The Sound of a Silent Life

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"Something feels really suspicious." Tsuna crossed his arms on the desk, glanced up, and the light reflected off the round glasses on his face. He looked at Shouko with a serious expression and said calmly.

Shouko ignored his suspicious tone, sat in her seat, and asked curiously in a low voice, "Where did you get those glasses from?" She was certain he'd never bought a pair like those, and they looked oddly familiar.

Tsuna raised his left hand and gently pushed the glasses up the bridge of his nose with his middle finger. Just as he was about to speak, a dry voice interrupted him.

"Hey, Miyamura, can you give those back now? You've worn them long enough. I still need them to watch Teacher Minagawa's lecture."

Tsuna quickly removed the glasses and handed them to the class monitor, who had turned around from the seat in front. "Thanks. Listening in class is more important," he said sincerely, though inwardly he thought: My first cosplay failed… defeated by the props.

"Shouko, look. I got another love letter out of nowhere." Tsuna quietly pulled the envelope from the hole in his desk and handed it to her.

"Really? Tsuna, you're so popular."

But her tone seemed a little guilty, a bit too casual. She didn't react like she had the day before. Tsuna frowned slightly. "Are you feeling okay? You seem a little off."

Just as he was about to ask more, a stern voice cut him off.

"Miyamura! Don't disrupt the class!" came Teacher Minagawa's warning from the podium.

"Okay!"

Once the teacher resumed the lesson, Tsuna slowly took out the letter. He lowered his head, opened the envelope, and unfolded the paper to examine it. But while he was looking down, he couldn't shake the feeling that someone was staring at him, intentionally or not. Yet when he looked up, nothing seemed out of place.

After reading the letter carefully, he immediately thought it was a prank... because it was a 'complete' copy of the previous one. The key point: the handwriting was very familiar.

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"Dong... dong... dong...!"

Teacher Minagawa closed her textbook and walked out of the classroom briskly. "Class dismissed. Be careful on your way home."

"What about that love letter you mentioned earlier, Tsuna?" After the four of them split at the usual intersection, Shouko asked curiously.

"Should I read it aloud to you?" Tsuna took the magenta envelope from his pocket and waved it at her.

"Is that okay...?" Shouko asked shyly.

Tsuna had been watching her expression carefully and smiled faintly. "I think it's just another prank." He thought to himself, Shouko, you're not being honest. I can smell the lie.

He opened the envelope and began to read the love letter in a low, serious tone. Once he finished, he turned to Shouko and offered his commentary:

"See? It's a prank. Same exact format as yesterday's. But I'll give her credit, she's improved a lot. Better color choice. This magenta looks way nicer. And yesterday there were one or two typos; this time it's perfect. She put in real effort."

"Hehehe..." Shouko couldn't help but laugh happily.

Look at that, she thought. Tsuna's even more serious than yesterday. And he actually complimented my color choice. He thinks today's version is better than yesterday's and believes he's figured out the culprit.

As for whether she was worried he might suspect her? Sorry, I don't have that kind of processing power. I only heard him praise me.

"Shouko, what are you laughing at?"

Shouko quickly tossed the idea from her mind and shook her head. "Nothing, nothing. Let's hurry home. Don't make Auntie worry." She grabbed his hand and rushed ahead.

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Night – 22:45

"Mom, Dad, I'm going to sleep." Tsuna yawned from the tatami mat in the living room and turned to the two adults on the sofa.

"Okay. Don't forget to cover yourself with a blanket tonight," Shizuka reminded, eyes still on the TV drama.

"And go to the toilet before bed — don't wet yourself," joked Daisuke.

Tsuna returned to his room on the second floor, took the love letter from his bedside table, and carefully placed it into the drawer. He planned to take it out again one day, maybe on their wedding day, just to tease her.

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"Pa! Pa! Pa!" The sound of Teacher Minagawa's hand slapping the podium echoed through the classroom. Though the bell had rung, she hadn't finished speaking. She waited for the students to settle down before continuing.

"Quiet! Just a few more minutes. I have something to announce before dismissal."

She scanned the room and said plainly: "You'll have a holiday after the final exams tomorrow and the next day. But once you're promoted to sixth grade, you'll all be reassigned to new classes."

"Oh no!"

"Seriously!?"

"We're going to be split up in sixth grade!?"

Teacher Minagawa ignored the outburst. She had taught fifth grade many times, and these were the exact same complaints she heard at the end of every term.

"Pa! Pa! Pa!" She struck the podium again, then added coolly, "Class reassignment happens for every student moving into sixth grade. No debate. Now go home." With that, she swiftly exited the classroom. There was a hint of sadness, but not much.

After watching her leave, Shouko turned to Tsuna with concern. "Tsuna, will we be in different classes?"

"Don't worry. It's been so long, I bet the principal's forgotten. I'll talk to my dad when I get home." Tsuna smiled and patted her head gently.

"Mm." Shouko nodded. She didn't mention anything unreasonable, like requesting to transfer all her friends into the same class. That would be asking too much.

"I might get separated from Shouko and Chika. My heart can't take it!" Miu approached their desks, clutching her chest dramatically with her small backpack on.

Tsunayoshi: What about me, huh?

"It's okay, Miu. We can still walk home together and stay in touch after school," Shouko replied kindly.

Chika came up behind them and sighed with relief. "Finally, I can get away from Miu." The two had grown up together, so class changes didn't affect them much.

"Come on, let's go home and start reviewing." One student nearby offered sensibly.

Miu turned at the voice and asked suddenly, "Hey, Shouko, what will you do if you and Tsuna end up in different classes?"

Chika nodded. "Yeah. You two have been joined at the hip since first grade."

Tsuna waved and reassured them. "It's fine. I'll find a way to stay in the same class as Shouko."

"Then, then, Tsuna! Can you find a way for us to be in the same class too?" Miu asked excitedly, stepping forward in curiosity.

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