Don't believe the rumors

"Will you be able to read this? Aren't you making the letters too small?" Tatsuya questioned Shimizu, peering over her shoulder as she meticulously transcribed her portion of the assignment.

"I'll be the one reading it, and I don't know about you, but my eyes are still just fine," she retorted, a touch of annoyance coloring her voice.

I couldn't quite grasp what Tatsuya saw in her. There was no way he invited her just because there were no other available members. And without a second thought, he immediately suggested that Shimizu join us. To me, it seemed like he was eager to establish a closer connection with her.

Meanwhile, Kurosawa and I remained silent, each for our own reasons. Kurosawa, unable to speak, contentedly penned her portion while gently swaying her head to an invisible melody. Even in this simple action, she exuded a captivating aura that surpassed any girl I had ever seen.

"Damn, I need to stop thinking like that," I silently chastised myself, vigorously shaking my head in an attempt to dispel my distracting thoughts.

While Kurosawa stayed quiet for her own reasons, I refrained from speaking to avoid disrupting Tatsuya's efforts to chat with Shimizu. Though I hesitated to label it as a conversation, he was certainly making an effort to win her over, and I could at least comprehend that much.

Moreover, I had no inclination to engage with Shimizu, given her apparent hostility towards me. Or perhaps that was simply her natural demeanor? I struggled to discern between the two possibilities.

Regardless, we managed to swiftly complete the assignment, each of us contributing diligently to our respective parts.

Afterward, we decided to order some food and unwind at Tatsuya's place. Thankfully, I didn't need to engage in conversation with Shimizu, as Tatsuya was preoccupied chatting with her, though it seemed to me like she wasn't giving him much attention.

I yearned to communicate with Kurosawa, but lacking knowledge of sign language, I had to devise an alternative approach.

I gestured towards a book conveniently resting on the table, indicating my curiosity about her literary preferences. Though her response eluded me, Shimizu's voice intervened from behind, offering, "She says she likes reading manga," in an attempt to divert attention away from Tatsuya's ceaseless prattle.

Amidst the chatter and the rustling of papers, the room was filled with a sense of camaraderie, albeit tinged with an underlying tension that seemed to linger beneath the surface. The soft glow of the evening sunlight filtering through the window cast a warm hue over the scene, adding a touch of tranquility to the otherwise bustling atmosphere.

The next day unfolded like any other, with our presentation proceeding as planned. Each of us took turns reading our parts, but unfortunately, Kurasawa couldn't. This unexpected hurdle forced us to think on our feet. Eventually, we decided to convey her lines through sign language, with Shimizu graciously translating for the rest of the class, ensuring Kurasawa felt included. Surprisingly, everything went smoothly, and Kurasawa's face lit up with joy as the class erupted into applause.

Despite her exuberance over seemingly small victories, I couldn't quite grasp why Kurasawa found such happiness in minor achievements. Perhaps it was just her nature. During breaks, I noticed her engrossed in something beneath her desk, likely a manga if Shimizu's translation from yesterday held true. Intrigued, I approached her quietly.

Lost in her reading, Kurasawa remained oblivious to my presence behind her. Peeking over her shoulder, I was astonished to find her immersed in a romance manga—one that I had read before. I, too, occasionally delved into such stories to escape the monotony of reality, allowing myself to bask momentarily in the possibility of a fairy-tale romance, only to be snapped back to reality by the harsh truth of my mundane existence.

As I caught myself sinking into melancholic thoughts, I shook my head, trying to dispel them. Returning to awareness, I noticed Kurasawa's quizzical gaze directed at me, silently questioning my sudden movement.

"Oh, I've read that manga. I have the next volume if you need it," I offered, attempting to deflect from my odd behavior.

"Ah, wait, she can't hear me," I realized, but before I could correct myself, Kurasawa began gesturing with her hands.

Assuming she wanted to know what I said, I prepared to explain, only to hear Shimizu's voice from behind me. "She says she'd like to continue the story once she finishes this one," Shimizu translated Kurasawa's gestures.

"Wait, she can hear us!?" I blurted out, taken aback.

"She's not deaf, just unable to speak for some reason," Shimizu translated once again Kurosawa's gestures.

"Oh, so she's not deaf," Tatsuya chimed in from behind me.

"Before you informed me, where did you hear that she was deaf?" I inquired, slightly annoyed.

"It was the prevailing gossip since she never spoke," Tatsuya explained.

"I thought you learned your lesson about trusting baseless rumors after the last incident."

"Well, this time it wasn't far from the truth."

"Close and accurate are two different things. Anyway, at least now we know we can communicate with her normally."

After that unexpected incident, it was time for the P.E. class. The girls, giggling and chatting amongst themselves, decided to play volleyball, while we, the boys, gathered excitedly to kick around a soccer ball. However, our enthusiasm was dampened by a few casualties, as some of our friends chose to watch the girls' game rather than joining us on the field.

In any case, after we finished with all of our lessons and the bell rang for the last time today, Kurosawa, with a shy smile, approached me and made some hesitant gestures. Thankfully, Shimizu, ever observant, was still around and managed to translate her signs for me.

"She says that she finished this volume and would like to read the next one if that's fine with you," Shimizu explained.

"Oh, in that case, you can drop by my house so I can give it to you," I responded casually, though inwardly, I felt a pang of nervousness realizing that I had just invited a girl over without much thought.

As I mentally prepared to apologize and rephrase my invitation, Kurasawa surprised me by nodding positively before I could even utter a word. Her approving smile eased my anxiety, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement mingled with uncertainty about what this unexpected visit might entail.