Chapter 2

Wendy stayed quiet for a long time before responding in a hoarse voice. "No matter what happens, we'll always be kindred spirits."

"I won't come looking for you again. When you come to your senses, take this to my mentor," Abel said before leaving in tears.

As I lay on the floor, overcome by dizziness, my mind suddenly drifted back to when I was 13.

After I'd gotten bullied at the school for the blind, I came home with a swollen, bruised head. Wendy was absolutely furious. She was such a smart kid, but she insisted on transferring to that school just to stay by my side.

And in order to catch up with the curriculum from regular schools, she never got a full night's sleep for years.

When I turned 18, my mom remarried.

She sobbed while holding my hand. "James, my new husband can't take care of a blind kid for me. It's been so hard on me. You understand, right?

"I only took Wendy in for your sake in the first place. She should be the one taking care of you!"

Just like that, Mom left with her suitcase, leaving behind our old home and Wendy with me.

The years of exhaustion from taking care of me eventually took a toll on Wendy's health. She was just 18 when she became ill.

Time and time again, I begged her to leave me, to stop burdening herself with me.

But she'd just smile, ruffle my hair, and say, "You're such a crybaby. Take the sparrows outside, for example. They always stick together. Neither one can be without the other."

Now that this sparrow was tired, she should just fly away on her own. An unwanted blind guy like me would have died long ago if Wendy hadn't taken care of me.

I should have died somewhere Wendy would never know about so that she wouldn't blame herself.

I rubbed the back of my head, which was throbbing with pain. Just as I was feeling around and trying to stand up, the door opened.

"What happened?"

Wendy's voice was incredibly hoarse. "Where did all this blood come from?”

A comment floated past my vision. "Are you kidding me? You were the one who pushed him! Why are you acting surprised?"

I tried my best to smile. "Sorry, I accidentally tripped since I couldn't see where I was going."

The second I said that, a glass shattered at my feet. "James, how many years have you lived in this house? How can you still not remember your way around?"

As I heard her heavy, ragged breathing, I tugged at my sleeve, feeling upset. "I'm sorry for being useless, Wendy."

Wendy took out the white cane that had been left untouched for years and dragged me outside in big strides.

Unable to keep up with her, I nearly fell down the steps a few times, but she never stopped for me.

I grabbed her in fear. "Wendy, where are we going?"

As Wendy came to a sudden stop, I crashed into her so hard that my nose bled.

I frantically tried to wipe my nose, only to hear her voice crack.

"James, there are countless blind people in this world. How come everyone else can live a normal life with a cane, but you can't? I'm not your seeing-eye dog! I can't be your guide dog for the rest of my life!"

As my heart tightened, Wendy gave me a forceful push from behind. Her cold voice sounded from behind me. "If you don't learn how to use the tactile paving by tonight, then don't bother coming home."

Then, her voice and her scent were gone. All that remained in my ears was the sound of the wind, traffic, and passersby whispering. "Is he blind? What's he doing out here? Is he trying to pull some kind of insurance scam?"

The darkness and panic swallowed me whole, like a giant gaping maw.

I gripped the cane tightly. As I fought the urge to scream, I softly said, "Wendy, I'm scared."

Back when I just got blind, I had a hard time adjusting. Every time I woke up to pure darkness, I'd cry my eyes out from fear.

Wendy would always rush into my room to grab my hand right away. "I'm right here. There's no need to be scared."

But now, the only response I got was the sound of the wind.

The comments were still filled with criticism and outrage. "Damn, wasn't she the one who swore she'd hold his hand for the rest of his life and said he didn't need to learn how to use a white cane? People really do change their minds fast!"

I wiped away my tears. That wasn't true.

I had long forgotten everything I knew about tactile paths. I stumbled along, tapping the ground, thinking that caring for a blind person like me must have been too much for Wendy.

I wandered aimlessly, finally stopping right where the sound of the honking cars was loudest.

If I just got hit by a car right now, Wendy could finally be a free sparrow, right?

But the crash I was expecting never came. Instead, I was yanked into someone's arms.

Wendy's body was trembling slightly as she sounded utterly desperate. "James, you're blind, not stupid! Why can't you just learn?"