eleven

Well, Mrs. Kim sure does right when she said that Jongin wouldn’t come out from the house – Yeoreum should have expected that, but she wasn’t surprised when she saw the boy’s reaction when she had asked him to go out together.

“I’m not going.”

To say that Yeoreum was disappointed was an understatement. Disappointed, but not surprised.

“It’s just the supermarket.” She mumbled, trailing behind Jongin who was making his way back to his room. They had just finished breakfast – the one where she packed from her house, when she blurted out the idea. Jongin declined of course, quickly leaving the kitchen as soon as possible. His palm rested on the wall as he guided himself.

He snorted. “I don’t know where you got that idea, but I’m not going.”

“Why won’t you? It’ll be fun.” She muttered, staring at how he was busy trying to open the door and quickly she turned the door knob, opening the door for him in which he just grunt in return, mumbling something under his breath but she couldn’t really hear it.

“It’s not fun. It won’t be.”

She had frowned at the flat tone that the boy gave. “How did you even – ”

“ – listen,”

Yeoreum abruptly stopped, thanking her quick reflexes or she might end up bumping to the boy’s back when he suddenly stopped walking.

“I may treat you a bit different than the rest of my helps, but it doesn’t mean that you could do everything that you wanted.”

She scowled.

“It’s your ing idea to go and buy some stupid things for the kitchen, so you go by your own!”

“Excuse you, whose idea is it to want to eat like a ing normal person?”

Jongin’s nostrils flared as she smirked.

“You not going with me, that’s mean that I won’t be buying any food for your stupid self. I’m doing this for you, not me – but you.”

His jaw slacked but he shook his head. “Nope. I’m not going.” He whirled around, almost bumping the corner of his bed if it wasn’t for her who pulled him back.

“Look, it’s just a shopping. What could go wrong with it?”

He pulled his arm back, a mocking smile on his lips. “That. Shopping. That’s what’s wrong.”

“What? You are scared of shopping or something?”

“No. The fact that I will be going out blind is what I’m scared of. I couldn’t even survive in my own house, you think I could be surviving outside?”

Yeoreum pressed her lips into a thin line. Her arms dropped to her side as she watched him. Noticing her silence, Jongin scowled.

“Don’t you even dare to feel sympathy or say some stupid positive s.”

She rolled her eyes at that. “I’m not even going to say some stupid positive s.” She mocked back using his tone. “I was just sorry that you had to feel like that.”

“I thought I told you not to feel sympathy for me.”

“I’m human, stupid. I feel sympathy! I couldn’t help that!” she rolled her eyes, but still glancing at him afterwards.

“Well, I don’t need that.”

She just looked at him struggling to go the bed, grasping at nothing and she wanted to help so badly but she just stared – because he will just scold her later if she tried to.

“You know, there are lots of people that are blind, but still could be seen outside…”

Jongin sighed, sitting on his bed. “Well, I’m not like them. I deal things differently.”

“Is locking yourself in your house the way you deal with it?” Yeoreum had to curse herself for voicing that out loud and Jongin scowled, seemed amused and a tad surprised by the sudden comment.

“If that makes me unable to meet other people, then yes.”

She blew a raspberry. “You can’t stay like this forever, you know…”

“I rather stay like this forever than going out and deal with people staring at me like I’m an alien.”

“How do you even know that they stare at you like that?”

“I know…”

She sighed. “Fine!” she raised her hands in surrender and Jongin sighed in relief at that until she spoke up.

“Let’s make a deal.”

He groaned. “I don’t want another stupid deal.”

But Yeoreum didn’t mind that as she spoke again,

“You help me with the groceries and I will treat you to a fast food and coffee.”

Jongin groaned, palming himself. “I can’t believe this.”

“Believe it, young man.” Yeoreum chirped and he scowled, adding an I’m older than you before groaning again.

“This is stupid. I take back my words, I’m not going.” He was about to whirled around when Yeoreum swiftly caught his arms back, and grinned when he sighed.

“You already make a deal.”

“More like you forced me too…” he muttered but Yeoreum didn’t mind and hissed in annoyance when she can’t reach the top of his head and tugged his arms forcefully.

