Stealing Spree

“Wait here. Let me get you something to drink. Also, let me put that on a plate.” Ishida-senpai said while pouting slightly as she took the box of donuts from me before going in the direction of the kitchen.

Having been invited inside her house, I found myself in the same living room. However, I wasn’t alone here. While I sat on the same couch we used back then, Goto Kenji was sitting on a single couch at the side, looking rather confused at the turn of events.

Right, I have to go back to what happened at the gate.

Ishida-senpai only expected me to come since I told her I would. And that’s why despite appearing rather angry when I showed up earlier, she actually failed to contain her smile hidden beneath that façade.

On the other hand, Goto’s appearance here was truly unannounced.

When she asked him why… he answered that he was here for their schoolwork. Yet, it’s so easy to notice that he’s lying. His tone, his body language and everything used to determine someone’s state of mind all pointed to that conclusion.

He’s definitely here thinking that Ishida-senpai would still give him a glance after everything that happened. He’s having a daydream.

Furthermore, the guy shouldn’t have known the location of her house. For Kenji to know about it, it’s either someone told him or he found out by himself; by stalking her or other means.

The reason she didn’t send him away was that she wanted to protect my secret. And perhaps, she didn’t want him to know about our budding relationship.

Well, this was fine too. And it’s a great thing I chose to come. Otherwise, I wouldn’t know that he’s trying to chase after her again.

“Hmm… I think I’m going to help, senpai.” After a minute of acting like a behaved child on the couch, I stood up and announced loudly.

“You. Rumi said to wait here!” The guy instantly reacted, standing up in haste to prevent me from going. However, with our distance, he failed to even reach me.

“I heard her. I just want to help, alright? I’m the junior here. Besides, I don’t need you to police me here.”

After dismissing him like this, I left him behind and approached the door to the dining room.

However, before I could open it and leave the room we were in, he shouted again, ignoring the fact that this wasn’t even his home.

“Why are you here?! Does Kana know that you’re visiting Rumi on a weekend?!”

Really, there’s a pathetic Ken earlier this morning, and now another ‘Ken’ was acting this pathetic. Is their shared name directly related to that trait?

In any case, I don’t feel like answering him but to shut him down… a good slap is in order.

“Senpai, I’m here to fill in the shoes you left behind, you know? It’s for the Cultural Festival.” Although that’s a lie on my part, it’s the most plausible answer if I would go along with Ishida-senpai’s intention to keep what’s really happening between us to him. “And since you mentioned Kana, I had just sent her home before coming here. She slept at my place last night, by the way.”

“W-why…”

“Why not? I’m her boyfriend, remember?“

Ending that while sporting a gloating expression, I didn’t wait for the guy to come up with a desperate or rageful response. I left him behind in the living room and quickly closed the door behind me. Hopefully, he’d take that as a chance to run away. But if not then I would probably need to deliver another bout of slaps to his face. Without jeopardizing what Ishida-senpai was trying to do, of course.

Nonetheless, there’s still the possibility that the guy would try to spy on us. If that’s the case then… he’s going to dig a larger hole for himself to fall on. And his landing won’t be sweet.

Continuing to the kitchen, I knocked first to announce my arrival. At least, I didn’t want her to feel rushed in my attempts to get closer to her. Acting cordially at this point was a lot better to make her heart aflutter more than it needs to be. Since I’m already invested in making her fall for me, I’ll make it so Ishida wouldn’t feel like she made a wrong choice. Besides, this is her house. It’s only normal to behave.

Not like I could say the same thing to Elizabeth’s house more than a year ago.

Anyway, as soon as the sound of my knocking was conveyed, I heard the faint sounds of footsteps coming to the door. The soundproofing here must be good or bad depending on the importance of the room.

“I told you to wait, didn’t I?” As expected, those were the first words that came out of her mouth upon opening the door. However, despite that, her expression was the opposite. She’s restraining her lips from stretching to the side and biting it dearly as though she’s afraid she wouldn’t be able to control herself.

Without pointing that out, I answered with a usual smile, “You did. But senpai, I want to help you… Moreover…” As I trailed my voice here, I gently pushed on the door which made her take a step back before I stepped inside the same room where we bonded the first time I was here.

Following that, my free arm reached for her waist, preventing her from retreating further back.

“… I want to be alone with you. It’s impossible in that room.” I continued.

And without waiting for her response, I slid my arm to her back and pressed it to pull her closer to me. As soon as I deemed it possible, I let go of the door and instantly wrapped her in my embrace, pressing her head on my shoulder.

In this way, Ishida-senpai wouldn’t be aware that Kenji, who moved in accordance with my prediction, had just emerged from the other door, this scene fully caught by his eyes as the door gradually closed behind us.

Yep. I probably ended up jeopardizing Ishida-senpai’s intentions this way… But like I said, it’s the guy’s fault for trying to chase after me and see a glimpse of what’s actually happening.

Whether he was going to stomp his way toward her in rage or not, I stopped caring anymore as my focus completely shifted to the girl in my arms.

I could hear her heart beat so fast at the same time as her arms copied mine, answering my embrace.

A few seconds later, her muffled voice reached my ears.

“W-what are you doing?”

It’s a question. True. However, she already knew the answer to that… She just wanted to hear it from me.

“I miss you, senpai. Do you miss me too?” I gently brushed her smooth, silky hair before pressing gently on her back.

“W-who will miss you?”

“Ouch. And here I am hoping that you will also say yes.”

“Yeah. If you’re not this shameless, I will probably say yes.”

“Really?”

“But not today.” She then lifted her head a bit to make a face on me, her tongue peeking out cutely.

Upon seeing that, I couldn’t help but laugh at it. She got me.

“Senpai, looks like you got a lesson on how to tease someone.”

“I picked it up from you, shameless junior.” She smugly declared before letting her face be buried in my chest once more.

“Is that so? I’m honored.”

“This guy…”

Hearing that shameless response, Ishida-senpai’s delight from teasing me instantly deflated. Sighing slightly at a loss.

In any case, that only lasted momentarily. A few seconds later, Ishida-senpai raised another question while still enjoying our situation.

“Hey, how long will you hug me? You do know he, Kenji, is waiting there… He might just walk in on us.”

Yep. She’s really worried about that, huh?

“Oh. Don’t worry. He won’t do that.” I assured her which made her lift her head again, her eyes narrowed in a slight perplexity.

“How do you know?”

“I just know.” Though my answer was swift, it was only because I knew…

Knew that the guy was already standing before the door, trying to eavesdrop on our conversation.

As if he could hear anything.

I moved us a few steps away from that door before changing the topic and raising my own question.

“By the way, senpai. Why did you ask me if I’m free? Is there an occasion or something?”

Right. Even if one of my guesses upon seeing her message was true, she must’ve prepared something in case I say yes.

I wonder what that is…