Chapter 2 - Letters from the Future II

Intuition spoke for Mai. She and Anzu were not entirely convinced that Mana had been alright, despite what she had told them. As reassuring as her flippant friend had seemed, she knew that there was something more than she had let on. She was still indecisive with regards to taking Yami along with them, for he seemed reluctant to do so. She turned her heels towards the boys; face sporting a frown - for the boisterous nature of the brawl had gotten under her skin. Leaving Mana's and Anzu's side, Mai stalked towards them, on cue where Kaiba had just delivered his target a finishing blow.

Surely the mutt would be down at his feet begging for his mercy- Seto's utilization of words struck a chord within him, perhaps he had said too much.

"Fucking get over here, now!" Jounouchi hollered.

Yami tried to restrain his self-proclaimed buddy from violently lashing out, despite his circumstance.

"Stop." Mai glared at the sniveling brunette. She then proceeded to pinch Jounouchi on the arm and whispered something into his ear.

Widening his eyes, Jounouchi almost deadpanned. "Yes, miss." He immediately released Yami from his hold, earning him a pat on the head from Mai. The boy then clutched onto his neck protectively, and massaged his tensed muscles in circular motions.

With Mutou-kun relieved, she turned to face him. "Actually it's quite rare that we get a half day off so why not come?"

Words tumbled out of his tongue. "But... I..."

"If he doesn't want to go then just leave him be!" The azure-eyed teenager interjected sharply. Crossing his arms, he faced the boy, whom he noted to be almost nine inches shorter than him in comparison. "Whether you come with us, doesn't concern me. I just hate it when people bombard you with too many - if I may say again, unnecessary questions." He fixed his gaze onto the boy's bewildered face. "Trust me, it pisses the fuck out of people."

Invasion of privacy implied.

The boy with multicolored hair mouthed him a reluctant thanks. He had been perplexed at the blunt nature of his speech, and he had also noted the undisguised element of disdain in his voice, which added a perpetual snark in its undying derisive quality, mannerisms included. Somehow it calmed his nerves when he deduced he was not well-liked by the general consensus.

"Woah Kaiba! Excellent comeback!" Mana snorted, clapping her hands. Despite being on the receiving end of his endless cold shoulders, she just couldn't withhold from commenting.

"I appreciate the sentiment but it seems our friend in question has not made a decision yet." Kaiba exhaled.

Yami found Kaiba to be too impatient for his liking - he was a double edged sword. Straightening his posture, he answered calmly. "Well... if it doesn't take too much of my time, it's fine I guess."

"Yeah! Alright!" Jounouchi cheered, patting his new found buddy's shoulder triumphantly.

Anzu then led the way out of the classroom excitedly. "Well, come on! To my house!" She then looked thoughtful. "I guess I'll have to phone mom to leave us some bread before they all sell out!"

"Actually, how about we stop at a cafe and get some drinks first?" Mai suggested.

Everyone was very much obliged.

The girl thought that it would be futile to confide in her friends concerning the letter she had received. She concluded that nobody in the right mind would believe her, as she paralleled her predicament with the boy who cried wolf. However, despite carrying concrete evidence, she was resolute that a letter of intimidation was not going to stop her from enjoying her life to its fullest!

Yami flicked his eyes and had a brief intake of Mana's figure.

Inevitably, Mana's thoughts wandered to a certain transfer student whenever the pangs of the accursed note continuously bogged her mind down. She had had been driven to the edge. Unable to control her impulses, she looked at Yami who had a smile that graced his exhausted features.

'Surely nothing will happen if we invite him.'

She damned the letter for driving her insane and controlling herself, withheld from pulling a fist of her hair out.

The school bell resounded, which marked the end of the school day. Vibrant colors of blue and pink squeezed out of the school entrance, and dispersed in different directions, joining the midday rush. A group of six students of Domino High were chatting casually along the side walk near the shopping district, Domino Plaza, to be exact.

