My name is Park Chanyeol. I’m 24 years old. I’m considered really tall with brown eyes and brown hair. What else is there to say about my life? Well, my life has always been safe, painless… boring. You see there was a really bad epidemic a few decades back, even before I was born. No, it wasn’t zombies, although we might as well be.

There was a terrible epidemic because of all the pollution and the chemical games of the modern world. People started getting sick, like really sick and really, really bad. Seeing people coughing blood became the norm, some would stop breathing altogether without warning. Some people started loosing limbs after their skin turned green and filled with ulcers. Yeah, it was gross and really sad. I’ve never seen it but I’ve heard that there are still people who die like this.

Then like out of a sci-fi movie a big industry came up with a ‘cure’. They opened you up and put a small sphere next to your brain and one in your chest, right between your lung and your heart. Then, just like magic you would heal and never be sick again. If you happen to scrape a knee or get into an accident you would heal between hours. So now we are sort of immortal. That’s if you have the money, of course. The price was very high so many people died because they couldn’t pay for it. The difference in social class became even more obvious and elitist.

These spheres do have an expiration date but you can change them or upgrade them and keep going on. As you can imagine, people here live longer. In fact I’ve only known one person who died. My grandfather decided he didn’t want to upgrade his spheres because he had lived long enough. One day he went to sleep and never woke up. I think my spheres expire in about 80 years from now? Both my parents have good jobs so they put them on me when I was 10 years old. I wasn’t sick it was just as a precaution. The sad thing is I don’t remember anything from before that. Once the spheres go in all your previous memories get wiped out.  

My parents have always taken good care of my sister and me. We live in a nice neighbourhood were nothing ever happens. I have been safely kept in a protective bubble all my life. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very grateful but… but… I don’t know. It just seems like I haven’t seen the real world, as if I’m missing something or as if there was someone other than me inside my head.

Right now, I’m standing in a bus stop. The bus is late. I guess there are some things that will never change; transport system being one of them. Music is blasting through my headphones. There are three others waiting. Two girls looking at pictures in one of their phones and another guy eating Doritos while looking at the girls.

I feel something knock against my left shoe and look to see that another person has joined us. He is walking with a stick scraping and tapping against the floor. He stops and stays completely still. I’ve never seen someone like him before. He is carrying a backpack, is shorter than me, and has really fair skin and black hair. But what really intrigues me is the colour of his eyes. He has blue eyes.  I see his lips move and realize I’ve been staring.

I see his lips move again. No one else is paying attention to him. I take my headphones off.

 

“It gets here?”

 

I hear him say, what was clearly a question.

 

“I’m sorry what was that?”

 

I see him smile and turn a bit to me. He is facing me but his eyes are staring at the air.

 

“I’m waiting for bus E461, could you tell me when it gets here?”

“Ok.”

“Thank you.”

 

Why does he need me to tell him when the bus comes? He is clearly looking ahead.

A bus gets here. Is not his bus or mine but the girls stand up and Doritos guy starts walking too, still his eyes are lingering on the girls’ legs.

Doritos guy doesn’t notice the stick that the guy next to me is holding and trips with it.

 

“Hey! ing watch it!”

 

Everything could have ended at the undeserved insult but I guess he also noticed the clear blue on the eyes of the smaller guy because he looked uncomfortable. Doritos guy then takes the stick and throws it to the street before catching his bus. The guy next to me gasps in fear and lunges forward to get his stick. As in the most inopportune timing my bus arrives.

I see that the small guy with blue eyes is in the middle of the road and he is not moving. The bus keeps coming but he is not getting out of the way. I pull him to the sidewalk and the bus stops next to us.

 

“Are you crazy!? That bus almost ran you over!”

“I’m sorry… I… Can you see my stick? I really need it.”

 

The bus leaves without me in it and I see the guy’s stick broken on the road. The stick is right there. The guy is looking right at it but he is still asking about it.

 

“I’m blind.”

“Blind?”

“I can’t see.”

 

I cold shiver runs through me. I never imagined someone not being able to see. I’ve never met anyone blind before.

 

“How? Why?”

 

The guy next to me tenses a bit and my brain does the math. This means he doesn’t have the spheres. I have never in my life met someone who didn’t have the spheres in them. I realize I’m being rude.

