Minhyun finished helping the lecturer put away all the stacks of papers before he hurriedly jogged to the playground. He hadn't forgotten of course but he couldn't reject helping the lecturer out too. He had sent Baekho a message but received no response. He wondered if maybe Baekho didn't feel the vibration and missed his message. He reached the playground with battered breath and was confused. There was no one around. He took out his phone and texted Baekho since it wasn't like he could yell for the other. He looked around and tapped his foot impatiently. He knew Baekho had already arrived. Did he leave because he was taking too long? Then he would have told him. Minhyun was starting to get worried when the message was left unread too. He sent another message and again. And again. He wished he could call and find out what's going on but he couldn't speak and Baekho couldn't hear so phone calls were useless to them.

Come on, Baekho. Answer me.

^^^

Baekho took out his phone and held back his tears again.

'Where are you? I'm at the playground now.'

He was about to put it away when it vibrated again.

'Baekho, did something happen?' 

'Who's that?' Jonghyun signed when he noticed his friend unable to put his phone away. Baekho shook his head and kept it back in his pocket. It continued vibrating but he ignored it. 

'No one.' Baekho signed his reply and Jonghyun nodded. Minki came back out from the toilet after washing his hands and sat down beside Jonghyun. 

'Do you want to rest now? Or go home?' Jonghyun asked. 

'I think I will rest if you don't mind.' 

'Okay.' Jonghyun motioned Minki to get up from the couch so Baekho could lay down. Minki hopped off and waited for Jonghyun before they went upstairs together. Baekho closed his eyes and let out a sigh. 

'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 bit his lower lip and shook his head. He didn't want to believe it yet he knew if Minhyun really thought that way, he would be too nice to tell him upfront. And those were Minhyun's friends. They wouldn't lie to him, right? He covered his ears despite being unable to hear and sobbed softly. 

^^^

Minhyun scratched his head and looked around frustratedly. Why was Baekho not replying him when he was clearly online. Minhyun rubbed his lips nervously and waited. An hour passed and another until it turned dark. He didn't know what he had said or done wrong for Baekho to ignore him. Did the other get into trouble? Or maybe his mother had called again? Minhyun didn't know and the more he thought about it, the more his head hurt. He didn't know where Baekho stayed either so it wasn't like he could go over and check. His phone vibrated and he quickly checked it. It was from his mum and he sighed. 

'I'm leaving the playground now. Please talk to me, Baekho.' 

He headed home and removed his coat once he reached, hanging it up with the others at the door side as he stepped in. 

"Welcome home, Minhyun. You're a little late today. Everything okay?" his mother asked and Minhyun nodded in response. He hoped his expression didn't show that he was upset. He just headed upstairs when his mother spoke again. "Oh. Dinner is almost ready." 

He nodded despite being out of her view and shut himself in his room. He put his hands against his face and slid his palms across his eyes, sighing. He knew he shouldn't be thinking about negative thoughts since it was just the first time Baekho has done this but the first time always hit hard. He looked at his phone again and noticed his messages had been read this time. His fingers trembled slightly and he tapped his screen again. 

'Baekho? Are you there?' 

He clicked send and pursed his lips. 

^^^

Baekho had woke up in the evening and decided to go home so he won't be a disturbance to Jonghyun. He also didn't check up on his friends since he knew they were probably comforting each other in ways they could and thankful for his hearing disability, he left quietly. He walked home, clutching his sides as he stumbled slowly back home. He sighed, feeling the soreness course through his body. He texted his mother that he would be home soon and she didn't have to worry about him. She was already busy enough with the new addition in his family. He stopped in front of his house door and looked at his phone again, clicking into Minhyun's many messages. He scrolled through them and read them one by one. 

'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 cursed softly when he couldn't stop thinking about what the boy had signed to him. Yet here the other was, exploding their chat with messages filled with concern and worry. A new message popped out and he almost dropped his phone but he quickly clutched it before it fell down. 

'Baekho? Are you there?' 

Baekho breathed in and didn't know what to do. Respond? Ignore? He jumped when he felt a tap on his shoulder, turning to find his mother carrying the sleeping baby in her arm with a questioning look on her face. He pulled his sleeves lower, trying to hide the bandages. 

'What are you doing outside the house? Come inside.' she signed and he nodded, adjusting his bag strap as he walked in. They entered the house and he shut the door quietly behind him. Whether it was actually quiet or not, he wouldn't know. 'Your food is in the kitchen. Warm it up when you want to eat.' 

He nodded and went upstairs to his room instead, not feeling hungry at all. He just wanted to sleep away the pain right now. He laid down and stared at his phone again. Minhyun hadn't said anything else but he could see the other was still online. Probably waiting for his reply. 

No. Its a lie. 

Baekho gulped. He calmed himself down and decided to reply. 