They ushered themselves in a cafe and were promptly waited. The waitress shot Mai a dirty look before sitting them down at their designated table. She had been oblivious to her negative vibes, for she was twirling her locks and was heavily engaged in a conversation with Anzu.

Yami positioned himself comfortably beside Jounouchi at the space next to the aisle. He found it difficult to find the right words to say as Jounouchi had endeavored to center their conversation around him. After all, he was the new kid, and it was of proper etiquette let alone socially conventional to begin with introductions that hold a degree of entertainment, per say.

Mana buried her first impression of him for the boy was actually rather well-mannered than she initially had thought. She saw Jounouchi, Anzu and Mai immersed in small talk with the mystery boy, noting in detail the enthusiastic exchange and the building rapport between Anzu and Yami. Her brows furrowed as she unknowingly gave birth to an unsavory expression.

"We met earlier! I'm Mazaki Anzu. Just call me Anzu, and well... I love to dance! Domino City Troupe has called for a nationwide audition!" Tucking a handful of hair behind her left ear, her eyes brightened a hue. "So I've been practicing hard for a part in Swan Lake-the villain's role. I want it so bad!" Anzu gestured dreamily, then with a pout she shot a defeated look at Mai then continued, "But, miss drama queen here says I'm too much of a goody to shoes to play the part!"

"Well duh, it's totally way out of your comfort zone, but nobody said we're not giving you our full support." Mai flicked her hair back in dramatic prowess as she sipped on her drink that had just arrived.

Giving the waitress a tentative thanks, Jounouchi ravenously slurped down his smoothie in the speed of light. As his pupils gradually dilated, his facial features twitched slightly before he exhaled a handful of cold air. It was clear to his friends that the side of effects of brain freeze had momentarily incapacitated him, much to Kaiba's delight.

Regaining his senses, Jounouchi threw an outburst. "Who invited you anyway?" He also pointed an accusing finger towards the stoic.

Anzu fixed her eyes on Yami's face, who chuckled at Jounouchi's reaction. "Just ignore them." She continued and adopted a heavy tone. "Do you mind me asking why you moved from Tokyo?, I mean Domino is in the middle of nowhere and -"

Upon hearing Anzu making a move, Mana took a large audible sip of her passion-fruit milk tea. She coughed, which caught Yami's attention. "Give him a breather Anzu! There's five of us and one of him! You think he'll easily digest all that information in one go?"

This momentarily left Anzu and Yami stunned for a moment.

Finding his voice, the subject replied politely, "No, it's not that..." He raised his hands to reassure Anzu who was rather exasperated for being interrupted. "It's fine Mana, really! I came to Domino because my mother had accepted a good job offer here. The deal is relatively good too! Plus it seems the lifestyle isn't as tight as Tokyo's- and well Tokyo's a super city and everyone's busy 24/7 and-", He suddenly flushed and stuttered. "Oh crap, I guess I said too much -"

"No, go on!" Anzu and Mana interjected in unison. Both girls looked at each other and blinked, before turning their undivided attention towards the boy.

Scratching his head in wild surprise, Yami continued on. He briefly outlined the reasons of his move. The cost of living in Domino had caught his mother's attention and due to personal undisclosed reasons, she had intended to move there, as soon as possible. She had reasoned that her son would be able to continue pursuing his dreams in playing professional football, for once she started work in Domino, she was able to afford the expenses and support her son financially.

Yami exhaled after speaking for a whole two minutes. "Well that's the gist of it, hahaha."

"It's quite rare to see mothers who support their children's dreams to follow a certain career, because in most cases, parents TOTALLY reject their kids' dreams." Mai spoke as she crossed her index fingers over, forming a makeshift 'X'.

Nodding thoughtfully in agreement, Mana placed her left elbow on the table surface and rested her cheek on the palm of her hand. "Yeah man, your mother seems so supportive, I'm kinda jealous!" Mana then turned her attention to Jounouchi, whose ears had perked up at the mention of a certain word that reminded him of his estranged mother.

"When's Shizuka coming to see you by the way?"

