"Italicized" = Signed

"Regular" = Spoken

Italicized = Yō typing

= Someone else typing

----- = A spoken word Yō can't understand (or at least not lip read)

...

Yō's POV:

After I grabbed some food I made my way over to Chika and Ruby. They greeted me with happy smiles.

"Where have you been? I've been looking all over for you." Chika asked as she pouted.

I shrugged, "I was talking to someone."

"For two hours?" Chika asked in disbelief.

I glanced at the clock on the wall. It had really been two hours already? Wow. No wonder why Kanan was so insistent that Dia come out. I can see why people would start asking questions.

Speaking of them, I looked around the room to see where they were at. I spotted them around a lot of people. I guess everyone wants to see Dia. I wonder why.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned back around, "Sorry. I still can't believe how many people are here."

"Yeah. I was gonna leave after eating. My mom wants me home before midnight." Chika stated.

"Okay. I can go home whenever, but I'll leave with you." I replied.

"Okay!"

...

We spent a while talking, before Chika said she was ready to go. I quickly said I wanted to go to the bathroom first and left her. I made my way to the bathroom to find it locked. I waited outside for a few minutes until it opened.

"Oh, it was you." Dia stepped out.

"Yeah. Uh, I'm gonna be leaving. So, see you tomorrow?" I said.

"Yes. I guess we'll see each other tomorrow." Dia nodded and moved away.

As I was about to go in, she grabbed my arm. I turned to face her with a puzzled look.

"Sorry, uh, I was wondering if you would want to exchange numbers? It was nice to talk with you. I'd like to try and get to know you better." Dia quickly explained.

"Something tells me this has to do with me being deaf." I stated. I don't mind if that's the reason. So far everyone I've hung around that did so because I'm deaf is really nice. I have high hopes for the people who want to friend me.

"A little. It's nice to have someone to sign to again." Dia admitted.

I pulled out my phone and opened it to my contacts page. I handed it to her and waited. She typed her number in and then pulled out her phone to add mine.

"Word of advice. Put 'don't call' after my name." I said.

"Okay. Yeah, it would be stupid to call you, huh?" Dia handed me my phone back.

"And yet some people still try." I sighed, "I don't like the speech-to-text apps. They hardly get it right."

"Well, see you tomorrow." Dia walked away.

I went into the bathroom and used the toilet as quickly as I could. If someone knocked, I would never know. It brings me anxiety a lot.

I went back to Chika after I finished and we walked home. We didn't speak at all as we walked.

"Yō-chan? Do you wanna stay the night?" Chika asked as we reached her house.

I shook my head, "I can't. I need to go home."

"Alright. See you at school!" Chika waved goodbye before she went inside her house.

I started the walk to my house. I kept glancing around me to make sure no one was following me. As I walked past a park I saw someone sitting there in a circle of candles. I was intrigued and walked closer, hoping I wasn't making too much noise to alert her of my presence.

It didn't seem to work as she turned my way and started speaking. I couldn't read her lips in this dim light so I had no idea what she was saying to me. I didn't feel threatened by her, so I got closer.

"Hello?" I hesitantly called as I stood a few feet away from her.

She spoke again, but I still couldn't make out what she was saying. I got closer and was soon standing in front of her.

"I'm deaf. I have no idea what you just said to me." I stated.

The girl's eyes widened in surprise. She looked around and grabbed something off the ground. It was a phone. She turned it on and started to type on it.

I blinked in confusion. She was performing a ritual? She's weird.

My name is Yō. I was passing by and couldn't help but notice your candles. Sorry if I interrupted you.

I was a bit scared of the girl now. What if she was armed and crazy? Would she attack me?

I frantically shook my head. I don't trust this girl and her rituals. The girl frowned.

I quickly nodded and left, running away as fast as I could. I do not like that girl at all. She seems dangerous if you get on her bad side.

I quickly got to my house and went inside. I walked up the steps to my room and changed into my sleepwear. I set my alarm and then crawled into bed. I hope tomorrow goes okay. It's been a rough day. I need a break.

...

The next morning came too soon for me. I groaned as I got up and turned off my alarm. I got out of the bed and took a quick shower. Afterwards, I made some toast to eat. My mom went to answer the door.

I finished eating and cleaned up. I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned around. Chika was standing behind me with a smile on her face.

