Stealing Spree

Chapter 149: Sakumaʼs Concession

”Nao-senpai, are you sure youʼll be fine?”

Akane asked when weʼre at the station.

Since this is where we will part, Akane repeated her question.

Nao decided to go to school and possibly talk to Shioʼs husband if thereʼs an opportunity, Akane and I advised her against it but she insisted, telling us that sheʼll be fine.

After last night, I could say that I already got her back but she wanted to end things properly. That guy was someone who was with her for more than a year.

Though calling the police on him sounds like the most logical choice, I donʼt want Shio to be implicated by it so Iʼll have him back off for now. If they decided to divorce and he gets a new high school girl for himself, thatʼs when Iʼll ask for authority intervention. Police and the Ministry will be eager to put him down if proven guilty. He should really reflect and stop his modus of preying on high school girls after what happened yesterday.

”Yes. And if something did happen, Iʼll call this moron immediately.”

Nao answered before tapping my shoulder.

Her school is also in the same direction as mine but hers is a lot further. Turns out her family moved to that area after she graduated middle school so she had no choice but to enroll at the nearest high school. If my school is called the Fourth High School, hers is the Third High School. Theyʼre affiliated, thatʼs why Shioʼs husband transferred in it easily.

”Iʼll go pick her up if something really happened. But you better take care of yourself, it will be a long ride from my school to there.”

I also assured Akane before reminding Nao.

Surprisingly, the two got along well since last night. Though Akaneʼs motive was to help me with Nao, in the end, Nao treated her like a sister.

”Geez. Youʼre both worrywarts. Letʼs go before the train departs.”

She turned around and made her way to the platform on our side.

”Husband update me too, okay?”

Akane reminded me before we separated.

I nodded at her and kissed her.

Itʼs already a regular occurrence so the eyes of those seeing it were already inconsequential.

During the train ride, Nao stuck next to me as she kept talking about what happened with her after she graduated and we lost contact.

I listened to her and also told her the changes that happened to me albeit summarized to the extreme but the idea was still there.

”You really wonʼt ignore me anymore?”

Nao asked again before we reached my station, sheʼs grabbing my hand like she doesnʼt want to let it go.

”Youʼre also a worrywart, you know? I told you Iʼve changed. I wonʼt ever ignore you again, Nao. I stole you back from him so donʼt let him touch you again.”

Iʼll break his arms if he ever dared touch Nao again. One blunder and two women in his life became mine.

Err. Even without that, Iʼm set at stealing Shio. Nao was someone I really didnʼt expect but Iʼm really glad itʼs her. Iʼm also thankful that she didnʼt hate me as much as I thought, sheʼs just aggrieved that I ignored and seemingly forgot about her. If not for that, she wouldnʼt be entangled by that guy. Thatʼs my fault so Iʼll own up to it.

”Then assure me.”

Nao whispered softly while she pulled on my arm.

”How?”

”You know. I went down last night to pee, I heard sounds from your room.”

Her face was turning red as she probably started recalling what she heard. Itʼs Akaneʼs moans, right?

”Ah. Is that how can I assure you?”

If thatʼs how it is, then Iʼll give it to her. Sheʼs mine again and that guy failed to get it before me. Iʼll be an idiot if I let her go again after the affection she showed me. This girl truly loves me that her more than 1 year with him was easily replaced once I appeared before her again. Well, maybe that ugly sight yesterday also became a factor.

”Donʼt make me say it, moron.”

She pinched my sides as she turned her head sideways, embarrassed.

”My Nao became this adorable. Alright. Iʼll let you decide when so you can prepare.”

I used my hand to make her look at me again. Seeing her blushing expression and her brown eyes that couldnʼt look straight at me, I took her lips into another kiss.

Though this is a public place with eyes all over, Nao didnʼt seem to mind it as she held onto my neck while raising her bag to cover us from prying eyes.

Only when the door opened and my time to get off arrived did we stop.

Err. There are a few students from our school who saw that. They donʼt know me and I donʼt know them so it doesnʼt matter.

”Un. Take care, Ruki.”

Only when our lips separated did Nao give me an answer before she bashfully told me to take care.

Now, thereʼs 2 of them lined up, first is Aya and today Nao was added.

Ah. Thereʼs also Nami if all goes well at taming the SC President and having Ogawa back off completely.

When I arrived in class, Aya was happily reading again. I joined her in that reading atmosphere to continue reading Kanaʼs novel to pass the time.

I saw her smiling when she noticed me being absorbed at what Iʼm reading. This girl is truly adorable, for her to be happy about this simple thing. I guess sheʼs thinking that Iʼm doing it for her, to make her comfortable. Thereʼs that idea but the real reason was Iʼm always out of time to read this.

Soon the class was filled up. I saw Satsukiʼs complexion wasnʼt as bad as yesterday so I gave her the juice I bought on the way. I kind of predicted that she might arrive in the same state as yesterday so…

It doesnʼt really matter if someone saw it. I also gave one to the idiot at my back and also to Aya.

”Whatʼs this Onoda? Is this the payment for our help later?”

Sakuma asked. He also went to his club practice so heʼs probably as drained as Satsuki.

