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"I don't know," Yuto Itsuka answered honestly.
Kato Megumi nodded and didn't ask any further questions.
Eriri bit her lip, turned her head away, and stopped talking.
The bus traveled smoothly on the highway, the scenery outside the window rushed past, and the three people in the carriage were each preoccupied with their own thoughts.
Back at Shinjuku Station, the three parted ways.
Eriri didn't say another word to Yuto Itsuka the entire time, and left without looking back after getting off the bus.
Yuto Itsuka sighed as he watched her departing figure.
“Itsuka-kun,” Kato Megumi said softly, standing beside him, “Eri-ri actually cares about you a lot.”
He nodded. "Of course I know, but her bad temper can be really unbearable sometimes."
“That’s what being a tsundere is like,” Kato Megumi analyzed.
You know a lot, Kato.
"However, this situation may be a bit special, after all, a strong competitor has emerged."
“A competitor…” Itsuka Yuto shook his head. “You’re overthinking it, Kato-kun.”
"Is that so?" Kato Megumi tilted her head and gave a meaningful smile. "I think that, Itsuka-kun, you might care about Nishimiya-kun more than you think."
"Alright, I'm going back now. Remember to bring a gift when you go to Nishimiya's house tomorrow!" Kato Megumi waved and turned to leave.
“A gift…” Yuto Itsuka slapped his forehead.
Yes, it's my first visit tomorrow, it would be too impolite to go empty-handed.
He turned and walked toward the supermarket next to the station.
What should I buy? Shoko likes sweets, and as for Yuzuru... he really didn't know, and he didn't know either about Aunt Yaeko.
Let's just buy some common items.
In the end, he chose a beautifully packaged box of fruit tarts and a box of premium wagashi (Japanese sweets).
……
Back home, Itsuka Yuto collapsed onto the bed.
He opened his phone and saw several unread messages on Line.
"Random girl: I'm home."
"Nishimiya Shoko: Yuto-kun, are you home yet? Thank you for today, and I had a great time on the Ferris wheel!" followed by a cute cat emoji.
Shoko's LINE account used her full name, which gave him a strange sense of déjà vu.
"Who's more handsome than me: I just got home, don't be shy."
Then I also sent a message to Kato.
Then I opened Eriri's chat box, and sure enough, she hadn't sent a single message. She seemed quite angry.
He's probably hitting her pillow right now.
"Nishimiya Shoko: Mom said you're welcome to come to my house tomorrow (?o?o)??" (A hand-drawn map showing the location of her house was attached)
"Who's more handsome than me? Okay, I'll be there on time around 10 a.m. tomorrow."
"Nishimiya Shoko: Looking forward to it! (。?ω?。)ノ?
Yuto Itsuka looked at Shoko's adorable expression, shook his head and chuckled, then put down his phone, closed his eyes, and lay down on the bed.
I'm going to the Nishimiya family tomorrow. I really miss it.
Even though only half a month has passed since the first simulation, it feels like a long time has gone by.
I just don't know what the differences are between reality and simulation.
And those people...
Shoya Ishida.
Ueno Hirohime.
He could easily imagine the treatment that Glass might suffer in reality without his protection.
"call--"
Whether it's the real world or a simulated world.
No matter what, as long as he's there, no one can hurt Shoko before he falls.
……
Volume 1: Chapter 84: The Nishimiya Family's Meal (Bonus Chapter 7/5)
Before setting off on Sunday morning, Yuto Itsuka received a LINE message.
"Eriri: (A photo: Sayuri Sawamura wearing a face mask, making a V-sign at the camera)"
"Eriri: Mom said she's going to a spa today, and she'll be there on time for the tripartite meeting tomorrow. She said she'll dress like an 'educational mom' so you can rest assured."
When Yuto Itsuka saw the photo, he couldn't help but laugh. Aunt Sayuri is really kind-hearted.
"Who's more handsome than me? Please thank Aunt Lily for me."
"Eriri: Humph!"
"Eriri: Are you really going to Nishimiya's house later?"
"Who's more handsome than me? Hmm, it's a date."
"Eriri: ...Whatever, don't blame me for not reminding you what the consequences of two-timing are."
"Who's more handsome than me? ...What two boats? This is just a visit between ordinary friends."
Eriri: Whatever you say!
"Who's more handsome than me? You'd better get up and finish your manuscript, Miss."
"Eriri: Mind your own business! (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻"
Yuto Itsuka chuckled and shook his head.
……
Around ten o'clock in the morning.
He stood in front of a rather old-looking detached house, carrying a souvenir. He checked the map that Shoko had sent him and confirmed that this was the right place.
He took a deep breath and rang the doorbell.
"Ding-dong-"
Soon, footsteps could be heard coming from inside the door.
When the door opened, Nishimiya Shoko appeared behind it. She was wearing a beige short-sleeved shirt and skirt, with her long hair flowing down her shoulders. When she saw Yuto's arrival, her eyes lit up instantly, and a surprised smile bloomed on her face.
She quickly gestured in sign language: "You've come! Please come in!"
Yuto Itsuka smiled and replied, "Sorry to bother you."