Jounouchi raised a brow and responded with a derisive tone, "Don't tell me you haven't realized our vacation had just ended?"

The six friends talked of dreams, of future prospects, of careers, and of mothers. Yami had warmed up to his peers, even contributing his thoughts and delving into their discussions. But no one had realized the tinge of blues that laced his features that had emerged in sporadic intervals.

Once they had finished their drinks, the group of six made their way to Anzu's bakery, which was not too far from the vicinity.

Yami shuffled towards Anzu, much to the girl's pleasant surprise. "Anzu?" Yami sprinted in front of her and cast his hands over her cerulean orbs. "Anzu?" Yami reiterated. Looking at her with a bemused expression, he laughed.

Genuinely?

The sound of his laughter definitely caught Mana's attention. She felt a warm bubbling sensation rising within her. She stopped talking to Jounouchi, who was also halted by the sudden commotion.

His unprecedented laugh snapped Anzu out of her reverie, causing her to flush a little. She almost bit her lip nervously.

"Y-yeah?..."

"Aye... well, your name just made me have an epiphany you see..." Smiling, Yami dug the insides of his bag. Taking out his tablet, he wanted to show her a picture that would hopefully make her chuckle, at the comical coincidence, of course.

The girl looked over the screen in feign interest, until he tapped a link that led the browser to a page that unexpectedly caught her attention. The subscript of the article explained that in the last month, paleontologists have unearthed a mutants' fossil in South Dakota. The remains have indicated that the fossil in question was a cross hybrid between a bird and a dinosaur. This fact alone should've been bizarre enough to Anzu but it was not the fossil's appearance that grabbed her attention, rather it was -

Jounouchi peeked over the brunette's shoulder and broke into a fit of hysteric laughter.

Hand on her hip, she frivolously jabbed Jou's exposed abdominals. "What's so funny anyway?" Anzu glared daggers at him.

Mai slapped her palm on her face in embarrassment and disapproval, while Kaiba maintained his signature expression of indifference.

With a sigh Mana commented, "Jounouchi... everyone knows how dry your humor is." She gave him a thumbs up, suggesting that he can recover from his miserable state. With a wink, she pointed to herself and bowed. "You should learn more from the master of pranks! Yours truly at your service." He of course, continued laughing, his hands now clenched to his stomach.

"Sorry Yami, I apologize sincerely on behalf of Jounouchi." Anzu said with a tinge of remorse, still glaring at the blonde who was sprawled on the grass before her feet. She crinkled her nose in disgust at the blonde but when she turned towards Yami, she mustered a grin which rather looked awkward. "I was actually named after a famous actress who was popular during my mother's teenage years! Anzu Kiriyama? Heard of her?"

The boy opened his mouth and closed it. He then blinked twice. "Come to think of it, yeah.. I might have... maybe..."

"I thought it was fated that she was named after some dinosaur-bird hybrid. Maybe destiny made its way to your doorstep and rewarded you with such a name." Before they made a stop at the pedestrian crossing, Seto added, "As mediocre as it sounds, I may add."

He had not failed to accompany his comment with his trademark smirk.

Anzu had always made it clear to anyone who pushed her buttons that their insults were ineffective - and Kaiba was not exempt to her treatment. "Ha, funny that you out of all people would believe in such things." Hands on hips, and a glint of playfulness, she continued her retort. "I think you should go and stick to your nihilistic ways, you lowlife pessimist."

And another one was looking to bite the dust. Anzu's smugness had gotten the better of the young azure-eyed entrepreneur. However, just as he was about to open his mouth to deride her once more, Jounouchi slipped his way between the two who then initiated a glaring standoff. Regaining his bearings, the blonde ignored the tension filled atmosphere. He asked the girl with inquisitive eyes, "Anzu, do you know Number Two by Kariudo?"

Anzu's expression lightened, thanks to Jounouchi's interference. He had also given her an inconspicuous wink. "That sure brings back memories!" Her voice edgy, and words stuck in her throat. She had to swallow her frustration sooner or later. "Hahaha everyone nicknamed me Kariudo during Middle school!"