The help he mentioned, itʼs for the cleaning of the clubroom as punishment for me. Thatʼs a valid excuse to secretly mask my concern for Satsuki.

Satsuki already messaged me that her seniors lighten up their practice a bit but I still couldnʼt help but worry. I really am a worrywart eh?

I already knew that Shio wouldnʼt be here so this 1st period will become a self-study period.

When the bell rang indicating the start of classes, another teacher came in to tell us about Shio calling in sick. Some were worried while most of the class were happy that they could slack off during the 1st period.

Satsuki used the time to take a nap while Aya was also a bit happy that she could continue reading.

Sakuma called out to me saying he has something to tell me outside.

Well, itʼs probably about Satsukiʼs sister and he doesnʼt want Satsuki to hear it.

”Onoda, you and Maemura.”

He started when we reached the same vending machine we went to before.

”Youʼre still on about that?”

I answered him as I picked my own drink. Well, I only bought juices for them earlier since I wasnʼt that thirsty.

”No. Although Iʼm kind of an idiot I could see how she looks at you. Are you concerned about me? Is that why youʼre restricting yourself to…”

Concerned about him? In the first place, I was already thinking of stealing Satsuki from him so I was never concerned about him. But yeah, thatʼs how he saw it, eh?

”Youʼre always watching her so you know. Haa. Maybe? I donʼt know.”

I answered him with a sigh as I tried to act oblivious.

”You should stop restricting yourself, you know. Donʼt be like me.”

Am I getting advice from this guy? Talk about irony. Now it will be harder to tell him about us, we have to change it to something like I stopped restricting myself after he talked to me.

”But what about you? You know you both asked for my help but for it to turn like this.”

I slumped at the corner of the vending machine and he did the same next to me.

Since thereʼs no class, itʼs fine to slack off like this.

”Donʼt worry. When you told me about her sister, I also started to think and remember those times I was living with them.”

So you now changed your target to her sister? This guy. Though this is what I want, for him to concede like this.

”Sakuma, I know I told you to clear your head about who you truly like. Is that it? Your decision?”

I truly welcomed that but him suddenly conceding like this. What should I say? Heʼs properly looking at Satsuki but not me, he noticed Satsukiʼs gazes at me but he didnʼt notice my gazes towards her. Well, Iʼm good at hiding those things so thereʼs no wonder.

”I still donʼt know, Onoda. Thatʼs why I want to meet her sister again.”

Sakuma looked up like heʼs seeing the image of Satsukiʼs sister up there.

”Dude. If youʼre telling me not to hold back on Maemura then I wonʼt. But make sure you do it properly this time. If you really like her sister then tell her when you meet her.”

This is what he wanted to hear from me, right?

”I will.”

Sakuma smiled, his eyes filled with determination.

”What will you do about Maemura now? Didnʼt you tell her you have something to say this week?”

”Youʼre right. Iʼll think of something.”

With this, he wonʼt confess to Satsuki anymore but what will he say? I like your sister so please give me her number? Considering itʼs Sakuma, thatʼs highly unlikely.

”Iʼm sorry it turned like this, Sakuma.”

Though he wouldnʼt know what my sorry contained, at least I properly apologized to him for everything that I did.

”From your words and Maemuraʼs attitude last Sunday, I got a realization, if Iʼm just really projecting her sister on her, then I better stop.”

Ah. So thatʼs why. Even idiots can have a moment of enlightenment.

Err. Sorry for calling you an idiot again, Sakuma

”But what if itʼs really her that you truly like?”

So that he wouldnʼt see me as too accepting, Iʼll still try to push it like this. Like a good friend even if Iʼm not really good.

”Then Iʼll accept my loss. Youʼre a better man than me.”

Sakuma admitted, he even tapped my shoulder.

”I donʼt know, Iʼm not that great either.”

Iʼm never great. If I could assess myself then Iʼm more of a bastard than a good guy. Thatʼs far from great.

”Right, you have those rumors about you.

Ah. So he heard those too. Alright, letʼs plant an idea in him so that even if he found out that those rumors were true, he could easily accept it.

”Itʼs just rumors but to tell you the truth, Iʼm not really against it. If I truly like someone, then Iʼll make her mine. The number doesnʼt matter since Iʼm determined to take care of all of them.”

This is my true honest feeling. And of course, if anybody hears me saying that, theyʼll call me all kinds of words.

”Thatʼs kind of sick, Onoda”

See? Sakumaʼs evaluation of it is sick.

”Well, thatʼs how it is. I might earn the hatred of most people but if itʼs for them, Iʼll do anything.”

Err. What do I get from telling him all of this? Right, so he wonʼt bug me if he saw me with another girl other than Satsuki.

”You sounded like youʼre already in that state.”

He looked at me as if heʼs trying to find out if Iʼm really in it or not.

”Donʼt think too much about it. Just make sure to clear up your feelings, Sakuma.”

I shrugged and turned the topic back to him.

With this, Sakuma wouldnʼt be that much of a problem now, Satsuki can now completely fall for me. Ah. I suddenly missed teasing that tsundere. Iʼll visit her at her club later.