Stealing Spree

Chapter 2409: Umeda’s Favor

The first period passed just as I expected. Our class voted for the Haunted Mystery Room as our theme for the Cultural Festival. There wasn’t even an opposition.

And perhaps to save me from taking more responsibility, Chii and Nami took the lead role for it. They didn’t even let me volunteer. Aya and Satsuki held my arms.

They only released when every role had already been handed out before giving me an all-encompassing role called ’Support Director’. According to them, what I needed to do was to support their ideas and help out where I could. Basically, a bystander.

”Don’t make that face, idiot. We’re not excluding you, your hands are just full, and cannot take any more responsibility.” Satsuki said as she poked my cheek from my side.

And sure enough, everyone agreed. Each of them had a similar expression that’s pretty much telling me to stop being stubborn.

Well, I’m not even pouting. It’s not like I can do a better job than them on it. For me, it’ll only be about the fun of doing things with them.

Still, I appreciated their concern, so I pampered the girls that I could reach easily during and after the first period.

When I went to escort Shio for her next class, I also pampered her for no particular reason. I just felt like it.

The next periods leading to lunch break passed by uneventfully.

The only thing to note was how I got informed by my girls in the other classes that they’d also selected the concept their representatives came up with at the workshop yesterday.

Just from that, it signified the success of that event. I decided to include that in my report to Hayashi-sensei.

Hopefully, it wouldn’t be awkward because of what happened last night. She should’ve moved on from what she witnessed, right?

Alright. I better not jinx it.

–

When the bell for the 4th period rang, I had the girls go to our usual meeting place first since I had a meeting with someone.

Well, it’s a meeting that I postponed for a few days. Last Tuesday, I had to ask Umeda-san and the few girls who were inside the Girl’s Shower Room at the Pool Area to keep what they heard to themselves when my girls and I had that wild escapade from the pool to the shower room.

Earlier, she hinted to me to meet up with her. I guess it’s about time for me to pay them back for their help.

As I walked down the hallway, I gradually left the area populated by the students. Then, as I stopped in front of a room that was mostly used as a storage for unused materials, I took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

”Umeda-san?” I called out, making sure to put my mouth close to the door while making sure the volume was just enough for whoever was inside to hear. ”It’s me. Are you already here?”

I looked around me and this place was pretty desolate. This was one of the places I actually marked during my first-day tour as a spot I could use to meet up with my girls or my targets. The distance from our classrooms was also in my favor.

Alas, I didn’t have any chance to use this. And at this point, there’s no reason anymore unless I want to meet someone secretly. Just like this time.

The door creaked open slightly, revealing Umeda-san’s smiling face. ”Ah, Onoda-kun. I was waiting for you. Come in, come in.

She stepped aside, revealing the interior of the room to me. Surprisingly, she was alone. And here I was expecting the other girls from Class 3 also waiting with her.

”You’re the only one here, Umeda-san?” I asked as I walked in, closing the door gently behind me

The room was pretty dusty. Due to that, I quickly walked to the window, opening it to let the air circulate before facing Umeda.

”You know what. It’s impressive. How could you breathe in here when it felt that stuffy, Umeda-san?

”Oh, that? I just had a little cleanup before you arrived,” Umeda-san said with a wink. Her confidence unwavering, ”But enough about that. I’m alone because the others have yet to think of what they want to ask of you. But truthfully, they might not even use the favor promised. What they heard that day made them rethink their life, you know?”

”Rethink their life?”

That’s quite the revelation. They’re probably the type of girls who were still pure enough to be so embarrassed at hearing our moans of pleasure. If they’re already like that with just our voices, they’d surely faint if they saw us in action that day.

”Indeed! Onoda-kun, you bad man. Don’t you know most girls our age are still pure-hearted maidens? You corrupted them. Now they cannot forget the sounds of love echoing through the walls,” Umeda-san said with a dramatic flair, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Clearly, she exaggerated that a bit.

”Well, I can’t deny that. Please tell them I apologize. And if they really need help someday, they can always come to me.”

”Pfft. You’re really different. You’re like a golden sheep in public but in private you’re a feral beast. Anyhow, I’ll tell them that, don’t worry.”

”Thanks, Umeda-san. So, that means you called me out here to hear your request? My payment for keeping your silence?”

”You can say that.”

Umeda-san winked again as she put on a meaningful smile. Crossing the distance between us, she eventually stood in front of me.𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

Whatever she was planning, I would not turn back from my words. I promised her a favor, it’s only right to keep it. Plus, it’s not like she’d ask for something too extreme. At least, I hope not.

”Okay! Let’s get down to business, shall we?”

”Mhm. Shoot, Umeda-san. I’m all ears.”

”I like your spirit, Onoda-kun,” Umeda-san said, her eyes gleaming. She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. ”But I’m afraid my request might be a tad... personal.”

Her sudden proximity made me take a hard look at her, my posture straightening, ”Personal, huh? No problem. As long as it’s something I can accomplish then I will do it for you.”

”Great. Don’t worry. It won’t be scandalous like asking you for sexual favors. I’m interested but it will be a waste to use the promised favor when I may draw the ire of many girls -- including Itou-san -- by coveting you.”

This girl... She’s surprisingly honest. But thinking back to the first time I interacted with her, she had this habit of being playful even to those she was familiar with.

”So, what is it, Umeda-san? What’s your request?” I asked, feeling curious.

”It’s this...” Umeda signaled for me to lean closer. She’s going to whisper it as an added precaution.

”I’ve been having a bit of a... let’s call it an artistic block. I can’t even participate in our activities in our Manga Club. And from what I heard that day, you’re someone who had a lot of experiences. I need a reference, Onoda-kun.”

I didn’t need to think too hard about what she meant by artistic block and experience. Is she drawing an adult manga?

Hopefully, the reference that she needs is only in the form of sharing experience, not becoming her model.