 

“I’m sorry. Um, your stick is broken.”

“What?! No, no no! I really need it!”

 

He looks so desperate right now. Desperate and afraid which also make him look vulnerable.

 

“What do you need it for?”

“It helps me walk. With it I know if there is something or someone in front of me or if there’s a step and so on. Without it I’m truly in the dark.”

“I see.”

 

Oh, wait. Was that insensible to say? I could turn right now and mind my own business. After all this guy’s problems are not my own nor my responsibility. But something about him draws me. I pick his broken stick.

 

“Um, I’m not sure if you can put it back together. Here.”

 

I put the stick in his hands. Our hands lightly rub against each other and I feel a bit of electricity run though them.

 

“Oh gosh. It feels really bad. Does it look bad?”

“Yeah.”

 

The guy sits down and he looks so lost.

 

“Is there someone you can call? Perhaps to bring you another stick or pick you up or anything?”

“No.”

“Do you know where you might me able to fix your stick or get a new one?”

“I know of someone who could help, but I don’t know how to get there.”

 

There is silence between us again.

 

“Maybe I can help?”

 

I see how his face expression changes. From lost to hope.

 

“I don’t want to keep you from your commitments.”

“Don’t worry about it. I have nowhere to be.”

 

And that is entirely true. You see, since I’ve lived such a protected life I have never told a lie in my life. And I was planning on heading home and call it a day at 11:00am.

 

“Ok. Thank you very much. It means the world to me.”

“No problem. What should I do then?”

“The guy who can help is in the East side. Is it far from here?”

“A bit. We will have to walk for a while and then take the train.”

“Ok. Can I take your arm? It will help me walk.”

“Uh, sure.”

 

I lend my left arm and feel how his long fingers hold onto it.

 

“I’m Baekhyun by the way.”

“Chanyeol, nice to meet you.”

 

The guy, Baekhyun, smiles and his face lightens up so much that I find myself smiling back without knowing. He has a really nice smile.

 

~

 

After the walk and train ride – in which we exchange only the necessary small talk - we find ourselves looking for a Mr. Cho at the East side. There are less people in this part of town. There is also someone who I was pretty sure had been following us from across the street but then we stopped and the guy kept walking so maybe I’m just being paranoid because I’ve never been to this part of town.

We find Mr. Cho’s place. From outside it looks like a tailor but there is a grid covering the entrance and a yellow paper that reads ‘Coming back in 15’.

 

“This place is closed.”

“What? Oh no!”

“Uh, there’s a sign that says they will be back in 15 minutes. Maybe we should wait a bit.”

 

27 minutes have gone by and there is no sign of anyone coming back. My stomach is rumbling. Is past midday and I still haven’t grabbed lunch.

 

“Baekhyun~ssi, I’m hungry. There’s a place across the street in which we can grab lunch. Let’s go there, we can just cross the street again when the guy get here.”

“Um, you can go. I’ll just wait for him here.”

“I don’t want to leave you here. And it seems there’s going to rain soon.”

“Oh, ok.”

 

We cross the street. The place is not one I would visit frequently but is warm and it smells good. I help Baekhyun to a chair.

 

“There is not a lot on the menu. There is chicken soup, broccoli soup and dumpling soup. What are you having?”

“I’m ok thank you. You go ahead and eat. I’ll wait.”

 

I have been watching Baekhyun during our journey. His sneakers are worn out and his t-shirt is a tad too big for him and not in a fashionable sense. I think he might be poor. That must be why he doesn’t have the spheres and perhaps that’s why he doesn’t want to eat. Maybe he doesn’t have enough money.

 

“I see.” There I go again. “I’ll be right back.”

 

I place my order and sit back down. The weather is taking a turn for the worst and there is no sign of the guy that we are waiting for.

 

“So, Baekhyun. Were you heading somewhere important when we met? You were waiting for a bus and then we changed destinations.”

“It is important, however no one is waiting for me so I can get there anytime.”

“At what time the place closes?”

“The place doesn’t close at all. You see is not a place but rather a somewhere.”

“Ok, I’m really confused now.”

“I’ll show you.”

