in silence ᴰᴼᴵᴸ

２２.

"What's that?" He asked as soon as he sat down between Johnny and Taeil. The oldest could see the small pout on the Japanese's lips but that in second changed when he started explaining the game rules to all of them.

Sicheng tilted his head like a lost puppy. "So it's basically like ludo?"

"Yes and no, because it's more advanced. You have some tasks here and there, like if you step on this field," Yuta pointed at one place on the board, "you have to go back and if on this one you can go ahead three fields." He then moved his finger to another place.

Taeil could see his friend tried to explain it the best he could after studying the paper that was lying on his lap. It didn't look that complicated and, after checking by secretly glancing over, Doyoung even seemed to be intrigued by the game.

"The coloured fields are the challenges that are written on these cards and if you manage to do them you can continue. However, if you don't, you have to wait for one whole round." The Japanese tapped on the small stack of cards and all of them nodded.

"This is going to be fun!" Johnny exclaimed.

Few minutes passed and it already was getting complicated. The wooden box soon revealed small figures in the shape of several animals that were for them to move around the playground. However, the problem was with the number of usable figures which was only three. According to the plan, there were supposed to be seven figures, but they had to be either broken or lost.

Johnny observed the box. "There's five of us but only three figures there. That doesn't add up."

"What a mathematical genius you are!" Yuta gasped sarcastically.

Not wanting to experience another dumb fight, Taeil cleared his throat to get his friends' attention. "I won't play." He put a figure of horse shape on the desk in front of him. To his surprise, a hand landed on his knee and he turned to its owner—Doyoung. The boy was shaking his head, giving up his own role so Taeil can play. The older smiled at his friend's kindness, though he didn't take the object back.

"That still leaves one person without a figure anyway." Yuta ran fingers through his fading grey locks.

"Why can't we use some object we find here? I have a key and there definitely will be a piece of eraser or something." Sicheng spoke out.

"And what about playing in pairs?" Johnny snapped his fingers and all of his friends looked at him in a muse. "I mean, it could be fun, besides Doyoung..." He looked over, not finishing his thoughts as he feared he could offend the boy. The mute however only shrugged. So it was decided.

"Great, so pair up."

Taeil immediately turned his head in Doyoung's direction and noticed that the boy too thought about the same thing—his hand was lifted in the air, ready to tug Taeil's shirt. It was some kind of quiet deal between them, no words needed as if they've done it for hundreds of times, like best friends who have known each other for ages. Or soul mates.

"Of course, man!" Taeil's hand shot up, his palm facing the boy and, to the older's surprise, the boy high-fived with him.

And then Taeil grinned but what he wasn't expecting was the small smile forming on Doyoung's face. As if the time has stopped, the buzzing sound completely fading away. It was just the two, Taeil watching the mute boy with amusement in his eyes—how his mouth shaped into something so strange to him yet beautiful, and how the stars shone in Doyoung's dark eyes. The smile wasn't wide nor toothy, it was a simple smile that still squished his bunny cheeks a bit. Taeil felt himself screeching internally.