Stealing Spree

I closely watched the newcomer as she approached me with a rather welcoming expression.

Based on her uniform, she’s a third-year student. Her height could be considered average yet she appeared taller because of her confident posture. Straightened back and raised chin.

Her fair length of auburn hair perfectly rested on her left shoulder. She’s also wearing a pair of glasses. Its frame was kinda smaller than what Kanzaki was wearing, giving the girl a rather intimidating presence. Almost similar to those strict prefects often depicted in other media.

Most likely, she’s someone who could intimidate her junior just by standing close by. Luckily, I’m not any junior that would be scared of her.

If I had to compare, this girl and the masked Shizu had the same aura. They might look like they’re approachable but beneath it, they’re difficult to get close to.

Or so I assumed from her external appearance.

Who knows how she is actually? I’m just about to find that out. Although I had no idea who she was, her words and her appearance here were sufficient enough reasons to link her to the delinquents that apparently called me here.

“Are you the one who called me here, senpai?” I asked while using my usual tone of speaking. A little indifferent and lacking in emotion. I also narrowed my eyes slightly, hinting that I’m not amused.

Nonetheless, the girl simply nodded at my question. While not taking her eyes off me, she reached for the bag slung on her shoulder, and grabbed something from inside it.

Moments later, I watched as she pulled a phone and dialed someone else.

That’s kinda underwhelming but the way she acted successfully intrigued me. I could even spy a thin smile on her lips from seeing my reaction.

Since she’s close to me, I could hear the dial tone and the clicking sound as the person she called answered, “Did he come?”

What a straightforward question…

In any case, the voice was kind of unfamiliar to me or… it’s just the adjustment through the phone call. One thing though, the owner of that voice is a guy.

“Yeah. He’s here in your little playground. Why do you have to be this roundabout when meeting him?” The girl answered, nudging her glasses in place.

From the hint of interest in her eyes, she’s intentionally asking that question for me to hear the guy’s answer.

And taking in the situation from what she showed, this girl is here at that guy’s behest.

The question changed from who is she to who are these two?

“No reason at all. Enough with the questions, tell him what I said.” With a dismissive tone, the guy just brushed away her attempt to provide me with information.

Furthermore, before she could respond, the guy promptly ended the call.

Hearing the annoying tone that indicated that he disconnected the call, the girl’s eyebrows visibly twitched as she forced a smile at me.

She then turned around and took deep breaths, possibly to calm herself down.

When she faced me again, the girl reverted to her initial expression upon showing up.

She coughed twice, returned the phone to her bag, and stepped forward, approaching me even closer.

After scanning our surroundings and making sure that no one else was around, she leaned down and whispered.

“I apologize for that display. I’m here on behalf of someone interested in your sudden rise to power.”

She smells nice but that’s something I shouldn’t focus on right now. Bury yourself first, perverted side of me.

Uh. Anyway, she’s probably talking about that guy… But really, shouldn’t she introduce herself first?

“Senpai, I’m sorry but I’m not following you. First, who are you? And second, you’re making it sound like I’m a dark horse that suddenly started to disrupt the balance in this school.” I leaned back to the backrest to escape her enticing smell.

But from her reaction, she probably saw it as me being too confident even in her face. It’s clearly conveyed by the sudden change in her.

The girl straightened her back again and returned to her original posture.

Since I was sitting comfortably here, I had no other choice but to look up at her.

And man… this girl looked a lot better up close.

Wait a minute. Why am I reacting like this to her? I thought I already had great control over myself but this… this is unusual.

Is she actually a temptress sent to lure me in? No, right?

The last time I felt like this was when I got conscious about Arisa…

“You’re right. I forgot to introduce myself. You can call me Nakanishi, Onoda-kun.” Responding to my first question, the girl put a finger on her cheek, acting like she was contemplating something, “For now, I’ll advise you not to pry too much about my identity. Just know that you’re the hottest topic these days. Among those in our group, yes.”

Ending that with a meaningful smile, she then flicked her fingers, “On that note, what you just said is an apt description for you. Yes, you’re the dark horse that suddenly joined the race from out of nowhere. You even wielded a new power created by little Asakura. Of course, people will be bothered when there’s not someone like you before. Though you need not worry too much, this is why I’m here. To check on you.”

Nakanishi? Where have I heard that name? Not from one of my girls, for sure… Otherwise, I would be able to remember her easily.

Anyway, going by what she just said… looks like whatever’s happening beyond the teacher’s notices was something deeply entrenched. What is this? Is there a little kingdom created by them?

I’m only focused on my girls but it looks like I’m going to dive down the deep well of this 4th High School.

I just wonder though… Does Hayashi-sensei know? Or those Guidance Counselors?

“Hmm… What kind of check involved slipping a vague letter in my shoe locker? And this place, what is this?” I listed my question but the girl appeared as though she was not planning to answer it.

She simply spun once to see what I was pointing at before turning back to face me, her grace and poise maintained.

“You seem harmless enough, Onoda-kun. Keep it this way. For your own sake.”

Like I thought, she skipped my question. Instead, she replied cryptically upon inspecting me close.

Poking her cheek again, she then puckered her pink lips, “Alright. Before letting you go, let me give you a friendly reminder. Don’t get involved with Kujou Marika and Ichihara Jun.”

This again… Ishida-senpai reminded me about that the first time I encountered them. However, considering that a follower already approached me, I don’t think I can still stay uninvolved.

In any case, this girl… she’s underestimating my threat, isn’t she?

Should I… scare her?

No. That would be detrimental to me. I still haven’t even figured out the structure of their group. There’s only Izumi-senpai who’s probably not too informed about them.

However, with my change, I also started feeling irked for being looked down upon…

“Senpai, what do you know about me?” Breaking my silence after her series of advice… I stood up and approached her. The same as what she did, I went as close as possible without touching her.

Perhaps she was not expecting it, the girl jumped a bit before trying to push me away. Unfortunately for her, I didn’t budge.

When she realized that, Nakanishi-senpai’s looked up and stared into my eyes, her lips parted slightly.

“Do I still look harmless, hmm?” While I kept my hand to my side, my lips curved into a menacing smile which made the girl's confident gaze tremble behind her glasses.