 

Baekhyun reaches into his backpack. In the front there’s a small pocket. He opens it, pulls out a postcard and hands it to me.

There is a big mountain in the background with snow covering the top. At the bottom there is a river with a wooden bench in front of it.

 

“Is beautiful isn’t it?”

“This is were you are heading?”

“Yes. My dad sent that to me years ago. I think he still lives there. I hope to find him.”

“Forgive me if I sound rude, I assure you I don’t mean to but, how do you know what’s in the card?”

 

Baekhyun smiles.

 

“I wasn’t always blind. By the time I completely lose my eyesight I had already memorized every little detail of it.”

 

Baekhyun intrigues me and the more he tells me the more curious I become. Before I can keep asking, the food arrives. The lady puts the big pot of dumpling soup in between us and lays down two bowls of rice in front of each. Baekhyun tenses a bit again. The food smells delicious and inviting and I’m sure he is aware of it.

 

“Baekhyun, I know you didn’t want to eat but there is too much food in front of me I can’t have it all, please help me or it will go to waste.”

 

I didn’t lie to him, simply excluded the fact that I bought two portions.

He looks hesitant at first but then a small “Ok” escapes his mouth. I can’t help but smile feeling more relaxed.

 

“Thank you. There is a bowl of rice right in front of your left hand.”

 

He reaches for it. The spoons are next to me so I grab one for each of us.

 

“Here is the spoon.”

 

I put it in his right hand and I feel another tingling running between us as soon as our hands meet. He smiles at me. All his face lits up and I can’t remember anyone that looks this beautiful when smiling.

 

I serve soup for both of us and once more show him where his plate is. From the way he is eating I think Baekhyun was even hungrier than I was.

 

“So, Baekhyun. What’s your family name?”

“Byun. I’m Byun Baekhyun.”

“I’m Park Chanyeol.” “You look very young. How old are you?”

“I’m 24.”

“Oh, me too!”

“Really? What a coincidence. Um, what else do we have in common? Do you have a favourite colour?”

“A favourite colour? I have never though about picking one. Red, maybe?”

“Mine is not a colour exactly but anything bright. I don’t remember much how it used to look but I remember being happy whenever something was bright, even as a kid.”

“I don’t remember much of my childhood.”

“Memories are the only thing I have to go by these days. Good thing about memories is that you always have space to make new ones too.”

“That’s a nice way to put it. I like it.” “You are a very positive person aren’t you?”

“I’m alive. Is enough to be grateful for.”

 

And I find myself smiling at the guy sitting in front of me once more.
 

~

 

We finished our meal and have been waiting outside for another 45 minutes or so. They guy hasn’t showed up and it seems he won’t. There’s a slight drizzle falling but we have been lucky that it hasn’t rained so far.

 

“Chanyeol, I don’t think he is coming.”

“But you need your stick. What should we do? Should we go to a hospital?”

“No, they won’t be able to help. Maybe I can find something else to act like it.”

“Oh, I have an idea. But we need to find a hardware store. Wait here.”

 

I cross the street again and the restaurant lady tells me there is a hardware store in this area and points me in the right direction. So we embark again on our walking journey. Baekhyun is shorter than me so I match my steps to his.

I find myself in the hardware store. I go with the intention of getting better materials but realize I have no real talent in working with woods or power tools so the best possible solution was duck tape.

Baekhyun is sitting in a bench nearby. I notice people giving him strange looks. His blue eyes are not a common sight and while I find them intriguing many could find them unsettling.

 

“Baekhyun, there is a park nearby. Why don’t we go sit there?”

“Ok.”

 

Once in the park I put together his walking stick as best as I can. It looks bad but he might be able to use it. I look up and find Baekhyun looking at me with a small smile. I give myself a moment to stare.

 

“Well, it is as ready as I could get it to be. I’m sorry.”

“You have done more than enough. It wasn’t even your fault but you have come all the way here to help me. I’m really thankful for that Chanyeol.”

 

I feel as cold water starts running down my eyes towards my cheeks. First one, then three then too many to count as it starts raining on us. We stand up and I look for refuge. The nearest roofed structure is a bit far from us. By the time we actually make it there we are soaking wet.

