Genre: Drama, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort

Summary: Hyewon - the type of person who doesn’t like to talk - met a girl who doesn't have the ability to talk. These two people just clicked and can understand each other even without exchanging words.They created memories that one shouldn’t forget, even when the other one just left.

Word Count: 4770

Hashtag: #IntoTheKangBiVerse_Words

Words

Sitting down by the sofa, her small apartment was drowning in darkness. She took off her coat and placed it by her side, before closing her eyes. It’s only 4 in the afternoon but her body is already drained. She took an almost 20-hour shift at the hospital to finish all her work, now she can freely spend her Christmas eve - except if there will be an emergency which she hoped for not to happen. 

She hasn’t joined her family for Christmas dinner even since she started her residency, until she’s now a certified doctor. She can only join them in the morning or even later. But last week, her mom insisted that she should join them this time. Even calling or texting her everyday just to make sure that she had already cleared her schedule for this day. 

Speaking of her mother, a text was just sent to her by the lady.

“Are you on your way now?” 

A smile formed on her face when she read the text, her mom just couldn't wait to see her huh.

“I just got home from the hospital. I’ll just rest for a minute then leave.”

Stretching her arms out, she stands up from her seat and walks to her room to change and pick up her luggage for 2 days. 

“Ok, take care on your way home.”

Home.

For her, the word home only pertains to two things: her family, and her friend.

She opened her phone and stared at her lockscreen. Two young girls, smiling at the camera with their hand intertwined. They were at the playground where the two girls played years ago. The very same playground where they also met.

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A 9 year-old Hyewon was sitting on the swing by herself. She wasn’t feeling lonely at all, in fact she glared at whoever tries to sit at the swing next to her, then that kid will lose its smile and run away crying. 

Well, except for one. 

A kid wearing pigtails and purple dress was climbing the swing next to her. Hyewon tried to scare her off by staring at her with furrowed eyebrows, only to fail when the girl only smiled at her. Her eyes seemed to be suddenly at ease when the smaller girl waved her right hand at her, pairing it with a toothy grin.

 Hyewon blinked for a couple of times before looking away. She thought of just ignoring the smaller one, maybe she could just walk away like the others, but boy she was wrong. The other girl suddenly pokes Hyewon’s right ear, which is currently red without her noticing. 

Her hand immediately covered both of her ears, she can feel them getting hotter at the moment. She looked at the girl again, her smile didn't seem to waver off from her face.

“Why are you still s-smiling?” Hyewon tried to sound irritated at first to intimidate the girl, but her sudden stutter only made the girl’s smile grow bigger. 

“Aish, I’ll leave now.” She got off from the swing, “And don’t follow me.” She added when she saw the smaller also got off.

The unknown girl pouted at her, making Hyewon regret her words for a second, but she only shook her head and walked away.

Hyewon looked back a little and saw that the girl is now heading towards the big sandbox, and there she played again with herself along with the toys scattered. Hyewon stopped by a tree only a few meters away from the swing set, and there she can see the girl who has now her dress dirtied by the sand.

Hyewon didn’t know why, but she looked after the girl from afar until she was picked up by her mother.

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Today was Monday and it was a bit early in the afternoon for kids to play. When Hyewon arrived, there were only about 5 to 8 kids playing. She once again sat on her spot at the swing set and looked around - certainly not looking for someone wearing pigtails - Hyewon huffed in her seat.

She was now minding her business, pushing with her feet to swing herself a bit, when someone poke her ears again. She immediately stopped to look at someone who dared to do that to her and saw the familiar girl wearing pigtails. 

The girl, who is now wearing a bright yellow dress, just grinned at her before running back to a lady - her mother. Hyewon watched how the mother ruffles her daughter’s hair while saying something, probably just reminding her daughter or something. But one action quite confused Hyewon.

‘What was she doing with her hands?’

The girl ran back to the playground - specifically to the swing set, where Hyewon is - so she quickly stood up and ran to the tree.

The girl pouted again but decided not to follow her and just play alone with the swings. 

And again, Hyewon sat down near the tree and secretly watched the girl play. 

She noticed that the girl was playing alone even though there are kids around her. Some kids are approaching her but she didn’t even talk, but she did smile at them though. Hyewon just shrugged her shoulders then shifted her eyes towards other things.

Minutes later, the playground becomes packed with small children, some are still even wearing their school uniforms. They were all running around shouting, laughing, even crying or bawling. And that’s when Hyewon realized that she can’t find the girl anymore. She stood up from the grass she was sitting in order to get a better view, but to no luck, she didn’t see her.

