I Wish I Could Hear You

Let's Go to the Festival

Narrator's point of view:

     Shouya put on his clothes and nervously looked at himself in the mirror. 

Shouya's point of view:

     There's no way that last year will repeat itself. Everything will be fine. But-but what if they do. No stop it Shouya there's no way she's okay now, right? I mean, it's not like I knew last time or anything. Ahh how am I supposed to know? Okay, calm down. I just have to hold myself together until the end of the night when I get back home. By that point it will have been over a year and we can put all of this behind us. 

Narrator's point of view:

     Shouya slapped his face a littel to wake himself up. "Sho!" Maria yelled from the kitchen. Shouya took a deep breath and smiled as he walked into the kitchen. "Sho sho!" Maria exclaimed. "Hey, you ready to go?" Shouya's mother asked him. Shouya nodded. "Okay. I'll take Maria. You go have fun with Yuzuru and Shouko okay." His mother told him happily. "R-right." He stammered as he walked out the door into the cold night air. 

Narrator's point of view:

     Miki braided her hair then put her pigtails into a bun. She wore her old Kimono and walked out to meet Toshi. "You look great." He told her with a smile. Miki gave him a half smile and walked beside him. Toshi looked over. "You know. After I learned all that happened with you guys in sixth grade, I think a part of me started to like Shouko more." Toshi told Miki casually. Miki's eyes widened with shock. "What do you mean?" She yelled. Toshi turned around to face her. "Shouya was nothing but evil to her then!" Miki added. Toshi continued to smile. "Maybe, but he did everything in his power to make things right with her." Toshi explained. Miki calmed down a little but didn't seem to quite understand what he was saying. "I know a lot of people who did horrible things in the past." Toshi started. "I've met people who have left people in their time of need, cheated on people, bullied people. Some of those people say it's all in the past and just ignore it ever happened without addressing it." Toshi explained. Miki looked down. "But then there are the people who hunt those people down and make an effort to say sorry. Shouya is one of those people Miki. Despite what he might have done in sixth grade, he cares more about Shouko then probably all of us." Toshi added. "What? That's not true!" Miki exclaimed, almost offended. "He was willing to die for her last year, and they've only gotten closer after this year." Toshi commented. Miki looked up at Toshi as if looking for something to say. "Miki. You are a sweet girl who cares a lot about Shouko and everyone else deep down. I have no idea what happened with you guys, but if you want things to be better you have to be honest with yourself. Which one of the two people are you?" Toshi asked softly. Miki looked up at Toshi surprised then looked down at her feet. Step after step she got lost in her faded and false memories. Two memories saying two things. Her crying as Shouya yelled at Shouko and one where she just giggled to herself. Memories of conflicting things she said to Naoko and Shouko. They walked for a while in silence until they made it to where the festival was being held. 

Narrator's point of view:

     Shouya walked in silence until he looked ahead and saw Yuzuru and Shouko walking up to meet him. "Hey, Shouya. Ready to watch the fireworks?" Yuzuru asked happily. Shouya looked at Shouko and had his breath taken away. Her hair was perfectly done up with a flower come keeping it in place. Her Kimono was new and decorated with soft pinks and baby blues with elegant flowers around the sleeves and collar. She walked over to Shouya with a small smile almost looking for his approval. Shouya's heart started beating faster as he tired not to blush. "You look beautiful." Shouya signed and said. Shouko blushed slightly and giggled at the compliment. "Alright enough flirting we need to get there before all the best food runs out!" Yuzuru exclaimed. 

Shouko's point of view:

     This feels almost nostalgic in a way, going to the festival with friends with a happy mind. Shouya said I looked beautiful too. This is going to be a good night I can tell. I just hope he's holding up okay. 

Narrator's point of view:

     The three of them walked to were the festival was being held and Yuzuru ran up to Nagatsuki. "Hey, you came!" Yuzuru declared. "Of course I did. I had to see my man Sho." He replied. Shouko giggled at seeming the two of them talk. Shouya looked down at Shouko relieved that she looked happy. Shouko looked up at Shouya and smiled. 'You okay?' She asked. Shouya nodded and they rushed off to play some games before the fireworks started. 

Narrator's point of view:

     Miki and Toshi walked around the festival inches apart, but not wanting to actually lock arms. "Hey guys." Naoka said from behind them. Miki jumped as Toshi turned around with a little wave. "Naoka, how nice of you to stop by." Miki said through her teeth. "Look, things are awkward I know. But I just want you to know I'm not the kind of person who will lie just because you want me to. So what I said was honest. And I'm being honest when I say that I don't want to stop hanging out with you guys." Naoka explained. Miki looked away hotly. "Thank you Naoka. Miki has been having a rough night so she might not have taken that the way you wanted her to, but thank you for seeing us." Toshi explained with a smile. "You know through this whole thing you've been freakishly calm." Naoka added. Toshi looked off nostalgically. "When we all hung out. That was one of the funnest days of my life. I knew I was stepping into something that I didn't know about and that had a lot of tension. But I didn't care if I was the odd one out, I wanted to be friends with you all." Toshi explained. Miki and Naoka looked at each other with an understanding look. With that Miki and Naoka didn't say anything else, but walked side by side through the festival. 

Narrator's point of view:

     Shouya, Shouko, Yuzuru, and Nagatsuka sat down to watch the fireworks on a blanket that they brought. Shouya sat next to Shouko and waited anxiously for the fireworks to be over and done with. Shouko looked over at him and smiled. Shouya smiled back and grabbed his hands. He was shaking. 

Shouya's point of view:

     It's fine we can get through this. Just after the fireworks everything will be okay.

Narrator's point of view:

     One firework went up then BOOM the ground underneath them shook as the sky above them lit up. Shouya's heart raced. Yuzuru and Nagatsuka awed at them as Shouya tried to slow his breathing. BOOM another firework. Shouya felt himself slipping into last years memory. BOOM the fireworks right before Shouko jumped went off in his mind. BOOM the fireworks that dulled his screams. Shouya looked over at Shouko who had her eyes closed to feel the vibrations of the explosions. Shouya felt like he couldn't breath. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Everything was melting into last year. Barely grabbing Shouko. Nearly dropping her. Nearly dying! BOOM! It all came rushing back to him burst after burst. Tears weld up in Shouya's eyes, and then he noticed. Shouko had gotten up to leave. Not again. Not again! NOT AGAIN! Shouya jumped up to try and stop the repeating year.