Soohyun paces, not even noticing the few hospital staff that maneuver around him with practiced ease. He’d tried sitting but that had proved too hard. Ever since Marina had disappeared behind the doors leading to the operating room, he’d been jittery. Jimin isn’t much better, having already shredded half of a pamphlet into tiny pieces. Jacob’s eyes are closed as he leans back in his chair, but his body is too tense to be asleep. Only Sarah seems calm, occupying herself with a bit of knitting. 

“How long is this thing supposed to last?” Soohyun mutters, glancing towards the doors again.

“It’s only been half an hour, Soohyun,” Sarah gently reminds him, counting her stitches. “The doctor said this surgery might take a little longer than normal because of the delicacy of the operation.”

“I know,” he sighs, temporarily stilling. “Making confetti?”

Jimin blinks, realizing he’s talking to her, and looks down at her lap. “Oops.”

“Jimin, would you mind getting me something to drink, please?” Sarah asks.

Looking relieved to have something to do, the young woman jumps up, remembering the paper in her lap just in time to stop it from falling on the floor. “Sure. What would you like?”

“Just water, please. Thank you.”

“No problem, Mrs. S. One water, coming up. Soohyun, you want one too?”

“No, thanks.” With that, he gets back up and resumes his pacing.

Shrugging, Jimin dumps the paper in a trashcan and sets off.

Sarah nudges her son. “Jacob, why don’t you go get something too. Stretch your legs.”

Unsurprisingly, his eyes open immediately. “Okay. I’ll be right back, Mom.” Giving Sarah’s hand a quick squeeze, he goes down the hallway.

As soon as he rounds the corner, Sarah catches Soohyun’s eye, patting the chair beside her. “Please sit.”

Obediently, he takes the seat, his legs still jiggling with energy.

With a soft smile, she lightly places a hand on his knee. “She’ll be fine, Soohyun. Nothing’s going to happen to our Marina.”

“I know.” Sighing, Soohyun forces himself to be still. “I know.”

“Good.” Retracting her hand, she nonetheless retains her command of his attention. “Were you able to get these upcoming weeks off?”

Momentarily thrown by the change of subjects, he responds, “Um, yes. My manager and I confirmed it with our company president yesterday. He gave me the month.”

“So you won’t have any activities during that time?”

“I mean, I get the script and music for the musical in two weeks and we have biweekly rehearsals start in three weeks, but otherwise no. No group activities.”

Sarah returns her gaze to the yarn in her lap for a few breaths before looking at Soohyun again. “Are you still willing to take care of Marina while I’m gone?”

“Yes!” Soohyun forces himself to calm down enough to stay in the chair. “Of course I am. You decided to let her stay with me?”

“Yes,” she says with a nod. “After talking with Dr. Choi, I think leaving her with you is what’s best for her. Coming with me would be too stressful. Marina is starting to hate the hospital and I don’t want to force her to stay here. It’s too much to ask any of our neighbors or Jimin to watch her. I haven’t told Jacob yet, but he’s going to have to respect my decision.”

“Thank you, Sarah.” He quickly hugs her, almost ecstatic at finally feeling useful. “Thank you for trusting me.”

Patting his back as she returns the hug, Sarah replies, “I know you love Marina as much as Paolo did. I think he’d have wanted it this way.”

“I’ll take care of her, I promise.”

“It’s going to be a lot of work and a lot of adjusting on both your parts,” she says as they break the hug. 

“I know. I’m ready,” he answers confidently.

Sarah smiles that gentle smile again. “I know you are. Dr. Jang promised she’d get me post-surgery care instructions so we can go over those together. She also said she’d include some for in case... Marina still has sight problems.”

“She doesn’t think the surgery’s going make Marina see again?” Soohyun frowns. “But she said it’s hemorrhages or lesions that can cause permanent blindness. Marina just has a blood clot.”

“Which should only be causing problems in one eye, not both.”

“So they still think it’s a least partially somo- psychological blindness.”

“Somatoformic, yes. Dr. Choi seems to think so. That’s why he recommended getting Marina out of here as soon as possible and surround her with what’s familiar and normal so she can begin readjusting and recovering.”

Suddenly worried, Soohyun asks, “Will it be all right for her to stay in my apartment then? She knows me and Hoon, but the apartment itself will be strange.”

“Dr. Choi said it seems the people are more important than the physical place in Marina’s case. I’m going to stay here for a few days after the surgery so she gets some time at home before you take her.” Sarah takes a deep breath, her eyes gaining a slightly wet shine. “Admittedly, it might be harder for her at home with Paolo gone... I haven’t had the heart to pack away his things yet.”

