Never Less Than Perfect
Never Less Than Perfect
Pairing: Sooyoung/Kris
Dedicated to: bamthegreat and paperwwings for their eternally awesome fanfics :)
o-o-o-o-o
“You, my dear, are in desperate need of a boyfriend.” Kim Heechul made a face as he stuffed his wallet back inside the back pocket of jeans. “You need to love something else aside from my credit card.”
“Are you making me sound like some spoiled brat, oppa?” Choi Sooyoung mock glared at her best friend. “It’s not my fault you can’t say no to Sica.”
He rolled his eyes at that. “That girl’s rubbing off on you.”
“You were the one who tied your bank account with her.” The tall brunette reminded him, transferring some of the shopping bags she held from one hand to the other. “Whose fault is it now?”
Heechul mimicked her, sighing as the pair began to walk towards the mall exit. “I still say you need a boyfriend.”
“If ever I find the guy for me, you’ll be the first to know.” Lifting the hand that held the least shopping bags as high as she could, she waved goodbye as she walked past the automatic doors… or at least she tried to wave.
Smiling as the cool breeze swept by and tickled her face, Sooyoung let out a contented sigh as she looked up at the sky. The smile on her face brightened as her cheeks warmed up under the sun; a familiar sound soon reaching her ears. The leggy brunette lowered her hear in time to see Jessica approaching with the former’s dog; the animal’s tail wagging excitedly at the sight of her.
“You really should get yourself a dog.” Sooyoung commented as her best friend and her pet approached her.
“I would… if Heechul oppa isn’t such a diva. Besides, a dog would drive Heebum insane.” The older woman rolled her eyes good naturedly. “Are you sure you can hold those shopping bags and Harry at the same time?”
She stuck her tongue out as maturely as she could muster, easily transferring all her shopping bags in one hand and reaching out the other. “It’s your fault why I have so much stuff with me.”
“Where’s Heechul oppa?” Jessica asked as she handed her Harry’s leash.
“He went back inside.” The taller of the two answered absently as she slowly knelt down to pat her dog’s head. “Just look for a male version of yourself and you’ll find your husband.”
“You need a boyfriend.”
“You two say the same things too. Did you know that?”
Jessica shrugged absently, already on her way inside the mall. “We’re two halves of a whole. I guess that counts the brain too.”
The two women bid their goodbyes and Jessica watched as her best friend walked off with shopping bags and Harry in tow, waiting until she disappeared from sight before heading inside the mall in search of her husband. As she walked along the pebbled path towards the nearby park for Harry’s daily stroll, the smile her face faltered just a little bit as she replayed the conversations she had with Jessica and Heechul. Did she really need a man in her life? She was, without a doubt, content with the life she had… but the conversations made her acknowledge the fact that it wouldn’t stay the same way as she grew older.
Harry’s excited barking snapped her out of her thoughts; the dog pretty much dragging her as they entered the park. Sooyoung let out a laugh, letting go of her dog’s leash and watching as he ran off. It never worried her to see him free; Harry always found his way back to her. Balancing the shopping bags between her two hands, she turned to search for a vacant bench to read a book when she found herself frozen in place.
Sooyoung wasn’t really one who was a strong believer in love at first sight but as she watched - no, stared - at the lone occupant seated on the bench closest to her, she pretty much convinced that he couldn’t be real. The tall brunette was also not one who believed that someone could be perfect - everyone is flawed after all. But as her eyes travelled from his light caramel brown, almost blonde hair, the long bridge of his perfectly shaped nose, the sharp contours of his face and his full lips, there was no other word in the dictionary that could describe him… other than perfect.
She mentally kicked herself, hating how shallow she seemed fawning over a man that she completely didn’t know. A defeated sigh escaped her lips. Maybe she really did need a man in her life so that she’d stop gawking at random beautiful strangers. Just as she turned to leave, the guy suddenly bent down to pick something off the grass. Sooyoung squinted but to no avail; a gasp soon escaping her lips when he stood up and the object in his hand came into full view.
He’s blind.
o-o-o-o-o
“For the last time, Kim Heechul’s wife, I’m not looking for anyone.”
Jessica pouted, shifting closer to her best friend so that she could hear her better despite the blaring music in the club. “C’mon, Soo. There’s no harm in getting to know the guy.”
“I’m really not interested.” Sooyoung insisted, swirling her long island iced tea as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.
“Soo, give the guy a chance!”
“Jess, give it up.” Tiffany Hwang finally spoke from Sooyoung’s other side.