"Eh? Not number Two Anzu?" Jounouchi scratched his head.

Then Kaiba began his counterattack. "Didn't they end up calling you Matagi, Ka-ri-u-do?" Seto snorted loudly. He smirked her reaction to his provocations. "You're too sensitive Mazaki, won't you lighten up? You're treading on perilous waters. Everyone knows that men... actually boys even, would never consider, let alone take interest in a bousou-onna."

Anzu swore to the gods that she would dig a hole into his face. She clenched her fists, and spoke in the creepiest way she could've hoped to imagine. "Oh, you know what, I just wanna punch your pretty face in! Hopefully it'll be strong enough it'll leave permanent scars! " A pause and a sadistic grin. "Actually, my punches do pack a punch! And... a permanent broken nose only of minimal fatality. Fancy me the honor?", she purred, flexing her fingers in fiendish excitement. The brunette then clenched her fists and saw red. "I'm not a freaking savage!"

"Well, you make a prime example." Then, Seto's widened his eyes and gulped down a mouthful of saliva.

The girl seethed and pounced on him, leaving a feral mark on his uniform - a clawed scratch, in fact.

Taken aback by her reaction, Seto backed a few steps away. His mask was of perplexity, but inside, he strenuously forced down his surfacing feelings of intimidation. "Do not deny your overbearing bipolar tendencies, Mazaki. I suggest you to get some help."

Jounouchi stifled a laughter at the 'barbaric exchange' or so he had called it, despite the argument being a little more than a mere 'lovers' banter.' Mai on the other hand, hid her face behind her hands, and she was at her limit of bursting from the entertaining spectacle before her.

"Well aren't you one to talk?" Anzu scoffed, positioning herself to grapple with him again as she prepared to dive in for the kill.

Bringing up his hand up in surrender, Kaiba looked down on her. "Hey, least I am a civil."

Mana spoke up in interjection, fearing that this banter may lead to an unpleasant situation. It is best to quench the fire while it is still manageable. "Hey guys, won't you be more considerate? Save this for later, you know Yami-"

Then a sudden burst of laughter.

His voice possessed a melodious quality, and Mana yearned to hear more of it. Due to her raging hormones and recent menstruation, she struggled to control her bodily impulses. Dismissing reason, she allowed ecstasy to consume her whole. His cracked voice pulled her inner cheekiness to a level of frequency,-high enough that even Jounouchi who had witnessed it firsthand, was left in dread and helplessness. The others had caught on and turned to see the boy laughing his heart out. His contagious laughter triggered a chain of tittering chimpanzees, save for Kaiba who chuckled to himself discreetly.

Mana crept up to him, and ambushed the boy by buckling on to his torso. She continued laughing without a care in the world. The girl examined his face up close and noticed his cheeks turn a shade of red - as fleeting as it was. Yami had to draw in a few breaths before he regained composure. He had realized a tad too late that his face was mere inches apart from the girl who was latched onto his him. He did not fail to note that her legs were in close proximity with his groin, which made his temperature rise.

"Uh.. Wha..?" Yami found the words stuck in his throat.

The scent of youth. No, of a boy.

A spring breeze had just swept over the two who were locked in an intimate moment. Seeing sweatdrops trickle down the nape of Yami's neck made Mana's heart skip a beat. Lightning pulsations rippled through her veins which inevitably brought her into a state of euphoria.

A thought had awoken her - Mahado had forbidden her to have close physical contact with boys until she turned eighteen, but here she was buckled on to a boy who too, was full of raging hormones. Panic was written all over her face - What if? -

A sense of guilt immediately washed over her. Mistake realized, Mana had averted her eyes from the boy's gaze. Likewise, the boy became fidgety and tersely looked away, both of them breaking mutual contact.

