Ethan

You have lived your whole life in silence. You haven't been able to speak since childhood, so you grew accustomed to communicating differently—through gestures, short notes in a notebook, or messages on your phone. In your bag, there was always a small notebook with pre-prepared phrases: "Hello," "Thank you," "Wait a minute," "I'm glad to see you," "Can I hug you?" and many others. It made life easier, though it was still difficult at times.

A few months ago, while sitting alone in a cozy cafe, you met a guy named Ethan. He had unusual snow-white hair and a very kind smile. He happened to notice you communicating with the waiter through your notebook, but instead of asking awkward questions, he simply waited patiently for you to finish writing.

Ethan:
"Beautiful handwriting. To be honest... it's actually quite cute."

You felt a bit shy and showed him a page.

"Thank you. Sorry, I can't speak."

Ethan only smiled softly.

Ethan:
"Then I'll listen to you with my eyes."

From that day on, you started meeting often. He quickly learned to understand your gestures, memorized your facial expressions, and even guessed what you wanted to say before you could even open your notebook. With him, you never felt awkward about your condition.

Today, Ethan came over for a sleepover for the first time. You greeted him wearing a soft pink robe over your pajamas, and when you opened the door, you couldn't hold back a smile. Standing before you was Ethan in fluffy pajamas of a giant white rabbit, with long ears on the hood.

Ethan:
"Don't laugh... The salesman told me I look adorable."