allendalepharm Page 61
Page 61
While she was thinking, an unexpected person appeared on the bridge.
Perhaps it wasn't unexpected; she remembered this was a scene she had dreamed about before, which gave her a strong sense of déjà vu.
Shoya Ishida.
He looks much taller than he did in elementary school, but his signature spiky hair is still the same.
He stood on the other side of the bridge, and his body visibly stiffened when he saw Shoko.
Shoko saw him too.
Memories from elementary school flooded back: my hearing aid was ripped off, I was pushed over, my notebook was filled with swear words, and I remember Ishida Shoya, the boy I used to be with, his face full of disgust and mockery.
Shoko wondered if, in the past, she would have run away upon seeing Ishida Shoya, or at least apologized instinctively?
She scattered a handful of bait, watching the carp in the water scramble for it, not caring much about what the people on the other side were trying to do.
Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ishida Shoya pull a notebook out of his backpack and start writing rapidly on it.
After he finished writing, he handed over the notebook.
I'm so sorry! I did something really bad to you when I was in elementary school. I know it's too late now, but I truly regret it. I've been learning sign language so I can apologize to you in person. I hope you can forgive me, and I want you to know that I'm really sorry!
His words revealed genuine remorse, and he looked quite haggard.
Shoko was overwhelmed with mixed feelings as she looked at these words.
It wasn't that she had the idea of forgiving the other person, but rather that she had seen this scene before.
She now feels that the dream was like a prophetic dream, telling her what would happen in the future.
But there is one thing—no, there is one person—that distinguishes between dreams and reality.
He doesn't exist in reality.
As her thoughts raced, seeing that Ishida Shoya was still in the gesture of handing her the notebook, she thought for a moment, took the notebook, and wrote a line on it:
Ishida-kun, I accept your apology.
But that doesn't mean I forgive you.
She handed the notebook back to Ishida Shoya.
Ishida Shoya straightened up and was stunned when he saw this sentence.
This was not the reaction he had expected. He thought she would cry or forgive him, thus redeeming his conscience.
Seeing his bewildered expression, Shoko gave him a gentle but distant smile.
She gestured in sign language, saying, "I don't want to talk about the past anymore, and I hope you won't come looking for me again."
After that, she didn't care whether the other person's claim of having taught themselves sign language was true or whether they could understand the meaning of the sentence, and she turned and left.
When I got home, my mother had already prepared dinner.
"How was school today?" Yaeko asked.
Shoko nodded and wrote in her notebook: [Hmm, I saw someone I haven't seen in a long time.]
"Really? Are you friends?"
After thinking for a moment, Shoko wrote: 【No】
After finishing her meal, Shoko changed the water for the goldfish and then returned to her room.
She took out her diary and wrote down her feelings for the day.
Today, I rejected Ishida's apology. I don't know if it was the right thing to do, but I don't regret it. I feel like... I'm a little different than before?
Is it because of that dream?
Who are you, the person in my dreams?
She closed her diary and looked out the window; a bright moon hung in the night sky.
This Saturday, she made plans with her friends from the school for the deaf to go to Fuji-Q Highland. It was her first time going to an amusement park with her friends, and she was really looking forward to it.
She hoped for good weather that day.
I also hope that I can live a happy life, just like the person in my dream desires.
Even if the person who gave her courage and strength only exists in her dreams.
……
……
[P.S.: My favorite female character when I first became an anime/manga fan – Yuno Gasai]
During my teenage years, I fantasized about meeting a girl who was extremely desperate, extremely insecure, and extremely eager to be loved.
[I'm the only one in the whole world who would give her this]
In her heart, I am everything.
This feeling is truly irresistible...
Volume 1: Chapter 79: Childhood Sweethearts Radar, Alarm Sounded!
In front of an ice cream shop at Fuji-Q Highland.
Yuto Itsuka gave a natural smile and gestured in sign language, "Hello, nice to meet you."
Nishimiya Shoko's eyes widened.
He knows sign language? And he's so fluent?
She stood there blankly, a gentle breeze ruffling her long flaxen hair, staring at the familiar yet unfamiliar boy before her, her mind a complete blank.
Mika Kimura noticed her friend's unusual behavior. She walked over to Shoko, gently tugged at her sleeve, and asked in sign language, "What's wrong, Shoko? Do you know him?"
Shoko snapped back to reality, her cheeks flushing slightly. She shook her head frantically and responded in sign language, "N-I don't know her."
But her gaze involuntarily drifted toward Itsuka Yuto, and that inexplicable sense of familiarity made it impossible for her to look away.
Yuto Itsuka saw their gestures and smiled bitterly to himself.
See? He really doesn't remember. The system wasn't lying to him; the target of his pursuit won't have any memories from the simulation.
That's good, for him, this is reality.
He raised his hand again and gestured towards Shoko, saying, "Your friend had a little trouble buying ice cream earlier, and I helped him out."
His sign language gestures were very standard and fluent, even better and more natural than Shoko's, which surprised Shoko even more.
