Extra chapter for reaching 50 Power Stones.
...
The faint light of dawn filtered through the sheer curtains of Haruya's bedroom, casting a soft, pearly glow over the quiet space.
Haruya stirred awake from his sleep, his hand instinctively reaching for the phone on his nightstand to check the time.
It was still early, but the remnants of the day before still lingered in his mind.
The laughter, the music, the quiet comfort of being with his family.
A familiar warmth settled in his chest as he thought of his relatives, and a small, fond smile played on his lips.
Compared to the grand, sprawling estate where the party had been held, Haruya's current manor felt more like a cozy home.
It was still large, with a manicured garden and high walls, but it lacked the sheer, imposing scale of the main Sumeragi Estate.
This was his own home, a place created for his small family, a sanctuary that felt modern and simple.
It was filled with a quiet, lived-in elegance, the air often filled with the soft scent of blooming lilies and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee.
He got up and immediately went to take a shower.
Finishing his routine and dressing up nicely, he went to the dining room, where his mother was already seated, a cup of coffee steaming in her hand.
She was dressed in a simple blouse and skirt, her golden eyes, so much like his, reflecting the soft morning light blaring into the kitchen.
A plate of freshly made toast and eggs sat on the table between them.
"Good morning, Mom."
"Good morning, my dear," Akari replied, her voice as gentle as ever. "Did you sleep well? I'm still tired from all the excitement yesterday."
Haruya nodded, taking a seat and pouring himself a glass of orange juice. "I did. It was a good party, wasn't it? Grandpa looked happy."
A soft smile bloomed on her face. "He did. He was so happy to see Tsumugi as well. You two have always been so close."
"Yeah," Haruya said, the thought of his sister-cousin bringing a renewed sense of warmth to his heart. "I can't wait for her to move to Tokyo. It'll be nice to have her closer."
Akari's smile became a little wistful. "Me too. It'll be just like old times. I hope she'll be happy here." She then looked at him with an amused glint in her eyes. "Your father still hasn't called, by the way. I suppose he's too busy trying to take over the world."
Haruya laughed. "He's a busy man, Mom. We both know that. He'll call soon."
The two ate breakfast in a comfortable silence; the quiet humming of the air conditioner was the only sound in the kitchen.
The usual maids in the house, such as Hayasaka, seemed to be busy somewhere else.
It was a peaceful routine that had been a constant in Haruya's life for as long as he could remember.
After a few more minutes, Akari's eyes went to the clock on the wall.
"You should get going, Haruya. You don't want to be late for school."
After a quick goodbye, Haruya left the manor and headed for school.
The walk was a familiar one.
Down the peaceful suburban streets, past neatly trimmed hedges and houses that all looked similar yet were unique in their own way.
Tokyo was a bustling place, but his neighborhood was a pocket of serenity, a testament to the fact that money could buy you a bit of peace and quiet even in the middle of a concrete jungle.
On his way there, he spotted a familiar back.
"Nishimiya!"
...
My name is Shouko Nishimiya.
I am partially deaf.
For most of my childhood, I had been the target of bullying by other kids due to my hearing impairment.
The world around me had always felt like a muffled, confusing place.
The sounds of laughter and chatter were little more than a garbled, indistinct noise, like a cruel song I could never fully understand.
There were times when the cruelty was more than noise, when it was a physical act, a shove, a torn page, a broken hearing aid.
I learned to read lips and write, do sign language, but it was never enough.
It seemed like no matter what I did, I was a burden, a problem, a target for the cruelty of others.
There was a time when I thought I would never escape that feeling, that I would always live in the darkness.
And worse, it wasn't just affecting me.
After finding out I was deaf, my dad abandoned me and my mom.
My sister Yuzuru was also born shortly, luckily as a normal child, unlike me.
Unfortunately, even she was not safe from having an older sister like me.
She was constantly teased and picked on by her peers due to having a deaf older sister.
In this life, it seems I was only born as a bad omen, bringing only bad luck to my family.
The only solution my mom could think of was to keep moving schools.
Even during the first week of my 6th grade, I had already been picked on very quickly, not even giving me a chance to breathe.
We moved once more, to another school that didn't seem to be different from the others.
I thought it was only a matter of time until they started to pick on me again, but this time, I decided to just smile in order to avoid burdening my mom more.
Smile.
However... this time was different.
A boy stood up for me.
This triggered a domino effect that immediately changed my life for the better.
I gained friends because of him.
I eased my burdened family because of him.
I learned to talk normally because of him.
I could smile because of him.
"Nishimiya!"
...
Hearing the familiar voice, Shouko turned around and saw the boy who had turned her life around.
"H-Haruya... good morning." Nishimiya tried her best to speak as clearly as possible.
A smile appeared on Haruya's face as he nodded. "You've been practicing. You're already getting so much better!"
"Hehe."
Feeling happy to hear his praise, Nishimiya started jumping on the spot.
Haruya laughed, a light but genuine sound that made her heart flutter. "What's got you so happy today?" he asked, his hands gesturing the words as he spoke them aloud.
