Stealing Spree

I calmed myself down and organized my thoughts, all the while without showing it on my face.

Then, I silently scanned the girl whose shoulders had started shaking. Possibly, she’s afraid that I would just keep dismissing her.

I tried figuring out what was going on in her head but without proper information, it was difficult.

“Senpai, isn’t that what I’m doing already? Protecting Marika. Something you and her followers cannot even provide. Tell me, is restricting her movements fun for her?” I started as I looked down at her. I could hear the shuffling of footsteps behind me. Most likely those were the other followers. But seeing Tanaka already engaging me, they maintained their distance.

Well, if they meddled at all, I would have more excuse to simply walk away.

“No. I get what you’re saying. We, her followers, aren’t doing a good job at that. We’re a nuisance who’s only keeping her in check, locking her up in our circle.”

“Mhm. You are nothing more than a cage for her. You can’t do shit. You know how devoted she is to that guy but none of you told her about his shenanigans. It won’t be surprising if half of those so-called followers are under his pockets.” I paused for a while before raising an eyebrow to point out something from the words she just uttered, “So, you still considered yourself her follower? I’m impressed with that audacity, senpai.”

Tanaka-senpai shuddered as she stared at my sarcastic smile. And before long, her shoulders dropped as though she was admitting her guilt.

“I do… I still do want to be her follower. I grew to admire Marika-sama regardless of my ulterior motive in getting close to her...” She weakly responded.

Alright, at least, in outside appearances, that wasn’t an act on her part. The desperation, gloom, and guilt in her voice made that speech come across as genuine.

However, that’s not enough.

“And yet, you still ended up using her. That just shows how insincere you are, senpai.” I pointed out again. “You know, if it’s only up to me, I won’t hesitate telling you to leave her side. Lucky for you, I’m not Marika. I’m not going to decide for her.”

In this regard, it’s not really my place to make a decision for her. Marika’s disappointment to this girl was also clear to see yesterday. But at the same time, Tanaka-senpai was probably the one she trusted the most.

She had yet to express if she felt betrayed or just disappointed but from what I could see, she still has some faith in this girl, albeit already at its lowest.

Hopefully, that meeting with Hayashi-sensei could tackle things that we haven’t talked about yet.

Perhaps reaching the end of her rope, Tanaka-senpai simply took that with a gloomy nod before pouring in the last of her conviction, “... You’re right. I won’t refute that, Onoda-kun... That’s why... I’m here to confess everything.”

“What good will your confession do? What’s done is done, senpai.”

“Yes. Earning your trust is impossible by now but I intend to remain by Marika-sama’s side. I’ll throw away my collaboration with Takashima and protect her this time..”

Protect her? Yeah, right. As if her measly strength can do that. Hell, even if she’s sincere with this, a mere follower of Ichihara Jun is enough to deal with her. It’s pretty much useless.

In any case, she didn’t wait for my dismissal and simply continued with the confession.

She seemed so desperate for me to hear it or rather, she wanted to tell me where she was coming from. Still, no matter what she says, my mind will probably not change. She’s no more than a bridge I will use to bring Watanabe and Komoe to Marika’s side. Compared to her, those two will do better at her job. And they won’t be mere followers but friends she can laugh and spend time with.

Anyway, her confession goes like this.

Takashima and Tanaka-senpai held a grudge against Ichihara Jun. The former was doing it for his sister – confirming what Enomoto told me while the latter was doing it on behalf of her former best friend who already transferred out of our school.

Right. It’s not really about her being close to the guy before. Maybe she also attempted to get close to him to dig some dirt but it didn’t work.

According to her, that best friend also got ensnared by the skirt-chasing idiot. As for the specifics, she spared me the details but the aftermath resulted in her friend becoming so afraid of him that she and her family moved away from our city.

Tanaka-senpai also lost contact with her after that as though they disappeared from the grid. Most likely, that girl and her family cut off everything to start anew somewhere without the Ichihara’s influence. It’s probably that impactful.

Maybe her parents were employees of the Ichihara? I don’t know. And it probably wouldn’t be answered even if I asked that question.

As for why she decided to pick that grudge up for her best friend, she admitted that it was only an impulse at first. However, after she failed to get close to Ichihara Jun, enough to be one of his girls, Takashima showed up in front of her, employing her help.

From there, since they couldn’t touch him with his influence and his followers around, the only opportunity that they saw was Marika.

She confessed how she worked her way up the ladder of her followers before eventually succeeding at gaining Marika’s trust. Hence, that girl naively thought that Tanaka-senpai would always be truthful to her.

And recently, with my presence becoming a new variable, they found their golden opportunity to make use of that connection.

Following that, the rest was history.

Did her past justify using Marika? Hell no.

I guess if I could pick up one thing from that confession, it’s that... Ichihara Jun deserved to be destroyed…

Nonetheless, after she finished with that recounting of events, I simply maintained my expression, appearing uninterested in what she had just revealed.

As hope became bleak in her expression, I opened my mouth.

“Senpai, as I have told you, you’re talking to the wrong person. I couldn’t care less about your past or your motivations. Let’s cut this short, alright? Takashima. What is that dude planning next?”

“... That.” She got stumped, not knowing what to say.

I kept an eye out for her reactions. It didn’t look like she was hesitating but still, squeezing what little information she could provide me was my compensation for hearing her out.

“So, you can’t tell me, huh?”

Understanding that I was already losing interest, she immediately shook her head, “No. It’s not that... I just don’t know. When I told him your message yesterday, he didn’t say anything. And even today, I haven’t heard a word from him.”

Heh. So that’s it, huh? I should’ve expected that from someone like him.

“I understand. He’s still no more than a coward. No wonder he can’t take his revenge on him.” I shook my head, expressing my utter disappointment. “I won’t expect much from you, senpai but if you’re sincere with your words, prove it to Marika, not me. I can’t always be by her side, after all. Word of advice. That girl needs friends and allies, not followers.”

Leaving behind those words, I walked past her and never looked back at her anymore. Even when she tried catching up to me again, I simply swiveled out of the way before returning to my path.

Helpless, the girl could only look at my back until I disappeared from her view.