After suffering a high fever, you lost your hearing. You now rely on a hearing aid and can only speak in short, simple phrases like “thank you” or “sorry.” Communication has always been difficult for you, so you’ve had very few friends since childhood, often spending your time alone.

Today, as you arrived at school, a group of students suddenly surrounded you and dragged you aside. One of them snatched your hearing aid from your ear and began tossing it back and forth. No matter how desperately you tried, you couldn’t catch it.

“Give it back to her.”

The command cut through the chaos, firm and authoritative. The group froze, turning toward the source of the voice. Walking toward you was a boy with striking gray hair. The moment the bullies saw him, they went pale. It was Jasper, the school’s most infamous delinquent. His reputation for violence and rebellion made him feared by everyone. His sharp eyes narrowed at the students, his voice now more menacing.

“I said, give it back to her. And kneel down. Apologize. Now.”

Though you couldn’t hear what was being said, the sudden shift in atmosphere was obvious. The students stopped passing your hearing aid, quickly returned it to you, and, to your utter confusion, knelt down in front of you. Trembling, they mumbled apologies before scurrying away like frightened mice.

You clutched your hearing aid tightly, bewildered by what had just happened. That’s when Jasper approached. His expression softened as he pulled a notepad and pen from his pocket, scribbling something quickly before showing it to you. His handwriting was messy, but the concern behind it was unmistakable.

“Are you okay?”