A/N: This is basically an adaption of the story told in the novel. It will be different from the story and just shows how things could have been.
Chapter 1 - Transfer
The world around me seems to slow down as the cheap, black car does, eventually coming to a stop. I sigh - a rough, wheezing sound - as I unfasten my seatbelt and step out into the strong morning sun, temporarily blinded. As I regain my vision I can't help but to realize that I am actually quite high up, on a well, not really a mountain but not really a hill either. More like something in between, although closer to a hill than a mountain. That didn't make much sense at all did it?
My gaze wanders down the asphalted road whence we came, down the hill. I spy a decently sized town, with what appears to be small shops and the like. I also remember there being a fairly large city some twenty minutes further along the same road.
A pained groan from somewhere behind me brings me back to reality and I turn around only to see my father struggle with my luggage. I watch him for a while and study his features. He's tall, he's broad-shouldered and a fat mustache decorates his upper lip. His eyebrows are thick, his dark hair messy and between his green eyes is a wide nose. All in all… not very attractive. Fortunately, I didn't inherit many of his looks. No, most of my features, like my friendly face and dark eyes, I got from my mother… my.. mother…
"Don't just stand there, son! Go on ahead, I'll fix everything from here." I nod at him and turn to finally face the reason I'm here. Straight ahead is a sumptuous gate, made from wrought-iron. It looks really cool.
I carefully push it open and it swings inwards with remarkable ease. I hold my breath as I take the step. No going back now, I think to myself. I then finally lay eyes upon a castle looking building, built using red brick with white accents. This is it - my new school. It really shouldn't be a big deal, transferring I mean. At least it wouldn't if the school you were transferring to was a normal school like any other. This school, however, is different. Very different, or at least that's how I understood it. Allow me to welcome myself to Yamaku High!
Well then, what's so incredibly special? Yamaku is, in fact, a school focused on children with disabilities - children like me. It's most famous for its 24/7 nursing staff. Yay…
Breaking away from my thoughts I proceed to walk towards what I assume is the entrance but as I do I spot a middle-aged man in a suspicious, brown trench coat. His chin is covered by a light stubble and his face strikes me as unusually long.
He notices me and walks over, waving to get my attention. His hand extended he asks me, "Good morning, are you Ni- Niko? Niki!" Great, he forgot my name… Instead of shaking his hand I simply just place a few forms I filled out earlier in it. Disappointed he looks at them and frowns. "Ah, Nakai, sorry." He attempts what I believe is supposed to be a smile before he continues. "The name's Mutou. I'll be your homeroom and science teacher. Now if you'll come with me I'll show you to the classroom." I nod as I try to keep up with his long strides, inside and up to the third floor.
We stop outside a classroom marked 3-3. "Before we go in I meant to ask you: would you like to introduce yourself to the class?" Mutou asks me. I nod, tapping the plastic contraption in my throat, shooting him a questioning look asking: 'Hey, I'm mute but want to introduce myself. How?' That's right - I'm mute. I was in an… accident six years ago, when I was twelve. It cost me my vocal cords and my moth… nevermind.
"Ah that's right; you're mute." He says, a look of surprise on his face as if he only just now noticed the plastic in my throat. "But you want to introduce yourself?" He confirms and I nod. He looks thoughtful for a moment before coming up with something. "Will just writing your name on the board be enough?" He wonders and I nod again. He tells me to wait at the door whilst he briefs the class on the transfer student before he signals for me to enter. Complying, I walk into the classroom taking it all in.
It looks like an ordinary classroom, with desk and chairs made of wood and metal. Simple, yet efficient (but not comfortable). The wall opposite the door houses some tall windows and Mutou's desk is right in front of the blackboard. My conclusion: a classroom like any other.
When I proceed to inspect my fellow classmates, that's when I notice the differences between this school and my last one. I spot a girl in the front row missing a hand, another one… sleeping? I see a boy with a cane in the back and a girl whose face is covered in peculiar scars.
One girl, in particular, catches my eye. Her hair is a very dark blue color and on her petite nose rests a pair of glasses. Her lips are thin and her eyes deep enough for me to feel like I could drown in them. Her posture is straight and she looks at me over her glasses with a small smile, her entwined hands resting the desk she's sitting at.
Catching myself stare I snap back to reality to hear Mutou finish my introduction "...and he's, well, mute." He gives me a sideways glance prompting me to write my name. I try to shoot him an annoyed look for just saying that I'm mute like that, although I guess It's quite obvious anyway. Plus I find him charming in a weird way so it's hard to be annoyed at him anyway.
Grabbing a piece of chalk I write my name in big letters on the board. Hisao Nakai. That's me. I look expectantly at Mutou and he nods approvingly. "You can sit next to Hakamichi," he says, taking a seat at his desk. I stand my ground not knowing who "Hakamichi" is. "Ah, right. Um, she's the girl on the middle row, with the glasses. I look towards her and sure enough, there's an empty seat next to her. "She is also the class representative so she should be able to answer any questions you might have." I nod at him and walk toward this Hakamichi girl. She intrigued me and somehow she felt similar to me in a way I couldn't quite place.