‘She can’t possibly go home already.’ She thought

She walked towards the center of the playground to look. She had no idea why she had to look for her, but a sudden urge inside herself to make sure she’s safe forced her.  

She looked everywhere the kids were playing but still none. 

‘Maybe she already went home’ She said to herself so she decided to give up and go back to her swing. On her way, a kid suddenly bumped into her making the said kid tripped down and fell. Hyewon, who didn’t bother to help the poor boy, just stared at him. The boy glared and stuck his tongue out on her before running to the other side of the playground. Hyewon followed him with her eyes and saw that he went to the back of an unfinished house made with concrete at the left end of the playground.

She didn’t even realize that her feet were dragging herself towards the place. As she gets closer to the place, she can hear shouts and laughter from a few kids.

“We’re asking you a question but why aren’t you answering?” A young boy asked while shouting.

“Yah! Can you even hear us?!” Another followed.

Hyewon caught a glimpse of a yellow fabric on the ground and immediately ran towards them.

“Oh look! She’s cryin- AAH!” The boy held onto his ankle, which Hyewon just kicked,

The laughters from the 3 boys died down at the sight of Hyewon, who was wearing a really scary poker face and glaring eyes. “If you don’t leave her alone at the count of 3, I will surely kick your asses off.” She said with her monotone voice.

The 3 boys scampered away from the place, leaving Hyewon and the other girl who has her face covered by her palms. Hyewon can hear heavy breathings and small whimpers from the small girl so she panicked a bit. Not sure of what to do, she squatted down on her size and tapped on her shoulder.

“They’re gone now, you can stop crying.” She said while offering her handkerchief. 

Hyewon's heart swells at the sight of the girl’s teary eyes who slowly lifted her head to meet her gaze. Without realizing, Hyewon’s hand seemed to move on its own as it slowly dampened the handkerchief on the other girl’s wet cheeks. 

She quickly retreated her hand after and cleared .

“What were you doing here anyway? You should be over there with the other kids.” Hyewon quickly said to break the silence. The girl didn’t answer and just pointed on the flower bush behind her.

“You went here to pick some flowers?” Hyewon asked and the girl nodded shyly.

“And those guys? What were they teasing you for?” She asked again but only received a shrug. 

Hyewon was just about to stand up when the girl held onto her wrist to stop her. She raised an eyebrow at her, “What is it?”

Looking down, the girl handed her a small, slightly wrinkled, white flower. Hyewon tried so hard to maintain a straight face as she accepted the flower. “Uh, thanks.”

A small smile crept into the girl’s lips, feeling glad that the taller accepted her small gift.

Hyewon thought it would be awkward if they would just leave like that so she gathered her courage and introduced herself. “I’m Kang Hyewon, what’s your name?” that came out very awkward since she’s not the type of person to introduce herself to other kids just to make friends. 

The girl only looked at her, a tint of worry was visible. She looked at the ground to search for something. After a few moments, the girl was now writing on the soil with the twig she just found.

“Kwon Eunbi” was written in a quite messy way but Hyewon was able to read it.

She was also able to confirm her small thoughts about the other girl and her situations. 

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Hyewon placed her bag and the gifts she bought inside the trunk of her car. She quickly sent a text message to her mom that she’s currently on the way before entering her car. Just before she could start the vehicle, she received a call request from her mom. She answered it and put it on loud speaker so she could start driving.

“Yes mom?”

“Hyewon unnie, this is Wonyoung!”

“Oh hey kid, what do you need?” 

“Are you driving on your way here?”

“Uh yes, I’m bringing a lot of things so I decided to bring my car.”

“Great, can you stop at the nearest store and buy some candies.Thanks unnie, bye!”

The call was dropped even before she could protest. Hyewon just shook her head at her younger sister’s action since she had no other choice but to comply. It’s Christmas anyway.

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After that encounter at the playground, the two always meet at the same spot. They were just beside each other without saying anything - Eunbi with the very obvious reason, and Hyewon just being shy.

Eunbi suddenly turned her head at Hyewon, who almost got caught staring, and waved her hand, signalling Hyewon to push her swing, and luckily she was able to get the message.

Hyewon didn’t think she was able to play like this with other kids. She was a really shy kid and sometimes she really preferred to be alone. She finds friendships hard even at just a young age so she barely even has friends. So she had no idea how to handle the current situation.

Eunbi was smiling really brightly as Hyewon helped her with the swing