Final

 

Aeri's grandmother had a piano and she instructed many people of all talents. Aeri would practice everyday to imprint the position of the keys into memory. She spent hours running her fingers across the eighty-eight ivory and ebony keys. Melodies could be heard throughout their house that was situated at the edge of the town only mere meters from the forest. The locals would avoid the house like the plague for it was said tragedy followed that family wherever they went.

 

Like every other single spring day, Aeri sat down at the piano. She started off with a sweet lullaby to warm up as it brought back happy memories of her childhood when she was sheltered and loved with life full of laughter and warmth. Her fingers played faster as the tempo of the music sped up. Now everything was different, even her grandmother had become colder. Who would want an orphan? A useless one at that?

 

Being the sole survivor of the car crash that killed the rest of her family, Aeri's world turned monochrome after that fateful day.Her world was composed of grey, albeit different shades of grey but still grey nonetheless. The lack of colour in her life both scared and scarred her. She used to be an artist, a painter but now she can't even see the world. This was Aeri's fate. She was now condemned to a confined life. The music reached a crescendo of notes and in the of the music, Aeri poured out her soul and sang out her frustrations.

 

A voice rang out though the room, accompanied by soft but firm claps.

 

"You play exceptionally well for someone who hides so much pain within themselves".

 

And that was the first time Aeri met Baekhyun or rather heard him. Her grandmother only taught the best of the best and Baekhyun was one of these talented pupils. He said he had dark chestnut hair and dark brown eyes that could appear obsidian at night. Aeri didn't know if she should trust his description of himself, they could just be empty words for all she knew and yet she still wanted to get to know him and she wanted to touch that soft, brown hair. Aeri longed for physical contact and for a companion. Even the sound of his voice was comforting to Aeri, such honey-sounding vocals that can chase any sadness away.

 

Baekhyun was a guarded person though, Aeri knew that. He had a mysterious aura about him and he was careful in what he said to Aeri as she always detected hesitance before he answered her. Baekhyun had a wall that Aeri was determined to tear down. Everyday he would be an hour early for his lessons just to spend time with her since that first day.

 

As controlling as Grandmother could be, she hadn't found out about Baekhyun just yet. Spring turned into summer and the leaves changed colour and eventually they fell off their trees. If Aeri had her sight, she would see Baekhyun always watching her, observing her, taking in every detail about her as if she'd disappear. He noted where she placed everything and was careful to not disturb her routine. Baekhyun loved the way Aeri's eyes would crinkle at the corners when she smiled and loved the hazelnut brown of her eyes. He would describe the colours outside to her everyday using artistic phrasing just for her. Aeri hated how the world only saw the block colours of the rainbow and would continue to tell her as such. She wanted to know the exact shade of the flowers, the warm mahogany of the table and even the mustard yellow of the car outside. As the seasons changed, brick by brick Baekyun's wall broke down. He was undoubtedly in love with the girl that played piano.

 

Unknown to Baekhyun, Aeri had also been observing him. She noticed the way his voice would change when talking about music and she felt safe whenever she could detect his cologne in the air, the way his hands felt when they touched as they played duets together. Baekhyun had long, slender fingers that were perfect for the majestic instrument, as if he was born to play. According to Baekhyun though, he once said he only played as part of his therapy as his psychiatrist suggested it. It helped to calm him although now it was no longer that piano that gave him peace but Aeri. As time went by, Aeri also started to notice specks of pure white decorating the grey. Light was starting to fill her life again.

 

As all good things must come to an end, so did their secret, innocent love. Grandmother came down one winter's afternoon, having finished a lesson early, to find Aeri and Baekhyun playing together. She didn't miss the glances Baekhyun cast towards Aeri nor did she miss the sounds of laughter that came from her granddaughter's lips. It has been a very long time since she heard that music and nothing pleased her more but Grandmother could not miss the fact that the reason for the family's death was in that room having fun and falling in love.

 

Aeri knew instantly that something was wrong from Baekhyun's now stiff body and cold voice. "I'll be taking my leave now Aeri, my lesson is starting", and he left the room.

 

Grandmother noticed the tenderness in which he said Aeri's name and she scoffed inwardly, like she'd let the two be together.

 

"You will poison each other Granddaughter, stay well away from that boy" and with that she too left the room. Aeri was left puzzled for the rest of the day and the raised voices and banging of doors didn't help.

 

That night Grandmother made a rule that Aeri wasn't allowed to leave her room until after ten every night and even then only for an hour. She kept the key with her at all times and locked her door everyday.

 

Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into several months. Oh how Aeri missed the familiarity that Baekhyun provided. Would he remember her? Or even worse does she remember him? Aeri didn't even know what he really looked like to describe to anybody. There was no point in trying to escape when you couldn't even see.

 

When Aeri almost lost hope and stopped counting the days, a tap was heard from the window. She opened it after stumbling around for awhile and long and behold, Baekhyun's scent surrounded Aeri immediately as he hugged her tightly.

 

"Let's get you out", he ushered as he made for the door.

 

Soft clicks could be heard as he started to pick the lock. Baekhyun went out first to make sure it was clear after whispering the words "I'll be back for you".

 

It felt like Aeri was waiting for eons before she heard a scream. Adrenaline pumped through her body as she used her hands to navigate around and finally reached the hallway. More shouting could be heard, a loud thump and all was silent. Aeri's heart was ready to jump out of her chest.

 

"Baekhyun", she hissed. Only silence answered.

 

"Grandmother?", she called out a bit louder.

 

Her hands left the safety of the wall and she stumbled some more. Aeri kept walking forward until she felt warm hands touch hers. She grasped them securely recognising the slender fingers immediately.

"Careful, love. You almost fell down the stairs there".

 

Baekhyun led her away from danger and out to the safety of his car. As they headed out, Aeri asked about the noise that she heard and about Grandmother. Baekhyun reassured her that Grandmother was fine and that there was just a small altercation which ended with her giving Baekhyun permission to take care of Aeri. Of course she believed ever word and didn't question him any further. There was no point in him lying to her or so she thought and yet she missed the slight undertone of tension and what one might identify as pride and glee that laced between his words. Sometimes it pays off to be as naive and innocent as Aeri was. They drove away together as the first snow fell that year.

 

---

 

Who would have thought that the driver that killed her family and also her last living relative would be sitting beside her, grasping onto her hand tightly as if it was his lifeline and taking her away from that house outside the forest. Nobody could've known that he would fall in love with the sole survivor of his crime.

 

It worked out perfectly that Aeri was blind for she couldn't see the headlines of posters and newspapers of Grandmother's body being found at the foot of the stairs, neck twisted.

 

Like the locals say, only death followed that family.

 

This is the story of a blind girl that fell in love with a broken boy.

Love make us all blind as they say.