In the principal's office, the principal leaned back in his chair, lost in thought. The moment he heard that Ryosuke Hiratsuka was involved in a fight, he came to the office himself. A few years ago, on a normal afternoon, he was drinking tea when several intimidating men in black suits stormed into his office and flipped his desk over. The memory was still fresh. When he found out that the instigator wasn't Ryosuke, but another troublemaker student who had also targeted a disabled person, his already high blood pressure shot up. Luckily, he had his medication with him.
The homeroom teacher sat on another chair, hands clasped, feigning a serious demeanor. With the principal there, he knew he could just play his part. The office door was open, and the sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the hallway, getting closer and closer. In an instant, a beautiful woman in a white lab coat and black vest appeared in the doorway. Of the three parents, Shizuka Hiratsuka, who had the longest journey, was the first to arrive.
"Ryosuke, are you okay?" Shizuka asked, walking over to her brother with a worried look. From the moment she got the call from his homeroom teacher about him fighting, she raced from Chiba to Tokyo. What was normally a forty-minute drive, she completed in less than twenty minutes with her expert driving skills. It was a high-speed chase down the highway.
"I didn't hit anyone, Sis," Ryosuke replied, knowing exactly what she was worried about. His firm answer made Shizuka sigh in relief. She was well aware of his destructive potential at this age. Her concern wasn't for her brother, but for the possibility that in a moment of impulse, he might seriously injure someone.
"Ahem, Ms. Hiratsuka, Ryosuke is fine. Please have a seat while we wait for the other parents to arrive," the principal said. Shizuka nodded but chose to remain standing next to her brother. She began to observe the two other children in the room. One was the spiky-haired boy who was clearly terrified. His clothes were strange—a normal shirt with gym shorts. The other was an innocent-looking girl with a slightly plump face, which made Shizuka want to pinch her cheeks.
Feeling Shizuka's unashamed scrutiny, Shoko Nishimiya's face turned red. Is this Ryosuke-kun's older sister? Shoko stole a glance from the corner of her eye. The beautiful Shizuka was unforgettable. She couldn't help but marvel, Ryosuke's sister is so beautiful.
Shizuka, being very perceptive, caught Shoko's peeping and shyness. Damn, she's so cute. I really want to pinch her cheeks.
Knock, knock, knock! A polite knock sounded at the door. A woman with dyed blonde hair and a ring of black roots appeared. Unlike Shizuka, who had just rushed in, this woman had an apologetic smile, making her seem friendlier.
"I'm sorry I'm late. I'm Shoya Ishida's mother, Miyako Ishida," she said softly, her voice full of sincerity and apology. When she received the call, her heart sank, and she quickly closed her barbershop to rush over. This wasn't the first time she had come to the school to apologize for her son.
She bowed politely, then walked over to Shoya Ishida. She noticed his clothes were different from when he left that morning, and his usual fearless attitude was gone. A look of confusion crossed her face.
Ryosuke had been observing her the whole time. He was prepared to "fight" Shoya's mother, assuming that a child's personality was a reflection of their parents. He'd thought Shoya's parents would be just as unreasonable. However, her actions showed that she was a gentle and reasonable mother. How could a woman like her have raised a kid like Shoya?
"Shoko!" another voice interrupted Ryosuke's thoughts. He looked over to see a long-haired woman in a white shirt, with the same hair color as Shoko. She walked toward Shoko step by step, her expression serious, but with a tired look in her eyes. Shoko didn't dare to face her mother, feeling that she had caused her trouble. She lowered her head, her fluffy hair covering her face in a sign of submission. She had just promised her mother she would try to integrate like a normal person. She loved her caring mother but was also afraid of her stubborn and serious nature. Her feet unconsciously shuffled a little closer to Ryosuke. Her small action did not escape the notice of the sharp-eyed Shizuka.
Shizuka glanced at her brother and, combining that with the girl's behavior, a playful look appeared on her face. "Mrs. Nishimiya is here, so everyone's here," the principal said slowly.
Hmm? Nishimiya? Am I really running into a lot of Nishimiyas these past two days? When Shizuka heard the surname, she immediately remembered the child named Yuzuru Nishimiya from last night and had some vague suspicions.
"Principal, if I may ask, who bullied Shoko?" Yaeko Nishimiya spoke first, her calm and serene gaze fixed on the principal, with no change in her expression. But her presence was that of a mother beast protecting her cubs, ready to strike.
