In an instant, Shouko understood why Akira asked her to walk in front.
Seeing that Akira had already walked ahead, she lowered her head and hurried after him, all the way to his door.
Akira did not open the door, but he opened his arms to her.
Shouko blushed and used sign language, letting him know that he had lied to her again.
Seeing her adorable expression, Akira stepped forward and held her gently in his arms.
("You're so cute when you're shy,") he used signed with his other hand.
Shouko lowered her head, feeling flustered.
Akira held her with one hand and lifted her chin with the other so that she looked directly at him.
Their eyes met, and she couldn't help but look away.
Akira slowly leaned closer. Shouko slowly closed her eyes already knowing what he was going to do.
Without hesitation, he kissed her—this time, she responded back.
Though clumsy at first, it was clear that she was trying her best.
Akira's hands, as usual, misbehaved a little.
Shouko pushed him gently, as she felt his hand. He looked at her shy face, but his hands didn't move away.
Slowly, she lowered her hand, feeling as if she had done something wrong.
"Shouko, you already like me," Akira whispered slowing in her ear (where her hearing device is), before removing his hand.
Shouko looked at him blankly, but didn't deny it.
He opened the door and gestured for her to enter. She quickly stepped inside, changed into slippers, and looked at him.
Akira chuckle as he took her hand and led her to the sofa in the living room, asking her to sit down.
She obeyed quietly, as she sat down in the sofa getting comfortable.
While, Akira went to the room to fetch his laptop and placed it on the coffee table. After sitting down, he moved back slightly, leaving some space between them.
Shouko noticed this but didn't say anything.
Akira patted the empty space in front of him, as if saying her to seat her.
She shook her head shyly.
Seeing this, Akira simply hugged her, his hand around her waist.
Shouko felt herself being held, lowered her head too embarrassed to look up.
He adjusted her position, placing her on his lap, she resisted at first but he held her firmly, after sometime Shouko stop resisting as all she could do was to lean on him getting comfortably, as Akira pick a movie and started it.
Shouko was shy at first as Akira didn't remove his hand from her waist, but she gradually forgot about it, too absorbed in the film.
Even though she couldn't hear the sound, she was able to follow the plot through the subtitles and the actors' expressions.
The movies Akira chose were all highly rated, and child-friendly films, surprisingly. Shouko's attention showed how pure her heart was, almost like a child's.
When the movie ended, she was clearly moved, even forgetting that she was on Akira's lap.
Akira closed the platform, before opening the text (Ms word, or notepad) as he begin typing with one hand, his other hand held her by the waist, firmly.
"..Go to my room and change into your pajamas. I'll take a shower," The text he typed before closing the laptop.
Shouko's face turned red as she red the text. She unconsciously glanced toward Akira's bedroom before her eyes turned towards the small bedrooms beside his.
"...That's Yui and Yukino's room. You have to share a room with me. Okay?" Akira saw her hesitation, as he said.
Shouko used sign language shyly asking if he is going to do anything naughty.
"...Don't worry. I will just be holding you whike we sleep. I promise I won't do anything to you," Akira said, patting her head.
Shouko believed him as she stood up from his lap, Akira too stood up while feeling the warmth dissapearing from his lap and went to his room with Shouko following behind and took his pajamas, before walking into the bathroom.
While, Shouko sat on the edge of the bed nervously already changed into her pajamas, before noticing a manga book beside the pillow. Curiously, she picked it up.
In the next moment, her face turned bright red, she quickly returned it to its place, shaking her head to forgot what she just read.
Shouko looked at the bedroom door, feeling nervous, shy, and somewhat...expectant?
Half an hour later, Akira returned—changed into his pajamas, approached her and whisper, his face warm from the bath, "Don't daze off. It's time to rest."
Shouko snapped out of her thoughts and crawled into bed. Akira noticed her hiding under the quilt, didn't say anything.
He got into bed from the other side, found her curled up, and hugged her gently.
Her body stiffened, as she felt his arm.
"Don't worry. I won't do anything to you...for now. When you tell me you love me yourself, I'll take our relationship to the next level," Akira whispered.
