Stealing Spree

“Dude. I’m sorry. I truly am. But this is just how things truly are. I love Nami and she feels the same way about me. There’s no way for her to be with you again. No matter how much you deluded yourself.” I shrugged and hit him with the truth again.

If I had to repeat this over and over until he accepted it then I would do so. Even if he continued crying in front of me, that would just be proven to be a waste of his tears.

He could cry his heart out but that wouldn’t move me.

Well, Ogawa shedding his tears at this moment was already a reaction that was different from what he showed before. So it’s just a matter of time before this guy accepts this fact.

“Say, instead of being so hung up about Nami, why don’t you look for greener pastures? There’s that girl devotedly trying to gain your attention and I know you’re aware of that.”

Although it seemed as if I wanted him to focus on Izumi-senpai, it was just me trying to steer his mind towards the thought that there’s not only Nami around him.

He was neglecting that fact after all. Or if not neglecting, he’s ignoring it because of his obsession to get Nami’s affection back to himself.

I could also let him become a despair-incarnate guy by letting him digest the fact that I was about to get every girl away from him but that would just trouble everyone around him if it happened. Best to let him go back to his ‘nice guy’ persona that he probably cultivated ever since middle school. He could continue acting dense for all I care or find another girl he could be obsessed with.

In the end, all I wanted was that his obsession with Nami to be stopped.

If that happened and he went after Izumi-senpai, I would probably stop stealing her. In the first place, the reason I wanted to steal her was to spite this guy and I was feeling bad for that senior’s situation wherein anything she did was proven ineffective to this coward.

“Nanami is the one for me, Onoda.”

After a few more sobs, Ogawa answered. Still hung up with Nanami.

“I told you, it’s impossible now. And if you continue being like this, you’re just becoming a headache for everyone around you. Haven’t you noticed? Arisa-senpai tried to lecture you. Tadano and that silent guy aren’t saying anything else to you now… Hina? After what you did, she had given up on you. She became what you wanted, just your childhood friend. Saki was still too enthusiastic about our relationship. Kikuchi is just there for Hina. After what you did, there’s no way she wouldn’t hear about it.”

I left out Izumi-senpai since this guy understood that I was pertaining to that girl earlier. And all that I said this time was just my observation of their group. Perhaps, he’s already aware of it but saying it to his face now that he broke down to tears like this might be effective.

He’s still kneeling on the ground, crying and the sky that seemed to reflect his emotion had begun to leak a few raindrops.

That’s why after saying that, I turned around and went back to the door we exited from.

“Ogawa. I will not tell you to turn your eyes towards another girl that’s clearly chasing after you. Figure out what you want yourself. Just one piece of advice. Give up on Nami. Even if you’re already like this, she still sees you as a friend. However, that’s all she can give you no matter how many fantasy worlds you delve into. Furthermore, she’s my girl now, I will never let anyone else get a pass on her.”

Leaving that advice as parting words to the crying guy, I went back inside to avoid the incoming rain.

As for that guy, he seemed to have no intention to stand up and leave.

Although this didn’t seem like a talk where it’s certain that I got his eyes opened to reality, his reaction was already quite satisfactory.

When I was descending the stairs to go back, instead of Nami, I ran into the devoted senior.

When she saw me alone, she stopped in place, taken aback or wary about my presence. However, after taking in a deep breath, courage seemed to well up inside her.

“Where’s Kazuo?”

“Senpai, are you still going after him? Even after all he did to you.”

“That’s none of your business Onoda-kun. I like who I like.”

Looking at her determined face that looked like she’s ready to charge on if I blocked her from going up to the roof, I could only shake my head and sigh.

Like Ogawa, this girl was also somewhat of a lost cause. But I couldn’t blame her for that. She’s just being true to her feelings.

She likes that guy even if he continued ignoring her advances or setting her aside for his pursuit for Nami.

That time last Tuesday was surely not enough to change her mind.

I guess I had some admiration for devoted girls like her because of Akane. That’s why I didn’t have the heart to stop her this time.

After staring at her for a good while and her unchanging determination, I stepped aside and let her pass.

Although she appeared surprised by what I did, she soon forgot that as she sped past the stairs and out towards the rooftop where Ogawa was currently.

The rain was already falling but the girl still went out to look for the guy.

And around a minute later, the two returned with Izumi-senpai dragging the guy in by slinging one of his arms on her shoulder.

From where I was, Ogawa looked dead in the eye, the same as I left him. Perhaps still deep in thought at what I told him or he already had a mental breakdown.

When Izumi-senpai saw me staring at them, she gritted her teeth and shouted at me.

“What are you looking at? Hurry up and help me bring him to a dry place. There’s an open room here somewhere.”

Her eyes were glaring at me but her expression seemed as if she’s having a hard time carrying the guy.

“You won’t help? Then get out of the way.”

After a few seconds where I didn’t move and just stayed silent, she took that as me rejecting her and she’s about to drag the guy down the stairs by herself.

“Why are you so devoted to him, senpai?” I asked before going up and taking the guy’s other arm and began descending the stairs and into the fourth floor

That’s a question that she already answered earlier. She liked who she liked.

Nonetheless, I couldn’t help but repeat it. Perhaps I was seeing Akane of days past to her. Despite how many times I ignored or brushed her away, when something happened to me, that girl wouldn’t think twice to run to me and check.

Perhaps if Ogawa didn’t say those words to Hina, her devotion towards this guy would also be the same and they would be the ones bringing this guy down who seemed as if his soul left his body.

“Stop asking questions. He got drenched in the rain because you left him there. Why are you this cruel?”

“Senpai, do you understand that he’s not disabled? He let himself be drenched in the rain and now… we’re both wet because of him.”

“Shut up and just walk.” Izumi-senpai glared at me again and clicked her tongue.

After only a few steps, Izumi-senpai stopped before a room and reached for the door.

It was open like she stated and there were even chairs and tables inside, ready for a club to take residence.

After putting Ogawa down on one chair, Izumi-senpai turned towards me again, crossed her arms and put on an interrogative tone, “What happened? How did he become like this?”