Anime Crossover : Living in the Heart of Tokyo

In the office, Takeuchi sat in his chair, facing Hojou Kyosuke, Ishida Shoya, and Nishimiya Shoko.

Earlier, there had been more people in the room, including Yamauchi Sakura and Ueno Naoka, but after Takeuchi had gathered the details of what happened, he sent them back to the classroom.

No one spoke, as they were waiting for the parents to arrive.

This incident involved physical altercation, so Takeuchi had already called all three students' parents.

The first to arrive was Hojou Kyosuke's mother, Hojou Mikiko.

Among the three parents, she was the only full-time homemaker, so she came immediately after receiving the call.

"Kyosuke! Are you okay?" Hojou Mikiko rushed into the office and immediately hugged her son, scrutinizing him from head to toe.

Takeuchi hadn't provided many details over the phone, only informing her that Hojou Kyosuke had been involved in a fight at school.

"Mom, I'm fine."

"Hojou-san, Hojou-kun wasn't hurt at all," Takeuchi quickly added, seeing Mikiko's frantic concern.

"Then who hit my child?" Ignoring Takeuchi, Mikiko continued to inspect her son, turning him around to ensure he was truly unharmed.

Only after confirming this did she stand up and scan the room.

Her eyes landed on a cute little girl who looked like she could be hugged and adored—definitely not the culprit.

Then she noticed the spiky-haired boy with slanted eyes and, most notably, a footprint on his white gym uniform. 

'So, it's you who hit my son?' she thought, glaring at Ishida Shoya.

"Hojou-san, please calm down! Let's wait for the other parents to arrive before we discuss this further. Please, have a seat."

"No, I'll stand." Mikiko's tone was sharp, and she didn't hide her displeasure with Takeuchi.

As the homeroom teacher, he bore some responsibility for not preventing the conflict.

Hearing her harsh tone, Takeuchi broke into a cold sweat.

He had witnessed Mikiko's fierce protectiveness over her son during their previous encounter at the police station.

She was far from the composed, diplomatic adult one might expect.

Nishimiya Shoko, who had been standing quietly with her head down, couldn't help but glance up at Mikiko. 

'So, this is Kyosuke-kun's mother. She's so beautiful, and she seems like a kind person, just like him.'

Noticing the gaze, Mikiko looked down at Shoko.

'Oh no! I've been caught staring!' Shoko's shoulders jerked in surprise, her fluffy short hair bouncing as her eyes widened in a classic "deer in headlights" expression.

Mikiko couldn't help but chuckle at Shoko's adorable reaction, giving her a warm smile.

Under that smile, Shoko's tension melted away.

She felt like she could communicate with this woman without even speaking or writing. Shoko's eyes curved into a smile as well.

'Honestly, mom has no sense of timing,' Hojou Kyosuke thought, watching his mother's interaction with Shoko.

His mother had always gotten along well with Yamauchi Sakura, treating her like a close friend despite the age difference.

It was no wonder she had once suggested bringing Sakura's entire family to their hometown—she probably couldn't bear to part with her.

A knock at the door interrupted the moment, and everyone turned to look.

Hojou Kyosuke immediately recognized the woman at the door as Ishida Shoya's mother.

He had never met her before, but he had heard from classmates that Shoya's mother ran a hair salon.

The woman's hairstyle—yellow with black roots—fit the image of a salon owner perfectly.

Despite the edgy hair, her demeanor was gentle, a stark contrast to the typical "rebel" look.

"Excuse me, I'm Ishida Shoya's mother."

Like Mikiko, Ishida Miyako had only been told that her son had been in a fight.

But the moment she saw the footprint on Shoya's gym uniform, her heart sank.

"Shoya! Are you okay?" She rushed over to her son, mirroring Mikiko's earlier actions, checking him for injuries.

"Ugh, I'm fine," Shoya grumbled, pushing his mother's hands away.

"Ishida-san, this is Hojou-san, the mother of Hojou Kyosuke, who was involved in the altercation with your son."

"Hojou-san, this is Ishida-san, Shoya's mother."

"The incident also involves Nishimiya Shoko, so let's wait for her mother to arrive before we discuss further."

Hearing this, Miyako stepped back and stood quietly.

Under normal circumstances, Mikiko would have struck up a conversation with a fellow parent, especially one as gentle and beautiful as Miyako.

She loved beautiful things—they brought her joy, like her son and Sakura.

And now, Shoko had joined that list.

But today, she simply glared at Miyako like a petulant child.

Unfortunately, her glare lacked any real menace, coming off as more cute than intimidating.

Despite her son's apparent role as the aggressor, Miyako offered Mikiko an apologetic smile.

She knew Shoya's history and couldn't help but feel responsible.

Mikiko let out a small huff.

Though still upset, she couldn't stay mad at someone with such a gentle face and turned away.

Another knock sounded, and before anyone could react, the door swung open.

The woman who entered had the same hair color as Shoko, but hers was long.

Her face was expressionless, but the exhaustion was evident.

Seeing her mother, Shoko instinctively hid behind Hojou Kyosuke.

