Baekho didn't hear it but Minhyun did. He snapped his head to the direction of his name and gasped. His friends were walking towards them. He quickly moved Baekho away, pulling him up onto his feet.

"What are doing with that guy?"

"And he was laying on top of you too."

'He fell.' Minhyun quickly signed. Baekho patted his body and looked at the guys. He was about to wave to greet them when one of them approached him and flicked his ear. He flinched in surprise from the touch.

"Oh? What are you, a ?"

"Come on, Minhyun. Let's leave."

Baekho couldn't read lips that quickly and just stood there stunned.

"This guy doesn't talk either. Is he mute like you?"

'Leave him alone.' Minhyun signed and his friend whistled.

"Alright." The guy eyed Baekho one last time before they started walking away. Minhyun was real worried now. He gathered his bag.

'I have to go. Sorry.'

'No worries.' Baekho signed back before waving. Minhyun smiled apologetically before leaving to catch up with the others. Baekho rubbed his neck and gave the ball a light kick before picking it up and bringing it with him since he didn't know where Minhyun had got it from. 

^^^

Minhyun hoped his friends didn't pay any heed to Baekho but his hope was short lived when one of them asked him about Baekho.

"So who was that just now?"

'No one.' He signed back and gulped a little.

"Really? You guys seemed close."

"Isn't he from that group of weirdos that sit at the back of the class?"

"Now that you mention it."

No. Minhyun wanted to cut in but he held it in. If they knew he was going to show concern towards Baekho, who knows what they would do to him. Baekho was innocent.

"Stop hanging around him, Minhyun. He might tarnish our rep in school."

What rep? You guys are the worst of the bunch.

Minhyun just reluctantly nodded. He wished there was a way to expose them for what they did but he didn't have a voice to tell others and it wasn't like hand signing would be taken seriously.

That night, he texted Baekho and apologised for leaving so abruptly. Baekho didn't mind but he did ask if Minhyun was okay to his surprise.

'Why would you ask that?'

'I don't know. I've heard rumors about those... Guys you hang out with from my friends and they haven't all been good. I'm just worried, I guess.'

Minhyun pursed his lips.

'What rumors?'

'Bullying. Cheating. Things like that.'

Minhyun let out a shaky breath. So Baekho had heard of those. He didn't know what to reply, using his thumb to slide across the edge of his phone as he stared at the screen. He contemplated telling Baekho that they should stop meeting for awhile but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He really liked hanging out with Baekho after all.

'They're probably just rumors.' He lied and then added. 'Do you think we could meet somewhere else starting tomorrow?'

'Sure. Where do you want to meet?'

'There's a playground a few blocks away from the college. I'll send you the location.'

'Sure. See you there then :)' 

^^^

Baekho didn't question why Minhyun wanted a change of location. Maybe he was just tired of constantly meeting at the same place. It wasn't like it would hurt Baekho to switch up. He sat on the swing and waited for Minhyun since his class ended early again. He drew small flowers and little hearts on his book. He guessed he should also bring a comic book to read next time. The silence was sometimes pressuring especially in times like this when he started to get impatient. He looked up, checking to see if Minhyun had arrived yet but he wasn't expecting to see three of the guys from yesterday. Baekho wasn't very good with names but he sort of remembered one of them being Jisung. The other two, he wasn't so sure. Something Hwan and something Woon? Something like that? Not like it mattered to him or at least it wasn't supposed to but he could see them talking... To him. Or at least he think so since they were looking at him and their mouths were moving. They seemed to frown at him too when he didn't respond. Behind them was a shorter male that Baekho didn't recognise. 

'Are you talking to me?' Baekho decided to sign when they approached him. Their lips moved again and they exchanged glances before one of them pulled him up from the swing roughly although the person seemed rather surprised by Baekho's weight but Baekho being the confused guy stood up as well. 

Whoa! 

He could still see them talking and possibly yelling but he couldn't make out any of it. They were too fast for him to lip read. They turned to the shorter boy and seemed to be snapping at him. The boy flinched and raised his hands shakily. 

'Are you mute?' the boy signed. Baekho shook his head. The boy turned back to them and said something, probably relaying what he had asked. Two of them turned back to him with a smirk. Baekho didn't like where this was going. Could the rumors be true after all? 'Are you deaf?' 

Nod. 

Then came the blow. 

Baekho was startled and blocked it at first, his instincts just kicking in but all three of them except the short boy started shoving him around harshly. They kicked and punched, pulled and pushed. Baekho was confused and didn't have time to defend himself properly. His mind started spinning and he couldn't yell for help even as he dropped onto the ground. He stared at them with bewildered eyes. What did he ever do to them? Jisung turned to the short boy and said something. The boy seemed shocked but turned back to Baekho, slowly signing again. 

'Minhyun says he never wants to see you and don't ever talk to him again. He was only doing it out of pity for you.' 

