Stealing Spree

Chapter 150: The Only Way

The self-study period ended and the following periods passed by without any issue.

I kept my phoneʼs vibration on for Naoʼs number just in case she messaged me. Seeing that thereʼs nothing when the lunch break arrives, I went out to call her and check. I couldnʼt be too careless. A personʼs rage can be quite terrifying if left unchecked.

There was once a guy from middle school whoʼs secretly in love with the girl I stole. One time, he caught us making out and rage immediately filled his mind.

Thinking he will still have a chance when the girl and her boyfriend break up in the future, he was waiting for his turn properly.

However, when he found out that the girl was making out with another guy, he raged and instantly lunged upon her. Yes. Not me, but to the girl. Calling her names and such.

Well, since I was with her, nothing really happened except his ass getting beaten by me.

However he didnʼt stop. Though he didnʼt tell her boyfriend about what he discovered, he started to use that as a leverage to have his way with her.

The girl immediately contacted me and I prevented another attempt from him.

But if you thought that he would stop, that only made him more desperate. In the end, the girl became too terrified of him that she had to move away. The guy dropped out of school and was put into juvie when he tried to assault another girl.

Well, the rage he felt twisted him that after the girl left, he looked for another to vent out his frustrations.

About the girl though, she at least contacted me when she left but considering how I was before, she was soon forgotten as well. Right. Just like with Nao.

So from that story, I became wary of any rage-filled person. If Shioʼs husband became consumed by his rage then I have to take Nao out of his reach.

After three dial tones, Nao picked up her phone.

”Ruki? I never thought I would receive a call from you. This just made my day even brighter.

Naoʼs cheerful voice rang out from the other side.

”Nothing happened, right?”

Well, if sheʼs happy then thatʼs good. I went straight to the point.

”He didnʼt come to school. The teachers said he called in sick.”

Hearing my words, she also turned a bit serious.

Is he still at their house or is he looking for Shio? Maybe heʼs already here. Weʼll see.

”I see. After school, will you go home?”

I donʼt know if that guy knows her house but to be safe. Iʼll ask her.

”Which home are you referring to?”

Nao asked with a bit of a teasing tone.

”Your house, of course. Why? Do you wish to stay the night again?”

I answered her. Itʼs fine to bring her home again due to the special circumstances.

”Iʼd love to but Iʼll go home for today. Ruki. Donʼt you dare forget me again.”

”Stop worrying about that. Iʼll never forget my Nao again. I told you if something really happened immediately tell me, Iʼll come running.”

”Un. Alright. You should eat your lunch now, Iʼm going to take mine as well.”

After saying that, we ended the call.

My worry kind of eased up a little but I should also call back home. Dialing a landline will cost me but thereʼs Shio so I called her through messenger.

Nothing happened there as well and from her voice, she somehow recovered already.

Releasing a sigh of relief, I went to the empty clubroom to see Nami again. Itʼs already a regular schedule by now. Even with those rumors flying around, thereʼs no reason to stop.

”Whereʼs your lunch?”

Nami asked when she saw me arriving empty-handed.

”I donʼt have an appetite. Looking at you is enough to make me full.”

”There you go with your tongue again, Ruu. Here, Iʼll share with you.”

Nami took a piece of an egg roll from her lunchbox and brought it in front of my mouth using her chopsticks.

”I guess Iʼll take a bite, itʼs a waste to let this opportunity pass by.”

I smiled at her before opening my mouth to eat what sheʼs offering me.

”Do you think Iʼll be embarrassed with indirect kissing?”

She took another roll and ate it then she fed me another bite. I could see her joy whenever I eat what sheʼs offering me.

”I didnʼt say anything. Did you cook this? Itʼs the first time I saw you bring a lunchbox.”

Right. She always eats cafeteria food but today she brought a lunchbox.

”No. This is made by Shizu-nee. We talked yesterday night and she said she will support me to keep my relationship with you.”

That SC President can cook? Ah but thatʼs not the focus right now, she will support us? Do I have to believe in it?

”I see. I havenʼt told you what we talked about yesterday.”

”Donʼt worry, she already told me. Sheʼs trying to see if weʼre just acting and with the way you denied it, it somehow convinced her. But your relationship with Maemura…”

Ah. So she took it upon herself to relay what we talked about, did she tell everything truthfully? With her nature, she probably did, but the problem is still the proof of my cheating with Satsuki.

”As much as possible I donʼt want her to be implicated by this. What did she say about it?”

That girl is diligently practicing for their upcoming match, if this went out then sheʼll really be affected.

”I told her Iʼm aware.”

Nami put down her chopsticks. Without being aware of it, we finished eating her lunch box while talking about a serious topic like this. This will probably look weird if seen by others. Like weʼre too casual about our topic.

”And?”

After drinking, she offered me a sip from her juice and well, since weʼre already past an indirect kiss, I took up her offer.

”She asked me if Iʼm alright with it.”

After finishing the drink, Nami put away the lunchbox.

Seeing that thereʼs a sauce left on the side of her lips, I took out my handkerchief to wipe it.

Nami smiled and blushed at what I did.

”I see. I put you in that situation...”

”I told her not to do anything.”

Even if you told her not to do anything…

”...will she listen to you?”

”That. Sheʼs a bit unyielding.”

Nami looked down seemingly helpless.

”Nami, take me to her.”

I lifted her face up and said it to her.

But right at that moment, the door opened and Shizu-senpai entered the room.

