Stealing Spree

Upon returning to the classroom carrying the new desk and chair for Hana, the sight that I came upon was as I expected.

The girl was surrounded by our classmates, each one curiously asking her different questions. Surprisingly though, they weren’t touching what happened earlier. Instead, standard questions usually asked to the transfer student kept being thrown at her.

Things like her interest, hobbies, and any other personal information that’s borderline intruding. It’s like they wanted to know everything about her past while skirting about the present. They also asked about the previous school she attended. How was it there or whether she could now speak that country’s language.

However, the same as before meeting me, Hana coolly put on her angelic smile and responded to them with fewer words and simple gestures. Normally, that should be seen as an aloof way to ward them off but as always, her smile was as effective as before. It’s enough for them to be considerate of her.

In any case, when they noticed me returning from outside, they all dispersed like ants running away upon sensing a disturbance. They then looked on from their seats, anticipation filling their eyes.

Yep. They probably thought that something was going to happen again.

I mean, apart from me carrying the supposed desk and chair for Hana, the girl’s attention also got diverted to me. It’s like she’s switching gears whenever she would catch in her crosshair.

As for my girls, they’re also ready to jump in and prevent the girl from stealing another march from them. This time, Hina was the one more eager to block Hana.

Well, I already decided not to make this day even more chaotic than it was. And so, I walked past Hana, not even giving her a second glance, and placed the table and chair at the very back of the room.

Originally, there were a total of five rows with six desks each, enough for 30 students. As the 31st student, Hana will be alone behind the fifth row.

But will she accept that arrangement? She will. I’ll have her accept it.

Upon putting it down there, I walked back to my seat and glanced behind me, “Hana, I brought your desk. You can now move there.”

“Hmm? Why will I? Kinoshita-sensei told me to sit here behind you.”

“And she also said that she’ll ask someone to bring a desk for you, right? There you have it.”

Upon hearing that, Hana fell silent. The rather cheerful air around her suddenly turned gloomy. It was brought about by her minute body gestures. Her shoulders slightly lowered and her back hunched a bit.

“… Ruki, is this how you’re going to treat me? Cold and indifferent.”

With a hint of sadness in her voice, Hana raised that question.

Obviously, those paying attention to us heard it as well. But whatever their reaction may be, I found it irrelevant.

I tilted my head to the side as I replied, “Is that how it looks? I’m just telling you where your place is. Don’t give any meaning to it.”

Perhaps sensing that I wasn’t amused with her, Hana raised her hands in surrender, “Fine. Let’s have it your way. I’ll move there but don’t think I’m going to give up.”

I had no idea if the others would be able to pick it up but the Hana of today was different from her past self who wouldn’t break her character when in public. When interacting with me, she’s slipping into her real character, disregarding whatever reaction she would gather from those unrelated to us.

Will she continue doing this? I don’t know. But if this continues… I won’t be surprised if our classmates will change their opinions about me with the way I am going to treat her.

“Knowing you, I doubt you will. Besides, I also let you have your way earlier. Consider us even.” Upon saying that, I stopped paying attention to her.

I heard her making a sound with her lips before walking to the back of the room.

Naturally, everyone’s eyes followed her and when she took her seat, I could feel unfriendly, penetrating gazes directed at me.

Well, that’s the result of treating the beautiful transfer student coldly like that. And because of what happened earlier, it added to the resentment that’s starting to build up.

And as I expected, it didn’t take long for someone to raise their voice, questioning me.

“Onoda, that’s cold. Do you have to treat her that way?”

Looking at the source, I found one of Fukuda’s lackeys staring daggers at me. I forgot his name. Or I haven’t bothered to remember it. Whether it was instigated by Fukuda or not, I had no idea. Maybe it’s the latter. As for whether he had an ulterior motive in doing so… Probably, yeah. Hana’s too beautiful to be ignored, after all.

Somewhere deep in his mind, he’s probably imagining himself earning Hana’s praise.

“In what way?” I nonchalantly answered.

“That! You coldly pushed her away. Do you think just because she kissed you, you can now do anything you want? Don’t be conceited!”

Look at this guy’s courage… I guess I gotta hand it to him. Unlike the cucks who are only observing the situation, he seemed to have found the balls to speak up.

Anyway, with the guy raising his voice, the room once again fell silent and all attention gathered at the center of it all; me.

Reading the atmosphere, surely, the odds are against me. Only my girls had an idea why I did that. Even those who were slightly interested in me had complicated looks on their faces as though they were trying to check if this was my true face. A conceited bastard.

Somehow, Hana’s appearance here heralded the crumbling of the positive reputation that I unknowingly built up.

“Excuse me? Did I ask you to speak up for me? I don’t have any complaints. Ruki did what he had to. You don’t have the right to criticize him.”

As I was pondering on how I would respond to that, the girl that I sent to the back row spoke up for me. Or rather, she reprimanded the guy for jumping up like a toad to a recently fallen leaf.

“I… I’m just saying.” The guy instantly looked troubled. Fukuda beside him tried to pull him back down to his seat, perhaps to save him from embarrassment.

“Like I said. I didn’t ask you to speak up for me. Can you let it rest?”

Although she started it by being upset, the girl’s voice almost magically switched to a gentle one. And by the end of it, her angelic smile resurfaced.

Perhaps not expecting that, the guy instantly got flustered as he nodded his head multiple times.

Upon seeing the guy settling back on his seat, Hana who once again stood up suddenly made an announcement, addressing the whole class, “Uhm… I appreciate everyone’s concern. However, Ruki has been nothing but good to me. In the first place, I should be the one condemned for kissing him without rhyme or reason. I implore you to be understanding.”

Upon giving that speech, Hana bowed her head with sincerity. Whether it was an act or not, I could only say that it was flawless.

And sure enough, the ones who probably doubted me started nodding or sighing in agreement.

As for my girls who witnessed how Hana easily dissolved whatever negative opinion that had been building up towards me, they either bitterly smiled or accepted their loss at this particular moment.

Even Nami who was feeling triumphant earlier was taken aback. She looked at me with a serious expression, conveying her acknowledgment that Hana was a formidable opponent.

… Truthfully, I also couldn’t help but be amazed at Hana’s quick thinking.

I gotta hand it to her. She won in this skirmish this time.

When our gazes met, Hana put on her genuine smile along with a wink. As my response to that, I put on a defeated smile and a thumbs up. There’s no hurt in giving credit when it’s due.

Right after that, our teacher for the second period arrived and started the lesson.