“I understand.” Offering her a tissue, he continues, “Whatever I can help with, I will. How’s Rose doing?”

She accepts the tissue and wipes at her eyes. “It’s finally sinking in that her father is gone, so not too good, but she’s a plucky little trooper.”

“She learns from her mother.”

Sarah has enough time for a smile before Jimin and Jacob round the corner together, quickly rejoining her and Soohyun. The group lapses into silence again, though the air is one more of resigned waiting than the same tension as before. Two hours later, the surgeon emerges from the double doors, causing the small group to come to their feet.

“How is she?” Sarah asks, catching Jimin’s hand as the two men crowd close as well.

“She’s fine,” the surgeon assures them, giving a tired smile. “We were able to remove the blood clot with no complications.”

Everyone’s shoulders sag in relief.

“She’ll be moved back to her room shortly and probably sleep the rest of the day. Dr. Jang will be able to remove the bandages tomorrow.”

“Thank you, doctor.”

“I hope your daughter has a full and speedy recovery.” With a small incline of his head, the surgeon excuses himself.

Jacob takes direction as the small group stands still in the wake of the end of their vigil. “We should go back to Marina’s room.”

“I’ll be there in a minute. I have to call Yongsool to tell him,” Jimin says, looking to Sarah as if unwilling to leave her.

Soohyun places a hand on Sarah’s shoulder, gently nudging Jimin from her place by Sarah’s side. “It’s ok. We’ll see you there.”

Assured, she nods before heading towards the stairs.

Jacob slips his mother’s arm under his as the trio goes to the elevator, Soohyun falling a little behind. The elevator’s slowness proves frustrating, but they still beat Marina back to her room. Taking his usual post in a chair by the empty bed, Soohyun distracts himself from his impatience by creating a mental list of things he’ll need to do to take care of Marina. The opening of the door what seems like a few minutes later interrupts those thoughts, making him jump.

As the nurses wheel the bed in and prepare to slip Marina on to the bed, Soohyun stops them. “I’ll do it.”

Glad when they oblige without protest, he steps up and carefully lifts Marina’s slumbering form from the sheets. As Soohyun sets her in the bed, he can tell she’s lost a considerable amount of weight since she entered the hospital. He adds making sure she eats a lot to his list. Pale beneath her dark skin and with the white bandages carefully wrapped around her face to cover her eyes, Marina looks like a tired Lady Justice, resting from caring her heavy scales. Soohyun sits again, taking Marina’s hand and pressing a kiss to it as Sarah arranges the blanket, Marina’s cheek.

“Do you think it worked?” Jacob asks, standing at the foot of the bed.

“We’ll know when she wakes up,” Sarah replies, her eyes not moving from Marina’s face. With a prayer so soft Soohyun can barely hear it, she adds, “Please let her see. Please.”

“Are you ready, Marina?”

“It doesn’t really matter if I am or not, right? Can’t leave them on forever.” Marina’s joking tone is belied by her tight grip on Soohyun and Sarah’s hands.

Yongsool’s arms tighten comfortingly around Jimin’s tense shoulders. Jacob stands behind his mother, still as a statue. The surgery might as well have been a few minutes ago instead of yesterday afternoon.

“I’ve dimmed the lights and closed the blinds so your eyes will be able to adjust easier,” Dr. Jang explains in a calm voice as she steadily snips through the binding around Marina’s head. “They might hurt from the sudden exposure to light, but the pain will be temporary. I’m going to start unwrapping, but if you need me to, tell me to stop. Just take your time to open your eyes. There’s no rush.”

Marina exhales. “Do it.”

The small hospital room nearly thrums with suspense as the bandages slowly fall away. When the last swath of cloth falls away, the group waits with bated breath. Marina slowly exhales again, her shoulders stiffening before loosening. With excruciating slowness, she opens her eyes.

She quickly shuts them with a disappointed face. “It’s all gray. I can’t see anything,” she says in a small voice.

“Gray is better than black,” Dr. Jang sensibly points out. “Try again, Marina. You, please crack the blinds on that window, but just a little.”

Yongsool hurries to do as the doctor asks. “Like this?”

“A little more. There, stop. All right, Marina, try.”

Soohyun squeezes Marina’s hand.

That seems to give her the strength to open her eyes again. Marina squints, but keeps her eyes open and stretches out a finger, pointing. “There’s a lighter patch of gray, right there.”

“Open the blinds a little more.” Dr. Jang waits until the room is half lit by the mid-morning sunshine, keeping an attentive eye on Marina’s eyes and face. “Stop.”

