Step aside; you're hardly an irresistibly cute little girl.

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In the office, Takeuchi sat in his chair, while Kyosuke Hojo, Shoya Ishida, and Shoko Nishimiya stood before him.

There had actually been more people here a moment ago. Sakura Yamauchi and Naoka Ueno had been present as well, but after Takeuchi had heard the whole story from them, he sent them all back to class.

No one said a word. They were waiting for the parents to arrive at the school. Since this had involved a direct physical confrontation, Takeuchi had already called the parents of all three students.

The first to arrive was Kyosuke Hojo’s mother, Mikiko Hojo. Of the three parents, she was the only full-time housewife, so she had come immediately after receiving the call.

“Kyosuke! Are you all right?”

The moment Mikiko Hojo entered the office, she embraced Kyosuke and began examining him carefully from head to toe. Takeuchi had not gone into much detail over the phone, merely telling her that Kyosuke had gotten into a fight with a classmate at school.

“Mom, I’m fine.”

“Mrs. Hojo, your son hasn’t been injured at all,” Takeuchi hurriedly said when he saw the intensity of her inspection.

“Then who hit my child?”

Ignoring Takeuchi, Mikiko Hojo continued turning Kyosuke this way and that. Only after confirming that he truly had not been hurt did she stand up and sweep her gaze across the office.

It definitely could not have been that adorable little girl who looked as though she belonged in someone’s arms, being cherished.

The hedgehog hair, the upturned eyes, and, most importantly, the footprint on his white gym uniform—was that boy the one who had hit her son?

At that thought, Mikiko Hojo widened her eyes and glared angrily at Shoya Ishida.

“Mrs. Hojo, please calm down. Let’s wait until the other two students’ parents arrive and discuss everything properly. Why don’t you sit over here?”

“No need. I’ll stand.”

Mikiko Hojo was not particularly polite toward Takeuchi, either. As their homeroom teacher, he bore responsibility for failing to stop the confrontation in time!

A bead of cold sweat slid down Takeuchi’s forehead at her hostile tone. He had already witnessed this Mrs. Hojo’s formidable nature at the police station the last time. She was remarkably immature, completely lacking the smooth tact and worldly sophistication expected of an adult, and utterly unconditional in her defense of Kyosuke.

Shoko Nishimiya had been standing off to the side with her head lowered, but now she could not help raising it to look at Mikiko Hojo.

So she was Kyosuke’s mother. She was beautiful—she looked like a good person, just like Kyosuke.

Sensing someone watching her, Mikiko Hojo lowered her head and looked at Shoko.

Surprise!

Oh no! She had been caught staring! Shoko’s shoulders trembled in fright, her fluffy short hair seeming to spring upward, while her eyes became the classic round, bead-like eyes of a startled cartoon character.

How adorable! Amused by Shoko’s reaction, Mikiko Hojo gave her a broad, radiant smile.

Under that smile, Shoko’s nervousness vanished at once. She felt as though she could communicate with this aunt simply through their eyes, without needing to speak or write. Her own eyes curved into a smile.

Honestly, couldn’t that woman ever read the room?

Watching his mother interact with Shoko, Kyosuke Hojo smiled helplessly. His mother had always gotten along wonderfully with Sakura Yamauchi as well. The two of them interacted like close friends, without the slightest barrier caused by their difference in age.

That was why Mikiko Hojo had once suggested bringing Sakura’s entire family back to their hometown. Perhaps she could not bear to part with Sakura, either.

“Knock, knock.”

The sound of knocking rang out, and everyone in the office turned toward the door.

Kyosuke immediately recognized Shoya Ishida’s mother. He had never seen her before, but he had heard from his classmates that Shoya’s mother ran a barbershop. The hairstyle of the woman standing in the doorway fit Kyosuke’s image of a barbershop owner perfectly.

Her hair was primarily yellow, with the top dyed black. All in all, she looked very artistic. Yet her manner was the opposite of her hairstyle. On an ordinary person, such hair might have made her look like a delinquent girl, but Shoya’s mother gave off a gentle impression.

“Excuse me. I’m Shoya Ishida’s mother.”

Just as with the call Mikiko Hojo had received, Miyoko Ishida did not know exactly what had happened. But the instant she heard that Shoya had gotten into a fight with someone else, she had already concluded that her own child must have been the one doing the hitting.

However, the moment she entered the office, she saw the footprint on Shoya’s gym uniform.

“Shoya! Are you all right?”

Her reaction was almost identical to Mikiko Hojo’s. Miyoko Ishida hurried over, embraced Shoya, and began checking him over.

“You’re so annoying. I’m fine.”

Shoya still wore a sour expression as he pushed his mother’s hands away.

