It was a typical day in school. Halls were bustling with students leisurely talking about how their days went on and how hard their classes have been. As usual, the halls are as loud as ever. While some were busy having chit-chat with their friends and classmates, some students were busy in other areas, making their assignments and what not. The halls were the loudest areas in school.

Not for one Kim Minju.

The young lass scratched her head in annoyance as she couldn’t get the answer to her assignment. How hard was it to solve for x? Why do we even have to solve for x how can I even apply this in real life? Chaewon thought as she just threw her pencil up and face-planted herself on the desk.

“Something wrong, kid?” An older woman asked as she observed the younger.

“It’s alright, Eun.” Chaewon said, not bothering to lift her face from the desk. “Actually, no I am NOT okay. How can I even solve for this I mean, look at this? Is solving this humanly possible?” She ranted, showing Eunbi the piles of paper filled with equations and word problems.

“Let me take a look. Hmmmmm.” Eunbi paused, and just chuckled. “Just transpose your figures right, look at your equations, you’ll get it eventually.”

“But Eun…”

“Just look at it. Good luck sweetie.” The older woman said and retreated to the kitchen to have herself some drink.

Chaewon has never held back when it comes to her family as she can freely express herself in front of them. She can do and say whatever she wants. She can bring out smiles and laughter from her family because of her bright and cheerful personality. That’s just who she is. People would often say that her name matches her personality well. Everyone else can agree. She’s bright, she’s cheerful, she’s jolly, she’s amazing. It seems like nothing can go wrong with her life. She just accepts it as it comes to be.

The bell rang loudly as Mr. Park finished his class on time, and signaled for the class to have their lunch break. Everyone was already meeting up with their friends to have lunch together, and some others have already left. Chaewon opted to stay in their classroom and have her lunch there quietly.

“Hi Chae!” Chaewon looked at the direction where the voice came from, and was actually not surprised to see 3 girls coming her way.

“Ah, not them again.” Fear was evident in Chaewon’s eye, but she chose to keep calm.

  “Hi Chae, what you got there for lunch? Did your mama make that for you?” The girl in the middle, Jungeun, said as she took some pieces of Chaewon’s lunch. Not really the "Eun" Chaewon wanted to see right now. The other girl just laughed and then took her water bottle. “Ohh, what’s this? Water? Here, you might need it.”

Without warning, the girl suddenly poured the water on Chaewon’s head, soaking the lass in her own water. Jungeun threw the water bottle at Chaewon. “What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue, Chae? Why don’t you say something? Hah, weirdo.” And just like that, they left the girl alone. Chaewon was absolutely in tears as she was left alone. She immediately ran to the girl’s comfort room, locking herself in a cubicle as she cried herself out there.

Minju couldn’t take her mind off of that girl since that day. She didn’t mean to overhear what she thought, but it just happened. Suddenly, there was this rush to find this girl, comfort her and tell her that everything’s going to be alright. It had already been days since she heard that girl’s inner scream. With their school being so large, how can she possibly find that girl she’s looking for?

“I wonder how is she now?” Minju thought as she stood at the school’s rooftop, looking over at the grounds and at how the place brought her peace, free from the distractions from her mind. A few minutes had passed and her phone suddenly rang.

“Hello?”

   “Min, where are you?”

   “Rooftop, why?”

   “Must I remind you that class is about to start, and it’s our final exam!”

   “Oh shocks! Thanks Yul! Be right there!”

Minju immediately dropped the call and ran as fast as she could back to her classroom, where everyone was getting ready for their exam. She went to her seat and took out her notes. Everyone was busy reviewing each other for the exam, some were busy looking at notes. Again, it made her lose focus on what she was reviewing. Amidst the chaos of their classroom and her classmates, one student managed to get her attention. It was Minju. It had always intrigued her how silent Chaewon is, as she never heard the girl speak at all.

  “Hey Chae!”

“Oh jeez, not them again…”

“That voice…” Minju thought. Could it be?

“Hey ChaeChae, mind if we borrow your reviewer?” A girl asked, and before Chaewon could even respond, the pieces of paper were already out of Chaewon’s hands and on to Jungeun's hands. “Silence means yes, so thanks!” Fits of laughter could be heard as the girls left Chaewon alone. Minju couldn’t believe her eyes.

