[https://i.imgur.com/vwenCwU.jpg]
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- Thanks for picking us up, Mom.
- I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long!
The woman with long red hair, though a little shorter than her daughter's, smiled at him as she turned around. Deshya nods, but tells her to watch the road. Next to her, in the front passenger seat, is the little Korone, their 'temporary little sister'.
A few minutes after the poker game at Tessa's house had ended, Deshya's mother 'Pera Dimera' came to collect them both when she was called by her daughter. The three of them are on their way home, the sky gradually turning orange. Korone watches from the window, swinging her feet with joy. Pera stops at a red light and turns back to her daughter.
- So you won, did you?" she asked.
Deshya nods.
- I was lucky, but yes, I won.
- Deshyshy was crazy, but strong! She was way too crazy, hihi!!!" chuckles Korone.
- Hey, hey!!!
Pera starts laughing and Deshya sighs. She'd like to retort, but Korone isn't entirely wrong: Deshya has really used her 'inner madness' to win this round. That side of her that loves danger so much and wants to feel emotions, even if it's disappointment, it's this part of Deshya that managed to defeat Tessa. It was by using illogic that she was able to win against the one she loves. However, she has no regrets whatsoever about playing this poker game. After all…
- What did you bet to Tessa?" her mother asks, starting the car again.
Deshya bows her head, covering her mouth, and starts to blush more and more. Her mother is concentrating on the road, so she doesn't see her daughter react like that, but she repeats her question, noticing that Deshya doesn't answer anything. Korone turns around and questions her with her eyes. Deshya waves her hands and scratches the back of her hood.
- I-I haven't decided yet! I think I'll make a bet like doing a ridiculous dance in front of me, I'd really like to see her dance, ahah!" lies Deshya.
- Eeeeh, I see! Film it, I want to see too!" Korone lets out with a smile.
- Eeeh, me too!" adds Pera.
- Your mom understands me, she's funny!
- Korone too, you're funny!
- Eeeeh? Thankiiiiiies!!!
- They're crazy too..." Deshya thinks with a sigh, but ends up smiling.
Deshya turns her gaze to her mother, her head still bowed.
- At least she looks a little better…
Seeing her mother like this reassures her and puts a smile on her face. However, Deshya knows very well that, depending on the day, her mood can change dramatically, without any reason at all. She hopes this 'phase' will last as long as possible…
The three of them arrive at the house a few moments later and time passes without anything special happening. Deshya talks to Korone about the poker game, Tessa and her many friends. Deshya doesn't admit to the little girl that she's in love with Tessa, even though she's never lied to Amora about these feelings. In fact, it was Amora who realized this when she saw Deshya admiring Tessa during a gymnastics class at the end of last school year. Deshya couldn't hide the truth from her, and since that was when her feelings really began to blossom inside her, Deshya wanted to talk about it with her best friend. Since then, her feelings have only grown inside her, but now that she's been able to kiss Tessa, even if only as a token, she feels as if the flower of love in her heart has revealed all its petals. She doesn't know how to explain it, but she wants to taste Tessa's mouth again. She wants to kiss her again and again, but she wants the next time to be sincere on both sides, not just for a bet.
As planned, Deshya orders sushi for everyone. She gets all kinds for Korone, several tuna and springs for Pera, and Dengaku Rolls for her father. Gatito returns from work a few minutes before the sushi arrives, and Deshya tells him how her day went. The whole family eats happily, and Korone devours a variety of sushi with stars in her eyes. It may be the first time she's eaten sushi, but it won't be the last: she refuses to not taste it again, one day! Korone tells his side of the poker story to the two adults, and the four of them chat until the clock alerts them that it's time to go to bed: it’s 11pm. Deshya clears the plates and boxes with her parents, while Korone brushes his teeth in the bathroom. Gatito and Pera go to their rooms after wishing Korone good night.
- Sleep well, Korone," Deshya told him.
- I really like these pajamas!!!" smiled Korone, looking down at herself.
Blue pajamas with a fox under the stars and a gray moon adorn her. A long-sleeved t-shirt and pants at her waist, both in the same color.
- It was mine when I was little," Deshya explains.
- So cute!
Korone cuddles herself and giggles. Deshya strokes her hair and joins her in her room, looking at her pajamas. She finds it amusing and ironic that her favorite pajamas from when she was little are the ones with a fox drawn on them... which is what she is now. Is this a sign from the gods or just a coincidence?
