Stealing Spree

When I separated from Nakanishi-senpai, the girl once again reminded me of something. That whatever my job as a Disciplinary Officer entailed, I should exercise caution at dealing with every student.

According to her, not everyone wanted to change and at the same time, not everyone wanted a meddlesome guy, poking his nose in their issue. No matter how good-looking he was.

Yep. She added that last line. I guess I’m also good-looking in her eyes, huh?

Anyway, to end that encounter on a good note, I naturally accepted her words.

I tried asking for her number but that’s when she refused. As for her reason... it’s the same one why no one was making a move on her.

Furthermore, because I walked with her today, the girl told me that she’s going to put in a word to prevent those who drew a target on my back from messing with me.

That girl’s too considerate for her own good. But her situation also doesn’t seem better than what she makes it out to be.

From my eyes, she’s like a caged bird. Set to sing for that guy’s tune.

At least, that’s what it looked like if only based on what she revealed and what I found out from our conversation.

Anyway, now that I got the name of their leader, I now have a direction on how to approach this.

Although it’s tempting to steal Nakanishi-senpai to make a point, it’s better not to go that route yet. I’ll lay low against them for a while.

Before those delinquents, there was the pending issue with that follower who approached me. Better settle them first before diving into another issue.

And on top of all that, there’s my time with my girls. There’s no way I will be cutting my time for them just to deal with troubling matters, even if the importance of it was gradually scaling upwards.

“Ruki, have you received my gift?”

As I walked out of the train station, I received another email from Hana. Opening it, that message left me a little stumped. And it was enough reason for me to hasten my footsteps.

Gift. If I factor that she’s probably not here in this city, she’d be mailing it.

However, from my conversation with Akane, Miho and Miwa-nee while I was waiting on the train, none of them mentioned something delivered to our doorstep.

But considering Hana’s personality or what she showed ever since yesterday, that girl sent that email as soon as she received a notification about her package being successfully delivered...

This means the girl believed that I’m already at home and received it. I could imagine her anticipating what kind of reaction I would make...

Really, how did she become like this?

As I rushed through the quiet streets of our neighborhood, my mind whirled with thoughts about the girl.

Honestly, for Hana to reappear seemingly out of nowhere and declare how she wanted to steal me from the girls came as a surprise even for me.

I mean, after cutting her off, I already lost the reason to keep tabs on her; much like how I’m unaware of most of my girls’ status and I needed to hear about it from them.

From my memory of her, I don’t think I made that much of an impact on her. True, we somehow shared a secret, if that’s what she’s getting at. Behind her extremely friendly public image, she’s being intimate with someone they will never link to her.

But is that enough to be fixated on me?

I can understand Chii and Hifumi’s reasons but not Hana...

Like I said, among the three relationships I made back then, Hana’s was more or less the one handling our relationship and not the other way around.

I just had to be too thick-skinned at cutting her off when the girl could do that to me any time she wanted. I was too deluded by my desire, after all.

Haa... It’s only been a day since she reappeared and... it feels like I’m already dealing with her for a few years. Furthermore, we never had a proper conversation to hear each other’s thoughts...

In any case, apart from Hana’s reappearance, there’s also the mystery of who told her about me and provided information such as my email and number.

Recalling the content of her first email, what Hana had written gave away an important detail.

She got my number and email long before contacting me yesterday. Hence, the reason why she’s glad that I never changed those details yet.

Naturally, my girls also noticed it. And they’re wrapping their heads around it to figure out who it is. The one who provided it isn’t part of our current complex relationship.

Apparently, it’s also not my mother. I asked her last night. Apart from being a little excited about my mention of Hana, my mother denied involvement with her.

Hifumi was also unlikely to be a suspect. She wouldn’t need to ask me about her had she been the one providing her information.

That means... our suspect is possibly one of the girls I cut off. And someone that doesn’t want to be involved with me again.

Uh... Do I need to remember all of them to find out?

No... Obviously, the simpler solution is to ask Hana herself... I’m just taking a hard stance not to cater to what she wanted me to do.

Based on how I see it, Hana’s approach this time is about whittling my patience away to compel me to approach her myself.

Instead of asking me to call her or talk to her, her approach is like this...

Cutting the fifteen-minute walk to close to five minutes of running, I arrived home all sweaty on my back. The rush got to my head, making me push my physical ability to this point.

Upon entering the front door, I instantly noticed both Akane and Miho. Although they’re both possibly waiting for me at the door, there’s a huge box behind them. It’s still wrapped tightly and unopened.

“Ruki, here, I never thought this would be handy right away.” With concern written on her face, Miho produced a towel and started wiping my sweat off my face, neck and back.

On the other hand, Akane noticed how my eyes focused on the package right away. “Are you expecting this package, husband? It arrived just now.”

“No. I’m not expecting it. It’s Hana. I received another message from her.” I answered Akane before turning to Miho and thanking the girl for her concern.

But since I mentioned Hana, the two girls also had a change of expression.

“She asked me if I received the ‘gift’ she sent... Let’s see.” I continued before approaching the box.

Naturally, the two girls followed me. Even if I didn’t check their faces, they were both as concerned as me.

I lifted the box and found out that it was not as heavy as it looked. There’s a ‘fragile’ sign so it’s probably padded with either bubble wraps or padding like styrofoams.

Normally, there should be an address of the sender even if there’s no name on the waybill of the package. However, upon looking at it, there’s nothing. Well, not completely empty. Instead of the sender’s name and address, there’s the post office address where she possibly dropped it...

I put it down and looked at the two. They’re both as curious as me by now... So, even without mentioning it, they understood that we had no other choice but to open it.

However, as though timing it at this moment, my phone rang once more...

As I exchanged glances between the two girls, Miho concernedly asked, “Is it her?”

Obviously, the answer is yes...

That Hana... Is she trying to be mysterious? Because if she is... it’s too effective.