Minutes passed by as if they were hours. Chaewon was already finished with her exam, she didn’t really feel like passing the paper yet. She was lazily musing around her thoughts when she suddenly remembered what her best friend, Yena, said to her back then. That, what if, psychics were real. Those who can read your mind and your innermost thoughts. It was an absurd idea, but what the heck. She gave it a try, so what if there was a mind reader around them? At least she had someone to confide her thoughts in.

“Hey!” Chaewon thought out loud. “Can anyone hear me?”

Minju was busy with her exam when she suddenly flinched as she heard a voice. It was a stand-out among the other voices because this one was a shout, unlike the others who were just randomly talking. She has heard the voice before. The voice continued to speak her thoughts, and Minju intently listened.

“If you’re there, if you’re real, listen to me, okay? Please. I just need at least someone to talk to.” Chaewon started. “I don’t even know if I still have friends here. My one and only best friend changed schools and it’s been hard. Everyone’s been calling me a weirdo for my condition. If only Yena was here, she’d understand. I… I can’t really speak. No matter how much I try, I just can’t speak here. I have what they call Selective Mutism. I want to speak, I want to say something, but I just can’t. It’s not me, it’s my brain. It’s like it just shuts off when I’m out of my social circle and when I’m somewhere I’m not comfortable with. Funny to think, of all people, why did it have to be me? Why me?”

When the word weirdo came up, Minju didn’t have to wonder who it was. There was only one talk of the school when it was the weirdo. It was none other than Chaewon. The one and only, Kim Chaewon. It wasn’t new to her though as she always heard the different words, they would throw at Chaewon. But again, how could have she been so deaf with everything? She had no impairments, but how could have she been so deaf? Minju bit her lip as she continued to answer, still listening to the other girl.

“I’ve been bullied for most of my life here in this freaking school but you know, I just had to live with it. I can’t even speak to defend myself, so what’s the point? Sorry, you might be answering right now, and I might be a bother to you.” Chaewon spoke through her mind.

“N-no, please continue…” Minju unintentionally spoke, catching her seatmate’s attention.

“What was that, Min?”

“Oh, n-nothing Yul…” Minju softly spoke and then focused on her paper, when in fact, she was too occupied with the voice she’s listening to. She immediately finished her exam so she could listen more. Little tears were already forming on her eyes. Were this really the thoughts of the quietest kid in class? The voice stopped talking, which kind of made Minju upset. She looked around her and realized it was time to pass their papers.

“At least there’s one thing that made going to school worth it.”

Minju heard the voice again. She listened intently once more.

“At least Kim Minju made going to school something to look forward to. Her sweet smile, the sound of her sweet and innocent laugh just music to my ears. When her eyes form into crescents when she smiles, that’s when she’s the prettiest. Ah Minju… If only I had the strength to speak to you, but I can’t. I want to, but I can’t. I’m sorry. Do know I’ve always thought of you as the prettiest. Someday I'll have the courage to talk to you. Just wait.”

At the mention of her name, Minju suddenly looked at Chaewon, whom she caught staring right back at her. She couldn’t believe again what she just heard, or were her thoughts just messing with her. She heard that correctly, right? Everyone had already left the classroom and it was just her and Chaewon left.

“What?” Minju asked, blinking at the girl.

“.” Chaewon thought, her face flushing pink as she tried to get her backpack and immediately leave the place.

“Hey, Chaewon!” Minju shouted, getting the girl’s attention who just stared at her. Minju kept a wide smile on her face while Chaewon tried her best to keep her composure.

“Say that to me again.” Minju asked.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Chaewon gestured. Thank God Minju knows sign language.

“I heard you.” Minju answered.

“Impossible.” Chaewon replied, still gesturing.

Minju just smiled and just pointed to her temple, making a gesture which meant to symbolize for thoughts. Chaewon’s eyes grew, and she just couldn’t believe it. Her face flushed a deeper color of pink, earning a chuckle from the other girl.

“Well? Say it to me again.”