Stealing Spree

Seconds passed but Ogawa stayed silent. He was clenching his fists tightly but the look in his eyes, the way his shoulders moved from his rapid breathing, and the way he pursed his lips to prevent it from opening, he was preventing himself from answering.

Now, I don't know if he's just afraid to tell Hina that she's nothing more than just a childhood friend. That despite her efforts, he wouldn't see her as more than that. Or perhaps, he wanted to keep the status quo. He wanted Hina to continue chasing after him while he continued acting oblivious.

Any of that possibility was rage-inducing. If not for this girl in my arms, I would've already stood up and knocked him down with a punch.

It's a simple question that anyone could answer if they were put in his position. But this guy. This… f*cking coward… He just stood silent there even after we both urged him to give an answer.

As more time passed, Hina, whose heart started beating faster earlier due to that anticipation, had started to deflate. Her shoulder drooped as if her strength left her body from dreading that Ogawa wouldn't give an answer.

As soon as I noticed that, I tightened my hold on her and lifted her chin to have her look at me. As I caressed her cheek to give her some comfort. It's not the time to speak yet so I only smiled at her while continuing to comfort her from my gesture while ignoring Ogawa altogether.

Although this isn't my true aim at this moment, I guess it's time for this girl to also face the truth that all her efforts were wasted on him.

Hina alone wouldn't be able to change that thickheaded guy.

"Ruki…" In time, she called out my name and held my hand that was on her cheek, pressing it further to feel the warmth of my palm.

And all this time, Ogawa stood rooted on the spot, with the same expression as before.

He's hopeless...

This guy... Perhaps he was already broken when he started making his own fantasy.

Well then, let's break that as well and have him wake up to reality.

"Ogawa. Hey. Look at me."

As I called out to him, I embraced Hina and had her head rest on my chest. It's a position wherein I was protecting her from everything. Whether she will understand that or not, I guess that's not important anymore.

Instead of letting her face this guy, I will do that for her.

As my voice entered his ears, Ogawa turned to me. This time, his glare came back and his breathing normalized.

"What?"

"So you're not mute. Then why are you not answering my question? Our question?"

"That's… none of your business."

"Look at this guy. Hina and Izumi-senpai like you. Are you aware of that?"

Throwing this revelation that's not a revelation, Ogawa's face remained the same while the same answer escaped his lips

"That's none of your business."

"I guess it's not. But this one… Nami loves me and not you, are you aware of that?"

As if I hit a bullseye, he instantly flared up. "That's… a lie!"

He lifted his clenched fist and was about to throw a punch at me but in the end, his arm froze before he gradually went back to the same state.

Heh. As I thought. The difference in his reaction. He's truly only concerned about Nami while pushing Izumi-senpai and Hina to the side. It's as if he was convinced that even if he's like this, the two girls wouldn't leave him.

Well, look at him, Hina was here with us but even so, he only reacted to Nami's name.

"Then wait for it. Keep indulging yourself in your fantasy, I don't care. Since you're setting them aside… I will take care of Hina and Izumi-senpai for you. Then it will become my business."

"Don't you dare--"

"Why won't I dare? Are you blind or really just an idiot? Look at who's in my arms."

After saying that, I lowered my gaze to the girl buried in my embrace. At the moment, she's also looking up at me.

She heard our conversation. There's no way she won't when she's this close to me.

Hina understood why I did that since her eyes turned in his direction once again. Ogawa, on the other hand, choked on his words as he couldn't rebut my words.

He's still an idiot who probably believed that I was bluffing even with this clear evidence in front of his eyes.

To wake him up from that notion, I'm not the one who needed to move but Hina or Izumi-senpai.

Unfortunately, I didn't invite Izumi-senpai. That upperclassman was too infatuated to him that if she's present, she might just break down and cry. She's not like Hina who's aware of things.

That's why everything rested on this girl's hand.

However, Hina also needed to steel herself before going through it. And I'm here to do that for her.

"Hina, as you can see. While he can't answer your question, he wanted to prevent me from stealing you. This guy, he'll continue being like this. Indecisive. See how he didn't mind that you're here? You and Izumi-senpai could be set aside by him. He won't answer you even if he's completely aware of what you feel. Tell me, do you want to continue like this?"