"Mrs. Nishimiya, please calm down. This is what happened," the homeroom teacher quickly interjected. Through the teacher's explanation, everyone understood the full story. The parents' expressions, however, were all different.
Shizuka looked strange after hearing it all. Is this world really that small? Without Ryosuke's preconceived notions, Shizuka had already deduced from what Yuzuru said last night that she and the two Nishimiyas in front of her were family. She glanced out of the corner of her eye at Ryosuke. Her eyes widened, but quickly returned to normal. Has this boy not realized it yet? The fires of gossip burned within her, but Shizuka decided not to share her deduction. She was going to enjoy the show. It wasn't often her brother was so entertaining.
"I'm so deeply sorry that my son has caused trouble for Nishimiya-san. We will pay for all the damages," Miyako Ishida said sincerely, bowing deeply, her face filled with apology and exhaustion. She felt a profound sense of helplessness. She was a single mother who ran a barbershop to make ends meet. Her daily work meant she had neglected to discipline Shoya. His mischievousness had also added a lot of financial burden to the family. When he broke a window playing soccer and ran away, she was the one who went to clean up the mess and pay for it. When he used a stick to fend off a dog and injured someone, she was the one who paid the medical bills. She had always believed that her son wasn't a bad person, just a little mischievous. But now she was hearing that her son bullied a disabled classmate and nearly broke her expensive hearing aids. This was already bullying a vulnerable person. She was tired, so very tired. But more than that, she was sad. When did my son become like this? She wanted to scold Shoya, but then she blamed herself for his lack of upbringing, and her eyes grew even dimmer.
Yaeko Nishimiya took Shoko's hand and walked in front of the Ishidas. She didn't look at Miyako, only down at Shoya. The mother spoke without any emotion: "I understand. You bullied my daughter, right?"
"Shoya did a very bad thing to Shoko... We are so sorry. We will take full responsibility," Miyako said, her lips trembling, her tone full of humble pleading. "So please, forgive us..."
Whack! Without a word, Yaeko hit Shoya hard across the face with an open hand. Shoya was stunned.
Whack! Another slap, this time with the back of her hand, to the other side of his face. Shoya's face quickly swelled. The two sudden slaps caught everyone in the office by surprise. The stubborn Yaeko Nishimiya, though very strict with her daughter, could not tolerate anyone bullying her. After being abandoned by her husband, her two daughters were her life! She now looked at Shoya coldly, standing in front of the mother and son with an indifferent expression.
Seeing her son getting hit, Miyako didn't say anything. She just silently hugged Shoya's head and shielded him with her body. Seeing no forgiveness on Yaeko's face, she made a decision.
Thump. Miyako Ishida fell heavily to her knees on the cold office floor. She cast aside all her dignity and begged for forgiveness. "I'm truly… so sorry."
Thud, thud, thud! It was the sound of Miyako hitting her forehead against the floor. She didn't know how else to get forgiveness. It seemed like the only thing she could do. Shoko looked on with a pained expression and softly called out for her mother. Yaeko Nishimiya remained indifferent. She had already decided to transfer Shoko to a different school again, which would likely cost a lot of money.
Ryosuke looked at the two mothers, one who indulged her child and neglected to discipline him, and the other who was overprotective. But no matter which one, at least they loved their children deep in their hearts. The word "mother" was foreign to Ryosuke. In his past life, he was an orphan, and he had never met his mother in this one. He only remembered his father, who didn't seem to like him very much.
There were many rumors within the Hiratsuka family about his mother's death. The most widely accepted and credible version was that she died from complications during her second childbirth. There were other theories too. Some said Ryosuke was the illegitimate son of the family head, and his mother died of anger. Others said that when Ryosuke was a child, he suffered a severe hemorrhage during surgery, and his mother died from excessive blood loss trying to save him. This version was likely false, as Ryosuke had no surgical scars. The most absurd rumor was that Ryosuke was a child his mother had adopted from outside and that she had an affair and was silenced by his father. Of course, Ryosuke never saw the person who made that last guess again. Regardless of how his mother died, it was related to him, which was probably why his father disliked him. The woman who left the deepest impression on Ryosuke was his older sister, Shizuka. He guessed that she brought him to Tokyo to reduce the family conflict.
Ryosuke never expected that the fire of this farce would soon turn on him. Yaeko Nishimiya turned to face the Hiratsuka siblings, her expression somber. She spoke slowly, her voice as cold as ice, her tone aggressive.
"Ryosuke Hiratsuka, Shoko will learn to fit in on her own. Please don't get involved in her business. Can you do that?!"