BLIND ( WOOZI )

003.

Jihoon was at a loss for words. Like a deer caught in the headlights, he sat there frozen, jaw clenched. With his head hung low, he was desperately picking the right words to say next.

"When did you notice?" he gulped and looked up, his dark eyes glistening with mixed emotions; fear, sadness, embarrassment-

Fear.

Hyori didn't comprehend why, but the longer she stared at him, the more she started to connect the dots. His eyes revealed everything, filled with thousands of thoughts and feelings yet at the same time, they were so hollow. He was unable to hide anything because he couldn't see.

She was pretty sure this is what it felt like to be an asshole.

"Just then." She averted her gaze from him. "And, uh, there's still a hundred on the table."

Jihoon cursed under his breath as he slowly began to tap towards the edge of the table, taking his lower lip between his teeth. Soon after, he started to feel around the whole surface but was unable to grab a hold of the coin.

Wanting to help him out of his ailing, Hyori stood up and leaned forward, placing a finger on the coin which was just a couple inches in front of Jihoon. Sensing her presence, he tensed up and held his breath, caught off guard by her closeness.

It wasn't that their faces were inches apart (it was only her arm that intruded his personal space), but judging by his posture, she could already tell this was not something calming for him.

She picked up the silver coin with one hand and delicately took his slightly sweaty hand with the other, then dropped the money in his palm. Hyori couldn't help but notice the tint of red flushing his cheeks. A stuttered thank you escaped his lips before she decided to focus on more important things.

"Should I call Chan for you?" Hyori asked, phone already in her hand. The date had somehow come to an end, resulting in nothing but a waste of time in her opinion.

Right after Eunha's, Chan's number was surprisingly on the top of her emergency call list. if she recalled correctly, it was Eunha who had set it for her - without her consent, as usual. For emergency purposes, she had been told. It didn't dawn into Hyori why in the world she would call Chan out of all people for her problems, but now she was glad she had Chan's number at all.

"I don't think- let me rephrase; I know that he won't pick up," Jihoon sighed in distress and stood up to slip on his coat.

"Should I walk you home then?"

"Wait, you? I mean- I, well," he stuttered and restarted his sentence, but once it was clear that he was too flustered to form a proper answer, he simply nodded shyly. Hyori, flustered by what she had said as well, also nodded briefly and slipped her arms into the sleeves of her jacket.

She even asked what his address was to find it on google maps and was surprised when he told her that she didn't need to.

"I know the way back home, but I doubt I would make it safely over a street on my own."

A part of Hyori was relieved that he knew the route to his apartment since she had never been good with phones anyway and it was certain that they'd make a wrong turn under her guidance. The other half merely wished he had told her that before she asked the personal question.

"Should I guide you outside, or..."

Jihoon shook his head, strands of his honey blond hair falling above his eyes. "Just walk in front of me until we're outside. My hearing is good enough to make you out in closed rooms."

Hyori didn't question any of it and was the first to leave the building, closely followed by Jihoon. The streets were tame, two pedestrians walking on the opposing pavement, no cars passing by. Instead, the cold crisp autumn air blew through them, rustling their hair and chilling their bones. Hyori hid her bare hands in her pockets and turned around to check on him. He didn't look any different, with pink cheeks, fringe pushed aside, and forehead revealed due to the wind.

"So, uh, do you need to hold onto me now?"

A shaky nod followed.

"Um, like holding hands or-"

"I think holding hands is stretching it-"

"Oh god- you're right. Sorry, I didn't mean- I just- it came out wrong."

Hyori wished the grim reaper paid her a visit and took her away to the afterlife at that moment.

Jihoon shifted and repeatedly raised and lowered his arm as if he was having an internal struggle. He wanted to touch her but retreated his shaky hand in the last moment, unease flushing over him. It took him a word of approval from her side to touch her and even then, Hyori had to look twice to confirm that his left hand was on her right shoulder.

"Is this alright?" His question came out muffled but it was enough for her to comprehend.

No, it wasn't, was what she replied in her mind. Not solely because they just met approximately one and a half hours ago, but also because she couldn't even feel the weight on her shoulder. His touch was basically non-existent and having him so close to her made it agonizing. He gave her goosebumps, and that wasn't meant in a positive light.

As if his presence of a ghost wasn't enough, the moment they started walking, not one word was spoken (except Jihoon telling her when to cross the street or turn left or right). Hyori's right arm went completely numb and tensed up and the only sound provided was the breeze with a few cars and annoying little children running around here and there. From the corner of her eye, she kept watching over Jihoon whose head was cast downwards, ears tinted red and nose twitching occasionally.

Additionally, the wide space between their bodies looked absolutely ridiculous with his one arm placed on her. Both were walking stiffly and did their best not to graze the other (though the only way they would touch was if someone stumbled), just as if they were middle school students who had never talked to each other before and were assigned to sit next to each other thanks to their teacher.

Hyori considered loosening the tension reigning over them but knew that the questions that were burning in her mind would make the situation weirder. She was curious, how could one not be? She wanted to know how it was like to be unable to see nothing, how he felt about it, how he dealt with it, how he turned blind-

But she kept quiet.

And so, in the most awkward silence, Hyori had ever been in (followed by their stay at the cafe and frankly, it was impossible to top this) they reached the fifth floor of the residential block where Jihoon and Chan's apartment was located.

As soon as he touched the doorknob, he let go of her and fiddled in his pocket for his keys. Hyori let her gaze wander around everywhere, everywhere but Jihoon trying to discreetly yank the door open because his key got stuck in the lock. She really tried to dismiss the sight yet couldn't help but snicker quietly at his actions in the end.

He seemed to have noticed because then he toned down his frantic movements and incomprehensible mumbles spilled from his lips. She figured that she messed up, or so she thought.

Somehow he managed to pull the key out and successfully open the door. Jihoon stepped in and was about to shut the door, when he stopped his hand from moving, nodded thankfully and added, "Um, thanks again for everything- and sorry again for this mess. Get home safely."

"It's nothing- I mean- it's not your fault! It's partly mine too. If not, I'm the main reason that this all happened." Hyori pulled out her phone to check the time. "Uh, I should be on my way then..."

Short goodbyes and small smiles were exchanged (Hyori still went with the forced smile concealing her exhaustion even though she was perfectly aware that Jihoon couldn't see her anyway) and before she had the chance to turn to the elevator, the door already fell quietly in its lock.