In this universe where you gain a disability such as deafness, mute, paralysis on a certain body part once you reach 13 years old if you're unable to find your soulmate was a really hassle for those like Baekho. For 12 years, he was gifted with sharp hearing and that was taken from him. He woke up on his birthday, realising his alarm clock had already gone off for hours. His phone had multiple missed calls and the construction that was on going nearby no longer made noise. No one prepared him for it because no one knew what would be taken from anyone. Baekho screamed, unable to hear himself until his parents burst into his room. He couldn't hear their concerned questions and it took him awhile before he could tell them what was going on. Thankfully, learning sign language was a must in all schools in preparation for those who would become deaf and mute. Braille was optional.

So for the next 6 years, Baekho has had no luck finding for his soulmate but that didn't stop him from attending college with his friends. Jonghyun and Minki were soulmates while Aron had a paralysis on his right foot so his every step had a little limp to it. Aron thought he had it better than Baekho. At least he could sit out on outdoor activities and he didn't mind but Baekho loved to do sports, only he couldn't anymore because of his hearing problems. He did try at first and ended up with a stitch to his head so his mother was practically too paranoid to let him join anymore clubs since then.

The four of them sat in a row in their college classroom where the seats were leveled up higher each row. They were in the middle row and around them were other students either chatting or sleeping or doing things students do since class had just ended. At the lowest row were the most popular guys in the college. There were about 11 of them, all either good looking or stand out because of their charms and jokes. Aron had dubbed them 'the-guys-every girls-want-to-get-in-their-pants' and Baekho giggled silently. It wasn't like he couldn't talk but being unable to hear himself speak had made him insecure about talking. His friends had told him he had a nice voice and that it matured fine but he didn't trust them, mostly because he didn't know how he would sound like. Jonghyun and Minki were joking about something while Aron was snoozing off in class, leaving Baekho to stare off into the distance by himself. Of course ever since he had enrolled in this class, he had always found himself staring at the group of popular guys. Mostly because they were in his line of sight and there were no girls for him to look at when most of them chose to sit in either rows behind them or to their side. He leaned his head onto the table and noticed one of the guys just smiling no matter how loud the others were laughing or talking. He wondered if they had found their soulmates either. He sighed and wondered when he would be able to hear again. Maybe never. Since Baekho wasn't even actively searching for his soulmate but he did have a crush.

The way to regain back what you lost was to kiss your soulmate after all and Baekho didn't want to just randomly kiss anyone at all. And what if he did fall in love with someone and kiss them, only to be disappointed by his hearing? But then again, it didn't mean he couldn't live without his hearing if that did happen. He drew tiny scribbles on the edge of his notebook until he felt a poke on his shoulder. He turned to see Minki and Jonghyun looking at him. They started signing to him, telling him about the joke they were just talking about. It took Baekho a few moments to understand since they weren't really great with hand signs when they literally found each other just a year after they had lost something. Once he got it, he broke into a smile which led to laughter although he couldn't hear how loud he was actually laughing but his voice did escape.

'Stop it, you two. Go get a room' he signed back to his friends before shaking his head and turned away. He looked down at the group that was starting to scatter and one person was left. He felt a nudge again, distracted from his staring. This time from Aron.

'We should leave too.'

Baekho nodded and packed his things. He zipped everything up and realised Aron was stunned beside him, gawking at something. He raised a brow and turned to look when he was faced with a face staring back at him. He froze, blinking as his crush was literally standing right in front of him with a thin smile on his face. He gulped and looked around, wondering if the other was just looking at someone else but then he waved. Baekho blinked again before slowly waving back. He was stunned and in disbelief honestly but his crush started to moving his hands in ways that Baekho actually understood that he was actually signing. Did his crush know that he was deaf?

'I just wanted to tell you that you have a nice voice. Have a good day.'

Baekho gaped as the other hand signed to him before waving again and leaving the classroom, catching up to the other 10 guys who were leaving all at once. Red started creeping up his cheeks slowly when he realised his crush had just heard his voice. The one thing he was most insecure about other than being deaf.

This has to be a dream, right? His crush couldn't have possibly just talked (signed) to him, right?

Aron squealed although it was left unheard by Baekho before a fury of hits against his arm alerted him of the older's overexcitement.

'He signed to you!'

Baekho nodded and shrugged, feeling his blush take over his face from Aron's bashfulness.

