A Black Umbrella and White Feather
Huel lived in a world of cheesy romance novels and quiet reality. Deaf since childhood, he wore headphones not for music, but to avoid conversations he couldn’t hear. He carried a black umbrella everywhere—rain or shine—and spent every afternoon on the same park bench by the lake, watching people’s unspoken stories: a smile here, a tear there, hands clasped tight.
One day, as Huel scribbled ideas for his latest story (*The Pirate’s Secret Pickle*), a loud, melodic laugh cut through his silence. He looked up. A snowy-white bird sat on a branch above him, chirping what sounded like… *giggles*.
Before Huel could react, the bird hopped down—and transformed into a man. A *very* handsome man, with silver hair and a grin that sparkled.
“Got you!” the man said, snatching Huel’s umbrella. His voice was clear, like bells. “I’ve been watching you ignore the world. Why?”
Huel froze. He’d never heard a voice so vividly before. “H-How…?”
The man tapped Huel’s headphones. “Magic. And I’m bored. You’re interesting.” He leaned closer, trapping Huel against the bench. “Let’s make a deal. I’ll give you the *best* romance plot of your life… if you let me be your boyfriend.”
Huel’s face turned red. “Why?!”
The man winked. “Because you’re the first human who noticed my laugh.” He tossed the umbrella into the air, and it turned into a flock of butterflies. “So? Deal?”
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