Techni-Color | YoonMin

Chapter 19

I glanced around the table, my eyes dancing nervously from one person to the next. Tension filled the air as we waited for someone to say something, anything. After what felt like forever, my mother finally sighed. I settled my eyes on her, watching as she shared a look with my father that seemed to ask "Are you ready?". He gave her a slight nod, smiling at her reassuringly.

She turned to Jimin and I, her eyes passing briefly over me before settling on the boy to my side as she addressed him. "Jimin," she started, "before we start I just want to make sure that we're on the same page. What we are about to tell you is very serious for all of us." She gestures to the three of us. "So no matter what, I would appreciate it if you would try to keep an open mind. Whether you choose to believe what we say or not, is up to you. Do you understand?"

I couldn't bring myself to look at him. I was too afraid of what I would see in his face if I did. Would he be scared? Happy? Unaffected? When he cleared his throat, I couldn't stop my eyes from traveling over to him. My breath caught at the sincerity in his voice as he spoke to my mother.

"Of course, Mrs. Min. If it's serious for all of you, then it's serious for me."

It was strange to hear Jimin use such a serious tone. He was usually so playful, so carefree. I didn't have too much time to dwell on it, though, as my mother started to speak again.

"Great," she breathed, smiling at the orangette beside me, "well then since we're all on the same page: let's get started." She looked around the table, giving us a chance to stop her, to object to moving forward. When no one spoke, she continued on, "So what do you know about Achromatopsia?"

"Achroma-what-sia?" Jimin asked, confusion filling his voice.

She snickered at his response, a small smile forming on her lips. "I assumed you wouldn't know what it was. I just like to ask to make sure I know where to start." She cleared her throat, preparing to launch into the lengthy explanation. "So achromatopsia is better known as "Complete Color Blindness" and it affects roughly 1 in every 30,000 people in the world. Usually with color blindness, only certain colors are unable to be seen. But, with achromatopsia, all colors are lost. All you see is black, white, and varying shades of gray. Not to mention that it comes with a whole slew of other problems. Sensitivity to light and glares is one of them. Usually when people with achromatopsia go out, whether it is during the day or the night, they have to wear sunglasses to help them deal with the glares." My hand instinctively goes up to my own ever-present sunglasses. Jimin catches the movement and turns to me, understanding dawning on him as it all clicks inside his head.

"You always wear those," he breathes, his voice quiet. "Even the night when we first met. I didn't even question it because I was distracted. But then at the company the next day, you wore them even inside the building. Yoongi," his eyes meet mine, sadness filling their brown depths, "do you have achromatopsia? Are you color blind?"

My mouth opens, but I find myself unable to answer his question. His eyes were too sad, too filled with pity. I hated that look. I had grown up with it my whole life and never once did I want to see it reflecting back at me from Jimin's eyes. Sensing my distress, my mother answered for me.

"Yes, Jimin, Yoongi is color blind. So am I," she admits. Her words get his attention and he finally turns away from me, freeing me from his pitying stare. I draw in a shaky breath, trying to get myself back under my own control. "But our color blindness, it's different from all the others. Not just in the sense that it's more debilitating. But also that it isn't from the usual cause." Jimin's head tilts to the side, confusion causing his brows to pinch together. Seeing his confusion, my mother continues to explain. "Usually achromatopsia is caused by a change in your DNA and for it to be inherited, both parents have to carry the gene."