"Every friendship also start with stranger. I just want to know you more"

- CHAPTER 5

***

Donghae get out of his room when he's ready with his school uniform. That's the time when his mom call him for breakfast but he realized that his dad isn't there. He just wondering why without asking. It's not the first time his dad got so early to go to his office if he had an emergency work.

"Donghae, after school ended this afternoon, you accompany me to clinic.” His mom said while putting the meat in and chew it slowly.

Donghae raised his head quickly with wide eyes. "Huh?! No. I-I have another plan" Donghae said stuttering. Well, maybe that wasn't a real plan. It's just that he wants to go to park again to see the Eunhyuk boy from yesterday. "Where is dad? Can't he go with you, mom?"

Mom looked at him in pleaded, "He will be so busy today. That's why he got so early to go to his office this morning." She said in lowered eyebrows. Donghae can't take his eyes off of his mom now. Knowing what would happen next. "Why are you so mean... You'll let me go alone..." His mom gives him her best aegyo ever while pouted and looking down at her soup.

"Ohh! Mom... Not again." Donghae groaned. But his mom still looks like a lost cutie puppy who needs help. As cute as Donghae always is. Like mother like son we can say. "Can't we go tomorrow?" Donghae said as if he begging.

She shook her head slowly, "I need to do more check up about my back as soon as possible. It feels hurt again that I couldn't even sleep well last night" She said in pouted lips. Still.

Donghae stared at her in pity. Yeah, she never fail with her aegyo eventhough she's not young lady anymore. Donghae recall the moment when three weeks ago his mom fell from the stairs when their family just arrived here. They were unpacking some things and his mom is just way too clumsy. Again, just like Donghae. Like mother like son. Maybe it's because of that her back is not feeling well until now.

"Please, son??" She said again and stared at Donghae while still pouting. It sounds impossible maybe, but, somehow Donghae could see her eyes seems like produce a sparkle.

Yes. She never fail with her aegyo.

"Fine. I'll go with you, mom" Finally he just could give up. His mom smiled in satisfy and Donghae rolled his eyes to see her. Evil.

***

“Donghae-yah! Hold the umbrella properly. You make me drenched and soaked.”

“Eomma!” Donghae screamed out while holding his umbrella, trying to keep balance when his mom keep dragging him. “Don’t dragging me everywhere. I can’t walk properly. Why don’t you bring two umbrella from home for both of us?!” His voice raised, not intentionally yelled at his mom, but sound of the rain is just too loud around them.

“How could I know that it will raining so hard? Besides, why aren’t you bring your umbrella to school?!” Mom said and keep trying to pull the umbrella to cover her fully.

Donghae’s eyebrows collided in annoyed, “I’m a cool guy! Cool guy doesn’t bring umbrella to school, mom!”

“YAH!” Eomma slapped his head quickly, produce a little whine from the owner who just blurted out a nonsense excuse. He rubbed his head where she hit him and grimaced. “Fine, then you don’t need umbrella either now!” She said and take the umbrella harshly from Donghae before she walked faster to the gate.

Donghae just could screaming and run faster to catch his mom while using his bag to protect his head from the rain, or else he will be soaked and fully wet. “Eomma!” He kept yelling and groaned.

They arrived at clinic finally. With wet all over the body, they entered the gate and feels cold penetrated their skin. Donghae wondered why this clinic probably has no heater in its room. Since it’s really cold in here. It’s just making him feel cold even more than when he outside. Donghae’s mom handed him an umbrella and she talked to receptionist for a while.

This time, Donghae looked around, the clinic is not quite empty. It’s chaos instead. He doesn’t really like the smell of clinic. Making him feel ill. He approached his mom and whispered, “I’ll wait outside. Call me when you need something.”

“Ok, son!” She replied cheerfully.

Donghae fixed his black hoodie and wear them until top of his head. While still holding his umbrella, he walked towards the yard on the back of the clinic; waiting for his mom as he looking at the rain straightly falling so hard to the green yard. Somehow, there is something which makes him loves rain a lot. Especially the sound and its smell. At least it’s better than the smell on clinic.

“Enough!” Suddenly something interrupted Donghae’s daydreaming with it loud voice. That voice is even louder than the hard rainy. Caused Donghae turned his head to looked at the source. “I don’t wanna know everything. I’m tired!” It says again.

“Eunhyuk-ah!” Someone yelled back. And now Donghae stunned.

It’s him.

Donghae’s eyes widened in horror to realize this toosweet coincidence. How could this happen.. it’s nonsense.

“Listen. It’s just a little problem. We’ll solve it soon. You can’t give up easily like this! Remember what I told you before, you just need to wait a little more time. A little more.” The older boy—who looks familiar to Donghae—says. He looks awfully worried eventhough his voice raised too loud and emphasized in each words.

