THEIR MUTE BROTHER (BTS X KTH)
Jimin and....
Taehyung was already awake, lying on his bed in silence. His eyes were fixed on the door, a flicker of hope lingering in them, though he wasn’t sure for what. Blinking away the thought, he pushed himself to get ready for college.
Dragging his aching body to the bathroom, he freshened up and dressed in his uniform. With slow and careful steps, he made his way downstairs, hoping to avoid anyone’s attention. As he neared the door, his heart skipped when a voice called out from behind.
The sudden command froze Taehyung in his tracks. Slowly, he turned around to face Yoongi, who approached with his usual composed demeanor.
Yoongi
“I’m going to the office. I’ll drop you at college.”
Without another word, Yoongi gestured for him to follow. Taehyung hesitated, a mix of fear and relief settling in. Fear because he would be alone with Yoongi, but relief because he wouldn’t have to walk the entire way with his injured foot and feverish body.
Silently, he followed Yoongi to the car and slipped into the back seat, keeping his gaze lowered. The ride was quiet, the air thick with unspoken tension, until Yoongi’s voice broke the silence.
Yoongi
“You don’t know sign language?”
Taehyung looked up at Yoongi through the rearview mirror, unsure why he’d asked. His heart raced as he nodded, indicating that he did.
Yoongi didn’t respond, his gaze returning to the road. The silence resumed, leaving Taehyung staring out the window.
When they reached the college, Taehyung climbed out of the car with some difficulty. Standing at the door, he bowed slightly to express his thanks before turning to walk inside without looking back.
Yoongi, still sitting in the car, watched him enter the campus. His expression remained unreadable, though he let out a quiet sigh before driving away.
Taehyung dropped his bag onto his usual desk and sat down tiredly. His body ached, each movement feeling heavier than the last. Resting his head on his folded arms, he closed his eyes, seeking a moment of peace.
The tranquility didn’t last long.
Jimin
“Hey... That’s my seat!”
Startled, Taehyung looked up at the cheerful voice. A boy stood before him, smiling brightly. Taehyung tilted his head in confusion. This was his seat—he sat here almost every day, except for yesterday when he was absent. And he didn’t recognize this boy at all.
Jimin
“What? I sat here yesterday. Are you new? I don’t think I’ve seen you before.”
Taehyung shook his head slowly, his chin resting on his palms. Though confused, he found himself enjoying the attention. It was rare for anyone in class to speak to him, let alone notice him.
Jimin
“Oh, so you were absent yesterday, huh? Thought so! Let me introduce myself—I’m Jimin. I’m 19, and I just joined yesterday. Nice to meet you.”
Jimin extended his hand, his smile warm and inviting.
Taehyung stared at the offered hand, then at Jimin’s face. He was trying to process the situation when another boy from the class approached.
Ryle
“He’s Taehyung. And he can’t speak, dude. You don’t want to be friends with him. Come sit beside me—the chair’s free.”
Before Jimin could respond, Ryle grabbed his hand and dragged him to another seat, dismissing Taehyung without a second thought.
Taehyung watched them walk away, a faint sigh escaping his lips at Ryle’s words. It wasn’t the first time he’d been treated like this, and it likely wouldn’t be the last.
Placing his head back on his arms, he closed his eyes once more, retreating into his quiet world, hoping to escape the sting of reality.
The day crawled by painfully slow. Despite my body’s protests, I stubbornly attended all the lectures. My hands trembled as I took notes, my vision blurring slightly from the fever. But what unsettled me the most was Jimin’s gaze. I could feel his eyes on me throughout the day, burning into me. His expression was hard to read—was he judging me, pitying me, or just curious?
I sighed under his scrutiny. It was no different from the others, I told myself. People always looked at me like I was a puzzle they couldn’t solve. They either avoided me altogether or stared, assuming I was broken because I couldn’t speak.
When the break came, I headed to the infirmary for some medicine. My fever and headache were unbearable. After that, I grabbed a small lunch and climbed up to the rooftop to eat in solitude, my usual escape from the noise of the cafeteria.
Except today, I wasn’t alone.
Jimin followed me—to the infirmary and the rooftop.
I looked up, startled. He stood in front of me, arms crossed, his tone direct.
Jimin
“I know you can hear me. You answered me this morning. Don’t ignore my question now. Why did you go to the infirmary earlier? Are you okay?"
I Stared at him, too stunned to respond. Concern? For me? It was alien. Nobody had ever asked if I was okay before, even when it was obvious I wasn’t. His persistence felt overwhelming and… frightening. Was this genuine, or some cruel joke?
Jimin
“I know sign language. You can tell me through gestures.”
His offer was sincere, but I didn’t know how to respond. My mind raced, wondering why he cared. As his eyes trailed over my oversized clothes, I felt a familiar panic creeping in.
Jimin
“Isn’t it hot? Why are you wearing so many layers? Are you sick?”
Before I could even think of answering, a classmate chimed in.
Reha
“He always wears baggy clothes, no matter if it’s hot or cold. As for sign language, I don’t think he knows it. We’ve never seen him communicate with anyone—he just nods yes or no.”
She laughed, her words cutting deeper than she probably intended.
Jimin
“You don’t know sign language? How do you talk to your family then?”
I let out a sigh, wishing I could tell him the truth—that I do know sign language but never use it because no one talks to me. My family doesn’t need my words; they have their own ways of silencing me.
Jimin sighed too when I didn’t respond. He stepped aside, giving me space to walk past. I slipped into my seat without meeting his eyes.
After college, I walked home alone. My fever had subsided, but the pain in my foot persisted. Each step was agonizing, and I had to stop every few minutes to catch my breath.
A voice called from behind. Turning around, I saw a man in an office suit, sunglasses perched on his face, and a bright smile as he extended his hand.
??
“I noticed you limping. Let me help you.”
Before I could process his words, another voice rang out.
Jimin
The man turned to shush Jimin, who had appeared out of nowhere.
??
“Quiet down, Jiminie. I was just offering help—this young man seems hurt.”
Jimin’s eyes flickered to me, concern evident on his face.
Jimin
Jimin: “What’s wrong?”
??
"Nothing ...He might have twisted his foot , I saw him walking with difficulty so offered help ..Kids these days have so much energy that they manage to strain their body ( shook his head ) Come On , Let us drop you home" ( He said forwarding his hand to tae )
He extended his hand again, but I shook my head, declining his offer. Bowing slightly in gratitude, I continued my slow walk home, ignoring the whispers behind me.I hear their murmurs behind me , I know they might be discussing me ..But without sparing them any second look I walked away from them
Reaching home, I felt the familiar weight of dread as Jungkook Hyung stood by the door, arms crossed. His cold eyes bore into me as he stepped closer.
Jungkook
"Had a nice day, huh?”
He grabbed my arm, shaking me slightly. The sudden grip made me wince, but I forced myself to stay steady, keeping my eyes down not wanting to see the hatred for myself in the hyung's eyes .
Jungkook
“Do you think we were done yesterday?”
He released my arm with a rough jerk, his voice growing colder.
Jungkook
Jungkook: “I let you go because of your foot. But it seems like you’re perfectly fine now.”
My head spun, my body still weak, but I braced myself for what was to come. The pain of his words was worse than anything my body endured.
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