Her Voice / han sanghyuk (#14)

Episode 5

JooEun

I was in class as usual reading books since I arrived early for school and have nothing to do, I have already finished one book and it has been only a few days since I purchased it. Should I try borrowing the next time? It would help me save space and I won't be spending too much money on just books, they are not like the food, which would run out eventually.

I stopped at the start of a new chapter and placed my personalized bookmark on top of it to mark what I last read, I placed my book on the table and stretched my body a bit when I heard two people running towards my direction and before I even knew it, my book is gone.

One of them had my book in his hands. "Yah! The deaf one! Want your book back?" He shouted. Of course, I do... I really do... I nodded eagerly and he handed it to me, I walked towards him and I never expected what he did next. The sound of books being torn apart was clearly heard throughout the classroom, the book that I had spent hours finding for it in various bookstores have been torn up, I waited for its release date and it took me so long to get a copy of it which is now all torn up. Without knowing, I saw tears on the floor. I have been crying... I can't cry here...

The other guy pushed him slightly. "Yah... Sanghyuk-ah, I think that you went too far with her."

"What? It is just a book and you can buy another one since you are so rich." I couldn't hear him all of a sudden, it is not that my hearing aid became faulty. I looked up at everyone else and everyone else was just staring at me wondering what I might do next. Whether I would scream at him but obviously I can't as I couldn't speak a single word let alone make any sound with my mouth, or I would run out of the classroom and cry in the toilets like what the weak characters do when they get bullied.

"Yah! Answer me! You deaf! Can't you hear me?" He threw the now torn book on the floor and is now walking towards me. He grabbed both my shoulders. "Answer me! Why aren't you--" I read his lips. He was suddenly pushed away by someone else and dropped to the floor, I saw HakYeon sunbaenim with his headphones on and was putting on such a serious expression.

They began arguing with each other and one of the students in the class dragged me away as they sensed that they were going to fight any minute, they really did, they punched each other multiple times before getting on the floor and hitting each other. I wanted them to stop but I couldn't speak nor hear, I just stood there helplessly until someone with more authority came into the scene and broke the two apart.

Eventually, I was summoned to the principal's office along with the both of them. "What exactly happened, Han SangHyuk?"

He touched his bruised lip and winced. "Can't you see with your own eyes? I was being hit by him, he is the one at fault." He pointed his finger at HakYeon sunbaenim who has the same amount of bruises on his face as him.

"I don't need to answer the question, everyone knows who exactly is at fault and he is the one pointing fingers at me." He said crossing his arms.

"Stop arguing this instant! You guys aren't middle school children anymore so behave more like a high school student." He glared at the two students who immediately kept quiet. "So what exactly happened Choi JooEun?"

If I admit to it, won't it be more trouble for me? Since I am a deaf-mute. I looked at HakYeon sunbaenim who is mouthing 'Don't admit to it...' and the other mouthing 'If you admit to it, you will be dead.'

Who should I listen to? HakYeon sunbae or that guy who tore up my precious book? I took a piece of paper and wrote. 'I was in class reading and he took my book and ripped it up.' and passed it to the principal who quickly read it.

"Who was it? Is it Cha HakYeon or Han SangHyuk?" I looked at Han SangHyuk and he gave me the death stare.

'But I don't blame him for it.' I quickly spoke in sign language but realized that they don't know what I was saying, I got back the piece of paper and wrote the same thing that I was trying to say to them.

"Why? He ripped your book. You should be angry." The principal said. "You want me to let him off right?" I slowly nodded. "According to the rules of the school, there is no such thing. As soon as you have broken the rules, you have to get punished for whatever crimes that you committed."

I can't get him punished. I have to do something. "What if I get the punishment instead? I did beat him up as an act of anger." HakYeon sunbaenim suddenly said.

"Woah, how brave are you, Cha HakYeon? And my answer is no, the both of you will still get detention as what the rule says and you are not allowed to go back home until after 6 pm which is the time for the school to be closed for the day." He told the two and Han SangHyuk was rolling his eyes the whole time. Maybe he is used to listening to this.

"Thanks for telling the truth, JooEun. You can return back to class now." He told me and I stood up bowing to him looking at HakYeon sunbaenim one last time before leaving.

I got back to class and everyone stopped talking as I entered the classroom, one girl came up to me and looked at me from top to bottom. "Are you okay?" I nodded, unsure why they asked. Why are they so concerned? Aren't they the ones that were talking bad about me just a few days ago?

"I'm so sorry that I talked bad about you. It is because you are the first in our class that is a deaf-mute and we don't know how to react to that." Another came up to me with a completely new book with the title 'The one that walked away from Omelas', it was the book that Han SangHyuk tore up.

"Yes, our homeroom teacher came in and gave us a big scolding just earlier. We were too self-conceited to even realize that you have feelings too. We are really sorry and please take this book." She handed me the book. "Class is starting soon, let's get back to our seats." She said and I went back to my seat, waiting for the next lesson to start.