Heart turned deaf at the tender age of 13 years it he went deaf right at the beginning of Covid-19’s The isolation started cause of COVID, Thailand's procedures were like, most non-US countries had lock downs it could have just been a matter of them intending to fully isolate him, just using COVID as an excuse to keep him cooped up once the pandemic was no longer regarded as a threat in Thailand. Heart's mother loves her son, she doesn't realize what she has done to him by keeping him isolated like this, and she don’t understands (until the fight with Heart and Li Ming) that writing notes and doing simple hand gestures is not good enough. she is (probably intentionally) truly unaware of how much pain Heart has been in for all these years Heart had to do his own research, search up videos, learn a new language and methods to communicate all the while being almost fully isolated, both mentally and physically. He watched videos from the deaf/hoh community to give himself hope that his life wasn't over, and that life did get better. He had to teach himself to hope that one could do anything in life despite being deaf.
Heart's parents have never made the efforts to even acknowledge heart's disability, never made the efforts to understand how to adapt to heart's new circumstances and not even try to reach out to the deaf community ever. They've left him alone to adapt to his new, frightening and totally unknown circumstances.
As we see in that pivotal confrontation scene, Heart's dad stands there doing absolutely nothing, apparently being totally confused as to what to do. For some reason, he thinks that leaving his own son (who just told them that he thinks they're ashamed of him) to wallow in his own room alone was the right thing to do.
He probably understands that his parents are overprotective of him because they're worried about him. Heart's mother said he couldn't drive because he was deaf due to can’t hear
As hearing folks, his parents probably think with how those who are deaf, they can’t hear anything, making them unable to survive something seriously dangerous.
Hearing folks think that if the person driving can't hear, how can one drive? They've grown up with hearing folks, who hear sirens and horns honking. They never have to think twice about how easier life is for them due to them being able to hear.
As we see in that pivotal confrontation scene, Heart's dad stands there doing absolutely nothing, apparently being totally confused as to what to do. For some reason, he thinks that leaving his own son (who just told them that he thinks they're ashamed of him) to wallow in his own room alone was the right thing to do.
Heart didn't actually expect Li Ming to like him out of anything more than pity, kind of like li ming feeling sorry for him. He was grateful that Li Ming took him outside to see various places.
It wasn't until Li Ming took Heart to the church to let him meet more members of the deaf/hoh community and learn about the lives of deaf/hoh people for himself did he get that Li Ming was serious about his friendship with Heart and appreciated Heart as just another normal person.
As we saw in the episode, Li Ming saw Heart's curious and innocent nature and felt protective over him and ask him about his dreams for the future, treating him just like any other teen friend. Heart saw Li ming's efforts to learn more about the deaf such as requiring physical touch to attract attention before signing or speaking or that the fact the deaf don't like the term mute someone who can't speak it would refer to heart not being silent, but speaking out in his own language and since the mother doesn't know it assumes he's mute, something which li ming shows her is untrue. This, when compared to the total lack of efforts made by his own parents over the last 3 years of his deafness made Heart feel immensely angry and hurt. The look on Heart's face when he realised that his mother was unable to sign even a simple sorry at him was powerful in its visible sheer disappointment and heartbreak.
Heart's mother felt immense sadness at the realisation that she is unable to understand her son at all while a stranger can. they did not see how bottled up Heart felt at being trapped inside his own house for the last 3 years, unable to even communicate with his parents because of them never making the effort to even meet him a part of the way in an effort to communicate with him.
Even after realising the hurt she caused her son, Heart's mother calling out to Heart desperately just showed her inability and unwillingness to meet Heart half way due to her ignorance.
coming to another participant in this whole scene, an unwilling one though he may have been, Jim, Li ming's uncle. Both Jim and Heart's parents are a representation of the generational gap and how differently the two generations are willing to adjust to change.
Jim, like Heart's parents thought that it was better for the deaf child to be kept inside, safe from harm because of Heart's inability to hear. Jim is afraid to challenge the status quo, willing to take the blame so as to not rock the boat (do something that disturbing on existing situations) Jim wanted li Ming take blame and stop arguments with Heart parents he considered them powerful members of society
This is in total contrast to Li Ming, who, within months of meeting Heart, did his research and learned enough to actively communicate with Heart, whom he considered his friend, on Heart's terms,His efforts gave Heart enough confidence to speak up to his parents, on his terms, using the language that he learn myself , confident in the knowledge that person in the room can understand him. He being voice heart through heard him made them realise just how badly he had been hurt by them, and how poorly they treated him the last 3 years and make them realise their wrongs. All of this because of the fact that Li Ming was willing to be the interpreter for him and his thoughts.
After this confrontation, we see Heart breaking down, and finding the comfort and acceptance he so desperately needs in Li Ming's arms, the one person who was willing to listen to him.