'I guess?'

'What do you mean you guess? You're blushing. How cute.'

Baekho gasped and covered his face, watching Aron laugh voicelessly. He smacked Aron on his arm with a pout before standing up with his bag slung over his shoulder.

'Not funny.' he signed to his friend. Jonghyun and Minki were also laughing along but it wasn't like Baekho could hear them. He just rolled his eyes at his friends and waved.

'See you guys tomorrow.'

They waved back and he quickly left, heart pounding excitedly from what just happened but still trying to keep a calm level headed mind about this. That's right. Maybe his crush didn't mean anything by it. Just a simple compliment of something Baekho couldn't freaking hear himself. Still, it felt nice to know.

Maybe talking to his crush wouldn't be so bad.

Maybe his crush was actually different from the other guys he hung out with since Baekho knew from the rumors that his friends were always so eager to gossip about (sometimes he's glad he's deaf) that the 'popular' guys weren't all as nice as they look.

Maybe his crush was his soulmate.

But that was just wishful thinking.

~~~

He was nervous and couldn't stop eyeing the male who was just staring in their general direction.

Don't think too much. He's not looking at you.

"College assignments totally . We should go down to the arcade later. You joining us, Minhyun?" one of his friends asked. He just smiled politely and shook his head.

God. If I have step into that noisy place again...

"Fine whatever. You do you."

His friends continued chatting about things he had no interest in and just like always, he would blank out as they talked. It wasn't that he didn't want to join in with their conversation. Minhyun was mute. He couldn't speak ever since he turned 13 and his friends weren't fluent in hand sign asides from a few of them. Those who also shared a similar problem that required hand signs. The rest? They didn't care much.

Although if Minhyun was being honest, he wouldn't really consider them as his friends either. He just happened to hang out with them for certain reasons. He heard a loud laugh and that brought him back to the present. He glanced and realised the cheerful loud had belonged to the male he had been eyeing ever since class was over. He found his lips trying to pull themselves upwards to create a smile as he listened to the addictive laughter that died down quickly. His friends started leaving the class and Minhyun snatched his bag up as well. He took a look at the male and firmed himself. He was going to try to talk him today! Or at least sign to him if he understood. Minhyun broke away from his group and headed up the steps to get to the male's row. He stopped in front of him to get his attention but the other was putting away his books and pencil case without realising Minhyun was there. Minhyun was confused since the one beside him which Minhyun knew was named Aron had already noticed his presence. Then their eyes met. Minhyun quickly waved to get his attention since he couldn't speak. The other looked really stunned and raised his brows a little as if to question if this was real before his hand raised to return the wave awkwardly. Minhyun smiled a little more and started signing. He had seen the other do it a couple of times so he knew he would be able to understand.

'I just wanted to tell you that you have a nice voice. Have a good day.'

With that and another, he bolted. Heart thumping like crazy and butterflies in his stomach. He grinned as he chased after his friends, glad and embarrassed that he did that. If there was one thing Minhyun was bad at that he had to name currently, it would be trying to make new friends. Friends that he was actually interested in hanging around. Nevertheless he felt like he could do this. He wanted to because Baekho made him feel very different from anyone else he has seen or heard. He knew about the whole soulmate thing too but he didn't dare give himself hopes that Baekho could be the one. He tried to tell himself that it was just an innocent puppy crush ever since he had seen Baekho smile for the first time. It was like his whole world had just brightened up and his laugh made everything else seem to just zoom out while his voice rang in Minhyun's ears. He did wonder how his own voice would sound like now. He really wanted to know since he loved singing but ever since he had turned mute, he couldn't sing anymore and that had made him upset for a long time.

Minhyun challenged himself to actually hold a proper conversation with Baekho during their next class together. Maybe he could ask for his phone number too if he was daring enough. It has been a year after all since he has had this crush on Baekho, not like he has ever told anyone either. His friends barely took interest in him and he knew they only kept him around because they were 'popular' and Minhyun fit right in with his face and height. It wasn't about how he actually was. His personality or likes. But everything was just based on his outlook. That's how he ended up being friends with them. He thought it would be fine but he knew how boring it was and now that he had the same classes as Baekho, he felt like he wanted to change. Maybe find friends who actually want to hang out with him for a start.

Maybe get to know his crush.

Maybe he could be his soulmate after all.