Stealing Spree

During the lunch break, the girls and I went to the usual empty clubroom again to eat our lunch there.

This time, Mina and Edel didn't show up to join us but I got their message saying that they were together with Haruko, Himeko and the other two; Minori and Yuika-senpai.

Auntie Yayoi also messaged me saying she'd make my lunch again next week.

If I had to guess, she probably didn't want to overwhelm me with her affection by doing a feast of a lunchbox for two consecutive days. I replied, wishing her a good day. But moments later, she returned with a call for a simple yet lovable reason; she was longing to hear my voice.

Due to that, I set aside a few minutes just conversing with the woman while she was taking a break after attending to a salon customer.

Really, she's not acting her age. But then again, Auntie Yayoi had just regained the feeling of being in love again after years of being shadowed by their past. She's relishing every moment of it. And as the one who changed her mind and made her believe in a man again, it's now up to me to continue making her happy.

If an opportunity opens up, I'll make a surprise visit to her.

Mina and I already talked about how to reveal everything to her mother. She agreed that it's better to trickle it slowly rather than pour it all at once.

Unmistakably, Auntie Yayoi won't be able to accept everything even by doing that. Whatever she decides in the end, I'll respect her choice.

I know that it's scummy to let her taste this kind of happiness and then let the fluffy world she probably envisioned crumble again. Unfortunately, there's no going around it… all I can do at the moment is act carefully so that I won't hurt her.

Back to lunch, given that Hana didn't want to be left out or she just found it amusing to continue annoying Nami and the girls, she once again followed us into the clubroom, making the room a little rowdy with her presence.

Acting hostile to everyone except Chii and me, her attempts to stick close to me were always thwarted by my girls.

In any case, that didn't really discourage her. Instead of acting pitiful, she held her head high, projecting her unyielding spirit that amazed even Nami and Satsuki.

Too bad for her, impressing them wasn't enough to let her get past their blockade. Due to that, she could only look on from across the table as I doted on my girls one by one or all of them at once.

"Ah. Before I forget. I received another letter."

As we were cleaning up the table after a hearty meal and a moment of excessive pampering, I pulled up the letter that I had yet to finish reading and showed it to everyone.

Upon registering the attention-grabbing and fragrant pink envelope in their eyes and nose, the girls all stopped what they were doing and crowded around it. Curiosity would be an understatement because it's like they found another rival in the form of that paper.

Not long after that, Hina took the initiative to ask me for the letter.

Since I already read half of it later, I didn't think too much and handed it to her.

She then pushed me back on my seat and took my lap before taking out the folded piece of paper from the envelope.

Uh. I guess that's smart of her to do this. She got another excuse to occupy their perceived special place once again.

And as someone who favored all of them, I simply moved instinctively, holding her stably by wrapping my arms around her.

Although that made the others a little envious of the stolen opportunity, they still focused on the letter while crowding close to me.

Hana who was zoned out earlier also got this chance to edge closer.

"Heh. Someone is writing Ruki a letter now? Talk about being popular…" Hana snidely remarked.

Yeah. This should be her first time seeing me receiving a letter. The last time was before she returned and we seldom talked about the 1st and 3rd letters that I received.

"Hana, Kii is always popular. He's just clueless about it."

Alright. That's not true, Chii… I retorted in my mind.

However, someone followed up on that, reinforcing it with an undeniable fact, "Those girls from his previous school are the evidence. How popular he must be if there's even an uncountable number of girls that may or may not chase after him if they see him again."

That's Satsuki who had her arms crossed while looking at me as though she was inspecting where to bite me next.

Then after her, Aya and the others also soon followed, burying Hana's remark and my attempt to correct that to oblivion.

After a round of jovial laughter from everyone, Hina finally started reading the letter out loud.

When she reached the halfway mark, she raised her head and waited for everyone to say something.

"I have yet to locate the sender of the first letter now… here's someone who sent another letter because her invitation was ignored. Ruu… Why not meet her once and for all?"

Noticeably, there's a hint of irritation in Nami's voice. But then again, it probably stemmed from the lack of results regarding the first sender who didn't actually leave behind a name – just a letter of admiration.

"Uhm… I will disagree, Nanami… Ruki was targeted yesterday. What if it's the same?"

That's Aya. Although she seldom talks and mostly listens to us, my adorable bookworm courageously voiced out her apprehension born from her concern about me.

"I'm with Aya here. Even if he's a crazy idiot who won't back down from a fight, I'd rather not send him to it."

Satsuki backed up Aya and stood behind her. Following that, Saki didn't say anything but from the way she stood next to Nami, she was taking her side.

In this way, two camps with differing opinions began to form.

Chii alternately looked at everyone before joining Aya and Satsuki.

And lastly, Hana audibly exhaled, gaining everyone's attention.

"I hate to do this after your unending obstruction but I will be taking your side this time, Nanami. Ruki, aren't you someone who won't let an issue get sidelined?"

At the same time as she threw that question to me, she was already standing next to Nami who, for once, didn't shoot her down. They share the same sentiment.

These girls… One side was concerned and didn't want to get into another troublesome situation while the other expressed their view that it was better for me to face the sender once and for all.

"Honestly, all of you have your point…" I started with that, accepting both views.

However, before I could continue, the girl on my lap opened her mouth again.

While the other girls were taking their sides, she resumed reading the latter half of the letter.

"Guys, I think it's best if you read this as well." She said before holding the letter in front of her, letting the girls read the rest by themselves.

A few seconds later, regardless of their choice earlier, all of them showed the same reaction.

Then after confirming each other's reaction, Nami stepped up and became the speaker of their collective thoughts, "Ruki, can we meet her instead?"

To figure out why they suddenly reacted like that, I grabbed the letter and read the latter half that I missed earlier.

"...Forgive this upperclassman's shameful behavior but if, at some miraculous turn, you change your mind and decide to come, I'm willing to devote myself to you. Admiring you up close will be my last wish before graduating from this school..."

Uh…How should I react to that?