A Silent Voice: My First Kiss Was with Nishimiya Shouko

Akira and Shouko spent about twenty minutes climbing the mossy stone steps leading up to the shrine nestled halfway up the mountain.

A tall vermillion torii gate loomed ahead of them, its daytime brilliance subdued by nightfall. Under the moonlight, its red frame stood like a solemn silhouette, casting long shadows across the gravel path. The gentle chirping of summer insects and the occasional rustle of leaves echoed softly from the forest around them.

Fortunately, the shrine staff had anticipated that a few visitors might still wander up during the fireworks festival, and had lit the old stone lanterns lining the approach. Their warm yellow glow flickered gently against patches of green moss, painting the narrow path in alternating shades of light and dark.

The atmosphere was quiet and dreamlike, and perhaps because of it, the distance between Akira and Shouko felt closer than usual.

"Are you two also here to watch the fireworks?"

"—!!"

A sudden voice broke the silence, making Akira flinch. Shouko, startled by his reaction, looked at him in confusion.

He turned toward the sound and sighed. "You shouldn't sneak up on people like that—it's creepy, y'know."

They were met with the sight of a young woman dressed in traditional shrine maiden attire—white haori top over a deep crimson hakama, tied neatly at the waist with a wide sash.

"Hehe… sorry, I saw someone climbing up and got curious," she said, her voice light and teasing. Despite the apology, her expression was anything but remorseful.

Akira narrowed his eyes. "You seem a little too proud of scaring me."

Shouko, curious, asked, "Are you the Miko of this shrine?"

The shrine maiden laughed, spreading her arms playfully and spinning once. "Don't I look like it? Outfit checks out, right?"

Akira nodded. "Yeah, but… isn't the shrine closed at night?"

"It usually is," the Miko said. "But since tonight's the big fireworks display, the shrine arranged for a few of us to stay up here in case visitors drop by. I volunteered."

"You volunteered to scare people in the dark, huh?"

She smirked. "Half right. Unfortunately, I'm not your homeroom teacher, so I can't reward you for your correct answer."

Akira sighed again, unconvinced.

As she stepped closer, the subtle clack of her geta sandals and the rustle of her hakama added to the charm of the moment. Akira glanced briefly at her feet, noticing the white tabi socks and the graceful sway of the pleated skirt.

"Oh? Checking out my feet? Kid, your girlfriend's right next to you. You trying to get yourself in trouble?" the Miko teased.

"I wasn't staring! I was trying to figure out where the two different sounds were coming from!"

She clucked her tongue. "Hmm… but you didn't deny the 'girlfriend' part."

Shouko, flustered, quickly waved her hands. "N-no! I'm not his girlfriend!"

Akira sighed. "I'm starting to understand why they left you up here tonight."

The Miko ignored his jab and instead leaned in slightly to peer at Shouko's hearing aid. "Ohhh… so that's why only one of you flinched."

"You did do that on purpose, didn't you?" Akira muttered.

"I didn't say I did," she replied coyly. "But you seem pretty observant. First feet, now my mouth. You're kind of a little pervert, aren't you?"

She poked his forehead with a finger before he could dodge. Akira grimaced. "Hey, hey—watch it!"

Shouko stepped in protectively. "Akira's not like that."

The shrine maiden smiled. "I'm just teasing. You two are cute."

Then, as if flipping a switch, her tone changed. "You didn't come up here hoping to buy one of our limited-edition omamori for the fireworks festival, did you?"

Akira crossed his arms. "Nope. Not interested."

He didn't particularly believe in charms and thought the mass-produced ones were all just for show.

"Ahh, shame," she sighed dramatically. "You're missing out."

Shouko, however, tilted her head. "There's a difference between this omamori and the usual kind?"

"Oh, yes!" the shrine maiden brightened instantly. "This one is only available tonight, just during the festival. And—" she paused for effect "—it was handmade by me, the shrine maiden herself!"

That caught Shouko's attention. "Can I see one?"

"Of course!" She pulled a small red omamori from a hidden pocket in her haori and handed it to Shouko proudly.

Akira leaned over to look—and nearly choked back a laugh. "This was handmade?"

The charm had two barely legible kanji for "peace," and the rest looked like abstract doodles. Whatever decorative symbols she'd intended to draw were too chaotic to interpret.

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POWER STONE!!!

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