Stealing Spree

"You're late."

Just like yesterday, Mina opened the door to their clubroom for me after knocking on it for a while.

I already dropped Aya to the room next door and greeted Haruko. Himeko was also there with her so I got the chance to check on her situation which ended up taking some of my time.

Well, seeing her cheerful and lovely face today, she's not hurting that much anymore. That was also with Haruko's help by giving her tips to ease the pain.

Seeing the two, their relationship also took a step forward. Before, Himeko was also worried about me taking Haruko away from them. Now that she also became one of my girls, that worry was lifted which resulted in her understanding Haruko better and in turn, Haruko also didn't need to always appease her due to the number of times I am with her.

Leaving the two in that kind of atmosphere, I excused myself to the three girls and went next door.

"I thought I would see you next door, are you waiting for me?"

"You're already this shameless when we haven't even started yet."

"Ah. I'm just asking you know? It's either you or Himeko who's always at Haruko's side so I'm wondering if you waited specifically this time."

Though she's also here yesterday, I naturally omitted that. I wanted to see her reaction to my shamelessness after all.

"… Come in and stop flaunting your shameless aura there."

Mina rolled her eyes and widened the opening of the door.

Alright, that's a nice reaction at least.

Just like the first time I visited this club, Mina guided me to the low table with cushions around it for us to sit.

Now that I'm here again, the other three are nowhere in sight. Did they find out that I will come to visit so they naturally avoided running into me?

"A tea is enough, right?"

Mina asked. Though she's already brewing some at the same corner she did before. I guess, she's the one always in charge of their tea.

"Un. I still remember the taste of your tea back then. You're quite good at it, do you…?"

"My mother taught me about brewing teas. It's not an admirable skill."

Before I could finish my question, she already gave the answer.

This girl. The way she wanted to end the conversation quickly showed that she still had the habit when she was still an introvert.

Well, some things really couldn't change. Opening up to someone doesn't mean one's introverted nature will be cured. It only lets them open up to a specific person.

Look at Himeko and Aya, it is still hard for them to interact with other people. What Haruko cured about them was most likely their loner status. Gathering them together to open up to one another, they became closer than their families.

"What do you mean not an admirable skill? Being able to craft delicious tea like this… What are the chances that you're an heir to a famous Tea Shop?"

As if it's that convenient to find someone with a background like Himeko or Otoha. Also, it doesn't really matter what kind of background they have. What matters to me is how I like them.

Well, after what Rae talked about earlier, I might actually start looking at their background. I just need to be conscious enough to make that the entire reason for liking someone. I love Otoha's personality and the way she wanted to stand up to herself. The same with Himeko, her desire to change was too admirable. It's not about what's behind them but what they showed me.

Err… They both became targets of my desire before the change in me so… I don't think those words are valid. In any case, that's the reason now why I love them.

"Stop assuming things, Onoda-kun. This is just a hobby of my mother which she passed to me."

"So you're not a former member of tea ceremony clubs?"

"It's too troublesome to learn the proper etiquette and the way they prepared the tea. Doing it like this is better."

Mina shook her head. The brewing of tea finished at the same time, she then poured it into two cups before moving towards the low table.

She put one of the cups in front of me before settling herself in front of me. At the same place she sat during my previous visit.

Looking at her this time, only now did I get a better view of her. Most of the time she would veer away from me and hide behind Haruko's back. But through her observations of me, whenever I would visit Haruko, it finally reached this point where she gave me a chance to steal her.

Or rather to know her better.

Mina had ponytailed-black hair and a rather small stature. But still, she gave off some sense of elegance and diligence at how she carried herself. Her most striking trait is that little mole at the left side below her lips. It added to her attractiveness.

When she noticed me staring at her and not at the tea she brewed. Her eyebrows slanted before muttering,

"Drink it now or it will get cold."

"Ah. Sorry, it's the first I got a better look at you. I'm glad you gave me this chance. This made me want you more than before. Maybe as much as I wanted my other girls before."

And like I expected, my words didn't have any effect on her. She picked up her cup and sipped on her tea without as much change in her expression.

"That kind of pick up line will enrage most of the girls, you know? Why do you have to be brutally honest? Don't you know how to lie?"

"It's not that I don't lie, but I want you to know my honest thoughts. Impressing you with lies will just make you turn off if the truth was revealed."

Lying to impress someone, of course, that's a no-no. However, being brutally honest like this is surely not any better. I've already been told about this before but I keep doing it.

"At least, moderate it. You see, even if they already accepted your kind of relationship, they will still be a little hurt knowing that you will probably say to the others what happened between the two of you."

Well, I'm not always saying every detail on them, just enough for them to have the idea of what happened. But I guess, I'll ride this topic of hers. Maybe I will learn more from her.

"I see. You're right. I don't want to lie to them, to you. But hearing about it now, I guess I should omit some things."

I nodded and picked up the still burning hot tea. I sniffed the scent coming from it and it's not the usual bitter tea. There's a hint of sweetness in it which I preferred. It's different from the tea she brewed before. Did she ask Haruko about this?

"Haa… At least you understand."

Upon hearing my answer, Mina shrugged and dropped the topic before sipping her tea again.

My eyes were locked on hers as she gracefully placed her lips on the cup before slowly lifting it up. Her eyes were closed as she savored its taste.

Halfway through, her eyes opened and glared at me who was still holding the cup without sipping it.

"Thank you for this tea, Mina."

"Stop with that, just drink it already."

She said after placing down her now-emptied teacup

"Does it bother you if your tea grew cold?"

Anyone would, I guess. I keep postponing drinking it that she might become irritated soon.

"Of course. I made that with your satisfaction in mind. If you just let it cool down. It's like you're throwing my efforts."

"How thoughtful. You're making me like you more."

And these words became the fuse which lit flared her up. Mina visibly blushed before standing up to get the teapot she left on the counter where she made it. Most likely to stop me from seeing that expression.

"I did that to everyone, idiot. Don't get too cocky."

I watched as she slowly walked there while putting a hand on her cheeks. Well, I didn't know it would be that effective. Did I do something which changed her impression of me? Better ask her about that.

After a while, she came back with the teapot and put it on the low table. Her face already recovered its normal color. She then poured another cup of tea for her.

"I know, I just really want to see your reactions. Anyway, can I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead but drink your tea first!"

With a vein popping up on her forehead, Mina finally couldn't take it and shout at me.

Well, that's enough teasing. To appease her, I downed the tea in one gulp. It's really sweeter than before and it tasted high class despite using normal leaves.

"Alright here."

"Come on. Give me that, I'll refill it. You're going to drink this all before you go."

Still a bit incensed, Mina asked for my cup.

Her teapot is big enough to fill 15 cups of it… She already drank two… This girl.

"Say, Do you have a grudge on me?"

"I do. Because you showed up, Haruko always has a smile on her face now. I can't cheer her up like before."

Ah… That makes sense. Haruko really cheered up more than before, especially when I started to keep dropping by to see her and the night we shared every week.

Well, all her girls love Haruko too much. It's only natural for Mina to feel like this.

Now, how will I make her like me too?