I'm deaf..not ignorant.

2. Sign language

(POV Kyojuro Rengoku)
Tomioka Giyuu. The always quiet hashira that ignores everyone they say. I felt bad for him and wanted to be his friend maybe. Yeah, that was a good idea but since Shinazugawa and Iguro bully him, he doesn't have any friends so I guess that it will be.. difficult to make him be my friend. But I didn't care. It's for Tomioka!

In the morning, there was a hashira meeting and Tomioka was almost never there so I wanted to tell him to come. I knocked on his door but nothing. I knocked again... nothing. It felt strange. Was he okay?.. "Tomioka, if you won't answer, I'll be coming in." I knocked again with worry. Still no answer.. So I tried to open the door to get in. In my surprise, it was opened. He probably forgot to lock it. As I walked in his house, trying to find him, I saw some intresting things. There were plenty of posters with hands doing some signs. Maybe Tomioka was in some kind of cult? Uh where were my thoughts. I started finding himn again, not caring about the posters. After I saw his room, he was there like nothing. But.. I knocked. He must have heard that, right? "Tomioka-san?" I tried calling him. He didn't do anything. Was he ignoring me? I hope he's not.. "To-mi-o-ka--saan" I tried again but still no answer. I walked up to him and tried placing my hand on his shoulder. Finally, he turned his head to me. "Oh.. you." He whispered. "Yeah me. I'm sorry if I bothering you but I wanted to talk to you. Is that okay?" I asked him. He just looked at me in confusion. Something was off about him. The hand signs all around, the book and mostly him. "Well umm..what's that book?" I tried to take it from him. It was the only thing he did all the time actually so I was wondering what that might be. He tried to resist but after a bit, I took it. "What do we have here? The title-" 'Sign language for advanced'.."Tomioka.. what is this?.." I wondered and got a weird feeling. Why does he need this?... "Pl-please give it back.." he said nervously. My shaking hand gave it back to him. So..he wasn't mute: he could talk, he wasn't blind: he could read and everything and that leaves.. "Tomioka's deaf.. " I looked at him sadly, suddenly understanding everything. I took a few steps back from him and bowed as a apology. Then, I left.

I was in shock. One of the hashiras was deaf and no one knew. Expect for me. They were calling him ignorant and weird but he just couldn't hear them.. I felt so bad for him. I wanted to help him but I knew that there's nothing I can do.
Then I got an idea. "Writing! I'm gonna comunicate with him through writing!" I said my amazing idea out loud. I got out and bought a notebook. I wanted a special one for our conversations. At the counter, they asked me why I need it but I just didn't respond. I understood why were they asking. I litearly bought the most expensive one there.

I wrote the title: 'The Rengoku and Tomioka talk book'. I thought that it's cute. I also putted a fire and water sticker on the packaging. "Wonderful.." I said to myself, being proud that I'm gonna make a new friend with my beautiful notebook.

In the evening, I got to Tomioka's house. This time, I knew that I don't need to bother knocking so I just walked in. I saw him in his room, reading that one book again. I stood next to his desk and waved at him. He noticed me really quickly and waved back with a little bit of scaredness. I walked up to him and gave him the notebook. I saw his eyes sparkle a little as he looked at me. "Th-thanks.." he whispered as I took out my pen. He read the title "You-your name is Rengoku..." he slightly smiled but it wasn't much visible. 'Yeah I'm Kyojuro Rengoku. So, Tomioka, you are deaf, right?' I writted. He read my words and nodded. "Yeah, deaf.. can't hear.." he wasn't pretty good with talking, was he?.
'Were you born that way or did something happen to you?' I passed the notebook to him. "Demon.. demon broke.. hearing." He pulled the hair out from his face. His ears were scratched and pieces of them were missing. My heart sank. 'I'm sorry that happened to you.. It must have been so painful.' "It.. was painful. It.. hurt.. still." He sighed. Poor Tomioka. I putted my hand on his shoulder and showed him my text: 'I'm here for you, Giyuu.' And I smiled of course. He also smiled, although it was pretty fainty. Then.. someone knocked on the door.