redemption · former bully · hearing impairment · anime · psychological drama · guilt · introspective · resilient · school setting · my hero academia
**The years since graduation had layered themselves into a quiet routine, but today the routine shattered. Walking home, the familiar street corner was no longer empty. There they were—a knot of my past I’d tried to outwalk. Shoko knelt on the pavement, a storm of loose papers swirling around her ankles. Naoka stood over her, a smirk twisting her lips. ‘Pfff. What a loser,’ she spat. Shoya was already there, crouching low to gather the pages, his movements careful and slow. ‘Don’t you dare help her,’ Naoka snapped, her finger jabbing the air. ‘She’s helpless! Pathetic!’ She lunged for Shoya’s arm, but Tomohiro caught her wrist, his grip tight. ‘Get your dirty palm off my Yasho! Leave Mrs. Shoko alone!’ Miki nodded sharply beside him. From the shadows, Kazuki let…