Stealing Spree

Chapter 93: Meeting Kana Again

To think that our group will be the little episode for this day. Haa.

Itʼs all because of this Sakuma. Well, that took the boredom out of everyone.

When Sakuma couldnʼt retort to my words the whole class laughed at it. And that brightened the room.

Lunch break soon arrived.

I went to the cafeteria and intended to pass the time there.

There wonʼt be another training session for the time being, anyway.

Nami is with her group of friends, somewhere in this cafeteria.

I looked for a corner to settle with but on one of the tables near me, I saw Kana.

Sheʼs not with Kenji but with a bunch of her fellow 3rd-year girls. Her friends?

Whereʼs that Kenji guy? Did she finally resolve their issues?

I took out my phone and sent a mail to her. These days we only greeted each other through mails, she didnʼt want me to worry for her so she only gave me minimum details about whatʼs truly happening.

Sheʼs determined to resolve it by herself before she faces me again.

”Kana, look to your left.”

I saw her taking out her phone and after reading the content of the mail, she followed whatʼs written on it.

Our gazes met each other and I raised my hand to wave to her.

She immediately smiled upon seeing me.

Ah. This girl…

Itʼs only been 3 days since I saw her, seeing her smile like that, I couldnʼt help but smile back at her.

Her friends saw that and followed her gaze.

I couldnʼt hear what they were talking about but after a while, Kana stood up and walked towards me.

Her friends were all smiles cheering for her from their seats.

Ah. I know whatʼs on their mind. I guess theyʼre trying to cheer her up. Something really happened between her and that Kenji. Otherwise, Kana wouldnʼt be with them.

She timidly walked from there to where I am. Her cute and shy personality never changes. Especially here in a public place.

She sat in front of me and smiled again.

Ah. I really miss this smile of hers. Itʼs always this refreshing.

Thereʼs no doubt, I really like this cute and shy senpai. Will I love her as well? Maybe soon.

I also want to spend time with her again. Sheʼs older and knows more than me. I might learn something from her.

”Your friends?”

I asked when she finally settled. She couldnʼt look straight at me and sheʼs already red from embarrassment.

”Un. They pushed me when they saw me smiling at you.”

Her voice was soft, afraid that the other students could hear her.

”Ah. Then I have to give my thanks to them.”

”Youʼre teasing me again…”

”Sorry, I just missed my Kana.”

”…Someone might hear you.”

Right. Sheʼs really wary of our surroundings. Even when sheʼs with Kenji or her friends, she only timidly sits with them.

Now, Iʼm making her embarrassed by calling her out and talking with her like this.

”Iʼm just being honest.”

”Uhh… I miss you too.”

Kana whispered in a soft voice that only I could hear. Her face reddened further after saying that and she started fidgeting in her seat.

Weʼre slowly gaining attention from other students. Itʼs unnatural for a 3rd year and 1st year to be alone on the same table.

I donʼt even know what her friends will think about us. Since Kenji isnʼt here, did she finally break up with that guy?

”How are you, Kana-senpai?”

Since this is a public place, I tried putting senpai on her name again.

She didnʼt mind it. Sheʼs sharper than I thought after all. She saw through me way before.

But I also want to do something normal with Kana and the other girls like how I accompanied Aya to the bookstore yesterday. Maybe Iʼll ask them when weʼre alone.

”Weʼre mailing each other, Ruki-kun.”

”Right, but I want to hear it from you directly, Kana-senpai.”

”Eh? Be honest and say you donʼt believe me. Are you worried?”

”Err… Yes.”

We kept our voice to a minimum and itʼs not like someone will purposely listen to us.

Iʼm really worried that sheʼs pushing herself.

She said she wanted to resolve it by herself but all this time she never stood up like that. She wanted to change and thatʼs good, great even.

I just donʼt know if she can take it, I want to support her at least.

”As I thought. But now that I get to see you, I can tell something changed from you, again.”

She leaned on the table for a bit and stared at my face.

”Kana-senpai, looks like I wonʼt be able to hide things from you.”

Right. She also saw that something changed from me the last time I met her. Sheʼs always this sharp. But she just dodged my question by turning our topic to me. This girl… I guess Iʼll let that off, Iʼll wait until she wants to tell me by herself.

”Youʼre just kind of bad at it. It shows on your face when youʼre with me. I donʼt know if itʼs because youʼre relaxed with me or itʼs the same when youʼre with the other girls”

She explained. Nami didnʼt notice it as well as Satsuki and Aya. If I didnʼt tell them they wouldnʼt know. Haruko noticed it but itʼs because I put my feelings for her in front.

