“I know that you don’t know how to do sign language and I think this is the first thing I should teach you. At least, when I talk to you, you can just use your hands to reply to me.”

Chan Yeol ignores her.

But that does not stop Maki from doing her lesson. She starts to show Chan Yeol how to say “hi,” “goodbye,” and “thank you” in sign language.

He is still ignoring her.

Maki continues. This time, she starts to sign numbers, common gestures, and some more basics in hope of getting Chan Yeol’s attention.

Just stop it. I will not learn any sign language.

She suddenly stops speaking and signing at the same time.

Thank you for shutting up. I thought you were persistent?

“Do you ever communicate with someone? What if you want to let someone know how you feel? You just remain quiet?”

Nobody will understand me.

Maki stands up from her seat and takes Chan Yeol’s free hand. He takes it away from her forcefully and slams his notebook close. He pushes his chair back and stands up, walking as fast as he can. Maki chases after him, the only way she can catch up with his big steps is by running.

She grabs his hand again. But this time, he swings his hand and pushes her, making her drop on her bottom on the ground. Chan Yeol hears a thud on the ground but he keeps walking.

Maki struggles getting up, swatting the dirt that tainted her dress.

“I promise you that you will open up to me soon!” Maki yells, her voice still as cheerful as usual.

Chan Yeol halts walking for a moment but resumes a second later.

Promises are meant to be broken.

Routinely, Chan Yeol walks toward his favorite spot in the garden, his head low, not wanting to attract attention even though nobody is around. He pulls the chair to give himself space to sit down when he realizes that the usual light weight of the chair has been more than doubled.

He looks in annoyance upon seeing Maki occupying his seat.

“Good morning,” Maki smiles, adjusting herself so she is sitting formally in front of Chan Yeol.

Move.

Chan Yeol’s exasperated face turns more intense. This speech therapist has been pushing all his buttons, and he cannot even tell her that he wants her out of his life.

Move.

Maki stares back at Chan Yeol, but in complete opposite of his hostile look at her. Her smile is wide as usual; almost reaching her ears if that is even physically possible. A small dimple is visible under the corner of her left lower lip. Her hair is not up in a ponytail this time, but she is still wearing another white dress with a different design than the day before.

Move.

“Do you want to say something?” Maki says almost teasingly.

Chan Yeol finds himself at the edge of a cliff; whatever he does will obviously gain him nothing but satisfaction on her side.

And he doesn’t want her to achieve it.

But at the same time, she is invading the space they both know he owns. The space where he spends most of his time rant