SEONGWOO’S POV

Black, pitch black, total darkness. I woke up like I’m on a deep black hole. It feels like I’m trapped on a void and I can’t get out. I can’t see anything, I totally became blind. I wanted to get out but there’s something attached on me that I can’t get up. I heard noises around me, people talking, I can say that they are on a rush. I heard someone’s crying near to me. It was like beside me but I can’t say totally.

“Hyuuuuung~~…” someone is crying. It was a kid, a little boy. He called me hyung. A sudden realization hit me, it was Woojin, noona’s son.

“Woojinnie?! Is that you?” I said out of curiosity. Woojin is 6 years old kid. I expected it to be him, actually. If that’s really Woojin, it means Noona’s here.

“Deh, hyuung…” the kid said as he was still crying. My ears perked up as I confirmed it was him. I spread my arms on my front and tried to find him. I caught him on my right side and hugged him.

“Don’t cry Woojinnie, okay? Hyung is okay, I’m okay. Stop crying now,” I comforted him saying I was okay, I patted his head and he hugged me back. I can say that he is trying to stop his cry because I only hear him sniffing now.

“Good Woojinnie, where’s noona?” I tried to ask him instead he asked me another thing.

“Are you sure you’re okay hyung? Woojin and umma worried a lot for you,” he said to me and he pinch my cheeks.

“Do you see me hyung?” he asked me. It caught me off guard. I can’t say anything, no words came out from my mouth. I don’t know what to say for this kid beside me. I’m trying to find my words but tears filled up my eyes. I can’t say a word and then I felt something that wiped off my tear. It was the soft little hands of Woojin.

“Hyung, don’t cry. Umma said she’ll be back. Umma said she’ll buy food for us. I know hyung is sick, Woojin will take care of hyung, Woojin is strong.” Woojin said to me happily. If only I can see him, I can see his cuteness and his cheeky smile, but no. His innocence and his presence comforted me. I just hugged him and tried to get up and sit beside him. I am just happy that I was not alone right now after I woke up.

“When did you came here, Woojinnie?” I asked him. “Last night, hyung” he answered plainly. I felt that Woojin is doing something beside me. “Woojin, what are you doing?” he didn’t answered but then I felt something wet and cold on my face.

“Woojin is washing you. Hyung still didn’t take a bath since yesterday. It is already morning, hyung must take a bath.” I don’t know where the hell did he learned this things, but I smiled on his sudden actions. He’s still a kid yet he’s already caring, Noona really raised this kid right.

I also didn’t noticed that it was already morning. I can feel now how hard being blind. How can I live starting of now? “Done!” Woojin said happily, I stopped thinking hard and I hugged Woojin again. I tickled him and his laughter soothes myself. We talked a lot as we wait for noona to come back. This kid is really cute, isn’t he?

After few minutes, I heard the door was opened. “Umma!” Woojin let go of me probably going to greet Noona. I flashed a smile, didn’t care if I’m not facing the right direction. She went directly to me and she hugged me tight. I know she’s very lonely and hurt seeing me like this, I’m still such a baby for her.

“Are you okay, Seongwoo-ah?” there’s a hint of sadness over her words.

“Noona, I’m okay, I think I may not still used on this blindness, but sooner I think I can accept my fate.” I said to her, showing her my eye smile. I don’t want her to see my disappointment and sadness that I feel right now.

“I’m sorry if I can’t take care of you well. I’m sorry if I leave you here in Seoul and moved to Japan. I must’ve stayed with you, this wouldn’t happen if I’m with you.” I can feel now that she’s crying, she hugged me again and little Woojin joined too.

“Yah, Ong Seungah, don’t blame yourself! This is my fault okay? If you stayed here, this cute little guy would’ve been in this world.” I just said to him informally and Woojin just laugh out loud while he’s in my lap.

“By the way, are we here in my house?” I asked them. “We’re here in hospital, Seongwoo-ah. The doctor said he’ll be back together with the result of your condition. He also said that you’ll be discharged later this evening” noona said calmly.

After a few hours, the doctor came back on the room. I still had high hope that he’ll said my blindness will be cured however my inner self saying that I must accept my fate.

“How are you Mr. Ong?” the doctor asked me. “As of now, I’m all right doc,” I answered nervously. “Let me tell you the result of your condition, are you ready?” I heard my sister heave a sigh, she’s nervous also like me. I sighed deeply “Yes, doctor.”

“Actually, this is a good news! Your blindness is not permanent. The reason why you experienced this right now is because your retina and pupil has malfunctioned. It is also because you are stressed or depressed. I can say that you’ve been working hard for a living. You only had temporary blindness that would last only for 1 or 2 months. Luckily, you don’t need to take medications, you just need to rest and unwind yourself until you can see again. This would be a warning for you also to take good care of your health. If this happen again, you might have been blind for a lifetime,” the doctor explained enthusiastically.

Wait, am I hearing this right? This blindness is just temporary? I can’t contain my happiness as the doctor said those words. My tears just streamed down only as I heard them, I was very happy.

