Stealing Spree

Before separating from Hitomi, I told her everything that was on my mind. My assumptions and plans for the coming days concerning Otoha and her.

Although she disagreed because of her confidence in her abilities when I told her that she could be caught if she continues meeting me, Hitomi eventually gave up on insisting when I emphasized Otoha’s well-being.

It’s been four days since she started being followed. No matter how skilled Hitomi is, if her destination is always the same, she’s bound to be spotted.

I’ll just think of a way to make up for the lost days once everything settles down. Not just for Hitomi but also for Otoha. Perhaps, I could finally grant her wish of sleeping next to me throughout the night.

Like yesterday, there’s not a lot of notable things that happened in school. I could detail each period but it would definitely be filled with either focusing on the lesson and stealthily flirting with my girls.

Ogawa, Tadano and that silent guy all looked gloomy at their seats as they watched the three girls in their circle occasionally looking in my direction.

Moreover, there’s also Fukuda and his fellow goons frowning from their seats from the attention that’s coming in my direction.

Well, they’re part of those who hyped up my ‘popularity’ by always pushing me in the spotlight.

And while I sometimes played along with it, I acted indifferent about it most of the time.

Nami told me that that kind of attitude became one of the factors why my popularity remained on the rise though. Pulled out from her observation of my current situation.

Thinking about it, it’s probably true. I had the reputation of the mysterious and cold guy during middle school but I still got Eimi’s attention. Now that I’m even actively participating in the class, it became another focal point for others to be interested in me.

Unbeknownst to them, I only truly cared about my girls. The others were either insignificant or a threat. Unless they also took my interest.

Anyway, that’s that.

Throughout the first period and lunch break, I once again helped Shio. And through that, the volleyball girl Sachi approached for the second time without any particular reason. There’s also the SC Treasurer at Class 2 that was confirming if I would be at the Student Council later. There’s also Misaki and even Itou who started standing guard for the forehead girl.

She’s definitely against Misaki’s association with me. However, with the girl’s favorable impression of me, Itou couldn’t just ask her to stop without any probable reason.

If she really wanted to do so, she had to reveal everything she knew about me to Misaki. But that also wouldn’t guarantee that it would result in Misaki hating me.

In the end, Itou most likely chose to guard her instead.

That girl sure is meddlesome. However, I couldn’t hate her for it. Her reason for acting like that was valid anyway.

Misaki’s innocence would truly be in danger if she kept associating with me. That’s why I put it up to chance whether I could meet her or not.

Unfortunately, Shio was currently happily using me as her Student Assistant so these two days were unavoidable.

Apart from those I mentioned, Rae also updated me about the task she took upon herself. Since she’s not close to the volleyball girl, she’s only relying on what she could hear around her in the meantime.

Due to that, she didn’t find out valuable info yet. However, she told me that the volleyball girl herself approached her after seeing that she also talked to me yesterday.

And by now, that girl was aware that we’re in the same club.

Before separating from Rae, the girl assured me that she’d find out more after getting close to her.

Seeing how she’s that enthusiastic, I could only cheer and bid her good luck.

Too bad though, I couldn’t just pull her out of their classroom and bring them somewhere where I could spoil her with my affection and appreciation for what she’s doing.

“Sensei, it’s Onoda.”

After three knocks on the door, I called out to the owner of the room.

It’s Friday which means it’s the time for me to also act as Eguchi-sensei’s Student Assistant.

My feet led me here after eating lunch and spending time with Nami at the unoccupied clubroom where we often ate our lunch.

“Ah! Come in.”

Following my knocks, Eguchi-sensei's voice rang out. From how hurried it sounded, I could only guess that she’s busy with something.

“Uhm. Sensei, do you need help with that?”

Upon stepping inside her room, my guess was instantly proven, however, not in a way that I expected.

Eguchi-sensei was on all fours on the ground, picking up what I could only make out as round prayer beads. Her butt was slightly wriggling in the air every time she’s moving to reach and pick one.

I hurriedly closed the door behind me just in case someone passed by.

I mean, even though she’s in her usual tracksuit, her plump buttocks were clearly emphasized from how stretched her pants were from her current position.

Eguchi-sensei slightly turned her head to me and said, “It’s embarrassing but please. I will appreciate it.”

“I’m sensei’s Student Assistant, this is nothing.”

To not make it more awkward, I stepped forward and busied myself to pick up those away from where she was.

Two minutes later, we successfully gathered those prayer beads that according to her got the string holding it snapped.

Although she didn’t look religious, that prayer bead was supposed to be a lucky charm to help her from her troubles.

I didn’t expect that from her and considering how embarrassed she looked as she explained all of it to me, I didn’t pry on it too much.

Well, there’s that urge to tease this unexpectedly clumsy woman but… I restrained that and just put on a normal expression.

By now, we’re sitting next to each other as I watched her fix that prayer bead and put it away.

On the coffee table in front of us, there were a few papers scattered on it with her handwriting. Most likely they got disordered when the prayer beads’ string snapped.

Anyway, while she’s busy fixing that, I thought of rearranging it for her.

“Let me arrange this for you, sensei.”

Perhaps because her attention was all focused on fixing the prayer beads, I hadn’t received confirmation. Nonetheless, I still swiftly moved to what I set out to do.

With arranging papers becoming part of my work at the Student Council, I couldn’t help it upon seeing how disordered they were.

As I started picking it up one by one, my eyes inevitably couldn’t help but read its contents.

Apart from noticing how beautiful her handwriting is, the content somehow caught my attention.

‘PE Activities – (Draft) (Needed to be reviewed soon)’

That’s the title scribbled on top of what may seem to be the first page. And as I continued to read the entries along with the rules and description she came up with, I unintentionally gulped down from how absurd they were.

What the hell is this teacher thinking?

I told her to lay it off on ridiculous revisions of normal PE Activities but this woman… It seems like she’s truly trying to be creative for the student’s enjoyment but as always, she’s overdoing it.

Because I was still absorbed with its contents despite finding it ridiculous, I failed to react when she suddenly plucked the papers out of my hand.

“No! You can’t read that yet!” Eguchi-sensei hurriedly said, her voice more flustered as she was embarrassed.

There were at least ten entries to it. However, I only managed to read three.

After plucking it away from my hands, Eguchi-sensei clutched them close to her bountiful front.

Upon seeing that, I could only wryly smile and lift my hands up to my side. “Sorry, sensei. I thought of helping you to organize it but my curiosity got the better of me.”

Seeing how I put up the gesture of surrender, Eguchi-sensei heaving shoulders from how agitated she became gradually relaxed.

“… Y-you’re not at fault. I left it out in the open, after all. But Onoda-kun… how many have you read?”

“Only the first three.” I answered honestly. “Sensei, I apologize in advance but… they’re all no good.”

As soon as my words dropped to her ears, Eguchi-sensei’s expression instantly turned gloomy.