Ding… ding… ding…
As the class bell rang, Atsuya Ayumi confirmed that Shouko was fine before returning to her seat at the front.
But even as school ended, the classroom gossip refused to die down.
Some boys who had once given up on chasing after Nishimiya Shouko now felt like their chances had returned.
Shouko and Akira Miyamura, however, chose to ignore the quiet chatter around them. They still teased each other on the way home as if nothing had happened.
No matter how wild the rumors spread, they couldn't compare to the excitement of tomorrow's sports festival.
And besides—tomorrow was Friday. One full day of events, then two whole days of rest.
The night wind past ten o'clock carried fallen ginkgo leaves across the streets. The sliding doors of a convenience store chimed softly, their electronic tone cutting through the empty night.
The warm glow of an izakaya flickered with the shadows of drunkards, while the cold blue of the subway station's giant screen painted the distance. Steam carrying the scent of oden drifted from an alley, and fluorescent lights from a 24-hour pharmacy cast diamond-shaped reflections on the concrete.
At Akira's insistence, Shouko had finished her homework before heading home.
"Shouko, there's freshly warmed milk on the dining table—don't forget to drink it before you sleep," her mother, Yaeko Nishimiya, reminded her from the living room, still focused on her work.
"Okay, okay. Mom, you should rest early too. Good night."
"Good night…" Yaeko murmured, not looking up from her papers.
In the dining room, Shouko quickly downed the warm milk, washed the cup, and returned to her room with a flutter of nervous anticipation.
The moment she stepped inside, her eyes went straight to her phone on the bedside table. Closing the door softly, she hurried over.
Ever since that girl had asked Akira for his contact information earlier that morning, Shouko's heart had been restless. Each time she came home, the first thing she did was check LINE.
So far, no one had added her. But tonight—
She slipped out of her slippers, rolled into her bed, and grabbed her phone. Her hearing aids rested in their case on the desk.
She opened LINE.
Both she and Akira had switched from flip phones to matching smartphones at the start of the semester, and LINE had quickly replaced their old texts and emails. With free calls and stickers, it had become the new standard.
Sure enough—there were new friend requests waiting.
Not one. Five.
Four were from female classmates, their notes cheering her on for tomorrow's races.
The last was from the shrine maiden.
Shouko's lips puffed into a pout. "How is Akira so popular…?"
She tapped the profile. A cute anime avatar. Same age. No other details. After a moment of hesitation, she accepted all five requests out of politeness.
Almost instantly, a message popped up.
"Miyamura, hello! (shy.jpg)"
Shouko nearly choked. She was waiting? At this hour?
Suppressing her irritation, she forced herself to imitate Akira's calm tone.
"Hello. Is there something you need?"
"Read."
Minutes passed with no reply. Just as Shouko's sleepiness returned, her phone chimed.
"I just wanted to cheer for Miyamura at tomorrow's sports festival. (shy.jpg)"
Shouko rolled her eyes. "Cheer… right. In front of everyone, asking for his contact info. Do you think I'm an idiot?"
She typed curtly:
"Thank you, I'll do my best tomorrow. It's late, you should rest."
Again, "Read." Silence. She exhaled in relief. Maybe that scared her off.
But then—
"I… Miyamura, I like you. Please go out with me! (shy rabbit gif)"
Shouko's eyes flew wide open. Her heart pounded. She almost threw the phone away.
She confessed before me?!
Grinding her teeth, she forced herself to respond:
"But we've only met a few times. How could you fall for me?"
The reply came quickly.
"Because I think Miyamura is very handsome… and very gentle."
Shouko almost laughed. "Gentle? Akira?" But when she thought back, small memories of his kindness surfaced. Her cheeks warmed.
Still—
"Gentle? We've barely spoken. How could you know?"
"I heard from others. They said you're always kind to Nishimiya-san, even though she has a hearing impairment."
The words hit her like a stone. Even now, her hearing loss remained a wound she couldn't fully overcome. But Akira's voice echoed in her heart—his reassurance, his unwavering belief that she could be happy.
Shouko shook her head, pushing away the ache. She typed:
"I already have a girlfriend. The Nishimiya you mentioned."
"Read." A long pause. Then—
"That's not true, right? Nishimiya is just a cover?"
The shrine maiden bombarded her with reasoning, trying to prove she and Akira weren't actually dating. At last, cornered, Shouko admitted they were childhood friends.
"Then I'll make you notice me. I'll show you my best side! (cheering bunny gif)"
"…," Shouko muttered, sending a half-hearted emoji.
But the girl didn't stop. She talked about the sports day, about studies, attaching cute stickers and even voice notes. Shouko could barely keep up.
If Akira had been the one she added… he might've fallen for her already!
Finally, Shouko typed:
"It's late. I'm going to sleep."
"Good luck tomorrow, Miyamura! Good night~ (good night.jpg)"
"Good night."
Shouko set her phone down. It was past one a.m. She's dangerous. If Akira ever talks to her…
She scrolled through their two-hour chat, then opened her chat with Akira.
The most recent lines were short: "Where are you?" "Second floor." "I'll come find you." "Okay."
Earlier: "Shizuka wants you to come eat." "Okay." "Help me with homework." "Okay."
Shouko groaned. Compared to the shrine maiden's flowery messages, their chats looked like cold business memos.
Still, exhaustion finally won out. She placed her phone by the bed and closed her eyes.
Morning mist curled against convenience store windows. The faint blue of vending machines flickered, mixing with the smell of hot buns.
"Shouko, did you sneak out stealing chickens last night?" Akira asked when he saw the dark circles under Shouko's eyes.
"It's your fault," she shot back, lightly smacking him with her hand before taking his towel and drying his hair.
Akira blinked. "You didn't have to wake up early for a bento today. You went to bed before eleven. How is this my fault?"
Shouko hesitated, then changed tactics. "Do you remember Sakuragi Mari? The girl from yesterday morning?"
Recognition dawned on him. "…Don't tell me those circles are from talking to her all night?"
Shouko paused, then nodded with fake confidence. "Yes. She confessed, so I gave her a good lecture. Told her to focus on her studies."
Akira almost laughed. After more than a decade together, he doubted she'd actually "lectured" anyone. But he clapped anyway.
"Teacher Shouko is amazing. Not only did you reform a misguided student, you also saved me from a confession."
Hearing the teasing tone, Shouko puffed her cheeks and tossed the towel at him. She grabbed the hairdryer instead.
"It's sports day. You don't need to go early. Shizuka will drive us later. Want to nap in my room?"
Akira checked the clock. "You can still get thirty minutes."
Shouko nodded. "Wake me up later, then."
She went upstairs, peeked around his room—simple bed, desk, wardrobe. Grinning, she picked up his black cat plush, pressed her nose into it, inhaled his scent, and curled up under his covers.
Within moments, Shouko Nishimiya drifted into sweet dreams.
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