???? ??? || Ni-ki ?

★

Riki never cared much about what people said.

Or at least, he thought he didn’t.

But sitting at his desk, quietly listening as his new coworkers casually discussed him or rather, Phantom was an experience he never expected to have.

“He’s probably some old man with wrinkles hiding under that mask,” one guy snorted, leaning back in his chair.

“Or a total loser who just likes playing hero,” another chimed in.

“Come on, no normal guy take jobs like that.”

“But you can’t deny he’s got skill,” a different voice countered.

“People say he’s never been caught or even properly seen. That’s insane.”

“I heard he helped that politician’s kid escape some weird kidnapping attempt,” someone else added.

“Dude’s practically a ghost.”

Riki silently chewed on the end of his pen, pretending to be focused on his work while his ears picked up every word. He thought he didn't care, but he did care what people thought about him.

So, people did talk about him.

He always assumed his presence was a passing whisper, only acknowledged when needed. But apparently, he had a reputation one that ranged from admiration to mockery.

That was…interesting.

But what caught his attention even more was the conversation happening right next to him.

“Anyway, speaking of Phantom, would you go out with him if you got the chance?” a girl asked, nudging Natsumi’s shoulder.

Riki subtly glanced toward them, careful not to seem too obvious.

Natsumi blinked in surprise. “Huh?”

The girl grinned. “Think about it, he’s skilled, mysterious, and probably handsome. If he showed up right now and asked you on a date, would you say yes?”

Riki resisted the urge to roll his eyes. What kind of conversation is this?

Natsumi hesitated, then laughed. “That’s such a random question.”

“Oh, come on, you have to answer.”

Natsumi tapped her chin, pretending to think. “Well… I don’t know. It’s not like I’ve ever actually met him.”

The girl leaned in, smirking. “So that’s not a no.”

Natsumi laughed again, shaking her head. “You’re ridiculous.”

“I mean, if it were me,” the girl continued, flipping her hair.

“I wouldn’t mind giving him a shot. If he’s as smooth as people say, maybe he’s good at romance too.”

Riki nearly choked on his own breath. Smooth?, Romance?

Yeah, right.

If anything, he spent half his life running away from unnecessary interactions.

He shook his head slightly, forcing himself to focus on his work.

The conversation continued, but he stopped listening. He had heard enough.

So, this was how people saw him. A myth. A topic of curiosity.

And yet, the fact that Natsumi didn’t outright dismiss the idea of Phantom made him pause for just a moment longer.