Sarah runs a worried thumb over Marina’s wrist as the young woman winces and bites her lip. “Honey, you can close your eyes. It’s okay.” 

“I’m fine. It only hurts a little,” Marina replies, giving her mother an attempted smile.

“Excuse me.” Dr. Jang moves around the bed, bending around Sarah to examine Marina’s eyes more closely. “Light sensitivity is another good sign, but don’t overtax yourself. Close your eyes for me.”

Marina complies.

“And open. Your pupils are dilating. Good, good. Keep your eyes open a little longer this time. Tell me what you see. Faces? Shapes? Colors?”

Soohyun can almost feel Marina straining to see something, anything, as her hazel eyes flick everywhere. Her desperation is manifested in the increased speed of her pulse that beats against his. All the silent prayers he’d breathed repeat endlessly through his mind, asking for one seemingly simple thing: Marina’s sight.

His heart nearly breaks as Marina collapses back against the pillow with a half sob. “Nothing. There's nothing.”

Sarah wordlessly releases her daughter’s hand to wrap her in an embrace, holding Marina’s face against her shoulder and gently rocking her as tears stream down Marina’s cheeks.

“I’m so sorry,” Dr. Jang says quietly, laying a hand on Marina’s head. Even more quietly, she says, “I’ll give you all a moment alone.”

Soohyun barely registers the doctor leaving the room or the equally devastated faces of the three at the foot of the bed that crowd closer. Jimin lightly puts her hand on her friend’s knee in an attempt to comfort Marina and herself, but he doesn’t really notice this either. He only has eyes for Marina. His tears fall hot on their still linked hands, but his face slowly resolves itself with determination.

From now on, he will be her eyes, her rock. Whatever it is Marina needs, whenever she needs it, he will be sure she has it. He will be with her of whatever the doctors prescribe or suggest. Even more so than before, she is his world. And he will do everything in his power to protect and care for what is his.

A day later sees a dry-eyed Marina leaving the hospital, a stubborn smile on her lips. Sarah pushes her wheelchair as Soohyun carries the bag with Marina’s clothes and instructions from the doctor, the others already waiting at the house for their arrival.

“I’ll go get the car,” Sarah says as they reach the curb. “I won’t be more than five minutes.”

“Okay.” Marina reaches back to touch her hand.

Soohyun steps closer as Sarah brushes a kiss on Marina’s cheek and walks back towards the parking garage.

Marina closes her eyes and lifts her face to the sky, sighing. “It feels good to feel the breeze again, hear the sounds of the city.”

Shaking his head, Soohyun copies Sarah’s earlier gesture. “Have I told you I love you today?”

“I don’t believe so.”

“I love you, you incredible woman. I can’t tell you what it means to see a smile on your face again.”

“I’m done crying,” Marina replies, melancholy creeping into her expression. “I’ll figure this out somehow.”

“Oh, I just meant because your face gets all puffy and ugly when you cry a long time.”

“Shut up!”

Soohyun dodges Marina’s wild punch, her laughter mixing with his. He pushes a stray strand of her hair back in place, letting his fingers linger. “I’ve missed your laugh too.”

Marina cradles his hand to her face with one of hers and the two of them stay like that until Soohyun sees Sarah’s car approaching.

“Our ride’s here,” he tells her, stepping behind her and pushing the wheelchair towards the car after Marina lets go of his hand.

“Ready to go home, Marina? Rose decided you needed chocolate chips cookies so she enlisted Yongsool and Jimin to help her,” Sarah chuckles as she pulls up and parks.

“I hope Jimin’s just putting them in the oven, bless her,” Marina smiles with a wry shake of her head. “Remember when Dad tried teaching her?”

“What do you think you’re doing?” Soohyun asks as Marina moves as if to stand.

“Um, going home?”

“Hang on.” Opening the door and slinging the bags into the backseat, Soohyun comes back and slips his arms under her.

“I’m blind, not an amputee,” Marina mumbles against his shirt.

He ignores her, shifting around the car door. As Soohyun lifts her to place her in the passenger seat, he notices how tense her body suddenly is, as if he was carrying a board instead of a living girl. A silent look of understanding passes between Sarah and Soohyun as their eyes meet. The soft purr of the car engine all at once seems loud as thunder.

Closing the door with his shoulder, Soohyun sets Marina on the back seat. He gently nudges her over so he can sit before pulling her into his lap. She relaxes a little and he closes the door. With another shared look, Sarah maneuvers the car away from the curb as Soohyun pushes Marina’s head against his chest, singing in her ear to try to drown out the fear in her sightless eyes at least for this one short ride.