“Little problem?! Hyung, can’t you know what I feel? I thought you’re the one who know me so well more than anyone else, even mom and dad.” Eunhyuk said with a very broken heart ever. He feels ashamed to be happy too much this time. Putting his hope too high before he knows the fact. It hurts him so bad. Eunhyuk tried his best to hold the tears in while looking down, “I want to be alone. Please leave me.” He said to his hyung slowly but so deep. Suddenly he walked forward to the yard without even bother the rain who already wet him in second. It makes Donghae widened his eyes even more when he see that.

Sungmin run to catch him and grab his wrist, making him turn around to face him, “Eunhyuk-ah! It’s raining hard here. Why are you so stupid?!” He said and tightened his grip. He just about to dragged Eunhyuk to go in again but Eunhyuk harshly slammed his hand to break free.

“Don’t follow me, Hyung! I said, leave!”

“But you’ll be sick if you stay like this.” Sungmin said in pleaded eyes. He is so confused and no longer know what to do. “Please, don’t like this. I will be so sad, Hyuk.” He added.

But Eunhyuk suddenly just letting his tears fall down on his cheeks. Mixed with the rain which already wetting him. He cried so hard. Not caring anything around him. “Let me alone for a while, Hyung. Just…a little while. Calm down, you know my condition right? I’m blind and I can’t go anywhere else.” Eunhyuk said with a lot of pain in his tone, making Sungmin tightened his grip and holding the urge to cry when he saw Eunhyuk like this. “It’s just I need to be alone for a while here.”

Sungmin give up. But suddenly he told Eunhyuk that he won’t leave Eunhyuk alone here, so he leads Eunhyuk to the bench on the edge of the park. Brown bench under the tree. He makes Eunhyuk sits, “I’ll be back when you finish” Sungmin said and wiped away all the water on Eunhyuk’s face gently; his tears and rains.

“Don’t worry. Leave.”

Sungmin inhales a deep breath and with a heavy on his chest, he left Eunhyuk alone. He started crying so hard again while looking down. All the fear that haunting him since a long time start peek in again. Makes him scared of the reality. A lot of ‘what if’ popped up in his mind, threatening him.

“It’s you again.”

Suddenly a voice that comes out of nowhere makes Eunhyuk jumped in shock, added with the strange how the raindrops stop falling on above his head. Eunhyuk scanned the voice and somehow he seems familiar with the voice.

“Who are you? Please leave!” He said and fixed his seat away.

But Donghae just stared at him while exhales a deep breath, “I guess you need someone to throw everything out. You can talk to me” He said and blurry smiled at Eunhyuk. Eventhough it seems like Eunhyuk can’t see that.

"You’re a stranger! How can I talk to you? Please just leave! I want to be alone!”

"I’m sorry. But whatever that makes you like this, everything must has a way out. You can’t let those things breaking you down. You can’t give up so easily..”

Now Eunhyuk is pissed off. So. Pissed. Off.

"Stop talking!!" Eunhyuk spat out suddenly with a loud voice. Donghae stared at him in shock while holding his umbrella tightened. "Who do you think you are? You don't know how it feels to be blind. How it feels when you had no single light with you. That’s scary! You don't know my feelings, so just shut your mouth!" Eunhyuk yelled once again and the next thing he knows is his tears falling uncontrollably. So hard, and hard enough to make Donghae stunned to see him with wide eyes and heartbeat fast. His yell and screams was so loud, even louder than the heavy rain. His heart is just hurt so much. He feels like a fool today. Those hopes made him flying so high but then he fell down to the ground so harsh today. So hurt. As if he never wants to hoping again next time.

"Neh..you're right. I'm sorry.." was all Donghae could say while staring at Eunhyuk who already covered his face with his palm. The hold on his umbrella tigthened as he feels unknown heartaches comes in him. He just doesn't know why; it's so sad. Caused him lowered his head, feeling so awful. Worse is he doesn't like it when someone yelled at him. "I do not know.. I'm just trying to undrerstand. Because I just want to be your friend.." He said in a low voice. Eunhyuk even almost couldn't hear him.

But Eunhyuk does. He stunned and freeze for a while as collided his eyebrows in disbelief. Trying to scanned Donghae's words. "Friend?" He muttered. Wait, what did he just say? He said, 'friend'?

"W-what? Why?" was all Eunhyuk could ask.

"I don't know. I just want to.." Donghae said in innocent as Eunhyuk stopped his cry for a moment. Too honest. Honest is Donghae’s middle name. And then, he likes something straight-forward without too much intro.

"But you're a stranger."