The universe is not on our side, as it keeps getting darker and colder, obvious sign that the night is falling and the rain won’t stop.

 

“What should we do now? Should we try finding a dry cleaning shop?”

“That might take longer. We should find a bathroom and dry as best as we can.”

 

I didn’t even think of a bathroom. Perhaps Baekhyun has experienced this before?

We walk some more until we find a public bathroom.

 

“Is there anyone else in here?”

“No, I don’t see anyone.”

 

I grab some paper towels and start drying my arms when I notice Baekhyun taking of his shirt and putting it under the air dryer.  Again, I didn’t think of that possibility. I feel guilty for looking at Baekhyun more than it was needed. He is so pale his skin looks like porcelain. And he is so skinny. He looks so delicate that I feel like even staring at him would break him. I force myself to look away and emulate his actions. Drying our shirts then our pants as best we can without taking them off.

 

“Do you have more clothes in your bag? Maybe you can at least change your socks.”

“Good idea. I’ll be right out then.”

 

I go out and wait for him. I can hear some noise from inside the bathroom and realize Baekhyun is coughing. Is not something I hear a lot these days. I remember that my grandfather used to do it often when he became old and didn’t have spheres anymore.

 

“Is too dark to keep going.”

“Do you think you can go home from here?”

 

I look at him and realize that I don’t want nor dare to leave him alone. Where is he going to stay? Will he go home too? Would he accept if I pay for a hotel room? Would it be weird to do that?

 

“I’m not so sure. Perhaps is better to return tomorrow.”

“I think I hear trains. Is there a train station nearby?”

 

I look around and to my surprise there is actually a train station close to us.

 

“Yes. How did you know?”

 

He just smiles at me.

 

“Well, lets go there then. I’ll get you coffee.”

 

Inside the train station we stand in a small coffee booth.

 

“What would you like?”

“I’ll have whatever you are having.”

 

I think I see relief in his smile and then he asks for two black coffees. We add sugar and milk to our taste. It’s been such a long time since I’ve had a simple coffee. I usually go for the fancy ones with names I can’t really pronounce and ingredients I’m not really sure what they are. But this coffee actually tastes really nice.

 

“I like my coffee simple I hope you don’t mind. Sometimes we need simplicity in our lives to be happy.”

“I don’t mind at all. Thank you for the coffee.”

 

Baekhyun slurps the rest of his coffee and ends up coughing up again.

 

“We can stay here tonight. The train station never closes and on nights like these the people in charge don’t bother to say anything if they catch you sleeping.”

 

My heart falls immediately. Not at the thought of sleeping here or getting kicked out but by the fact that Baekhyun knows about all this.

 

“Have you slept in train stations often?”

“To be honest, yes. I have done it often. I’m trying to get to my father and I don’t want to spend all my money in places to sleep.”

 

Is that all? Is that all that there is to it?

 

“Ok.”

 

“But I’ve said enough about me already. What about you Park Chanyeol? Tell me about yourself.”

“There nothing I could tell.”

 

Baekhyun’s face falls. He must think I must not want to tell him about me when there is actually nothing much to tell. My life is not very exciting.

 

“Um, let’s see. I study music.”

“Wow, so you are a musician. I’ve never met a musician before.”

 

His smile is back. That’s a relief.

 

“Well, not yet but hopefully I’ll get there.”

“Do you play any instruments?”

“Guitar, the drums, piano.”

“Then you already are a musician.”

“Do you play?”

“No. I never had the chance to learn.”

 

There it is again a rock falling to the pit of my stomach. Why am I so dumb?

 

“Oh.”

“I really like how piano sounds.”

“Yes? I like it a lot too.”

 

~

 

The next morning I wake up to the rumbling of the food carts getting ready to start the day. I open my eyes and I’m confused at first but then notice the boy sitting next to me and suddenly I'm not sleepy anymore. He looks unreal. Even without seeing his eyes he is mesmerizing. He also looks cold. He is shivering and sitting down all into himself like trying to scare the cold away. I put my jacket on him and walk towards the donuts cart, the only one that seems to be brewing coffee already.

When I come back Baekhyun is awake.

 

“Hi, good morning.”

“Hi.”

