The villain of this story is a chatterbox, while I am mute. To maintain his "cool and mysterious" persona, he only opens his mouth around me. As he got more comfortable, his filter completely disappeared. "Got confessed to again today. That girl praised me so much I almost ascended to heaven." "Why aren't you saying anything? Jealous?" "I didn't care about you before, but the way you ignore me is kinda hot. I'm obsessed." "I love you, you love me, we're a happy family~" "Alright, since we're mutually in love, let's get married after graduation." My eyes widened, and I rasped out painfully, "I don't..." The villain clamped a hand over my mouth. "Shh, stop your gibberish. Give me a kiss." 1 Chase and I stared at each other. It took him a good while to remove his hand from my mouth. "Wait... you can talk?" I nodded, then shook my head. "Yes... but it hurts." Due to an injury when I was little, I could only manage two or three words at a time. And every word came with a searing pain in my throat. Over time, I just stopped talking and became known as the "mute girl." After sitting next to Chase for so long, this was the first time I'd spoken. I was truly pushed to my limit. 2 I've always known I live in a novel. Alcoholic dad, weak mom, rebellious brother, and broken me. But I'm not the heroine. Just a background character. I thought I'd have zero interaction with the main cast. Until senior year, when I was placed in their class. And ended up desk-mates with the villain, Chase Sterling. Chase was a rich playboy. Cold, violent, prone to fighting at the drop of a hat. At first, I was terrified, afraid I'd annoy him and get punched into orbit. Maybe because I couldn't speak, and Chase happened to have a soft spot for the disabled. We got along surprisingly well. No matter how much of a villain Chase was, he was still just an eighteen-year-old boy. Arrogant, loves to show off, addicted to shooting air hoops. And, extremely chatty. To maintain his aloof image, he only talked to me. Since I was mute, I couldn't spill his secrets even if I wanted to. So, I was forced to know the color of Chase's underwear every day. And the details of his mom fighting his dad's mistresses. And the affair between the security guard and the cafeteria lady. ... I knew way too much. I desperately wanted to rebel and tell Chase I was mute, not deaf. But I didn't dare. Over time, Chase let himself go completely. He stopped fighting, stopped sleeping in class. Opened his eyes and just started yapping. Even when I pretended to sleep, he'd lean into my ear and whisper nonstop. I couldn't take it anymore. I pinched his lips together with two fingers. With my other hand, I pressed a finger to my own lips in a "shh" gesture. Chase's face turned beet red instantly. Terrified, I quickly let go. Unexpectedly, Chase didn't hit me. He just stayed red-faced for half the class, stealing glances at me all afternoon. Occasionally letting out a creepy giggle. From then on, Chase changed. From a chatterbox to a chatterbox who seemed to like me. 3 Chase was emo. Since I rejected him, he hadn't spoken to me for three days. I stole a glance at him. Chase was frowning at a book, showing me only his side profile. I had to admit, Chase was even better looking than the male lead, Liam. High nose, thin lips, sharp jawline. But shouldn't he be fighting Liam for the heroine? Why would he like a mute like me? Sensing my gaze, Chase scoffed. "Fell in love with me?" Scared, I shook my head vigorously and looked away. Actually, I was afraid of losing Chase as a friend. Because I couldn't speak, I had no friends. No one wanted to communicate with a mute. Except Chase. He could talk my ear off with gossip all day and never get bored. I didn't want to lose this friend. The more I thought about it, the sadder I got, and tears started to fall. "Sigh." A faint sigh came from beside me. A box of mints slid in front of me. Chase pulled his hand back, leaning lazily against the window. "Good for the throat." I sniffled and popped one in my mouth. Peppermint flavor. [Are we still friends?] I wrote on a piece of paper. Chase didn't answer directly. "I'm taking you to the hospital this weekend." I looked at him instinctively. He added, "No isn't an option." 4 My throat couldn't be cured. I could actually speak before I was five. Then Mom had my brother, and Dad started hating me. One night, drunk, he choked me. When I woke up, Mom cried and said my vocal cords were damaged permanently. Since then, I haven't spoken a complete sentence. So when the doctor looked troubled, I didn't feel much. But Chase kept asking, "She can say two or three words, maybe there's hope?" "She can vocalize? What does she say?" the doctor asked. Chase replied darkly, "'I don't.'" The doctor and Chase talked for a long time. I didn't know the details; Chase sent me to wait in the hallway. He didn't come out for a full hour. Suddenly, someone called my name from the end of the hall. I looked up; it was the male lead, Liam. Liam was our class president and also my neighbor. But for the past eighteen years, we weren't close. Actually, we had zero interaction. I was wondering why Liam would call me. He walked up to me and crouched down to meet my eyes. "Why are you at the hospital? Are you hurt?" I shook my head and pointed at my throat. "Checking your throat?" he asked. I nodded. Liam glanced at the closed office door. "Who brought you?" Even though we weren't close, he was my neighbor for eighteen years. He knew my parents wouldn't bring me to a doctor. I opened my mouth. "...Chase." Just then, the door opened. Chase stood there holding a bag of medicine, backlit. His face darkened instantly when he saw Liam. Liam spoke first. "Her throat can't be cured." He meant me, of course. I lowered my head, fiddling with my fingers silently. "None of your business," Chase snapped impatiently. "Did you take her to a doctor? Did a doctor diagnose her?" "Stop being so self-righteous." Chase dragged me away. I looked back; Liam was still standing there. "What are you looking at?" Chase's sarcastic voice sounded. He didn't wait for my answer. "We've been desk-mates for so long, and you barely say two words to me. But the moment Liam asks, you talk." "But at least you said my name." "Or else..." Or else what? I asked with my eyes. He huffed. "Or else I'd be jealous." The boy's eyes were shining like stars, making my heart race. I wrote on a sticky note: [What did the doctor say?] "Can be cured." My eyes widened in disbelief. I rasped, "...Can?" Chase nodded affirmatively. He grinned at me recklessly. "But... the process is a bit complicated."
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