'I'm fine.' 

Then he shut his phone and tossed it somewhere on his bed as he closed his eyes and laid on his back, groaning as he felt needles poking his every injury. 

The next morning, they had a shared class together and Minhyun couldn't stop glancing over to Baekho who didn't even look up once from his papers. The shorter male just kept his head down as he scribbled on his book. His friends who sat beside him worried about him since he wasn't being his usual blurry self. Baekho looked scared. Scared to be in class, scared to be out in the open, scared. Minhyun didn't know what to do. After the reply he received, Baekho had stopped texting him again and it made him nervous. Did he do something wrong after all? Was Baekho tired of him? Bored? He knew he wasn't the most interesting person to hang out with but they were getting along, right? His own friends were busy chatting away and not paying any attention to him either until one of them came up to him and invited him to go to a new cafe with his soulmate. Minhyun didn't want to be the third wheel so he politely rejected him. He was far too concerned about his own crush to want to be around other couples now. 

After class ended, Minhyun waited for them to leave. He glanced over at Baekho who still hadn't budge from his seat either. His friends surrounded him and seemed to be asking him things. Minhyun could make a bit of their hand signs out from where he was sitting. 

'It's nothing.' 

'Don't lie to us, Baekho.' 

'-nothing. Please stop asking.' 

'We worry for-' 

'-pain-' 

'Was it his fault?' 

Baekho's head shook frantically and his eyes darted to Minhyun's before he quickly looked away. Minhyun was confused. Did he do something after all? Did he hurt Baekho without realising? He also noticed that Baekho was wearing an oversized sweater today and even though it looks cute on him, his expression was sullen which made Minhyun feel sad as well. What was going on? A snap of fingers brought his attention back to his friends. 

"Minhyun, let's go." 

'Where?' 

"Anywhere. Move it."

Minhyun was about to reject when he saw Sungwoon glancing over to Baekho and he quickly stood up. He collected his stuff and made a move in hopes whatever bad gut feeling brewing in his stomach would go away. 

^^^

'You got to tell us, Baekho. You can't just keep silent like this. We just want to help you.' Minki signed furiously, unable to take Baekho's secretive side anymore. 

'I just don't want you guys to think too much about it. It's really nothing.' 

'How can it be nothing when you were literally beaten blue black?' 

'Please stop. I don't want to talk about it.'

Jonghyun placed a gentle hand on Minki to calm his soulmate down before he patted Baekho's shoulder. 'We will stop if that's what you want but remember we are always here to help you.' 

Baekho nodded and sighed into his hands that covered his lips. 

"Let's go, Minki. Aron, could you walk Baekho home?" 

"Sure thing." The two soulmates left and Aron picked up Baekho's bag although the other quickly took it back. 

'I can still carry my bag myself.' Baekho signed and Aron nodded, allowing him to take it. They walked silently alongside one another as they headed to Baekho's home. 

'Now that Jonghyun and Minki are gone, do you want to tell me?' Aron asked instead. Baekho pursed his lips and thought about it. They were passing by the playground and Baekho saw that it was empty. That meant Minhyun wasn't going to show up, right? Because he had left the classroom earlier too. Maybe the other really didn't want anything to do with him anymore. He wanted to cry again but he stopped himself as he turned back to Aron. 

'It was the group of get into your pants guys who did this to me. A few of them. Four.' 

Aron gasped softly and gripped his bag strap tightly. 'Minhyun?' 

Baekho shook his head. 'He wasn't there but one of them told me that Minhyun doesn't want to see or talk to me anymore and that he only did it out of pity.' 

"What the hell," Aron muttered under his breath. 'So those rumors were true after all.' 

Baekho shrugged, wincing softly even from that movement alone. He wouldn't have come to college if he didn't want his mother to worry about him. 'Please don't tell Minki or Jonghyun. Maybe I did something wrong.' 

'In all the years I've known you, you're as naive as a baby lamb. There's no way this is your fault. If Minhyun has a problem with you, he better it up and tell it to you in your face.' 

Baekho chuckled softly. 'He can't talk.' 

'Oh . You're right.' Aron smiled, glad he managed to make Baekho smile at least. 'Then you are better off without him.' 

Baekho nodded. Probably. But he really liked Minhyun and he didn't know what to do about his emotions. Or the heartache he was feeling. He thanked Aron for walking him home and helped his mother take care of his baby brother. He rocked the cradle and stared into space until his phone vibrated again. He checked it and sighed.

'I want to talk to you face to face.' Minhyun wrote.

Baekho rubbed his eyes tiredly. 'No.'

'Why? Did I do something wrong? Are you avoiding me? I don't understand.'

'No.'

'Baekho, I need more than just nos for an answer.'

'I'm sorry.'

'For what?'

'Being a burden to you.'