- I love sheeps too, but I didn't become a sheep girl after all…
She prefers to be a semi-fox, as it's easier to hide her ears. On the other hand, she figures she can't hide her tail, so it's the same thing... Nevertheless, people find it easier to believe in a fake fox tail than fake sheep horns. Deshya shows Korone's bed to the little girl and wishes her good night again, but stops when someone holds the sleeve of her pyjamas. Deshya turns to Korone and questions her with her eyes. She looks... worried.
- What's going on...?" asks Deshya.
- In fact... In fact…
Korone withdraws her hand and her two index fingers touch several times as she lowers her head, puffing out her cheeks.
- Actually... I-I can't sleep... on my own…
- E-Eh...?
Deshya blinks and Korone looks up at her without moving her head.
- Can I sleep with you?" Korone asks her with puppy dog eyes.
Deshya takes a step back. It's not because of her request, but because of her expression: she's so cute her heart can't take it. Deshya blinks and scratches her hair.
- B-But I sleep almost naked..." she admits.
- Yet you're in your pajamas right now?" remarked Korone.
- It's because I was going to have a little chat with Amora before going to bed and I didn't want to be too cold, plus it was so you wouldn't see me almost naked…
- Eeeh, but I'm a girl too.
- But I'm still embarrassed…
- It doesn't matter! I don't care if Deshyshy is a nudist or not!
- I'm not a nudist!!!
Korone starts laughing before blinking and resuming her hangdog look.
- Can I sleep with youuuuu, I'm going to sleep badly otherwiiiiiise..." she lets out in a voice that's more than cute.
Deshya sighs and leans towards Korone, threatening her with his gaze.
- Are you really saying that or is it just an excuse to sleep with me?" she asks.
Korone blinks, a little frightened by Deshya's expression.
- I'm telling the truth! I was always sleeping with mommy!
- Hmmm...
Deshya agrees to believe her and takes her in his arms before sighing again.
- Well, it doesn't make any difference to me.
Deshya climbs the stairs one by one, with a happy Korone in her arms.
- Are you sure you don't enjoy sleeping with someone?!" she teases.
- Hush.
Korone starts laughing and Deshya simply smiles. They arrive upstairs and Deshya opens her bedroom door. She sets Korone down on her bed and walks over to her computer, sitting down on the desk chair. She closes the door with her foot and turns to Korone.
- Big pillow!
- A-Ahahah…
Deshya wanted to talk to her, but Korone was too busy cuddling the body pillow containing 'Liv', a character from 'Gato Lana'. Deshya sighs and shrugs before turning on her screen and chatting a little with Amora on Twatter while watching what's happened today.
A few minutes later, after switching off her computer, Deshya goes to bed and sleeps at Korone's side. Deshya wishes her good night and takes her human-sized pillow in her arms. Korone cuddles Deshya's fluffy tail and is soon fast asleep. In a few moments, both are back in the world of dreams, and the night goes on without a hitch.
CHAPTER 25
⎾The Three Geniuses of Tetazo⏌
- Deshya, heyooooooooo!!
Deshya stops walking and looks to her right. A girl with long pink hair starts running towards her, waving her hand above her. Amora jumps on Deshya and the latter catches her in her arms, smiling, her fox tail wagging gently behind her back.
- Hey, Amora.
- How are you?!
As always, Amora's energy is inexplicable. Deshya tells her she's fine and returns the question. Unsurprisingly, Amora replies that she feels great and can't wait to start school. It is Monday, September 05, two days after the poker game between Deshya and Tessa. Fortunately for the teenager in the fox sweater, she had managed to rest her mind on Sunday. Admittedly, Korone proved to have a lot of energy, but that didn't bother Deshya: she's already used to her best friend Amora. The latter raises her eyebrows.
- So like this, smooooch with Tessa, eeeeh~?
- We promised not to talk about it!
- Ahah, sorry, sorry!
Amora stops hugging Deshya, laughing. Before going to bed last night, she confessed what happened between her and Tessa to her best friend, but only to her. Although she's not the only person to know about her love for Tessa, Deshya doesn't want to tell everyone and let the rumor spread. Besides, she doesn't think she'd dare tell other people anyway... Deshya and Amora continue on their way to school.
- We start with the French class, right?" asks Amora.
Deshya nods. The two best friends arrive a few minutes early at the school and when they reach the large gates, they notice a girl coming to greet them. She runs towards her, without going too fast, and stops in front of them.
