Being Proposed to By a Blind CEO

Three months ago, Haris invited Gifer to take braille reading lessons at a foundation called ‘Ability to Read’ which is located quite far from his apartment. Haris has a braille reading teacher friend who manages the foundation and still has other teachers both male and female. When he arrived at the location, Haris was immediately greeted by a man who was about 177cm tall and whose smile was as bright as the morning sun.

“Hi, Bang Martin!” He greeted the man while waving his right hand. Gifer who heard that was a little confused, Haris greeted the person on the other side because it seemed like they were still far away.

“Oh, hi Ris!” greeted the man named Bang Martin with a cheerful facial expression and waved his hand towards Haris. When he arrived in front of Martin, Haris immediately shook hands with Bang Martin.

“You finally came too. Never mind, no need to be so formal, we’re friends!” the man smiled.

“Oh this is your friend? Introduce my name is Martin,” continued the man who was taller than Haris while extending his hand. Haris who was responsive immediately pulled Gifer’s right hand to accept Martin’s hand. Gifer then displayed his best smile until his eyes sank like a crescent moon.

“Gifer Fernandez,”Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Ah, you’re so sweet, your eyes are so cute,”

“Yes, but unfortunately I can’t see, I’m sorry if I didn’t immediately accept your helping hand earlier,” when it comes to eyes, Gifer is indeed very sensitive. Gifer also still felt awkward because he met a new person like Martin.

“No problem, okay, let’s register first, then join the class right away. Come on in!” Martin led the two of them inside to do the registration first.

Inside Martin’s room, the two of them were offered to choose private lessons or lessons together.

“Gif, do you want private lessons or joint lessons?”

“Just private lessons, Ris. If you need to go directly with Bang Martin, the sooner you read the better,” Gifer whispered to Haris which could still be heard by the owner of the foundation.

“Heh, by the way I can still hear your words. If you want to whisper properly,” Martin joked to make the atmosphere less awkward.

“Hehe, yes, Bang Martin. I choose private lessons only. Ris, use my black card,” Martin who heard that, his eyes widened, surprised while covering his mouth in surprise. Crazy, is Gifer a rich man? How could he have a black card which is usually used by people or the sultan’s family. Does Gifer also belong to people with the same level of wealth as the sultan? After being a little astonished, Martin continued to record everything about Gifer.

“Just a moment,” Martin walked to the tutoring class they used to use, talking to the female teacher who was teaching.

“Nova, later when I’m teaching, you can look after my office, in case someone wants to sign up again,” the teacher just nodded her head in agreement with Martin’s words.

“Yes, sir. I’ll be there later. But around what time do you teach?” Nova asked to make sure when Martin would actually teach.

“Probably around 9:00. Right now it’s still 8:45, if you dismiss it now it’s okay, right?”

“But poor things, they’ve just been working on the assignment I gave them, sir,” refused Nova, unable to bear seeing his student who was working on his assignment and wanted to be able to read and write in braille.

“Mmm, how about just making it homework. Because, I’ll be teaching not a child, but an adult, and she needs quiet, she can’t learn in a crowded classroom. Please understand, Nova,”

“But, can’t he wait for another 15 minutes? It’s not long now, I promise, it’s awkward if it has to be made into homework,”

“Is that so? Okay, I’ll ask the new student to wait another 15 minutes,” Martin said. Nova nodded while smiling at Martin. She then entered her class again.

Martin returned to his office where Gifer and Haris were still talking.

“Ah, sorry. The class will start around 09. 00, it’s a shame if those little kids who are busy writing braille letters have to be forcibly sent home, it would be better to wait a little longer, right?”

“Ah yes, it’s also okay,” Gifer smiled. Instantly Gifer’s foot was stepped on by Haris.

“AKH!”

“Uh what’s wrong?” Asked Martin in panic hearing Gifer’s scream.

“It’s okay. Okay, we’ll wait for you, Martin. You take it easy,” Haris flashed his square smile.

“Damn, my leg hurts, you know!” Gifer whispered while feeling the shin of his foot. The three of them started chatting for a long time. Until it was already 09:00. Martin glanced at his watch.

“Alright, let’s start the class.”

The class began, Gifer, Haris, and Martin were sitting in a fairly large room with a blackboard there, but because Gifer only wanted to learn to read, he would never use a blackboard or marker. He only needed a book with braille alphabets that he bought earlier from Martin’s office. Haris just played with his cell phone and watched from a distance.

“Ok, let’s start, before we can read braille letters, it would be better if we recognize the alphabet first while pointing our finger at the letter to be pointed,” Martin explained. Gifer just nodded a few times to indicate that he understood what Martin was saying.

“In braille, there are 6 main vertical points that you should know, because this is the basis of braille itself. These main points are the basis of all letters. Among the 6 vertical dots, the ones that can be read are the thick dots. For example, starting with the letter A. The letter A, it is one thick dot on the upper left, let’s try touching the book and feel it,” Martin tried to direct Gifer’s right index finger to touch the book in front of him.

