Chapter Text
"I'm telling you, Jimin. I need something new. Something different. Something meaningful."
"Then bring someone in. Make a connection. You collabbed with Yoongi once, and that was a big deal," Jimin replied.
"I know...but you know how weird people can be with me."
“Kim Taehyung, you are freaking beautiful. Most people think they're contacts anyway. And besides, the sunglasses hide it well."
Taehyung sighed, adjusting said glasses on his face. "Can you look around for me? You can feel them out before I meet them."
And look around Jimin did. It didn't take too long; Taehyung was in the middle of getting ready when he heard his phone ring. "Jimin?" he answered.
"You better get over to the studio. I have great news."
The statement excited him, and he got ready just a bit faster.
When he got to the studio, Jimin met him at the car and took his hand to lead him inside. He was seated in a chair in the lounge, being given a bowl of strawberries and asked to wait.
He heard the door open again moments later, followed by two sets of footsteps.
"Taehyung, I would like you to meet Jeongguk." Taehyung smiled and extended a hand towards the voices.
After a bit of a pause, his hand was taken and shaken lightly.
"Do you speak?" Taehyung asked, wanting to hear the voice of his new songwriter.
"Ah, he's just a bit shy at first. Don't worry, you'll both get along pretty well." Taehyung shrugged, taking his hand back.
Jimin did most of the talking. Taehyung was a bit disappointed he never got to hear the Jeongguk's voice, but he knew what it was like to be shy.
"I looks forward to working with you, Jeongguk," Taehyung spoke as they stood to leave. After a moment, he heard a soft voice speak up.
"M-Me too, Taehyung." The sound made him smile brightly.
Jeongguk was walked outside by Jimin, a smile on both their lips as his ride pulled up. He opened the door and signed a
"Hello"
to his hyung before facing Jimin.
"Taehyung really enjoyed speaking with you,"
Jimin signed, and Jeongguk grinned.
"I enjoyed it too! But...You're going to warn him, right?"
Jeongguk asked.
"Once you both have a song going, I plan to. Until then, it's a secret and you're shy, okay?"
The younger nodded his agreement, sighing softly.
Jeongguk said his goodbyes then slipped into the car, pulling out his phone And turning on his voice-to-text app in case Jin were to speak to him.
“So? Did you get the gig?”
Jungkook nodded his head.
“Are you excited?”
Jeongguk shrugged, nodding his head.
“Cook?”
The word made him laugh softly. The device always misunderstood "Kook" as "cook," but he had gotten pretty used to the occurrence.
"Jimin didn't tell him," Jeongguk finally explained in sign when they reached a red light.
"Really? I thought that would be the first thing he would tell about you!" Jin replied. Jeongguk shrugged again.
"He's planning to wait til we have a song already working. Probably for job security.” It made complete sense to Jeongguk. Who would want a deaf songwriter?
“That's a little rude.”
Jeongguk laughed again, shaking his head. It was just like Jin, to hate discrimination of disabilities. Well, he had raised Jeongguk since the younger was about four.
Jeongguk first met Jin when his parents took him to a behavioral school, claiming he would never obey or listen to his scolding. Jin was the son of the director, who quickly made good friends with the scared young boy.
Jin had told his father that Jeongguk simply couldn't hear.
Jeongguk's parents refused to believe it. They fought tooth and nail to get Jeongguk to listen. He was forced to go to a regular school, where his grades suffered greatly.
He was then punished when he returned home with a bad report card.
It was such a struggle for him that he eventually broke down to one of his teachers. They got him out quickly, and Jin's father took him in. The two became like brothers, and Jeongguk was almost always glued to the elders side.
To have someone judge Jeongguk for his condition always drove Jin over the edge. However, Jeongguk knew it was hard for some to understand.
H e always took it well, putting himself around those that didn't judge while being open with curious souls.
"It's okay, hyung. But thank you for caring."
He offered a reassuring smile before waiting for Jin to come around and open the car door for him.
"You're my brother. I will always care." The signs made Jeongguk tear up.
It didn't happen often, but sometimes the past hit him hard. Luckily, Jin caught on quickly, and Jeongguk was enveloped in a hug. He clung to his hyung's shirt, feeling him rock gently from side to side, something that always calmed Jeongguk down.
He pulled away enough to sign the younger male.
"Movies?"
Jeongguk nodded, signing for his favorite. Jin nodded in agreement, leading the younger inside. They settled onto the couch once they had some snacks and a movie going.
About ten minutes into their third movie, Jeongguk felt his phone buzz. He pulled it out, raising a brow at the message. He carried on a conversation for a moment, seeing no harm in it.
Once the conversation ended, he grinned, excited to be able to communicate with his new client/collab. It will probably on Taehyung's nerves not to hear him, but once Jeongguk explained himself, it would probably become their first line of communication.
"I hope he treats you well, Kook."
Jeongguk looked up at Jin.
"He will. I just know it." After all, Jeongguk felt like he was a nice person. He hadn't exactly heard the male's voice, but Jeongguk knew he was extremely popular and talented. He even had the idol look.
And of course, Jeongguk felt like there was a special connection between them. They both suffered from a disability, and yet they were chasing their dreams anyway.
The only problem he had was never seeing Taehyung without contacts or sunglasses.
He was so handsome already. What could be so bad about his natural eye color?
Jeongguk decided to ask about it one day when they were together.
He and Jin finished about five movies before deciding to call it a night.
But of course, Jeongguk got his phone out instead to look for more pictures of Taehyung.
He would probably never admit it, but he admired the idol. He had it all going for him, even a supportive fanbase who didn't judge his disability and protected him from all haters.
Meanwhile here Jeongguk was, writing songs alone in his room without any ability to hear what he creates.
It's more like a piece of art on canvas. The shapes of the chords, the accents and runs creating the emotions he wanted to get across.
He only hoped he could do Taehyung's voice justice. And so, since he would be writing for the older male, he learned all he could about Taehyung's voice and style through fans.
A deep voice, more so than Jeongguk's own, so he'd have to write differently.