The warmth from their quiet walk home lingered with Kaito well into the next day. Even after the rain had cleared, the memory of Ayumi's light touch on his sleeve remained—small, fleeting, but undeniably real. He wasn't sure if she had noticed how much it had meant to him, but for the first time, he didn't mind not having the words to explain it.
Ayumi, however, had spent the morning feeling a quiet sense of unease.
She knew she had let herself get too comfortable with Kaito. The way he slowed down when signing to her, the way he stood slightly to the left so she could see his face better in conversations—little things that made it easier to be around him. Too easy.
And yet, when she stepped into the school hallway that afternoon, the ease shattered with just a few careless words.
---
It happened near the lockers, just before lunch.
Ayumi had been retrieving her notebook when she noticed a group of students gathered nearby—two girls and a boy from Kaito's class. She hadn't paid them any attention at first. But then she caught her own name, spoken carelessly, and instinctively turned toward the sound.
"…always with Ayumi, right?" One of the girls whispered, her voice low, but not low enough.
The other girl giggled. "It's kind of weird. I mean, why put in that much effort?"
The boy shrugged. "Maybe he feels bad for her?"
Ayumi's fingers tightened around her notebook. She knew she shouldn't assume the worst. Lip-reading wasn't perfect, after all. But she had seen enough to piece together the meaning.
Why put in that much effort?
The warmth from yesterday disappeared in an instant.
---
She hadn't expected to hear something like that—not from them, not about Kaito.
Ayumi had been used to these kinds of comments for years. Growing up, classmates would hesitate to approach her, their voices filled with uncertainty whenever they tried to talk to her. Teachers would sometimes speak too loudly, as if her hearing loss somehow made her unable to understand. And people—well, they always assumed it was easier to ignore her rather than learn how to include her.
But Kaito wasn't like that.
So why did it hurt so much to hear them question him?
She swallowed, closing her locker a little too forcefully. She wasn't upset with Kaito—she knew that much. But doubt crept in, threading through her thoughts.
Had she been too selfish? Had she made things harder for him?
Ayumi didn't know. But as she made her way toward the photography clubroom alone, she realized something—she didn't want to find out.
---
Kaito immediately noticed something was wrong.
It wasn't anything obvious. Ayumi still smiled when he greeted her after school. She still responded when he signed, her hands moving with practiced ease. But there was something different.
Her answers were shorter. Her gaze didn't linger. And when they walked together, she kept just a little more distance between them.
Kaito wasn't the best at reading people, but he had spent enough time with Ayumi to notice when she was pulling away.
Did I do something wrong?
The thought lingered uncomfortably in his chest.
After club activities ended, Kaito made up his mind. He wouldn't let this silence stretch between them any longer.
---
It wasn't until they were outside, walking toward the train station, that he finally spoke up.
Are you okay?
Ayumi hesitated. Her fingers curled slightly before she forced them to move. I'm fine.
A simple answer. Too simple.
Kaito frowned. He wasn't sure what was bothering her, but he knew that look—the guarded expression that meant she was keeping something to herself.
After a pause, he tried again. If something's wrong, you can tell me.
Ayumi exhaled slowly, her hands hovering between signs. She didn't want to lie to him. But she didn't know how to explain the tightness in her chest, the way those careless words had shaken something deep inside her.
Instead, she signed something else. Something smaller.
I don't want to be a burden.
Kaito's brow furrowed. Who said you were?
Ayumi hesitated. Then, reluctantly, she spelled it out. Other students. They wonder why you spend time with me.
Kaito's expression darkened. He didn't ask who. He didn't need to. He had heard comments like that before—about other people, about different situations. But seeing how much it affected Ayumi made his frustration sharper, more personal.
She looked away, her fingers tightening around the strap of her bag. Maybe they have a point.
Kaito stepped in front of her, forcing her to meet his gaze. His hands moved with quiet conviction.
They don't.
Ayumi blinked.
I spend time with you because I want to. His hands moved slower this time, as if making sure each word sank in. Not because I feel bad. Not because of some obligation. Just… because I like talking to you.
Ayumi stared at him, her breath catching slightly. He wasn't signing anything complicated, and yet, the meaning settled deep inside her, somewhere fragile.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The air between them was still, charged with something unspoken.
Then, finally, Ayumi's fingers moved again. You're really stubborn, you know.
Kaito smiled. You too.
The tension in Ayumi's shoulders eased, just a little.
Maybe she wasn't ready to let go of her doubts completely. Maybe those careless words from earlier would still linger for a while. But for now, here—standing in front of Kaito, seeing the quiet sincerity in his expression—she chose to believe him.
And that was enough.
---
As they reached the train station, Ayumi's steps slowed slightly. Kaito noticed but didn't comment, waiting as she lifted her hands once more.
Tomorrow? she signed, the same way he had asked her the night before.
Kaito's smile was immediate. Tomorrow.
And this time, when they walked side by side, Ayumi didn't keep her distance.
The warmth returned, quiet but steady.
Because no matter what others said—no matter what doubts whispered in the back of her mind—there was one thing she was slowly starting to understand.
She wasn't alone in this.
Kaito had chosen to stand beside her.
And for the first time, she let herself believe that maybe, just maybe, he always would.
---
To Be Continue