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Bada sent a photo
Mauve's eyes was lighted by delight upon seeing the photo of a rainbow. The colors looks so saturated and it popped against the blue canvass of the sky. She thought it was all that Bada sent but when she pressed back to the main chat box she noticed the three floating dots on the bottom.
She anticipated the message that came after the photo as the three dots indicated that the person on the other end is still typing. It took a few more second for Mauve's phone to vibrate again and when it did she immediately clicked on the notification.
Bada-ssaem:
The rainbow looks very pretty from here.
Can you see it?
Mauve immediately looked up to the sky right after reading the last message. The bright 10 AM after rain sun shone quite strongly, it made her squint her eyes. But she recovered quickly from it and searched for the colorful rainbow, hoping to see it too to send to Bada.
The blue sky was empty though, it was only filled by white clouds passing by slowly. Disappointed, she messaged Bada to tell her the rainbow isn't visible from where she is.
I can't see it.
She pressed sent. It only took a second for Bada to reply back.
Bada: That's sad. I think you would've like it.
Mauve felt all the blood on her body rush to her face as she read the message. Did that mean that she was the first person Bada thought when she saw the rainbow? Delusional. Yes. But what if?
Mauve giggled as the thought ran through her head.
She was thinking what to respond to Bada, choosing between sending a sentence or emojis, when she felt a light tap on her thigh. Mauve looked down to see a 5-year old girl looking up to her. The girl's cheeks were red and chubby, her puffy sticked out to a pout, while her eyes were watery.
Mauve gasped in concern and immediately kept her phone to her pant's back pocket and immediately pulled the little girl by the armpit and embraced her while also rubbing her back.
She broke their little embrace and Mauve signed to the little girl with one hand.
Are you okay? Why are you crying?
With her chubby little hands, the little girl formed signs to tell Mauve what happened.
Jo Eun
The little girl paused from signing. She was frowned more as she can't remember the sign for 'bullied me'. After 5 seconds of trying the little girl just gave up and bawled her eyes out.
Mauve sighed in understanding of her frustration and just continued to embrace the girl and swayed her body slightly to comfort her.
When the girl was only left with gentle sobs after drinking some water, Mauve caught her attention by signing.
Don't cry now Ri Jin-ah, we will tell Jo Eun to stop bullying you okay?
Mauve told the little girl, Ri Jin.
Ri Jin's faced was determined while she signed a devious plan to Mauve on how they can take revenge on the boy who bullied girl.
I will tell him I will hook him to pole if he doesn't say sorry and snatch his nose from him.
She signed with her frown turned more intense by the second. When she finished, Mauve looked concerned with her plan and tried to convince her that doing bad won't solve bad.
Bullying will not be solved by bullying them back Ri Jin. That's bad. Let's just talk to him okay?
The child did not whined back to disagree and just nodded to Mauve's suggestion.
With Mauve's formal education done online, she has the time of the world to do whatever she wanted. Way before deciding to invest her time on her dance lectures with Bada, Mauve has already spent most of her time in a daycare in their local area that accommodates PWD Children.
Ri Jin, the pouting little lady, is one of the kids Mauve is taking care of in the day care. Like Mauve, Ri Jin was also deaf but aside from her there are atleast 20 children enrolled in the daycare with different disabilities. Children who are blind, those with Down syndrome, and more. They are taken care by Mauve and other carers or teachers who are also with disability.
Mauve was happy to help children like Ri Jin to learn the essential things they need to know to survive the able world. They spent the day doing educational activities that is personalized per disability.
When it stroked 12 o'clock the kids were fetch by their parents for lunch or to go home already.
While cleaning up the clutter of colorful flash cards and braille books, the other teacher's bid to buy lunch for the five of them who were on duty. She wasn't really that close with them, they had their own circle and Mauve feels unwelcome in it.
Mauve felt a light tap on her left shoulder. When she turned around she saw one of her co-teacher in the day care. His name is Jin Goo and he just joined them a month ago.
