Letters and Latte | Ryeji

21 - Mute

"Honey, can you really read words upside down?"

Yeji blinked rapidly. "I-I wasn't reading, I'm thinking for the answer."

"Is that so?" The woman batted an eye on her daughter, showing a lopsided grin. Yeji reluctantly nodded, reversing the book. "Where did the holocaust take place?"

"In Nazi Germany, late 1930s."

"French Revolution started in what year?"

"1789." She answered without hesitation.

"Who wrote the first ever history book?" Mrs. Hwang blew off the her last question which she knew was only a piece of dessert for her Yeji. World History used to be Yeji's favourite.

"Herodotus."

The woman disrobed the spruce apron, and beamed. "Honey, you don't need to find the answer when you already know it. Apart of that, you're studying Statistics." Mrs. Hwang garnered the full sheet pan, the cookie dough was ready, and many chocolate chips were added as per Yeji's request. "Open the oven."

"You haven't spoken about the last time and you have something to tell me again." Her mother pouched a consoling smile, pushing off the oven's door.

Yeji sucked in some air, letting her eyes wander to anywhere but her mother's gaze. She wasn't the type to keep secrets especially from her mother, and most importantly, she could feel it in her veins she was ready.

"I can tell about the last time for the mean time." Yeji muttered, crawling a hand on the counter to gather more courage and will to breathe properly. "But not here, close to the oven, it feels very hot."

Yeji curled the tip of her toes upon the floor, fidgeting on her trembling fingers on her lap. "I'm telling you this because I love you and I don't want to be dishonest with you anymore." Yeji started off, drawling word by word and hit the courage to interlink her eyes with her mother to be more sincere. "I like boys and girls...I know it may be weird to some people but I accept who I am and I'm only now waiting for you to accept me because I need—"

Mrs. Hwang abruptly left her chair causing Yeji to part her lips in distraught, the growing tremor inside her chest was getting more demented. She didn't know if this was already the consequence of coming out, her mother walking away.

Her hooded eyes began to water, a wave of cold shiver ran through her hands, mind raced in a mile of a minute. To her surprise even more, she felt a warm pair of hands fondling over around her head, and a delicate kiss on her temple.

"I'm so proud of you, honey." Mrs. Hwang softly cooed, brushing the strands of her daughter's long hair. "I know it was a very difficult hurdle for you and you made it."

"And what do you mean by waiting for me to accept you?" Her mother reckoned, "this isn't about me. I'm very happy you're comfortable with yourself. You're so brave. Thank for telling me."

"I love you."

"I love you more, honey." They rocked back and forth, still having each other's hand, smiling.

"At least I won't be worried anymore if you get a girlfriend." Yeji quickly disentangled her body from her mother's arms, crossing her eyebrows. "You won't get pregnant."

"Mama!"

The woman cheekily grinned. She was very happy, her daughter finally had the enough courage to express herself. Even though Mrs. Hwang had an insight about it, of course, she didn't want to put pressure on the young one and let her find her own rhythm which she eventually did.

"When are you planning to tell me about the second unknown little secret of yours then?"

Heat rushed into her cheeks. "W-When I get prepared too, I guess." Yeji took the pen and wrote random figures on the textbook. She nibbled on her lower lip. "The cookies, Ma."