mute ; woosan

/1/

wooyoung shuffles his way into the principal's office, giving the secretary a bewildered glance in hopes of getting an answer. the secretary offers a push of her glasses farther up her nose and a glance to the principal's door. he pushes open the door and the principal looks up at him.

"am i in trouble?" the senior asks, getting a head shake in response.

"don't worry, wooyoung, you aren't in trouble. have a seat."

wooyoung obliges and takes a seat in one of the two chairs in front of principal lee's desk. he glances over at the other chair to his left, noticing a fellow senior residing in it; he recognizes the boy as choi san. he knows him, or rather, knows of him. san has developed a sort of reputation in the school during the past three years of attending. although, he didn't exactly set it in place by himself. it was his fellow students who gave it to him.

san has been selectively mute since freshman year. no one in the building has heard him speak, not even teachers. why would he be here in the office? and why is wooyoung here with him? he shifts to look at wooyoung in the form of a hello.

"i'm sure you two know each other," principal lee states, glancing at each student in turn. both boys give a nod. "i'm also sure you're both well aware of your second semester final."

the younger student nods a second time whereas san looks at his lap. they have been tasked with writing and giving a speech in front of a panel of senior homeroom sponsors. to increase their school's reputation, the homeroom sponsors decided to make this final identical to the guidelines of a national competition. They included each student's submission to the competition as a requirement.

"all due respect, sir, but we already know this... why are we here?"

"san's parents wanted to get him a tutor of sorts. someone who can help him come out of his shell. you're a pretty good student and i've heard nothing but good things about you." wooyoung takes a glance at san, who meets his eyes. he can see how uncomfortable he is just thinking about the final. if he clearly doesn't talk, why make him do it? "so, what do you think?"

"i'm fine with that, i'll help him," the silver haired boy agrees. san audibly sighs; whether in relief or anxiousness, wooyoung doesn't know.

"thank you, mr. jung," the principal smiles. "mr. choi, you may go back to class."

san stiffly stands, his shoulders back and he bows to the principle without looking up. wooyoung starts to stand but sees principle lee shake his head. once the older student is out of the room, principle lee meets wooyoung's eyes.

"i won't lecture you because i know you'll do the right thing, but try to make him feel heard. don't encourage him to speak but show you're proud or engaged if he does speak. preparing san for this final is going to be difficult. please don't give up on him." wooyoung gives a simple nod. "how do you honestly feel about this?"

"you want me to be honest? i think it's pointless to make him do this speech final. i know it's part of the curriculum, but obviously san isn't comfortable talking for one reason or another. don't you think it's unfair to make him go through with this?"

principle lee sits back in his chair, adjusting his glasses. his eyes dart between the papers on his desk to mirror the many thoughts racing through is mind. he absentmindedly straightens the papers on his desk before giving the student an answer. "if it was up to me, i wouldn't make him do it. i talked to the board of education already and they wont sway it for him. their exact words were 'just because a student is painfully shy does not mean they are exempt from the final'."

"did you describe him as shy or say he hasn't spoken at school in the last four years?"

principal lee doesn't respond.

wooyoung's lips slowly curl into a frown. "i don't want to be the one forcing him to do something that clearly makes him uncomfortable. don't get me wrong, i'm more than willing to help prepare him. i just... i feel bad that it has to be for this and not like a math test or something."

"i understand, wooyoung. i do. but this is important for him now and for the rest of his life. and who knows? maybe he won't remember you as the guy who forced him to speak. maybe he will remember you as the guy who helped him speak again."

———

"so what did they bribe you with? an A? a free day off of school? money?"

"don't be ridiculous, mingi," wooyoung rolls his eyes at his friend. mingi has one hand on his hip, his other hand running through his chestnut hair. "you know i already have all a's."

the older boy scoffs, knocking his friend on the shoulder. "of course! mister smart ass. i forgot."

wooyoung retaliates with an elbow to mingi's side, causing the older to fill the hallway with a loud yelp. "they didn't bribe me."

"you mean you're helping the mute kid through your own free will?"

wooyoung takes a seat in the cafeteria, setting his tray on the table and examining his food. the baby carrots and probably expired ranch the lunch provided alongside a single slice of pizza grossed him out enough to not be upset by what mingi said. he lifts one carrot into the ranch.

"why is that a surprise?"

"i think he's a waste of your time, woo. he won't speak for shit. you know that."

wooyoung doesn't interrupt his chewing rhythm. he knows san isn't a waste of his time. if anything, wooyoung wants to be important. he wants to help san in any way he can. or, at the very least, he wants the older boy to have someone who at least tried with him.

"do i? he's spoken before. nobody has any right to assume anything about him."

mingi blinks in surprise at wooyoung's annoyed demeanor. wooyoung hadn't been close to san, so the lengths he is taking to defend him are unexpected. mingi takes the hint and doesn't continue with the conversation. similar to how wooyoung didn't stop his chewing and just like a spring, mingi bounces back into another topic.

"anyway, that yunho guy in my dance class is SO fine. the teacher yelled at me today cuz in the middle of the routine i stopped to watch him," he snorts, biting into his apple before immediately taking it back out. his mouth is frozen open as he tries to say "is 'old".

"it's probably been in the freezer for weeks cuz they can't get fresh fruit," wooyoung chuckles. "i still have yet to meet this yunho." he sees mingi's eyebrows twitch and his mouth finally closes.

"ohhh trust me. you'll meet him. seonghwa's having a party at his place before spring break. he'll be there and so will i."

"and what makes you think i will be there?"

"because i'm your best friend and you love me more than anyone in the entire world."

"i love how you said that as a fact."

"is that a yes?"

"only cuz youre my best friend and i love you more than anyone in the entire world."