- H-Hello, Deshya! Amora!
- Oh, Frie! Hiii!
Amora waves both hands with a big smile and Deshya does the same, but with much less energy. Frie smiles at them.
- Are you all right?" she asks.
Amora approaches Frie and Deshya correctly puts the bag back on her back.
- I had a good weekend, and you, Frie?" replies Deshya.
- I looked at a lot of stuff, it was just too good!
Frie smiled as she looked at Amora before turning her face to Deshya.
- I'm fine, but my parents were very worried about me, they were a bit clingy, ahah....
- Worried?
Amora tilts her head and Frie scratches her cheek.
- Hehe, because of what happened on the train, they are worried that I'm traumatized... After all, they saw on TV that if Deshya and Tessa hadn't managed to find the criminal, we could all have died," Frie explains.
- Aaah, yes…
Amora stops fidgeting and touches her lower lip with her index finger.
- My parents told me they'd come and get me this week, because they're afraid the next train I take will be just as dangerous, but otherwise they haven't bothered me..." says Amora.
Deshya smiles: she understands their concern. Unlike their parents, hers haven't bothered her with any of this. However, it's clear that they're a little worried about her because of the murders she's facing... Deshya can't blame them: it's understandable.
- But I'm ready for our real first week at school!" says Frie with a happy smile.
- Me too!" says Amora, jumping up.
- I hope we'll have a good year," admits Deshya.
Amora giggles and the three of them set off again. However, they stop short when another girl comes up to them. Amora recognized her immediately. This student is—
- Aaah!
A girl in the same class as them, with hair the same color as Frie's. She greets the three friends with a cute smile.
- Hi, you three.
- Lam! How are you?!
Amora jumps on the girl, giggling. Lam grabs her and hugs her too. Frie and Deshya approach her and greet her in return.
- Hey, Lam.
- How are you?
- I'm fine, I just wish I'd slept a bit more, that's all.
‘Lam Douce'. This is the identity of the girl with long white hair who has just joined them. A student from class 4B, friends with Deshya, Amora and Frie since last year. Amora looks down and admires her torso, smiling.
- What are you doing, Amora...?!" shouts Deshya, noticing where her gaze has just landed.
Amora blinks and turns to Deshya.
- Well, I was looking at his clothes! Look, on her t-shirt, it says 'Angel' ! It's mims !
Amora resumes her usual smile and cuddles Lam again. Lam laughs and Deshya scratches her cheek. Frie giggles, understanding what was going on in Deshya's head. Lam strokes Amora's hair, still in her arms, and turns her attention to Deshya.
- I hear you solved two... no, three crimes, last week?" asks Lam.
- More like two... Tessa figured out long before I did who the criminal on the train was," Deshya replies.
- It's still a lot. I'm impressed…
- Deshyshy is too strong!" cheered Amora.
Lam giggles before pushing off some Amora and patting her clothes. Deshya admires them: a cute dark gray top, with the word 'Angel' in yellow inscribed in front of her chest. At the waist, her orange skirt with black buttons reaches above her knees. As usual, Lam wears tights and small white shoes. Her long hair reaches a little beyond her pelvis, and today it's not tied back, but sometimes she trims it into a ponytail or even pigtails. However, she prefers to let it breathe, so it flows down her body. Deshya is very fond of Lam, whom she met through Amora, who spoke of her every day about her beauty. Deshya even wondered if Amora hadn't fallen under her spell, but as the weeks went by, she finally decided that wasn't the case. Lam turns to Deshya.
- Either way, you're going to be a star in this country, if this keeps up," she teases.
Deshya waved her hands, blushing.
- I wouldn't go that far…
- You won't forget me, if you become famous?!"
With a hangdog look on her face, Frie grabs Deshya's hands. Amora imitates her and pretends to cry on her chest. Deshya stutters as Lam laughs off to the side.
- You make your girlfriends cry? You're becoming a real woman, little fox.
A girl comes up and violently strokes Deshya's hood and withdraws her hand violently, but in a friendly manner. Deshya shakes her head and notices that it's Tessa who has just passed by. Amora stops pretending to cry and greets Tessa by raising her hands, while Frie starts laughing in turn. Deshya sighs heavily and bows her head: she can't stand this Monday any more. School hasn't even started yet and she's feeling tired, which doesn't bode well.
- Anyway, see you in class!" Lam tells them.