“It’s a bit cold so I got ourselves coffee and donuts. They are warm. Here.”

 

I hand him a donut in one hand and coffee in the other. I see him hesitate for a moment, just like when we had soup for lunch yesterday. We haven’t eaten since. The smell and warm feel must win the battle because he takes a bite.

 

“Thank you.”

“Not at all.”

 

~

 

After our small breakfast we are on the move again.

 

“I can’t believe we made it all the way here just to fix my cane with duck tape.”

 

He laughs and I join him.

 

“Will you be ok? Once we go to where we started?”

“I will.”

“Tell me more about the place where you are going.”

“Well, it’s the place where the mountains and the river meet. Is a place where you can smell the flowers blooming on the shadow on a snowy mountain. The air is supposed to be so clean that it will take you some time to adjust to it but there is no purer thing in the world. Is a place where the rumble and bustle of the city doesn’t exist so you can hear nature to the fullest. The birds, the wind, the river. I imagine if you concentrate hard enough you could hear the wings of the butterflies.”

“Sounds really perfect.”

“Yeah. I wish I could see it. It must be like paradise.”

 

The look on Baekhyun’s face is enough to light up an entire city. I wish I could see this place too.

 

“What’s your route to get there?”

“I need to go to the Central Bus Station. Then I will have to change buses in different cities.”

“The Central Bus Station? That is actually very close by.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Come, I’ll take you.”

 

We arrive at the station and I help him buy his ticket and sit on the bus.

 

“Well, I guess this is goodbye. Thank you for everything Chanyeol. It was wonderful to meet you.”

 

Baekhyun extends his hand and I take it.

 

“Take good care of yourself Baekhyun.”

 

He smiles and I go down the bus. I feel really sad. I have experienced parting with people before. A few friends from school, my family when I moved and even my grandfather when he died so I don’t understand where this is coming from.

I stand outside the bus just watching him. He takes the postcard out of his bag and rotates it in his hands touching all the corners. Now I can see why is so worn out. I see a woman getting on the bus and shying away from him when she sees him coughing. She sits far away from him like he offends her. It gets me really mad. So I run.

 

~

 

The bus is about to close its doors when I return. The bus driver gives me a tired look but let me on just the same.

I sit next to Baekhyun.

 

“Wow, I almost didn’t make it.”

“Chanyeol?”

“I want to see it, this place you keep talking about. Can I come with you?”

“Are you sure? Don’t you have school? What about your family?”

“It’s ok.”

 

Baekhyun nods and smiles at me.

There is nothing much I can do now. The bus is already moving and it won’t stop until a few hours when we will already be far from here. I ran to get my ticket and some food and made it just in time to embark on this crazy trip with this beautiful boy.

I wake up after a few hours on the bus. Baekhyun is coughing again.

 

“Baekhyun? Here have some water.”

 

He drinks from it but it doesn’t seem to help him very much. At least he stopped coughing. I wonder if he is ok?

 

“When did you get water?”

“Back at the station. I got snacks too. So, what would you like? Prawn crackers or chocolate cookies?”

“I’m ok thank you.”

“Ok.”

 

I open the prawn crackers and start eating.

 

“Baekhyun can you show me your palms?”

 

He shows me, a curious expression on his face. I put a few crackers on his hands.

 

“What’s this?”

“Prawn crackers.”

“And what am I supposed to do with them?”

“Eat them of course.”

 

He scoffs in disbelief but eats them non-the less.

 

“Baekhyun?”

“Hum?”

“Do you have any more family? Beside your father I mean.”

 

I can tell I’ve reached a touchy subject because his posture changes and he looks uncomfortable.

 

“My mom is still alive. Or so she was when I left.”

“Is she ok with you going so far away?”

“She doesn’t know where I am.”

“How so?”

“I ran away from home. It’s been a couple of years now, about two I think. My mother, well she is not a good person and we didn’t have a very healthy relationship so I decided to go my own way. Is the best thing I did, otherwise I’m not sure I would be alive right now.”

“She didn’t try to stop you?”

“She used to spend her nights out or she would be highly intoxicated. So I don’t think she noticed when I left.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

 

I stay silent for a moment.

 

“Were you blind when you ran away?”

