Bae Joohyun was mute, or so the whole student body thought so.

In the middle of the ruckus in class, the pale, doll-like Joohyun was exactly that. Doll-like. Quiet, never speaking, never getting in trouble, never asking for anything; she was mysterious, maybe even intriguing, but certainly frightening to approach. It helped that she had an intense gaze that kept others (with ill intentions) away and very distanced. So, naturally, Joohyun was like the relic of the school -- the untouchable trophy that signified the glory of the school, the most attractive feature. Or something of the sorts at least.

Whether it was an unspoken rule or a common consensus, it seemed to bother Kang Seulgi none when she first arrived at school.

It seemed like her mission, stepping into the school grounds with a bright smile and an even brighter disposition, to crack the cold exterior of a walking anomaly in school. The grim hallways glowed gold just for a second with the presence of Seulgi, walking through them she left behind a ray of sunshine that dwindled and faded and it was noticeable with every interaction she had she left a bit of that golden dust on someone -- unable to be wiped away.

So, suddenly, the questions were raised about the new girl in school. Who was Seulgi? What was she so happy about all the time? Why was she so adorable? Why was she so friendly? And more importantly: Why was she talking to Joohyun so excitedly?

Yeah, just like that! The big, frightening beast suddenly sat down next to the quiet empress of paleness and made a conversation all on her own, without having her saying a single thing. It was not on the first day, because the first day was limited to looking and observing the intricate behavior of such a good looking student. Seulgi was interested, especially when someone (a new friend) warned her of Joohyun. The warning was left in the air, it only fueled the curiosity of the already curious youngin.

And so the next day, without fail, the magic started to happen before everyone’s eyes. Seulgi spoke and Joohyun shook her head or nodded, pointing at things and sometimes writing things down. The chatty Seulgi somehow met the quiet Joohyun in the middle ground, learning to communicate in new and exciting ways she’s never thought of.

A soft gaze suddenly meant something to Seulgi, a tender tug to her sleeves suddenly was a warning or a call to attention to see something. A soft hum suddenly became a question, pointing was suddenly not rude but necessary and intriguing -- it meant so many things. Bit by bit, Seulgi knew more of Joohyun than simple words could tell because she focused more on the way she scrunched her nose when something smelled mildly unpleasant, the way her eyes widened ever so slightly with fright at the loud noises that had her sensitive ears upset, or the way her subtle smirk foretold a dramatic turn of events in poker. She also noticed the tiniest of details in Joohyun’s habits, like the way she denied any chicken Seulgi offered, the way she stared longingly at the tteokbokki, the way she smelled her sleeves and the way she tilted her head to the side when reading or seeing something interesting. More interestingly, Seulgi found herself replicating those gestures from time to time.

It was something that made Joohyun smile.

And Joohyun suddenly understood something she was missing after all this time. Having someone to talk to (well, ‘talk’ to), having someone to hold close, having someone to walk to school with, having someone to walk home with. Having someone… a friend, someone who didn’t seem bored by the lack of conversation, someone who didn’t seem to run out of energy and yet had full control over it. The lonely and repeated routines of school suddenly turned inside out and upside down with the appearance of Seulgi, the coming birthday date seemed less grim and somber.

Suddenly, she had someone to fall back on.

“Thank you, Kang Seulgi,” said Joohyun. Using her voice for the first time ever in the school grounds. 

And yet, her voice was just an ephemeral event -- it left without a trace, without any one alerted and its suddenness stunned Seulgi that sat next to her, watching the sunsetting at the rooftop of the school. Seulgi looked at her, eyes a bit wide and her smile starting to tug on her lips. “Y-You… you just spoke?”

Joohyun looked a little shy and it could be read in her smile, her sudden hunched posture and her tiny nod. She didn’t dare to speak again, and she opted not to. And she didn’t need to.

Instead, she saw Seulgi’s smile broaden to infinity and beyond, watching her suddenly scoot closer and throw her arms around Joohyun. There was no need to speak any further.

That tight embrace and that content smile spoke volumes.