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
She waves to them as she walks away. Amora tells her to wait and runs after her, eager to chat. Frie rubs her hair beside Deshya.
- I'll leave you too, see you in class!" she told her.
- Yes.
Deshya nods and watches her go, smiling. She cracks the back of her neck and continues on her way through the playground, observing her surroundings. She arrived at school early, so there's no need to hurry to class. She puts her hands in her pockets and admires the students chatting and playing together. This time, they're not all running after her, which reassures her. She can breathe without having to run away from the many teenagers who want her autograph or discuss the crime she's solved with her. She assumes that the bus affair hasn't been fully revealed to the public, even though Frie knows: it's probably because Amora discussed it with her, given that Deshya didn't hide it from her best friend. She just hopes Amora isn't going to talk about it with everyone... Walking through the playground, she notices a certain boy calling out to her, waving his hand above his head. She quickly recognizes him and the girl sitting next to him is Tessa, so she heads towards them both. The boy smiles at her and Deshya stops in front of them both.
- Yooo, Deshya!" greets Maruno..
- Do you leave your girlfriends out?" teases Tessa.
- Girlfriends?
Maruno blinks before smiling with a long 'Mmmmh' that remains in his throat. He turns to Deshya, his teasing smile still on his face.
- Deshya with girlfriends? You're finally dating Amora, right?
- F-Finally?!
Maruno crosses his arms and nods, his bag right beside him.
- When we see the relationship you two have, we sometimes wonder if you're dating," he admits.
- I must admit I've wondered about that," adds Tessa.
- Not you!!!" cries Deshya inwardly.
She sits down next to the one she loves, sighing. Tessa pats her back with a laugh: obviously, they're just teasing her, and Deshya knows it. Tessa's backpack sits on her thighs, very sparsely packed. Its very dark colors and the key rings hanging from the pocket make it very clear to everyone that it's Tessa's bag: if she were to lose it, anyone would know who it belonged to. Maruno's bag is more basic and small, as well as monochrome. Deshya touches the strap of her bag, which is a brighter color and larger than those of her friends.
- Starting a new school year is going to feel weird..." admits Maruno.
- And to think that if I stopped being stubborn, I'd already be in my final year..." sighs Tessa.
She crosses her arms and shakes her head. Maruno chuckles and Deshya nods. After all, Tessa is two years older than them and yet in 4th grade, just like the two of them. Maruno's reason for repeating is different from Tessa's, who just wasn't working and seemed to have repeated twice simply out of laziness. She hardly ever talks about it, but almost everyone knows that Tessa just doesn't like working at school. It's no secret. Deshya looks at the playground in front of her with a smile: she can't deny it, she's missed this atmosphere. School has never been something that really bothered her, so she doesn't mind coming here, although she prefers to stay at home most of the time. Here, she can find her friends like Amora, Tessa or Maruno, but she also learns interesting facts, whether during geography or science class. Even in language classes, she learns a lot. Deshya loves discovering new things she's never learned from books or TV shows. She also learns from videos on YouTube and sometimes checks their sources, although she's careful about what she consumes and whether it's true. There are so many things that aren't told by her school that she can't trust the school alone: researching on the Internet is very important to her too. Everything she knows about space is thanks to what she finds on the net, and a lot of history too. Tessa begins to yawn, which wakes Deshya from her thoughts and turns to her.
- Not slept enough?" asks Deshya.
Tessa rubs her left eye.
- Not really... I learned to play mahjong that way, so one day we'll play together and I'll win." she admits.
- You've still got it across your throat, eeeh~?
Maruno lets a teasing smile cross her mouth and Tessa frowns. However, she doesn't deny the facts:
- Yeah.
- Maaaaw, the little one is sad to have lost against the little fox! So cute!!!
Maruno starts tugging at Tessa's cheeks, laughing. Tessa closes her eyes and grits her teeth. Seeing that Maruno doesn't stop, she kicks him in the feet, forcing him to fall to the ground without being able to catch himself. Tessa grabs Deshya and places her at her side, throwing Maruno's bag a little further away.
- I'm not cute and eat shit!" yells Tessa.
- E-Eat shit...?" repeats Deshya, surprised.
Tessa nods and grabs both Deshya's hands, making her blush instantly.
- Sayyyyy, you didn't tell everyone you'd beaten me, did you?!" asks Tessa.
- I-I told Amora, Korone and my family, b-but otherwise I didn't say anything!" Deshya replies honestly.
