To Show a Blind Person the Sight of the World Without Using Your Voice

Chapter 19: Show Me What Your World Looks Like

Makoto Tachibana

Today is the day; Haru officially moved in with is.

Mom is signing the forms together with the Hirayamas as we speak. And any moment now, Haru will become my legal brother. We're not going to call each other that though, we made that promise, because we're just friends not family.

We're sitting on the porch in my backyard. Our backyard.

The place where the both of us met for the first time, two weeks ago. It's raining extremely hard like it was that day, but we're nice and warm and dry as we're seated underneath the waterproof windshield. They few drips that fall down barely get us wet at all.

So much has changed and I'm glad with every single change.

I'm so glad that I've been granted the chance to be together with Haru, for as long as we want. We don't have to go apart because of some stupid foster home or birth parents anymore, mom will take amazing care of Haru. She will help him until he doesn't need our care anymore.

I take a deep breath and whisper, "I'm very happy, you know."

Haru's hand rests on top of mine, and he squeezes my lightly when I ask him if he's happy too. It happens right away, like he wants to say, "Yes, Makoto, I'm very happy too".

I smile, listening to Haru's soft breathing and to the sound of rain watering the plants.

Haru's hand lets go of me and I hear something rustling softly. Before I know it, quicker than ever before, a thin piece of paper slides underneath my hand.

"You're getting quick with writing," I tell him while laying the paper on top of my lap and placing my finger on the first set of letters. My breathe jolts to a stop in my throat, because I didn't expect to read about the stars up in the sky.

"It's really beautiful out tonight." Haru writes. "A million stars are shining bright, just like a few days ago. You know, there have been a lot of shooting stars lately? They're gorgeous, like a star falling from the pitch black sky. I wish you could see them, but—"

I pause, I know what Haru's going to say; he's going to tell me he knows I can't see them. So, that's bad for me, but I couldn't be more wrong.

"But I know you can't. So I promise that when I see one, a shooting star I mean, I'll tell you. Why? Because I want to make a wish with you. But I also want to give you a second wish myself to thank you and your family for all you've done for me. Okay?"

I swallow, opening my mouth to answer to Haru. But for once, I have no clue what to reply.

I don't have to, because before I know it another piece of paper slides underneath my hands.

"Haru?" I ask, because I'm not used to Haru telling me this much.

He nudges me, as if trying to say to read his second letter now; it must be urgent then.

"Okay. I know what you wish is... and I know I can't give you that."

He doesn't know what my wish is, clearly.

"But I can tell you this. Makoto, you're beautiful."

I pause, my finger freezing on that last word.

"Some time ago you asked me how you looked. I couldn't find the answer back then, but...

"Y-You didn't," I whisper, tears already filling up my eyes. "You described how I look... didn't you?"

"Makoto, I do know now." I start reading faster than the speed of sound. "Makoto, you've got flawless skin and the kindest smile. You have little dimples when you smile wide and you blush much easier than you probably think you do. Your hair is a fluffy texture, and you don't even want to know how often I want to take my fingers through those olive brown strains of hair."

I swallow thickly, I'm having to work really hard to hold back those tears.

"You're extremely tall and lanky, and when you're walking around you look very clumsy. And even though I know you're less of a klutz than most, I constantly feel like I have to hold your hand when you're walking so you can't trip over every single thing that's in your way."

I let out a chuckle, because he's probably right.

"But Makoto, the best thing about you are your eyes."

My eyes? Those worthless things? How...

"They might not seem amazing to you, but I can tell you that if your eyes would've been different you wouldn't have been you. They're a vibrant green underneath that layer of dusty white. Your pupils are wonderfully white, and even when some people would call it crazy, I think it's the prettiest thing I've ever seen." Haru's hand wraps around my free hand tightly. "Makoto, believe me or not, but you are the prettiest person I've ever seen."

I feel for more, but there isn't. No more words are needed.

Tears well up in my eyes, streaming over my cheeks as I try to find the words to thank him. There are no words big enough to describe what he has just done for me, what it means to me that he told me such important thing in his own, wonderful, way.

No words.

His hand holds a smaller piece of paper, torn from a bigger letter. And in tiny little Braille letters he asks me the most wonderful question ever, "Shall I try to show you what the world looks like?"

I hold it in my hands, my fingers reading over the writing over and over again.

My body moves on its own, after that. I launch myself onto Haru; my hands around his next and my lips... they end up on his somehow.

And it's wonderful, because there's no facial hair to sting my upper lip and his lips are the softest I've ever felt. And when our lips part, carefully and slower than ever, I actually feel sadness taking me over. I start crying even harder than I was crying before I kissed him.

I chuckle through my tears, and Haru's chest jolts a little too; he's either laughing or crying, maybe both just like me. And when Haru's fingers tousle my hair, I feel my cheeks getting hotter; so I do blush easily after all.

I reach out too, for the first time laying my hands on Haru's cheeks. He's all warm too and his cheek is all damp from crying too. I swallow before opening my mouth.

I want to tell him I love him, but I don't even have to anymore.

Haru carefully presses his lips on my cheek, kisses me and after that he moves them softly like trying to tell me something. Like a whisper, I know he's telling me he loves me too; I can't be imagining things, because he kisses me one on my lips one more time.

I kiss him back, more intimate than before; now I know he doesn't mind.

"Now, be my eyes," I whisper with our lips still touching. "And show me what your world looks like."

The End.