Stealing Spree

“Alright. Out with it. What’s the meaning of this? Are you looking for revenge?” Taking the same stance as yesterday, I eyed the three seniors who looked rather tamed today.

Uchiyama even had a subservient grin as though he was just waiting for me to ask him to bark and he would do so right away.

A dog will always be a dog. No. It’s probably degrading for a dog to be in the same category as this guy. He’s all bark and no bite if he’s already going to prostrate himself in front of me.

As for the gorilla and the gyaru-oh whose names I didn’t even know, they both gulped down as sweat dripped from the side of their face.

The gorilla-senpai possessed a bulky body closer to bodybuilders. Yet, he didn’t even try to challenge me after seeing his follower knocked out in one punch.

And the gyaru-oh. He’s already wearing his summer uniform even if it’s still cold. But looking at that lean, tanned arm, he’s definitely the type who’s only good at posturing. When it comes to a real fight, he’d fold easily. His followers might even be better than him in combat.

“No. No! Why will there be only three of us if we wanted revenge? We’re only here to talk. About yesterday…” Uchiyama hurriedly answered. The panic in his voice was apparent.

I don’t know. Maybe you once again picked up the balls that you all dropped yesterday.

Well, I better not respond like that if I wanted this to end quickly.

“Talk, huh? I don’t think there’s more to talk about with you three. You even used Fukuda to bring me here.”

“I apologize. I doubt you prefer us looking for you in your classroom.”

Ah. Yeah. He got a point there. My girls would be more worried if this trio showed up to ask for me. They all looked untrustworthy, after all. And that’s only talking about the way they carried themselves. Full of air at every step.

“Don’t you dare do that. You’ll scare my classmates.” I glared at them, making them step back a few steps. When they realized that I wouldn’t attack them, they all sighed in relief.

They’re hopeless.

“A-are we scary?”

“Of course. Your faces are enough to frighten someone…”

“Do you mean to say we’re ugly?”

“Your words, not mine.” I shrugged and laughed a little.

Uchiyama almost turned purple from holding back his anger. And once he calmed down, he hurriedly changed the topic and finally went to the point of why they called me here. “Ugh… Forget about that... What I want to say is… Is it possible for you to forgive us?”

“No.” There’s no need to think too much about that answer.

If I failed to overwhelm them or if I’m not experienced in fighting then they’d show me no mercy. Besides, this was all too fishy. It stinks a lot that even pinching my nose would still make me smell it.

“Huh? Why?”

Uchiyama tried to act more and asked for clarification.

“Look. It’s not even a day when you three tried to gang up on me along with your followers. Now you’re asking for forgiveness? Only idiots will believe in that. It will be more believable if you three are here to get revenge. That’s justifiable from yesterday’s events.” I said as I stepped forward and focused my gaze on him.

Uchiyama’s face became stricken with terror and he hurriedly raised his guard. Most likely, he thought I was going to hit him.

I won’t, of course. Who knows? Someone might be recording this. And we’re inside the school. Unless absolutely necessary, I wouldn’t lift a hand. Of course, the exception is… if it involves my girls. I won’t mind breaking a bone or two if that happens.

After seeing my lack of enthusiasm for their act, Uchiyama’s shoulders sagged powerlessly.

“I told you he won’t buy it.” Gorilla-senpai shook his head.

“Whoever thought of this is extremely stupid.” The try-hard spat, dropping his scaredy act.

“S-shut up! You two aren’t the ones doing the most acting here. You only stood there.” Uchiyama snapped, finally admitting to it.

“Did someone put you up to this?” Ignoring their little dispute on whose fault it was. I raised that question, silencing the three.

A few seconds later, they all bowed their heads. Sincerely.

After hearing everything from the three, I turned around and left the area, leaving them behind.

While I was right on point with my observation that they’re still bitter about the result yesterday, the three admitted that someone influenced them to do that act.

However, they had no idea who. It’s like someone raised a suggestion that eventually became the focal point. They could only follow through with it.

And so, after thinking about what to do with them, I resorted to having them fall in line and tell me everything they know.

There’s not much to go with it but at least, it’s a guarantee that the three wouldn’t cross me again.

But there still exists the possibility that they would go back on their words. If that happened, I would make them understand that I wasn’t as benevolent as they thought.

Anyway, in the end, they really somehow became my lackey. I told them to report to me and also to rein in their followers on blatantly disregarding the school regulations. I’m still the Disciplinary Officer so… that’s me doing my job, I guess?

When I joined my girls for lunch, I was naturally interrogated. I told them everything without missing a single detail and they helped me think about the situation. With Rae and Nami there, the two girls joined hands in coming up with a plausible explanation.

“If someone’s behind these happenings, he or she is most likely testing your limits, Ruu. Yesterday, they checked how you’re going to resolve something that can only be answered with violence. You flawlessly ended it without being hurt or getting someone to be extremely hurt.”

“And today, they tested if you’re a soft guy who will easily forgive those who slight you. Based on what you said, you showed them that while you wouldn’t be easily provoked, you’re also not too soft-hearted.”

Nami and Rae gave their insight one after another.

They’re testing me, huh?

I guess I have to meet Nakanishi-senpai again and make it a little public to test out how they will react.

After finishing our lunch, I threw the issue to the back of my mind and spent the rest of the lunch break pampering my girls and being pampered back by them.

And when it was time for the PE Class, we all went there together.

“Onoda-kun, come here for a second.”

After she finished explaining today’s activity, Eguchi-sensei called out to me. I followed her and since I’m her Student Assistant, this kind of occurrence wasn’t strange for everyone. Well, except for my girls who were aware of how I was getting closer and closer to our PE teacher who only acted differently in front of me.

Anyway, seeing that there was a trace of concern in her voice, I naturally followed without questioning. And once we put a bit of distance, Eguchi-sensei faced me and asked, “Uh. How should I say this? Onoda-kun, in the following weeks, can you accompany me somewhere?”

“Somewhere?”

“Yes. It’s school-related. I got tasked with checking the other affiliated schools. I’m told that it’s okay to bring my assistant. That’s why…”

Ah. I see. So that’s why she’s concerned, she’s afraid I’m going to reject her…

Since it concerned the other affiliated schools, the first thing that popped up in my head was the image of Nao in her uniform as she happily run up to me when Eguchi-sensei and I visited her school.

That’s a great possibility.

“I understand. If sensei needs me as an assistant, I’ll accompany you.” I answered with a nod which immediately made Eguchi-sensei’s expression lit up with joy.

Although I still had no idea what was going to happen with my class attendance or the lessons that I would miss if I accompanied her, I was immediately sold with the possibility of meeting Nao.

I miss that girl a lot.