Baekho was stunned. Minhyun? He blinked and felt his heart shatter. He wanted to argue, saying that it wasn't true but his voice got caught in his breath that ultimately got smothered away as another round of kicks started. He winced and cried out, protecting his head. His body hurt everywhere, the scent of blood wafting a little and he was given one last nudge before they finally left him on the ground. He gritted his teeth and wiped the blood off his lips as he panted, clutching his stomach and side that felt like they were bashed in. He breathed painfully and pulled his phone out. He noticed a message from Minhyun saying he would be late since he had to help his lecturer and he didn't know when but Baekho started crying. He dialled his friend's number and Aron was at the top of the list so that was where the phone connected. He knew he wouldn't be able to hear what the other say but knew they would understand how urgent he needed them. Needed someone. He didn't want his parents to find out what just happened and he couldn't bear to ask Minhyun if this was all true. Maybe Minhyun had asked him to come here for that reason. So that those guys could relay what he couldn't tell Baekho by himself. Baekho curled up and cried even as his call got through. He couldn't hear Aron talking at all but he started talking. 

"Please come to the playground. I need help," he whimpered into the call with the voice he was afraid to use and cut it after, hoping he was heard. He tried to regulate his breathing but it hurt so much that his consciousness was slowly drifting. In and out. In and out. 

^^^

Aron was surprised when his phone rang. He pulled it out and his surprise doubled. Why on earth would someone deaf call him? Unless Baekho found his soulmate! Aron was excited and quickly picked up but he wasn't expecting to hear soft sobs instead. 

"Baekho?! Baekho! What's going on?" He yelled, temporarily forgetting that Baekho couldn't hear him. He stood up, gaining attention from the couple in front of him. The three of them had stayed back in college to finish up a group assignment together.

"What's the matter, Aron?" Jonghyun asked. 

"Please come to the playground. I need help."

"Baekho? Hello? Baekho." Aron noticed the call was cut off and he immediately left, limping but still running as fast as he could. Jonghyun and Minki quickly followed him, afraid their limping friend might fall into a ditch somewhere at the rate he was going. 

"Aron, slow down! Tell us what's going on," Minki yelled to him. 

"Baekho called. Said he needed help and that he was at a playground. He didn't specify which though." 

"Wait, Baekho needs help??" 

"Yeah. If it wasn't urgent, he wouldn't have called. He knows he can't hear us." 

"There's a playground nearby. Let's go check that one out first," Jonghyun said and they agreed. The three of them rushed to Aron's fastest speed with Jonghyun breaking into a run when the playground came to view. He was about to yell for Baekho but stopped since he knew the other wouldn't be able to hear him anyways. He gasped when he saw his friend on the ground, curled up and battered. "Guys, over here." 

"He's really there?" Aron asked and Jonghyun nodded, running up to him and carefully touching his shoulder first. Baekho flinched and opened his bloodshot eyes, moving them ever so slowly to meet with Jonghyun's concerned ones. 

'What happened?' Jonghyun signed and Baekho immediately pulled his friend into a hug, crying again. Jonghyun was stunned and so were his other friends as they approached him. 

"I'm scared," Baekho sobbed and squeezed Jonghyun who patted his back gently. He noticed how dirty Baekho was and how there were little scars and bruises littering all over his body. His friends exchanged glances. None of them knew what happened. Minki squatted down beside Baekho and patted his head to get his attention. 

'Did you fall off the swing?' Minki asked since he honestly couldn't think of what else could have happened to Baekho in this quiet playground. Baekho shook his head and wiped his tears. 

'I'm not a wuss.' Baekho signed back and Aron offered him a handkerchief to clean his face. 

'What happened?' 

'Some guys beat me up for no reason.' Baekho signed, not wanting his friends to know about the full context of what happened yet all three of them knew Baekho was hiding something from them. They didn't push it yet. 

'Come on. Let's get you home.' 

Baekho quickly shook his head. 'I don't want to worry my mum. Can I go to one of your places to clean up first?' 

"We will bring him to my place. My place is the closest after all," Jonghyun said and the others agreed as the couple helped lifted Baekho up since Aron had the bad leg. They slowly walked towards Jonghyun's house while Aron told them he would catch up later since they had left all their belongings out in the open and totally free to steal. 

Once they were in the safe walls of Jonghyun's home, Baekho was helped onto the couch while Jonghyun grabbed the first aid kit. Minki helped Baekho out from his shirt and frowned when he saw the blue blacks staining his friend's body. 

'Who did this to you?' Minki signed angrily. Baekho shook his head and Minki slammed the couch. Baekho didn't flinch since he couldn't hear the loud noise. 'Baekho, please. We all know you're not telling us the truth.' 

Baekho bit his lip and shook his head again. He didn't want to tell who did it. Minki grabbed his cheeks and made him turn to his direction again. 

'Was it Minhyun?' 

Baekho gasped in horror and shook his head. 

'Then why are you protecting whoever did this to you?' 

Tears started flowing down his cheeks again and Jonghyun sighed. 

"Don't interrogate him now, Minki. Let him rest first and calm down." Jonghyun started cleaning Baekho's injuries and applied antiseptic on his bruises carefully. 

"Someone he knows did this, Jonghyun. We all know it." 

"I know but he looks really shaken by it too. No point in pushing him to tell us the truth now if he doesn't want to." Baekho winced and grimaced even as Jonghyun bandaged him. He knew the two were talking, probably about the whole thing. His phone vibrated, startling him.