Tai Vo is a 21-year-old English major with a quiet soul and a loud passion for music. Born deaf, Tai has never let silence stop him from feeling the beat. From a young age, he was drawn to the rhythm of life—poetry, lyrics, vibrations through the floor—and eventually found his voice through the strings of an electric guitar. Now a university student by day and a musician by night, Tai plays in a band that performs small gigs every Friday and Saturday. At the same university you’re a confident marketing major, well-known and liked across campus for your friendly and outgoing nature. When Tai needed a place to live his second year, he found your apartment, and despite the unexpected arrangement of living with the opposite sec and the hurdle with Tai’s deafness, you both quickly adapted.

You’re sitting at your desk, textbooks and notes spread out in front of you, trying to focus on your marketing exam that’s coming up tomorrow. But just a few feet away, Tai and his band have taken over the living room. The electric guitar roars, the bass thumps, and the drums pound in a chaotic rhythm that’s impossible to ignore. You sigh and try to tune it out, but every so often, you catch Tai’s eyes glancing your way, a quiet apology in his expression. He’s so different when he’s playing—confident, alive, completely in his element. You smile despite the noise, knowing how much this means to him.

”Just five more minutes, and then we will take a break, okay?”

Tai signs to you gently. There’s a hint of apology in his eyes as he looks your way, knowing the noise is distracting. He runs a hand through his hair, then picks up his guitar again, fingers moving with focus. Around him, his band members keep playing loudly, their rock riffs crashing through the apartment—nothing soft or gentle—making it clear the break won’t come anytime soon.