He was holding up a paper bag with food based on the blot of vapor wetting the bag.
Have some lunch. Its gimbap and plum juice.
He signed and Mauve signed thank you before taking the bag from him. They settled on one of the mono block chair around a tall desk to eat their lunch. They sat across each other, marvelling at the big gimbap the other teachers bought for them.
The other teachers told me your taking dance classes. How is it?
Jin Goo signed after they both took a bite of their unsliced gimbap. Mauve gulped down her meal before answering with all smiles, remembering all of the lessons she had with Bada so far.
I've been having a lot of fun. I'm learning with my dream teacher and she's been very nice to me.
From the daycare until the way home, Mauve and Jin Goo talked about her dance lessons and also about his job as a server in a korean barbecue house and a 2-star rated restaurant.
You know what a friend of mine showed me this flier.
Jin Goo opened a new conversation after a pause between them. He took out a flier from his bag and showed it to Mauve.
The flier have information about an upcoming dance competition 3 weeks from today.
I think you should register and compete.
Mauve uncontrollably blink and her mouth came open after what Jin Goo suggested. Then put of nowhere she burst out laughing to how ridiculous the idea was.
I'm not good at it. I'm practically still learning.
She explained.
Well its still 3 weeks away. You can still practice right?
Jin Goo replied. Mauve shook her head.
Even if I have the time I don't think I have the talent.
She explained to Jin Goo.
Well as you said you have the best teacher right? She can help you. Just ask her.
Monday.
Mauve is staring at the flier Jin Goo showed and eventually gave her. What he said actually almost convinced her. For two days now she had invested a huge amount of time thinking about the possibilities if she did compete. But at the end her nerves got to her. The nerves! She even have it now that she's just thinking about competing.
What if she did compete? She would've probably froze to death in front of the audience. She can't take that. That's too much embarrassment!
With a strong resolve of not joining, Mauve stuffed the flier on her bag she bought to the studio to store some snacks and her water. It was a sloppy shoving action but she didn't bothered anymore.
Mauve turns around to switch on the speaker, it was on time with Bada's entrance to the studio.
"Oh hey."
Bada greeted with a small wave of the hand. Mauve automatically smiled upon seeing her. Why won't she? Its her crush after all.
She waved back while taking small steps forward, then she pauses and pointed the speaker to try and say she's going to turn it on. Bada just nodded and made her way inside and towards the same table where Mauve's stuff was to place her own bag.
While Bada was trying to take off her cross body bag she noticed a blue paper poorly stuffed in a tote with some peppero and other snacks. She noticed the word 'dance' written at the bottom of the paper and grew curious about it.
Once her bag landed on the table she sought out for the flier, spread it from its crumpled state and read the content.
Upon reading the content and understanding what its for she turned to watch Mauve crouched in front of the speaker, head down while scrolling through her phone to probably play some music.
Bada smiled. Excitement filling the crevice of her face. She rushed to Mauve who was facing her reaction, she held her arms and lifted her up from the position while the speaker stood between them.
"You want to join the competition?"
She asked while Mauve is standing their held by the arms and utterly confused. The words were released too fast to read.
Seeing the obvious struggle to understand her, Bada repeated the question a bit slower the second time around while noting in her head to speed up with her sign language study.
"You want to join the competition? This competition?"
She released Mauve from her hold and showed the flier she found stashed on the girl's tote bag.
Mauve's eyes widened in shock and then took it from Bada's hand to shove it on the back pocket of her pants.
She didn't know why she did that but she did it and now they are in somewhat an awkward interrogating vibe.
"What was that for?"
Bada started off and is sounding a tad bit confrontational. Mauve was obviously hiding it when she doesn't have to.
Mauve awkwardly smiled followed by a chuckle. She held her phone properly to write an excuse by her behavior. But she can't think of an excuse so she just decided to tell the truth.
A friend of mine showed it to me.
