Stealing Spree

Chapter 99: Tactical Retreat

”I donʼt like you. You have that air of someone with many secrets.”

Shizu-senpai frankly said.

Err… she really said it and with proper reasons. Whatʼs that air anyway?

”I see. We all have our own secrets senpai. But thank you for being honest.”

I stood up and pulled on Namiʼs hand. Understanding what I was trying to do, she also stood up and we started making our way to the door.

”Where are you going?”

Shizu-senpai asked when she saw us leaving.

”Sorry senpai, Iʼm already done with the purpose of my visit here. I get that you donʼt like me. By looking at your attitude, you wonʼt change that view, right?”

I answered.

This President seems to have an attitude which always wanted to dominate someone.

Look, even that Izumi-senpai whose attire was that of a delinquent hadnʼt uttered any word since the President arrived.

”So, you chose to run away? Is this the guy you picked, Nanami?”

At least Iʼm not as indecisive as Ogawa.

Ah. Right. She didnʼt pick me.

”Shizu-senpai. Picking him wasnʼt any of your concern, was it? I like him and itʼs not like I will change my choice just because you said so.”

Nami broke her silence and stood in front of me. She looked straight at the President like someone ready to fight.

”Heh. Since when did you get that courage to talk to your older cousin like this? And didnʼt I tell you to call me Shizu-nee?”

Eh? Cousin? But their surnames...

Ah. I see. Itʼs like that. One of their parents is brother and sister, thatʼs why they have different surnames.

”Shizu-senpai. I always have this courage, I only respected you thatʼs why I never talk back. Today, I donʼt like your attitude towards Ruu.”

Nami answered her.

That Shizu-senpai smiled after hearing what Nami said.

”Is that how much you like this guy? Even when a week ago you were worried about how you could make Kazuo confess to you.”

Still with that smile on her lips, she turned her gaze to me.

”Senpai, letʼs not talk about private things here. Nami, letʼs go?”

Under that scrutinizing gaze, I didnʼt cower. Instead, I stopped her and pulled on Namiʼs hand again.

”Hey, whatʼs your name again?”

”I already introduced myself to you, senpai.”

I shook my head and ignored her.

I turned to the others and excused ourselves before I left the clubroom with Nami in tow. I told them to keep our relationship a secret for now and I want all of us to get along.

Apart from the President they all acknowledged it. I threw a glance at Mori first before settling my eyes to Ogawa. This guy also turned silent in front of the President.

Well, thatʼs what we agreed upon, to keep troublesome things from happening in class.

Shizu-senpai watched on and didnʼt say anything but her smile never left her lips. Looks like I was already marked by her.

This is not me running away. This is a tactical retreat. Sheʼs revealing too much information about Nami and Ogawa. If she keeps talking to Nami, more information that can point out that weʼre just acting might surface.

Plus, I donʼt like that condescending smile and attitude. Surely if I talk back further, she will use her seniority to get the respect she wants. Itʼs better to avoid her this time.

And also, by retreating now, I earned myself more time to be with Nami alone.

”Ruu…”

Nami whispered from behind me, she looked worried about what I did.

”Donʼt worry, Nami. Iʼll make her accept me for you soon.”

That President knew the story between Ogawa and Nami. By bringing me there, she was already suspecting Nami and Ogawa so she immediately asked him but with how I acted, it probably confused her, right?

”Itʼs not that. Why did we leave?”

”Hmm? I see. Youʼre blanking out when youʼre in front of her, Nami. Shizu-senpai was revealing too much information about you and Ogawa.”

I see, Nami also has this side of her. All this time I see her as the scary observer girl.

I saw her confused state yesterday but today, that was a new side of her. She is scared of the President.

”…youʼre right.”

”Letʼs go to that empty clubroom first to wait and talk.”

”Okay.”

”Anyway, thank you, Nami. You speak out for me.”

Even if she was scared, she stood in front of me to defend me from that President. It honestly looked real. She mustered the courage to talk back to her.

”Ruu, youʼre my lover at this moment. I also didnʼt like the way she ignored you. I get that thatʼs how she always is but seeing it done to you, I couldnʼt stand it.”

Nami whispered in a soft voice. I glanced at her and saw her reddened face. Was that on impulse?

”Ah, hearing that from you, Nami. Iʼm happy. Is she always like that?”

I smiled at her to show how happy I was from what she did.

”Most of us were scared of her but she only showed that attitude to someone she met for the first time. Itʼs to give you the impression that you should be scared of her.”

I see. So itʼs like that. When I saw her back at the opening ceremony. She seems amiable and likable. Comparing her to Haruko who was a previous President, that Shizu-senpai is a bit different. Her public and private attitude were contrasting each other. Maybe if we sit and talk to each other in length, I will be able to learn more things about her but I donʼt have the time for it.

Soon, we arrived back at the empty clubroom. Apart from that Shizu-senpai, the act was already perfect and they were already convinced that weʼre a real couple.