As she processed my words, Hina lowered her gaze again before a resigned sigh escaped her mouth.

"What are you saying?! Don't slander me!"

"What slander? Isn't that what you're doing? Ogawa. Wake up. The world doesn't revolve around you. And the world will not move because of you. Nami, Hina and Izumi-senpai. They have feelings and minds of their own. Continue fantasizing if you want but in the end, not everything will end the way you want it to. If you're going to continue setting Hina and Izumi-senpai aside, I'll take them from you."

Although my words might wake this guy up. I still think I needed to do this. Not for him, of course. But for the three girls. And yes, Nami was included. Even if all of her affection was already on me, she's still thinking of being friends with this pathetic guy.

I won't stop her from that. That's her decision after all. Moreover, even if he did continue being her friend, Nami will not look at him like before. I'm confident about that part.

With Ogawa being speechless again, he stopped standing from his spot and took a step back. Not just one or two steps. He's retreating.

And in less than a minute, the door closed, leaving us alone in this room.

"He ran away. In the end, he can't accept the truth." I shook my head and sighed.

Knowing that guy, he wouldn't just blabber what happened here. Perhaps there's a possibility that he would tell Tadano again. However, after last night, that guy would surely behave himself, for Nami.

"Ruki…" After seeing Ogawa run away, Hina called out to me. The tone of her voice still sounded conflicted but this time, she's keeping her hold on me.

"Go on. Whatever you want to do, I'll respect that. If you still want to continue chasing after that then do it. I won't stop you."

"You won't stop me, huh? But you will distance yourself from me."

"Naturally. I will acknowledge my loss against that guy. That no matter what I do, you will still chase after him even if he's like that." I wryly smiled before loosening my hold on her.

Any moment she wanted, she could now leave my side and go after him.

Well, I'm urging her because I'm confident that she won't do that.

After seeing Ogawa's display, only a bigger idiot than him will be able to stand that. And Hina is not.

She's obsessed with him. True. But half of it most likely came from her rivalry with Nami.

"If I go after him… It will just be the same. In the end, he only had Nanami in his eyes."

"I don't know. Who knows? He might have a change of heart."

"Are you pushing me away?"

"No. I want you to decide for yourself. I like you. No. I guess I already love you like the rest of the girls. That's why… I'll stop pushing you to become mine. There's also no point saying that I will steal you from him. You're aware of the circumstances of being my girl. You now have your choice, Hina. Whatever you choose, whether chasing after him, staying with or neither of the two, I will respect that."

Digesting my words, Hina let out another sigh before straightening her back to level her head with mine.

"… Can I think it over? In a few days, I will give you an answer."

"Un. Take all the time you want, if I fail to hear from you then that just means that you didn't pick the second choice. And if that's not your choice, I just hope that you don't pick the first one."

"… I will give you an answer. I promise."

"Alright. Then let's go back. You might see him in the classroom but act normally. Knowing that guy, that's what he will do."

After saying that, I stood up from the seat.

However, before I could turn towards the door, Hina grabbed onto my arm and pulled on it.

Understanding her intention, I sat back down next to her.

As our eyes met, we started conversing wordlessly. In time, both of our heads moved and unlike earlier, our lips met with both of us taking the initiative.

This time, without that guy's presence behind that door, I could now focus completely on Hina and on this kiss that was filled with our affection for each other.

At first, our eyes kept our gaze to each other, trying to read what's in it. However, as our kiss went deeper, she gradually closed her eyes to feel it better and in turn, accept that Ogawa would never become the man that she thought he would be.

To have his childhood friend that he's aware of having feelings for him kissing the guy he loathed, Ogawa would probably jump in rage if he stayed in this room and watched us being like this.

Although he caught us after our lips had just separated earlier, seeing us doing this in front of him would surely bring a different effect.

Who knows? He might awaken to a certain fetish.

If that's the case, I wouldn't let him indulge in that.

As our kiss continued to get deeper, my arms circled around Hina's waist, lifting Hina from her seat and having her sit on my lap.

There are still a few minutes before the Mentor Program. Before letting her go to start contemplating about the choice that she will choose, I will let her feel this growing affection I have for her.