Chapter Text
Yuta Okkotsu sighed, glancing at his phone again. It had been a month since he began searching for a suitable school for his daughter. Seiko, a lively five-year-old, had no contact with other children. Deaf since birth, she struggled to communicate. For the past few years, she had been taught sign language by a private tutor. Yuta also learned it to communicate with his daughter. Now, with her sixth birthday approaching, he needed to enroll her in elementary school. He had visited many schools over the past month, but none seemed inclusive enough.
“What's going on?” his friend and coworker, Maki Zenin, asked. “It's been twenty minutes of our lunch break, and you haven't touched your food.”
“I’m looking for an elementary school for Seiko,” he replied. “I’m having trouble finding a good one.”
“I have a friend who works at an elementary school as a support teacher. The school has a program for inclusive education; maybe you could check it out,” Maki suggested.
“Well, I'm not in a position to refuse any recommendation. Can you give me the school's name?”
“Sure, if you want to visit first, I can ask my friend to welcome you.”
“I appreciate it, thanks, Maki.”
“What would you do without me?” she smiled. “Now eat your lunch. We still have a lot of work to do.”
Their lunch break flew by, and they had to return to the office. His afternoon began with a two-hour code review session. Yuta reviewed code submitted by colleagues, providing feedback and suggestions to ensure high-quality, maintainable code. At 3 PM, he had a meeting with the product manager to discuss upcoming features and the project's direction. By evening, he was back to coding. Yuta finalized the feature he had worked on in the morning and ran unit tests with his team to ensure everything worked perfectly. They also documented their work for future reference. Once they finished, he updated their progress and made a list of his team's tasks for the next day.
Quickly gathering his belongings, Yuta bid goodbye to Maki, who often worked late. He left the office precisely at six and drove to his childhood friend’s house where Seiko was being cared for that day. Yuji Itadori had been his friend since their time together at the orphanage, and was also a close friend of Seiko’s mother, Rika - making him Seiko’s godfather. Yuji had lived with Yuta when Seiko was a baby, helping him navigate the grief of Rika’s death. When Seiko turned two, Yuji started dating and within three months moved in with his boyfriend, a grumpy but reliable guy named Megumi Fushiguro. Since then, the two had always been there to help Yuta by taking care of Seiko during his work shifts.
After a ten-minute drive, Yuta parked close to the apartment building where his friends lived. He greeted the doorman, who knew him well, and entered the building. Taking the stairs to the third floor, he knocked on the door of apartment 302. Megumi opened the door and let him in.
"Hey, Yuta," Megumi greeted him, stepping aside to allow Yuta to enter. "Seiko's been great. She's in the living room drawing with Yuji."
Yuta smiled, stepping into the warm, familiar space. "Thanks, Megumi. I appreciate you guys more than you know."
Megumi shrugged, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "No problem. You know she's like family to us."
Yuta made his way to the living room, where Yuji and Seiko were indeed deeply engrossed in an array of colorful markers and papers. Seiko looked up and her face lit up with a smile when she saw her dad.
" Daddy !" she signed enthusiastically.
" Hey, princess ," Yuta signed back, his heart swelling with love. " Did you have a good time ?"
Seiko nodded vigorously, pointing to her latest masterpiece - a vibrant drawing of their little family.
Yuji looked up, grinning. "She’s been quite the artist today. And we may have had a little too much fun with the markers."
Yuta chuckled, feeling a warm contentment settle over him. "Sounds perfect. Thanks again, Yuji."
"No worries," Yuji replied, standing up and stretching. "You want to stay for dinner? Megumi's making his famous curry."
"How can I say no to that?" Yuta laughed, glancing at Megumi, who rolled his eyes good-naturedly.
"Just don't expect any leftovers." Megumi said dryly.
While Yuji and Seiko continued drawing, Yuta helped Megumi set the table.
"Did you find an elementary school for Seiko?" Yuji asked as they were having dinner.
"Maki recommended one in Shinjuku." Yuta answered. "She said a friend of hers works there."
"Oh, it's the school where Toge works," Yuji said. "He's also our friend. It would be good for Seiko if he were the one to assist her."