I wonder what they will talk about now that we left that room.

”Ruu, hug me…”

After closing the door, Nami let go of my hand and hug me from the back.

This…

Nami wanted me to comfort her. From her hug, I could feel that she was trembling slightly. It seemed that the effect of standing up to the President had just started to surface.

I turned around, took her into my arms as she wished and whispered to her ear.

”Were you scared?”

”No… I just couldnʼt believe I stood up against her.”

She shook her head and explained.

”What do you mean? You never stood up against her before?”

Now that I got to know her circle of friends, I felt my understanding of Nami deepened.𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Even if sheʼs the one who Ogawa likes, she has a lot of rivals in there. So she initiated that plan to make him panic, enough to push him to confess to her.

”An older sister.”

”Normally, one wouldnʼt be scared of their older sister.”

Yeah. That was weird. It didnʼt look like she was being bullied by her. In fact, with how much she knew, Nami probably often confides to her.

”Sheʼs different. Since young, she has always had that personality. I may be an observer but Shizu-nee can see through at almost everyone.”

Eh? Thatʼs really scary. Good thing I havenʼt encountered her during middle school.

”I see. Thatʼs why just one look at me and she already knew I have secrets.”

”She might be your nemesis, Ruu. If she found out what youʼre doing…”

”Ah. Are you worried about me, Nami?”

Well, if she did find out about it. What could she possibly do? Expose me to the whole school?

”Why will I be worried about you? You harem collector.”

”Hey. Donʼt give me a title. If itʼs about harem, Ogawa has it too.”

”This guy…”

”You couldnʼt deny that, right?”

Yeah. Given that sheʼs an observer, she wouldnʼt be able to deny that Ogawa has his own harem. Itʼs just the way we acted were opposite to each other.

He can naturally attract the girls while I have to work hard to steal one girl for me. My harem was built upon hard work and shady dealings with them. It didnʼt naturally become like this.

”This guy. Letʼs stop talking about that. Anyway, Shizu-nee will surely remember what you did.”

In the end, she really diverted the topic back to Shizu-senpai.

”Alright, you know I wonʼt care about that. If she doesnʼt like me for you, Iʼll just try my best to change that.”

The problem is how. Do I need to go back to their club?

”But weʼre just acting, you donʼt need to go that far.”

”You keep forgetting, weʼre real lovers right now.”

I raised her head to face me, I can simply lean down to kiss her now but yeah, I wonʼt do something. I have to hold back for now, until she asked for it herself, Iʼll only do what we agreed upon.

”Even so, our act will end one day.”

”Iʼm going to steal you from him, that way we donʼt need to end this and turn the act to reality.”

I wonʼt let it end even if I have to keep the role of her boyfriend in front of her friends.

”There you go again. Let me go now, Iʼm already comfortable.”

Nami released a sigh. She then stopped hugging me and tried to push me away.

I didnʼt make it hard for her. I dropped my arms that was hugging her and let her go

”Itʼs surprising that you let go easily.”

She said as she looked at me backing away, a bit confused.

”You sighed, you know? If I didnʼt let you go, you might become uncomfortable. Thatʼs the opposite of what I wanted to do for you.”

I gave her a smile and turned to the chair where Ogawa sat earlier.

”Here, take a seat.”

Nami didnʼt reject the chair and sat on it while I leaned on the wall, away from her.

Well, thereʼs only one chair in this room, I donʼt know where they put the things that were previously here. Maybe someone from the nearby clubrooms took it and brought it to their own clubrooms.

”Ruu…”

After a few minutes of silence, Nami called out to me from where she was.

”What is it?”

I turned my gaze to her and answered.

I said Iʼll use this chance to steal her but I canʼt put myself to force it on her.

Whatʼs happening to me?

Do I really have to change like this? Normally I would stick to her side and slowly coax her into accepting what I wanted. Thatʼs how I always did it even when I was stealing Kana and Satsuki. I got them because whenever I got the chance, I always stuck to their side.

”Nothing… I thought youʼll try and be forceful again. Just like how you forced me to practice holding hands.”

See. Even Nami noticed it.

”Youʼre right. Normally thatʼs what I will do. I donʼt know, I just donʼt feel like it today?”

No. Thatʼs not the answer.

”Is that the effect of you remembering that emotion?”

”No, you already cleared that confusion earlier. I donʼt know, but now that you mentioned it…”

Ah. Thereʼs no use thinking about it if I donʼt really know the answer.

I stopped leaning on the wall and walked towards her.

She didnʼt say anything and just watched me approach her.

”Can I sit with you?”

I asked her. Itʼs a single stool, thereʼs no way we could share it but I still asked.

Before Ogawa arrives, I will now use this time to try to steal her.

Haa. I shouldʼve done this earlier. I lost a valuable few minutes just waiting at that corner. Thatʼs a blunder.