"I... I just feel good," she signed as she spoke, her movements fluid and confident. "My... my mom... she's happy. And... and my little sister Yuzuru... she's happy too."
Haruya nodded, completely understanding her hand signing due to having learned it together with his friends for Nishimiya, with his Adaptability easily giving him an edge.
"That's great, Nishimiya. I'm glad to hear that." He reached out and gently patted her head, the same way he did for his cousin.
It was a kind and affectionate gesture, one that she had come to associate with his gentle nature. "Then you should be happy, too. You deserve it. You're the one who worked so hard."
Although her words were vague and lacked information, he had an idea of what she might be talking about.
Shouko's smile widened.
It was true.
She had worked hard, but it was his kindness that had given her the courage to do so.
"Sumeragi-kun... can I call you Haruya too..?" Nishimiya suddenly brought up something she had wanted to ask for a long time.
Haruya tilted his head, "I guess that should've been normal already. I'll call you Shouko, too."
Boom.
Another point for Shouko Nishimiya.
The two of them continued to walk together; the unusual quietness of the streets in the morning and the comfortable silence between them served as a backdrop to their conversation.
They talked about school, about the weekend, about the homework.
It was a simple, mundane conversation, but for Shouko, it felt like the most important conversation in the world.
"Haruya!" a cheerful voice suddenly called out.
The two of them stopped and looked up to see Nagisa Kubo walking towards them, her hands in her pockets, with a small, playful smile on her face.
She looked at Haruya, then at Nishimiya, her head tilted to the side in a way that always seemed to make her look thoughtful.
"Hey! Good morning, Nagisa," Haruya said, a hint of surprise in his voice.
"Good morning, Haruya-kun," Nagisa replied, her eyes twinkling. "You've been sneaking off so early, huh?" She nudged him playfully with her elbow, then turned to Shouko. "Shouko-chan, good morning! You look super happy today."
Shouko's cheeks flushed, but her smile remained. She made a quick, excited gesture with her hands. "Yes! Haruya-kun said I was getting better at talking!"
When excited, Shouko Nishimiya seemed to suddenly lose the ability to speak properly and would automatically switch to signing mode.
Luckily, Nagisa had practiced diligently and could understand most of it.
"He's right!" Nagisa said, a genuine warmth in her voice. "You've been working so hard, we can all tell."
"Nagisa!" another voice suddenly called out.
The three of them turned to see Hazuki Kudou, Taira Tamao, and Yuma Sudo approaching.
Tamao, with her bright, energetic smile, was leading the way.
Sudo, the quiet and observant one, walked beside her, and Hazuki, with her easy-going nature, was walking behind them, waving her hand slowly in the air.
"Nagisa, you're so fast!" Hazuki complained playfully. "I had to practically sprint to catch up. Good morning, you guys." She gave Haruya and Shouko a bright smile. "Shouko-chan, are you okay? Your face is super red."
Shouko quickly shook her head, her smile turning a little shy. Haruya, trying to help, just patted her shoulder. "She's just happy," he said simply.
"Well, who wouldn't be?" Nagisa chimed in. "It's a beautiful day, and we're all walking to school together."
"Speak for yourself," Tamao grumbled, seemingly remembering a bad memory. "I still have to finish my math homework."
"You're doing your homework now?!" Nagisa exclaimed, a hint of shock in her voice. "You should have done it last night, Tamao!"
"I got distracted," Tamao mumbled.
Sudo just shook his head with a small, knowing smile and commented, "What's new?" Making the rest burst into laughter.
The group of five started to walk together, the conversation flowing easily between them.
They talked about what they had done over the weekend as usual.
Haruya found himself more involved in the conversation than he usually was, responding to questions and even asking a few of his own.
He looked at Nishimiya, who was walking beside him quietly.
However, just by looking at her expression, he could tell that she was feeling satisfied even without joining in, her small smile a testament to the quiet happiness she felt.
The morning was no longer a quiet, solitary routine, but a shared experience.
The sun was a little higher in the sky now, and the air was slowly starting to feel hotter due to the coming summer.
Haruya looked at the time on his phone, and his eyes widened in surprise.
"We're going to be late!" he exclaimed, a note of panic in his voice.
The group looked at the time, and their eyes widened as well. "Oh no!" Tamao cried.
Without another word, they all started to run, their laughter echoing through the quiet street as they ran towards the school gates.
It was a chaotic, joyful moment, the six of them running together, a mix of different personalities and backgrounds, all united in a shared moment of simple fun.
Nishimiya surprisingly ran faster, a genuine smile on her face, the silent girl from before finally found a place where she felt she could belong.
She knew her life would never be the same again.
Although she couldn't hear well, she knew that with them, she would always be heard.
She no longer had a silent voice.
...
POWER STONE GOAL - 1 EXTRA CHAPTER WHEN REACHED:
50 POWER STONES (✔)
100 POWER STONES (X)
150 POWER STONES (X)
200 POWER STONES (X)
250 POWER STONES (X)
300 POWER STONES (X)
350 POWER STONES (X)
400 POWER STONES (X)
450 POWER STONES (X)
500 POWER STONES (X)