It's officially Deaf Awareness week in the UK!

As promised, I'm going to post a story every day about Deaf culture. I've already written 3, and this will be the first.

There's still a spot open on the request list for DAW. If you have a request about DEAF CULTURE, please ask. (Please no non-Deaf related requests)

Anyway, I thought I would start out lightly with a short story about what deafness is.

When: twins are 5

“Why can’t daddy hear?”

Jimin spat his drink out. It sprayed all over his lap and the newspaper he was reading, and thankfully not on his daughter, who was sat across from him. It just wasn’t what he was expecting to hear from her over breakfast.

“W-what?”

Jisoo’s face was pure and innocent, as if she hadn’t just asked the most awkward question in her 5 years of life.

Jimin didn’t know where to look. Yoongi and Yunsoo were sat besides them, signing about math homework until Jimin had spat out his coffee, and now Yoongi was reaching for a cloth to wipe him, asking if it had burnt him. Truthfully it had a little. -I’m fine- he signed anyway.

He waited until Yoongi stopped making a fuss over him before turning back to Jisoo. She was stabbing at her scrambled eggs with a fork, struggling to scoop it up. Jimin handed her a spoon instead.

“You know daddy is deaf, sweetie,” he told, quietly. It didn’t seem appropriate talking about Yoongi while he was right next to him.

“Yeah but why?” Jisoo asked. She seemed really curious.

Jimin frowned. “Can we talk about it after school? It’s nearly time to go.”

She nodded, and thankfully that was the end of that. When they’d finished breakfast, the twins hurried to get dressed and ready, and Jimin washed up quickly while Yoongi packed their bags.

Once the twins were dropped off, Jimin sat Yoongi down on the sofa. He knew something was up immediately.

-What’s wrong?- he asked, frowning.

-Jisoo asked me something this morning, it threw me off guard because I wasn’t expecting it- Jimin explained. Yoongi nodded for him to continue. -She asked me why you can’t hear.-

Yoongi blinked once. Twice. -And what did you tell her?-

-I didn’t tell her anything. I didn’t know what to tell her- Jimin frowned.

-You tell her the truth. Me and Yunsoo can’t hear because our ears can’t pick up sound as well as yours do- Yoongi explained. -You can’t expect her to know these things. When Yunsoo was 3, he asked why you and Jisoo can communicate without sign, and I told him that you can hear and we can’t. It doesn’t have to be a big deal.- He smiled warmly at him to assure him that it was okay.

Ji