Donghae admit it was right, but he still with his will, "That's why, we may could know about each other more. Every friendship also start with stranger. I just want to know you more"

Eunhyuk maybe can't see, but he swear he could feel Donghae's pain from the way he talks. The guiltness suddenly comes to the vein and blood, "But I'm..blind."

"I know."

Now Eunhyuk really widened his eyes. "You do?" But and then, he realized that he doesn't need to be shocked. Since he's the one who tells Donghae that he's blind when he yelled at Donfhae earlier. Eventhough without his knowing, Donghae already know even before that.

Donghae gave him a slightly nod, but when he realized some fact, he quickly says, "Yes, I do."

Eunhyuk slowly wiped away his tears on his cheek and tried to turn his head to Donghae—his voice—on his right. "Then why you want to be friend with me?" He asked slowly unsure. He's just confuse. Since he lost his sight, he had never really has a friend. He is so lonely. Now, when suddenly there is someone asks him to be friend, for some reason, it's just feels....good.

"I said, I don’t know. So, don't ask me that anymore." Donghae said with unconscious pout. Lucky Eunhyuk can't see that. Or else, he'll looks like a childish. Eventhough the fact is; he is.

There is small awkward silence after that. Donghae just stared at Eunhyuk who busy stop his cry again with inhaling some fresh air a few times. He’s trying so hard to not cry. Donghae can’t take his eyes off of him. It's the first time he saw blind person this close. Acts naturally, just like normal people do. But when talks with other people, eyes still empty. It almost doesn’t even blink. Donghae had no idea if it's happen to him. Since he always hates dark.

"So...?" Donghae clears his throat as soon as he can't stand the silence anymore. Gained attention from Eunhyuk successfully. "I'm Donghae"

Eunhyuk clearly can stop crying now. Because the little boy beside him who suddenly blurted out his name out of nowhere keep trying to talk. Eunhyuk gives up. Besides, after he thinks a lot through this, he finally decide; all this time, maybe the only thing he needs is just a friend.

At least one friend. Never mind.

"I’m Eunhyuk."

***

Eunhyuk's POV

We still sat on the bench on the yard in clinic for a moment. Me, with the Donghae boy who came out of nowhere. It’s funny how I always meet him almost with coincidence. I know, he was the one who tried to talk to me yesterday on the park. I recognize his voice. Yes, my ears function so well after I lost my sight, I don’t know why.

Donghae and I still sit in here, and I guess he’s holding an umbrella above our heads. Yes, us. Because you can say I couldn’t feel more of raindrops falling on my head again. Eventhough I already wet and soaked, but I don’t mind when he said he wants to share his umbrella with me. After that, we talks eventhough there is not a lot of things to talk about. Because honestly  sometimes I still couldn't get off of my thought about today's incident. The incident that makes me breakdown as if I will never ever had a chance to get up again.

“They informed us, they have a donour.” I said when Donghae asked me what happened to me today.

He quickly said in a cheerful way, “Isn’t that greet?”

I hate it when someone interrupted me before I finish talking. He is noisy. But I don’t know why I want to talk about it with him. “They told me to do some checks about it. But this afternoon, when we finish checking everything…” I hold my breath in heavily, trying to recall all of it was hurting me again, “It doesn’t fit me.”

I remember the way Sungmin Hyung told me that this is not the time. I have to wait a little bit more. I hate it, he always talk like that. One thing I really hate the most in this world is waiting. Followed by betrayed. But he keeps told me about waiting.

“I put my hope too high. It crashing me down so harsh more than anything. I already imagine how it feels so good to be able to see again, looking at the sky, looking at the sunrise, looking at rain, not just black things around me, but…that’s a waste.” I said slowly through my heart aches so bad. I feel ashamed to imagine about all those things because it only makes me looks like a dreamer. I shouldn’t put my hopes too high. “I don’t care now. That’s enough. I better not to hope again”

I drown in my sadness too deep again. Regretting everything when I felt so happy last night. I shivered. It’s so cold, just like my heart now. Maybe because my clothes are all wet. But suddenly, I feel a hand on my shoulder. Tapping my shoulder lightly twice before he speaks,

“You can’t do something like that breaking you down. Sometimes, hope isn’t so bad. It makes you have a motivation to hold on. When you have no hope, you will stay at home doing nothing, right? But when you hope something, you will try your best to do some effort about it. And maybe you will success.” Donghae said with his typhical deep voice. I can already familiar with his voice. “Everything’s just need a process. Nothing’s instant.”

He was right, but I told him that I already through so much process in my life after that accident. It’s too long already. I’m just afraid I can’t hold on longer, and I’ll give up. But he said that two years isn’t long enough. Everyone needs a few years more to be success, to be a good businessman, and maybe I need just a little few months or maybe one year to be able to see again.