“Back then I could still see shadows if there were things or someone in front of me but I had lost most of my eye sight.”

“So you’ve lived two years on your own.”

“Basically.”

 

We stay silent one more time.

 

“I’m sorry I told you all that. It changed the mood completely. But really I’m ok. I’m happy.”

“No, thank you for sharing them. I’m glad I get to know you better.”

 

His smile is back. I’m always relieved when Baekhyun is smiling.

 

“Baekhyun, can you show me the top of your hands?”

 

His curious expression is back but he pulls up his hands and shows me.

I put a cookie in top of each hand.

 

“Chanyeol, what is this now?”

“Cookies, I can’t possible eat them on my own.”

 

And he laughs again. And I sit next to him smiling like a fool.

 

~

 

We arrive at another town. Is already noticeable the change in scenery. There are more trees and the buildings are less tall. We need to change buses here but we have some time before that. I pick out my phone and dial my mother’s number. She answers on the fourth ring, as usual.

 

“Hello? Chanyeol?”

“Hi mom.”

“Hi baby, why didn’t you call yesterday?”

“Sorry, I was busy and got distracted.”

“Alright, but, are you ok?”

“Yes. Listen, I will be away for a while. I met someone and we are going on an adventure.”

“Oh, wow, ok. Sounds like fun. Be very careful, anything you need just call and don’t go to far or into any dangerous place. You have the credit card we gave you, right?”

“Yes, thanks mom. Love you.”

“Love you too baby. Be safe.”

 

We end the call and I return next to Baekhyun.

 

“We still have a few hours to the next bus. What should we do?”

“Is there a park around here? Maybe we can sit there?”

“No, there doesn’t seem to be any. There is a mall. Let’s go there.”

“Ok.”

 

There are not many people on the mall so we can walk peacefully without people bumping into us.

 

“This place is a bit small but is nice.”

 

Baekhyun just nods.

 

“Have you been to many malls?”

“No, it is a bit difficult for me to get through them so I don’t go there.”

“Oh. Well, I’ll be your eyes. I’ll let you know how it is.” “To your right there is a clothing shop. There is one mannequin dressed with a skirt that reaches the calf and there is a kid hiding under the skirt. His mom is looking for him but the kid is just laughing, convinced they are playing a game.”

 

Baekhyun laughs.

 

“To your left there is a bench. There are three old men sitting in it. One is reading the paper, the other one is asleep, I hope. And the third one is scowling at everyone. And now he is looking at us. Oh gosh, let’s walk faster.”

 

We walk away from the old men and go up the electric steps. All the restaurants are here.

 

“We are walking next to a pizza place. The slices look cold but the light make them look very delicious. Now we are next to the Thai food, where the employee looks very bored and like she would kill you if bother her.”

 

The smell was helping with my description and Baekhyun was still smiling brightly.

 

“There is a hamburger place here. There is a kid practically climbing up his dad to get to the toy in his meal. Now we are walking next to the ice cream place. There is a guy sticking his out so that his melting ice cream won’t fall on his clothes, and he is trying to eat it fast. He will probably get a brain freeze.”

“Now, there are two places left. Ramyun place and Chicken place. The ramyun place looks hot, literally. And there are two people waiting for their food. One of them is looking at his watch and tapping his foot, the other one just looks hungry. On the chicken place there is one person ordering and fresh chicken coming out. Now the question is, which one should we eat?”

“I’m sorry?”

“Chicken or Ramyun? Which one do you want?”

 

I saw him hesitate, again. I can tell he wasn’t planning on eating anything but I will make him eat as much as I can as long as I can.

 

“Chicken?”

“Oh thank you. It would have broken my heart if you said ramyun. The chicken looks very good right now.”

“Then why didn’t you just choose?”

“Is your mall experience, it should be your choice.”

“Ok, then I think I’ll change my mind.”

“Huh?!”

“I’m kidding.”

 

~

 

After our delicious chicken meal we walk some more. Whenever there is something interesting I’ll describe it to Baekhyun.

We stop when I see a music instruments shop.

 

“Baekhyun let’s go in here.”

“Smells like wood.”

“Yes it does. It’s a music shop. There are guitar and bases all over the walls; over here we have some saxophones, trumpets and flutes. And here is what I was looking for.”

