The Sound of a Silent Life

"Tsuna, get up! We have to go to school today to check the class list."

Shouko stood by the bed, shaking the sleeping pig.

"Okay, okay, I'm awake, stop shaking me."

Tsuna hurriedly sat up and grabbed her hands to stop her. If she kept shaking him, he felt like his internal injuries would burst out. He muttered under his breath,

"Why did summer vacation pass so fast? Where did my time go!?"

Shouko looked at him, clearly about to fall asleep again, and shouted,

"Tsuna! What are you mumbling about? Snap out of it!"

He immediately gathered his scattered thoughts and turned to the digital alarm clock on the bedside table.

It was only 8:53.

"It's so early… Can't we go in the afternoon?" he grumbled.

"School starts tomorrow. Let's go early today so we can play all day after."

Shouko gently freed her hand from his grip and rubbed his face with a soft smile.

"Got it, got it. You go wait downstairs. I'll get changed."

He patted her hand away and rubbed his eyes, voice still lazy and half-asleep.

Shouko nodded and walked to the door, then looked back and chuckled,

"I don't think you need to change—your outfit's cute."

Then she dashed downstairs before he could yell at her.

Tsuna ignored her teasing and slowly took off the pink magical girl pajamas he was wearing.

He still remembered how his mom and Aunt Nishimiya had gone shopping during summer break and came back with three sets of magical girl pajamas in different colors.

He was furious.

Had his mother forgotten that her child was a boy?

But he ended up wearing them anyway. They couldn't be returned. Besides… they were really comfortable.

And they smelled nice.

---

"I'm going out." x2

"Be careful. Watch for cars when crossing the road."

The two played around along the way.

What would normally take five minutes took over ten—but neither minded.

As they walked through the school gates, sharp-eyed Shouko spotted a crowd at the teaching building, checking the class lists. She tapped Tsuna's shoulder and said,

"Tsuna, look. A lot of people are already checking the class list."

"Let's sit for a while and wait for the crowd to thin out. It's too packed right now."

Tsuna took her hand, which she had used to tap his shoulder, and led her toward a bench under the trees.

"Mm."

Shouko nodded, quietly pleased he didn't let go of her hand.

School hadn't officially started yet, so there were no teachers or staff around to notice.

---

"Naoka, Naoka! Look! We're both in Class B!"

Under the class list bulletin board, a girl with flaxen twin braids, golden eyes, and round glasses excitedly patted the shoulder of the black-haired girl beside her.

The girl with long, straight black hair quickly grabbed the hand hitting her.

"Miki, I'm not blind. I can see it."

"Hehe, sorry, I got too excited."

The braided girl chuckled, then pointed at the board again,

"Look, Shōya Ishida and his trio are in our class too."

Ueno Naoka—black-haired, black-eyed—glanced in the direction Miki pointed.

Sure enough, she saw Shōya Ishida, Hirose Keisuke, and Kazuki Shimada listed.

Her gaze lingered on Shōya's name.

"Wait!" Miki gasped, startling Naoka just as she turned away.

"What now?"

Miki was covering her mouth, eyes wide with excitement.

"Naoka, look again! We're in the same class as *Miyamura Tsunayoshi*!"

Naoka paused. That name sounded familiar. She had a vague impression but couldn't place it.

"It's that Miyamura Tsunayoshi! The one who always ranks first in the grade!" Miki added excitedly.

"I get it, I get it. Let's go. It's getting more and more crowded here."

Naoka pulled her friend out of the crowd, not in the mood to be trampled.

What's the big deal?

Just because he's first in the grade—what does that have to do with me?

Why is she so obsessed?

"Naoka, wait up!"

Miki struggled to follow, her eyes scanning for her friend. But Naoka was gone.

Miki's smile faded fast.

"Why are you just standing there, Miki? Come on."

Naoka's voice rang out again, and Miki spotted her at last.

She quickly ran over with a grin.

"I'm coming!"

---

"Tsuna, the crowd's thinned out. Let's go check now."

Shouko, who had been watching the list from afar, tugged his sleeve.

"Alright, let's go."

Tsuna yawned and stretched before standing, offering his hand to help her up.

The crowd was almost gone.

Shouko scanned the names on the Class A list one by one.

When she found her two friends' names, she smiled slightly.

"Miu and Chika are both in Class A… Looks like Chika's wish didn't come true."

Still, she felt a twinge of disappointment—they wouldn't be in the same class this year.

But at least they wouldn't be alone.

"We'll still go home together after school," Tsuna said, rubbing her head.

"You'll make new friends in your class too. Wasn't that your wish?"

Shouko blushed and gently swatted his hand.

"There are still people watching! You're so shameless, Tsuna…"

But even though her face was red, she felt better.

Then she spotted something.

"Tsuna, we're in Class B!"

She had just turned to the Class B list and immediately saw *Miyamura Tsunayoshi*. She even called out to him while he was looking at Class C.

Tsuna looked up and found her name too: **Nishimiya Shouko** — also in Class B.

"Let's go," he said with a small smile. No need to check any further.

"Yeah, there's nothing else to see. Only a few familiar names in B, and I noticed even the class monitors in A."

Shouko muttered softly as they exited the school gate.

As they walked, she held onto his hand and asked,

"Do you think our homeroom teacher will still be Teacher Minagawa?"

Tsuna shrugged.

"Who knows? We'll find out tomorrow. But today's our last day of summer vacation. Where do you want to go, Shouko?"

Who cared about the teacher? This was their final year anyway.

"Let's go find Shin-chan and the others and play **super-realistic house**! Let's bring Hachiko too!"

Shouko shook his hand joyfully.

"Eh!? That again…?"