Jieun looked at the calendar that hung on her wall. It was December, two months since she’d moved in. Two months since she was living the life of an independent woman.

Not that she wasn’t independent before. Of course when she was at college, she had lived in a dorm, sharing with another girl but her parents provided for her. When she graduated, she had plans to move out of her parents when she got a job. But with her hearing disability, it gave her a slight set-back and she knew that was the major reason when jobs turned her down. But Song Jieun did not give up easily.

Having to learn sign language was the first time Jieun understood the meaning of strive and hard work. Losing her hearing so suddenly and having to adapt to her new life, it was challenging but she was quick to learn the new language. Maybe because she was still young, it didn’t frustrate her as much as it did her parents. At the young age of six, she could see the two sides from her parents, frustration and patience. It was hard on them.

She remembered the day her father threw down the plate of food and he stood in front of her, yelling furiously. She didn’t know what he yelled about. She remembered seeing her mother cry in the car, tears streaming continuously and little Jieun could only tug at her mother’s arm and her mother only mumbled a few words. But she didn’t know what she mumbled about.

That made six year old Jieun want to do better; she had to, she needed to. She wanted to show them that she was capable and she wasn’t going to let her deafness be a strain. 

Sitting on her own couch, in her own living room, Jieun realised how far she had come. She grinned to herself as she sipped her cup of coffee. Leaving her little daydream, she picked up the black bin bag and slipped out to drop it by the dumpsters.

It was on her way back when she ran into him. Her eyes lit up as she caught sight of the person. Excitedly, she raised her hand to wave. Luhan stared back at her, his dark eyes barely seen in the dim lighted street.

 “Good evening.”

It was short and curt, but just seeing a familiar face made her smile. As friendly as her neighbours were, but with a busy lifestyle and having their own families, there was hardly time for a chit-chat.

I haven’t seen you in a while. You’re doing alright? She typed.

He nodded but his face remained blank and expressionless. Jieun’s smile drooped slightly.

Have you had dinner?

 “No.”

Then let’s go to the corner stall and get something to eat. My treat!

Luhan found it strange that he let himself be dragged along by her. He normally refused dining out, whether it be with his friends or co-workers. He didn’t understand why there was a need for company get-togethers. He didn’t see the point and he just disliked being in a place with way too many people. So when Jieun offered to take a stroll and get a bite to eat, it caught him by surprise. Although it could also have been that she hadn’t asked him but invited him and he had no choice but to agree.  

They walked side by side, neither of them engaging nor making an attempt to start a conversation. It was a comfortable type of silence.

Jieun turns to him, her head tilted at an angle. She gestured at the array of food that was set before them.

 “Auntie, I’ll have the ddeokbokki and the kimchi pancake,” ordered Luhan. He peeked to the side and watched as Jieun placed her order with the help of pointing and her fingers counting the amount.

They ate by the bench not too far away from their apartment. Since the time she invited him to this moment, they had not spoken at all. One because she couldn’t speak and two, Luhan didn’t know how to start.

You like spicy food.

He raised an eyebrow. Her chopsticks pointed at the dishes in front of him.

They’re spicy. Is it good?

Luhan merely shrugged and bobbed his head once.

You’re not much of a talker, are you? Jieun let her lips curl slightly. You didn’t have to come and eat if you didn’t want to. I’m deaf but I can still take being turned down. I don’t need to be pitied.

Luhan felt like a deer caught in the headlights. She had stated the obvious and very bluntly at that.

 “N-no, it’s not like that. I was hungry,” he replied. She raised both her eyebrows, as if to say ‘sure, whatever’ but she continued eating. He watched her face from beneath his lashes and saw how the moonlight cascaded itself lightly up her. She was pretty, he wouldn’t deny it. He looked back down when she caught him staring at her. He wanted to ask her the few questions that had queued itself ever since they first met. But with his lack of social skills, it didn’t seem to happen.

I lost my hearing when I was six. I’m partially deaf.

His mouth stopped chewing. Well, now he could tick two questions off the list then.

You can ask. It’s not going to be rude or insulting to me. His mouth parted to speak when another message was typed out. And don’t say sorry. You have nothing to be sorry about. Yet.

 “Yet?”

She nodded. Unless you do something that will require you to actually really feel sorry that is. So, yet. Jieun’s eyes crinkled as she grinned and he couldn’t help but return a small smile. What do you do, Luhan?

He cleared his throat. “I work with computers. I do all sorts of things with them. My job isn’t too specific like graphics or anything. I just do what needs to be done.”

Didn’t picture you as a computer geek. Luhan glanced up when he read this, her face still with a teasing expression. Can you help me with my laptop then? I just bought a new one and I don’t know how to set up an internet connection and I can only function from my mobile phone right now.

 “Sure. I can do that.” He cleared the remainder of his food, finishing off with another gulp of water. He decided to throw away his anxiousness and proceeded the conversation. “What do you