After the group moved the luggage from the trunk of the car and put away the special products brought back from Osaka,
"I want a cell phone too!" Yuzuru said enviously while sitting on the sofa in the Miyamura family's living room, holding her sister's cell phone.
Before Shouko could say anything to refuse, Shizuka beside her spoke first:
"Little brat, what do you need a cell phone for? When you go to junior high school, Auntie will buy you one too."
Yuzuru nodded helplessly. After all, she was just a little envious. Even if she had one, none of her classmates owned cell phones, and she wouldn't be able to contact anyone.
As for contacting her sister and mother, she could see them when she got home, so there was no need.
"Is your mother at home?" Shizuka asked casually, remembering what Yaeko had asked her before.
Yuzuru shook her head. "She went to work. Grandma's home, though. What's wrong, Auntie?"
"Nothing, you kids have fun. I'm going to catch up on some sleep." Hearing this, Shizuka stood up from the sofa and walked out of the living room.
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Night fell, and the sky was filled with stars.
The streetlights were already on, but the starlight and moonlight remained undimmed.
"Nishimiya Suneo..."
As Shouko sat at the coffee table, she kept repeating the name, but finally shook her head.
"I think I have some impression of him..."
She figured that if his last name was Nishimiya, he might be a relative of her mother or grandmother. But seeing the worried looks on Aunt Miyamura's and Tsuna's faces, she felt the answer wasn't that simple.
"So who is this person?" Shouko asked, her curiosity growing.
"This—"
Tsuna was about to explain, but Shizuka stopped him with a hand. He turned to her in confusion, and she gave him a look that told him to let her speak.
Shizuka then spent five or six minutes carefully explaining the whole story to Shouko, including what Yaeko had mentioned on the phone.
"Oh..." Shouko nodded calmly after hearing everything.
She'd thought it was just some minor matter, and if Aunt Miyamura hadn't told her, she wouldn't have even remembered this person.
Ever since Yaeko's divorce, neither she nor Grandma Ito had ever mentioned this man to Shouko and Yuzuru.
When she first started kindergarten, she'd wondered if her hearing problems had contributed to her parents' divorce, and why her mother seemed so tired all the time.
But Tsuna had quickly noticed something was wrong, and with his constant comfort and companionship during that time, she gradually let go of her worries.
Now, when she thought of that person, her mind only went back to Tsuna during those times. Her heart itched, and her legs clamped together slightly.
Tsuna had been watching Shouko's face, consciously or unconsciously, the whole time. Until she nodded calmly, he hadn't been able to read her expression. Only then did he feel relief.
Shizuka kept looking at her with such concern that Shouko felt awkward. She quickly interrupted:
"Okay, Aunt Miyamura, I'm really fine. Besides, you keep looking at me with that expression, it makes me uncomfortable..."
Shizuka glanced at her son and saw him shake his head slightly. She chose not to press further, instead picking up the remote on the coffee table and turning on the TV.
"Mom, Shouko, and I will go upstairs first."
Seeing nothing more to discuss, Tsuna stood up from the tatami and, without waiting for Shizuka's reply, took Shouko upstairs with him.
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Shouko leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling. Suddenly, a profound thought struck her. She turned to look at the boy sitting on the bed, ignoring her, playing with his phone. She asked sullenly,
"Tsuna, do you think we'll be in the same junior high school?"
Tsuna shifted his gaze to her and soothed,
"Don't worry. I asked Mom and checked into this. There's a good chance we'll be assigned to the same school."
In Japan, every elementary school graduate is assigned to a junior high within their district based on home address. The government divides districts by geography and population to keep schools close to home and reduce commuting stress. (T\N: I don't know if this is true or not)
He had already looked up this information on Shizuka's phone, which reassured Shouko.
Seeing the worry still on her face, he added,
"If we can't be in the same school, I'll ask Dad for help."
Relieved, Shouko relaxed. Tsuna returned his gaze to his phone, still scrolling through information about Japanese light novels and anime.
"Are mobile phones really that fun?" Shouko burst out angrily when she saw him glued to the screen again.
He had been on that phone ever since they got to the room. She was frustrated—was staring at a phone really better than talking to her?
After seeing his half-hearted replies, Shouko couldn't take it anymore.
She stood from her chair, took a few steps back, and suddenly lunged—pushing him down on the bed.
Bracing herself with both hands on either side of him, she stared into his eyes. His phone slipped from his hands and hit the floor.
"Pa..."
Tsuna looked up at Shouko's furious expression, her hair brushing his cheek. His throat tightened, and he swallowed.
"What are you going to do...?"
"Play with me!"
"Ah!?"
"Bah! I mean—accompany me!"
"But I—"
"Um...?"
He looked at her narrowed eyes and quickly changed the subject,
"How about we go to the movies tomorrow? What do you think?"
Shouko let him go after hearing this, got up, and bent down to pick up his phone.
"Okay, what movie are we going to see tomorrow?"
Tsuna sat up and reached out for his phone, but she dodged him. Knowing she was still upset, he added,
"I heard there's a new Ultraman movie coming out. How about that?"
Though pleased he'd agreed to accompany her, Shouko hesitated. She knew Tsuna didn't care for Ultraman and would probably fall asleep halfway.
After a pause, she muttered,
"Anything else..."
Tsuna noticed her clutching the phone tightly and asked tentatively,
"How about you give me your phone so I can check it?"
(End of this chapter)
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