“I should take my leave, Mr. and Ms. Ong,” I heard the doctor greeted. “Thank you so much, doc” then noona said to the doctor. “You’ll be discharged now,” the doctor went out of the room after he said that.

Few days after I discharged, noona said that she’ll be going back to Japan because she only asked for a 3-day leave. She helped me a lot after the incident. She put some object signs and notices on every part of my house. Even the microwave, so that I can reheat the food that she cooked. The food were good for 3 days, and that is before she’ll come back this weekend. She said that she and Woojin will visit me during weekends. I’m glad that I can do things well, I can still find my closet and can still chose what to wear. I can take a bath, clean my room, use the microwave and put on some music on my mp3 player. Luckily, noona set up my phone so that I can call her easily and answer her calls easily. I’m just very grateful that I still have her on my life. She even bought a clock that can say what time is it every three hours! I just need to be patient until I get my vision back.

During this night, I tried to reheat some of the food that was on the refrigerator. I don’t know what these foods are but I knew noona would cook for my favorites. I tried to find the microwave but clumsily the signs on the buttons and controller of microwave fell off. I tried to use the microwave but I can’t since the signs were gone. I panicked a little and I tried again. I failed again. I became impatient, my anger keeps on rising.

After a few tries and failures, I slam the microwave. I just can’t do it for ing sake. I also slam the container of the food due to my anger. The difficulty of being blind is eating me. I knew to myself that I’m done, I fell asleep on the sofa.

‘The time is 6:00am’ I heard the clock said the time twice with a short beeping sound loud enough to wake me up. I’m still pissed off what happened last night. I get up and walk around to get a cup of coffee (yeah I can still do this thing). I went out to my terrace so that I can feel the cold breeze of morning. It was silent, soothing since I remembered my plants. “Yah, you guys, I’m sorry because I can’t water you always. I’m having a of trouble now, don’t be dead okay?” I talked to my plants. Talking to my plants is one of my relaxation and stress reliever. As I talking to my plants, I heard someone on my balcony.

“Annyeonghaseyo, Hello, Good morning, how are you?” I heard someone talking to me. I can say that it was a guy. He spoke at a Busan accent and he’s speaking English (the hell with this guy). I didn’t respond, I’m still not ready to talk to other people, I’m still bitter being blind.

“I’m a Busan namja by the way, I’m here because I just want to make friends, I just moved here recently, right in front of your house, and I still don’t know anyone in this neighborhood. Luckily, I saw you here, I just want someone to talk with.” He explained. Now he’s talking on a straight Korean. What the hell with this guy, really? Is he making fun of me?

“You speak Korean fluently yet you tried to speak a Busan accent and English, are you crazy?” I nagged out of him. I really hate people who is showing off.

“Ouch, that was harsh, really.” He said with a sound of a little bit hurt. Yep, he’s just totally showing off.

“Who cares?” I said out loud. I’m just having my coffee to chill and then he came. The hell, my day has already ruined.

“My bad, I’m sorry okay. It’s just that I talk a lot. You know, since I’m new here I must make friends with anyone. I don’t want to feel alone also because I don’t like being alone. I already experienced being alone and I knew how sad it was. You know what I saw a convenience store on the corner of this road, they are open 24/7, I bet people were happy because they just need to walk to go there…” he can’t stop telling about making friends and some nonsense things in front of me. I’m sure this guy only wants me to get jealous because he has the freedom.

I just let him talk, I grabbed my cane, got up and I find my way through the door to get in. I smashed the door a little hard and I thought he heard that. “Wait hyung, egg and bacon by the way. I cooked it for you!” he shouted back to me outside the door.

THIRD PERSON POV

Seongwoo was just behind the door. He felt creeped out because of the guy that was just came from nowhere. He thought that the guy was there only to show off and just mocking him. After he became blind, he stopped on his work and he doesn’t really have friends to visit him. He concluded that being a cheerful person doesn’t make him good.

As he sense that the guy was gone, he sighed deeply. He finally decided to clean the mess that he made last night. Fortunately, he cleaned his house, not that perfect though. The clock rang and it said that it was already 12:00PM. Seongwoo felt the hunger since he didn’t ate this morning. Even though he up on microwave, he still tried to heat the food on his fridge. After a few tries, he succeeded to use the microwave and he finally conquer his hunger. He then got out on his terrace after he ate.

“Annyeonghaseyo, hyung!” Seongwoo was shocked and he spilled his water. He almost trip on the chair after the sudden voice that he heard. Seongwoo retreated back inside on his house. “Wait, hyung, I’m sorry. Please, I didn’t mean to surprise you, hyung. I cooked spaghetti maybe you want some!” the guy said but Seongwoo doesn’t really care.

Later this afternoon, Seongwoo got out again on his terrace. He felt that the mysterious guy will appear again.

“Whenever you are, don’t you ever let me see your face again, I mean don’t let me hear your voice again!” Seongwoo exclaimed even though no one is there.

Seongwoo sense that someone is walking towards his house so he immediately said something. “Yah, yah, you, get your face outta here!” he said out loud. The guy replied, “Did I do something wrong?” the person said. Seongwoo noticed it was a different voice so he let out some apologies. Seongwoo really felt embarrass on what he did.