Is she listening to us or she just predicted that weʼll be here talking about this?

Itʼs probably the latter. Though she always put on a strong front, sheʼs not that clever. At least, according to my observation of her from yesterday.

”Thereʼs no need, Onoda-kun, Iʼm already here.”

She started as she walked in after closing the door.

”I see. Shizu-senpai, can you tell me why?”

Since sheʼs here then this is probably the best time to confront her before things escalate further.

”Why what? Is caring for Nami not enough?”

As I thought, that will be her defense.

”I get that, but she already said that itʼs alright with her, right?”

Nami held my hand, maybe as a show of her support. With this, I confirmed, she really didnʼt want our connection to end. Iʼm already there, just a little more and Ogawa can forget being her boyfriend.

”So, does that justify you being a cheater?”

As a normal person with a normal perspective, it will always be like this.

”No. But do you even know the whole story, Shizu-senpai?”

Iʼll have to find a way to break into her mind and accept our situation.

”I guess not. Tell me then.”

She pondered for a while and of course, she couldnʼt find an answer.

”No, I canʼt. I donʼt trust you, senpai.”

Let her feel that itʼs something that shouldnʼt be known. That for her to know, she has to make me trust her.

”I see. Too bad then. Iʼll keep meddling with you and if you donʼt stop, the gang will know.”

I almost clicked my tongue in irritation but Nami held me back and stepped in front of me.

Right, Iʼm not fighting her alone, Nami is here with me.

”Shizu-nee! Please stop this! Iʼm not a kid that needs your supervision anymore!”

Hearing her shout like that, I squeezed her hand as a way to tell her to calm down.

”N-nanami. No. Iʼm doing this for you.”

Ah. Sheʼs still on with that?

”For her? Or for yourself? Tell me, senpai. What is Nami to you? You donʼt listen to her and just do what you want. So is that you doing it for her?”

I circled my arms around Nami and pulled her into my embrace. While saying all that, Iʼm showing her how close we are and that no matter what she does, she wonʼt be able to separate us.

”I…”

What I said struck a chord with her which made her unable to retort.

”Shizu-nee. I know I was helped by you many times before but this time, please let me decide for myself.”

Nami after calming down her emotions released herself from my embrace and went in front of Shizu-senpai whoʼs looking down at the floor.

”Whatʼs good with this cheating guy, Nanami?”

Hearing Namiʼs words, Shizu-senpai looked up and asked her again.

”You donʼt know because thatʼs the only thing you see in him.”

Right. All she could see right now is the fact that Iʼm cheating with someone else. Thatʼs what she couldnʼt accept for Nami.

”Then show me what he really is.”

The volume of her voice lowered as if sheʼs pleading Nami for it.

”Senpai, I canʼt show you. I still donʼt trust you.

I answered before Nami could open her mouth.

”Why do I need to gain your trust?”

Because as of right now, sheʼs still untrustworthy. I couldnʼt let my secret be known to her if sheʼs like this.

”Youʼll know why if I tell you but I wonʼt.”

”Ruu…”

Nami called out to me. I guess sheʼs also trying to ask me to trust Shizu-senpai this time.

”I like you, Nami but Shizu-senpai, itʼs not about like or dislike. I just donʼt want to implicate the others if she goes out of control.”

Itʼs always about them. If itʼs only me, I donʼt care if my reputation go down the drains but knowing Shizu-senpai, sheʼll drag everyone with me.

”What? What are you two talking about?”

She probably picked up the word ʼothersʼ and that made her more confused.

”Shizu-nee, promise me, no promise us that you wonʼt tell anyone. Thatʼs the only way.”

Nami nodded at me and once again turned to Shizu-senpai. She understood what Iʼm getting at.

”What the hell is this situation? What did you really do to Nanami, Onoda?!”

Startled by Namiʼs change in attitude, she attributed it to me.

”Haa. Nami if I told you I want to take her in as well, what will you feel?”

I sighed before asking Nami. If thereʼs one way for her to trust me, then itʼs this. Taking her in as my woman.

”Shizu-nee too? Do you like her?”

Though she knew I still kept on adding new ones, Shizu-senpai isnʼt someone on my target list.

”I adore the way she wanted to protect you. Though because of how antagonistic she is to me, I canʼt really say I like her but at the very least, I donʼt hate her. Aside from her overprotective nature towards you, I donʼt know anything about her.”

Just like how Itou is too adorable for her sense of responsibility and her care towards Himeko, Shizu-senpai is the same. Itʼs probably just her way to protect her but I guess, without knowing whatʼs on her mind, I wonʼt know whatʼs really the true nature of her being overprotective towards Nami.

”I see. Then why do you want to take her in?”

Nami wanted me to clarify my reason for wanting Shizu-senpai.

”Because thatʼs the only solution I can see right now for her to understand and to gain my trust. Iʼll treat her the same way so donʼt worry.”

If I can make her fall for me, then Iʼll have her understand our not-so-normal complex relationships.

”Hey, what are you two talking about?”

Confused at what weʼre talking about, Shizu-senpai looked up at us.

”Shizu-nee, how about you become Ruuʼs woman as well?”

Nami, after pondering about what I said, eventually nodded and said those words to Shizu-senpai.

”Huh?!”

And with horror and confusion in her face, Shizu-senpai was about to break down from it.

Err… now, my problem is, how can I make her fall? Should I spend some time with her? Ah… thereʼs always a way.