He walked into the entryway and changed into the slippers that had been prepared for him.
"Mom, Mom! It's... It's here!" Shoko called out into the house in a somewhat indistinct voice.
Although her pronunciation wasn't perfect, she tried her best to express her feelings at that moment.
"They're here." A middle-aged woman's voice came from inside the house.
A moment later, Yaeko Nishimiya came out. She looked much like the one in the simulation world, appearing to be in her forties. Her hair was tied up on her back, and her face bore a resemblance to Shoko, but her eyes were sharper and her expression was more serious.
"Nice to meet you, Auntie. I'm Yuto Itsuka." Yuto Itsuka bowed and handed over the gift he was carrying. "It's just a small token of my appreciation."
Yaeko accepted the gift, her gaze lingering on Yuto's face for a few seconds.
"Hello, Itsuka-kun. I am Shoko's mother, Nishimiya Yaeko. Please come in and have a seat." Her tone was polite, but there was still a hint of distance in her words.
"Excuse me." Itsuka Yuto walked into the living room.
On the sofa in the living room sat a short-haired "boy" who was fiddling with a camera.
Hearing the voice, she looked up, revealing a face that resembled Shoko's, but with a more heroic air.
It was Nishimiya Yuzuru; Itsuka Yuto recognized him at a glance.
When she saw Itsuka Yuto, her brows furrowed noticeably, and her eyes became quite wary.
"And who is this...?" Itsuka Yuto asked, knowing the answer already.
“This is my younger sister, Nishimiya Yuzuru,” Shoko introduced in sign language.
"Hello." Itsuka Yuto nodded to Yuzuru.
Yuzuru didn't say anything, just gave him a cold look, and then continued fiddling with his camera, acting as if he didn't exist.
The atmosphere was a little awkward.
"Yuzuru, be polite," Yaeko said, her tone scolding her daughter, but her expression remained unchanged.
“It’s alright, Aunt Yaeko.” Yuto Itsuka smiled at Yuzuru and gestured in clear and standard sign language.
"Hello, Yuzuru, I'm Yuto Itsuka."
Yuzuru was stunned.
To make it easier for her to communicate with her sister, she naturally knew some sign language. She could tell that the boy's gestures were very standard, fluent, and natural, not at all like something he had just casually learned.
Yaeko also looked surprised. How could a boy with normal hearing be so proficient in sign language?
"You know sign language?" Yuzuru asked instinctively, his tone somewhat doubtful.
“Yes, I studied it for a while.” Itsuka Yuto nodded.
"Is that so?" Yuzuru's eyes sharpened. She hated people who approached her sister out of curiosity or sympathy.
She suddenly raised her hand and gestured rapidly, "What's your purpose in getting close to my sister? Don't think you can please us just because you know a little sign language. I've seen plenty of people like you."
She used gestures taught to her by her older sister, gestures that are only used among students in schools for the deaf. Her hand movements were very fast, and it was difficult for non-professionals to understand them.
Seeing this, Shoko quickly tugged at her sister's sleeve, signaling her to stop.
But Yuto Itsuka curled his lips into a smile. This level of difficulty was of course no challenge for him. His sign language B was achieved through his own hard work and diligence in simulations.
He responded in fluent and rapid sign language, “I meant no harm, I was just invited as a guest. It’s good that you want to protect your sister, but you’ve misplaced your hostility.”
Yuzuru was completely stunned.
The boy not only understood it, but he also handled it with ease; his composure even overshadowed her provocation.
"Itsuka-kun, please have a seat." Yaeko's tone softened noticeably. She could understand that an able-bodied person who was willing to spend so much effort learning sign language at least proved that he had the most basic respect for the hearing-impaired community.
After all, she herself, and Yuzuru, were the same; they learned sign language for Shoko.
The four of them sat down around the coffee table in the living room. Shoko seemed a little uneasy, worried that her mother and sister's attitude would make Yuto feel uncomfortable.
"Itsuka-kun, I heard from Shoko that you two met at the amusement park just yesterday?" Yaeko began her "interrogation".
"Yes, Aunt Yaeko."
"You've only known each other for a day and you're already visiting my home, these young people nowadays..." Yaeko paused, not continuing, but the implication was clear.
Yuto Itsuka can understand that as a single mother raising a daughter with hearing impairment, Yaeko must be constantly vigilant.
“Aunt Yaeko, I understand your concerns.” Yuto Itsuka decided to use the same words he had spoken yesterday, “There is a special connection between Shoko and me…”
He briefly recounted the story of "shared dreams" using both spoken language and sign language.
After hearing his story, Yuzuru looked as if he had heard something completely unbelievable. "You! Do you think you're in a movie? That's such a lame excuse!"
Yaeko remained silent, her expression complex.
Seeing this, Shoko quickly explained to her mother and sister in sign language, "What Yuto-kun said is true, that dream is very important to me!"
Looking into her daughter's determined eyes, Yaeko knew about the changes that had taken place in Shoko over the past two weeks.
If all these changes really are related to this boy in front of me...
“Itsuka-kun.” Yaeko’s expression finally softened. “Whether that dream was real or not, I can see that you have no ill intentions towards Shoko.”