Megumi nodded in agreement. "He's been mute since birth, so he’ll understand Seiko’s needs."
"Yeah," Yuji smiled. "Choso and Yuki enrolled their son at this school. He's the same age as Seiko. I’ve always wanted my godson and goddaughter to be friends!"
Yuji chatted throughout dinner about how the school offered sign language classes and trained professionals to teach children with disabilities. When it was 8 P.M., Yuta and Seiko bid their goodbyes to the couple and left the apartment. Yuta placed Seiko in her car seat and drove home. The ten-minute ride was a blessing, with his friends and job all nearby.
As soon as he entered his apartment, Yuta gently woke Seiko, who had fallen asleep during the ride. " It's time to bathe and get ready for bed, sweetie " Yuta signed.
Seiko rubbed her eyes and nodded, heading to the bathroom.
After helping Seiko with her bath and tucking her into bed, Yuta finally had a moment to himself. He reflected on the day's events and felt a sense of relief wash over him. Tomorrow, he will visit the school in Shinjuku. He hoped this could be the start of something good for Seiko.
***
Okkotsu woke around 6 A.M., as he was used to. The soft light of dawn filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow in the room. He got up quietly, careful not to wake Seiko. After a quick shower and getting dressed, Yuta prepared breakfast. He made Seiko's favorite - pancakes with a smiley face made of blueberries. The simple routine brought a sense of normalcy and peace to their mornings.
By the time Seiko woke up, breakfast was ready. She greeted him with a sleepy smile, and Yuta signed, " Good morning, princess. Today I’m going to visit a school that Maki recommended, do you wanna come? " Seiko nodded, her excitement palpable even in her sleepy state. Yuta had taken the morning off to visit the school and, hopefully, enroll Seiko. With the new school year starting in just two weeks, he felt the pressure to find the perfect place for her. After they ate breakfast together, Yuta helped Seiko get ready. He let her pick out her own outfit and carefully styled her hair into two cute pigtail buns.
Once they were both prepared, they left the apartment and Yuta secured Seiko in her car seat. The drive to Shinjuku was peaceful, with Seiko tapping her fingers along with the rhythm she felt through the car's vibrations. Yuta couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm, hoping this school would be the right fit for her.
Maki had mentioned that her friend would welcome them at the school entrance. When they arrived, a blonde man was waiting there. He stood out with his tall frame and relaxed posture, a gentle smile on his face as he noticed them approaching.
"Good morning, I’m looking for Toge Inumaki" Yuta said.
" Good morning " the man signed fluidly. " I’m Toge Inumaki. You must be Yuta Okkotsu and this little one is Seiko, right? Maki told me a lot about you two ."
Seiko looked up at Inumaki with curiosity, then signed a shy hello. Toge responded with a warm smile and a friendly wave, instantly putting her at ease.
"Thank you for meeting us" Yuta said, shaking Inumaki's hand.
Toge led them inside, giving a thorough tour of the school's facilities. He explained the school's inclusive curriculum, showcasing classrooms equipped with visual aids and interactive learning tools specifically designed for children with different needs. He introduced them to other staff members, all of whom greeted Seiko warmly, making her feel welcomed and valued.
As they walked through the hallways, Yuta couldn't help but be impressed by the environment. It was clear that this school placed a high value on each student's unique needs and abilities, fostering an atmosphere of respect and inclusion.
Finally, Toge brought them to a small, cozy room filled with books and colorful decorations. " This is our sensory room " he signed. " A place where students can come to relax and reset if they ever feel overwhelmed ."
Seiko's eyes widened with interest, and she signed excitedly to her father, " Can I come here, Daddy? "
" Of course, sweetie " Yuta signed back, smiling.
After the tour, Toge sat down with Yuta to discuss Seiko's enrollment. " We'd be honored to have Seiko join us " he signed. "And I'll be here to support her every step of the way."
Yuta felt a deep sense of gratitude and hope. "Thank you, Inumaki. This means everything to us."
As they left the school, Yuta knew he had found a place where Seiko could truly thrive. With Toge's support and the school's commitment to inclusivity, he felt confident that Seiko's future was bright.