on the table, then took Candy from Jongdae’s lap and placed her on the floor so she wouldn’t accidentally eat the food and get sick. Jongdae seemed a little sad that his new favorite thing was gone, but his expression changed back to a happy-go-lucky one only seconds later.

“Don’t worry.” The latter said. “I’ll eat pretty much anything as long as I can understand what it is I’m eating and where it is.”

“Do you want some help?” Zitao offered, ready to help Jongdae with anything.

Jongdae seemed to hesitate to think. “Uhm…”

“Sorry. Was that too random?” Zitao asked. “If you want to try to get everything yourself, you can.”

The visually impaired male laughed. “I don’t mind your help. I just feel bad for having you tend to me like I was royalty. I mean…this is your house. If I could see, I’d probably be doing things for you instead of the other way around.”

“Don’t worry about that.” Zitao said. “You’re the guest here.”  He picked up a strawberry. “Now, open your mouth.”

“Wait,” Jongdae said. “…Can we play a game? Where I guess what the food is?”

Zitao laughed. “That’s pretty childish. Playing guessing games?”

Jongdae pouted. “Sorry.”

Zitao cracked a smiled. “Sure. Let’s play. Round one will be what I’m holding right now.”

Jongdae grinned. “Yay!”

“Here it is.” Zitao leaned forward and put the strawberry in front of Jongdae’s mouth.

Jongdae opened his mouth in time and bit the strawberry, chewing on it slowly. He guessed correctly and the game continued, Jongdae acing all the foods Zitao offered him. Zitao had to admit, it was a fun game. And it allowed them to clear out the food quickly. Zitao had also learned that Jongdae’s favorite fruits were oranges and peaches. It would’ve been awkward if someone happened to randomly walk in though.

Which thankfully didn’t happen during the game, but after it when Zitao and Jongdae were talking about their favorite things. But Zitao didn’t notice. He was too busy talking to and laughing with Jongdae to notice a particular blond leaning against the doorframe that connected the dining room to the living room with his arms crossed.

Zitao heard someone clear their throat and nearly fell out of his chair in surprise. Literally. He almost fell, but steadied himself and glared at the other blond male, who was now laughing.

“Sehun.” He said. “What are you doing here?”

“Shouldn’t I be asking the same thing?” Sehun asked.

Jongdae looked up. “Sehun?”

Sehun’s eyes moved to look at Jongdae. Then he looked back at Zitao. “Hyung. What the hell is this? Are you seeing someone behind my back?”

Zitao groaned. “Sehun. Firstly. You don’t need to word it that way. You’re not even my boyfriend, idiot. Secondly, I surely hope you weren’t referring to Jongdae as an object.”

Sehun looked away. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to phrase it that way…”

“Zitao-ah?” Jongdae said. “Is this the friend you were talking about?”

Zitao looked at Jongdae. “Yeah. Sorry you had to meet him like this.”

Jongdae shrugged. “Doesn’t matter to me.”

“Anyways.” Zitao said. “Seeing as you’ve caught my little ‘secret’…Sehun, this is Jongdae.”

Sehun nodded. “So you’re the person that’s made Tao-hyung act funny.”

Jongdae tilted his head, “Zitao-ah, what is he talking about?”

“I dunno.” Zitao replied.

“Sure you do hyung.” Sehun replied. “You were acting all happy and not as intimidating for the past three days.”

Zitao shrugged. “I can’t help it. Jongdae is just so nice, talented, and unique.”

Sehun blinked. “You act like you have a crush on him.”

“W-what do you mean?” Zitao stammered, taken aback.

“Whatever.” Sehun said. “If Zitao can like you, so can I. Nice to meet you, Jongdae. I’m Oh Sehun.”

Jongdae blindly held his hand out for a handshake. “Kim Jongdae.”

Sehun narrowed his eyes at the awkward placement of Jongdae’s hand, but moved to shake it. “So what makes you so special?”

“Well…I’ve been told I can sing.” Jongdae said.

“He’s really good.” Zitao jumped in. “Hyung, why don’t you sing something for us?”

“Right now…?” Jongdae seemed embarrassed suddenly. “I-I’m not prepared though…”

“Okay, okay.” Zitao said. “I just thought it’d be nice for Sehun to hear. But don’t force yourself if you don’t want to. But…Sehun. Why are you here in the first place?”

“Wanted to visit.” Sehun said. “Thought you’d be done with your ‘errand’ but I guess not. I’ll leave.”

“No!” Jongdae suddenly said, standing up. “If it’s because of me, I’ll leave.”

“How do you intend on leaving?” Zitao asked worriedly. “Just wait until I can send you home. You probably don’t know where to go from my place.”

“But Sehun-ah seems to not like me…” Jongdae pouted. “I don’t want to be a hinder to anyone.”

“You can’t go around town alone. And it’s getting dark.” Zitao said.

“It’s always dark for me, Tao.” Jongdae said. “Remember?”

