Mute | Jaeyong

[ 4 ]

"Good morning class. I've came here earlier today to discuss about sign language with Haechan and Taeyong. These two have come up with an idea that they would like to share with you this morning. Boys would you like to step up at the front?"

There was an awkward silence before Haechan and Taeyong rose from their chairs and made their way to the front of the class.

All the students eyes followed Tae, who wore a white shirt and pink jeans, whereas Haechan wore a blue shirt and black shorts due to it being hot outside.

Tae stood facing the students with shaky hands while Haechan stood with a wide smile and took the attention off Tae.

"Me and Taeyong came up with an idea that would allow you guys to understand Tae. Since you'll see him for the next four years we thought it would be cool if you would like to learn some simple, straight from the basics sign language. Therefore, if Tae just wanted to say something simple he doesn't need to take out his notebook to ask for a pencil or something?"

Many students in the room nodded and agreed, other than Mark who sat at the back of the class room grunting with a sulky face.

A student with red hair, who Tae learned was called Taeil, raised his hand.

"Yes Taeil?" Mr Kim mumbled with lack of sleep evident in his tone.

"What is simple that we can learn and could we learn sign language at home if we waned to talk to Taeyong?"

Taeyong smiled a signed 'I don't expect anyone to go home and make themselves learn sign language as a lot of it is hard to pick up, but I would be more than happy to teach you if you're willing to learn.'

Everyone around the room blinked and Tae smiled with an embarrassing blush, realising they wouldn't understand.

"Tae said he doesn't expect you to learn it at home as it's hard but he's more than happy to teach you." Haechan translated with a giggle followed afterwards.

Everyone mumbled with a simple understanding after witnessing fast hand movements that was complex and fast.

Taeil shot his hand up again with a beaming smile.

"Yes Taeil?" The teacher groaned again.

"Can we learn some sign language now?!"

Haechan looked at Taeyong who smiled and nodded quickly, surprised that anyone would like to learn.

"Okay. We can learn the simple hello and goodbye."

Tae signed 'hello' followed by 'goodbye.'

A lot of the students were amused and joined in to learn some sign language.

Everyone but Mark.

He just sat there and narrowed his eyes at Tae who stood their smiling his wide smile. He doesn't understand how someone like him can be so happy when he himself is so wrong and broken. Why would he be so happy in that condition?

Mark watches Tae from the back of the room, sighing rather loudly but everyone was too focused on Taeyong teaching some basic sign language and Haechan translating the hand movements, breaking it down slowly to make it easier to memorise that noone was paying attention to him sulking and making remarks at the back.

"Why do you want to pick on Tae so much? You know there's other kids that wold give better reactions than smiling right?" Jaehyun mumbled as he was trying to copy the hand movements Tae was doing.

"Oh not you too" Mark sulked as he flopped his head on his desk.

"It's not as boring as you think. It's actually cool and doing it now makes a lot more sense knowing what it means than just seeing someone throw their hands all over the place. You should try it." Jaehyun said smiling as he repeated the same hand movements over and over again until they became more fluent.

"No. No way. You won't catch me doing that crap. And the answer to your question is I think you already know. You can sense it too. That weird happy atmosphere he has. I hate it and I want to break it." Mark growled as he pushed his head from the desk surface.

He watched Jaehyun not take his eyes away from the front, following hand movements. It frustrated him. Why was he so into this? It's annoying. He's annoying. They're annoying.

"So, did you follow him like I asked you too?" Mark asked.

There was no reply. Mark smacked Jaehyun's hand and grabbed him to make him look at him.

"Did you follow him like I asked you too?!" Mark growled through gritted teeth.

"Yes. Jeez let go of me." Jaehyun spat as he pushed Mark off him and readjusted his shirt that clumped on his chest.

"And?"

"And he did absolutely nothing but went home out of town. He's literally not important at all so just give up and leave him alone." Jaehyun hissed before widening his eyes once he realised what he said.

"Leave him alone? Leave him alone! I don't know what you take me as but I'm not someone who just leaves someone alone. Out of all the people you should know that!"

"Right" Jaehyun mumbled as he turned his attention back to the front where his and Tae's eyes met. He was paralysed for a brief moment and felt happy. Then all was swept away when the guilt flooded in when he realised what Mark was planning.

He broke eye contact and looked away as he couldn't bare to see someone so innocent and loving being hurt just because they are different.

This isn't right and Jaehyun knows that.