"Good morning." She told me.

"Morning. Why are you here?" I asked her.

"I'll tell you on the walk to school." Chika stated as she drug me to the front door.

I put my shoes on and grabbed my bag. In seconds I was dragged out the door and down the street. How on earth does she have so much energy?

"So, answer my question?" I asked.

"Well, I found enough people to join the club. You said I needed at least two people to join before you considered. I found two. Will you join us now?" Chika went off for a while about it.

"I'll give you my answer at the end of the day." I stated.

"Okay!" Chika smiled as she grabbed my hand.

We walked to school holding hands. I was embarrassed by it, but didn't want to say anything. Chika seemed to be enjoying it. The stares we got weren't nice, but I tried to ignore them. Chika didn't even seem to notice them at all.

Chika stopped walking and turned around. I followed her to see what it was. Riko was standing beside Chika. She waved at me. I waved back. Then Chika went into her rant about finding people to join her idol club.

Riko sighed as she signed to me, "She really wants us to join, doesn't she?"

"Yeah. I might just to make her happy." I replied.

"Hey! Don't leave me out!" Chika whined as she shoved her face in front of mine.

"Sorry." I apologized.

We continued our walk to school. Chika talked happily about the two girls she got to join. I'm pretty sure she was talking about Ruby for one of them. Names are impossible to lip read no matter how hard I try.

"Could you spell their names?" I asked quietly.

"R-U-B-Y and H-A-N-A-M-A-R-U." Chika spelt out for me.

"You convinced Ruby to join you?" I asked in disbelief.

Chika nodded happily, "Yeah. Though --- gave me a hard time when I asked ---- in front of her."

"Why? Does she not approve?" I asked.

Chika shrugged, "She wouldn't say."

...

The day at school was uninteresting. Nothing happened at all. I was glad. I just needed the day to wind down. When the final bell rang for the day (I knew it from the clock and students moving around) Chika came up to my desk.

"So, what's you answer? Will you join?" Chika asked.

"I guess I can join. As support. I am not dancing or singing with you guys." I stated.

"I know, Yō-chan. Thank you so much!" Chika smiled happily and then pulled Riko over to us and asked her the same thing.

"I guess... I'm not too sure I'm cut out for it, but I'll try." Riko said.

Chika started dancing around happily. Riko and I shared some looks.

"Well, I guess she's happy now." I signed to her.

"Yeah. I guess it can't be that bad, can it?" Riko replied.

...

Everything was going so well today. Until I got home. My mom was waiting for me by the door and told me to sit in the living room.

I did as she asked and waited in anticipation. I had no idea what she was going to tell me.

"Sweetheart, I have some bad news. Your father died. He got very ill while sailing and the doctor on board couldn't help him. They were too far away to get him the medication he needed and he passed away. They buried him at sea as he had always wanted." Mom told me with a sorrowful expression on her face.

I started crying. Mom pulled me into a tight hug and let me cry. I felt her crying as well.

Why? Why did this have to happen? Everything was finally looking up and now it's all crashing down again...

Mom pulled away and tapped on my shoulder. I looked up at her with teary eyes.

"We have to move. I found a better paying job, but it's in America. We'll be leaving in two days. I'm sorry, Yō. I know how happy you were here, but I can't support us in this town." Mom told me.

"No! I'll get a job! I'll help out! Please. Please don't do this! I finally made hearing friends. Don't take that away!" I signed back desperately.

Mom shook her head sadly, "It's already decided. We'll be leaving in two days. I bought you a few DVDS so you can learn ASL. You'll be going to a hearing school there, but you'll have an interpreter to help you out."

I ran off to my room and slammed the door shut. I crashed onto my bed and started crying again. Everything was getting taken away from me.

I felt my bed vibrate and looked to see my phone was flashing with a notification. I opened it up and looked to see what is was.

She knows. Great. I have to face the truth.

Yō: My dad died. My mom found a better job in a foreign country and were leaving for it in two days.

Yō: Yeah

I closed my phone and stared up at the ceiling. Tomorrow I'd have to tell Chika. Or, I could just leave without a word. What would be better?

Would I ever come back? I don't know. If I wasn't ever coming back I'd leave her without a word. That way she'd move on easier and just hate me. But if I ever plan on returning, I should tell her. Oh, what do I do?