I can’t deny, Donghae is right. I give up too easily. I think I was too sensitive. Even there is some people out there who had disability worse than me, and they still be patient about that. This time, I couldn’t answer him. I just busy with my mind, scanned his words who started to bring a little effect for me. I don’t understand. I said to Sungmin Hyung that I need to be alone for a while to calm me down, but suddenly a stranger came interrupted me, stop me from my cry, and I talked to him about it just now. Somehow it amazed me how he can do it to me. I wondered, it’s just feel so good to talk to stranger about your problem. Sometimes, we just need someone to listening. Eventhough Donghae said he is a friend, but we met for two days only. He still stranger.

“I don’t want to talk about this for now” I said after I wake up from my thought. Donghae take his and off of my shoulder.

We both quite for a few minutes. Everytime we stayed in silence, my mind back to the picute of Sungmin Hyung when he told me that the donour doesn’t match with me. My heart aches again. I almost break down again. But Donghae beside me once again interrupt me somehow. With a simple question he gave to me this time.

“How old are you?”

I raised my head, "Seventeen." I replied. I don’t really want to be so impolite. Since we already become friend starts from today, so I ask back, "You?"

"We're at the same age." Donghae said cheerfully amazed. So do I who directly get shock and right away thought Donghae's lying.

"Really?" I said said. I don’t believe him. I murmured something that I hope it’s inaudible to Donghae, "I thought you're younger. I thought you were ten." Really, I thought so. From the way he talks from the first time we talked, he sounded too young to be a seventeen.

"Sorry?" Donghae asked in confused.

"Ah, n-no. It's nice." I said and Donghae stayed quite. I wondered how his expression looks like now. I hope he doesn’t hear me.

Donghae keep talking to me and ask me a few question. I can admit, he is really active. He ask me where I go to school, and I told him I’m homeschooling, he was confused. Yeah, this is one of the reason I thought he is ten. I patiently told him that homeschooling is where your teacher come to your house to give you a lesson. He makes a long ‘oh’ after that. I hope he truly understand, not just some weird ‘oh’ but empty. Then he said, he doesn’t understand such a thing because in his place, there is no such a thing called homeschooling. I furrowed in confusion.

“Your place?” I asked.

“Yeah, in my hometown, there is no homeschooling, or whatever. It’s just school, where students learn and play together.” He said what he meant. “I don’t really know that homeschooling is possible in here. I just moved here.” He added.

I quickly nodded a few times. So, he is new here. No wonder he suddenly came out of nowhere and talked to me like previous day and now. No one trying to talk to me before, eventhough maybe they spotted me sitting alone.

Suddenly I hear the ringtone sounded, loud enough to hear between the noise rain made. I quickly realized it’s not my ringtone, so I guess it’s Donghae’s. My guess was proved when I heard Donghae talking,

“Neh. Yes, I’m coming”

For some reason, I feel some heavy feelings on my chest. I hate it when some unknown feeling comes through me. I don’t like confusion.

“Eunhyuk,” Donghae said. Whoa. It’s strange. I don’t know. It’s just so strange to hear him call my name like that. Maybe I haven’t used to that yet. “Let’s go back in. It must be warmer in there. Your boy maybe also waiting for you inside”

I quickly furrowed my eyebrows. My boy? Maybe he means Sungmin Hyung. Once again, he’s so strange to call my Hyung became my boy. But I won’t bother. Whatever he likes.

I said yes and get up. Donghae told me to be careful and he always by my side because I could feel his umbrella still on top of my head. Our heads. When we reach inside, and I know there must be already a roof above us, it sounds like he closed his umbrella. We both just standing still.

“I have to go.” Donghae said.

I didn’t said anything, except feeling strange when he said that.

“But we can meet tomorrow at the park, right?” He said again.

I secretly lightened up. I nodded to him slightly, knowing he will see that as my answer. Then he said one last thing as he patted my shoulder again just like the previous time.

“Right. See you later, then! Bye, friend!” He said in a cheerful way and the next thing, I can hear a footsteps. He’s running, I know.

Magic. Where does he take my sadness go from me? Does he left while bringing my sadness with him? For a moment, I don’t feel so broken after talking to him. I smiled quietly, eventhough it’s just really a little bit, but I could realize my lips curved to form a small smile.

For the first time,

After the accident and I lost my sight,

I don’t really feel everything’s dark…

I don’t really feel so lonely…

I have a friend.

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A/N :  I'm so so sorry for the late update! I was so busy and I have no time to write any chapter. I give you another longer chapter as my apology. ....eh? o_o isn't it one of the long one? it's long enough for me haha! I'm sorry. Please kindly give me more support, I really need it! Thank you! -arthie-

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