"Sorry for being late," Shoko's mother said as she entered, apologizing for being the last parent to arrive.

In Japan, it was common for mothers to handle school matters, but it was rare for two out of three mothers to be single parents, with the third also raising her child alone.

Takeuchi introduced the mothers, and they exchanged greetings.

"Here's what happened today: Ishida Shoya pushed Nishimiya Shoko to the ground, which led to a confrontation between him and Hojou Kyosuke."

Takeuchi paused, unsure how to continue.

According to other students, Shoya had been the one to throw the first punch, but now Hojou Kyosuke was unscathed, while Shoya had been knocked down with a single kick.

"Then, then... Ishida, why don't you explain?"

"Nothing to explain."

"Shoya!" Miyako snapped.

"Tch, I went to hit him, but he kicked me," Shoya muttered, his voice low with embarrassment.

"That's pretty much it," Takeuchi said, relieved to have it out in the open.

"I'm deeply sorry for my son's actions," Miyako said, bowing deeply to the group.

Mikiko, meanwhile, was internally cheering: 'That's my boy! So strong!' But seeing Miyako's bow, she quickly followed suit.

"My son also acted out of line. Please, stand up."

Since her son was unharmed, Mikiko was more than willing to be gracious toward the gentle Miyako.

Shoko's mother, Nishimiya Yaeko, had the most unusual reaction.

After ensuring her daughter was unharmed, she turned her attention to Hojou Kyosuke, studying the boy her daughter had been talking about nonstop since last night.

"Hojou-kun, thank you for protecting my daughter, but please refrain from doing so in the future."

Yaeko bowed to Hojou Kyosuke, her tone serious.

Everyone was stunned, except for Shoko, who clenched the hem of her skirt, her face a mix of emotions as if holding back tears.

"Why?" Hojou Kyosuke looked up at Yaeko.

"By protecting Shoko like this, you're preventing her from becoming strong."

"You won't always be by her side. Shoko needs to learn to stand on her own in life."

Yaeko's words shocked everyone again.

Hojou Kyosuke was momentarily speechless, turning to look at Shoko.

The little girl was tilting her head back, trying to hold back tears.

'Has Shoko always been raised like this?' Mikiko couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for the girl.

"I understand your concerns."

"Shoko's life is undoubtedly more challenging than most."

"But one thing I can promise is that as long as Shoko needs me, I'll be there for her."

Hojou Kyosuke's voice was firm, his sincerity palpable to everyone in the room, including Yaeko.

"Hojou-kun, I'm glad Shoko has a friend like you."

"But some things aren't as simple as you think. Shoko needs to learn to walk her own path."

Yaeko was surprised by the boy's conviction but remained steadfast in her belief.

"Auntie Nishimiya, none of us know what the future holds. But for now, I'll teach Shoko to speak, to help her live like everyone else."

"Thank you for your kindness, but it's unnecessary. Since the matter is resolved, we'll take our leave. Shoko, let's go."

Yaeko shook her head, preparing to leave with her daughter.

She was a busy woman and needed to return to work.

"Shoko? What's wrong? Let's go."

Seeing her daughter still standing motionless, Yaeko thought she hadn't heard and raised her voice, reaching out to pull her along.

"Mom!"

Shoko's small frame resisted her mother's pull, and the tears she had been holding back finally spilled over.

"Everything Kyosuke-kun said is true! Why won't you believe him?"

Shoko looked up at her mother, her voice trembling with emotion.

Thanks to her close relationship with her mother, she could lip-read and understand her words despite her hearing impairment.

Her speech, already difficult to understand, was further muddled by her tears.

Even Hojou Kyosuke couldn't make out what she was saying, let alone Yaeko.

But even without understanding the words, Yaeko was shaken by her daughter's sudden outburst and the pain it conveyed.

"Shoko, Shoko, calm down," Hojou Kyosuke said, gently patting her shoulder.

"Shoko, do you need your notebook?" Yaeko pulled out a notebook from her bag, identical to Shoko's, labeled "For Writing."

"No!"

For the first time, the usually meek Shoko firmly pushed the notebook away.

"This is the biggest difference between you and Kyosuke-kun!"

Shoko took a deep breath, trying to enunciate each syllable clearly, just as Hojou Kyosuke had taught her.

"Kyosuke-kun listens to me, even when it's hard."

"He encourages me to speak, treats me like a normal person."

"He protects me and teaches me to speak. Why won't you believe him?"

Shoko's words and tear-streaked face struck a chord in Yaeko's heart, but they also brought a sense of pride.

'She's really grown stronger,' Yaeko thought.

Her once obedient daughter now had the courage to stand up for herself, to voice her feelings in such a public setting.

"Shoko."

Yaeko knelt down and hugged her daughter, running her fingers through Shoko's fluffy short hair.

It was a symbol of her wish for Shoko to shed her fragility and become strong.

She had taken Shoko to get this haircut just yesterday at the salon run by the rough-looking mother and son next door.

In just one day, Shoko had already begun to change.

"You've really become stronger."

Tears welled up in Yaeko's eyes.

She had always been strict with Shoko, but she had been equally hard on herself.

