Stealing Spree

“Let’s go back together, Arisa”

“Huh? Didn’t we already talk about this? You’re being hunted by the others. If you’re seen with me…”

“Well, look at the time. It will chime any moment now. Everyone will be in a rush, no one will pay attention if we arrive at the school building together.”

“You really… Ugh. Alright, come help me fix this. You did it in a rush earlier, good thing none of the buttons was ripped out.”

We did it. That’s for sure. It’s neither a dream nor an illusion. She’s still moist between her legs and our mixed fluids leaked out even after wiping it. Furthermore, there were traces left on the bed and on the desk we left behind in the other room.

Yet, despite doing it and confirming our feelings for one another, there seems to be no change in our relationship except in the way I called her. Removing the ‘senpai’ in her name. In a sense, our relationship had already reached this point even before all this. In her eyes, I was still her shameless and cheeky junior and she’s still the playful senior in my eyes.

Even now that we’re sitting on the side of the bed and I was directly behind her, helping her button up her uniform, Arisa remained the lovely girl that I came to love after observing her and teasing her a lot.

Is it weird? I guess not.

With our perceived irresistible attraction to each other, the only thing left for us to take a step forward was her answer to my confession and letting go of her guilt towards Nami.

Then what about her fear of entering a relationship again after that failed one?

I also got an answer to that while we were resting. With that strange effect wherein she’s spilling her mind out to me, I got to hear her perceived judgment of my character and the reason why her hesitation and guilt disappeared.

I listened to everything she had to say and until now, I could still recall her burst of emotions as revealed everything, even some details that I thought I got a grasp on.

“You’re an honest idiot, Ruki. The first time I saw you, that was my first impression of you. Didn’t you answer all my questions back then? Thinking about it, you probably told us half the truth about how your relationship with Nanami started.”

That’s just the start. Yep. It dated back to our first meeting. In their clubroom when Nami first brought me there to be introduced as her boyfriend. At that time, Arisa-senpai was the one who grilled us with questions. To think that I was already judged by her…

“I’m partly annoyed with you for suddenly intruding in our circle, even shaking the core by taking the girl Kazuo had his eyes on for years. I’m rooting for Izumi, that’s true. However, it’s quite clear how those two had a mutual understanding… Until your appearance. Then the Mentor Program happened and right there… I got to know more about you. You’re bold but you never minced words…”

“We became aware of our attraction for each other right there… And I scolded you for the first time because what we did was definitely wrong… No matter how we explained it. But in the end, that vague relationship we had continued. Every time we would be together, we’d be so lost to each other.”

“Honestly, I hated the sensation that I’m feeling for you. So much that I wanted to escape from you… But I hadn’t gotten any chance to do so. Seeing you with Hina in that clubroom ignited a fire in me. More than wanting to suspect you for making her cry, I just hated the fact that you’re alone with another girl…”

And there, she recounted everything, even that moment where Hina cried after being asked by Ogawa to seduce me so that he could get Nami back.

I thought she only suspected me back then but for it to be like that, I guess I haven’t read her character thoroughly. Even so, she’s still wonderful in my eyes.

After that, Arisa continued narrating each and every interaction or thoughts she had about me. Revealing my past to her and then revealing her past to me, became the start of her acceptance. She accepted in her heart what she was feeling for me.

Indeed, she was always afraid of another relationship, even more so when she knew my past and what kind of complex relationships I was cultivating. It’s enough for her to seriously consider giving up. However, after days of observing me as well as our continuous interaction, she soon came to a decision after judging that everything I was showing her was devoid of any lies.

I showed her my entire person without hiding anything. And for her, that’s enough to trust another guy again.

When she saw me on that stage and how I messed up my speech, she couldn’t help but become restless. She even confessed that she couldn’t concentrate too much on the exam because of how she wanted to see me… and comfort me even though she knew that I had other girls around me. She wanted it to be her…

And so, when lunch break arrived, she steeled herself to look for me, even braving it to ask Nami herself…

In a way, Arisa somehow marched on a battlefield with only one thought in mind; to see and comfort me.

Who wouldn’t fall in love with this girl?

Anyway, that’s what happened…

“There, it’s done. Let’s go?” I finished buttoning her uniform. At the moment, apart from her rosy cheeks, she looked the same as earlier. Even her cute side tail was restored to its full glory.

“You’re really calm about this, Ruki. Are you not worried?”

“Why will I? I have many excuses prepared in case someone sees us and questions why we’re together…”

Honestly, even if Satsuki, Nami and the others followed me, I could also think of an excuse if we were questioned when we returned. As for their believability, I’d say it’s more than 50%.

“Alright… Let’s go.” Having decided that, we left the Book Club together and locked it again after wiping that desk.

Well, Arisa did ask me about that hidden bedroom and I honestly told her about Haruko. Not everything about her, of course. Just enough to explain why it exists. Even if I bare everything to my girls, there’s still the distinction between what’s considered ‘things about me’ and ‘things about my girls’. And that bedroom was Haruko’s and the Poem Appreciation Club’s property and secret.

Fortunately, we didn’t run into anyone on our way back to the School Building, and before we separated, I asked her another question, “Arisa, I’m aware that my speech was a mess but what’s your honest thought about how I delivered it?”

I forgot to ask her this because we got too focused on each other. But I still wanted to hear a different perspective. I already heard Nami and the other girls’ view of it and this time I want to hear it from her. Just in case she saw something else.

Arisa contemplated for an answer. Just by the expression written on her face, she’s currently arranging her words to make me understand what I did wrong. “Uhm… If I have to say something that got me worried enough to come and find you is this… Ruki, you sounded like you’re already throwing your weight around. A lot of 2nd-year and 3rd-year boys got a bad impression of you because of it.”

Bad impressions. I guess that’s better than acquiring enemies…