“Ah this, yes. I’ll try to remember it,”

“It’s okay, just take it slow Gif. If you’re still confused, just ask me,”

“Okay, Bang,”

“Next, now the letter B, two thick dots up and down on the left. While touching and remembering yes. Letter C, two upper thick dots that are located next to each other, like we are sitting next to each other,”

They also learned up to the letter Z. For the first letter Gifer could still memorize it, but for the other letters, Gifer still couldn’t remember easily, sometimes he was still mistaken and that was no problem for Martin because indeed, learning must be gradual, it is impossible for one person to learn in a matter of minutes immediately.

“No problem, Gif. If you can’t remember some of the letters, it’s still your first day in our class anyway. In fact, we have also faced various characters of children and adults who have difficulty memorizing every important letter,” Martin explained with a smile.

“Bang, that means you have to be that patient with us blind people. I salute you Bang. Unlike me who is impatient and prefers to get angry if things don’t go according to what I expect,” Gifer bowed his head.

“That’s what it is, Gif. Life is full of people who need help, so we have to be more patient in living a life full of twists and turns. We have to get rid of our ego in order to make others stay with us,”

“Yes, you’re right, brother. Thank you, brother, I’m going nowhere, let’s continue,”

“I think that’s enough Gif for today. Tomorrow again, I will contact Haris whenever you are scheduled to study until you can really do it,”

“Alright, Bang. Thank you.”

Gifer closed his book, Martin coded Haris to come closer and join them.

“Are you done?” Haris asked.

“Already, you can go home.” Martin stood up followed by Gifer and Haris, then left the room.

.

“Gif, you still have a black card, why don’t you use it to get eye surgery?”

“It’s not that easy, Ris. What I need is an eye, no matter how much I pay if the hospital has no stock of people who want to become eye donors, how can the operation be done?”

“Ah, yes too. Be patient, Gif. One day there will be good people who want to donate their eyes to you. Or there are intermediaries from other people who contact all the doctors in Korea so that they can do eye donors,”

“Yes, I hope so, Ris.”

***

“So, what is the purpose of Mr. coming here?” Gifer asked with a question mark in his brain.

“I just want to apologize to Nak Gifer for what happened. The company that I took back, it was all Raya’s request. But it turns out that after the company was held by her, the company didn’t get better, but the opposite. In contrast to Nak Gifer’s deft and tenacious performance. Raya only focused on dating her new boyfriend. I am disappointed in her. Please, forgive my mistake, Nak Gifer,”

DEGH!

Mr. Kevin kneeled in front of Gifer and took the skinny right hand so that his apology would be accepted by the master. Gifer smiled wryly. What did this old man just say? Apologizing? After what happened three months ago? Heck, at the news he proudly introduced Raya to his new company. But now that Raya can’t manage the company, why come to him again? What a lack of self-respect, Gifer thought.

“No need to be like this, Mr. Kevin. I understand and have forgiven you and your daughter. But there’s one thing that is deeply imprinted on my heart and I don’t want to hear from his caustic mouth anymore.”

“What is it?”

“Please, never again will your daughter insult me. It’s very hurtful to me who is mentally down and emotional,” Gifer was still furious about Raya’s remark when he was jogging.

“Ah, that. I’ll talk to Raya about it later,” Gifer just kept showing his smile.

“Anything else? I have work to do after this,” Gifer asked a little rudely.

“Look, Gifer. Actually my coming here is not only to apologize but also to get Gifer to work again in the company that Raya has taken,” hearing that made Gifer and Haris surprised.

“How? Is Gifer willing?” Gifer quirked his lips slightly to the right.

“Sorry, Mr. Kevin. I already have another job, I’m no longer working in your company, I’m already comfortable with my job. Hanging out with little kids is enough for me. Thank you for the offer,” Gifer politely declined.

“But, son Gifer. I beg you, please help me again like before. For Raya’s problem, let me take care of it.”

“No Mr. Kevin. I’m sorry. By the way, what time is it, Ris? Don’t we have to leave?”

“Ah yes, Gif. It’s already 10:00. Let’s go.”

“Mr. Kevin, let’s go out. I already have this schedule, I’m sorry that I have to cut off this conversation. I want to get ready first,” Gifer replied unpleasantly to Mr. Kevin. Mr. Kevin stood up and stepped aside from the kneeling event. He sat back down on the sofa.

Gifer walked to his room still using his blind stick, picked up his bag, and intended to go to work.

“Come on Ris, let’s go now. Mr. Kevin, let’s go out!” with a firm sentence, Haris opened the apartment door. The three of them got out of the apartment and took the elevator down.

“Gifer, please, reconsider my offer from earlier.”

“Sorry, I can’t promise, sir.”

After getting off the elevator, GIfer and Haris went to work using the public bus as usual.

“Damn! It’s so hard to persuade Gifer to come back to the company! I have to think of a plan to make Gifer want to come back to my company!”

.

To Be Continued