While the children were eating their lunch boxes at noon, Teacher Ueo strung together all the paper cranes with white thread and hung them on the window.
The gentle breeze blew through, making the colorful paper cranes flutter. After finishing their lunches, the children gathered by the window, excitedly pointing at the cranes they had folded.
Shouko and Akira sat on chairs, eating their lunches. Shouko caught sight of the paper cranes dancing in the wind from the corner of her eye. She raised her hand, pointing toward them. Even with food still in her mouth, she eagerly wanted to share with Akira, who stood beside her:
"Akira, look! The paper cranes look so beautiful when the wind blows them." She swallowed quickly and added, "I'm going to hang so like this on the window at ho!"
Akira looked toward where Shouko pointed and smiled fondly. "Okay, then we'll fold them together later. But let's finish eating first, Shouko."
"Yeah!" Shouko nodded happily.
After school in the afternoon, Shizuka Miyamura walked to the Sakura class's nap room on the second floor and saw her two children chatting with Mr. Ageo.
Shizuka greeted Teacher Ueo and squatted down in front of Shouko. Noticing the little red flowers on Shouko's cheeks, she covered her mouth with her hands and chuckled softly, "My Shouko is amazing. Auntie only saw one flower on the other children's faces along the way."
Shouko lowered her head shyly. "Auntie, the other one was given to by Akira."
Shizuka Miyamura looked at Shouko's cute face and wanted to kiss her, but the little red flowers on her cheeks made it tricky.
Akira, usually ignored by Shizuka Miyamura, watched quietly with an unreadable expression. anwhile, Ms. Ueo observed the scene with interest, thinking it was sothing he could watch over and over.
Then Shizuka noticed the paper crane in Shouko's left hand, and the topic shifted: "My Shouko is really amazing. She can fold such a beautiful paper crane."
Shouko's shy expression vanished, and she proudly held up the crane to Shizuka. "Teacher Ueo taught us how to fold paper cranes today, but this one was taught to by Akira. I want to take it ho and keep it!"
When Akira was taking a nap, he already knew why Shouko held the thousand paper cranes before sleeping, but hearing her say it again still moved him.
Suddenly, Shizuka Miyamura wanted to tease the cute Shouko in front of her, so she smiled slyly and said, "Auntie wants this paper crane, Shouko. Can you give it to Auntie?"
"Ah?"
Seeing Shouko's surprised face, Shizuka quickly added, "What's wrong? Don't want to give it to your aunt?" She pretended to wipe away tears.
Akira and Teacher Ueo, standing nearby, imdiately noticed that Shizuka was teasing Shouko, but Shouko didn't realize. When they saw Shizuka wiping tears, Akira hurried to defend Shouko but stopped at a look from his mother.
Shouko looked embarrassed and stamred, "Auntie… Auntie…" She lowered her head and avoided Shizuka's gaze. "I'll fold a big bunch for you and hang them up, okay? This… this…"
Hearing that, Shizuka Miyamura felt like Shouko was about to start crying. Knowing she'd gone too far, she quickly picked Shouko up and said apologetically, "Okay, okay, I was just kidding. Why would I want sothing from my precious Shouko?" She kissed Shouko's forehead and gave Akira a strange look.
Before Shouko could be happy, she noticed Shizuka wiping tears earlier and whispered softly, "Auntie, don't be sad. I'll fold lots of paper cranes for you to hang up when I get ho."
The three said goodbye to Ms. Ueo, left the kindergarten, and drove ho.
After Shizuka Miyamura parked in the garage, Shouko quickly jumped out of the back seat and shouted, "I'll go put the paper cranes away first!" Without waiting for a response, she dashed into the house.
Akira got out next and turned to Shizuka, who was checking the car. "Mom, I'll take Hachiko out for a walk too."
Shizuka Miyamura sighed fondly at the two children leaving. "These two really are sothing."
Akira entered the house, took off his shoes, and stepped onto the wooden hallway wearing white socks.
Hachiko, bored in his dog cage, barked happily, "Woof woof!"
"Alright, alright, I'm letting you out now." Akira laughed, and Hachiko quieted imdiately.
Akira opened the cage, and Hachiko jumped at him, but Akira dodged. Seeing he missed, Hachiko wagged his tail excitedly, ready to try again.
"Hachiko, wait here. I'll go get the leash." Hachiko obediently sat, sticking out his tongue and wagging his tail.
Since Akira adopted Hachiko, sotis he'd give commands, and Hachiko followed instantly. Akira even joked that there might be a ti traveler living inside the Shiba Inu. After all, Hachiko was only three months old, and Akira rembered that Shiba Inus weren't supposed to be that smart.
If he wasn't afraid that Aunt Nishimiya and Grandma Nishimiya would scold him, Akira might've let Hachiko look after Yuzuru Nishimiya just for fun.
"Akira?" Shouko's voice at the living room entrance pulled him from his thoughts.
Hachiko had already run to Shouko before Akira noticed. "I'm going to get the leash. You and Hachiko wait outside for ," Akira told Shouko.
"Okay!" Shouko smiled, stroking Hachiko, already forgetting about folding paper cranes.
Akira grabbed the leash and so plastic bags from the locker and saw Shizuka teasing Hachiko at the door.
After changing his shoes and putting the leash on Hachiko, Akira waved to Shizuka, signaling they were heading out.
Ti flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was the day Akira and Shouko started their senior class.
In two years, not much changed. Hachiko had grown old, and Yuzuru Nishimiya was now a typical child who could walk, bark, and listen but was especially attached to Hachiko.
Because of the mortgage and family pressures, Yaeko Nishimiya beca more assertive around outsiders but remained the sa with the Miyamura family.
Shizuka and Daiki Miyamura remained as loving as ever. Over the past two years, Akira was often kicked out of the house with Hachiko because they disturbed everyone.
Akira taught Shouko how to pronounce words, and she was no different from other children except for a slight accent. Akira also learned basic sign language in Sakura class but found he couldn't use it much with Shouko.
Shin-chan and his friends had been promoted from the Sunflower Class to the Rose Class, but their teacher was still Ms. Yoshinaga. Principal Takakura thought the children wouldn't adjust well to a new teacher, so he promoted the teacher along with the students.
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POWER STONE!!!!
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