“Miss Ishida, this is Mrs. Hojo, the mother of Kyosuke Hojo, who was involved in the confrontation with your son.

“Mrs. Hojo, this is Miss Ishida, Shoya Ishida’s mother.

“This incident also involved Shoko Nishimiya, so we should wait until her mother arrives before discussing it further.”

Hearing this, Miyoko Ishida said nothing more and stood to one side as well.

Under ordinary circumstances, if she met the mother of her son’s classmate—especially a beautiful woman who looked so gentle—Mikiko Hojo would certainly have gone over to make friends. She loved beautiful people. Lovely things put her in a good mood, just like her son and Sakura. Oh, and now Shoko belonged on that list too.

But at present, she merely glared at Miyoko Ishida with the anger of a little girl. Unfortunately, she looked not the least bit fierce. She was simply unbearably cute.

Although her own son, Shoya, appeared to be the one who had been beaten, while Kyosuke showed no obvious signs of injury, Miyoko Ishida knew her son’s past behavior well enough. She still offered Mikiko Hojo an apologetic smile.

“Hmph,” Mikiko Hojo snorted softly. She was still angry, but when she saw the gentleness written across Miyoko Ishida’s face, she turned away rather than continuing to glare at her.

“Knock, knock.”

Before anyone in the room could turn around, the newcomer had already stepped across the threshold and entered the office.

The woman who came in had the same hair color as Shoko, though hers was long. Her face bore little expression, but the deep exhaustion etched across it was obvious to everyone.

When Shoko saw her mother enter, she fearfully shrank behind Kyosuke.

“Sorry I’m late.”

Shoko’s mother had an unmistakable air of warning others to keep their distance, yet she apologized as soon as she entered. She had realized that, among the parents of the three children present, she was the last to arrive.

It was common in Japan for mothers to come to school to deal with their children’s problems. Still, it was relatively unusual for two of the three mothers to be single parents, while the remaining one was also raising her child alone.

As usual, Takeuchi introduced them, and the mothers finally exchanged greetings.

“Here is what happened today. It began when Shoya Ishida pushed Shoko Nishimiya to the ground. Because of that, Shoya Ishida got into a confrontation with Kyosuke Hojo.”

At this point, Takeuchi suddenly found himself at a loss for words. According to the other students, Shoya had charged at Kyosuke first. Yet Kyosuke was completely unharmed, while Shoya had been kicked so hard that he could not get back to his feet.

“And then… well, Ishida, you tell them.”

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“There’s nothing to say.”

“Shoya!” Miyoko Ishida shouted angrily.

“Tch. I rushed over to hit him, but he kicked me.”

Shoya lowered his head and spoke in a low voice. Even saying it aloud made him feel humiliated.

“That’s what happened.” Takeuchi let out a long sigh of relief.

“I’m terribly sorry. My son has caused trouble for all of you.”

After hearing Shoya’s confession, Miyoko Ishida’s heart sank. She turned toward everyone and bowed deeply.

Hearing this, Mikiko Hojo thought, with utterly misplaced pride, That’s my boy. He’s amazing.

Then, seeing Miyoko bow, she hurriedly bent down as well.

“My son was at fault too, so please stand up.”

Since her own son was unharmed, she was quite forgiving toward such a gentle and beautiful woman.

Yaeko Nishimiya’s reaction was the strangest of all. First, she looked over her daughter and confirmed that she had not been injured. Then she turned her attention to Kyosuke, wanting to get a good look at the boy her daughter had talked about all night the previous evening.

“Kyosuke, thank you for protecting my daughter. But could I ask you not to do that again in the future?”

Yaeko Nishimiya bowed solemnly to Kyosuke, then spoke in a serious tone.

Everyone was stunned by her words. Only Shoko stood there clutching the hem of her clothes with both hands, a complicated expression on her face as though she were desperately restraining something.

“Why not?”

Kyosuke raised his head and looked at Shoko’s mother.

“If you keep protecting Shoko like this, she will never become strong. You cannot stay by her side forever. Shoko must become stronger so that she can walk through the rest of her life on her own.”

Yaeko’s words shocked everyone yet again.

Even Kyosuke was rendered speechless by this cruel method of upbringing. He turned to look at Shoko.

The little girl tilted her head upward, struggling to keep her tears from falling.

Had Shoko been expected to live this way since childhood?

Mikiko Hojo could not help feeling sorry for her.

“I understand your concern. Compared with other people, Shoko’s life will be much more difficult. But there is one thing I know for certain: whenever Shoko needs me, I will remain by her side.”

Kyosuke’s earnest voice rang through the office.

His face was filled with determination, and everyone could feel how sincere he was, including Yaeko Nishimiya.