“Who’s that hyung?” a voice said. “Yah, why are you doing this?” Seongwoo was sure that the voice he heard was the guy who had been creep him out. The guy was holding a foldable chair and placed it beside the plants of Seongwoo.

“Are you trying to raid my house?” Seongwoo asked aggressively. “Ouch, that was harsh, hyung. Actually, I just came here because as I said, I want to make friends! I just want to hang out because I don’t know anyone here” the guy said slightly hurt on what Seongwoo have said.

“Find someone then because me, myself, I don’t need any friends, so don’t you ever annoy me again.” Seongwoo got up with his cane and walked to his door.

“Hyung, wait up. Let’s talk please! Hyung wait—I prepared Hoeddeok, I thought that you need something sweet, your face looks sour though,” this time Seongwoo stopped on his tracks and faced the guy.

“When will you stop?” Seongwoo became serious. “Can’t you see, I don’t want to eat your food yet you keep on sending me? Are you that stupid? Don’t you ever had someone to talk with? I’m so done because of you. Go find another person, or perhaps talk with the birds instead of me. You’re just wasting your time talking to a blind…” Seongwoo raged in anger. He slammed the door hard however the guy was still unfazed.

Early in the morning, the guy went again to Seongwoo’s house. The guy noticed that the plants were not watered yet so he decided to water it himself. “Awww, look at you guys, are you trying to sacrifice yourselves from the zombies?” the guy said to the plants as he watered them. The guy cringed on his joke, “Hahaha, sorry, that was corny. But don’t worry I’ll save you,” he continued watering the plants until Seongwoo got out on his house.

“Who’s that?” Seongwoo asked. “Hyung! I already watered your plants because you know they are sacrificing their lives to the zombies—I mean their life are giving up,” the guy said taken aback on his corny joke.

“Did I said that you must water them?” Seongwoo asked rudely. “No—no, I just volunteered myself to do it, because I can’t stand seeing dying plants,” the guy said happily. Seongwoo was just there in silent, the guy continued talking.

“Umm, I’m just here to get the container yesterday. I thought that the food was already spoiled since you didn’t touch them. And, umm, yes I am really stupid, hyung. I don’t know how to cook and I just really wanted to have friends here. Don’t worry hyung, I will not disturb you anymore. Thank you for the time you spend with me even if it’s hurt…” The guy said.

Then there’s Seongwoo, he was already pitied the guy. He felt some guilt coming on him.

“W-wait up, I’m sorry on the harsh things that I said to you yesterday.” Seongwoo said with a hint of concern.

“It’s okay hyung. Actually, I didn’t slept last night because of your cruel words. I thought of those all the time, it hurts inside, really.” The guy said trying to get Seongwoo’s attention.

“I’m sorry, okay. Maybe the best way for us to do is not to talk anymore,” said Seongwoo which is now totally concerned with the guy eating all the guilt he felt.

“Wait hyung, I’m just kidding. Actually, I don’t have any hatred towards you but since you already said sorry, I’m all right now. By the way hyung, I brought ginseng chicken soup with me. You need to taste this, I put effort and have a hard time cooking this you know.” The guy placed the food on the table of the terrace.

“And to give you a proof that it doesn’t have any poison, I’ll join you. If you feel that you are poisoned, you’re free to shout.” Seongwoo now convinced with the guy’s words and positioned himself to the chair.

“They also said that, ‘It’s your intestine, is in your large intestine’. No—no scratch that, what I mean is ‘The man c-can prove himself through h-his intestine’.” The guy was having a hard time saying the quote but still he got it wrong.

Seongwoo chuckled a bit due to the nervousness of the guy. He thought that the guy was cute on saying those words, he laughed a bit and corrected the guy. “You mean, “The way to the man’s heart is through his stomach, you’re silly,”. “Is that so? At least I tried, hahaha” the guy replied.

Seongwoo placed his hands on the container and opened it. The smell of the ginseng soup is very welcoming to his mouth. He grabbed the spoon and took a spoonful on the soup. “Mmm, it's good. It’s been long since I ate ginseng soup.” He said to himself as he tasted the soup.

“Umm, excuse me, hyung? Are you poisoned?” the guy asked on the other side. The guy didn’t join Seongwoo on the table yet he stayed on his foldable chair beside the plants. Seongwoo let out a laugh on the silliness of the guy, he joined the guy’s silliness. “We still didn’t know, maybe it will effect later after 1 hour or maybe tomorrow,” he said with a genuine laugh.

The guy on the other side had his smile from ear to ear. He didn’t expect that he’ll be close with Seongwoo that fast. He just let Seongwoo eat at peace. He doesn’t want to disturb Seongwoo’s lunch. However, he urged himself to say something before he eat also.

“Kang Daniel by the way,” and he rushes to eat.

A/N:

You see, I don't have any knowledge about the eyes so that was just all made up. I'm unsure of it, okay. This is quite a long chapter, I think. Thank you for the subscribers...

Here is the appearance of little Lee Woojin and Kang Daniel!! Hope you liked this chapter..