A Silent Voice: My First Kiss Was with Nishimiya Shouko

By the time Akira and Shoko arrived at the park entrance, there were only a few time capsule toys left beneath the small shed. Shoko hurried up to the staff table and greeted the female worker from earlier that day.

"Um, onee-san, I'm sorry! I forgot to come back and buy one at noon."

The Staff Member blinked, then smiled in recognition. "Ah, I remember you. No worries at all," she said, waving it off. "But there are only a few left now. Do you still want one?" She gestured to the remaining capsule toys—most of them oddly shaped and not particularly cute.

"Let me take a look first..." Shouko peered at the capsules and admitted to herself that they were, well… pretty weird-looking.

"Take your time," the Staff Member said, returning to her chair with a sigh. "They probably won't sell anyway."

In the end, Shouko picked a purplish-red capsule shaped like a wild boar. It could be opened by twisting the head and tail. After paying 500 yen, she returned to Akira, who was waiting behind her.

"What do you think we should put in it?" Shouko asked excitedly as they walked back home.

Akira turned the capsule over in his hands and said, "It's pretty small… Better if everyone writes a letter and puts it inside."

"Great idea! Let's go home and have Yuzuru and the others write theirs too." Shouko nodded enthusiastically. She let go of Akira's hand and was just about to sprint ahead.

But Akira caught her arm mid-run. "Hey, slow down."

"Hehe... gotcha!" she grinned mischievously, clearly having planned the fake-out from the start.

"Haha... that's so ugly." Miyamura Shizuka couldn't hold back a laugh when she saw the capsule Akira brought home.

"It's not ugly! It's... unique!" Shouko did her best to defend her wild boar capsule, but it was a losing battle.

Akira ignored his mom's teasing. He placed the capsule on the coffee table and turned toward his dad, who was watching TV.

"Dad, do we have any spare envelopes?"

Daiki looked over, immediately understanding. "You want everyone to write letters to put inside?"

Akira nodded.

Daiki stood up and rummaged through the utility cabinet in the dining room. He returned with a small stack of envelopes and handed them over.

"Shouko, you go ahead and give some to Yuzuru and the others," Akira said, pulling out about ten sheets of white writing paper and handing them to her.

"Okay, okay!" Shouko took the sheets, said a quick goodbye to Shizuka, and hurried out the door.

Back inside, Akira returned to the living room and saw his mom already scribbling on her paper. "Mom, why are you writing already?"

"You gave Shouko paper for Yuzuru and the others, but what about your family here?" Shizuka didn't even glance up. "Even if you forgot me, I know Shouko wouldn't."

Akira rolled his eyes and walked over to his dad. "Here, Dad."

"Thanks. I'll write after your mom finishes."

"I'm home!" Shouko opened the front door with her left hand while carrying the paper in her right.

Yuzuru, who was lying on the floor with her head resting on Hachiko's belly, looked up. "Sister, what's that? Didn't you go to buy a time capsule?"

Shouko walked into the living room, took out two sheets, and handed them to Yuzuru. "White paper. For writing letters. After you finish, we'll put them in the capsule."

Kei and Yaeko, who were sitting by the coffee table, also took sheets from Shouko.

"Hachiko, this is yours." Yuzuru giggled and placed one on the tatami in front of the dog. She then turned to Shouko, puzzled. "What should I write? I don't know what to say."

Shouko handed them all pens from her schoolbag and explained, "Just write anything. There are no rules. It's for your future self to read ten years from now."

Kei and Yaeko glanced at each other and smiled quietly. Then they started writing.

Yaeko's letter was short and sweet—wishing good health, a peaceful family, and hoping Akira, Shouko, and Yuzuru would grow up happily.

Yuzuru's letter was more... creative. She asked herself a dozen random questions about life, school, and Hachiko. When she ran out of words, she started doodling all over the page.

As for Hachiko's "letter," Yuzuru held its front paws and made several cute paw prints on the paper. Then she added her own words beside them:

"Loves Yuzuru the most."

"The best dog in the world with Yuzuru."

"Will always always stay by Yuzuru's side."

Shouko? Her letter was a secret.

After about ten minutes, once everyone—including Grandma—had finished writing, Shouko carefully collected the papers without peeking. She put on her shoes and went back out.

"Perfect timing," Akira said as Shouko returned to the living room. He quickly pulled his paper away from her view. "I just finished mine."

"I wasn't going to peek!" Shouko huffed—though she did kinda want to.

"Let's seal everything up," Akira said quickly, changing the subject before she could pry. It worked, as always.

Shizuka's letter was, as expected, full of praise for herself:

"To the ever-beautiful me, may I grow younger with each passing day."

"I hope Akira, Shouko, and Yuzuru grow up happy and healthy."

"And may my stinky son finally trick the silly girl next door into marrying him."

Daiki's was short and simple:

"May our family be healthy. May the kids grow up safe."

Akira's letter?

What are you looking at? It's a secret!

Once all the letters were sealed and placed into the time capsule, a new issue came up—where to bury it.

Shouko suggested a few spots nearby, but Akira rejected them all. He worried they might get dug up by accident or be lost if construction happened nearby. Their small yards were too exposed.

"Don't worry about it," Shizuka said, standing up and patting Akira's head. "Just bury it at Grandma's place. We haven't visited in a while anyway."

"Sounds good," Akira nodded. The yard at Grandma's house wouldn't be touched for decades. No one would peek, and everyone could rest easy.

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POWER STONE!!!

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