“Kyosuke, I’m glad that Shoko has a friend like you. But some things are not as simple as you think. In the end, Shoko must walk the road ahead by herself.”

Yaeko was equally surprised by the boy’s words, but she still firmly believed that Shoko needed to become stronger.

“Aunt Yaeko, none of us knows how the future will unfold. But for now, I’m going to teach Shoko how to speak, so that she can communicate like everyone else.”

“Thank you for your kindness, but there’s no need. Since the matter has been settled, let’s go, Shoko.”

Yaeko shook her head and prepared to leave with her daughter. Her work was extremely demanding, and she had to get back as quickly as possible.

“Shoko? What’s wrong? Come on, we’re leaving.”

When she saw that her daughter was still standing in place with her head lowered, Yaeko assumed that Shoko had not heard her because she had spoken too softly. She raised her voice and reached out to take her hand.

“Mom!”

Shoko’s small, frail body resisted her mother’s pull. The tears she had been holding back finally spilled over.

“What Kyosuke said is true! Why don’t you believe him?”

Shoko lifted her head and shouted at her mother, her voice thick with tears. Because she spent every day with her mother, she could understand Yaeko’s words by combining lip-reading with what little she could hear.

Her pronunciation was already impaired, and the sobs made it even worse. Even Kyosuke could not understand what she was saying, much less Yaeko.

To raise her two daughters, Yaeko spent nearly all her time either working or working overtime. She had not even had time to learn sign language. At home, unless they used a notebook, she had to rely on her younger sister, Yuzuru Nishimiya, who knew sign language, to interpret.

Even though she could not understand her daughter’s words now, the sudden outburst startled her, and she could clearly feel Shoko’s sorrow.

“Shoko, Shoko, calm down.”

Kyosuke patted her shoulder.

“Shoko, do you want to use your notebook?”

Yaeko took a notebook from her shoulder bag. It was the same kind Shoko used, with the words “For Written Conversation” printed on the cover.

“I don’t want it!”

To everyone’s surprise, the usually soft and timid Shoko firmly knocked away the notebook her mother offered her.

“That’s the biggest difference between you and Kyosuke!”

After calming herself somewhat, Shoko spoke as Kyosuke had taught her, slowly and carefully pronouncing each syllable as accurately as possible.

“Kyosuke is willing to listen to me. Even though it takes a great deal of effort, he still encourages me to speak. He treats me like an ordinary person, just like him. As he said, he is protecting me and working hard to teach me how to speak. Why aren’t you willing to believe him?”

Her daughter’s words, combined with the tears covering her face, caused Yaeko’s heart to ache. At the same time, however, she felt a trace of comfort.

Her daughter really had grown stronger.

The child who had always obeyed her without question now possessed the courage to resist her and loudly express what she truly felt in front of everyone.

“Shoko.”

Yaeko walked over, crouched down, and drew her daughter into her arms, stroking her fluffy short hair.

That had been her hope: that Shoko would cast off her weakness along with her long hair and become strong. Yaeko had taken her to have it cut only yesterday, at the shop run by the rough-looking mother and son nearby. She had never expected Shoko to change so much in only a single day.

“You really have become stronger.”

Tears glimmered in Yaeko’s eyes as well. She had been strict not only with Shoko, but with herself. Ever since her former husband had abandoned them because of Shoko’s hearing impairment, Yaeko had seldom cried. She had hardly even smiled.

“Mom?”

Shoko lifted her small head from her mother’s embrace.

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“Mom is happy. Is this all thanks to Kyosuke? Did he make Shoko strong?”

“Yes!”

Yaeko stood and bowed once more to Kyosuke and his mother.

“Mrs. Hojo, thank you for raising such an excellent son.”

“It was nothing,” Mikiko Hojo said, wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes. She had truly been moved by the mother and daughter.

“Kyosuke, please continue helping Shoko grow stronger. I will always remember your kindness.”

“You’re too kind, Aunt Yaeko. Shoko and I share a special bond. As long as she can be happy, I’ll be happy too.”

With that, Kyosuke winked at Shoko and smiled. The little girl returned his smile brightly.

He had meant every word. Even without any reward, helping such a lovable little girl was enough to bring him genuine happiness.

The only pity was that Mrs. Nishimiya did not have any glowing words floating above her head. Otherwise, perhaps he could immediately have obtained some kind of “girl’s…”

At that thought, Kyosuke suddenly realized something.

You discriminate too, System. Look at Mrs. Nishimiya’s face and figure—how could you possibly claim she isn’t still a girl?

In response to Kyosuke’s words, Yaeko nodded seriously, then turned to Shoya and his mother.

