Silent Step

Tarin woke up in his room.He quietly got out of bed and walked to the kitchen.His mother looked at him warmly.“Come, my son. Eat your breakfast and go to school.”Tarin silently nodded and sat down.A moment later, he was already on his way to school.As he walked, he ran into the same group of boys.“Hey, mute. Still coming to school?” one of them laughed.“Why do you even come? You can’t even talk.”Tarin heard them… but didn’t turn around.He kept walking.Suddenly, a stone hit near his foot.“Hey! Ignoring us? Or trying to run away?”“You’re weak. You can’t do anything.”Tarin’s fist tightened.He slowly turned around.They laughed.“Look at him. Acting tough. You don’t even have pride.”Tarin bent down, picked up the stone…and threw it.It flew straight and hit one boy on the forehead.“Aah!”The others rushed at him.They pushed him down and started hitting him.Blows landed on his face… his body… his eyes.Tarin couldn’t fight back.Then—“HEY! What are you doing?!”A man’s voice echoed.The boys ran away immediately.Tarin remained on the ground.The man walked closer and held out his hand.“Get up.”Tarin stood up silently, not even looking at him.“Why aren’t you answering?” the man asked.Tarin said nothing.He picked up his bag… and suddenly ran away.“I got beaten again…If that man didn’t come…Thank you…But I still couldn’t say anything…If only I could speak…”At school, the guard stopped him.“Why are you late?”Tarin stayed silent.“Oh… you’re that boy who can’t talk. Go in.”Students nearby whispered and laughed.“The mute got in again…”Tarin entered the classroom.“Why are you late?” the teacher asked.“He looks like he ran from a dog,” a student laughed.“He’s mute, teacher. He can’t answer,” another added.“Sit down,” the teacher said shortly.Shizu looked at them coldly.They immediately went quiet.After class, Tarin sat next to Shizu.“Hey, Tarin… what happened? Was it them again?”Tarin wrote a short answer on paper.Shizu read it… and stayed silent.The bell rang.“Today, teams are coming,” Shizu said.“They play the Golden Stone game. Strong teams.”He smiled slightly.“I’ll represent the school. Will you join?”Tarin shook his head.“Why? You can do it.”Tarin lowered his eyes.“If I say yes… I can’t play…If I say no… I hurt him…”“Then just come watch,” Shizu said.Tarin nodded.At the arena, Shizu placed Tarin in the front row.“Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be back.”Tarin stayed.But soon—“Hey! It’s the mute!”Tarin quietly stood up and slipped away to the back.He sat alone.Teams entered the arena.Crowds cheered loudly.Among them was Shizu’s team.Confident. Strong.Shizu looked around.“Tarin…?”He couldn’t find him.He ran back—Gone.He spotted the bullies and grabbed one.“Where is he?”“We don’t know!”Shizu threw him aside and started searching.Meanwhile, Tarin sat alone.“They’re strong…If I could play like that…Mom would be proud…”“Tarin!”Shizu found him.“Come on.”They walked back—but the bullies blocked them again.“This weak guy can’t play.”Shizu punched one without a word.They walked past.The match began.Score: 6–7The opponent team led.Then—A player from the other team broke the rulesand hit Shizu’s teammate in the head.Blood.Game stopped.No substitute.“If no player is found in 5 seconds — you lose!”“5… 4…”“Tarin, please!”“3…”“What should I do…”“2…”Tarin closed his eyes.His heart raced.That feeling again…He stood up.He joined the team.The game resumed.Score: 6–912-team played.11 stones down.2 left.Final turn—Tarin.“They’ll lose!” people laughed.“Tarin… at least hit one,” Shizu said.“…He doesn’t believe me either?”Voices echoed:“Mute…”“Weak…”Tarin opened his eyes.He threw the stone—not straight…but spinning.“Missed!” Shizu thought—But—The stone curved mid-air—and hit both stones.Silence.Then—13 : 12The crowd exploded.“Incredible! A spinning strike!” the referee shouted.“TARIN!”Shizu ran and hugged him.“Thank you!”The team surrounded him.For the first time—Tarin felt needed.But far away…A man was watching him closely.A head referee.“Join our team,” the coach said.“Come with us!”But Tarin’s expression darkened.“Mom won’t allow it…”He turned—and walked away.