He found his words once more. "Um can you -"

Anzu who had observed their moment of intimacy couldn't help control the pangs of anger that attempted to surface on her features, instead she channeled her energy towards her jaw, which reflexively hung over in morbid shock. "Umm, Mana... can you get off, can't you see he's feeling rather uncomfortable with you attached on him like that?" The brunette swore she had suffered a series of minor spasms - it was something she had not anticipated.

Seto knowingly raised a brow at her reaction.

Yami mouthed her a tentative thanks in response.

Mana snapped out of her daze, and quickly got off of him. Even though it seemed that he wasn't bothered by the sudden intimacy, she scolded at herself for allowing herself to be so careless and, vulnerable. But deep down she knew she had grown attracted to the mystery boy-in merely a span of a day!

'Surely this is only a school girl's crush, nothing more, nothing less!' the girl debated with herself. Mana quickly cast Anzu an awkward smile then proceeded to apologize to the boy, as if she had committed a grave crime or -

"Sorry..." she mumbled.

Yami then turned to her with a warm smile, "No worries! You don't have to apologize! " With a brief pause, he continued, "And it's not your fault since I got caught up in the moment too..." He cursed himself for his sluggish reaction. He then turned to the rest of the group with exaggerated gestures. "It'll be nice getting to know all of you!"

The girl returned his smile and was overtaken by an exuberant effusions.

No one had heard Mai murmur something unpleasant under her breath.

Jounouchi walked up to Yami and placed his arm on his shoulder, "What was so funny man?"

"Oh Matagi!"

Mazaki Bakery was just across Domino Park, and Anzu had already taken the initiative and sprinted to her parents' shop. She grabbed the tray her mother had left for her and stuffed the contents into a plastic bag, and ran back as fast as she could, to receive her friends with some delightful afternoon refreshments.

Steadying her breathing, Anzu called. "Hey guys! Here's some bread!" She beamed happily as she approached the whole group. "I got two for everyone today! Pork, meat and curry buns!" She peeked into the bag, "I also got Nozawana buns, melon bread and apple cinnamon rolls!" she shooed her friends off the bench and got out the selection of bread, then she proceeded to arrange them on the bench surface.

Jounouchi immediately approached with ravenous desire but he was thwarted by Anzu who had halted his tracks by means of a flick to the forehead, eliciting a painful yelp from the blonde. The girl then turned to Yami who made him have the first pick.

Yami pensively placed his thumb on his chin. "Eh, I'm feeling for some curry today... and pork...actually I might get the melon bread..." He yelped when Jounouchi swung his arm over his shoulder. "Yeah go for it mate! But I suggest you to try nozawana, cause they're the best!" Jounouchi smiled, though inside he dreaded Yami ending up picking his favorite.

"Ah, I don't mind really."

Spotting Mana shuffling towards the food, Jounouchi asked curtly. "Yo, which one are you getting?"

Mana who had her eyes set on curry, replied with a shrug. "I don't mind."

"Aren't you just being overly courteous?", Jounouchi tried.

With a chuckle, she responded in a nonchalant tone. "Well, no point arguing over the curry bread since everyone likes it, right?" She shifted her eyes to Kaiba who was talking over a client on his mobile phone. He had to partly run his step father's business. After all, Seto had the blood of a businessman coursing through his veins.

Anzu handed Yami the curry bread, "Here, take it! It's really good! Since Mana prefers sweets she can have the melon and apple cinnamon." she winked at Mana who had accepted her offer without complaints. Even though the latter craved for some curry instead.

"I'll just take the apple cinnamon." Mai scooped her pack of choice without fussing which had stunned Jounouchi.

He widened his eyes and blurted tactlessly, "Eh? I thought you were on a die-"

"Diet my ass! I eat anything!" Mai had cut him off with a painful jab to the shoulder, but instead of flesh, her fingers made contact with a rapid gust of wind.

"You're too damn slow!" The blonde grinned playfully.

"Since everyone's wasting their time bickering over nothing, I'll gladly take this." Kaiba stealthily scooped up his targets while smirking at the scene of Mai attempting to take a jab at Jounouchi's chest. It occurred to Seto that there had been a time when he thought the two airheads would make a good couple; despite the fact that their personalities were polar opposites.

