Rainie took off her sunglasses and looked at the stranger’s picture on the tombstone. His defined facial structure, the dark eyebrows, beautiful nose and his soulful eyes. but most of all, his warm smile.
Once upon a time, the two of them were so closed.
Once upon a time, they promised to be together forever.
But it was all in the past and now she is left with nothing but empty memories.
Silently, crystal-clear teardrop rolled down her cheek and the weakest chord in her heart. Memories of the past were once again so clear.

Rainie straighten out her blind stick and walked out of the Social Welfare Center. She was on route of her daily routine from the center to her apartment. Due to her blindness, her hearing and senses are much better than normal people. She knew that someone was following her.
Maybe more than two weeks now? The person behind her always kept a safe distance between them yet every time she went somewhere he was there, right behind her. Kind of like a secret guardian?
Rainie turned around with a smile “why are you following me?”
The man behind her was clearly surprised because he had never expected to talk to her. All he wanted was to see her safe and that was enough for him.
The man opened his mouth but made no sound.
Rainie blinked as if she was waiting patiently for an answer.
“I…I don’t mean any harm”.
“I know” she was still smiling, “that’s why I want to thank you for being by my side this whole time. Do you think we can be friends?”
The man was dumbfounded and he just stood there trying to disgust Rainie’s words.
“you don’t want to?” Rainie said.
“No” the man realized she must have misunderstood when he didn’t reply “Of course I want to!”
Rainie was all smiles “You can call me Rainie.”
The man paused for a second “I am Jaejoong.”
“Jaejoong, I like that name and from now on we are friends!”
From that day on, the two of them no longer walked with one in the front and one trailing in the back; they walked side by side with smiles on their faces.
“Jaejoong, why are you willing to be my friend?”One day Rainie asked suddenly.
“Why do you ask?” He said
“My eyes cannot see so I often become a burden. Do you worry that others might make fun of you?” Rainie asked with the most serious expression he has ever seen.
“Not a all. I don’t care what other people say. I think you have the most beautiful pair of eyes.”
Jaejoong was telling his most honest feelings yet the words were like knives cutting into Rainie’s heart. “did you know I used to be able to see …”
“I’m sorry” Jaejoong was full of regrets when he saw the gray expression on Rainie’s face. If things didn’t happen the way it did that day…
“it’s not like you had anything to do with it so don’t say sorry.” Rainie shook her head and started walking again.
“Even if your eyes can’t see I still think they are beautiful because they are a pair of eyes that can speak what your heart truly feels.”Jaejoong spoke with a tone that no one can doubt other wise.
The familiar smile returned to Rainie’s face and she was her usual self again.
But she couldn’t see Jaejoong standing next to her with his fist tightened. At that moment he made a promise to both himself and Rainie.
“Rainie, I will be your eyes and I will always be by your side.”

“oh look who’s there? Isn’t that our tough guy Jaejoong. you must be really have some time on your hand to be going out on a date this early.”
From their provoking tone, Rainie knew they were up to no good. She couldn’t help but felt scared and subconsciously held onto Jaejoong’s arm. He kept her behind him and shielded her from their view. From the expression on Jaejoong’s face, he was sending out his last warning.
However, the three men surrounding Jaejoong and Rainie didn’t take the hint and step by step they came closer.
“what’s the matter? Aren’t you always the first to start the fight?” the guy who appeared to be the leader continued to taunt Jaejoong.
“I think he is trying to protect his girlfriend. But I must say, you really have a strange taste in woman. I had no idea you like the blind one.”They are started laughing.
Jaejoong finally exploded “Why are you here? Tell me what you want!”
“Weren’t you the one that turned our night club upside down? Our boss are not so happy about that so what do you think we need to do about that?” With that, the three of them revealed the knives that were hiding this while time and they all charged toward Jaejoong.
Jaejoong turned and look at Rainie. He couldn’t put her in harms way. “Not here. We can take it somewhere else and I’m all yours.”
“haha, do you really think you can negotiate with us?” One of the men aimed right for Rainie as Jaejoong pushed her out of the way; a blood slash formed as his forearm made contact with the knife. “Stay here and wait for me.” His voice was burning with rage as he charged toward those men with only one thought in mind; he had to finish them quickly.
An over the shoulder move and a behind the back kick and two men were down already.
“You…you better watch you” the leader looking guy back up as his entourage scrambled to get back up.
Jaejoong didn’t wait to make sure they were gone. All he wanted to do was get back to Rainie “Are you ok? You’re not hurt?”
Instinctively, Rainie backed away. She was scared. Scared of what just happened and scared because she realized she knew nothing about him. Jaejoong looked at his empty hands and stood there silently. 
“Who are you?” Rainie asked and her voice was shaking.
At that moment, there were no emotions on Jaejoong’s face. As if he was a puppet, he spoke without any warm in his voice “just a street gangster.”
Rainie shook her hand but she couldn’t hold back the tears. Why? Wasn’t he suppose to be protecting her. But instead, he is putting both of them in harm’s way. She turned around and ran. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her; far away from him.
But she didn’t know that his arm was dripping with blood. But it was nothing compared to the pain in his heart; it was dripping blood too.

After the incident, they relationship returned back to strangers. On the street, they continued to walk
with one in the front and one no far behind. It was as if they had traveled back in time back to the days that they were both alone. Although they both had so much they wish they can tell each other, both of them remind silent. Either one had the courage or the confident to share their true feelings. Instead, they nursed their wounds in silent.
Then one day, Rainie stopped yet she didn’t turn to look at Jaejoong “are you really a gangster?”
“yes” his reply was short and to the point but it hurt Rainie’s heart with full force. She clutched her blind stick tightly and tried to ration through her racing thoughts.
Looking at her trembling body, Jaejoong’s hand balled up into a fist.
He hoped that she would realize that there is something in this world called trust.
They both stood there in silent until god looks how much times had passed. Then Rainie turned around and return out to find Jaejoong’s hand. Slowly, her soft fingers crawled up his arm until she found the cut on his arm. Jaejoon didn’t know what to think as he saw the emotions unfolded on her face. There was a deep sorrow and heartache…
 Gently, she traced the scar on his arm “It must had hurt a lot” she was not looking at him when she spoke. Instead she was feeling the scar on his arm; the scar he got from protecting her.
“gangster or not, you will always protect me right?”
A rush of emotions overcame him and all he wanted to do was to hold her in his arms.
Without any words, he held her tightly. Without any words, yet she understood what he was trying to say.
“Jaejoong”she whispered his name; the only word that he wanted to hear.
“Rainie, I will always protect you and I promise”