Miyoko Ishida’s face was filled with shame. This might have been the most difficult moment of her life. Her son was the aggressor, while the victim and her protector were performing a scene straight out of a morning television drama. Even someone as gentle as her now wanted to beat her own son senseless.

Forcing an apologetic smile onto her face, Miyoko apologized again.

“I’m sorry, Nishimiya. And I’m sorry, Mrs. Hojo. I’ll educate him properly. Shoya! Apologize too!”

She bowed deeply once again. If it had been appropriate, Miyoko Ishida might even have prostrated herself on the floor.

Shoya had begun regretting what he had done when he witnessed the scene just now. He was not truly a bad child.

Even during so-called courage tests, he never did the sort of malicious things other children did, such as smashing the windows of someone’s house. The only person who ever got hurt was himself.

Seeing the distress on his mother’s face, and being startled by Shoko’s tearful cries, he had already begun reflecting on his behavior.

“I’m sorry!”

He bent forward sharply, his hands pressed straight against the seams of his trousers. It was the most sincere bow he had made in all his years of life.

“I’m truly sorry for everything I’ve done and for hurting Nishimiya!”

“Hey! What about my son? He’s so cute and helpless—how could you bear to hit him?”

Mikiko Hojo angrily spoke up when the hedgehog-haired boy finished apologizing and remained bent over in silence.

Her voice was as clear and youthful as her personality. Even when angry, she sounded remarkably pleasant.

But when Shoya heard her words, he felt the bruises from yesterday—where he had crashed into desks and cabinets—beginning to ache again. The pain in his stomach, where Kyosuke had kicked him, was especially sharp.

The savage expression on Kyosuke’s face as he kicked him in the gymnasium flashed through Shoya’s mind.

Cute? Helpless? He was more like a demon!

Still, Shoya had figured things out. No matter how one looked at it, he had been the one at fault first. So although he was still somewhat unwilling, he said, “I’m sorry, Hojo. I didn’t manage to hit you, and you ended up hitting me instead, but please forgive me anyway.”

The apology was utterly lacking in sincerity. Mikiko Hojo burst out laughing, then hurriedly covered her mouth in an adorably embarrassed gesture.

Kyosuke rolled his eyes inwardly. He did not care what Shoya felt. It was not as though Shoya were a cute little girl.

“I forgive you. You should give Shoko a proper apology, though.”

“Nishimiya, I’m really sorry. I won’t play pranks on you anymore.”

Shoya did his best to make his tone sound sincere.

“Mr. Takeuchi, we’ll be going now. Goodbye, Mrs. Hojo. Goodbye, Kyosuke. Come on, Shoko.”

Yaeko had no desire to hear him say anything more. She took Shoko by the hand and prepared to leave.

This time, Shoko did not resist. Before stepping outside, however, she turned back and gave Shoya a smile that seemed to say she had something left unsaid. Then she waved vigorously at Kyosuke.

Miyoko Ishida’s expression grew even more troubled after the Nishimiya mother and daughter left. Having done something wrong without obtaining forgiveness was unbearable for someone as gentle as her. If Shoko had suffered any physical harm, Miyoko might even have been willing to endure the same injury herself.

Forcing another apologetic smile, she bowed again.

“It’s all right. Raising a child like that must be hard on you.”

Mikiko Hojo spoke casually, but she genuinely pitied the other woman. After all, her own son was obedient, sensible, and adorable, while this woman had to care for such a mischievous and unattractive boy. How tragic.

Miyoko Ishida smiled wearily without attempting to defend her son.

“I wasn’t hurt either. But should Ishida go to the hospital for a checkup? That kick of mine must have been pretty powerful.”

Kyosuke had been running for years and was quite confident in the strength of his legs.

“If necessary, we’ll go ourselves. There’s no need to trouble you, Hojo.”

“If none of the parents have any objections, then let’s leave things here. When you get home, make sure you talk everything over properly with your children.”

Takeuchi, who had seemed to vanish for half the conversation, finally spoke up. Kyosuke was startled by the sudden appearance of his voice.

“Then goodbye, Miss Ishida. Come on, Kyosuke.”

With that, Mikiko Hojo led her son away.

The students had already gone home by then. As Shoya and his mother walked through the empty corridor, Mikiko Hojo’s bright, youthful voice drifted faintly from ahead.

“Why don’t we skip cooking tonight and go out for a big dinner, Kyosuke?”

Happiness belonged to other people. Silence belonged to the Ishida mother and son.

“I’m sorry, Mom.”

“It’s all right, Shoya. Mom knows you’ve realized your mistake. That’s enough.”

Miyoko Ishida tucked away the strands of hair covering her eyes and smiled gently at her son.