One of the biggest struggles people face today isn’t money, power, or influence. It’s something much simpler—confessing their love. Even when they do, it often doesn’t last. I’ve learned that the hard way. But there’s one girl I like, and her name is Miu.

Why do I like Miu? Well, she’s smart, popular, athletic, and beautiful—literally the goddess of our high school.

Then there’s me. Average looks, not smart, no one talks to me, and I’m definitely not athletic. The only things I’ve kept secret are, one, that I have a crush on Miu, and two, that I practice martial arts and boxing. That’s come in handy a few times.

"Class is over for today," announced the homeroom teacher.

"Finally, I can go home and rest. Why do school days always feel so long? Is it because I have no friends?" Takuma muttered to himself quietly.

"No, it’s just that high school in general is boring. I have zero motivation, but I’m forced to go because it affects my future," he continued, barely audible.

Takuma finished packing his things, slung his bag over one shoulder, and stuck his free hand in his pocket. He could’ve adjusted his posture, but he didn’t bother.

As he walked through the school hallway, then down the stairs, Takuma couldn’t help but feel envious of the groups of friends around him. Their conversations, though mundane, kept him from succumbing to boredom. But it wasn’t enough.

"I WANT FRIENDS!" Takuma accidentally shouted, causing everyone nearby to look at him as if he were some kind of weirdo. Embarrassed, he lowered his head and hurried out of the building.

Outside, he mused, "I always wonder why the school looks so big on the outside but feels so small on the inside. Some secrets are better left hidden."

His stomach growled. "Man, I’m starving. I should grab a bite to eat." He headed to Burger World and ordered a chicken burger. The first bite filled him with joy. "This is amazing! Chicken burger for the win."

Takuma debated his next move. "I could catch the four o’clock bus home, or I could hang out and buy Devil’s World 3 from the video game shop."

Thirty minutes later, he entered the mall. "Now, which floor is the store on? Think, brain, think. Use those few brain cells you’ve got left." He sighed, frustrated. "Even a two-year-old could remember this."

He wandered around the first floor, finding nothing but food shops and fancy restaurants. Eventually, he noticed two hooded people lurking in the distance. After briefly watching them, he shrugged and moved on, taking the elevator to the second floor.

On the second floor, he found it filled with girly clothes and fashion trends. "I do need another mask, though. My old one’s ripped to pieces, just like my heart in love," he said, half-jokingly.

"Does it matter what store I go into? I could go cheap and simple, or expensive and stylish," he pondered. But the idea of dealing with rich people in fancy stores frightened him, so he opted for the cheaper option.

Takuma entered a store, browsed the aisles, and finally found the masks. "Here they are," he said, grabbing a simple design that he could’ve chosen from the start.

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Meanwhile, Miu was also at the mall. As she exited the girls’ bathroom on the second floor, her phone rang.

"Hi, Mom. What’s up? It’s unusual for you to call," Miu said.

"I just wanted to check in on my precious daughter," her mom replied. "How are you? I haven’t heard from you much lately. Are you okay?"

"I’m fine, Mom. Don’t worry. I’ll call if something comes up. By the way, I got the highest score on my last test," Miu said, smiling.

"That’s my Miu, always a superstar. Well, I’ve got to go. Call me if you need anything," her mom said.

"Will do. Bye," Miu said, ending the call. As she walked out of the mall, the hooded figures started to follow her.

Back in the store, Takuma finally chose his mask. He put it in his pocket and headed to the third floor. After ten minutes of searching, he found the video game store.

"Yo, Sato! Is that new game on the shelves yet?" Takuma asked.

"What game?" Sato replied.

"You know, Devil’s World 3. It’s in stock, right?" Takuma said, excitement building.

Sato checked the stock but came back empty-handed. "Sorry, bro. Devil’s World 3 won’t be in stock for another month. You’ll have to wait."

Takuma’s excitement deflated. He left the store without a word. "Curse this world. Why is it that the one time I want something, I don’t get it? It’s so unfair," he muttered, dejected.

"I swear, the more I pray for something, the worse things get. But that’s life for ya," he added, sadness settling in.

As Takuma walked toward the mall exit, he noticed five hooded figures leaving. "I guess their hiding game is over. I wonder who won," he thought. But something about them didn’t sit right with him, so he decided to follow them.

Meanwhile, Miu walked down an alley. "The sun’s setting. I should get home quickly before I—" She froze, realizing someone was following her. She quickened her pace until she bumped into someone and fell to the ground. When she looked up, she saw two hooded men standing in front of her. She turned around and saw three more behind her.

Before she could react, they pinned her down. One of them stuffed dirty boxers into her mouth to silence her.

"Looks like we finally caught you, Miu Takoriyu," one of them sneered.

Tears welled up in Miu’s eyes as fear took hold. The men didn’t care.

"What should we do with her, boss?" one of the men asked.

"Let’s rough her up a little, if you know what I mean," another replied.

"Don’t leave me out of the fun," the leader said, pulling out a knife. He used it to rip her clothes open, exposing her chest. As he reached for her, Takuma appeared, calmly putting on his mask.

"Well, well, what do we have here? Harassing a high school girl? How low can you get?" Takuma said.

"Run away if you value your life, boy," the leader warned.

"Why would I do that when my opponents are weak, pathetic losers with no life except to do dirty things to an innocent girl?" Takuma retorted bluntly.

Enraged, the five men pulled out their knives and attacked. The first man lunged weakly. Takuma blocked the knife with his left hand and punched the guy as hard as he could in the jaw with his right. There was a sickening crack, and the man collapsed, unconscious.

Takuma quickly took down the other three until only the leader remained.

"You’ve managed to beat my men, but I promise I’ll kill you where you stand. No one’s ever defeated me," the leader snarled.

"Let’s see about that," Takuma replied.

"Don’t get cocky," the leader snapped.

Bored of the conversation, Takuma made the first move, using his incredible speed to close the gap. The leader rushed at him, but Takuma anticipated it, went low, and sweep-kicked the leader off his feet. Miu, still gagged and half-naked, watched in awe as this mysterious man single-handedly defeated five attackers.

"You’ve just gotten lucky, kid. I wasn’t trying at all at first, but I admit you’re skilled," the leader said, struggling to his feet.

"If you had tried from the start, you might’ve had a decent chance of killing me. Too bad for you, though, because now I know how you fight," Takuma replied.

In a last-ditch effort, the leader charged at Takuma with full force, managing to cut his new mask, which split in two and fell.

Miu gasped as she recognized Takuma.

"You’ve done it now. I just bought that mask a few hours ago, and now it’s ruined," Takuma said, anger rising. He swiftly punched the leader in the neck, liver, and finally, the groin. The leader collapsed, unconscious.

Takuma stood over him, victorious, like a boxer who had just won a tough match.