Stealing Spree

Chapter 2927: Dote on me

The logic was kinda flawed, but Eri’s enthusiasm was infectious.

There’s only one reason it was fine for Futaba and not for her: Eri was still too innocent for that. Or rather, she had no idea what exactly she was asking for.

Although she had already shown interest in intimate topics before, considering she asked me how my first time with Akane felt, everything still depended on whether she was clear about it or not.

And at this point, I couldn’t just corrupt her, right?

Ah... Who am I kidding? If given the chance, I might actually do it. Even though Eri wasn’t as attractive as Akane and Fuyu who could be compared to the sun and moon, the girl’s tomboyish and innocent charm was a deadly combination.

I looked over at Futaba. Her eyes were still closed, but her breathing seemed to slow down as if she was holding it. She wasn’t as asleep as she pretended to be. The conversation about the ’treatment’ was clearly filtering into her consciousness, making her chest heave in a slow, rhythmic struggle.

I mean, she even squeezed my hand tightly, as though warning me not to divulge any more of our secrets.

”Like I said, it’s because Futaba requested it. Since I was responsible for her state by feeding her chocolates back then, rejecting her and leaving her in pain was just not right.”

I shifted my grip on Futaba’s hand, rubbing my thumb across her skin in a slow, soothing circle. The gesture seemed to act as a silent truce, making her grip loosen slightly. However, my answer probably left her unsatisfied.

And somehow, Eri was also not convinced.

After a minute of contemplation, she looked up at me again and whispered in a very soft voice, like it was the buzz of an insect, ”If I... If I request something similar. Will you do it for me too?”

This...

I expected her to press on but to go straight for that question... What is she expecting?

”Mhm. I will.” I answered without a moment’s hesitation. And my reasoning is simple... she wouldn’t be like Futaba who would directly ask for my help to make her feel the same pleasure she felt through my hands.

At most, the girl would ask for advice and even if we had to get hands-on, it wouldn’t be as intense as what Futaba craved. Eri was far too pure. Or at least, that’s how I see her.

With my biased lens, I might be wrong. And it wouldn’t be the first time I would be wrong about my view of someone.

Isn’t there the recent example of Suzuki Yumika? I thought she was just this senior filled with self-confidence but in the end, she was far more than that.

Eri’s eyes lit up, ”Yay! Ruki, you’re the best! I’m totally gonna think about what I want to request. Hehe. I won’t cut in line tonight. Futaba has been restless for the past few days. It must be because of the ’lesson’ you’re going to give her.”

”Perhaps.” That’s all I could reply. After all, Futaba wasn’t asleep. She was listening closely as she continued to pretend she was in a deep slumber, and the way her chest was heaving told me she was likely fighting a battle with her own heart rate.

”But... For now... can you dote on me, Ruki? Just until we reach our stop?”

”Sure. How do you want to be doted on?” I asked, glancing at the girl who was currently acting as a human vine around my left arm.

Eri didn’t say a word. Instead, she shifted her weight, sliding further across the seat until her head rested comfortably on my shoulder and her leg pressed firmly against mine. She let out a small, contented hum, closing her eyes as she snuggled in. It was a simple request, but the physical closeness was enough to make the girl on my other side flinch.

If Futaba wasn’t pretending to be asleep, she’d probably jump up and stop Eri. But then again, with her holding my hand so tightly, she might lack the necessary shamelessness to call out her friend.

“So, this is how you want to be doted on? Got it.” My lips curled into a smirk as my arm hooked around Eri’s waist. Without any reservation, my fingers intimately pressed onto her slender side, making the girl react slightly.

However, Eri simply snuggled deeper as though encouraged to act a little bolder.

I could only shake my head and inwardly sigh. This girl was simply too fearless for her own good, and the way she leaned into me suggested she was perfectly happy to play the role of the pampered pet without the psychological burden weighing down on her.

The bus continued its steady hum, the vibrations of the road echoing through the chassis while the streetlights outside flickered across our faces in a rhythmic pulse of gold and shadow.

The trip wouldn’t really take long. Only fifteen minutes at most but somehow, these two girls were making the air in the back row feel thick and heavy.

One probably wanted to merge her body with me if possible while the other was barely keeping her composure under the guise of a nap. I could feel the heat radiating from both of them. If I truly threw away all of my restraint and pushed them both to their limits right here, they would probably not stop me.

That’s how much they trust me.

However, it was specifically because they trusted me that I would never do anything excessive unless they asked for it and understood all the consequences that would come after it.

”Hehe. I now understand why Akane and Fuyu love clinging to you, Ruki. This is so comfortable. No... I think it’s specifically because of your body. More comfortable than a hug pillow.” Eri murmured, her voice filled with satisfaction.

I couldn’t help but pat her head, my palm resting on her soft hair as the bus banked into a wide turn. ”Have you not hugged your boyfriend like this yet?”

”Nope!” Eri popped the ’p’ with a playful grin, not even bothering to open her eyes. ”He’s like a little kitten. If I lean on him too hard, he starts apologizing for existing and tries to move out of the way. It’s totally not the same vibe. You’re like... a big, sturdy tree. I can just lean and lean and you don’t even wobble.”

Geez. If that’s truly the case, it’s hard to sympathize with her boyfriend. Being a ’kitten’ is one thing, but apologizing for existing just because a girl wants to lean on him sounds exhausting. It shouldn’t be that exaggerated, right? I mean, I could see them interact on the train every morning.

Although they still couldn’t get past the holding hands stage, they should’ve at least tried to be more intimate, right?

”Hmm. Tell me, Eri. Have you already talked to him about how you want to be more intimate?” I asked, my voice dropping slightly.

Eri opened one eye, glancing up at me, ”I did. He said he respects me and he needs to prepare himself mentally for the next step. For now, he’s happy to hold my hand and sometimes lean on me. He’s so sweet, but like I said, he’s a total kitten. He’s basically a softie in human form.”

This... Poor Toshi-kun. Looks like the issue is on you, bro. I’ve already given her enough advice. It’s not my fault that she’s becoming more comfortable being intimate with me than with her own boyfriend.

”Well, maybe you’re just too overwhelming for him. You’ve got a lot of energy, Eri.” I said as I continued to stroke her head.

”I got it, Ruki. I’ll have to take it step by step with him, right?” Eri chuckled, finally closing her eye again. She shifted her weight, her body molding closer to mine as if she were trying to absorb more of my warmth. ”But since I’m a growing girl, I need a lot of different kinds of energy. So, you’re basically my supplement, boy best friend!”

”Sure. As long as you’re comfortable.” I replied, though the word ’supplement’ felt a bit too clinical for the way Eri was currently melting against my side.

Meanwhile, on my other side, Futaba’s grip on my hand tightened as if telling me not to indulge Eri too much. But since she’s still playing the part of the sleeping beauty, I intentionally ignored her and instead locked our fingers together in a firm, possessive lace.

Just like this, the remaining few minutes of the bus ride felt like a strange tug-of-war. I was the center point, anchored by two girls who couldn’t be more different in their approach to intimacy, yet both were currently competing for the same space.

The bus slowed as we approached the stop.

As though she had been waiting for it, Futaba’s eyes snapped open the moment the bus brakes hissed. The facade of sleep vanished instantly as she straightened up on her seat.

”We’re here? Huh? Why is Eri...?”

The girl seemed to fully commit to acting like she had no idea what happened.