Stealing Spree

Chapter 2423: Try it out too

After tending to our ’guests’, Misaki and I did our rehearsal. Naturally, we didn’t perform the whole thing in front of them, instead, we polished a part of it, sometimes making our ad-libs more... intimate.

When we finished, Misaki handed the script to Chii, telling her to try it with me too. The innocent girl was pretty considerate like that.

After that, An-rin tried to do the same, thinking it was fun, but her script was a bit... different. It was surely more suited to the Gyaru Club’s style, and I had to keep my poker face while responding to how much she butchered Misaki’s wonderful script.

Still, everyone got a good laugh with that. It made Kushii and Minami Shouko relax, which was good.

And since there were already precedents as soon as An-rin returned to her seat, she handed the script to Kushii before pushing the girl to the middle of the room and right in front of me.

”Alright Kushii-san, your turn,” Misaki said while clapping. She was definitely enjoying this.

Kushii looked at me with a pleading expression, but I just smiled at her reassuringly.

”Don’t worry. Just read the script, and I’ll guide you to it.”

She reluctantly nodded before taking a deep breath.

”You’re also enjoying this, Onoda-kun.”

”Well... how can I not when I’m getting a taste of different women? Oh. Wait. That sounds bad.”

The room erupted in laughter, even Minami Shouko couldn’t help but chuckle at my poor choice of words. Kushii, on the other hand, was blushing profusely as she raised the script to cover her face.

”I-it’s fine, Onoda-kun,” she murmured, trying to regain her composure. ”Let’s just get this over with.”

”Mhm.” I maintained my smile as I closed in on her.

The scene wasn’t the highlight but it was quite intimate depending on how we would deliver those lines.

It’s the characters’ third meeting in the Secret Garden and because it was raining when the male character arrived in the garden, he was dripping wet. The female character who was stuck in the garden would offer to warm him up inside her small house within the garden.

Normally, they’ll sit opposite each other in front of a supposed heater but we’re free to approach it any way we want.

With Misaki and Chii, they both slotted themselves in my embrace as we continued to the scene. An-rin switched it up by clinging to me from behind. She would even climb up if I stood up so I let her do her thing. She’s had fun that way.

And now with Kushii, she shyly held out her arm as we acted out the scene of entering the house and then pointing us to the heater.

”S-sit down wherever.” She said stiffly.

”Thank you.” I replied.

She pulled away her hand from mine before turning around and continuing to read the next line, her voice quivering slightly. I couldn’t help but feel a bit bad for her, so I decided to make it easier. I wrapped my arms around her waist from behind, pulling her close to me. She gasped at the sudden contact but instead of pushing me away, she raised her head with a light of determination in her eyes.

Despite An-rin hollering from her seat, we continued the scene as if we were actually in the warm, cozy cottage of the play.

But as we neared the end of the scene, I pushed my lips closer to her ear and whispered in a volume that only she could hear.

”Kushii, I know it’s been awkward for you ever since that day in the camp. You told me not to mind your confession but it was you who started acting weirdly. How should I say it? I’m at a loss on how to make it up to you.”

”W-what are you saying? I... I’m not expecting anything, Onoda-kun. You have Chizuru. Hana. and a lot more. My... interest in you can be buried in time. Don’t worry.”

”Is that what you really think?”

”I... I don’t know. It just seems impossible.”

Kushii bit her lips as she delivered that. Soon afterward, she tried wriggling out of my embrace, but I didn’t let go. Instead, I whispered into her ear once more.

”Impossible? Maybe it seems like it. But you see. I’d like to see you again being yourself in front of me. And who knows what the future holds? Holding you like this is already making me tempted.”

Experience more on empire

”You... Don’t sound so fickle like that. Seriously. Like, that’s not you.”

”Heh. So how am I like in your eyes?”

”That... I’m not sure. I’d like to find out more to be certain.” Her voice was soft, barely a murmur.

I couldn’t help but feel a rush of warmth at her words. It was clear that she was still holding onto her feelings, despite her shy protests.

”Alright. You do that. In the meantime... If you need someone to hold you like this, come to me.”

”Onoda-kun, that sounds, like, so flirty. Ugh....” Kushii’s protest was weak, her body trembling slightly in my embrace. I couldn’t help but chuckle at her predictable reaction.

Our secret conversation ended with that and soon, our act finished.

When she stood up, An-rin whistled, directly teasing her friend who was returning with a crimson face and a hint of a genuine smile on her lips.

Of course, with how long we somehow stayed close like that, they’d notice that we were conversing silently. And as a result, they got their own wild theories.

In any case, I acted normally and just gave Misaki and Chii a wink before turning to Minami Shouko.

”What about you, senpai? Wanna give it a try?”

Minami Shouko clearly saw this coming. With a meaningful smile on her lips as though I was meeting her for the first time again after all those pranks to get my attention, she said, ”Sure. Why not?”

”Whoa... Look, Kushii. That’s how you should be. Confident.” An-rin exclaimed with a grin, her teasing tone lightening the mood.

”S-shut up. Whose fault do you think it is? Seriously, like, you love playing with us.” Kushii shot back, pinching her friend’s cheek who then called out a truce by shouting, ”Wait, my makeup will be wiped off!”

Everyone laughed at that scene, even Kushii couldn’t help but let out a small giggle.

”Alright. Eyes on the front. After this, we’re going to the back of this clubhouse. You’ll all help me dig the garden plots.” I playfully announced, watching the girls’ expressions shift from amusement to feigned protest.

”Onoda-kun, you’re the worst. Are you really going to make your beloved women do manual labor?” Minami Shouko teased, her voice dripping with feigned innocence.

She’s clearly aware of her choice of words and yet, she still delivered it. Is she trying to throw me off? Does she want me to act out of my usual confident self? Whichever it is, I’m going to enjoy this.

”Why not? We’re going to plant potatoes. It’s for us. I’m sure you’ll like it.”

Upon saying that, I pulled her by her hand and started the act right in the middle of the scene we were supposed to rehearse.

The scene where we entered her cottage and sat down in front of the heater. And before she could try anything else, I’ve locked her in, her small, slender body, fully enclosed within my embrace.