Unless one is accustomed to sign language from a young age, it is rare for someone with normal hearing to master it to this extent after learning sign language.
"Thank you." Shoko bowed to him somewhat awkwardly.
"No, no need to thank me, it was nothing." Itsuka Yuto quickly waved his hand.
"You idiot, Yuto! What are you doing? Why did it take you so long to buy an ice cream?"
A crisp voice broke the delicate atmosphere between the three of them as Eriri and Kato Megumi walked over.
Eriri immediately spotted the two girls standing in front of Yuto, especially the cute-looking girl with long, flaxen hair.
The way that girl was looking at Yuto was weird!
"Drip drip drip—"
Eriri's childhood friend, Radar, has sounded the alarm.
"Who are these two people?" Eriri walked quickly to Yuto's side and scrutinized Shoko and Mika with a critical look.
"I met him when I was buying ice cream earlier, and he helped me out a little," Yuto Itsuka explained simply.
He then handed the bags to her and Kato Megumi, saying, "Your strawberry flavor, and Kato's vanilla flavor."
Eriri took the ice cream, but her attention remained on the other two girls, whom she noticed were communicating in sign language.
She turned to Yuuto and asked, "Them..."
“They can’t hear,” Yuto Itsuka said softly.
Eriri paused for a moment before noticing the hearing aid on Shoko's ear. Her wariness vanished instantly, replaced by a complex expression of sympathy and embarrassment.
As "Eri Kashiwagi", she has drawn many beautiful girls, including some characters with "special settings", but this is the first time she has encountered one in real life.
Kato Megumi stood quietly to the side, observing the situation. She noticed that when Itsuka looked at the long-haired girl, his gaze was somewhat different from usual.
"Itsuka-kun, do you know sign language too?" Kato Megumi tilted her head and asked curiously.
"Well, in Hawaii... I was a little curious when I was a kid and learned a bit about it," Yuto Itsuka replied vaguely.
"You've learned a little bit?" Eriri was skeptical. She was Yuto's childhood friend, how come she didn't know that this guy had learned sign language?
"Your movements were so practiced just now, you don't look like a beginner at all!"
Yuto Itsuka quickly changed the subject, turning to Shoko and Mika and gesturing in sign language, "My friends have arrived, we have to go now, have fun."
He doesn't actually plan to have much interaction with the real-life glass now.
Being poor cares themselves, being wealthy cares the world.
His current idea is to take care of himself first, to focus on living his own life well, to focus on writing, making money, and studying. Once he has the ability after entering university, he will find a way to take care of Shoko, and the same goes for Mai.
Try not to let the things in the simulation affect you.
Yuto Itsuka turned around and prepared to leave with Eriri and the others.
However, Shoko instinctively took a step forward and called out to him.
“Um…” Shoko was anxious to stop him, but her voice was muffled in her haste.
Realizing she couldn't yet speak properly, she blushed and frantically began gesturing in sign language:
"Excuse me, what is your name?"
Yuto Itsuka stopped and looked back at her.
He hesitated for a moment, then told her his name. "It should be okay, right?"
He gestured in sign language: "Five Rivers Flow Together".
Wuhe...Yuuto (三_) privately raised the second and fourth tyrants/died...
Shoko silently repeated the name in her heart, and sure enough, it matched the vague name in her dream!
Yuuto-kun...
Is it really him? But why is he here? Are the things that happened in my dream real?
Shoko's mind was in chaos. She had so many questions to ask, but she didn't know where to begin.
“My name is Nishimiya Shoko,” she introduced herself in sign language.
Yuto Itsuka nodded.
Eriri and Megumi Kato stared blankly at the two exchanging words—what are you talking about? And what is she saying?
“Itsuka-kun, since we’ve run into each other, why don’t we hang out together?” Kimura Mika suddenly chimed in, suggesting this.
She was much more outgoing than Shoko, and she had a good impression of this handsome boy who knew sign language. "It would be more lively with more people."
Shoko also looked at Yuto with expectant eyes.
Itsuki Yuuto had a bit of a headache. Since the other party had brought it up like that, it seemed impolite to just refuse directly.
Anyone else would have run as far away as possible, but this is glass.
He could only look to Eriri and Megumi Kato for their opinions, "These two are Shoko Nishimiya and Mika Kimura. They said they want to play at the amusement park with us. What do you think?"
"Huh? Want to play together?" Eriri hesitated.
She originally wanted to play with three people, but the sudden addition of two strangers made her feel a bit awkward, and communication was also a problem.
"That sounds good." Kato Megumi wasn't worried about it at all. "Could Itsuka-kun be the translator?"
“Me?” Itsuka Yuto pointed to himself. “I’m just a half-baked amateur.”
“Itsuka-kun, you’re being too modest. Besides, isn’t it great to make new friends?” It’s hard to say whether Kato Megumi felt sorry for him or really thought so.
Eriri glanced at Kato Megumi, then at the expectant looks in the eyes of the two girls.
If I refuse, I might seem petty, or even be perceived as discriminating against people with hearing impairments.