Solomon Muto wiped the dust off the box and opened it.
Inside was a completed jigsaw puzzle—but it was entirely blank.
"Look, this is a blank puzzle. You split your feelings into pieces and give them to the other person. Then, as he puts the pieces together, your heart takes shape… isn't it romantic?"
Mayumi was instantly swayed. "Amazing! So romantic! I'll take it!"
That said… would Joey even have the patience to put it together?
"Yes, yes! So romantic!" Solomon echoed, and Yuto had a strong suspicion he just wanted to clear out old stock.
"I want this one! How much is it?" Mayumi was already pulling out her wallet.
Well, as long as she was happy.
"Come again anytime!" Solomon waved them off as the group left the shop.
"So, what should I write on it?" Mayumi asked.
"That's for you to decide. Your feelings shouldn't come from someone else," Téa said, tugging Yuto away toward home.
At Yuto's dining table, the two chatted.
"I'm going home to sleep tonight. Tomorrow, you'd better wake up early and cheer Mayumi on!"
"Yeah, I'll set an alarm. Though, do you really think Joey has the patience to complete a puzzle?"
"Uh…" Téa froze. She hadn't thought about Joey himself.
"You wouldn't—"
"Hm?"
"Alright, alright, my bad for not reminding you~" Yuto started to say more, but Téa silenced him. What could he do except to indulge her?
The next day, Yuto kept his promise, waking early and heading to class with Téa.
The group gathered around Joey's desk as Mayumi pulled the puzzle from her bag. She had wrapped the plain box in paper and tied it with a ribbon.
"So cute!" Miho's taste was, for once, on point.
"I worked hard on this all night!" Mayumi said.
"So what now?" Téa asked.
"Just give it to him when he arrives," Yuto suggested bluntly.
"However, that's like shouting with a megaphone, 'I like Joey!'" Téa groaned at Yuto's lack of tact. How had she ended up with him, anyway…
"Miho thinks we should just slip it into his desk," Miho suggested.
After much discussion, Mayumi agreed and placed the puzzle inside Joey's desk.
Yet, even as the bell rang, Joey hadn't arrived.
"What's going on? Did Joey take the day off?" Miho whispered.
"Did you forget? He had perfect attendance until recently. If not for that one absence, he'd still be perfect!" Yuto countered.
Just then, Joey burst through the door, face pale and frantic, muttering "That was close!" like he'd barely escaped disaster.
"See? He's here," Yuto said with a smile.
Joey rushed to his seat, slumping into it with a long sigh of relief. Before he could catch his breath, the teacher walked in.
"Rise!" The class stood in unison.
Joey scrambled up. His gaze fell on the teacher—a beautiful woman with a graceful aura. Her name was Ms. Chono, the class goddess.
"Sit down," she said with a warm smile. The room quieted instantly.
She opened her textbook. "Alright, everyone, turn to your books."
The students obeyed. Joey, however, rummaged in his desk. "Weird, my book should be here…"
His hand brushed something hard. "Huh? What's this?" He pulled out a carefully wrapped box with a bow.
Ms. Chono noticed. "Joey Wheeler, what's that in your hand?"
Yuto and the others froze—too late!
She stepped down from the podium, her footsteps heavy with authority. She took the box from Joey without hesitation.
"A lunchbox?" She smiled faintly. "Such a cute bento box."
Joey panicked. "It's not mine!"
Yuto caught a flash of malice in Ms. Chono's eyes. His chest tightened. This wasn't going to end well.
"Not yours? But you pulled it out yourself," she said sharply.
"It was just in my desk! Someone must've misplaced it!" Joey stammered.
Yuto groaned inwardly. Joey—don't you recognize gift wrapping?!
Ms. Chono didn't look convinced. "Misplaced? I see." Her voice turned icy. "Don't bring unrelated items to school…"
She tore open the wrapping. Puzzle pieces poured onto the desk in a clatter.
"Oh my, a toy puzzle~" she said with mock surprise. "And there's writing on it."
She began piecing it together with deliberate care. As the puzzle formed, words appeared.
"How amusing! The words emerge as you complete it!" she said, reading aloud. "The moment I saw you, I couldn't think of anything else…"
Her smile widened. "A love confession? How romantic! Let's keep going~"
Yuto frowned deeply. Memories stirred—of a teacher in his previous life. The resemblance was uncanny. A wave of irritation and dread swept through him. His fists clenched.
"This will hurt your studies," Ms. Chono said coldly. "Whose is it? No one admits? If I find out, you'll be punished severely… even expelled."
Sweat dripped from Mayumi's forehead.
"Fine, then let's see whose confession this is…" Ms. Chono continued piecing it together. The name was about to appear.
Mayumi's face went pale.
"Please stop, Sensei!" Téa suddenly stood, defying the abuse of power.
...
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