The next morning, Yuki woke up with a mission. Her meeting with Itsuomi had left her both exhilarated and determined. If she was going to get closer to him, she couldn't rely on her phone forever. She needed to learn his language—his world.
After her classes, she stopped by the campus library and found herself standing in front of the language section. Her fingers skimmed over the spines of books until they landed on one titled Introduction to Japanese Sign Language (JSL). Pulling it off the shelf, she settled into a corner and flipped through the pages.
The diagrams of hands forming letters and words looked daunting at first, but Yuki's curiosity overpowered her hesitation. She tried mimicking a few signs, her movements awkward and slow, but it felt oddly exciting.
"What are you up to?" her friend Rin's voice startled her.
Yuki glanced up to see her best friend leaning over the table, peering at the book with a raised eyebrow. Rin was always a ball of energy, her hair tied back in a messy ponytail and her bag slung haphazardly over one shoulder.
"Sign language?" Rin asked, plopping into the seat across from her.
Yuki nodded, brushing her bangs out of her face. "I… met someone who uses it. I want to learn."
Rin's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Oh, so this is for someone. Now I'm intrigued. Who is he? What's he like?"
Yuki flushed, snapping the book shut. "It's not like that! We're just friends."
Rin smirked. "Uh-huh, sure. Tell me everything."
Yuki sighed but couldn't help smiling as she recounted her encounter with Itsuomi. Rin listened intently, her teasing subsiding as Yuki described his confidence and how he made her feel at ease despite the communication barrier.
"He sounds interesting," Rin admitted. "But learning sign language isn't easy. You're really going all in for this, huh?"
Yuki nodded firmly. "I want to understand him better. It feels… important."
Rin gave her a thumbs-up. "Well, I'm rooting for you. Just don't forget about your other friends when you're off signing love letters to him."
"Rin!" Yuki buried her face in her hands, but she couldn't stop herself from laughing.
That evening, Yuki found herself practicing the alphabet in front of her mirror. She struggled with certain letters, her fingers tangling together awkwardly, but she kept at it. The image of Itsuomi's easy smile and patient hands guided her, motivating her to keep going.
After an hour, she finally managed to sign her name smoothly. She grinned at her reflection, her fingers spelling out Y-U-K-I one more time for good measure.
Her phone buzzed on the desk, snapping her out of her focus. She grabbed it and saw a message from Itsuomi.
What are you up to?
Her heart leapt. She hesitated before replying, deciding to be honest.
Practicing sign language.
The response came quickly.
Really?
Yes. I want to learn so I can communicate with you better.
She stared at the screen after hitting send, her cheeks burning. Had she been too blunt? Would he think she was being strange?
But Itsuomi's reply made her heart soar.
That's awesome. Let me know if you need help. I'd be happy to teach you.
Yuki smiled, clutching the phone to her chest. She felt a warmth spread through her, a sense of pride and hope she hadn't felt in a long time.
The next day, Yuki met Itsuomi again, this time on campus. He had offered to help her with her signing, and they sat together under a tree in the courtyard, the sunlight filtering through the branches above.
Itsuomi started with simple greetings and common phrases, showing her how to form each sign with precision. Yuki mimicked his movements, her hands clumsy but eager.
"Like this?" she asked, watching his face for approval.
Itsuomi nodded, his smile encouraging. He signed slowly for her to follow, his hands moving like water, fluid and natural.
As they practiced, Yuki noticed how patient he was. Even when she made mistakes, he never seemed frustrated. Instead, he'd gesture for her to try again, his eyes sparkling with quiet amusement.
"Thank you," she said aloud, and then signed the words, her hands trembling slightly.
Itsuomi's eyes widened in surprise before his face broke into a grin. He clapped his hands lightly in approval, signing back, Good job.
Yuki beamed, her cheeks flushing with pride.
As the afternoon stretched on, Yuki felt a new sense of connection forming between them. The gaps in their communication didn't feel like barriers anymore—they felt like bridges waiting to be crossed.
When it was time to part ways, Itsuomi signed, See you later?
Yuki nodded, signing back as best she could, See you later.
Itsuomi's smile lingered even as he turned to leave, and Yuki watched him go, her heart feeling light.
For the first time in a long while, she felt like she was truly moving forward—not just in her life, but toward something, or someone, who made her world a little bigger and a little brighter.