Stealing Spree

Chapter 366: Minaʼs Story

Letting me know about her past and what happened to her, itʼs an indication that Mina had already accepted me.

I unhesitatingly nodded to her question.

Thatʼs also my goal why I keep coming here. It might look like I was just trying to keep my promise to always see her but I was actually hoping to understand her just like how I understood the girls around me.

Even though weʼve been entangled with each other more than once, including this time, I admit I still didnʼt know enough about her.

Because sheʼs not removing her hand covering her face, I removed it myself, exposing her fully flushed face in front of me.

Lowering my head to take her lips once more, I took advantage of this current position we ended up with.

Besides, what I was aiming for was to make her relax.

Iʼm not sure if this will be effective though.

In any case, once our lips touched for the second time today, I hooked her arms onto my back once more before slipping my hand beneath her to lift her up.

”Iʼm ready to hear about it. And Iʼm all in to stay like this with you.” I smiled.

Mina who somehow realized what just happened tried to push me away but with my hand supporting her back, thatʼs a fruitless endeavour.

Instead of separating herself from me, Mina ended up even closer wherein we could now hear each otherʼs heartbeats.

”Why, of all guys, do we end up being entangled with a shameless guy like you?” Mina whispered a question.

I couldnʼt see her expression since she ended up resting her head on my shoulder.

And despite that question, I only felt her heartbeat quickened as her arms tightened on me. Following that, she also fixed herself to completely sit on my lap.

At this point, weʼre no different from a couple whoʼs spending their quality time while being as close to each other as possible.

”Because normal guys wonʼt do it. Without shamelessness like mine, they will only be kept at your armʼs length. Never to know whatʼs what.”

Thatʼs how it is. If itʼs a normal guy like… Ogawa. Ah. No. Thatʼs just a coward. Heʼs lower than a normal guy.

In any case, if itʼs their definition of normal. Given how theyʼre only opening up to those close to them, forget knowing about their past, they wouldnʼt be able to hold a conversation like this.

Not knowing how to respond to my answer, Mina released a soft sigh before her somewhat stiff body loosened up like a liquid as she made herself comfortable in my embrace.

To not make her uncomfortable, I let her do what she wanted while only keeping my support on her back.

As Minaʼs head rested itself in the middle of my chest, her softer-than-normal voice travelled to my ears.

”Is this what Himeko felt? Being in your arms, it feels like I can rest and not think about anything in here. Itʼs as warm as Haru when I opened up to her. No. Itʼs a bit different than that.”

”I honestly donʼt know but Iʼm flattered to hear that from you.”

”Just shut up for now… And keep holding me. Youʼll hear me out, right?”

”Naturally, isnʼt that why Iʼm here?”

”Then…”

After twists and turns, Mina finally started her story.

Minaʼs past was somewhat as full of complications as what happened to Himeko. And like I thought, Mina wasnʼt an inherent introvert like Aya or Himeko.

In truth, sheʼs the opposite of it. Ever since kindergarten, she was always the most outgoing person. The brightest of them who often lift up the mood no matter how heavy it is.𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

In every class she would end up joining, sheʼs the mood maker. And because of that, everyone in her class could be considered her friend.

Hell, even the neighbouring class would know that an energetic Nakano Mina exists.

However, that only lasted until she graduated from grade school.

When she became a middle schooler, a certain problem happened in her family.

Her father abandoned them. Both Mina and her mother. He abandoned them while spreading to the neighborhood that Mina isnʼt his daughter. That Minaʼs mother cheated on him and Mina was born from that affair.

Whether that was true or not, after that day, her mother became scorned by everyone in their neighborhood and Mina became avoided by everyone like a plague. None of her ʼfriendsʼ came to comfort her.

Although she tried to be positive and continued being an extrovert who exudes so much brilliance, in the end, those who were crowding around her from before completely isolated her.

Add to that, her mother who was as lively as her before what happened became depressed to the point of not having the energy to go to work.

However, because Mina was still showing off the smile to not add to the burden in her mind, her mother soon recovered from that depression.

Naturally, the reason for that was to continue raising Mina even without her husband.

It was somewhat similar to Miwa-nee and Minoruʼs circumstances, however, her soon-to-be ex-husband didnʼt broadcast the truth that Minoruʼs not his.

Furthermore, according to Mina, her mother had always been faithful. It was her father who cheated. Perhaps, to be at a higher moral ground when he filed for divorce to marry his mistress.

Around a year after he left, they received more than half the sum of his wealth.

Their divorce went up to court and… It was proven that thereʼs no infidelity that was done by her mother.

Even though her father refused to take a DNA test saying he already knew what would be the result, her mother stealthily did it and submitted the result to the court.

And that gave the reason for the court to rule that she was defamed by her own husband for his selfish purpose.

Although the issue was settled and her motherʼs worries had been lifted, Mina stopped becoming an extrovert after a year of being isolated.

Even if those ʼfriendsʼ of hers, who heard about what actually happened, apologized to her. She only accepted it but she never associated herself with them anymore.

When she reached high school, they moved to this city to start anew. But even with the new environment, she kept her distance from her classmates.

In fear of suffering the same thing all over again when something similar happened to her.

However, during her first year, she met Haruko who, according to Mina, was somewhat like her.

Haruko never interacted with her classmates and despite being famous for her beauty, she kept everything to herself.

Naturally, thatʼs the time when I had just cut her off.

In the end, the two had their first interaction at the Book Club when they both joined it. Haruko recommended to her that book, The Lone Cub.

Among all of Harukoʼs girls, Mina was the first one who fell into her clutches.

”Then Haruko managed to open you up to the idea of… girlʼs love,” I said in a playful tone after hearing her continuously sighing as soon as her story ended.

”This guy, get serious. I fell in love with Haru because unlike those ʼfriendsʼ who will leave me after a rumor, no matter what happened, Haru made me feel that sheʼs always beside me. Also, sheʼs like you, stupidly honest. Do you know what she told me when I confessed to her?”

”What?”

”That sheʼs not into girls. And that thereʼs an idiot out there who sheʼs waiting to arrive. Thatʼs you, right? The idiot.” Minaʼs lips curved upwards as she pressed her forefinger on my cheek.