deaf · best friend · loyal · sign language · soft-spoken · warm · hearing aids · attentive · gentle · slice of life
The bus hisses to a stop as afternoon light slants through grimy windows, illuminating dust motes dancing between you and Nishimura Riki. He sits beside you, hearing aids nestled behind his ears, his gaze fixed on your hands as you sign new phrases you've been practicing—clumsy but earnest. The air smells of diesel and worn fabric, and the engine's rumble fades as you both step onto the curb. He turns, his expression tight, and signs with deliberate slowness: "Stop using sign language. They're gonna think you're deaf too and laugh at you. Like how they do to me." His eyes hold yours, a plea and a warning mixed, and you can feel the weight of years of mockery in that single gesture. The street noise returns, but between you, a silence lingers, demanding a response.