A month had passed by since Haruya's incident with the three former friends at the school's fountain.
The calendar on the wall of Class 6-B showed a Friday in mid-May, marking a full six weeks since the first, unnerving days of the school year.
The initial awkwardness in the past due to certain incidents had settled into a rhythm, and the classroom, once a stage for drama, had become a quiet, if not slightly tense, place.
The change was most noticeable in one person:
Shouya Ishida.
He was no longer the loud, mischievous boy who'd mocked others and caused trouble.
After the public humiliation by Haruya and the subsequent betrayal by his friends, Kazuki Shimada and Keisuke Hirose, Ishida had completely withdrawn.
He sat at his desk, head down, his posture slumped and quiet.
Although he was rescued by Haruya from the subsequent bullying he suffered, the effects still linger.
His best friends betrayed him, his classmates avoided him, and Haruya, although he saved him, did not automatically make them friends, and neither did they have any interest in befriending him.
Therefore, with no one to settle with, the once social and noisy Ishida had now become quiet and solitary.
This was at least better than being bullied constantly.
Kazuki and Keisuke both heeded Haruya's words and avoided Ishida like the plague, not bothering him anymore.
Even their homeroom teacher, Takuomi-sensei, having witnessed the entire saga, chose not to interfere, recognizing that the boy was no longer causing trouble and was better to be left alone like this for now.
The rest of the class had also seemingly taken Haruya's previous scolding to heart. No one openly laughed or participated in any kind of mischief like Nishimiya's past issue anymore.
Meanwhile, Haruya's group, in contrast, had solidified their bond, becoming the new social core of the class.
It wasn't about popularity, but a quiet, powerful sense of community that radiated from them.
Weekends had become a routine of exploration and bonding time for their big group.
Haruya and his mother, Akari, frequently visited their bakery.
On a recent Sunday, he'd found himself beside his mother, their hands covered in flour, as they kneaded dough for a special cinnamon loaf.
Haruya's skill grew and grew even more, especially with his ability improving to another level.
Nagisa, Nishimiya, and the other three from his group also started to tag along, their laughter mixing with the sweet scent of baking pastries. Rina and Hiroki were especially happy to suddenly have so many helping hands at the bakery.
They'd all help out, but their main purpose was to spend time with each other, enjoying the simple pleasure of companionship.
The most significant change, however, was Shouko Nishimiya.
Haruya, with the help of the rest of his group, had continued his private lessons with Shouko every afternoon after school.
The playground near the school had become their after-school site and was now a place of learning and progress.
Haruya used the same patient methods as before, but now with a more structured approach.
The others would join in, holding up flashcards, repeating words, and celebrating every small success that Nishimiya reached.
Hazuki was methodical and diligent, making note cards of every word they practiced.
Nagisa was a natural teacher, her bright, encouraging smile and easygoing nature making Shouko feel comfortable and loved.
Yuma was quiet but observant, often pointing out subtle shifts in Shouko's mouth shape or breath control that the others missed.
And Tamao, with her boundless energy, turned the lessons into a game, her playful cheers filling the air with warmth.
Over the month, Shouko's progress had been nothing short of miraculous.
Her ability to speak, once a source of deep anxiety and frustration, was blooming.
It wasn't perfect, of course. Her words were still spoken in a delicate, slightly uneven cadence, her voice softer than others. But the gibberish had faded, replaced by clear, if not more deliberate words.
It was during a break on a Friday morning that her progress was most obvious.
Haruya leaned back in his chair, one leg crossed over the other, chatting with Nagisa and Hazuki.
"Hey, Haruya-kun, did you finish your homework for science class yet?" Nagisa asked, her purple hair swaying as she turned to face him fully. "I'm still stuck on a few questions."
Haruya nodded. "Science? Okay. Do you want me to help you after school?"
"Sure, it's a Friday anyway," Nagisa smiled gleefully.
Just then, Shouko turned in her seat. Her eyes, wide and focused, landed on the conversation between the two.
"You… are you… still… having… trouble… with… science?" she said slowly, her voice a soft, beautiful melody of carefully articulated sounds. It was quiet, but every word was clear.
Nagisa's eyes widened. "Shouko-chan! Yes, I am. The questions about the molecular structure of water… It's so confusing."
Shouko gave a small, confident nod. She took out her notebook and carefully wrote down the answer.
She then handed the notebook to Nagisa and spoke up again. "I… can… help… you."
Nagisa's face lit up as she read the answer. "Wow, Shouko-chan! You're amazing! This makes so much more sense."
Haruya, who had been watching the exchange, gave a small, proud smile. "Your pronunciation has improved so much, Nishimiya. I'm so proud of you."
Shouko's cheeks flushed in light pink color as she slowly replied.
"Thank you, Haru-ya," she said, carefully pronouncing his name.
"Anytime, Nishimiya," Haruya replied with a genuine smile. "I told you that you could do it."
From across the room, Miki Kawai watched the exchange with a mix of curiosity and admiration.
She was surrounded by her friends, but her gaze kept drifting toward Shouko and Haruya's group.
She'd been a neutral party during the initial bullying incident, but watching Shouko's transformation over the past month, she couldn't help but be impressed.
Suddenly, a girl with brown hair in a short bob hairstyle, Miyoko Sahara, noticed Kawai's focus and leaned in. "They've really become close, huh? Nishimiya-chan seems so happy now."
Kawai nodded, her eyes lingering on the smiling Nagisa and the gentle Haruya. "She really does." She then glanced over at Ueno, who was sitting with her friends.
Ueno, too, was watching the group, a sullen expression on her face. Kawai decided it was better not to mention the conversation she and Miyoko had.
Although it wasn't clearly shown by Haruya and his group, it was clear that they did not have a very good opinion of Ueno Naoka, who had been part of the previous incident with Nishimiya.
As for the others, Yuma was leaning against his desk, observing quietly, a small, approving smile on his lips.
Tamao was watching from her seat, her eyes shining with admiration for her new friend.
Across the room, a silent Ishida glanced up for a brief moment, his eyes catching the sight of Shouko happily conversing with her friends. He quickly lowered his head, a mix of regret and sorrow crossing his face.
Kazuki and Keisuke, who sat at the back, also noticed this.
Kazuki's expression was flat, but a flicker of something, perhaps annoyance or resentment, crossed his face as he looked at Haruya, before quickly averting his gaze.
Keisuke just looked uneasy, as if he was still fearful of Haruya due to all his previous encounters with him not being a good one.
The atmosphere in the classroom was still tense, but a new dynamic had taken over.
Haruya and his group's quiet dominance had created a fragile peace, a testament to his influence.
In the entire sixth grade, they were definitely the popular kids.
The class had a clear unspoken rule: you don't mess with Haruya's friends.
Just then, the bell rang, signaling it was finally time to go home.
The students shuffled out of their seats and grabbed their bags, the room filling with the scraping sound of chairs as the students started to stand up one by one.
Haruya and his friends had no doubt that they might be spending their weekend together again, as it was now a part of their routine.
"Let's go to the playground, shall we?" Standing at the door, he turned back to look at his numerous friends.
Nagisa, Shouko, Hazuki, Tamao, and Yuma all looked at him with a happy smile on their faces.
"Okay!"