Dissatisfied to what her altruistic actions had rewarded her with, Anzu rushed to Kaiba's side to snatch a curry bread off him. Despite pirouetting and engaging in a brief parkour-like workout with Seto, he was relentless when it came to giving up.

Anzu sighed. "I want that so give it to me!"

"Don't you own a bakery? Eat the leftovers! Stop complaining Mazaki." He said as he towered over her. To irritate her further, he deliberately bit off a massive chunk of curry.

"SETO!"

Mana noticed Yami making eye contact with her peripherally. Ever since the intimate moment they shared earlier, she had openly made it clear to him with physical cues, especially avoiding his gaze, that she was not interested in him.

Yet.

It had crossed her mind that her nerves had influence over her enhanced neuron sensitivity which boosted her reception to his subtle advances.

Approaching her, Yami let out a sigh. He had his eyes on the bread on her hand. "Um. The curry bread? Let's trade and I'll get the melon bread instead."

Mana suddenly got a little defensive. "Eh? But you should try the curry. It's g-good. I've tried it several times already." The words had tumbled out of her tongue, much to her embarrassment.

However, she quickly brushed the thought away, her sole option to politely decline his offer.

Raising a brow suspiciously, Yami forcibly opened her other hand and popped his bread on her exposed palm. "Your eyes don't say the same thing," he laughed a little awkwardly.

"Thanks." she mumbled. Caught off guard, she accepted his offer. Instinctively, she placed her palms over her cheeks-'Was it so obvious, that I wanted it? Damn it!'

Furrowing his brows, Yami placed his hand on her shoulder. "You alright?"

[April 6th (Friday)]

I slept in for the first time during the school year. (No joking).
It was only the first day and I had to pick up trash during recess.
Though it was only a half day at school, it wasn't as boring since there was a transfer student Yami Mutou. He had been allocated a seat next to mine and...
After school, we invited Yami to take a stroll with us home and we bought some of Mazaki's bread, it was good.

I've decided to call him Yami and not refer to him with his last name. After exchanging bread with him, I got to know him a bit more. We only talked about our favorite food and common interests.. and so on...especially light novels! He actually likes some of the light novels I'm reading... but when I brought up 'Timeless' he suddenly looked disinterested... I didn't even get a chance to ask why he didn't like it... I didn't want to pry too much so I didn't ask... We've just met after all...

Mana squinted hard as she read her diary, and lamented at how horrible she sounded. Like a love stricken naive teenage girl caught up in some kind of -

She swallowed her anger at the sudden rush of unnecessary invasive thoughts, and resulted her in constantly clawing at her scalp. However it had been a futile attempt to be at peace with her mind. She knew she would throw a minor tantrum if she let her frustration get the better of her! In a blink, the girl opted a more constructive route for her well-being - by flopping lazily on to her bed. She shoved the diary away from her blanket, which then ended up in the forbidden places of her sanctuary.

She rolled up and down her mattress, musing to herself. Thoughts of recent breakthroughs in her life swarmed in her mind. Satisfied with what she had brainstormed, she could 'spice up' her daily entries by jotting such experiences down and -

In a blink of an eye, fatigue washed over her as she felt her head suddenly spinning in random directions. She deducted that mild disorientation could be a sign of her coming down with a cold or even worse, a bacterial infection. Taking a quick glance at her watch, which read eleven twenty-seven, she decided that sleep was her only remedy. Resting her head on her pillow, she drifted to sleep.

It was just another futile attempt of an escape. The lingering thoughts of the accursed letter - and as if on cue - another familiar yet petrifying sensation usurped her senses once more. Mana tried to shake it off by adjusting her vessel to a more comfortable position - no matter what solution she had come up with, it was all but vain.

Getting out of bed with a groan, she stalked to her school bag and rummaged through her notes. At long last she read the crumpled letter, absorbing every piece of information written, word for word.

Mana frowned as her suspicions have been confirmed once again with her very own eyes.

