Deaf | BTS Short Fanfiction | Yoonmin

2

The world was the same as it ever was, the garden trees swayed mutely, the leaves rustled without sound, but something shifted drastically within Jimin's bubble of silence. There was something about the boy in front of him that was more beautiful than words could express. It made him forget everything else.

The boy opened his mouth, and Jimin waited, wished, but then reality came rushing back to him, shattering him once more. He realised, he had been waiting to hear the boy speak, as though he was normal. His heart wrenched cruelly in his chest, threatening his eyes with painful tears.

He wanted to hear, to speak, to feel the warmth of those he loved and return it. He wanted to hear them talk with ease about the things that made them happy, instead of waiting for them to slowly, laboriously write their words out.

And yet, he didn't allow any expression of his pain to show, didn't betray the tears that wanted to make themselves known and escape, dripping down his cheeks. He wouldn't, couldn't allow it. The boy stared in confusion when he didn't respond. Jimin raised his head and looked him in the eyes, blank.

He didn't what the boy was saying.

He wished he did.

Finally, the other, mint-hair tinged gold in the sun as though he were an angel blessed by the light of the divine, reached out a hand and grasped Jimin's. It was so simple, so kind, that Jimin couldn't hold his feelings in anymore. The almost physical pain in his chest became so sharp that his other hand automatically came up to clutch it.

He didn't realise until he came out of his haze of pain and stared at the grassy earth that his cheeks were warm and damp. He dabbed his cheek and looked at his hand. A tiny patch glistening with tears.

His eyes wandered back to his other hand, still enveloped within the boy's, cradled and protected. Warmth radiated from every touch, up his arm and through his chest, easing the ache within. He looked up again.

The boy smiled at him kindly. It was a heart-squeezing smile, warm and cute, so wide that his eyes were shut and so good that Jimin swore he almost melted on the spot. It was as though he could hear again, but in a different way. The unuttered words in his adoring grin and warm, cinnamon eyes were so foreign to him, and yet, so familiar and even more wonderful. It was as simple as 'hello' and as complex as 'goodbye'.

Returning his smile shyly, he let the boy - no, the angel - lead him deeper into the garden, where they spent the rest of the afternoon exploring, hand in hand among the deep green trees.

-

Hours later, Jimin returned, having parted from the mysterious angel reluctantly. His mother smiled welcomingly. He nodded back to her, and as he took off his shoes, still smiling to himself, his mother noticed.

The tap on his shoulder was soft. Normally, he would have jumped in surprise, but now, he turned and tilted his head, the soft smile on his face revealing a gentle contentedness he hadn't felt for the longest time. She met his gaze, concerned, many questions on her face, but one more obvious than all the others. 'Are you alright?'

He nodded energetically, he smile becoming a grin. His mother returned the smile, fascinated, delighted and relieved. 'I'm wonderful!' he mouthed.

Jimin didn't stay to talk, but his mother stood in the entrance for a few minutes, wondering to herself - how was he so happy? Why was he glowing so brightly? What happened?

Had she asked Jimin these questions, it would have been a long time before he could find an explanation, but eventually, he would discover the perfect words.

'I met an angel today, eomma,' he would have said.

'I met an angel and he was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.'