But Kana, just one look at my face and she already determined that something changed.

”I want to tell you about it, wanna go home with me later, Kana-senpai?”

I blurted that out and it immediately garnered some attention around us.

”Muu... Donʼt ask that here.”

She became flustered once again. I forgot weʼre in public.

”Ah. Right. Sorry. But I already asked.”

I scratched my head but I already said it, I donʼt know anyone who heard it anyway. Iʼm just asking a senpai to go home together.

”Itʼs refreshing to see you being this rash. You always look like someone who tries to control the situation.”

Kana commented. And sheʼs right.

I always tried to be as obscure as possible by controlling the situation but since yesterday, that changed. I even walked with Aya to the bookstore while holding hands.

Am I loosening up? Will this be fine? Rumors about me are growing. Should I go back to being obscure and not do things that will let me stand out?

Ah. I guess Iʼm way past that. Iʼm already standing out. I just have to protect these girls. Iʼll be careful not to put them in these kinds of situations.

But looking at it right now, I really want to show everyone that sheʼs mine, not bothering about what others will think.

Remembering that emotion is really changing me. First with Nami and now here with Kana.

I really like her, thatʼs why Iʼm having these thoughts.

”And itʼs rare seeing you talking a lot. Look at your friends, they have their mouths open.”

I pointed at her friends who were still looking at us from their seat.𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Looks like seeing her holding a conversation with someone is a rare sight for them.

”Eh? Ah! You bully... Itʼs because of you. I seem to become more open and talkative when itʼs you, Ruki.”

She turned and looked at them. She confirmed it and turned back to me, glaring cutely.

She was already this relaxed when talking to me. Unlike our first encounters where itʼs mostly me talking. Did I open her up?

Since Monday, she started opening up to me. Could it be she only shows that side of her to me?

”I like hearing your voice like this, Kana-senpai.”

I wanted to tease her again.

Ah. I just really missed this shy and cute senpai.

”You really wonʼt stop...”

”No. Iʼll stop now. So, whatʼs your answer Kana-senpai?”

She stared at me for a minute before nodding.

Kana agreed to go home with me later.

After that, she stood up and went back to her friends. I already made her embarrassed so I didnʼt stop her. Talking to her just now already made me satisfied. And well, itʼs refreshing to see her in public without that Kenji guy around.

I saw them teasing her but she kept her mouth shut while occasionally looking at me.

In the end, her friends got tired of teasing her and they finished their lunch.

I waved at her when theyʼre about to go back and she did the same. Her friends saw that and this time, they sent me a thumbs up.

These girls…

Well, at least they didnʼt come to my table and interrogate me.

I also finished eating my lunch when they left.

Thereʼs no point staying here now since Iʼm not looking for a new target. And I got a glimpse on the table where Nami and her friends were located.

When I was about to go back to the class, someone called out to me.

Ah. No. She chased after me.

Mori.

”Onoda, have you heard from her?”

She started. Her eyes were a bit puffy.

Eh? Did she cry?

Err… I see. If itʼs her, she probably knew Ogawa already confessed.

But later, Nami will introduce me instead of him as her boyfriend. That will surely confuse her.

”Yes. Wanna hear the rest of the plan now?”

I told her before that I couldnʼt tell her how we could separate the two. I refrained from telling her about me posing as Namiʼs boyfriend.

”Thatʼs the reason why I chased you but I already have an idea what it will be. I just want to confirm if youʼre still up for it.”

”Of course. Donʼt worry. I still feel my desire for you and especially for Nami.”

Iʼm not as keen on my chances with her than on Nami, but since sheʼs here and sheʼs really one of my current targets, I canʼt pass up on that.

”So youʼre calling her Nami now, something happened between the two of you?”

”Youʼll know later.”

Nami will bring me to their club later so she will know what happened between us. Ah. I still donʼt know which club it is.

”I donʼt care either way. Youʼll get your chance with me but you better make sure it will happen. And remember, you told me you wonʼt do anything to me unless I gave you permission.”

”Donʼt be a worrywart, Mori. Iʼll uphold our deal.”

”Okay. Thatʼs all. Iʼll go back to them.”

”Sure.”

I stared at her back until she disappeared to the busy cafeteria.

Like Kanzaki, sheʼs putting her guard up against me. Well, after what I did back then, this is a normal reaction.

But now that the plan will start, I will now have time with her.