Stealing Spree

Chapter 2549: Friends or More? (1)

Caught off guard by my directness, Sachiʼs eyes widened slightly. Her fingers fidgeted around the edge of her notebook as she tried to come up with an answer. For a moment, she looked like she was debating whether to dodge or dive in. Then, with a small huff that somehow highlighted her cuteness, different from her usual athletic confidence, she turned to face me fully.

”Okay, fine, Onoda-kun. Youʼre too good at this, you know? Seeing through people like this. And here I thought I got you cornered, but it was the other way around instead.”

Resting her elbows on her knees, Sachi leaned forward and whispered, ”Iʼll be straight with you. I canʼt help but keep watching you. Uhm… donʼt give me that look, itʼs not like that! Well, maybe it is. But itʼs because youʼre… different. Ugh, what am I saying?”

Ending that with a facepalm, Sachi nudged my arm with her forehead as though telling me not to press anymore.

I chuckled and patted her head, ”I get it. Looks like I got you charmed as well, huh?”

”That… I hate to fully admit but that might be the case. What should I do, Onoda-kun? And after saying I want to be your friend…”

”Well, weʼre still friends, arenʼt we? Besides, do you think Iʼm not treating you in a special way? While itʼs not the same as my girls, I still find your presence comforting. I like that you keep getting me updated every morning.

She rolled her eyes, but the faint flush on her cheeks told me she wasnʼt as composed as she was trying to play it. ”That sounds like Iʼm nothing but your informant!”

”I didnʼt tell you to put a label on it. Letʼs just call it our morning friendly routine.”

Hearing that, Sachi couldnʼt help but burst into laughter, ”What the heck, Onoda-kun? Youʼre so…”

”So?”

”So mean!” As if she couldnʼt find the right words, the girl just blurted out the first word she could come up with.

I scratched my cheek and said, ”Sorry for being mean. How can I make up for that?”

”... I donʼt know. Youʼre always in control, even when youʼre not. And then thereʼs the way youʼre always with Eguchi-sensei, Orimura-sensei, and all your girls. Itʼs like youʼre juggling a dozen lives at once, and somehow, you make it look easy. What can I say that wonʼt feel like Iʼm just trying to grab my opportunity?”

”You can be honest about it, you know? I appreciated it a lot. Besides… do you think Iʼll be here if I also donʼt want this opportunity to talk to you? Anyway, since you said youʼve been paying pretty close attention to me. Should I be flattered or worried?”

At that, her flush deepened and she swatted at my hand from her head, only to grasp in the end as she lifted her gaze. ”Impossible. You sounded cocky yet… why am I not being mad at you?”

”Letʼs see. Itʼs because I got you charmed.”𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

”There you go again!” Her cheeks puffed up but a moment later, they deflated as she started laughing softly. Not in a self-deprecating way but in some sort of silly giggles.

”Iʼm just saying… youʼre impressive. And a little frustrating, honestly. Ever since you hung out with me on the camping trip, I canʼt seem to forget how comfortable it is to be around you. I watched Maemura-san getting pumped up with her club practice, and when I asked her why sheʼs striving like that, she told me it was to impress you. And so… I thought I should adopt the same mindset. To work harder and become a true regular in our club so that I can show you my cool side too.”

This girl… Itʼs totally flattering for any guy to hear this kind of confession. She had just told me that I was her inspiration to strive harder.

Now, that guy who moved away and somehow acted like a douche in their communication could never get her back anymore.

Sheʼs already this invested. In any case, I donʼt think we can call it as if she has fallen for me. Itʼs not at that point yet. Maybe she likes me and wants to impress me, but thatʼs all. Sheʼs still trying her best not to appear like sheʼs desperate for my attention. And given that she knew about my relationship with the other girls, that was serving as a line she was hesitating to cross.

Sachiʼs laughter gradually tapered off, leaving a soft, contemplative silence between us.

Her fingers still clung to my hand as she gripped it tightly as if she was anchoring herself to this moment.

The gymnasiumʼs vast emptiness amplified the intimacy of our conversation, and I could feel the weight of her words settling in.

She wasnʼt just confessing admiration, she was also laying bare a vulnerability that she wanted to show me. And that somehow made my chest tighten with a mix of affection and responsibility.

I tilted my head, letting my grin soften into something warmer, less teasing. ”Sachi, you donʼt need to work harder to impress me. Youʼre already pretty cool, you know? I may not always be there but Iʼm hearing about your feats. The way you hold your own on the volleyball court, the way youʼre always observing everything with those sharp eyes of yours… I noticed that way before you started trying to show off. Youʼre going to do great in the club.”

Her eyes widened as she looked like sheʼd been caught off guard again.

Then she ducked her head, her ponytail swaying as she tried to hide the fresh flush creeping up her cheeks. My hand slid to the back of her head, pulling her a little bit closer.

”Youʼre doing it again, Onoda-kun. Saying stuff like that with that face. Itʼs unfair.”

”Unfair? Iʼm just being honest,” I said, echoing the same line Iʼd used with Minori-senpai earlier.

It was true, though. My eyes mightʼve been mostly trained on my girls, but whenever sheʼs around, itʼs not hard to notice Sachiʼs earnestness and her quiet determination.

She wasnʼt like my girls, not yet, but there was something about her that made me want to keep her close, to see where this connection could go. Maybe it was similar to what I have with Kaede.

Sachi lifted her gaze, her expression a mix of skepticism and hope. ”Honest, huh? Then tell me, Onoda-kun, what am I to you? I mean, I know about your girls, and Iʼm not… Iʼm not trying to push my way into that. But I canʼt help wondering where I fit in your world.”

The question hung in the air, but I could feel the sincerity behind it. The need for clarity in a situation that was anything but simple. I leaned to the sight, lifted my arm slightly and wrapped it around her shoulder, closing the distance between us just enough to make it clear I was taking this seriously.

”Youʼre Sachi,” I said, my voice steady. ”Youʼre the girl who keeps me on my toes with her sharp observations, who makes me laugh with her unexpected quips and whoʼs brave enough to call me out when Iʼm being too much. Youʼre my friend, yeah, but youʼre also… special. I donʼt have a neat label for it, and maybe I donʼt need one. What matters is that I like having you around, and I want to keep finding out what that means.”