A Letter from the Unknown

Mute but Not Invisible – Volume 1, Chapter 11: A Letter from the Unknown

Back to RealityThe school trip had finally ended. The bus ride back to the city was mercifully uneventful, save for Rika refusing to stop talking and Mei watching him with her usual quiet intensity. Yuu Takahashi, as always, remained silent, his thoughts occupied elsewhere.

The letter.

It had been waiting for him back at the lodge, placed deliberately on his pillow. Not from Mei. Not from Rika. But from someone else entirely.

Now, back home in his quiet room, Yuu sat at his desk, staring at the neatly folded paper in his hands. He hadn't opened it right away. He had needed space, time to breathe.

But now…

His fingers traced the edges of the envelope, and slowly, he unfolded the letter.

The Letter's ContentsYuu Takahashi,

I don't know if you've ever noticed me, but I've noticed you.

I've watched you from afar, wondering if you'd ever see me the way I see you. You're quiet, distant—but somehow, that only makes me want to understand you more.

I don't need you to say anything. I just wanted you to know.

I like you, Yuu.

And I think I have for a long time.

There was no name.

No signature.

Just a direct, heartfelt confession written in neatly penned letters.

Yuu's grip tightened around the page. His stomach churned.

Someone had feelings for him.

But who?

And why now?

A New Normal?Monday arrived too soon. The moment Yuu walked into the classroom, Mei was already waiting.

She didn't speak—just watched as he entered, her eyes flickering with something calculating beneath their usual warmth.

Rika, on the other hand, was less subtle.

"Morning, Mute-kun!" she greeted, sliding into the desk beside his before he had a chance to escape. "Man, I actually kinda miss that trip! The mountain air! The near-death experiences! The way you heroically saved us from a falling tree—"

Yuu glared.

Rika grinned.

"Alright, alright, I'll stop teasing. Mostly." She leaned in. "You good, though? I feel like you've been more broody than usual."

Yuu hesitated, then shook his head slightly.

"Huh," Rika mused. "That bad, huh?" She tapped her chin, then glanced toward Mei. "Lemme guess, you know what's up, don't you?"

Mei's gaze didn't waver. "I might."

Yuu fought the urge to bury his face in his arms.

This was not going to be a peaceful day.

The Stalker in the BackgroundLunch came and went with more unwanted attention. Mei ensured he ate properly. Rika ensured he was thoroughly annoyed.

But Yuu couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.

Even as he sat beneath the usual tree outside, flipping through his notebook, he felt it—the same quiet pressure that had been looming since the trip.

Then, he saw them.

A figure standing just beyond the school fence.

A student? A stranger? He wasn't sure. But the moment Yuu's eyes met theirs, they turned and disappeared.

His fingers tightened around his pen.

Was it them?

The person who left the letter?

This wasn't over.

End of Chapter 11