All Of My Silences Will Be Your Words [English Vers. - FINISHED]

Chapter Eight

- IT'S SNOWING ! IT'S SNOWING ! IT'S SNOWING !

I jumped up and down, my heart missing a beat. Still half asleep, I rubbed my eyes as I sat up in bed. What was going on ?

A soft light was streaming through the closed shutters of my bedroom, heralding the morning. But why was someone - or rather, Olivia - screaming throughout the house ?

Just as I was wondering, my door swung open, letting in a half-dishevelled Olivia, dressed in her pyjamas, and completely overexcited.

- SAAAEEEE-JIIIIIN, IT'S SNOWING !!! She screamed at the top of her lungs as she ran towards me.

She jumped onto my bed, still repeating the same thing. A half-smile stretched my lips without me really realizing it.

- What's wrong with yelling like that to wake people up ? Rachael grumbled from the doorway, trying to cover her sister's cries of joy.

Also in her pyjamas, she was just as dishevelled as Olivia. I ran a hand through my own hair, realizing that I must look just like them.

- But it's snowing ! It's amazing ! Have you seen what's falling outside ? Says Olivia, jumping out of bed to open my shutters. Look, there's at least a meter of snow already !

- A meter, you may be exaggerating a little, Liv'.

Felix had just appeared behind his elder sister, a big smile painted on his face. Seeing that I'd turned my head towards him, he gave me a little wave. My stomach did an unidentified flip.

- Did you sleep well ? He inquired.

I blushed, but nodded all the same. Of course I'd slept well, since I'd stolen his bed...

- What about you ? Is it good to sleep at home ? Rachael replied, turning to her brother as well, leaving Olivia to gaze at the window alone in ecstasy.

- Yes ! And I got to talk to Chan before bed. It was so cool.

Rachael giggled.

- Now we know ; I don't know who couldn't hear you screaming last night... What was it again ? She teased, thinking.

- Aaaah sorry ! I didn't mean to, Felix apologized, hiding his head in his hands.

Except that Olivia, who I thought was completely obsessed with the snow, turned to us and shouted the phrase we'd all heard last night from the living room :

- BUT I TOLD YOU IT WASN'T THAT !

This made the two girls explode with laughter, while Felix, red-faced, tried to keep them quiet. I looked at them from my bed, smiling. It was funny to see the three of them having so much fun. Olivia's imitation made me laugh, and I felt my smile widen. A strange lump rose in my throat ; it wasn't unpleasant, although I wasn't sure what it was. It was rising, rising, up into my throat, and into my smile.

I pursed my lips, feeling my shoulders shake in an uncontrollable giggle. And then, all of a sudden, without warning, I burst out laughing, causing the room to erupt in sonorous laughter.

***

Too embarrassed by his sisters' teasing, and above all panicked at the thought of having to explain why he had shouted that famous phrase to Chan last night, he was a little late in understanding who had suddenly exploded into laughter. With all the hubbub in the room, he hadn't noticed Sae-Jin at first, sitting cross-legged in bed, bent double, in a tearful fit of giggles. But the most surprising thing was to hear her laugh, as she was usually so quiet and discreet.

When he understood, he stopped fooling around and could only stare at her, completely surprised by this novelty. Olivia and Rachael followed his gaze and calmed down as instantly as he did, watching Sae-Jin with round eyes. The latter hadn't noticed the sudden silence, still laughing herself to tears, her head on her comforter, shaken by her giggle.

Felix could have heard his heartbeat at that moment, so calm was his mind. He seemed anesthetized, completely hypnotized by Sae-Jin. Seeing her so joyful, laughing without fear or dread... Seeing her so free... He felt as if he had finally begun to discover her ; to discover the real Sae-Jin, behind the shell she had unwillingly forged for herself over time. He suddenly thought back to his conversation with Chan, and the fact that he'd complained about the lack of conversation he could have with Sae-Jin to get to know her ; on reflection, seeing her like this, he realized that he didn't necessarily need words to see her as she was.

It was their father who stopped Sae-Jin's laughter, as he poked his head through the door, with curiosity, and surely with surprise. Indeed, who could have expected Sae-Jin to free himself so soon from his old wounds ?

- Woah, who can I hear laughing all the way down the hall ? He exclaimed with pride in his eyes.

This startled Sae-Jin, who jumped to his feet with surprise painted on his face. Her cheeks instantly turned red, and she sat bolt upright, as if suddenly frozen.

Rachael and Olivia awoke from their lethargy and couldn't stop talking, overexcited by what had just happened. Only Felix remained still and silent, with a smile on his face as his only expression. He forced himself not to stare too hard at Sae-Jin, who still seemed tense, but his eyes kept returning to her. It took one of his sisters (but he couldn't remember which one) to push him out of the room, before nagging him to get ready quickly so they could all go and play in the snow... Which he did, although he had to pull himself together several times as he twice put his shirt on backwards and couldn't find his shoes.

- Are you all right, dear ? Asked his mother in surprise, seeing him standing motionless in the dining room.

- Is he ? Oh, yes... I can't remember where I put my shoes... He mumbled.

- You've got them on your feet, darling... Commented his mother with an increasingly intrigued raised eyebrow.

- Ah ? Ah, yes.

And he stood there, scratching his head, not knowing what to do while waiting for the girls.

- Would you like something to eat ? Asked his mother.

He could feel her intrigued gaze on him, but simply nodded without further explanation. Already at a loss, how could he explain anything to anyone ?

His mother slipped him some pancakes and a cup of hot chocolate, and he thanked her absentmindedly. He couldn't get the image of Sae-Jin laughing out loud out of his head. It was as if the scene had been burned into his retinas.