“It’s such a waste.” Jessica sighed; a sign that she was dropping the matter after whatever it was she had to say. “The guy who had his eyes on you was perfect.”
Sooyoung didn’t bother to reply; her thought fleeting unguardedly to that guy she saw in the park a few days ago. Ever since then, she questioned what perfection really was. Gorgeous he may be but there was a part of him that was technically flawed… but if you asked her, she didn’t think of him any less when she figured out that he was blind. A smile made its way unconsciously to her lips as she mentally outlined his face… as if it would always be engraved in her memory.
Tiffany and Jessica exchanged a look; the slightly younger of the two gasping when realization hit her. “Oh my god… Soo, do you like someone else? Is that why you’re not interested in the guy a while ago?”
“Huh, what?” The straw she was holding slipped from her fingers. “What guy?”
The two women rolled their eyes in unison; the taller of the two speaking first. “Is there some other guy who caught your eye?”
She knew she was bad in lying so she snorted for effect. “There’s no one.”
Jessica and Tiffany ignored her, going on and on about how that ‘mystery guy’ probably looked like. Sooyoung could only sigh as she focused her attention on her drink again as her two friends described the so-called perfect guy for her. Shaking her head a touch, she finished her drink in one gulp.
If they only knew
o-o-o-o-o
Sooyoung rested her hands on her knees, taking the time to catch her breath. It was her day off and she had used the opportunity to do things she couldn’t normally do when she was working. She had been jogging in the park for the past half hour, taking Harry for a run at the same time. The tall brunette raised her head just in time to see that Harry hadn’t stopped by her side like he normally did; the dog already meters away from her.
“Harry!” Foregoing her original plan of taking a long drink, Sooyoung ran after her dog. “Harry, get back here!”
Her dog happened to be as stubborn as she was with certain things, explaining why he still ran farther and farther away from her. Sooyoung grimaced; running really wasn’t one of her fortes. She knew that there was something that caught Harry interest, which was why her dog was currently paying no attention to her. A part of her wondered what it was but as soon as Harry slowed down, coming to a stop soon after, she wished she didn’t run after her dog.
Harry sat down, staring at the lone occupant on the bench before he was up once again, slowly walking around the pair of feet on the ground. Sooyoung felt her breath hitch up in her throat as she stared at the guy from a week ago. His face remained stoic, blank but she could tell her knew that there was a dog by its feet and its owner was just standing nearby.
“Is the dog yours?”
Sooyoung couldn’t help but jump at the sound of his voice despite what she had anticipated about his senses. She sucked in a sharp breath; the fact that she was mesmerized by his voice not going unnoticed by her. “I-I’m so sorry.”
The leggy brunette knelt down, carefully pulling Harry away from the stranger’s feet. It was easier said and done because her pet looked like he was content being where he was. Sooyoung let out a frustrated sigh, giving Harry’s leash a tug. It was a pointless effort though; Harry lying down by the stranger’s feet.
“He likes you.”
“Pretty much.” He replied, bending forwards so that he could running his hand through the dog’s long, golden fur. “What’s the name?”
Sooyoung mentally slapped herself for nearly zoning out. “Harry.”
“Harry.” The caramel coloured man repeated; a sudden smile gracing his handsome face when he felt the dog stand under his touch. “I’m Kris. You are?”
“Sooyoung.” She replied; her own name nearly not making its way out her mouth. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Much to her surprise, Kris turned her head towards her; the tall brunette doing what she could to stifle her gasp. She didn’t know much about those who didn’t have their sense of sight but as she locked eyes with him, she could very much tell that he was blind. But it seemed like he could see her more than the literal sense. Before she could think more about it, Kris was soon on his feet; walking stick in hand. He nodded once to her before he turned around; his arm reaching out to hold the stick to the ground.
“It’s nice to meet you too.”
o-o-o-o-o
It was over the course of a few weeks that Sooyoung got to know Kris more and vice versa. The first couple of meetings had purely been coincidental but Kris’s fondness of Harry led to them planning their meetings; most of which were in the park that was near both their homes. It was during one of those planned meetings that Sooyoung found out that Kris hadn’t been born blind and that his disability was because of a trauma to the brain during a car accident. That led to her asking if he’d never be able to see again; the response being the truth that there was a less than fifty percent chance.
What fascinated - and worried - Sooyoung was how her first impression of him didn’t change despite knowing that he was blind… despite the flaws that rarely stood out in his personality. It had been a running inside joke among them actually; how he had what she called a ‘bitch face’. Kris had grimaced at that but shrugged it off soon enough, not really caring what others thought of him. What surprised - and worried - Sooyoung, too, was how she looked forward to her regular meetings with Kris so much so that it hadn’t gone unnoticed by Jessica, Tiffany and Heechul. But despite the fact that all three of them wanted to know what was going on, Heechul had set his foot down and reminded the two women to let Sooyoung be.
