WHO ARE YOU?

The darkness decreed in a haze of ecstasy and gradually turned to midnight. The wind marvelled as a retreat of serenity amidst the bustling city. Thunder clouds soon hovered ominously aloft in the peacefully relaxed air.

City F is known as one of the 'Country Three'. Country three consists of City A, City G and City F. They are a foreign country different from other local cities. But City F is one with the most favourable territory and where the Mafia Lords prevailed.

That night, the horrid sound of gunshots was heard as two gangs were shooting at each other. The fight became enthusiastic after the leader of the opposite gang was been shot.

"Lower your heads and go home with the shame...you know the saying, a fool is always a fool" A man putting on a leather jacket sarcastically poked at the other gang. Beside him was a blind man. He may have been blind but his sense of hearing was so great, that no one could compete with him.

From the other gang, a man growled, his hands itching to get vengeance. He was left as the others had taken the injured leader away. Besieged by his enemies, he could only reluctantly retreat.

"I will get back at you...just you wait and see" He threw his gun to the ground and left.

The blind man took a whiff of his cigarette and began laughing.

"A Don never cowers no matter what situation they find themselves...how foolish can he be?"

The man putting on a leather jacket waved his hand at the rest to excuse the both of them. Inside the casino, it remained just the two men.

"Don't you want to regain your sight? I worry for you...that man can come anytime to attack you. He might use your weak point...don't be so stubborn and just agree. Let's say you find her" The visionless man perked his brows up and dragged on the cigarette as all he could see was darkness.

"If you find her but she doesn't recognize you because you are blind or worse, let's say she recognized you but rejects you. What will you do then?" The blind man leaned against the pool table. He didn't seem to be affected by his friend's reasoning. Instead, with his cane, he dropped his gun and helped himself to the middle of the Pool table.

His friend gazed at him in awe. He knew his friend was crazy but not to this point.

The blind man gracefully searched for the triangle. He arranged the cue balls so neatly around it.

"Been blind doesn't make any difference...what is important is the matters of the heart. Just like the cue balls and the triangle. I know the day we finally meet, we won't be able to let go of one another". The other man watched as he smoothly removed the triangle.

"She resides in my heart and I in hers...one day we will meet again"

"How are you so sure about it? You two were kids back then...Alex, not all things are possible. What if she never shows up, will you never marry? You still have a duty about producing heirs and you know how that grandfather of yours can be"

Listening attentively to his friend's words, the blind man found the wooden stick, with his sense, he positioned himself. As right-handed, he held the base of the stick with his right hand and rested the narrow end on his left. Feeling dissatisfied with that position, he puts his index finger on the top of the stick (curving it) and put his thumb at the bottom of the stick.

His target was on the fourth and sixth ball. He positioned the stick at the tip and hit the cue ball.

His friend curiously focused his mind on the game.

"If the fourth and sixth ball goes into the pocket table...you are owing for life"

"Impossible!!" The friend lamented but the visionless man just smiled and waited for the news. The white ball hit the second ball which pushed the fourth ball to the left side of the table and coincidentally, it entered the pocket.

"Unbelievable" The friend could not believe it. His whole countenance went blank when the sixth and seventh ball followed.

"Alex, how is this possible?" 

"Let me explain this....when you were a child, who was your first guardian...your parents. When a mother hen leaves home, what happens? The chicks follow. No matter what, you are most familiar with something or someone you love and for me, this game is everything to me because she was the one who thought me all that I know now. Whenever I think about her, I try to put her sassy expressions and beautiful face together. I want to know what woman she had become. I want to know if she still remembers me"

He stood upright by the guidance of his cane.

"Krist, have you ever been so desperate to find something you feel is very close to you?" He asked his friend.

Krist scratched the back of his head "Sex?"

"Fool not that!!" Alex scolded, he stabbed his cane on the ground and brushed it off "You are a lost cause...all your life revolve is sex...sex...and sex. You have no hope"

Krist chuckled "What can I do? Women are pure gems...they are my life"

"Shut up and take me back home....don't you dare tell grandfather I was attacked!!"

Krist shrugged his shoulder, his black eyes glistened under the light. He glanced to look at the mess created by them after that unexpected fight. Tables were broken, and glasses had been smashed. The casino looked untidied and destroyed. With a nervous chuckle, he cried "I don't even dare without you telling me. If that Old Man got news of this, do you think I will be here chatting freely with you? He would throw me to that stupid military camp...I definitely dare not say a word to him"

"Good...we should leave now"

..................................

At dawn.

The door to a room squeaked open as a man entered. He skillfully walked to his bathroom to freshen up. His head was spinning from the previous alcohol. After his five-minute shower, he came out with just a towel covering his private area. Knowing the back and front of his room, he was about to remove the towel when he felt a burning look on him.

Shocked. He hurriedly covered himself down there and almost screamed. But calmly, he ordered, "Who are you?"