Stealing Spree

Miwa-nee bawled her eyes out in happiness. True, she didn’t really care about celebrating her birthday. However, after all the hardships she faced over the past five years, she found it truly heartwarming to have someone surprise her on her birthday.

In consideration of Miwa-nee, the next-door couple and Akane retreated downstairs, leaving the three of us alone.

Once the door closed, the woman, who started it all for me, put the two of us in a tight embrace. No words were exchanged between us but Minoru and I returned that and more. Conveying our feelings through that embrace. Even the usually clueless boy understood that this moment was something precious for the three of us.

We’re now a family. Even though I still couldn’t just come out and say that I am his father, I’ll slowly grow into that role… Little by little. Even if he came to hate me when I revealed our relationship in the future, I wouldn’t blame him and instead, continue supporting him. Because by then, he’d surely be too confused at what we were building or what we built.

Time passed and when Miwa-nee calmed down, we put Minoru back to sleep. The boy was still sleepy and… he also cried a bit. Following that, we went down and joined Akane, her parents, and my parents for the celebration.

Well, it didn’t take long, of course. It’s already in the middle of the night. So, Miwa-nee just thanked everyone who prepared that surprise celebration for her. It’s not extravagant but the thought put into it made her cry again.

And during it, she revealed her plans of going back to her husband’s place and settling everything once and for all. She asked both my parents and even Akane’s parents to look after Minoru.

Whatever happens, Miwa-nee was already determined to correct the course of her life and start it anew with me.

Right. Even though everyone was already aware of it, Miwa-nee decided to openly reveal it to everyone, my relationship with her as well as Minoru’s lineage.

Naturally, everyone accepted it, Akane, my mom, and Aunt Akemi even walked toward her and supported her.

As for my dad and Uncle Satoru, they both looked at me, their gazes stern. It’s like they’re telling me to grow up soon and settle my responsibilities.

Well, I would be relying on both of them a lot, but as always, I planned not to completely rely on their abilities or whatever influence they possessed. Sooner or later, I will be standing on my own feet, supporting and being supported by the girls who decided to stay with me.

When morning came, Akane and I specifically woke up earlier than Miwa-nee to prepare our breakfast.

I had no prior plans in the morning so we got the time to do that. Since it’s her special day, we didn’t want her to exert herself. And apart from making breakfast, the house chores that she took over ever since she started living with us were done by us. Sweeping, wiping, and even doing the laundry.

With Akane joining forces with me, Miwa-nee couldn’t say no to what we were doing.

Besides, it’s been a while since I did some house chores. Before the change in me or before they started living with me, I was doing everything alone. In a way, I missed exerting myself like this. And doing the chores with Akane was really fun. It became another moment for us to bond.

Naturally, I didn’t just focus on Akane. The girl kicked me out of the laundry room when it was time to wash our underwear… Yep, even though we’re already living like a real wedded couple, she’s still embarrassed with the thought of seeing me washing her underwear.

Well, I was the same. However, Akane wouldn’t budge an inch when I told her that I would do mine instead.

Apparently, that’s the best part for her. She’s also quite a pervert, huh? Who influenced her, I wonder?

Anyway, since I was kicked out of the laundry room, I went to the annoyed Miwa-nee, prepared snacks, massaged her shoulders and treated her like a queen.

“Next year, I won’t let you celebrate my birthday again.” Miwa-nee declared. Her face was dark as though she was about to erupt at any moment but refused to do so because she didn’t want to lash at me.

That’s how conflicted she became at what we’re doing for her today.

“Then I’ll just prepare another surprise. A surprise that you won’t be able to reject.” I put on a smirk at the same time as my hands slipped from her shoulders, enclosing her in my embrace.

I then nibbled her ear, tickling my beloved Miwa-nee before the veins on her forehead popped out from my response.

Moments later, I felt her hand closing on my hair, tugging it away to pull my lips away from her ears. Following, she turned around and faced me.

While sporting a sinister smile, Miwa-nee raised my head and sunk her teeth into my neck. Perhaps finding that a bite mark on my neck was not enough, Miwa-nee nibbled on my earlobes before biting it as well.

“Do your best to hide that when you leave later.” After saying that, Miwa-nee released me and went to Minoru, as a means of escape in case I retaliated. Smart girl.

But bite marks, huh? I can now imagine what my girls will think upon seeing it… Most likely, they would also leave their marks behind, especially the notorious tsundere…

Time continued to pass and soon enough, Akane finished with the laundry and my parents arrived with grocery bags. They’re the ones cooking our lunch. Furthermore, they planned the extension of Miwa-nee’s birthday celebration.

My father tried looking at her wine and liquor collection but upon noticing how it dwindled to less than half of what he remembered, his questioning gaze focused on me.

Yep, he didn’t bother to check it the few times that they stayed here.

Since the culprit was none other than the birthday celebrant, he had to find another outlet to vent his frustrations…

He called me to his side and I received silent yet harsh scolding along with his lecture about the origin of those liquors that Miwa-nee chugged down with the help of Shio.

Well, he’s not asking for someone to apologize. And knowing him, he’ll just collect more. I mean, he brought a whole case with him containing different liquors. And most of them couldn’t be found in groceries or local convenience stores.

I know, it’s wrong for Miwa-nee to drink them without tacit permission… But thinking back to a few years ago when she was still living with us, she had the same habit… She’s always helping herself from my father’s liquor collection.

It just got a recurrence this time.

“Well then, I’m going…”

“I’ll meet you in the gym later, husband.”

“Be safe, Ruki.”

After eating and enjoying an early lunch with them, I was now prepared to leave. My morning might be free but not from noon onwards.

After sharing another kiss with the two, I began my walk towards the station.

It’s a short walk but it felt like forever since I was on my phone, checking in with my girls who were on their way to school.

And slipped between my girls' chat boxes, I noticed someone else sent a message.

“Onoda-kun. Come and pick us up.”

It was Koizumi-san’s message along with a photo of her as well as Setsuna at a crowded train station…

That girl… Is she messing with me?