'It actually outlines everything that had happened today... from sleeping in... to going home with everyone...' She almost shivered at the thought that the words she had written in her diary were found to be exact as the first letter she had received - it had been precisely on the mark.

Her thoughts, raced once more as she fought for insurance, and disbelief.

Mana was elated that she had come up with a plausible theory - Her twenty-six year old self possibly mimicked her style of writing, and this surely renders it counterfeit! - regardless to how irrational andbaseless her theory had seemed.

In order to reaffirm her theory, she studied the contents of her diary and of the letter, earnestly making sound comparisons between the two. She was entirely focused on finding a fault with that damn letter.

Once she had finished, her eyes widened incredulously. Crumpling the letter in her hand in a mixture of anger and unadulterated disbelief, she chucked it into the trash in a violent manner. Then, in a mixture of fear and paranoia, Mana scurried towards her bed, shuddering. Covering herself with the pristine duvet, she snuggled to herself in hopes of producing dear warmth and security.

All she desired was precious sleep - yet how she was deprived of it.

She envisioned her room as an empty canvass, then objects came into existence, one by one: the table desk lamp which was situated closest to her, the panel of photos she had taken with her friends including collages that featured her with her older brother Mahado had been displayed on the wall adjacent to her bed, arranged neatly on a shelf across her bed were her precious stash of light novels and novelty which included a few stuffed animals. She hoped to find relief and comfort yet they refused.

Mana sulked all the more. It left her apprehensive of the future. She did not want to know anything about it, let alone face it.

Two weeks passed since Yami had moved in to Domino, yet there had not been a trace of his presence ever since Open Day.

Jounouchi and the rest were confident that he would return, someday. Mana noted that apart from her, Anzu seemed to have been rather affected by his sudden disappearance. The collective had thought that he could easily fit in-he was energetic and possessed a charm that attracted the right people. Yet, his continual absences left even the whole class bewildered and speechless. Chouno had concluded that he might've been dealing with a stressful situation, and wrapped up the inconclusive subject with a rather illogical answer. She was indignant when Kaiba challenged her ridiculous fallacies by provoking her into finding a valid basis to support her stance. In the end, her arguments were unrelentingly torn apart by the proud businessman. The rest of the class had sided with the winner of course, plus he had a prestigious social standing that many pursued after.

In Mana's case, the letters have not stopped. She had entrusted them to the safe keeping of her brother, but she could not help but feel that the key to Yami's sudden disappearance lie with the letters.

When she arrived home, she darted to the lounge and grabbed the handful of letters which had accumulated in the past few weeks. Then she swiftly took off to the confines of her room. It was her ever present sanctuary and refuge after all.

With a gulp, she tore open the envelop that had been addressed to her. She had picked the most recent entry.

But I hope you won't invite Yami out on that day. Absolutely refrain from doing so.

In nervous anticipation, she scanned the refill over, searching for the answer that could dispel all her qualms -

[April 20th]

-The big game

-Since I was the fastest runner in the girls' team, I was asked to bat for the win.

However, I really regretted saying no since something happened to me that day. You will find out soon enough. I strongly hope you won't refuse this time and accept everyone's request.

PS, that day was the day I fell in love with Yami.

Mana felt deceived. She begged for an explanation that led to the key to Yami's absence, yet the letter had mentioned that on the 20th, which was supposed to be tomorrow, stated that he would magically appear again and -

Being dumbfounded with her own thoughts, she slapped herself on her cheeks and bravely reprimanding her conscience to get a grip on reality. Reading the letter thoroughly once more made her gradually grow impatient at the vagueness and ambiguity of the message.

Ready to cut open all the other letters, she suddenly froze on the spot.

Had she read it right? She would fall in love with Yami and - She flushed.

Processing at what she had just read, she let out a sorrowful laugh. Wishing all this had been a dream, she yearned to wake up to the sound of her alarm right about -

Almost on cue - oscillating vibrations.