A friend. Bada remembered Mauve saying she find it hard to find a friend but now she suddenly have one. She's not mad Mauve has a friend, she's actually happy for her. And it looks like their supportive of Mauve, its good for her.
"You have a friend! That's nice!"
Bada beamed to Mauve, her hands reached for hers and shook it in excitement. Mauve shared this excitement with Bada and was swaying her body along with the shaking of her hand. After a while, Bada went back to the topic about the competition.
"So you want to join?"
Mauve withdrawn her hand from Bada's and wrote,
Its good opportunity but I'm still learning. I'll join next year!
"But its here now. I'm here. I'll help you, I'll teach you. Let's show them what you got its gong to be a life changing experience!"
Bada was enthusiastic about sharing her thoughts and Mauve felt intimidated with it. She thought that Bada's willingness to help her is another reason for her not to join. She doesn't want to disappoint her teacher if she doesn't do well on stage and it unconsciously showed through her face despite her smile.
"You look scared."
Bada pointed out.
I don't want to disappoint you.
Mauve's words coupled with her avoiding eyes could've made Bada say 'okay let's just do it next time' but it didn't. Instead it made a part of her feel more motivated for Mauve to join and to see her perform on that stage.
"Let's do it. You and I."
Bada said while lifting Mauve's chin to make her see that she won't disappoint Bada. She won't because they'll do it together.
"Plus, is this your way of saying you don't trust my dancing and teaching skills?"
Bada playfully sulked. Mauve huffed a laugh, she also matched Bada's pout with a much poutier pout with her shiny puppy eyes. When the combination was directed to Bada she broke out and laughed at how adorable Mauve was. She even raised her hand in the air to admit defeat. Well with the pouting competition that is, and not her convincing Mauve to join the competition.
"C'mon let's do it. Hmm?"
She offered again.
"If you're afraid of going solo, then... Take me."
That sounded weird.
"I mean, I'll join you. I want to see you on that stage. Let me, hmm?"
Oh when Mauve read those words from Bada's lips she felt an overwhelming feeling. Her teacher, is so invested on making her join that she's offering so much so that she's offering to join her on that stage.
Can we really do it?
"Trust me. We can."
That last piece if encouragement was all it takes for Mauve to finally agree with Bada. She can see it, Bada will support her and that made her feel at ease and confident in taking up this opportunity to showcase what she has learned and will continue to learn with Bada.
That very session was spent brainstorming on concept and the song to use.
Let's do this.
Mauve pointed on one song on her playlist.
"Let me love you? Sure, why not!"
They decided to use what choreography Mauve has made before. Bada decided on it to make Mauve feel familiar of the song more and to make her feel that she's a part of the whole process of building the choreography, so she can also call it hers and not just Bada's.
That afternoon too, they visited the organizers of the event to register. Mauve was excited to see their name being written on the official list.
She wasn't completely over with her worries and as the expressive person that she is, it was easy to spot it. They were still standing their in the kiosk with the official list is being manually updated. Her eyes trembled and Bada saw it.
To take her mind away from it, Bada distracted her with a high five. It was effective seeing as how wide Mauve's smile was now and how her fears were casted away and was replaced by excitement with that hint of determination as she gazed on the list.
Mauve also broke the news to her dad during their dinner.
"I can see your excited."
He signed while still mouthing the words.
Mauve gently drops her cutlery and replies,
Well Bada-ssaem told me she'd support me. She wanted to see me on stage. I actually had a lot of doubts but she encouraged me.
Mr. Jung smiles at her.
"You look so happy with your choice."
I'm excited dad. I'll make you proud.
"I already am proud of you Mauve. I want to see you on that stage too."
Mauve clapped her hand once and she excitedly signs,
I'll buy you ticket in advance and I'll make sure you'll be in front row!
"I'll be expecting that then."
🌊🌊🌊
Busy. Busy. Busy weeks. So sorry for the late update😭
Like last time this will be a double update. Check it out!
- Shiena💙