Shouko turned to look at him, preparing to respond in sign language.
"Speak. I want to hear you say it," he encouraged, holding her small hand, his voice soft but loud enough for her to get what he want to say.
"..I doz't kzow...ir I lofe yow ol zot," she said, struggling. Her eyes getting moist but she still completed what she want to say.
Though her words were not clear, Akira understood completely.
"...You didn't reject my kiss, neither tired to really resist my hand. That atleast shows that you don't hate me. For now just tell me you like me," he chuckled, as he said gently firmly holding her hands as if to encourage her.
"I lile...lile yow..," she whispered softly.
"...Listen..carefully..to..what..I'm..about..to..say.Your..ears..can..be..operated..on..you..will..able..to..hear..things..clearly..but..the..success..rate..is..only..ten..percent....If..it..fails, you..may..never..hear..again," he said seriously, slowly—this time saying each words at one time so that she can hear and understand every words clearly.
Shouko's mouth opened her mouth before closing it again, pressing her lips tightly.
"...I..want..you..to..undergo..this..operation..because..I..believe..it..would..worked. Do..you ..believe..me?" Akira asked slowly, saying each word at one time, looking into her eyes seriously.
She nodded subconsciously.
"I'll...accompany..you..for..the..operation..before..the..end..of..summer..vacation. And..If..it..fails, I'll..take..care..of..you..for..life. If..it..succeeds, we'll..go..meet..your..family, and..you'll..stay..by..my..side..forever." He held her hand tightly.
"I… I....Vileibi...yow," Shouko stammered.
"I want you to hear the voices of this world, so your world will no longer be silent," Akira said, slowly but didn't pause, pressing his forehead to hers.
"Thazk yow… thazk yow," Shouko murmured, resting her head in his arms.
"Shouko, sooner or later, I'll make you tell me you love me," Akira said, hugging her tightly.
"I...lile iz," she whispered, extending her small hand to hold him, falling asleep.
Akira looked at her sleeping face, before reaching out his hand and removing the hearing device from her ear, and keeping it beside them.
Before kissing her forehead.
And falling asleep.
{T/N: Akira pause in the earlier sentence, pausing for two second (..) Between each words. She might not understand every words but she would be able the understand it more clearly, i think... I tired to write it in a way they would interact but i might have failed to convey or i might have pass? I don't know if you all don't like it then just ignore it thinking it was a mistake}
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Monday—Morning.
Akira woke early to find Shouko looking at him.
He was surprised that she was able to wake up even behore him, before he smile.
("You didn't kiss me secretly? Am I not handsome enough?") he teased, before lifting her chin.
Shouko froze for a moment but didn't pulled back.
Akira lowered his head and kissed her directly, his other hand pulling her closer.
The kiss lasted for several minutes. When he pulled his head back, Shouko's face was flushed.
("Next time, remember to kiss me secretly. Understand?")
Shouko nodded shyly.
Akira released her and sat up to change clothes, as he passed her the hearing device.
Shouko remained in bed, as she paced the hearing on her ears.
Using sign language, Akira offered to help her change for free. Shouko blushed and shook her head violently.
He continued signing that he wanted to watch her change. Shouko froze, then after a few seconds, began changing her clothes slowly inside the quilt.
Akira chuckle as he picked up the pajamas that had fallen from the quilt and tossed her the school uniform from the bag.
Shouko quickly put it on inside the quilt before getting out of bed.
("I thought you'd take my offer, but you're smarter than I expected,") Akira sighed with faked disappointed, as he signed back.
Shouko signed that she would feel shy if he looked at her, even through the quilt.
("I like your shy look. So when we travel during summer vacation, I'll be sure to watch over you carefully. By then, there will be no quilt~,") he signed with a smile.
Shouko's face turned red, and she lowered her head, continuing to sign.
("Not going? Do you think you can decide? If you don't, I'll carry you from home to the car in front of everyone, if I have to,") Akira signed back, before picking up the shy Shouko.
...
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Bonus Chapter:-
4 Bonus chapter at 100 powerstone
6 Bonus Chapter at 150 powerstone
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Word Count — 1,647