Nishimiya Shouko blinked in surprise as she saw the small rabbit inside the cage. Her eyes widened with curiosity and delight, and she turned to Akira Fujimiya, speaking with her hands through sign language.
("What is this little rabbit for?")
Akira responded smoothly in sign language with a teasing expression.
("It's delicious.")
Shouko froze.
Her face turned pale, and she stared at the adorable rabbits in disbelief and worry.
The rabbits inside tilted their head in confusion as they stare back at her.
Akira let out a soft laugh and gently patted her head. Before signing again—
("I'm joking. These rabbits are raised together by the Gardening Club and the Cooking Research Club. They're not edible rabbits.")
The relief that washed over Shouko was so clear it made Akira smile. Her shoulders relaxed immediately as she leaned a little closer to the cage again.
Akira took a carrot from a nearby basket and handed it to her.
("Here. Try feeding them.")
Shouko took the carrot carefully and held it close to the bars. When, One small rabbit hopped forward, sniffed, and nibbled it gently.
Shouko face brightened at the sight, her eyes sparkled—she looked genuinely happy.
("Have you ever raised rabbits before?") Akira patted her shoulder as he signed.
Shouko nodded and replied through sign language, explaining why she liked rabbits.
Her home was originally in the countryside, and her younger sister had raised two rabbits. Shouko often helped feed them whenever she could.
Akira paused.
It seemed her family background here was slightly different from the story he once knew…
He slowly raised his hands, as he signed,
("Do you still keep in touch with your sister often?")
Shouko nodded again, smiling faintly. She signed that thanks to Hiratsuka Shizuka's family, her sister transferred from a rural school to a very good middle school. They contacted each other daily—sometimes Shouko sent pictures, sometimes her sister did.
Akira gaze at her gently.
("That's wonderful. Let me take a photo of you.")
Shouko blinked, surprised, then handed him her phone, without hesitation.
Akira lowered himself and angled the camera to capture both the rabbit and Shouko feeding it.
After snapping several pictures, he picked the best one and sent it to his own phone first before passing the phone back to her.
Shouko checked the image and smiled with satisfaction, then sent the photo to her sister immediately.
Shortly afterward, her phone vibrated. Her sister replied.
The rabbits at home… had already been sold. Since, no one was there to take care of them.
Shouko stared silently at the text for a moment. Her face dimmed—regret flickered in her eyes.
She typed another message, asking about their mother's condition.
While, Akira stood nearby, quietly watching her texting with sad expression but not interrupting.
After a while, when Shouko finished watching the rabbits, Akira guided her toward the tennis courts.
.....
At the Tennis Court—
Shouko sat in the audience seat as Akira stepped onto the court alone, facing Totsuka Saika and Hikigaya Hachiman as his opponents.
1 VS 2,
The match began.
Yet from the first serve, Akira dominated them both.
Even those who didn't know tennis could immediately tell—his execution, swings, speed, and control were on a completely different level.
Shouko's gaze never left him even for a moment.
Hayama Hayato was also present— sat nearby, watching the match, silently.
After the first match ended, both Totsuka Saika and Hikigaya Hachiman dropped into the seats, exhausted and breathing heavily.
Meanwhile, Akira looked like he had only warmed up.
His eyes shifted—straight toward Hayama.
Hayama blinked in surprise.
Akira pointed to the court.
Hayama sighed helplessly but stood up and took the racket.
Totsuka and Hachiman watched Akira's match with Hayama, still full of energy, ready to take on another match even after playing against them.
"Is this guy even human…?" Hachiman muttered, exhausted.
Totsuka Saika smiled wearily, before replying—
"...This must be Fujimiya-kun's real strength. We were basically just warm up for him"
If anyone had to face such a monster in an official match, it would feel absolutely hopeless. There would be no chance to fight back.
Hachiman nodded grimly.
"With his level, becoming a professional wouldn't even be surprising. A normal high school tournament wouldn't have anyone like him!"
Totsuka Saika sighed, as he turned towards Hachiman and said,
"Thank you, Hachiman."
Hachiman's face turned red. He quickly looked away, embarrassed by Totsuka's sweet smile, also because of sweat.
When, he noticed Shouko quietly staring at Akira's match.
"She's really watching him closely…"
"It's because Nishimiya-san seems to be like Fujimiya-kun," Totsuka answered softly, understanding Hachiman's thoughts without him saying anything.
Hachiman sighed deeply.
"That guy is like the protagonist of a light novel. Perfect grades, insane athletic skill, and even surrounded by beautiful girls who like him. It is completely unrealistic…"
"Maybe," Totsuka chuckled, "but don't look down on yourself. Hachiman is Hachiman. I believe you'll find someone who suits you. Cheer up."
Hachiman stared at him.
If Totsuka were a girl…
But then, maybe they wouldn't be friends right now.
.....
Akira finished the match, defeating Hayama without breaking a sweat. He returned to Shouko's side and sat down.
