The atmosphere was filled with tension. Miriam's tears streamed down as she turned to look at me.
When she sees my silence, the petite woman reaches out and shake my shoulder, asking insistently.
"You're deaf, but you never told Miriam?"
"Did Get tell you?"
"Does it matter who told me? The point is, Miriam knows now and I'm asking you."
After shaking my shoulder, Miriam tightened her grip, pressing harder as if trying to push me away.
"I'm only giving you three chances to lie, and you've already used the first one."
"Oh?"
"You lied that the music was beautiful, even though there was no music playing."
Hearing that my first chance is already lost, I quickly sit up straight to explain.
"Got didn't want you to feel sad about my body. Seriously, Got lives a normal life. Even though only hears on one side, I can still hear."
"Even if you can hear with one ear, it means you’re already deaf on one side. When were you planning to tell me?"
“…”
"Or were you going to wait until you left?"
Then Miriam started sobbing again, and I reached out to touch her shoulder to comfort her, but she pushed my hand away.
"I’m your partner. I deserve to know what you’re going through."
The small woman laid her head on the pillow and cried, even though we had just shared a moment of love. However, it turned into a painful atmosphere that made me feel guilty.
"If you find out… will you leave?"
I rested my chin on her pale shoulder as she lay on her side, crying softly.
"Got loves you more than you know."
"Miriam will only leave you if hates you."
“…”
"And the only thing that would make me hate you is if you lied."
With my right arm, I wrapped around her small body and nuzzled my face into Miriam’s shoulder, finally nodding.
"Okay, I’ll tell you."
I decided, making Miriam lie down to look at me with teary eyes.
"I won’t lie to you anymore. Ask me anything you want."
Miriam placed both hands on my face and rubbed her thumbs on my cheeks, as if trying to smooth them. Enjoying her touch, I rubbed my face affectionately against her small hands, like a cat trying to receive affection.
"You’re deaf in one ear, aren’t you?"
"Yes."
"On which side?"
"On the right side."
The small woman reached out to touch my earlobe on the deaf side, looking like she was about to cry again, so I shake my head.
"Don’t cry. I told the truth, so you have to promise not to cry."
"How did this happen?"
Explaining it was the hardest part. How could I come up with a reason that made sense for a disease that had just appeared? And most importantly... the reason I became like this was because of my desire for Miriam's happiness.
I would never tell her that reason and I would continue like this.
"There was a time when there were bombings in Bangkok."
