Chapter 22: The Trauma

The commotion from the lobby was at first ignored by Ryohei, but he then hurried to the scene as he remembered he left Yuki there while going to the vending machine. Automatically an uneasiness engulfed him. The lobby was blocked by a wall, disabling Ryohei to just peep from there. Hence, he rushed to the source of racket to find out what has occurred and caused it.

"Sir, sir. Can you hear me? Sir?"

Believably there was a woman lending a hand to someone, thought as a victim. Ryohei noticed the commotion was right at where Yuki sat. He immediately slipped in closer to the victim.

Ryohei's instinct always told him the truth. There was a woman who softly slapping the stiffened Yuki on the floor. The woman dressed as a receptionist must be the first witness to see Yuki falling onto the floor, thus she tried helping him. However, she has done many things to wake Yuki up.

No. Yuki was neither sleeping nor passing out. He seemed stunned and his limbs shivered terribly. Ryohei asked the small crowd to make a way to let him pass through.

"What happened, Miss?"

The receptionist lifted her head. "I know you. You arrived here together with him just a few minutes ago. Where have you been?"

From the tone, Ryohei could detect the receptionist was partly blaming him. "I went to the vending machine to buy some snacks," Despite that, he answered it awkwardly.

"There was someone approaching him from behind," She divulged, "The man wore black attire, even his glasses, so I could not find out how he actually looked like. One thing for sure - he must have done something to your lover before leaving."

Ryohei gently slapped Yuki's cheeks, and called his name like how he used to. Yuki was still awake, but he became response-less. Ryohei began breaking into sweats.

"Yuki-kun. My honey," he mumbled, enough so that only Yuki could hear it, "Honey, it's me. Ryohei."

The shivering limbs slowed down. Yuki's shaking pupils have stabilized, and Yuki groped the air. Ryohei quickly grabbed Yuki's hand and kissed it. Judging from Ryohei's deed, Yuki could sense it was the real Ryohei, therefore he rose and hugged his fiance tightly. He bawled his eyes out while clutching on Ryohei's shirt.

It tormented Ryohei so much to see Yuki crying bitterly like that. What has really happened? He regretted that he left Yuki alone there, however he never guessed Yuki would have his attack there.

"Did you see what that man do to Yuki?" Ryohei inquired. Yuki in his embrace still wept and wetted his shirt.

The receptionist shrugged, disappointed Ryohei, "I just saw the man approached him from behind, and it seemed like he whispered something to your lover. Soon after that, your lover was, like, having seizure. He gasped and stared the ceiling."

"I'm sorry. He is blind," Ryohei patted Yuki's head to soothe him down. Yuki sobbed and hiccupped, "He must be panic that he could not find other people near him during the man's presence."

"I hope you won't leave him again, mister," The receptionist sighed, "Being blind is hurtful and scary. You could barely trust people. He must have been hurt too badly before this."

Ryohei nodded understanding what the receptionist meant. He hushed Yuki, and Yuki seemed to calm down a bit. He thanked the crowd for the attempt of saving Yuki. The crowd then dismissed, and Ryohei brought Yuki to their own room.

"I couldn't ask for an apology, Honey," Ryohei put Yuki on the bed and slightly bumped his forehead to Yuki's, "But it's my fault for leaving you alone there. Apology is not enough, is it?"

Yuki cupped Ryohei's face and cried. It was really Ryohei. Ryohei would never mistreat him. "It's not your fault, dear. You didn't know. Me, too."

Ryohei brushed his nose against Yuki's. His thumb wiped away Yuki's trails of tears and passionately kissed the blind. Yuki replied the kissed even though he still wept and hiccupped.

"Do you mind telling me who that man was?"

Yuki let Ryohei blanketing him, then Ryohei sat by the bedside. "I still remember how the voice of my regular client sounds like," Yuki tugged the blanket up to his nose. "Including my boss. I mean, the one offering me the job as an editor."

Ryohei's hand stopped on Yuki's fringe. Yuki sniffled, getting his sadness to its end. Ryohei faced away from Yuki, "Is he here?"

Again, Yuki burst to tears and nodded vigorously. "He came to me and whispered a line like 'Why didn't I smell?' and such. Since I still remember his voice, once I heard it I got instantly frightened and traumatized."

"Didn't you meet him weekly before?" Ryohei grasped both Yuki's hand, "Plus, recently you guys talked in phone for work. Wasn't that disturbing you too?"

"The sensation is different when he whispered, dear," Yuki blinked to let his final tears escaped from the eye tips, "You do know how beastly a man is during sex, right? The gentleness in his whispers really contradicts to the sex activity. And I definitely don't want that."

Ryohei pursed his lips. If only he did not leave Yuki at the lobby, Yuki would not get approached by that man. If only he did not take it lightly, Yuki might still enjoy their trip there. If only he thought of possibilities, he would not surely leave Yuki there. As the result, Yuki was scared to death, and he did not have the heart to leave the blind alone even during shower.

"That means he is here, right? In this rest house," Ryohei wanted to double confirm.

Yuki nodded. His swollen eyes were worrying Ryohei. He regretted for everything happened. "I'm so sorry, honey. I was so careless. I should be more careful, but I didn't think twice. Now, seeing you scared like a kitten making me anxious. I'm so sorry."

For several times, Ryohei kissed Yuki's hands. His tears dripped on them. Yuki touched Ryohei's face, and despite his tears, he smiled. "My dear is so kind hearted. He cried because I cried," he chuckled at Ryohei.

Ryohei snorted in. "I feel bad for you, honey," He buried his face into Yuki's crook of neck. His exhaled breath blew against Yuki's neck. "I'm so sorry. I will be more careful in the future."

Yuki kissed Ryohei's head and smiled, "Having you by my side is all I need. You don't have to apologize, dear, as long as you are here."

Ryohei snuggled into the blanket. He reposed closely to Yuki and cuddled the latter. They shared the warmness, engrossed in their solemn mood. At the same time, Ryohei recalled what Yuki has disclosed to him.

'Why didn't he smell, huh?'