Stealing Spree

Thanks to Edel's pitch there, the few minutes that I spent within the Poem Appreciation Club became a little fruitful.

While it didn't close the distance between me and the two seniors, I got to hear their current insights about me.

Yep. They stayed subjective to me and refused to enlighten me why they hated boys in general. If I had to guess, it might not be explainable and just something they grew up with. Besides, they never truly acted it out. In public, apart from being asocial with little connection even to the other girls, they're just seen as averse to interacting with the other gender.

And now that my presence encroached on their safe haven here in this classroom for months already, Minori-senpai said that Haruko urged them to observe me which they did. And so, they told me the result of that observation.

For Minori-senpai, I am tolerable to a certain degree. What she hated the most about me was my stubborn kindness – referring to my declaration of wanting to help them even if they never looked at me kindly.

For Yuika-senpai, she went on to point out how much of a pervert I am. She believes that I'm only approaching them to one day bed them and claim their virginity. Also, she pointed out Haruko's words the first time I appeared before them.

She still thinks that I'm only trying to claim them as Haruko's presents. She's aware of part of my past from Haruko's recollection. She thought I was still the desire-driven guy who was only trying to steal her from Haruko.

Of the five girls of Haruko, she remained the only one to believe that I haven't changed at all.

Edel tried to defend me but I stopped her and accepted that kind of evaluation.

Before I left the clubroom, Minori-senpai added something. She reminded me that she still stood by what she said the last time. That if I eventually decided to go after them, I should spare Yuika-senpai from it and start with her. From the look in her eyes, she's really determined to test me out first rather than let Yuika-senpai become terrified of me.

She actually sees the girl as a little sister she wants to protect. It's similar to how Edel and Mutsumi-senpai cared for the girls younger than them.

As my response to that reminder, I simply showed an understanding smile followed by a nod.

-

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After bringing Edel back to the neighboring clubroom, I made my way to our clubroom.

It's a normal club day for us aside from having an additional person in our club room.

Yep. Hana once again visited the club despite what she experienced at the four girls' hands yesterday. Furthermore, given that I was late, the girl went to the club by herself so her appearance surely surprised Kana and the others.

According to the account of Rae and Kana. Hana showed up looking like a spent tire. She mindlessly went in after Otsuka-senpai opened the door for her and plopped down on my seat. She slumped over the table, resting her mind and body.

It's like she came just to take a rest. Most likely, Chii's Mentor once again tired her out for being too lively.

But then, ten minutes before I arrived, the curious girl's liveliness and curiosity kicked in, hounding the girl about what happened to her.

And surprisingly enough, Hana's reaction to Otsua-senpai's liveliness was totally different from Chii's Mentor. She gradually regained her energy and started conversing with the girl with me as their topic.

Yeah. That must be the reason for the difference in treatment. She's more interested in talking about me rather than whatever guidance Chii's Mentor was giving.

There's also the fact that out of the four girls in the club, only Otsuka-senpai could proudly say that she's not my girl. And thinking that she was simply a bystander, she didn't need to adopt a sense of rivalry with her. Little did she know that Otsuka-senpai was just like a ticking time bomb for me.

Anyway, that's that.

When I arrived, I partly ignored the girl and simply took my place in between Kana and Rae and spent the rest of our time there just reading a book together or talking about Kana's novel that was still in the process of judging whether it could pass the second round in the contest she entered.<novelnext></novelnext>

However, before the bell rang for the end of club hours, Hana approached Ishida-senpai for the club application form. Otsuka-senpai talked her into it and even proudly teased me that she did me a favor for doing that.

Kana and Rae scolded the curious girl but they were already helpless to stop it.

Why?

Because Rumi was the diligent club president first before being my girl. And due to that she cheerfully handed Hana the application form and accepted it right away, welcoming her to our club.

Yes. On her second day in our school, Hana formally became the sixth member of the Literature Club.

Oh. The cuck Goto already handed in his resignation so he's not counted anymore. And if Watanabe also joined in the future, she'd become the seventh… The future dilemma of club disbandment for the lack of members next year was conveniently solved like this.

Following that, we prepared to leave and turn in the day.

With my promise to accompany them to meet with Hifumi, I first escorted Hana to Chii's clubroom. And the following half an hour was obviously the same as before, walking my girls to their destinations.

At the moment, I was approaching the school gate, making my way back to the Club Building after escorting Nami and the others from the same club.

This should be my last return trip to pick up Chii and Hana. However, looking ahead of me, that might be delayed.

"Junior-kun, here!"

Yeah. Parked on the side near our school gate was the same car that Marika used before. And instead of waiting inside, the ringlet girl was standing outside it, watching me approach.

She happily waved her hand at me while clutching a bottle of her favorite juice.

I looked around to check if other cars were observing the girl from afar. Or if Ichihara Jun was around. However, there's nothing unusual.

Apart from the two bodyguards who also served as her driver, everything appeared normal.

I took note of their reaction upon my arrival and it was the same as before. They're still wary of me but there was no indication that they received another instruction, for example, beating me up.

Either they're loyal to Marika or they're not Ichihara's men.

"Senpai, aren't you going home?" Naturally, I wouldn't simply run to the girl. Acting the same as the last time they picked me up, I approached the girl normally.

"I am. But I thought I saw you walking back to school. I thought why not give you this." She answered with a refreshing smile before handing me the bottle of juice. But that was just an act. The girl stepped forward and whispered to me in a voice that the suited men wouldn't hear, "I heard from my followers, Jun-kun asked them not to leave my side. I'm afraid I won't be able to visit you next time… What should I do?"

This girl… So, she waited for me to ask this? Won't it be easier if she messaged me?

Wait. No. I'm looking at it from one angle…

Marika… Has she started making an excuse for a reason to see me? Or is this her way of showing her rebellious spirit to whoever's restricting her?

"I see. Leave it to me, senpai. I'll sneak you out if need be." That's how I replied in the end, resulting in the girl's mood becoming noticeably radiant.