“You know, you should get a dog.”
“You’re tired of seeing me already so I get to play with Harry?” Kris arched an eyebrow. “If you want, you can bring Harry here and leave him with me.”
She rolled her eyes at that from her spot on the grass even if he couldn’t see. “It’s not that… it’s just that I think a dog helps more than a walking stick.”
The tall man stuffed ruffling Harry’s fur at her words. “What do you mean by that?”
“Well, I just noticed that it’s better for you to move around when you have Harry with you.” Sooyoung replied carefully, not wanting to offend him. “I guess it’s because a dog has eyes and a stick doesn’t.”
His lips curled up into a smirk. “So can I have Harry then?”
“Yah!” The brunette all but shrieked in protest. “Buy yourself another dog.”
Kris laughed before straightening up by Harry’s side. “I need to go. My friend, Tao, is waiting for me.”
Her eyebrows furrowed slowly at that as she stood up as well, taking Harry’s leash with her. “Are you sure you don’t want me to bring you there?”
“I can manage, Soo.” He smiled slightly. “But thanks.”
Sooyoung nodded slowly, not understanding why a part of her was still hesitant when she knew that Kris really was capable of taking care of himself. “Kris.” She called out before he could get anywhere further. “Be safe.”
“You too.”
She felt her cheeks burn up as he flashed her one of those smiles that always made her heart beat faster. Kris had begun walking again towards the street; Sooyoung using the opportunity to put Harry’s collar around him again. Harry, who sat down obediently as the collar was fitted comfortably around him, was suddenly on his four legs and barked loudly.
“What is it, boy?” Sooyoung questioned; confusion settling on her beautiful face. “What’s wrong?”
When Harry only continued to bark louder, Sooyoung followed the dog’s line of sight. She could see Kris by the sidewalk that separated the park from the road, obviously about to cross. She felt her heart drum louder in her chest as she dared herself to look to the side; a look of absolute horror crossing her face as the speeding car greeted her. She was up on her feet before she could completely comprehend what could happen; Harry already a few feet ahead of her.
“KRIS!”
If Kris had gone a step or two more, the inevitable would’ve happened. There was no doubt about that. Kris let out a shaky breath as he heard the car zoom past him. He could feel Harry’s teeth tightly biting his pant leg; the fact that he should be thankful that he didn’t completely bite him not crossing his mind any longer. All he could focus on was the pair of arms around his torso belonging to the shaking body pressed against his back.
“I told you you need a dog.”
“I’ve got Harry.” He rested his hand on her clamped ones and squeezed them reassuringly. “I’ve got you.”
“Are you saying I’m a dog?” Sooyoung snorted softly, calming down little by little as the reality of him being safe sunk in.
“You’re my eyes… and I’ve got the most beautiful one.”
o-o-o-o-o
Tiffany, Jessica and Heechul sat around a round table in an alfresco café, waiting for their friend to leave. When they had seen Sooyoung a few days past looking like she had been through something traumatic or the like, all three of them had been adamant when it came to finding out what really was going on in their friend’s life. It led to Sooyoung’s admission that there really was someone in her life now… which likewise led to Jessica and Tiffany gushing about how perfect he probably would be.
“I don’t care if he’s perfect or not.” Heechul took a sip of his coffee before he continued. “If he hurts Sooyoung in any way shape or form, I will pummel him.”
Tiffany snorted. “He stands at six foot something, oppa, so good luck with that.”
“Well, shit.”
Jessica had opened his mouth to comment when the sight of an approaching pair caught her eyes. Not so discreetly, she gestured at Tiffany and Heechul to look at their directions; three jaws dropping simultaneously soon after. Heechul went on to mutter over and over again about how guys that looked like him couldn’t possible exist while Tiffany and Jessica gawked at the impossibly gorgeous couple.
One of Kris’s hand held Harry’s leash; the dog looking more than happy as far as they could tell from the wagging of his tale. His other hand held Sooyoung’s as they made their way to the café with bright, identical smiles on their faces. Sooyoung whispered something to him, causing Kris to laugh and bend down to kiss her lips. Jessica, Tiffany and Heechul could only blink as their sights fell on the brunette’s other hand.
He’s blind.
Tiffany, Jessica and Heechul smiled.
They doubt he could be any less than perfect for her.