Mana almost jolted up from where she was. Digging her pockets for her phone, she hastily swiped her fingers over the screen and read the message from Mai. She widened her eyes at sudden revelation. After exhaling a sigh of relief, she jumped up and down the spot in a rush of successive hurrahs.

You all might wanna see this, cuz I just spotted our mystery boy. You all better join me if you're all free! South side of Museum.

The pleasant aroma of grounded coffee beans filled his nostrils as he entered his favorite cafe. The man stood at five foot ten; he wore a cabby that had almost obscured his tri-colored hair in plain sight, in addition, he was clad in a beige trench coat that covered his body, yet one can tell he was well built for his shoulders were broad. He also carried himself with an air of confidence.

Immediately noticing the long queues of the afternoon lunch rush, he ushered himself to a small table in a corner, furthest from the ordering counter. In this way, he would not be easily spotted by the floor-runners. Unbeknownst to him, a waitress had caught sight of his face when he had arrived. Once she had seen him settle for a seat, she promptly made her way towards him in brisk strides.

The floor girl, Nosaka Miho, had just begun her shift and was ready to face her first customer of the day. She constantly reminded herself it was also the time of the day where she could not afford to make any careless mistakes. Upon arriving, she observed that the man was one who preferred to stay under the radar - accurate or not, labeling the man somehow made her content.

As he placed his bag on the adjacent chair, he was greeted by the purple haired waitress. The man abruptly bowed his head to prevent her from seeing his face completely.

"Hi there, what can get for you today, sir?" She inquired.

Too enthusiastic for his liking.

With a cough, the man spoke gruffly, "A large cappuccino with two-"

"Any sugar?"

Relaxing his shoulders, he allowed his elbows rest on the table. "Yes, two please," he replied curtly.

The waitress' forest green eyes brightened a hue, she had found the texture of his voice to be rather alluring, despite the rude implication. In fact, he was a baritone and the timbre of his voice suited her preferentially.

"Is that all for today sir?" She had almost stuttered.

After indicating that was all he needed, the girl turned her heels to leave. Her responsibility had been to remember this man's order, for she had gone to him empty-handed. As one of the staff members, she was supposed to carry a few pads of dockets and a pen with her at all times during work hours. She bit her lip and cursed inwardly at her carelessness. To make things worse, her co-workers have been constantly nagging her to perform her duties efficiently, for she was often forgetful to do as she was told This resulted her in almost being fired twice! She considered herself to be quite lucky she hasn't ended up begging in the streets! One of her co-workers, Anzu, had also complimented her of possessing good fortune.

Speak of the devil! Once she had gone behind the counter to relay the man's order to an available barista, she spotted the brunette entering the cafe through the back door. Miho was elated, since she considered the girl a friend, furthermore she was someone whom she could freely engage with in different topics of conversation. She was a free spirit, free of a judgmental mindset, a trait she had always hated and loathed.

As soon as he noticed the coast was clear, the man pulled out a book from his duffel bag. It was a novel, and it was small enough to be manged with one hand. He pulled off the bookmark and nestled the book comfortably between his left fingers, and continued reading from where he had left off.

Pair of amethysts scanned each page in genuine interest. The man chuckled to himself as he had found himself an object that had continued to entertain him. He was not one who invested his time indulging in the pleasures of reading, for Yuugi Mutou had just one goal in mind - and that was to make things right once more.

Author's note: Yes, I'm back! I've finished reading Orange and am also currently writing the third chapter. I was reluctant to include Yuugi's introductory paragraphs into this chapter but I think it was a satisfactory ending. What do you think?

-Matagi: A group of Japanese barbarians/hunters, living in the north.

-Bousou-Onna: Kaiba implied that Anzu was a woman of violence.

-Nozawana: Traditional Japanese vegetable, usually pickled.

Edited on 28/11/2016 - I accidentally deleted chapter one, and I apologize to my readers for the false hope of a new chapter.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Please read and review. I cannot stress enough how reviews can really help and motivate us writers to do better! Let me know your thoughts!