For the next week or so, Hyunseung secretly practiced speaking.

"Love" was going to be a lot harder to say. It wasn't one syllable, like "I".

The first time he tried it, all he did was let out a hiss of air.

He moved his tongue around, uncomfortably. "Uuuuuuuulllllllll......."

He grimaced and tried again. "Ullllllllll.........."

It was his tongue! Instead of pushing his tongue to the roof of his mouth as he spoke, he instead held it there first and then spoke. "Lllllllllllllllllllllllll."

He smiled to himself. It worked.

He opened his mouth and pushed at his throat. "Uuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhh......"

He put them together. "Llllluuuuuuhhhh...."

The door to his bedroom opened. "Hyunseung? You've been in there for a long time." You said, sounding worried. "Are you okay?"

He nodded shyly, pleased that you were worried about him. He touched your face, to say "I'm okay. I'm perfect."

You laughed and said "Well, hurry! Breakfast is waiting!"

He followed you to the kitchen to eat the toast and bacon she made.

"I can't make food as good as you can." You sighed. "I'll practice, though. Practice makes perfect."

Sure does, he thought cheerfully, smiling to himself.

************************************************************************************************************************

Hyunseung practiced again and again, until his throat was scratched raw and sore and dark rings circled his eyes from all the pressure he was putting on himself. He still couldn't get the "v" sound.

He tried to remember, back when he still talked, back when Geurim was still alive. How did he say "v"? How did his mouth move?

He remembered slightly biting his lower lip with his top teeth to make the "v" sound, and blowing air out. It was hard. He could barely make a "ppphhh" sound.

Frustrated, he sat back and rubbed his head furiously. He was getting a headache.

He closed his eyes and thought of you. That made him even more determined.

Sitting back up, he took a deep, calming breath, and said "pphhhVVVVVVVVVVV....."

He jumped. He did it!

"Llllll......uuuuuuhhhh......vvvvvvvvvv......uhhhhhhhh....." He said slowly. "Luuuhhhhvvvvvuuuhhh....."

It still didn't sound right. He thought of you again.

I love you.

"LOVE!" He shouted, quickly bringing a hand to his mouth. You were in the kitchen, making the two of you dinner, and didn't hear anything.

"Love." He whispered quietly. "Love. Love."

He smiled, his beautiful doe-like eyes shining with happiness.

"I.........love......."