Since her husband had left them because of Shoko's hearing impairment, she had rarely allowed herself to cry—or even smile.

"Mom?"

Shoko looked up at her mother.

"Mom's happy. Is this all thanks to Hojou-kun? Did he help you become stronger?"

"Yes!"

Yaeko stood up and bowed deeply to Hojou Kyosuke and his mother.

"Hojou-san, thank you for raising such an exceptional child."

"Not at all. Shoko is a lovely girl too," Mikiko said, wiping tears from her eyes. She had been deeply moved by the scene.

"Hojou-kun, please continue to help Shoko grow stronger. I'll always remember your kindness."

"Auntie Nishimiya, you're too kind. Shoko and I share a special bond. Her happiness is my happiness."

Hojou Kyosuke winked at Shoko, who responded with a radiant smile.

He meant every word.

Even without any rewards, helping such an endearing little girl was its own reward.

The only downside was that Yaeko didn't have any glowing text above her head.

Otherwise, he might have earned a "Maiden's..." achievement.

'Wait a minute,' Hojou Kyosuke thought, 'System, are you discriminating? Look at Yaeko's face and figure—how is she not a maiden?'

Yaeko nodded solemnly at Hojou Kyosuke's words, then turned her attention to the Ishidas.

Miyako's face was filled with shame.

This was perhaps the most difficult moment of her life.

Her son was the aggressor, while the victim and protector were having a heartfelt moment.

Even someone as gentle as Miyako felt the urge to give her son a good scolding.

"I'm truly sorry, Nishimiya-san, Hojou-san. I'll make sure to discipline him properly. Shoya! Apologize!"

Miyako bowed deeply again, wishing she could prostrate herself if it were appropriate.

Shoya, who had been reflecting on his actions after witnessing Shoko's emotional outburst, finally felt a pang of regret. He wasn't a bad kid at heart.

Even during their "test of courage" games, he never did anything as destructive as breaking windows—only he ever got hurt.

Seeing his mother's distress and hearing Shoko's cries, he began to truly regret his actions.

"I'm sorry!"

Shoya bowed deeply, his hands pressed tightly against his sides in the most sincere apology of his life.

"I deeply regret my actions and the harm I caused Nishimiya-san. I'm truly sorry!"

"Hey! What about my son? He's so cute and delicate—how could you hit him?"

Mikiko's voice, as youthful and melodious as her personality, cut through the tension.

But to Shoya, her words only made the bruises from yesterday's collisions ache more, especially the one on his stomach from Hojou Kyosuke's kick.

The image of Hojou Kyosuke's fierce expression as he kicked him flashed in his mind. 

'Cute? Delicate? More like a demon!'

But he had already realized that, regardless of the outcome, he had been in the wrong.

So, though reluctantly, he added, "I'm sorry, Hojou-kun. Even though I didn't hit you and you hit me instead, please forgive me."

The half-hearted apology made Mikiko burst into laughter, though she quickly covered her mouth.

Hojou Kyosuke rolled his eyes internally.

He didn't care about Shoya's apology—he wasn't some adorable little girl.

"I forgive you. But you should apologize properly to Shoko."

"Nishimiya-san, I'm really sorry. I won't bully you again."

Shoya tried to sound as sincere as possible.

"Takeuchi-san, we'll take our leave now. Goodbye, Hojou-san, Hojou-kun. Let's go, Shoko."

Yaeko had no interest in hearing more. She took Shoko's hand and led her out.

This time, Shoko didn't resist.

Before leaving, she glanced back at Shoya, offering a hesitant smile, then waved enthusiastically at Hojou Kyosuke.

After the Nishimiyas left, Miyako's expression darkened further.

Failing to earn forgiveness for her son's actions was unbearable for someone as kind-hearted as her.

If Shoko had been physically injured, she would have willingly endured the same pain herself.

Forcing a smile, Miyako apologized again.

"It's fine. Raising a child like that must be tough," Mikiko said breezily, genuinely sympathizing with Miyako.

After all, her own son was so well-behaved and adorable, while Miyako had to deal with a troublesome boy. How pitiful.

Miyako gave a tired smile, not defending her son.

"I'm not hurt, but should Ishida-kun go to the hospital? That kick was pretty strong."

Hojou Kyosuke, confident in his leg strength from years of running, suggested.

"We'll handle it if needed. No need to trouble Hojou-kun."

"If the parents have no further concerns, let's consider this matter resolved. Please have a good talk with your children at home."

Takeuchi, who had been silent for most of the discussion, finally spoke up, startling Hojou Kyosuke.

"Then we'll take our leave. Goodbye, Ishida-san. Let's go, Kyosuke."

With that, Mikiko and her son left first.

By now, the school was empty. As the Ishidas walked down the quiet hallway, they could faintly hear Mikiko's cheerful voice ahead.

"How about we skip cooking tonight and go out for a big dinner, Kyosuke?"

Happiness belonged to others, while silence lingered between the Ishidas.

"Sorry, Mom."

"It's okay, Shoya. Mom knows you've realized your mistake. That's enough."

Miyako tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, smiling gently at her son.

........................

[TL Note]

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