- Aaah, so it was the students in the crowd who spread that rumor... Tsk.
Tessa withdraws her hands and crosses them, sulking. Maruno sits down next to Deshya with a sigh and dusts off his bag. Tessa squints and tilts her head towards him.
- It wasn't you who spread the rumor, was it?
Maruno puffs out his cheeks.
- For the tenth time, I only told my girlfriend…
- Yeah.
Deshya smiles as she looks at them: they really get on well. They seem to bicker every day, but she knows just how much they adore each other. Deshya and the other two geniuses turn to her, questioning her with their eyes. She apologizes and admires the beautiful sky-blue of her similarly colored eyes. Tessa and Maruno look at each other and shrug. As the three of them wait quietly on their benches for classes to start, two people come running up to them. Deshya recognizes them. They are—
- Yo, Deshya!" said the shaved boy.
Tessa and Maruno turn to them in turn. Another boy, his hair hidden under a black cap, arrives at the same time as his big brother.
- We found an envelope addressed to you," he confesses.
- An envelope?" asked Deshya.
The little brother frowns as he looks back at the other boy.
- At least you could have said hello!" he yells at him.
- I'd rather get straight to the point. Call me Mbappe*, don't worry.
* (In french, the joke is ‘Straight to the goal’, but it doesn’t work as well in english.)
He puts his hands in his pockets and smiles, looking at Deshya.
- There was an envelope sticking out of your locker with your first name on it, and I couldn't resist grabbing it," admits Abdoul Ferino.
- I stopped him straight away because it's not done, but I had to fight," says Minoru Ferino, his little brother.
Tessa stands up and grabs Abdoul by the collar with a frown, but the boy simply smiles.
- Before you beat the shit out of me, I'd just like to say that I wasn't going to read it, just hand it to Deshya," he explains.
- And why did your brother have to fight to get it back?” Tessa asks.
- Because I just like to piss him off.
Minoru sighs heavily and nods. Abdoul removes Tessa's fist from his shirt and takes a step back, remaining next to his big brother. Deshya's eyelids droop and she looks at the two brothers.
- So what? Where's my envelope you stole...?" she asks, judging them with her eyes.
She knows very well who her two boys are because they're in her class this year. She's known Minoru for two years and his brother is often with him, so Deshya has learned a lot about him. She likes them both, but Abdoul is a boy she sometimes finds unbearable. He's fun and friendly most of the time, but he's very teasing, provocative and teases his little brother every day, even when he tells him it's not the day for that. However, their relationship is far from bad, and Deshya knows it well: the day Minoru was robbed of his wallet, Abdoul went to beat the two thieves single-handed. He came back with many wounds, but he had won and returned the wallet to his brother with even more money in it: after beating the two robbers, he robbed them himself. Minoru wanted to return the money, but in the end decided to keep it and used it for a movie night with several friends, including Deshya herself. She vividly remembers the horror movie that scared Amora so much she had to sleep between Deshya and Lam to get to sleep. Minoru still sometimes calls them 'The Three Sandwich Foods'. She wants to punch him every time he calls them that, but she knows how to keep her cool, so she just sighs when he calls them that. Amora finds it amusing, but given her personality, it doesn't really surprise Deshya. She's not sure whether Lam appreciates the nickname or not. Minoru grabs something from his pocket and hands it to Deshya. It's an all-white envelope, with her first name written on it in beautiful handwriting. Deshya grabs it and thanks Minoru before turning it over. Tessa and Maruno watch him, curious to know what might be written on it. Deshya notices that the four around her are staring at the envelope with attentive eyes.
- Hey, that's for me, don't look like that..." she blurts out.
- Maybe an admirer?" wonders Maruno.
- The family member of a criminal you've successfully
to catch?" suggests Abdoul.
- Nonsense. I say, someone who's going to confess his love!" says Minoru.
- Maybe there's money in it?" says Maruno.
- Money...?!
Deshya can hardly believe what she hears from her friend. She looks at the envelope, but is convinced that inside is a letter. She wants to open it, but…
- Would you... Would you please NOT APPROACH ME LIKE THAT?!!!!
Deshya screams at the four heads that are almost glued to her and they all back off. Abdoul taps his cross shaped earring and giggles.
- Everyone's curious like me, it seems," he admits.
- I hope it's a declaration of love! Since the writing is so beautiful, it must be a woman!" Minoru enthuses.
- They're crazy… them too..." thinks Deshya.
