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Beach

Jeonju, South Korea

          In a way they had opened themselves to each other even more deeply than lovers do. She sat on the wall, barefooted swinging her legs briefly feeling the sand beneath. Her hands trailed across the roses and he watched, as she stayed silent, feeling her surroundings. Only days before he almost lost her and wonders how she could even muster such a gentle smile in spite of everything. Leeteuk brought her to the beach in hopes that it may comfort her away from their lives. He wrapped his arms around her as the wind blew and placed his lips upon her ear.

“Please,” he says. “Tell me what you’re thinking.” It was an absurd request ironically when she was often curious of his thoughts instead. However, she had believed she hid nothing from him.

“Nothing at all.”

Ward 4, Jeonju Hospital

Jeonju, South Korea

          She learned that she couldn’t believe what she sees, but only believe what she feels. She trusted him in a single heartbeat and she knew it would be safe as long as he was there.

“I am not who you think I am, Taeyeon. I had come from Seoul, sent here to recuperate.” There was that implication when he said that and she smiled slightly, a thought running through her mind. Seeing her expression, he came closer to her. "I am supposedly the natural heir my father’s company," he confessed holding her hands to his cheeks.

"I know," she whispered. "I always knew."

He felt relieved that nothing changed between them. She led out a smile and gripped his fingers tighter as if she wanted to hold on to him. “But why did you stay? Why do you volunteer here, Leeteuk? You have a whole world waiting for you.”

“I didn’t want any of it. No fortune. I’d rather stay in a countryside- anywhere, as long as you’re there.” Her heart stirred and she shook her head. Her fingers traced his face and she inched closer placing her head onto his shoulders.

“I knew you were special.”

She felt his heart beat rapidly. “You have touched me so many times, you must have felt my scars and how horrible I look. How can you still say that Tae-“

“Did you know you are so handsome? You have a beautiful heart and the perks of being blind, it doesn’t take sight for granted.” He looked at her blankly.

“I have seen you,” she chuckles. “Or you have showed me, every part of you to say you are the most beautiful person Leeteuk.” For moment where her searching eyes reached his, he felt her yearning to see him. Tears trickled down his cheeks and he embraced her, his face buried underneath her brown hair. How vulnerable he'd felt, how much he'd liked it, being that open, with her. Had he ever felt that close to anyone?

♦♦♦

"You know Leeteuk? Paintings and photographs fascinate me. Moments, captured within a single second and I was never able to see them. However my only pure, lustful, raw want is to read. I would like to read books and writings of people, embark onto beautiful words and stories."

"Mmmhm."

"And I like that. I like how you read to me landscapes and tell your stories. I feel that I'm reading you when all I did was to listen."

"Well then, you are my most attentive listener since I am a bad storyteller, Taeyeon-shi."

"Good for you to know that," she kidded.

Sometimes you wake up from a dream. Sometimes you wake up in a dream. And I had believed, I had seen you in my dreams.

         Taeyeon sat on his lap and she could feel his warm breath onto her ear. He felt how her fingers explored his hands and he wrapped his arms across her waist tighter, resting his chest onto her back and his head on her shoulders.

“Closer,” she whispered.

“Taeyeon…” She felt her ears tingle and whispered, “Closer…”

Her eyes were closed and her head tilted towards the side of his face. His mouth directly upon her ears as his lips brushed her cheek.

“Tae-“

          Nurse Hwang entered the room bringing a clipboard of Taeyeon’s surgery operation. The former smiled at the way she found the two of them in such an affectionate position. Leeteuk placed her onto the bed and he tugged a hair behind her ears. He headed towards Stephanie with his hands in his pocket.

“Good news.”

She passed the clipboard to Leeteuk and he saw the document ensigned by the doctor. It was regarding Taeyeon’s eye surgery in hopes of seeing once again. At the edge of his eyes, a teardrop fell.