Mute|| pjm

Chapter 2

Partner

"It's been months since that day and she still hasn't spoken! I feel like I have a ghost girl in my house because the only sounds I hear is her walking from room to room!" HaeSoo's aunt began to speak loudly on the phone which was easily heard by HaeSoo despite the fact that her bedroom door was closed. "I'm telling you, she won't ever speak. She doesn't even write down what she wants to say on a paper! I can't know what she wants and what she doesn't."

HaeSoo, not wanting to hear more of her aunts complaining, stood up quickly and roughly opened the door making a loud swinging sound. The noise of her aunt complaining immediately stopped as the swinging noise was heard.

HaeSoo stared at her aunt with her eyes filled with sadness and pain. Her aunt stared back at her with an annoyed expression not even trying to speak to HaeSoo knowing she won't respond.

HaeSoo ignored the long staring her aunt was giving her and walked to the kitchen fridge to find something to eat before she leaves for school. What she found inside the fridge was the usual, no food, just stashes of alcohol. HaeSoo looked down and shook her head in disappointment having flashbacks of all the times her aunt came home drunk in the middle of the night.

"You can have one of those if you want. I'm sure getting drunk will let some words out your mouth." HaeSoo's aunt laughed as she let a smirk curve up her lips.

HaeSoo ignored her aunt's suggestion and walked out to go to school in an empty stomach.

°°°

"Good Morning!" HyunJae happily smiled to HaeSoo as she smiled back and bowed. HaeSoo kept on walking with HyunJae by her side although it seemed quite awkward because HaeSoo couldn't speak. Each and every student gave HaeSoo weird stares but the young quiet girl didn't mind knowing that the fact about her being mute has probably spread to the whole school.

As HaeSoo and HyunJae both walked to their classroom, a sudden growl was heard. HyunJae looked at HaeSoo who was looking down out of embarrassment. "Are you hungry?" HyunJae asked as she stared at HaeSoo holding on to her stomach not wanting it to make any more sound. HaeSoo was obviously hungry, there was no food at home and her aunt wouldn't even take her time to go grocery shopping.

HyunJae pulled out half a sandwich wrapped in plastic wrap and handed it to HaeSoo. The young girl stared at the piece of sandwich her new friend was offering her not knowing if she should accept it or not. "It's okay, I still have some food for lunch, you should have it." HyunJae grabbed HaeSoo's hand and made her keep the piece of sandwich. HaeSoo bowed many times trying to show HyunJae how thankful she was. "You don't have to thank me, I'll be here for you if you need me."

HaeSoo shyly smiled realizing she's made a friend who would accept her for who she is. "But have you ever thought of writing down on a paper what you want to say? That way, people may understand what you want." HyunJae asked as the two kept walking. HaeSoo stopped in her steps and unzipped her bag to take out her precious journal. She turned it to the page she first met HyunJae and showed her the words written on it.

" 'Thank You'? Is it for helping you get this book back?" HaeSoo nodded as HyunJae smiled. "I see, you write down everything you want to say in this journal because you want to cherish it." HaeSoo excitedly nodded, happy to hear that HyunJae understood what she's going for. "By the way, who's 'Unknown Creep'?" HyunJae stared at what was written in confusion. "it says here 'Of course I'm Mute, you idiot.' PFFFT!" HyunJae began to let out her laugh not being able to hold it back. "Whoever he is, I hope he knows you don't like him!"