Yuri POV

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s still raining out, and I know she just put on dry clothes after her shower, so once we reach the bottom of the stairwell, I pull my phone out and text her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Me: Wait here so you don’t get wet again. I’ll go get it myself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She reads the text and shakes her head, then looks back up at me. “No. I’m going with you.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can’t help but appreciate the fact that she doesn’t respond to my being deaf the way I expect her to.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most people become uneasy once they aren’t sure how to communicate with me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The majority of them raise their voices and talk slowly, sort of like Bora.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I guess they think being louder will somehow miraculously make me hear again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

However, it does nothing but force me to contain my laughter while they talk to me as if I’m an idiot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Granted, I know people don’t do it to be disrespectful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s just simple ignorance, and that’s fine. I’m so used to it I don’t even notice anymore.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

However, I did notice Jessica’s reaction... because there really wasn’t one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As soon as she found out, she just propped herself up on the counter and continued talking to me, even though she moved from speaking to texting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And it helps that she’s a fast texter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We run across the courtyard until we reach the base of the stairs that lead up to her apartment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I begin walking up and notice that she’s frozen at the bottom of the stairs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The look in her eyes is nervous, and I instantly feel bad for not realizing how hard this must be for her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know she’s probably hurting a lot more than she’s letting on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Learning that your best friend and your boyfriend have betrayed you has to be difficult, and it hasn’t even been a day since she found out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I walk back down the stairs and grab her hand, then smile at her reassuringly. I tug on her hand; she takes a deep breath and walks with me up the stairs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She taps me on the shoulder when we reach her door, and I turn around.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Can I wait here?” she says. “I don’t want to see them.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I nod, relieved that her lips are easy to read.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“But cow well you therefore my bird?” she says.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or I think that’s what she said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I laugh, knowing I more than likely completely misread her lips.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She says it again when she sees the confusion on my face, but I still don’t understand her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hold up my phone so she can text me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jessica: But how will you ask them for my purse?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yeah. I was a little off on that one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Me: I’ll get your purse, Jessica. Wait here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She nods.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I type out a text as I walk to the front door and knock.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A minute passes, and no one comes to the door, so I knock again, with more force, thinking maybe my first knock was too soft to be heard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The doorknob turns, and Jessica’s friend appears in the doorway.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She eyes me curiously for a second, then glances behind her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The door opens wider, and Jun appears, eyeing me suspiciously.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He says something that looks like “Can I help you?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hold up the text that says I’m here for Jessica’s purse, and he looks down and reads it, then shakes his head.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Who the hell are you?” he says, apparently not liking the fact that I’m here on Jessica’s behalf.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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