The gentle breeze from the river softly brushed their faces, carrying a slight chill. Nishimiya Shoko's long hair fluttered in the wind, but the light seemed to have left her eyes. She stood rooted in place like a wooden doll, staring blankly at the two people on the bridge.
Nishimiya Yuzuru's eyes darted with panic. Even the sudden appearance of the barking Akita dog hadn't made her as nervous as this confrontation. The usually straightforward Yuzuru was stammering, "Nee-chan, I... I..."
Nishimiya Shoko quietly looked at her sister and softly said, "Yuzuru, you're acting very strange today."
"No, I'm not! You're the strange one lately, Nee-chan," Nishimiya Yuzuru mumbled, lowering her head.
Hiratsuka Ryosuke stepped forward and continued Yuzuru's line of thought. "Shoko, Yuzuru was worried about you, that's why she asked me to come with her to check on you."
Nishimiya Shoko blinked in confusion upon hearing Ryosuke's words. "Eh? Worried about me?" She tilted her head, trying to recall if anything particularly difficult had happened recently.
Ryosuke went straight to the core of the matter, pressing on, "Shoko, what were you doing by the river just now? I saw you talking to yourself, to the air."
Nishimiya Yuzuru, remembering their initial objective, walked over and picked up the empty lunch box. She put the lid back on and continued to address Shoko, "The box is clean. What were you doing just now, Nee-chan? And you've been going out every afternoon recently when you used to stay home during the holidays."
The light returned to Nishimiya Shoko's eyes, which now showed even greater panic than Yuzuru's. Her thoughts instantly tangled into a chaotic mess. She took a small step backward, her gaze darting everywhere. Instinctively, she spoke in a stammering, blushing voice while making random hand signs.
"That... that is..."
Only now did she fully realize that Ryosuke and Yuzuru had witnessed her entire private practice session. How was she supposed to explain this? Ugh, how embarrassing! Was she supposed to admit she was training for a mutual feeding session with Ryosuke? It was something she'd only dreamed of and wasn't at all ready for in reality.
"Woof! Woof! Woof!"
The same Akita dog that Ryosuke had chased away came bounding back, wagging its tail at Shoko. Nishimiya Shoko looked like she had spotted her savior, her eyes lighting up instantly. She crouched down and sweetly called out, "Komugi!"
"Woof!"
Hearing Shoko call its name, the female Akita, named Komugi, continuously circled Shoko.
The other two watched in astonishment. They exchanged a puzzled look, their eyes full of questions. Yuzuru rubbed her nose, then walked over to Shoko. "Nee-chan, whose dog is this? I've never seen it before."
Nishimiya Shoko crouched on the ground, stroking the dog's head as she replied, "This is the tailor Granny's dog."
A look of reminiscence crossed her face, and she continued, "Last winter, I saw an old woman fall and helped her up, and she taught me many things." Shoko secretly glanced at Ryosuke and whispered, "That scarf was also taught to me by the Granny."
Ryosuke suddenly understood. No wonder Shoko gave him the scarf at the graduation ceremony in March instead of in the dead of winter, when a scarf was actually needed.
"Yuzuru said you go out every afternoon. Is it always here?" Ryosuke asked, not forgetting their main goal.
Nishimiya Shoko stood up from the ground, gesturing with sign language as she spoke. She pulled a few wrinkled banknotes from her pocket and explained, "No, not always. Sometimes the Granny has trouble moving, and she gives me money, and then I go help buy things for her at the supermarket."
She secretly added a thought in her heart: And I'm learning to knit gloves at the Granny's place. Even though gloves are small, they are much harder to knit than a scarf.
Nishimiya Shoko's goal was to knit a pair of gloves for every family member this winter. And Ryosuke... When he wears the gloves I knit for him in the cold winter, he'll think of me, right?That way, it'll be like I'm always being held safely in Ryosuke's hand, hehe.
Eventually, the scarf, the gloves, and even a sweater... little by little, my presence will silently fill his entire life. This was Nishimiya Shoko's future goal.
Yuzuru's brows furrowed, and she said with lingering unease, "Eh? That scary-looking Granny?"
"Yuzuru, the Granny is a good person. Don't judge a book by its cover!" Nishimiya Shoko adopted her big sister's air of authority and began to lecture her sister.
But she quickly softened, realizing Ryosuke was watching her. Unable to withstand his gaze, Shoko offered the other reason she frequently left home during the holiday. "Actually, I've been practicing cooking at the Granny's house this holiday. I really want to cook a meal for Mom and Grandma to show Mom that I've grown up and can take care of myself."
Due to her physical condition, the person in the Nishimiya house who needed the most care was Shoko, not the youngest, Yuzuru.
Nishimiya Yuzuru's eyes clouded over at the mention of their family reality.
Ryosuke understood Shoko's intentions. He had actually discussed the Nishimiya family's situation with Shizuka-nee earlier in the year. If he offered financial aid directly, Nishimiya Yaeko's temper meant she would absolutely refuse. Ryosuke had privately tried to find her other work so she could spend more time with Shoko and the family, but she always refused, citing the distance.
Later, perhaps because her daughter had become capable of leading a more normal life, Nishimiya Yaeko's work performance improved significantly. She was promoted to a supervisor at the department store where she worked, and the family's financial situation improved considerably. However, likely due to her sense of responsibility, the promotion meant her time was even more restricted; she had heavier duties and still had to rush home to cook for her daughter and mother.
It was precisely because of this that Shoko hoped to lighten her mother's burden.
Ryosuke didn't press Shoko further about her odd actions by the river. He simply smiled faintly and asked softly, "Are you still going to the tailor Granny's house today?"
Nishimiya Shoko nodded. She also needed to buy a few things at the supermarket afterward.
"Then count me in. I'll go with you, and then how about I join you when you go home to cook?" Ryosuke asked, smiling.
Ryosuke is coming to my house? Shoko felt like she had won the lottery, her head spinning with joy. Before she could reply, Yuzuru next to her happily jumped up and down. She grabbed her sister's arm, her eyes curved in a smile, and said impatiently, "Great! Nee-chan, let's go!"
The Nishimiya sisters walked ahead hand-in-hand, with the Akita dog following behind. Ryosuke watched Shoko's back, his heart feeling calm as he recalled the girl's past. Despite her physical disability and multiple instances of school bullying, the darkness had not erased her kindness. Kind people don't ask for much from life; if it's within her power, she will always offer help to a stranger.
Finally, Ryosuke smiled serenely and quickened his pace to catch up.
A holy angel? Shinka's nickname for her was, sometimes, surprisingly apt.