Chapter Text
It was early in the morning when Kouda Kouji was walking to school, early enough so it wasn’t too crowded and his shyness didn’t make him walk at least one meter away from people to avoid any possible misunderstandings, and at the same time, late enough to know that if he walked slowly, he would arrive just in time so he wouldn't have to talk to anyone and immediately start class.
The sun was hiding behind the clouds and a cold wind was hitting his face, but Kouji was warm enough with his red scarf with yellow dots. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t nervous, his mother had negotiated with the school to allow him to bring his friend, a white rabbit that helped him deal with anxiety and part of his social phobia. Kouda felt insecure in this new place and his mother had offered to skip the first day of school, but for some stupid reason he had refused.
At least some of his friends would be in the same school, Kouji thought absently as he walked, two papers in his hand that his mother had told him to hand over to the secretary, which contained permission to bring his emotional support animal to school. The wind blew again, light enough to ruffle his scarf and strong enough that the papers in his hands flew off.
A mute exclamation left his lips in the form of a puff of air, panic seizing Kouda's body as he ran for one of the papers and successfully grabbed it, looking from side to side desperately to find where the other had flown.
If he couldn't find it, he would have to go home to find another ... Ah, but if he did come home then he could stay and ---
"I believe this is yours"
The unexpected voice caused a jump in Kouda's body, he turned around quickly and as he did so, he felt his cheeks blush slightly; a beautiful dark-haired girl in a high ponytail was handing him the missing sheet. He was quick to nod and take the papers from her, feeling so nervous that he inadvertently moved his other hand to say "Thank you" in sign language.
Kouda didn’t have time to run out of the nerves caused by this unexpected encounter, when her eyes, as black as coal, opened in surprise and then became small while her lips curved in a smile so sweet that if you were to see the meeting from afar, it wouldn’t seem that this was their first time meeting.
His heartbeat rumbled in his ears and she seemed to move in slow motion to his eyes as she began to move her hands while she spoke.
"You’re welcome"
His cheeks flushed as he admired her for a few moments, trying in vain to calm his restless heart as she looked incredibly cool with her hair flowing in the wind.
Of all people, he definitely didn't expect this stranger to know how to speak in sign language. And it’s not only that was he happy to not feel ashamed of speaking in what he’s more comfortable, she understood him!
She was clearly smart and beautiful, in all possible ways of those words.
"Well," She brought him out of his reverie by saying it, still signing "I have to go now, but it was my pleasure to meet you. Have a nice day."
If he could, if for some reason his cowardice ended and his nervousness left him, Kouda wanted to say "Thank you" or "Goodbye" or even if it was more than one word and would clearly made him feel him embarrassed later, he wanted to say "I hope to see you soon."
However, Kouda Kouji only nodded and waved his hand in farewell. Watching her walk away in the opposite direction, feeling the wind hit his face with even more force, but holding the papers in hiss hands even more tightly so as not to lose them again as he sighed and walked back to the school.
For the first time in his life, Kouda wished he had said even just one word to the girl with the pretty smile.