Chapter 35: A letter of challenge, a declaration to change.

We arrived at school on our desired time we aimed for, which was being moments away from the first bell to ring.

Currently, we're now at the entrance and changing into our loafers.

As I mentioned previously, by chance, before going home from school. I got to find out that Mocha-san's shoe locker was the one previously vacant next to mine.

So, right now we were standing side by side to each other, about to open our locker to access our indoor shoes.

At that moment, Mocha-san had a face as if readying herself for something.

She put up a serious expression on her face as she hesitantly open the door to her shoe locker.

'Could there be one...?' *Gulp*

'Maybe there's one.'

When she opened her shoe locker, seemingly hoping for something. The moment it opened... it was normal.

"Sigh"

'No letter... Not like I wasn't expecting this tho...'

There was nothing but her shoes inside.

What Mocha-san was hoping for was a love letter. For her, who was treated as a forgettable person most of her school life, it's like one of the ultimate goals to recognize her existence.

Although disappointed, it was not like she hadn't expected it. The reason is, during her middle school years she was also anticipating an event like this. But unfortunately, it never happened.

At the same time, after Mocha-san just opened hers, I casually opened mine and a lot of envelopes in different shape and sizes came flooding out of my shoe locker.

'Wh, what the!?'

Mocha-san was stunned to see all these envelopes scattered on the floor that was enough to even start falling out of my shoe locker.

"Sigh, so they came again. Huh..."

I said in a seemingly normal tone, unfazed, as if saying I had expected this to happen.

'He doesn't even look fazed about this!?'

Mocha-san was surprised from my lack of reaction about the letters.

The reason for the letters was probably the other day to yesterday's exposure.

A lot happened this past two days so my existence probably spread withing the students by now. Not that I'm aware off.

[Plus he's handsome, they're probably trying to go for a lucky catch or something like that.]

'Kukuku. I already know what this is... This is what they call a punishment game!'

Is what I genuinely thought about the situation.

The past four months since school started, I received about 15 of this letters and found all of them the same way just like this, inside the shoe locker.

They all have the same instruction saying "Please meet me at the back of the school".

In other words, this is a later of challenge!

With the contents of a meeting to a private place such as the back of the school, it could only mean that. They wanted to have a private duel against me, Phantom. Hm hm. [Nope.]

However, when I arrived at the meeting place, there was no one to be found other than me standing in the back of the school yard.

It kept going until the sixth time. For the sixth time, there was actually a person waiting for me and it was a girl I have never met before.

'Finally, an opponent!'

"So are you the one who wrote this letter(the one whose challenging me)?"

I inquired in an intimidating tone, looking intensely from behind of my bangs.

"Uhm. I uh, I'm sorry!"

She apologetically bowed her head low to the ground, apologizing from intimidation.

"Actually my friends just forced me to do this because I lost a bet. I-It was just a punishment game!"

'What does she mean by punishment game...? Ah, I see! So the reason for those letters are a form of punishment. I get it now... Kukuku. I see, I see. So that's why.'

I nodded my head, thinking I got the full understanding of the situation on why I kept receiving those letters in my locker.

'So the reason those letters keep being sent to me was a form of punishment... So they invite me, Phantom to a private duel.'

'Knowing I am the most powerful person in school. They set me up as a test of courage and see where they amount to.' I nodded my head even more.'

'So that must mean the ones who didn't show up was too afraid to even stand up to me in person. Kukuku, as expected of myself.'

'They should have said so from the start. I won't bite.'

Is what I concluded on my own in that moment.

Little did I know I was treated as the school loser for receiving those letters.

Mocha-san looked at me with eyes of confusion.

'Was Yukiya-kun actually, really popular?'

She was confused because for a while now, Mocha-san has this impression of me being slightly on the unpopular side from how Class Rep Hitomi described me, making me look like an unsociable delinquent.

We then continued on our walk to class, as the bell was about to go off in just a few more minutes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We arrived at the classroom and the bell rang just moments after, like Mocha-san and I intended.

The teacher arrived and class started.

'What's up with that earlie? I'm pretty sure those are love letters I saw just now... Could Yukiya-kun be, actually really popular?'

Mocha-san thought, contrasting to what she assumed my reputation wasn't that well off from being an unsociable delinquent.

'Anyway... I better pay attention to class. My impression yesterday, wasnt really the best...'

For a transfer student, they were usually the ones to be the most behave in class for they are put in a new environment.

However, yesterday. It was quite evident that Mocha-san kept being distracted during the lessons for she got called out multiple time during class for it.

While class is proceeding, as Mocha-san trying her best to focus her full attention to the lesson. Something moved from the corner of her eye.

It was a short glimpse of my hand leaving a note to her desk that caught her attention.

'A note?'

After seeing the note, she turned her head towards me, the only person who was sitting next to her in the back row so it was quite obvious the note was from me.

'I wonder what it could be?'

She opened the note and whats written inside was. [This time, I'll demonstrate to you how well I can blend in with everyone.]

What does he mean...?

What I meant by that was, I was about to show case to her how well I could blend in with the crowds with the perfect side character act. But Mocha-san didn't quite catch that, she didn't even know I was acting.

'Could this note be, a letter of challenge? Is he asking for a challenge who can socialize better with everyone?'

Is what Mocha concluded as she was still assuming I was under an image change after returning from summer break. I can't say she's wrong though.

'I know I messed up my side character act yesterday. But this time, I'll show you the fruit of my training during this past summer break. Let's see how you'll evaluate it now.'

This is a way to confirm what Ayaka said. That President Shiori-senpai was just a special case for being able to see through my vasaud.

'I see. So Yukiya-kun is doing his best to get along with everyone. Alright then! I guess I better do my best too.'

Mocha-san got determined from what she thought was a declaration and a challenge on who can get along better with everyone.

Mocha-san turned her head that I noticed, so I turned my attention to her and stared back.

She gave me a thumbs up with a forced smile on her face, as if saying "Lets do our best."

Seeing her hand sign which I interpreted as "I'm looking forward to seeing it.", blending in the crowds I mean.

Mocha-san was inspired by my declaration which made her also motivated with the goal of getting along with everyone. I simply smiled back at her, giving her a thumbs up also.

'Don't worry, I won't let you down this time.' this time I shall act as the perfect side character.

At that moment, the both of us felt a sense of companionship, although what we were thinking about was on two completely different pages.