“Well…yeah…” Zitao mumbled. “B-but…that’s exactly my point. If you can’t see where you’re going, how can you find your way home?”

Sehun was too busy trying to understand what was going on to jump in, so Zitao almost forgot he was there. He just wanted to make sure Jongdae wouldn’t get lost or hurt because of his disability.

“I can’t stay here for the rest of my life though…” Jongdae said. “I have to leave eventually.”

“Do it when I can help you.” Zitao said. “I don’t trust Sehun in my house alone.”

“H-hey!” Sehun suddenly complained. “What’s that supposed to mean?! …Frankly…what’s any of this supposed to mean?”

“What do you mean?” Zitao turned his attention back to Sehun.

“You’re talking to this kid like he’s disabled or something!” Sehun said. “Like he’s…like he’s blind!”

“Sehun you rude, inconsiderate—”

“Zitao.” Jongdae cut Zitao off. “I’d like to point out two things. I’m not a kid. I’m twenty-one to be exact. And I am blind.”

Sehun blinked in surprise. “Oh.” He paused. “Oh. I’m sorry…I-I didn’t realize it! You just…you don’t seem like it. You act and look like a normal person to me.”

Jongdae laughed. “That’s almost the exact same reaction as Zitao two days ago when we met at the school early in the morning.”

“School? Wait…the school we go to?” Sehun asked.

Jongdae nodded. “Yeah. My brother drives me there. He takes me to a lot of places. He’s not like the rest of my family…”

Sehun stared at Jongdae. Then suddenly broke down and crushed the shorter male in a hug. “I’m so sorry. I’m making you talk about your family and your disability…I—I…”

Zitao had never seen his best friend act like that. And to be honest…he felt a little mad that Sehun was hugging Jongdae like that. There was a feeling in the bottom of Zitao’s stomach that just…made him want to pull Sehun away from Jongdae. Maybe he just didn’t eat enough or something, though.

“Sehun.” Zitao said. “He’s used to it. Just…let go please.”

“He seems much clingier than I am.” Jongdae chuckled. “But you sound a little…jealous? That he’s hugging me.”

“M-me?” Zitao said. “Jealous? Noo! And he’s not normally that clingy to me.”

Finally, Sehun pulled away. “Well you’re not cute, now are you? All you do is glare at me, yell at me, or pretend to wushu me.”

“He’s nice to me.” Jongdae pointed out. “Incredibly nice. And…what’s wushu?”

“It’s a type of martial arts.” Zitao said. “I’ve been studying it since I was five. I wish I could show it to you…”

“Hyungg.” Sehun whined at Zitao. “Why are you so nice to Jongdae but not meee? I had to learn that you could do martial arts the hard way…”

Zitao shrugged. “You’re annoying.”

Sehun pouted. “No fair!”

Jongdae laughed as the two friends argued about…everything and nothing. “You guys seem pretty close.”

The duo stopped to look at Jongdae. Then looked at each other. Zitao smiled. “I guess you can say that. I mean…Sehun was the first person to actually talk to me when I came to Korea two years ago. He wasn’t afraid of me like everyone else in that high school.”

“You’re not even scary, hyung.” Sehun said. “I learned that the moment I came to your house and seen your room.”

“His room?” Jongdae commented. “What about it?”

“It’s full of—Ouch!” Sehun received a hit from Zitao.

“Sehun I swear if you tell him, I’ll hit you harder.” The latter said. “Nothing. It’s nothing. He’s just lying.”

Jongdae blinked. “Uh…okay.”

Zitao sighed in relief and looked at Sehun. “Well. Maybe you should go, Sehuna. It’s getting late.”

Sehun whined. “But I want to talk to Jongdae more!”

“Would you stop just calling him Jongdae?” Zitao said, “It’s not respectful.”

“Whatever.” Sehun responded. “Fine. I’ll leave. Bye Jongdae-hyung. I hope to see you soon.”

Jongdae smiled and waved in a random direction. Zitao quickly moved to direct Jongdae’s hand in the right direction and watched as Sehun left the kitchen and eventually the house. He sighed, mentally face-palming himself for even letting Sehun meet Jongdae. But at least it was a better first meeting than he had originally thought. Maybe a bit too much better… And Zitao couldn’t stop thinking about what Jongdae had said about him being jealous…was it jealousy Zitao had felt when Sehun hugged Jongdae like that? Or was it just a coincidence? He had to find that out later.

Word Count: 2,090

A/N: Another random...pretty much useless, filler chapter of Sehun's reaction to Jongdae. Different from how Zitao had expected. Plus Sehun being a troll and almost admiting that Zitao's room is full of panda things. 

Anyways. Dammit, the site change made it so the title of the chapter can't be a single letter. I'm gonna fix all the chapter titles so it doesn't piss me off. Although I do admit the site looks more organized now. 

Lastly, I hope you enjoyed reading this and I would love any kind of feedback! Until next chapter. Keep on loving Taochen!