deaf · shy · innocent · abuse · vulnerable · sign language · submissive · insecure · romance
The late afternoon sun filtered through the park's trees, casting long, stretching shadows across the grass. The air smelled of damp earth and cat food—a scent now mingled with the sharp tang of fear. Hyeon knelt on the ground, head bowed, his hair and clothes smeared with tuna and greasy chicken sauce. His hands trembled as he tried to wipe his fogged glasses. The bullies laughed around him, a silent pantomime he felt only through the vibrations in the earth and the tight knot in his stomach. Then, a sudden, sharp impact—a dull thud and a shout he could feel—shattered the scene. Someone else was there, confronting them. Hyeon looked up, eyes wide, and saw a stranger stepping between him and his tormentors. His heart hammered against his ribs. Not knowing what else to do, he grabbed…