She opens the envelope unhurriedly, but the stares on her face urge her on. She grabs the letter, which is folded in half, and is about to start reading it when Maruno sticks his cheek to hers, trying to see what it says. Deshya pushes him and Abdoul starts laughing.
- We're real kids, I must say!
- If it's private, you're not allowed to read!" shouts Deshya.
Tessa nods and forces Maruno to his feet, making him join Abdoul and Minoru. She crosses her arms and stares at them.
- She's right. Only girls can read," says Tessa.
- Exa... Hey!!
Deshya pauses in her sentence and turns to Tessa, squinting. Tessa smiles at her.
- Right?
- Nah. Let me read this alone... I'll read it out loud to you if it's not private... You kids.
- We're all children," Abdoul points out.
Deshya sighs and reads the letter from her side, making sure even Tessa can't read it. Her eyes pass over each word and when she has finished, she looks at the three boys in front of her with a surprised expression. Maruno asks her what's going on and Deshya lays her eyes on the letter again.
- This is a letter challenging the 'Fox Incorporated', you three geniuses.
It's on this letter that you'll find the directions to find the 'gift'.
Find the invisible dots; the enlightened ones will lead you to the answer.
The place of the offering is in the school, look up and see.
Before classes end, find me, that coded message invisible to idiots.
I challenge you, Deshya, Maruno and Tessa. This letter is your only clue.
She finishes reading the letter and squints. The four others around her do the same, but Tessa is the first to react and steals the letter from Deshya's hands to read it in turn. Its contents are exactly the same as Deshya's story.
- Everyone's really going to call us 'geniuses', aren't they?" sighs Maruno.
He sits down next to Deshya and puffs out one cheek. Abdoul stares at him, surprised by his remark.
- Isn't that what you are?" he asks him.
Deshya answers before Maruno can.
- We're called that because the three of us solved the famous science room mystery, but I don't know if we're geniuses…
She says so humbly. While she would never deny that she has a brain that probably works better than most, she doesn't know if she deserves the term 'genius' to stick to her image.
- I like being called that, but I agree with both of them. We'll always be called that, so it's better to play along, but I know some people who are smarter than me at school. I flunked classes twice, I must say.
- Yes, but you didn't fail because you're stupid," Deshya points out.
Tessa shrugs.
- Even so. If we were really geniuses, I don't know if we'd be here, working at school," she admits.
- Well, we've already got our fox solving murders, so I guess she deserves the title," says Maruno.
Deshya wants to reply, but ends up closing her mouth. Minoru scratches his cheek.
- Everyone's been calling you that ever since you solved that mystery, it's true... Me, I think you deserve the title," he said honestly.
- Tessa is too good for math and everything that revolves around general knowledge. Maruno is good at riddles and languages, while Deshya has the eyes of a hawk and never gets a bad mark," says Abdoul. I also think you deserve the title.
- Whether you deserve it or not, it's... I don't know, banal? It's even embarrassing, a little…
Maruno reads the letter in turn after speaking, and Deshya nods in agreement.
- It's great for our egos, but I admit that sometimes it's... Ahah, I'm embarrassed, I don't feel like I deserve it..." she confesses.
- Still, you deserve it more than either of us," replies Tessa.
- You're smarter than me!
- Nonsense.
- But you were the one who figured out who the criminal was when we were on the train!
Tessa crosses her legs and sighs.
- Yes, but that's because he was an absolute idiot. A rifle in a selfie stick... I'm sure you'd have understood too, if you hadn't let yourself go… because of Frie and Amora.
- Aaah? I don't think so!
- Are you competing here? Why don't you find out what this letter means? After all, we have—
Maruno was about to finish his sentence, but a noise sounded. All five look up and Maruno returns the letter to Deshya.
The school bell rings.
- I remember what it says on the letter, so I'll think about it on my own," admits Maruno. We've got until the end of school, I must say.
- Likewise, it'll make this Monday a bit more fun," Tessa says, rising to her feet.
Deshya squints at the letter. Abdoul pats her on the back and nods.
- Shall we go to class? You can think there!
- A-Ah, right.
Deshya nods and puts the letter in her bag. As she walks alongside the two brothers, she thinks.
- Who sent me this letter... and what does it mean?
Deshya has until 4.15pm to discover where the 'gift' referred to in the letter is hidden.
Deshya, Tessa and Maruno have 7 hours and 50 minutes to solve this puzzle dedicated to them.