Stealing Spree

In the first place, even without Marika's involvement with me, I never doubted that Ichihara Jun would someday become a nuisance to me when I heard about him from Ishida-senpai and Momoiro-senpai.

Because even if we tried to stay in our lane, sooner or later, he'd be scouring the freshmen to find new girls to woo behind Marika's back. With my girls' appearances and lovable personalities, he'd surely try and bother them, the same way as he did with Kana and Ishida-senpai. Even if he'll ultimately fail with it, just thinking about it is enough for me to be annoyed.

He's unlike the usual idiots who are only trying their luck on the girls that caught their eyes. He's someone who wields some kind of influence despite the notoriety.

If I plan to make our school life peaceful, I have to deal with him in one way or another.

Funnily enough, he delivered himself in front of me.

Not only am I now set to fully antagonize him, but I'm also going to take away his fiancé.

Yeah. That adorable girl doesn't have to needlessly suffer for the sake of her family. Although I won't claim that Marika will be in a better place with me, at least, I won't restrict her in any way or tell her to do things she doesn't want to. She truly deserves to have a choice rather than succumb to their wishes.

That way, I can see more of her genuine smiles and laughter.

But well, I'm aware that I shouldn't be the person to say all that considering my past and present. For now, I'll just do what I can do for her.

That aside, I had just followed Ichihara Jun inside the room he picked. His followers remained outside, acting as lookouts and a wall to prevent the other students from coming. Surprisingly, we didn't really have to walk too far. He picked a room located at the end of the corridor and past the staircase area.

He's living up to his name and influence, having the specific key for the room.

Truthfully, I had already scouted this place before and found out that the rooms here were either locked tight with a padlock or unusable to be a meeting place because of how dirty and cramped the room is.

When I asked Shizu about this place, she told me that the rooms were already considered abandoned so she also never bothered with it. Besides, it's the responsibility of the school's administration and not the Student Council. Knowing Hayashi-sensei, I doubt she's hands-on about issues like this. She was more focused on playing as the school nurse. Perhaps, it's the acting Principal she delegated to run this school for her or the other school officials who neglected the place.

Now, Ichihara Jun got exclusive access to one of the padlocked rooms. As to where he got the key from, I couldn't even be bothered to ask.

As always, I first observed the whole interior before completely walking inside. It's to make sure that I wouldn't be hit by something unexpected. And also, to secure me a retreat route in case something goes wrong.

As it turned out, it was another storage room. However, unlike the abandoned ones, fewer boxes were lying in one corner. And from the looks of it, this room was being used regularly.

While there weren't any tables, I spied a single chair and a rolled-up mattress on another corner. The curtain was also pulled down, not allowing any light from outside to come in so he turned on the indoor lights.

Most likely, he's either using this room to meet the girls he managed to woo or the place he always used to teach a lesson to the guys who defied him. Maybe both.

Not that it matters.

As the sounds of the shuffling feet outside arrived at a halt, Ichihara Jun turned around to face me with a dramatic pause. His hands dropped to his sides before opening his mouth and started with a solemn tone.

"Junior, I don't like making an enemy out of everyone. But you… you unnecessarily put yourself in my line of fire."

I put myself in his line of fire? This guy is delusional. But then again, for him to even change his tone like this, did he prepare for this?

I mean, his shattered composure miraculously recovered to deliver this.

Too bad for him, I couldn't even be bothered to react to that. I simply stared him down, trying to unnerve him again with my silence. I crossed my arms and gestured for him to continue.

The idiot's face twitched in annoyance but he reeled in his anger and cleared his throat.

Yep. He really prepared a script for this. Or he got someone to prepare it for him. Whichever the case, it's tickling my dry humor. If he delivered another delusional line, I'll probably fail to hold back my laughter.

"Junior, I'm being serious here. What happened outside shouldn't happen anymore. I will respect your position and stay out of your line. I will leave you alone. But you… I want you to do the same for me. Do you know what I'm talking about?"

Although I could already understand what he was trying to negotiate here, my response remained the same. But this time, I tilted my head and…

"Pfft."

And there we go. Like I said, it's already out of my hands.

Even with my hand covering my mouth, my laughter gradually escaped my mouth.

Ichihara Jun dreadfully looked at me as his hands closed into a fist. With his expression looking like the very definition of a person who already lost it with his anger, Ichihara Jun dashed forward and sent his fist my way.

With how slow he moved and the unnecessary movements brought by his rage, dodging it was a piece of cake. But I'll give it to him, that has some force behind it as I heard the wind whistling faintly.

Wait. Maybe it's not that slow at all, just very predictable.

Stepping to the side, I forced my laughter down my throat and placed my hand on his shoulder, keeping him in place.

"Senpai, you can't fault me this time. You're the one who threw the first punch." At the same time as I said that, I lifted my other arm, throwing a punch to his abdomen.

With his posture still unstable, my fists easily sunk into his stomach, sending him reeling in pain. However, because I was still holding him by his shoulder, it prevented him from being thrown to the ground.

I could've gone to his face but with a split-second decision that I made which involved some kind of consequence if I let him leave this room with a swollen face, I switched my target to that.

The guy tried to sweep me away with his arm. However, without that much strength in his arms, he failed to move me.

And while he's trying to make sense of what just happened, I delivered another one alongside my words of wisdom, "Senpai, it's not me who stood in your line of fire. It's you. No matter how influential you are or how strong your backing is, I'll tell you, I won't ever be scared of you. Now, if you want to continue, I'll send you to the infirmary today. Your choice."

Uh. I guess I messed that one up. To say that when his mind was being racked by the pain of my punch, he probably failed to pick that all up.

But it doesn't matter. The punch alone could be considered my message to him.

When I noticed that his knees had started trembling, I let go of his shoulder and took a step back.

Taking that chance, Ichihara Jun quickly retreated while holding his abdomen. He started coughing and groaning loudly with his face twisted in pain.

With difficulty, he lifted his arm and pointed at me, "Y-you! I'll never forgive you for this!" He paused for a moment then turned his head to the door.

He then took a deep breath, readying himself to shout out loud.

So, two punches are enough for him to call for backup, huh? What a weakling.

"Oi, you idiots! Hurry and come insi—"

He was in the middle of shouting when suddenly, a commotion started outside the door.

Even when we're inside, it's loud enough to know that something or someone has arrived that disturbed the silence.

And so, I prepared myself for what was about to happen in case the commotion was by a teacher or someone else in authority.

However, upon listening closely, a smile couldn't help but form on my lips.

A few seconds later, the door burst open, and a certain ringlet girl who had just brushed away the arms preventing her from entering stormed inside.

Her eyes fell on me first before focusing on the idiot who stood frozen in place.

Following that, ignoring Ichihara Jun's posture of holding his stomach and having a pained expression, the ringlet girl made her way toward me.

And with her voice filled with righteousness, she disappointedly dissed Ichihara Jun. "Jun-kun, must you torment Junior-kun like this? What has he done to you? If it is I you are unhappy with, do not ever take it out on someone else!"

This… Marika's timing is… what should I say. Impeccable?

For her to show up at this very moment, she has unknowingly saved them from me.

Is this fine? Honestly, I think this is the better outcome.

Rather than the two punches that he had just eaten graciously, Marika's words definitely hit harder which resulted in Ichihara Jun's ugly and pained mug twisted into an even more hideous form.

His fiancé took the side of someone she had just gotten to know recently… If he does have feelings for Marika, that's a slap that will sting his face for eternity.

And that's not all.

With the door opened, everything was being witnessed by his followers and the few students who somehow managed to get past them. They're not like Marika who will ignore his current state of being in pain.