The Line Between Chaos and Control

Mute but Not Invisible – Volume 1, Chapter 10: The Line Between Chaos and Control

An Unwanted EscortThe trip back to the lodge was a nightmare.

Yuu Takahashi had expected trouble—he always did. But this? This was a disaster.

With his ankle still aching, walking was slow and painful, but that wasn't the worst part.

The worst part was Mei.

She hovered far too close, her arm subtly brushing against his sleeve every few steps. Each time Yuu shifted to gain distance, she adjusted her position to close the gap. It wasn't outright clinging, but it was unsettlingly persistent.

And then there was Rika.

"Y'know, Mute-kun," she mused, stuffing her hands into her hoodie pockets as she walked backward in front of them. "If you wanted Mei to go full yandere mode, you really nailed it today."

Yuu shot her a deadpan glare.

Rika smirked. "Oh, don't give me that look! I'm just saying—saving a girl's life? That's some main character energy. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to make her obsessed with you."

Mei's grip tightened slightly on his sleeve.

Yuu immediately pulled his arm away.

Mei, to her credit, said nothing. But the quiet satisfaction in her eyes sent a shiver down Yuu's spine.

He had made a mistake.

A Silent Dinner… or NotBy the time they reached the lodge, the other students were already inside, chatting and laughing over dinner.

Yuu was exhausted, his ankle throbbing, but he wasn't about to let Mei or Rika force him into more insanity for the night.

So he did what any rational person would do—

He grabbed a tray, sat down at the farthest possible table, and started eating in peace.

For precisely thirty seconds.

Then—

A tray slammed down next to his.

Yuu closed his eyes, already regretting his life choices.

"Yo, Mute-kun, why are you sitting all the way back here?" Rika asked, plopping into the seat beside him. "Hiding? Feeling mysterious? Or just avoiding your biggest fan over there?" She nodded toward Mei, who was across the room staring directly at them.

Yuu calmly picked up his notebook and wrote: "Leave."

Rika snorted. "Wow, so rude! And after I risked my life getting you up the mountain!"

Yuu gave her a pointed look.

"Okay, okay, fine, I was mostly watching. But still! You should be thanking me!"

He flipped to another page. "For what?"

Rika leaned in, her grin widening. "For making your trip so much more exciting. You gotta admit, this whole trip would've been boring as hell if I wasn't here to stir things up."

Yuu glared.

She grinned harder.

Then, before Yuu could properly tell her off, someone else sat down across from him.

Mei.

"Yuu." Her voice was calm, quiet, and dangerously unreadable.

Rika let out a low whistle. "Ohhh, here we go."

Mei didn't even acknowledge her. Instead, her focus remained entirely on Yuu.

"Are you still in pain?" she asked, her eyes locked onto his ankle.

Yuu hesitated, then wrote: "It's fine."

Mei's lips pressed into a thin line. "That's not an answer."

Rika leaned forward. "You really don't let up, do you?"

Mei finally turned to face her. "No."

Rika blinked, then burst into laughter. "Damn, you're actually owning it. Respect."

Mei ignored her again, turning back to Yuu. "I'll help you back to the cabin after dinner."

Yuu immediately wrote: "No."

Mei tilted her head slightly. "You can barely walk. You'll need assistance."

Yuu shot a desperate look at Rika, hoping she'd somehow get him out of this.

She just grinned. "Oh, don't look at me, Mute-kun. This is between you two."

Traitor.

An Unwanted Walk BackDespite Yuu's many, many protests, Mei still insisted on walking him back.

Rika, probably just to enjoy the drama, tagged along.

"Soooo," Rika started, rocking back and forth on her heels as they reached the cabins, "when's the wedding?"

Yuu glared.

Mei simply smiled. "That depends on Yuu."

Yuu's soul left his body.

Rika nearly fell over laughing.

Mei reached for the door to Yuu's cabin, opening it for him. "Rest well. We'll talk more tomorrow."

There was no question in that statement.

Just certainty.

Yuu gave her one final wary glance before stepping inside and closing the door firmly behind him.

Then, finally, silence.

Or so he thought.

Because the second he turned toward his bed, he saw something…

A letter.

Sitting neatly on his pillow.

From someone who wasn't Mei.

Yuu's stomach sank.

The letter was signed with a name he didn't recognize.

Who else was watching him?

End of Chapter 10