Shouko quickly handed him a bottle of sports drink, that she was holding.
Akira chugged all of it in a single breath.
Shouko's eyes widened again in astonishment.
("How was the match? Impressive?") Akira signed after drinking the water before placing the bottle beside them.
Shouko smiled and signed that he was amazing.
Then she signed again, asking if he was tired.
("This kind of exercise? Barely count as a warm-up,") Akira said with a confident grin, gently holding Shouko's small hand.
She signed again, telling him he should still take a break.
Akira leaned closer, near her hearing device.
"If you kiss me, I'll rest here for thirty minutes."
Shouko shook her head quickly and pointed nervously toward the people nearby.
Akira leaned even closer to her ear.
He slowly grabbed her other hand.
Shouko immediately tried to stop him—too late.
Akira placed a soft kiss on her cheek.
Her face turned instantly bright red.
"You look adorable when you're shy," he whispered. "Makes me want to kiss you again."
Shouko stared at him, eyes pleading, trying to stop him with her expression alone.
Akira smirked slightly.
"Then you kiss me. Just once. And I'll behave."
Shouko hesitated, cheeks burning hotter than ever. Finally, she leaned in and gave him the tiniest kiss on his cheek before quickly pulling back.
Akira released her hands.
She jumped up the moment he left her hand and walked toward the exit, still red like a tomato.
Before leaving, she glanced back at him shyly.
Akira smiled and used sign language to tell her:
("Wait for me in the Student Council Office.")
She nodded before walking away.
Totsuka Saika exhaled sharply, he show everything clearly, his voice trembling.
"Fujimiya-kun, isn't that a little too extreme...?"
Akira didn't look at him, only drinking another sip of water.
"She can't hear any sound you know. But she can understand my sign language— It is still a sound—an invisible sound. You have not live her life, not seen how it feel to live in a silent world, you can't understand how much it means to her."
Totsuka looked confused.
Akira continued quietly.
"She has lived in silence since she was small. Alone. Until Hiratsuka-sensei brought her to this city. Then she met me, I was the one who shattered that quiet world."
Hayama and Totsuka stiffened at the seriousness in his tone.
"I literally threw a brick through her window and barged inside," Akira said. "Then I held out my hand and told her I would be her boyfriend."
Totsuka and Hayama stared wide-eyed, speechless.
Hachiman looked down, understanding in his eyes.
"If you give her hope like that, she'll become dependent," Hachiman muttered. "If you ever abandon her… she might break."
Akira nodded.
"I know. That's why I will never abandon her. I've already decided—I will hold her hand for the rest of my life."
"…" Hachiman didn't reply.
He simply stared at Akira, not sure whether to call him kind or cruel.
Him a good person or a very selfish person.
Akira rested a while longer before standing up. Hachiman watched him leave the court.
It was hard to evaluate him.
He could be considered a jerk, yet at the same time… he was devoted, determined, and strangely sincere.
"With his assets, and the possibility he might marry Yukinoshita someday… his confidence isn't baseless, at least," Hayama spoke quietly.
Totsuka glanced at him.
"Would Yukinoshita-san really agree?"
Hayama forced a bitter smile.
"She probably already knows, Yukinoshita Haruno—her sister definitely knows about it too. Their family's circumstances...is unique, I know about it just enough. But I won't speak of it."
He looked down at his hands, remembering the past.
"When we were younger, I failed Yukinoshita Yukino. I let her stay isolated because I did nothing. My feelings toward Haruno-san will remain silent."
He never looked up again at Akira's departing figure.
"If it's Akira, he may be able to give them a ...good future. So I will follow him for now...Meet my family's expectations. And someday, I'll find someone who suits me too."
.....
Student Council Office,
When Akira arrived, Nishimiya Shouko was sitting with Meguri Shiromeguri. They were communicating happily through the notebook Akira had given Shouko earlier.
Shouko wrote down a movie she had watched, and Meguri had seen it as well. They were excited to discover a common interests and continued chatting eagerly.
Meguri looked up at the door as Akira entered.
"Fujimiya-kun! Great match out there," she praised warmly, she had heard about the match from Shouko.
Akira smiled slightly at her.
Shouko stood up right away and asked in sign language whether he had properly rested.
Akira nodded, reached out, and gently patted her head.
("I did. Thanks to you.")
Shouko smiled shyly.
Meguri watched them with a soft smile, thinking how nice it was that Shouko had found someone who could understand her world.
Akira sat beside Shouko quietly. She wrote another short note and showed it to him.
(\Your tennis today was amazing.\)
Akira chuckled lightly, as he used signed to convey his reply.
("I wasn't even serious.")
Shouko puffed her cheeks a little, as if to scold him for being too modest.
Meguri giggled.
"It seems Fujimiya-kun has fans everywhere. But it's good that you're resting now."
...
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Bonus Chapter:-
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Word Count — 1,782