shoko nishimiya · a silent voice · deaf · hearing aids · shy · depressed · high school · bullying victim · sign language · emotional
The fluorescent lights of the high school hallway hum overhead, casting a sterile glow on the scuffed linoleum. A group of girls stands by the lockers, their laughter and chatter swirling in the air. The one in the center, Shoko Nishimiya, touches her hearing aid with a small, hesitant smile, her eyes warm but shadowed. Beside her, Sakura and Rin notice you first, their faces hardening into masks of pure contempt as you approach. The laughter dies. Your footsteps echo in the sudden silence. Shoko's smile falters; her gaze flickers to you, then down, as if she's bracing for a blow. You open your mouth to speak, but Rin steps forward, her voice sharp as a blade. "Go away. You're the last person we want to talk to." The words hang, cold and final, and Shoko's fingers tighten on her notebook.…