When I approach her I smile and wave. She returns my greeting and I take my seat. Then to my great surprise, she turns to me and starts to sign [Hello there. I am Hakamichi Shizune and I am the class representative, but you don't need to be so formal with me - just Shizune is fine.] I nod regaining my composure and sign back, [Pleased to meet you Shizune. Then feel free to call me Hisao.] It's her turn to nod and I motion towards the assignment we received. Science - my favorite.
We finish quickly, both me and Shizune being good in science. We use the remaining time to talk or, well, sign. I learn that she's not mute like me, but deaf and has been since birth. She doesn't seem to be affected by it though.
I instantly come to like Shizune. I feel like she would understand me somehow, not being able to speak to anyone except through notes. I lost many (if not all) of the few friends I had after I lost the ability to speak, and in Shizune's case, she might never have had any friends at all. I think about it as the bell finally rings and Shizune and I make way to the cafeteria.
The menu looks really appetizing at first glance but soon I realize that it's for the students who require their foods nutritional value to be calculated down to the calorie. For the rest of us, there are much fewer options. Eventually, I pick what sounds the least disgusting and Shizune and I take a seat at a table.
Eating is a bit hard for me since I have the plastic in my throat. The main reason for it is to prevent the otherwise open wound from getting infected, but it makes eating tricky. I receive a suspicious look from Shizune until she asks [Why do you eat like that?] I swallow and smile at her. [Because of a piece of plastic in my throat], I sign back to her. She nods like she understands.
[Hey, Shizune? Are there clubs or the like around here?] I ask her out of the blue. Shizune looks at me, smiling. [There are, yes. It's not mandatory to join one but students are encouraged to.] I simply nod and reply [I was thinking that it would be good to join one. But I guess it would be hard to participate considering not a lot of people know sign language, now do they?] She frowns at the statement [No, I always had trouble with that as well. But…] [...but what?] visibly confused I stare at her, a close to evil grin appearing on her face. [But that won't be a problem if you join… The Student Council!] She adds the last part with sharp hand movements, cutting the air. Shocked and momentarily stunned I sign back, [The what..?] [The Student Council!]
Wow, I didn't even realize there was a council at this school.
[Are you in it?] I wonder and she nods vigorously. [Who else?] I ask again. Shizune quite visibly flinches at my question, seemingly unsure of how to respond. After a moment she composes herself and replies overly proud, [Just me, actually] [I see,] I say nodding, not too surprised to be honest. When you can't speak to people they distance themselves from you, and that's speaking from experience.
Shizune looks at me confused. She probably thought I'd be surprised but again, I'm really not. [Only you, huh?] I grin at her and sign [Then I suppose you might want some help. Fine, I'll join you,] She visibly lights up but before she gets a chance to reply I continue, [on one condition.] Shizune resumes her normal, critical face and hurriedly signs [Which is?] I smile slyly and make my proposal: [That you play a game of chess with me.]
Looking confused for a moment she quickly nods and extends her hand for me to shake. I take it and smile. [That will have to wait until tomorrow though. I just got here, remember?]
After asking Shizune for directions I head to the auxiliary building where the nurse is supposed to be. Mutou had told me to go visit him after classes and eventually I find myself looking at the door sign saying 'Head Nurse' which I guess could be mistaken for a nurse specialized in nursing heads… whatever.
I knock twice and a voice from inside responds. Turning the handle I step inside, into a room closely resembling those of hospitals. It brings back bad memories.
The walls are painted a generic beige color and the floor is tiled. Not bothering to look around more, to suppress the bad memories of staying in the hospital, I study the healthy looking nurse. He looks young, close to me in length, and with similar hair color to Shizune, but not as shiny. On his lips dances a goofy smile and I feel prompted to smile with him.
"Now, let's see here then. Name?" I grin tapping my throat. "Ah that's right, you're the mute one. Let me see, Nakai right?" I nod, not too sure how I feel about being referred to as 'the mute one'. "Wonderful. I read your file this morning. Damaged vocal cords due to piercing damage done to throat right?" I nod flinching a little. "Sensitive subject?" I nod once more and he smiles reassuringly.
He ends up just examining the plastic in my esophagus and telling me to be careful when exercising to not breathe too heavily, preferably resorting to brisk walks at most. Everything he tells me I've heard a thousand times already and before I know it I standing outside once more, the sun low. With a wheezing sigh, I head towards the dorms, ready to turn in for today.
Ten minutes later I'm standing outside room 119. I open the door and step into the room. It's plain and all in all pretty boring looking. There are a desk and chair facing a window and a closet with my uniforms neatly hung up. I see a note from dad saying something along the lines of: "Hope first day went well; love you; if the uniform doesn't fit then yadda, yadda, yadda." I don't really care for any of that though as soon as I lay eyes on my bed. Without thinking I throw myself onto it, barely remembering to set an alarm, and fall asleep in my clothes.
A/N: That's the first chapter for you! I wanted to get off to a good start and therefore it's fairly long. Reviews are always appreciated!
(P.S. I don't have any idea how those plastic throat thingies work so I might be very inaccurate, but hey; it's fiction!)