I inserted some coins on the school's vending machine and pushed the button for a bottle of banana milk; it didn't come out. I pushed it again, once, twice... nothing came out. I pressed it continuosly, already annoyed for having wasted money.
    
    "You have to kick it."
    I looked around to see who was talking to me — if it was to me, of course — and sure enough, the corridor was deserted except for me and him. I cocked my head to the right and slightly smiled, confused. "Huh?"
    My emotionless L/Myungsoo (is it even right? that's what the others called him, right?) classmate walked past me and kicked hard the vending machine. "It only works like this."
    My banana milk came down in an instant and I picked it. "Thanks!"
    
    He shrugged as he used the machine as well. I stayed there with him because... I didn't have a place to go and spend recess on. He glanced at me.
    
    "You're the foreign one, right?" One kick.
    I inserted the straw on the package. "Hm." I nodded as I drank the milk.
    "If you need any help getting around, don't hesitate in asking me." More coins, another kick. "I know I look cold, but it depends from person to person..." He chuckled as he squatted to get his drinks. "You don't seem the social type either..."
    "I get that a lot." I nodded, even though he wasn't looking at me.
    "Well," he turned to me, two bottle of banana milk on his hands. "See you around, then."
    
    And in a few strides, he was already out of the building, leaving me alone inside of the silent building. It was such a good, sunny day outside that I decided to do the same, and take that as a chance to get around the school campus, still new to me.


    "Myungsoo, you have someone for you."
    
    I looked up from my seat to see Myungsoo and his long steps making its way to the door next to me. I followed him with my eyes and saw two girls by the door. I was surprised to see one that was extremly familiar to me, especially her silence. I frowned, looking away from them. Oh! The one at the hospital! I glanced back at them and saw her holding tight, in front of her chest, onto what it seemed a sketch notebook. not even once moved, I raised my eyebrow, she was indeed weird. I looked at the other girl, taller and too talkative, as if to balance the duo. Not funny, Byunghun.
    
    "Oh, isn't that the new guy?" The girl said, louder. "Ha Jin, look at him!" As soon as I felt their eyes on me, I looked away. So embarassing. I tried to look at my reflection on my phone's screen and ran my hand through my head. Must at least look good, right? "Hey, new guy!"

    I turned back at them, to see the taller and talkative (the only one talking, actually) wave at me. Should I get up? Oh, come on, Byunghun, you're not in middle school anymore. I got up and walked to them, staying by Myungsoo's side.
    
    "Hi."
    "He's Byunghun," Myungsoo said.
    "Yeah, I'm Byunghun."
    "Hye Ri, Moon Hye Ri!" The girl handed out her hand and I shook it. "Nice to meet you!"
    "Uh, yes, nice to meet you too." The other girl elbowed Hye Ri in a not very discreet way.
    "Ouch." Hye Ri glanced at her, frowning. She sighed. "Ha Jin says 'hi'. Shin Ha Jin." Hye Ri made a hand movement as if telling Ha Jin to bring out her hand for me to shook it; She did so, never stopping holding tight onto her notebook.
    
    Weird.
    
    "Nice to meet you," I mumbled to Ha Jin.
    "Don't mind her." Hye Ri waved in front of her, and took a step closer to me.
    "Don't say that." Myungsoo's eyes never left Ha Jin. "Did you have lunch already?" The girl nodded. "Was it any good?" The girl shrugged, and moved the notebook to her hands, took a pen that was held onto the notebook's rings and was about to uncap it when Myungsoo stopped her. "Don't, it's not necessa..."
    I couldn't hear it anymore, since I had a girl talking in very high decibels right next to my ears. I flinched and cleared my throat, to speak in my very quiet tone. "E-Excuse me?" I turned to her.
    "I asked how was life in America." She smiled at me.
    "It was good, normal..." I took a step back. "I haven't lived here for a long time, only a week, so I can't really compare..."
    "Oh, I see." She kept on smiling, a faint blush growing on her cheeks.
    
      So... annoying.
    Not really the feeling in itself (embarassment, shyness? those are my best friends there), but the girl and her non-stopping chit-chat. Where did she get so many themes to talk about with a guy she had just met? She must tell me! If only it weren't so bothersome... Thankfully, Myungsoo interrupted us to tell Hye Ri that Ha Jin wanted to go. Weird chicks. I turned over to Myungsoo who was bidding them goodbye and 'see you later''s. Hye Ri frantically waved at me, while I only nodded. Fangirling at this time of the day?
    I could have sworn she had said to Ha Jin, while walking away from us, that I 'was totally cute, and had completely fallen head over heels for her'. Uhh guys? ...

    "Visit hours during the week only start at 5PM, I'm afraid you'll have to wait before seeing patient Lee Min Hee."
    "Can't I just go in? I'm her son."
    "I'm sorry, sir, Hospital's policy is to be respected."

    I sighed as I laid my head back, holding tight on the swing's straps, carelessly throwing my legs back and forward, trying to move around. I puffed up my cheeks as I let my gaze get lost on the blue sky.
    I still had a hour before going back to the hospital. Honestly, I could have gone home, but what would I do, once I got there? I would be all alone—my Father is still at work—, in a closed space... Might as well as spend that time on the Central Park right in front of the Hospital; which was what I did.
    I finally looked around, not before blinking a few times in order to get used to the not-so-bright-as-the-sky environment. The park was rather empty, there were only a few people walking (or even running), most of them being couples, kids running around, an empty swing next to mine...
    
    No.
    Scratch that.

    The previous empty swing next to me was now in the possession (?! is that even right?) of a girl. In my school's uniform. Funny. The same girl of the hospital, the one that is friends with the Moon Hye Ri girl that I got to (unpleasantly? Should stop being so mean...) know today.
    Shin Ha Jin was staring at me, holding out her notebook right in front of her, arms spreaded holding into its edges. The white sheet had something written with a large, black marker:

    "Hi!"
    
    The girl smiled at me, a look of relief started to spread on her face. For how long had she been there, with her arms outstretched like that, holding into that not-really-light-looking notebook? Waiting for me to notice her? Why didn't she call for me as soon as she sat there?
    Ha Jin eyed me, and then tilted her head to her side.
    
    "Hi," I said finally, with a very weak voice, my turn to blush, way to go, Byunghun. I cleared my throat. "Since lunch."
    
    Shin Ha Jin wouldn't stop smiling. She nodded as she put her notebook on her lap, uncapped her marker and wrote on that very same page, her eye-smile never leaving her.
    
    Only then it hit me.
    The girl, Shin Ha Jin, was mute.

A/N: Thank you so much for all your kind comments!

Also, edited chapter 1 since it had a few typos :)

Hope you like it, see you around~!