 

I guide Baekhyun so he doesn’t trip and sit him in front of a piano, taking a seat next to him. I play a classic. Yiruma’s ‘River Flows In You’.

Halfway into the song I feel Baekhyun hug himself to my arm and rest his head on my shoulder.

 

“Thank you for everything Chanyeol.”

 

I look at him and see tears in his eyes but a smile on his face.

 

~

 

We are back in another bus, outside is pitch black and everyone around is sleeping when I hear him cough again.

 

“Are you ok?”

“Yeah, is just, I think I have a cold or something.”

“Do you need me to do anything?”

“No. It will go away, don’t worry about it.”

 

I have no experience with colds since I don’t get them and haven’t met anyone that could get a cold before. I understand a little bit about it since I search it on my phone.

 

“Chanyeol?”

“Yes?”

“What is the must fun you’ve ever had in your life?”

“That’s a weird question. Let me think… Maybe, yeah, last year I was at sitting at the university with some friends. I had my guitar, just jamming and playing whatever melody came into my head, and then some other students joined us and started playing too. So we spent like an hour just making music.”

“That’s sounds amazing.”

“How about you?”

“Me? Well, there is one moment in which I remember being so happy that even breathing was a bit hard. When I was a kid I lived near a big slope in which people used to roll down in sleighs and so, and there was this kid called Kim Junmyeon that had the best sleigh in town. He was fast and no one could beat him. But one day I took a big pot from my mom’s kitchen and sat inside it. Everyone laughed at me at first but still I went against him and won. I can still remember the wind hitting my face and just the adrenaline of the moment. When I got back home my mom beat me up real hard but later my dad bought me ice cream. It was a great day.”

 

Baekhyun smiles and it’s like he is radiating light as how happy he is.

 

“Isn’t it weird, how the most simple things are our greatest moments?”

“Yeah, you are right. You remember your childhood?”

“Yes. You don’t?”

“No, I… the spheres. I can’t remember anything from before I was 10.”

“Oh.”

“You don’t have them? The spheres I mean.”

“No. We couldn’t really afford them but I don’t want them either.”

“Even if they could help you see again?”

“There are so many things to give up. I don’t want to lose my memories. They are precious to me, I don’t want anyone taking them.”

“I understand. Sometimes I feel like something is missing.”

 

I feel his hand on mind, comforting me. Funny, I have everything and he has nothing but I feel like it’s the opposite.

 

“Tell me Chanyeol, what has been the most crazy thing you’ve ever done?”

“This.” I laugh.

“Yeah, me too. But I’m glad I did. I met you as well.”

 

Is like our thoughts are connected. I am also glad I came on this trip and I am grateful that I met Baekhyun.

 

~

 

We arrive at the next town. Baekhyun is asleep next to me, but when I go shake him awake I notice he is covered in sweat. I touch him and he feels really hot. When I finally get him to wake up he looks hazy and confused. This can’t be good, or normal so I take him to a small hospital in town.

I sit him in a chair and go to the nurse’s station. There is someone sitting there with headphones on, watching videos on a phone.

 

“Uh, hello?”

 

The nurse looks at me, a bored expression on his face as if mad I’m interrupting whatever he is doing.

 

“I have someone here who needs help.”

 

He looks towards Baekhyun.

 

“He has to wait his turn.”

 

I look back; there is no one else beside us there. Hospitals are not a popular place; many people don’t need them anymore but the government requires to at least being one hospital per town.

 

“Please, he is really hot and is not acting like himself. He is sweating a lot and I barely got him to wake up. He thinks he has a cold and he is blind.”

“Like I said, he has to wait his turn. Put his name on this list and wait to be called.”

 

The nurse goes back to his video, ignoring me completely. I write down Baekhyun’s name and sit beside him.

We wait, and wait and wait. I give Baekhyun some water but he refuses anything else. His head rests against my shoulder and I can feel the heat radiating from him. His coughing has returned and is getting worst.

Three people burst through the doors. Two of them look young – a man and a woman – there’s also an older man. They walk to the nurse’s station.

 

“Hello, my father’s sphere seems to be out of place, he has a bump in his head and he was feeling dizzy this morning.”

