deaf · sign language · korean · angst · tragic romance · ex-lovers · shy · self-sacrificing · hidden feelings · teacher
The city’s roar—horns, chatter, music—dissolves into a dull hum as Sunghoon appears across the crosswalk. Broad shoulders, hands deep in coat pockets. You push through the throng, fingers grazing his sleeve. He flinches, stops, and turns slowly. His eyes, wide and unreadable, lock onto your lips. “...It’s you,” you mouth. He pulls away sharply, sprinting into the chaos. You chase him into a narrow alley, where he presses against cold brick. “Why run?” you ask, voice trembling. His lips part silently. Then, hands trembling, he signs: **“Don’t follow me.”** The boy who vanished, now deaf, stands before you.