Believer

1

Akaashi was born with Sensorineural hearing loss, meaning the hair cells in his cochlea are damaged and don't function properly. There are treatments, such as an implant that helps aid hearing, but overall wouldn't cure his ears. Sadly, his doctor deemed even the implant as one that would likely not be successful for Akaashi. 

The tests they had run to measure the compatibility and probability of the implant working with his ear had come back. They showed the cochlear implant would most likely not work, but they offered to still try if Akaashi and his mother still wanted to.

Akaashi decided not to do the surgery. He didn't want to get his hopes up only for the implant to be unsuccessful. His mother, although wishing her son could eventually hear and enjoy life to the fullest, understood her son's viewpoint.

His mother was a very understanding person, always asking Akaashi what he wanted to do. And the older teen was grateful, even more so when his mother didn't view his lack of hearing as a disability or treat him differently.

He had decided that he liked online classes at an early age and his mother had firstly asked if everything was okay at school. He had admitted a couple people were rude and picked on him for being deaf, but overall he just felt he didn't like the interactions within school. He was an introvert afterall. 

His mother had smiled sweetly, and agreed to let him switch to an online form of schooling. She had then took time to reinforce Akaashi of his self worth and talents. 

Akaashi loved his mom, and after a few years of being homeschooled and finding hobbies he loves, he began learning to find his self confidence.

In fact, he was an avid artist and even had an art YouTube channel for teaching people how to draw and paint. His small community loved to comment on how detailed his lessons and commentary were--he wrote notes at the top of the video, so people could read along. Some of his favorite community moments included posts that tagged him, showing what artwork his followers and watchers drew. He loved commenting on them and showing his appreciation. 

Eventually, he wanted to set up a booth at the local art fair. But right now he was happy simply creating. 

His mother never failed to support his hobbies and talents, and for that he would forever be thankful. 

He was in his second year of High School, meaning he technically had one more year until college, but when he switched to online, he had excelled so well at classes, he had been able to move up quite a few grades. Now he is beginning college courses from his computer while spending time doing what he loves. 

He felt content. 

One day, while working on an abstract painting he hoped would cure his art block, he noticed his window was open, and a slight breeze was flowing through. He gently put his wooden brush into his water jar and swished it around before moving to his window. He put his hands on the rim in an attempt to push down, ultimately closing it completely, when he glimpsed at the neighbor's window. 

The curtains that usually hid the living room were open, and in full view a teen was playing the piano. Swaying to the music was a boy similar to Akaashi's age, eyes locked on the music sheets in front of him, intently and passionately pressing keys. 

Akaashi softly smiled at the scene, before gently closing the window. In an attempt to not distract his neighbor, who was clearly enjoying his hobby. 

Over the next few weeks, Akaashi would find his neighbor in a similar trance. Anywhere from four to six PM, the duel haired teen would sit on his piano stool and begin playing tunes. 

His swaying and lovely expressions when practicing drew Akaashi's attention. Even though he couldn't hear the melody, he wished he could. 

For once in his life, he wished he could listen to something other than the silence that crowded his head. 

For minutes at a time, Akaashi would longingly look at the musician across from the fence, imagining the most wonderful sound he could string together in his silent heart. 

Of course, Akaashi was not the only one who noticed their neighbor. Bokuto, an avid volleyball player and scholar, loved to play the piano. However one day when he was sick and stayed home from school, he kept his window open. At that moment he had noticed a flash from somewhere at the edge of the open window. 

Feeding into his curiosity, he gathered enough strength to wobble out of bed. With bleary eyes and tired muscles, he leaned out the window to get a better look at what could have been the distraction. 

Craning his neck to look around for the source, Bokuto eventually spots his neighbor doing something in his room. 

The teen was rearranging his room, moving what seemed to be a small bookshelf and a shiny black art easel. The latter has been what had gotten the pianist's attention as the sun had hit it at just the right angle. 

For the next few seconds, Bokuto watched the black haired neighbor moving around items in his room with the utmost concentration.  

Feeling too exhausted to stay long, Bokuto grabbed a bottle of water he kept under his desk before heading back to bed for a nap. He awoke around midday, feeling better and stronger. 

Remembering the window event, he had rolled off his bed to soothe his curiosity and see what his neighbor was up to now. When he made it to the window, he was able to see his raven haired neighbor painting. That's what Bokuto thought at least, the boy's body blocked the majority of what he was doing, but the corner of the canvas and majority of the easel was in the blatant view of the onlooker. 

Since then, Bokuto often attempted to get a glimpse of the teenage neighbor and his artwork every once in a while. However he was sad to learn that said neighbor often closed his curtains through the day. 

Over time, Bokuto grew antsy, wanting to at least talk with his neighbor and possibly gain a new friend.