Yaeko naturally hoped her daughter could live a normal life, like everyone else.

  But after so many years of treatments abacks, she was afraid to hope too much. A part of her worried it might just be a false arm.

  Even so, she looked at Shouko with eyes filled with hope.

  When Shouko heard her mother's trembling voice calling out to her, tears started streaming down her face.

  "I hear it! I hear it!"

  Her voice was raw, shaky, but filled with pure joy.

  She didn't need her hearing aids anymore.

  She wasn't deaf. She wasn't mute.

  "Shouko!"

  Yaeko, uo hold back, rushed forward and pulled her daughter into a tight embrace.

  Standing nearby, Yuzuru tried to stay posed, but the sight of her sister g in her mother's arms broke her. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she joihem, ing her arms around both of them.

  Ryuji and the others didn't interrupt the toug se. They stood in silence, giving the family their moment.

  "You did this, didn't you?"

  Arisu quietly stepped closer to Ryuji, her voice calm but filled with curiosity.

  No one else present had the ability to heal Shouko, after all.

  "..."

  Ryuji didn't respht away. Instead, he simply smiled, her firming nor denying it.

  Arisu's own smile widened, and when she looked at Ryuji, her expression softened, as if seeing him in a new light.

  At that moment, Shouko finally mao calm herself. She turo face Ryuji, her teary eyes full of gratitude.

  "Mr. Ryuji," she said softly, her voice trembling as if she wasn't sure she'd said it right.

  She hesitated, but her gaze was full of uanding.

  She knew her recovery wasn't a ce.

  Her heart told her that the reason she could hear and speak again was standing right in front of her.

  "It's nothing," Ryuji said casually, waving her gratitude away. "It wasn't a big deal."

  To him, this kind of thing truly was nothing more than a small favor.

  But before Ryuji could say anything more, Shouko suddenly rushed forward.

  In a blur of motion, she ed her arms around him and buried her face against his chest.

  "Thank you! Thank you so much!"

  Her voice cracked as she sobbed softly, her emotions p out.

  Even if it was easy for Ryuji, for her, it was life-ging.

  She had been bullied relentlessly for being deaf and mute. She had suffered in silence for so long, enduring ridicule and exclusion. She had never imagined she could ever have this sed ce.

  Now, not only had Ryuji saved her from Sadako's curse, but he had also made her… whole.

  She didn't know how else to express the overwhelming gratitude she felt, so she g to him, trembling and g softly.

  "Shouko…"

  Yaeko and Yuzuru, who were watg, were startled by her sudden a. They opeheir mouths as if to say something, but when they saw the tears running down her face, they stayed quiet.

  They weren't oblivious.

  They knew Shouko had always been strong on the surface, but deep down, she had felt the sting of inferiority. Her life as a deaf and mute girl had been filled with pain she rarely showed.

  Now, seeing her finally express all that emotion, they couldn't bring themselves to interrupt.

  Yaeko and Yuzuru shared a gnce before turning to Ryuji.

  Without a word, Yaeko k down in front of him, sitting in a formal posture with her head bowed.

  "Thank you so much for helping Shouko!"

  Her voice was full of siy aion.

  Yaeko didn't know how to repay him. They weren't wealthy, and even if they sold everything they owned, it wouldn't be enough for someone like Ryuji.

  But in this moment, she would have done anything to show her gratitude.

  "If you ever need anything, no matter what it is, I'll do whatever I to repay you," she said early.

  Yuzuru, after a brief moment of shock, quickly followed suit. She k down beside her mother and added, "Me too. I'll do anything you ask of me. No matter how hard it is, I'll do it!"

  Her voice was firm, unwavering.

  For her sister, she was willing to risk anything, even her life.

  "Mom, Yuzuru…"

  Shouko, who had started to calm down, was moved to tears again.

  As she watched her mother and sister kneel for her sake, her chest tightened. She had always known how much they cared for her, but seeing this made her realize just how far they would go for her.

  At the same time, she noticed she was still leaning against Ryuji. Her face flushed as the realization hit her.

  She stepped back quickly, bowing her head in embarrassment.

  "I'm sorry! I got carried away," she said softly, her voice shaking.

  Even though her disability had been cured, she still couldn't help feeling small and insignifit in front of someone like Ryuji.

  Ryuji wasn't just powerful, he was dazzling. pared to him, she felt like a shadow standing in the light.

  L her gaze, she fidgeted nervously.

  "I already told you, it wasn't a big deal," Ryuji said, waving off her apology with a rexed expression.

  "Besides," he added, a small smile tugging at his lips, "how could I ignore such a beautiful girl?"

  Shouko's head shot up in surprise, but she quickly lowered it again, her face burning red.

  Her ears felt hot, and she wasn't sure if she should ugh, cry, or hide.

  Even Yuzuru, standing beside her, raised an eyebrow at Ryuji's ent.

  Ryuji, however, wasn't being flippant. He wasn't the type to chase after girls or make shallow pliments.

  Shouko's kindness and resilience had left an impression on him. That's why he didn't hesitate to help her.

  If it had been someone else, even another "heroine," he might not have been so moved.

  Arisu, who had been standing silently nearby, watched the se unfold with a faint smile.

  Her eyes lingered on Ryuji for a moment, but she said nothing. She didn't feel the o interrupt.