“Jeez, why are you so tall?”

“More like you are so short.” Jongin groaned when he felt a jab on his shin, hissing in pain but the girl didn’t seemed like she cared because she kept on tugging his arms again and he sighed, bending down just a bit so that she could get what she wanted.

And just then, she could feel the warmth around his head and he blinked. He could see like a shadow in front of him – like a tip of a cap and he blinked away fast. “You put a cap on me?”

She was silent for a moment and he almost thought that she doesn’t want to answer him until she hummed a bit, before tugging his arms again and placed on what it feels like a glasses.

“What the hell are you trying to do?” he sighed.

He didn’t even know what she was trying to do – when he had agreed that he will be going, she seemed to have something in her mind as she quickly ran somewhere before forcing him to go to the bathroom and changed.

And when he was there, he could feel the clothes hanged exactly at where she had described. He had gazed through the clothes, of course – wanting to know which clothes that she had choose in fear that she just choose something that would embarrassed him.

But it feels like she was picking up the good ones,

He could feel on what it seems like a leather jacket and he assumed it was his black leather jacket that he had kept because he only has that leather jacket.

And pants – jeans, which felt normal, belt and shirt that he just assumed was appropriate enough to wear. It takes time for him to change, but he managed.

“I’m dressing you up so nobody will give you looks.”

Yeoreum just beamed proudly when she said that. She could feel Jongin feeling confused, but she didn’t mind that and just focused on the art that she had made. She swore, she had the perfect fashion sense.

A simple tee, black leather jacket and jeans. It was simple, but he looked so good in it and even more when she forced him to wear the sunglasses – that she managed to found in his wardrobe and the cap – lowered down. His shoes were already tied – she struggled to tie the shoes, but still managed thankfully.

Jongin doesn’t look like a visually impaired, he looked like an idol wanting to go for his airport runaway.

And that’s what she wanted.

Feeling content with what she had made, she opened the door, “Come…”

“I hate you.” Jongin groaned and tried to walk forward. He felt embarrassed because he didn’t know where to go and was clueless on just where to start, but Yeoreum was there because she suddenly held his arm and he didn’t want to admit, but it was a tad calming.

“Hold me. I’m here.”

Loud.

That was it.

Just loud.

He could hear the sounds bustling around, people talking, cars driving – but he felt suffocated by it and mildly frustrated – because he couldn’t see anything about it. Also, he just wanted to bawl himself out because he really didn’t know where he was going and not even a clue.

This frustration was building up and he swore he almost cursed out loud and yell loudly if it was for that soft tug on his arm. So, he swallowed hard and hanged his head down, just following the girl’s direction.

Jongin didn’t know if she was really a slow walker or just trying to keep up with him – in which he didn’t know if he should be thankful or just scold her for that. But she was walking a tad slow and it wasn’t hard for him to keep with her.

She hadn’t let go of his arms since they left the apartment – the city noises and her cheerful we are outside the apartment kinda gives him the clue that they are already out, and Jongin was a tad thankful to that.

But it seemed like the girl didn’t even know where she was going because she had asked where was the near supermarket to which he just scowled and said how the hell was he supposed to know to which she just replied with a you’re jerk.

So, they have been walking for god knows how long. Jongin hadn’t had a walk that was so long since he went blind and was a bit exhausted. He was so close to snap when she cheeringly yelled we’re here!

He didn’t know why he was smiling when he heard that. He didn’t know if he was happy to hear her cheerful yells or just happy that they finally arrived and he could get feel the AC. It wasn’t that hot outside, but a nice AC would be nice after that long walk.

And it seemed like she was so excited because she immediately tugged his arms and just because of that – he felt her hand slipped from his arm and went right to his palm and instead of holding it normally, he tightened it – feeling the same comfort that he once felt.

“Okay, now…what should we buy?”

Jongin pursued his lips, not wanting to lie – but he felt a bit cold knowing that he wasn’t holding her hand anymore and was now pushing the cart with her on the side. He sighed.

“I don’t care. Just pick anything.”

“Jeez, I can feel your enthusiastic energy.”

He heard her remarks and although feeling a bit amused, he sigh