Stealing Spree

The friendship that they culminated during that spring vacation was most likely deep. Or at least, that’s what the two girls thought about it. But in Hana’s case, the way she openly admitted that she only used the two, while it was surprising, also wasn’t that far from how I understood her during that time.

She never had someone she could be friends with nor did she even try to get one. Because for Hana, she believed that everyone was only drawn to her due to the angelic smile that she honed even before she started grade school.

I got her interest because I was probably the first one that she saw who behaved differently than the rest of those crowding around her.

Anyway, with my mention of Hana and the two girls’ reaction to it, I told them about my interaction with the girl these past few days, albeit summarized to the point that I didn’t tell them what Miho and Akane did that night.

And upon hearing those, the two both showed a gentle smile. Furthermore, despite being aware of Hana’s intention, Chii and Hifumi looked like they wanted to cheer her on.

“You two. If I got stolen by her, I doubt she’d allow me to retain my connection to you.”

“You? Stolen? We all know she won’t succeed.” Hifumi scoffed and waved her hand, dismissing that without much thought. That confidence to me… it’s undoubtedly influenced by how unbending I was during these past few years.

Although I was still like that nowadays, the girls were seeing me as someone gentle and softer with my methods. And for most of them, my actions translated to selflessness rather than selfishness. Even if I told them that it was the latter, they would just dismiss it, the same way Hifumi did.

“Kii, cheering for her doesn’t mean we’re certain that she’s going to succeed. It’s you we’re talking about here. If you will lose to someone, it will only be to one of us and it will probably be because you let us win.” Chii added to which Hifumi seconded.

Just like this, our conversation’s main topic steered towards Hana rather than the real reason I was here.

That’s fine anyway. It’s not like I came here to take them into a more elaborate date that would end in either going to our house or a hotel. This was more of my decision to spend time with them and watch how close they really are.

“Alright. I have no choice but to agree to that. That’s really what I’m thinking. Except the ‘letting you win’ part.” I flicked my fingers rather exaggeratedly and that made the two girls start a fit of laughter.

“Here’s the stubborn guy again. What do you think, Fumin?”

“He never changed that part of him. No wonder we all picked up on that.”

“Yeah. Hana mentioned that once. That his stubbornness was one of the reasons why he couldn’t easily reverse what he said. He’d rather be wrong than correct himself.”

Hana said that? It’s true that I was always stubborn but I never even thought that it was part of the reason why I stood by my decision of cutting them off and forgetting about them as my desire grew rampant. I found them separate issues altogether.

“Wait. There’s one more thing she said regarding that… Let me try to recall it.” Hifumi added as she closed her eyes to focus on it.

While waiting for the girl to remember it, I stared at Chii to check on her and likewise, the girl was staring back at me. She had this meaningful smile on her lips. But that’s because I could feel her feet rubbing my legs under our table.

Since I sat across from them at this four-seater table, it’s hard for her to be affectionate. She could easily change seats next to me. However, she’s not doing so… Most likely, it’s in consideration of Hifumi or just because we’re in a public space.

Anyway, Hifumi soon finished digging into her memories. As she straightened her back, the girl nudged her glasses and stared at me with her sharp gaze. “Hana also said that if not for your stubborn personality, it would be near impossible for us to look at you favorably.”

“Hmm? What did she mean by that?”

That’s quite confusing… But I guess it’s just the same case like with the other girls, their reading on me was different from my own reading on myself.

Anyway, since Hana said that… That girl was truly too attentive.

“Let me think…”

“Isn’t it because Ruki will not stick with us throughout the end of our grade school? It’s his stubbornness that made him keep us by his side regardless of the situation.”

“Yes. That’s right. You stole us. That’s what you believed. And you stubbornly held onto that detail. I believe you already realized this by now… We’d never really fostered any other close relationship apart from you. That guy you thought my boyfriend is just someone trying to beat me in test scores. And for Chizuru…” Hifumi trailed her words and looked at the girl sitting next to her to say it herself.

“… I confessed to that boy but once I got entangled with you, I stopped seeing him in that way.”

“Hear that, Ruki? Your stubbornness is both a positive and a negative trait. Hana must be the same. But I never heard her reason why she stuck with you when she could easily ask those who admired her and wanted to be her friend to keep you away.”

“Me neither. Hana is sometimes hard to understand. Even so, that spring vacation, after you cut us off, turned us into friends suffering heartbreak from the same guy.”

“Un. And here’s that said guy… Shamelessly wanting to keep us close again…” Hifumi grumpily harrumphed before sipping her milktea again. But then she cautiously checked my reaction and upon seeing me unbothered, she clicked her tongue.

This girl… She’s probably mad because I hugged her earlier. Furthermore, guiding her here in this shop without letting go of her hand added to that. She might not have voiced it out but I could read her like a book whenever she’s upset.

“Alright, I surrender. How can I receive my punishment?” I jokingly said as I raised my hands on both sides.

While Chii laughed at it, it just made Hifumi more incensed. However, instead of voicing it out, the girl stood up and sat next to me before pushing me into the corner. She appeared rather intimidating but that’s if I wasn’t me… I simply played along and acted to let the girl vent her frustration on me.

And seeing that from across the table, Chii stared at us enviously but at the same time, excited for Hifumi. She probably thought the girl had started becoming assertive.

Around two minutes after venting her frustration on me through various means, Hifumi raised another question to me. It’s about Hana yet there’s also underlying meaning within it.

“Hana is returning to steal you. She cut off contact with us and she’s not replying to my messages through the email and number you provided. Yet you’re here saying that she’s been exchanging emails with you. Tell me Ruki, is she trying to avoid us?”