 

I hear the woman say to the nurse and he speak back to them. The nurse gets up and escorts them inside.

I can’t believe what I’m seeing. I pass the nurse’s station and go inside. For a while there’s no one but then I hear a lot of people laughing and singing. A group of nurses and doctors are gathered in a small room singing happy birthday to one of them. They have a cake and everything. They look so laid back as if they have nothing else to do.

I feel anger rising in me. I go back outside, grabbing a blanket on my way out. I put it on Baekhyun who reacts to it.

 

“Chanyeol, what is it?”

“I’m going to speak with the doctor now. Here, so you can listen to some music.”

 

I put my headphones on him and even on his state he gives me a weak smile. My heart twists in knots.

I walk back in and knock on the door where the group of people are. They look startled that someone is there. But the nurse from the reception desk recognizes me.

 

“Sir, I told you to wait.”

“I’ve been waiting for nearly two hours. You even let someone else go before us.”

“That was an emergency.”

“Is my case not an emergency? Is he not important? There are many of you here, surely one can check on him.”

“Sir, go back to the waiting room or we will be forced to deny service.”

 

I get so frustrated I just go back, I’m fuming, so so angry. I don’t remember ever being this infuriated in my entire existence. There is a human being who needs help, but they are choosing to ignore him. I stop once I get to the door leading to the waiting room. For once I’m grateful that Baekhyun is blind. I stand there, watching him. He looks so small and fragile. Just sitting there with my big headphones on, holding tightly to the blanket. He looks like he is in pain. It hurts, seeing him like this. And right now I’m thankful that he can’t see me cry. I cry and it resonates through the empty hallways, a desperate sound of frustration and sorrow.

When I compose myself I sit back next to Baekhyun who notice my presence once more.

 

“Chanyeol, let’s just go. I don’t want to stay here. I need to get to my destination.”

“Ok, let’s go.”

 

We stand up.

 

“Where should we give this back?”

 

He is holding up the blanket that I took earlier.

 

“We can take it. I’m sure they won’t mind.”

 

I put it on top of his shoulders and we walk out of the hospital and find ourselves walking in the cold night.

 

~

 

We take another bus and then we walk some more. Baekhyun is only getting worst, even his mind is not very clear. Every town is smaller than the previous one. Soon is more difficult to find shelter. That’s how we find ourselves sitting in an alley between to buildings to spend the night.

We sit next to each other, his head on my shoulder. The blanket we took covering both of us.

 

“Chanyeol, are we there yet?”

“No, not yet.”

 

I look at him and see the disappointment in his eyes. There is something really off about him, like something is really wrong.

 

“Where are we?”

 

I look around. From here I can see a guy peeing in the street across from us. He is wasted and stumbles as he walks away. There’s also a stray dog rummaging thru the piled garbage bags. The building next to us is abandoned and I saw a group of junkies on our way here. I look to the sky and even at night is darker than usual. This place is sad, grey, forgotten.

 

“Here? This place is amazing Baek, I wish you could see it. Is no match to your paradise from the post card but is second to it. The buildings are two stories high each, all made in bricks and outside there are these beautiful lampposts covered in flowers. From where we are sitting I can see a very big three. It looks really old but majestic. Like the entire place is made around it. There is a park close by and there was even a pond with ducklings. Can you believe it? Ducklings!

 

I look at him, and there is a smile in his face, so I go on.

 

“There is not a single piece of trash and there are these fairy lights just hanging around the whole place. Is like the stars have come down to watch over the entire town.”

“Then, I’m glad I’m here and I’m glad I have you to be my eyes in the dark.”

 

Baekhyun puts his hands around my arm and I feel suffocated by the desire to burst out crying once more. I’ve never told a lie in my life, but I simply could not bear to tell him the truth.

 

“Don’t go to sleep yet. Talk to me a while longer.”

 

I don’t know why, but I feel the urge of keeping him awake.

 

“But I feel really tired.”

 

I caress his hair.

 

“Just a while more.”

 

He makes a soft noise.

 

“Baek? Baekhyun?”

 

I feel Baekhyun relax next to me as he goes to sleep.

 

 

~ The End ~